Shemi, a native of Kannur, is the author of ‘Nadavazhiyile Nerukal’, a bestseller Malayalam novel which had the rare privilege of releasing the second edition only a week after the release of the first edition. The book narrates Shemi’s own struggles, her yearnings for love, solace and a roof over her head and how she scaled the heights in the world of literature amidst all these with her love for language and hard-earned education. Many readers have compared Nadavazhiyile Nerukal to Khalid Hosseini’s renowned work Kite Runner, which also narrates the story of a difficult childhood. At book festivals, Shemi’s work is being introduced as an antidote for those who suffer from poverty, misery, loneliness and orphanhood.
The introductory page of the novel has Shemi’s note in her own hand writing, which says that as she spent her childhood on the streets, the entire royalty amount from the sale of the book would be spent for the welfare of street children. As suggested by Shemi, who had spent her teenage days in an orphanage, the second edition was released in an orphanage at Kanjikkuzhi in Kottayam. Vayalar Award winner and renowned writer K R Meera, who attended the function, described the novel as a must-read for every child in the world. She even described Shemi as the second birth of legendary Malayalam writer Vaikkom Muhammed Basheer.
If we take the number of characters alone, Nadavazhiyile Nerukal has more number of characters than the epic novel Oru Deshathinte Katha by S K Pottekkatt. The book also contributes to Malayalam literature the strongest woman character after Uroob’s Ummachu. It has animals including goats and chicks as characters, which reminds the reader of Beypore Sultan.
Shemi’s husband Fazlu is a senior journalist at the popular Malayalam radio station Hit 96.7FM. Their two children Isha and Eva study at Millennium School, Dubai.
Contact details:
C/o Fazlu
ARN
P O Box 502012
Media City
CNN Building
Dubai
E-mail: