Getting Inspired
author LaaLeen sukhera feels we can turn to jane austen for a good laugh, and also for reassurance
Author Laaleen Sukhera on her fondness for Jane Austen and her work
Fendis and facelifts, Missonis and moisturisers, wedding sangeets and Louis Vuittons.
Austenistan, an inventive book of short stories inspired by Jane Austen, edited by Laaleen Sukhera, with seven short stories, and set in Pakistan, is a delightful read. From ex- husbands who are more substance abuse than substance to aunties worried about virginity; from Dubai and Londonbased eligible bachelors to Lahore and Rawalpindi- based smart bachelorettes, Jane Austen couldn’t have found a more appropriate home for her class- obsessed, marriageoriented society.
Why is Jane Austen’s work still so popular around the world?
Jane was far ahead of her time with her brisk dialogue, concise descriptions, biting wit and sass, the brilliant repartee between characters, and her astute social commentary. Her characters are universally appealing, relatable and will never go out of style.
Which is your favourite reimagining of Jane?
Bridget Jones forever! Apart from her ingenious protagonists— bumbling, endearing Bridget and socially awkward yet sexy Mark Darcy— only Helen Fielding could come up with Bridget fangirling over Colin Firth’s wet white Darcy shirt while interviewing him in The Edge of Reason.
What makes Austen so perfect for Pakistan today? What about India?
Socially and culturally, the IndoPak subcontinent is so similar to Austen’s Regency era with our obsession with marrying well, our class conscious, ancestral and even feudal backgrounds, and our inherent snobbery, our countries are teeming with modern day Austenistani heroines balancing their independent spirits with societal constraints. How and why did you start the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan? It started in 2015 as the Jane Austen Society of Islamabad. Within a year, we had chapters in Karachi and Lahore and became the Jane Austen Society of Pakistan. Today, we’re an online community of 1,700 from 45 countries around the world.