Category: Fiction
Rights: All rights available
In the tumultuous 1965 India-Pakistan war, Captain Ranjit Choudhary grapples with a deeply personal struggle amidst the chaos of battle. Bata Shoes weaves a gripping narrative where Ranjit’s destiny intersects with his family’s scarred history from Partition. Facing Pakistani tanks on Lahore’s outskirts, a city tied to his family’s past, Ranjit sees a chance to rewrite their fortunes.
Outnumbered and facing an unexpected Chinese threat from the East, Ranjit’s mission becomes a quest for redemption and closure. The Bata shoe factory symbolises his father’s lost dignity and the lingering wounds of Partition, fuelling his resolve.
As the conflict intensifies, Ranjit navigates not only battlefield tactics but also the complexities of family loyalty strained to breaking point. Discovering his adversary is his own cousin adds a poignant layer, blurring lines between enemy and kin, challenging his beliefs about heritage and heroism.
Bata Shoes transcends war literature, exploring the enduring scars of history and the power of reconciliation. Through Ranjit’s journey, it reveals how personal and national conflicts intertwine, highlighting the transformative potential of understanding and forgiveness amid the ravages of war.
The authors: Sanjay Chopra and Tisca Chopra