Love knows no LOC. The title says it all. Popular author and screenwriter Arpit Vageria says his latest work of fiction, which narrates the story of Kabeer, an Indian cricketer and Zoya, a Pakistani pop-star, is a dedication to all those who believe in the doctrine that love has no boundaries. “This story is for every Shoaib-Sania and a thousand others like them who believe that love knows no LOC (Line of Control),” says Arpit, who is inspired by everything that has a challenge in it.
Love knows no LOC by Arpit Vagerias, Publisher: Penguin Metro Reads pp.227, Rs 175
In the new book, he discusses the challenges of a cross-border romance. Kabeer and Zoya are separated for certain reasons. However, they both long to be in each other’s company. The book delves deep into their emotions, at the same time, takes a look at India-Pakistan border tension.
According to Arpit, the book is a search for fathoming how far one would go for love. “I’ve grown up hearing stories about Indo-Pak wars, hate for each other from both ends, but I’ve heard only a few stories that could probably promote the love between the two countries. I just wanted to put myself in a situation and see what if I fall in love with a girl from Pakistan. What would be the consequences? Upto what extent would I have gone to win her love?” he says.
In his opinion, Love Knows No LOC is the toughest book he has written so far. “It took me 15 months to finish this book,” he says. He befriended Pakistanis online to gather their viewpoints about India. “I tried to tell them that in many ways, their perception about India is completely wrong. I also tried to understand both sides of the coin because it was completely required for this kind of romantic thriller. This book demanded a lot of hard work to make it look like a story that is written by a Pakistani if a Pakistani reads it, and to make it look like a story that is written by a proud Indian if an Indian reads it,” he explains.
In his opinion, his journey as a screenwriter for television helped him mould the lead characters well. “I have seen cricketers’ life; I do know some of them personally. I have seen singers as well. I have many singer friends,” he says. “Kabeer and Zoya are precisely those two characters. One, a cricketer. Another one, an aspiring international star.”
His book also discusses the India-Pakistan partition through the eyes of Kabeer’s grandparent. His thoughts give a glimpse of that period to readers. Arpit says he has seen a child in an old man’s body while writing it. “I saw him crying over his last wish of going to Pakistan and visiting his decades-old home that he left during the partition. He wanted to meet his old friends. I am sure such people exist on both sides of the border waiting to see their long lost childhood streets for one last time,” says Arpit, who gets never tired of the romantic genre. “How can one get tired of romance,” he asks. “I am not getting tired of it at least for a thousand years from now. It is an emotion we all live with. We, Indians, have a great legacy of romantic stories like Jodha-Akbar, Heer-Ranjha, Laila-Majnu, Soni-Mahiwal and more,” he says.
But, how does he bring novelty in each book? “The thing that brings novelty to my book is asking myself, in how many new ways can you love someone? When I get an answer to it, I write my story with it,” he concludes.
