2.4: Samit Basu – Redefining Speculative Fiction In India

From comics to superheroes to dystopia: find out how he popularized speculative fiction in India.Tara and Michelle talk to Samit Basu, one of the foremost speculative fiction writers in India. After writing everything from fantasy to science fiction, he has recently published a bestselling dystopian novel Chosen Spirits. Michelle loves that Chosen Spirits is set only ten years into the future. Tara finds out why he calls it an “anti-dystopian” novel.Samit gives us great insights into his writing process, especially how he creates fantastical words and characters from his reality. We chat about the writing community then vs. now, and what the future of speculative fiction in India could be. What is his next project? Will he stick to the speculative fiction genre? Can we expect to see his bestselling books adapted on the screen? Samit answers these and more questions in this episode. Do not miss the rapid fire section in the end!'Books and Beyond with Bound' is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D'costa of Bound talk to some of the best writers in India and find out what makes them tick.Samit Basu is the author, most recently, of Chosen Spirits, a near-future anti-dystopian novel. He's also known for the Gameworld trilogy of fantasy novels, the Turbulence series of superhero novels, and the Adventures of Stoob series of children’s books. He’s written bestsellers, won awards, and been published in multiple countries and languages. Basu is also the co-writer/director of a Netflix film, comics writer and columnist, and runs Duck of Dystopia, a creativity/arts newsletter.You can get your copy of his book here: https://www.amazon.in/Chosen-Spirits-Samit-Basu/dp/938679781X/Tune in every Wednesday for a new episode.Follow Bound on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @boundindiaFollow our podcast on Instagram: @boundpodcastsYou can check out our website at https://www.boundindia.com/podcast/Applications for The Bound Publishing Course 2026 are now open.The Bound Publishing Course is a 3-month intensive course on book, magazine, and digital publishing. Through live sessions, workshops, and industry-facing projects, participants gain practical publishing skills and exposure to careers across the industry.Cohort size: 50 seatsFirst round of acceptances: 15th June 2026Applications are reviewed on a rolling bas‘Books and Beyond with Bound’ is the podcast where Tara Khandelwal and Michelle D’costa uncover how their books reflect the realities of our lives and society today. Find out what drives India’s finest authors: from personal experiences to jugaad research methods, insecurities to publishing journeys. Created by Bound, a storytelling company that helps you grow through stories. Follow us @boundindia on all social media platforms.