6.23 Gigi Ganguly: A World Where Clouds, Crows and Cocoons Are One

Can a corvid detective solve a murder? Why does the weather department need a singer? And how does a cloud herder take care of his flock? Find out the truth behind all these stories in Gigi Ganguly’s new book “Biopeculiar”. This is the first-ever book of Westland’s new speculative imprint ‘IF’. In this episode, Gigi and Michelle discuss their love for weird stories, the animals that inspired Gigi to write, and why a spec fic imprint is important for Indian literature.Tune in to hear what books inspired their writing, how Gigi came up with the characters in her story and why Satyajit Ray is a gem of the Indian spec fic genre.Movies Mentioned in this episode:Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne by Satyajit Ray, based on the story by Upendrakishore Ray ChowdhuryInterstellarAranyer Din Ratri by Satyajit RayBooks Mentioned in this episode:The Monk and Robot Series by Becky ChambersGullivers TravelsYour Utopia by Bora ChungThe Mill House Murders by Ho-Ling Wong Under the Skin by Michael FaberCoraline by Neil GaimanStory of Your Life Ted ChiangSeveneves by Neal StephensonStation Eleven by Emily St. John MandelThe Matchbox by Ashapurna DeviHitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Mountain in the Sea by Ray NaylerApplications 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.