Listicle: 10 books to read before their stories hit the screen

Fans of The Hunger games know that author Suzanne Collins wrote a prequel. The origin story of President Coriolanus Snow starts on the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. It follows 18-year-old Snow, preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The film stars Rachel Zegler, Hunter Schafer, Viola Davis, and Peter Dinklage and is out November.

A Hitchhiker’s guide to Hindustan. Journalist Rajat Ubhaykar set out on a 10,000 km-long trip across India, hitchhiking with truckers, and chronicled his journey in a 2019 book. The chapters cover the people he met, from Punjab to Kashmir, Nagaland and Manipur. Learn some highway ghost stories and then restore your faith in humanity when you read about the kindness of strangers. A docu-series is in the works.

Rumaan Alam’s 2020 psychological thriller about two families, strangers to each other, holidaying in the Hamptons as the world crumbles around them, is being taken to the big screen. He’s producing, alongside Barack and Michelle Obama. The film stars Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, and Kevin Bacon and is out early December on Netflix.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s 2021 novel, about Rani Jindan Kaur, the last wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was acquired by Endemol Shine India. It weaves in the tale of Ranjit Singh’s youngest son and how Jindan Kaur served as his regent when he ascended the throne at age six. No word yet on when it will be released.

Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel is about the life, pain and eventual triumph of Celie, an African-American teenager in Georgia who spends her life in search of her identity. It was first given the film treatment by Steven Spielberg in 1985. A musical version is now being adapted into a film for Christmas. Starring Fantasia, Colman Domingo, Taraji P Henson, Danielle Brooks, H.E.R. and Ciara.

Sidin Vadukut’s 2017 medical mystery-thriller follows a deadly disease that sweeps through Mumbai. It’ll keep you hooked with stories of innocent victims. There’s a bit of humour here and there, even as it has you questioning disaster and crisis management. Amazon has bought the rights. We can’t wait to see how it turns out.

Martin Scorsese adapts journalist David Grann’s 2017 non-fiction book, investigating a series of murders in Osage County, Oklahoma, in the early 1920s—after big oil deposits were discovered beneath the locals’ land. It also chronicles how the FBI, newly formed at the time, starts looking into the crimes. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jesse Plemons and Robert De Niro, and will be released this October.

Saikat Majumdar’s 2015 novel tells the tale of Ori, approaching adolescence in an unstable home. His mother is a theatre artist and he resents her for it. With political bullies, actors, hairdressers, set boys and crew, the novel skilfully transports you to 1970s Calcutta and is worth a read for that alone. Anup Singh will be adapting this into a movie. No word on when it’ll be released.

Amish Tripathi’s novel is about the Indian king who defeated the army of Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Maqsud in the Battle of Bahraich in 1034. The story begins in 1025 CE when Mahmud of Ghazni sacks Somnath temple; the prince of Shravasti, Malladev, dies trying to save the temple. His brother Suheldev promises retaliation. In 2020 Tripathi announced that he’d be the creative producer on a film adaptation. Ram Charan was offered the titular role.

Janice Y K Lee’s 2016 novel will soon be turned into Expats, a drama series created by Lulu Wang, for Amazon Prime Video. It follows the emotions, identities, and relationships of three American women living in Hong Kong; one of them is played by Nicole Kidman. It just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and should start streaming soon.