David Walliams surely knows how to give an emotional message coated with humour and comedy. His Gangsta Granny, children’s comedy fiction book, has been translated into Hindi by Manisha Taneja.
Titled Dabang Dadi, the Hindi version of the book is laugh riot, complemented well with funny illustrations by Tony Ross.
Published by HarperCollins, Dabang Dadi takes you on a trip down memory lane. Unlike most children in the ’90s, who had doting grandparents and loved their company, Ben, an 11-year-old, loathes his grandmother and hates visiting her every Friday night, when his dance-loving parents watch their favourite TV programme, Strictly Stars Dancing.
Ben finds his grandma extremely boring and uneventful and more than anything else, he hates the dishes she prepares for him — everything made with cabbage.
There is no TV at her place either, because the TV set has been out of order for years now. The only thing that interests Ben is Plumbing Weekly because he aspires to become a plumber. However, one day Ben stumbles upon Dadi’s secret — a box of jewels. Dadi tells him that she had been an international jewel thief in her youth and now she plans to steal away the Crown Jewels. And then begins Ben’s adventurous journey with Dadi. Together, they walk through the pipe, give the guards sleeping pills... before Ben realises that Dadi is terminally ill and has very few days to live.
He also realises that Dadi has made up a story of her being a jewel thief because she had overheard him grumbling to his parents on phone how terrible he felt staying with her. She had made up the story to win Ben’s heart.
Dabang Dadi is a story of two lonely souls — Dadi and Ben. But Walliams’ writing is funny. The story tells you that you can do anything if you are imaginative. It was Dadi’s imagination which made Ben think highly of her!
Also, remember to love your parents and grandparents and spend time with them.
