Kalki Koechlin to make writing debut with memoir on motherhood

Actress Kalki Koechlin is all set to become an author with an illustrated work of nonfiction on motherhood titled The Elephant In the Womb. Illustrated by Valeriya Polyanychko, the book will be published in late 2021 according to the publisher, Penguin Random House India. The announcement was made on the occasion of International Mother’s Day.

The book will contain a combination of personal essays and think-pieces, along with personal journal entries captured in real-time, alongside reflections and anecdotes. Commenting on the experience and her inspiration, Koechlin said, "While I was struggling with my pregnancy and my new role as a mother, it was my friends who helped me. They shared their rough times and dark phases and how they got through it with laughter and contemplation, and that helped me more than those who spoke only of the glorious, blessed babe in arms that brought light into their lives."

Stating that motherhood is often taken for granted, Polyanychko said, "Kalki’s book uses quick wit and a sense of humour to take the reader down the long and winding road of parenting. Not only did Kalki’s emotional journey deeply resonate with me, but illustrating this book has also been one of the most profound and enriching experiences I’ve ever had."

The Elephant in the Womb, according to the publishing house, blends the deeply private with the blazingly political. "It’s an eye-opener for anyone who has ever thought that pregnancy was all about the glow and that motherhood was all about fulfilment. From fixing broken parts to enduring untimely farts, Koechlin’s prose tells us the bare-faced truth about the physiological discomfort and manic expectations that make it a bittersweet experience," the announcement release read.

Talking about the book she commissioned, Manasi Subramaniam, executive editor and head of literary rights, Penguin Press, Penguin Random House India, said, "Kalki Koechlin’s book deals with the mother of all issues — the fact that parenting is as exhausting as it is fulfilling, as draining as it is inspiring, and as frustrating as it is joyous. We romanticize motherhood in popular culture, and I’m so glad Kalki has pulled back the curtain on what is essentially the physical and emotional labour of much of the female population."