Aanchal Malhotra

"...If I go in with a clear idea of what I want, I’m never going to see anything else. Deviation always lets you find interesting things..."

"...My name is on the cover, but the book isn’t about me. I’m just a catalyst for their stories..."

"...Partition stories are complicated and often contradictory. Hate and anger can coexist with longing, yearning and even malice in the same conversation..."

"...Every meeting is unique, every conversation presents new challenges and realities, every memory suggests another perspective. With each interviewee, you gauge the threshold of your questioning. You discover biases you never knew you had, you unlearn and relearn, often with great difficulty. You cross borders, and encounter political opinions different from your own. You face hesitation and reticence, anger and confusion, tears and remorse. You understand that people live with wounds that are older than you are. You learn to take care of the sadness of others..."

"...“Separation” meant that there was hope still for us to come together as neighbours who shared history, and a hope for reconciliation..."

"...I don’t think people think enough about what happens after a story is told. I never considered it either till that point. Recounting something like this could take people back to a moment where they have no power over themselves..."