By D.P. Thomas
Acclaimed author, poet, artist, and speaker Ashok Rajamani, whose Pulitzer Prize-Luminary Commended memoir, ‘The Day My Brain Exploded: A True Story,’ is set to be adapted into a movie by the producers of the Academy Award-winning 'Slumdog Millionaire,' has signed with top Hollywood management and production company Echo Lake Entertainment for representation in all areas.
‘The Day My Brain Exploded’ tells of Rajamani’s extraordinary survival from a full-throttle brain hemorrhage at the age of 25. Targeting topics of disability, race, and cultural taboos, it has been called the first South Asian American memoir of its kind.
His work encompasses far more than the memoir. Notable creations include the book of cultural criticism ‘Imagine Carnivalesque’ and ‘If These Saris Could Talk,’ a flash audio monologue voiced by Zehra Naqvi, original lead actress of ‘Bombay Dreams’ on the West End. He was the first Indian American poet ever invited to the World Poetry Festival in Curtea De Arges, Romania. His writings have appeared in over 40 publications.
As an artist, Rajamani's work has been exhibited nationwide, including major galleries such as Exit Art and Greenpoint. A speaker as well, he has given keynote addresses at renowned events such as the United Nations International Symposium on Cultural Diplomacy and Brain Injury Association of New York State Annual Conference, as well as headlined productions like “Brain Injury Warriors of New York” and “Masala in Prose: South Asian American Writers.”
He is a former host of Brain Injury Radio, having been featured in prominent nationwide networks such as SiriusXM, iHeartRadio, CBS, and NPR.
Rajamani is now planning to develop ‘Survivor Factory,’ a show based on his ezine of the same name, which will celebrate true stories of resilience. He is currently working on his next book, ‘Circus in Color: A Brown Man’s Guide to the Greatest Show on Earth,’ which he describes as “a postmodern exploration into the spectacle of racial politics in America.”
