“Happy I persisted,” writes writer Andaleeb Wajid

One thing that may soothe the spirit, transport you down memory lane, or foster self-discovery is a well-written coming-of-age tale, in which each scene is imbued with themes of change and introspection. One example of this is the television version of Andaleeb Wajid’s novel. Released on April 25, the television program Dil Dosti Dilemma is a story of love, development, and resiliency told via a journey of intense emotions and emotional moments.

The Young Adult fiction book Asmara’s Summer (published by Penguin Random House) serves as the inspiration for the television series. The heroine, forced to move in with her grandparents in a less affluent neighborhood, finds her whole life turned upside down. Although she doesn’t want to be connected to that neighborhood, she is unable to avoid it. In that one month, she starts to recognize those around her for who they really are, which causes a significant shift in her life and perspectives, according to Wajid.

With her choice to lie to her friends and her decision to go outside of her comfort zone, the show creates the ideal framework for an endearing tale of a girl rediscovering her origins. However, Wajid’s journey to this point was not without difficulty.

Her life as a writer has seen many ups and downs, she says, “from the time I received rejections for my first novel Kite Strings to the time my novel More than Just Biryani was accepted by a publisher within a few hours of me sending the submission, which have come together to make me who I am today.”

There was excitement and suspense when it was announced that Asmara’s Summer would be adapted for television.

“I was aware that it would take a long time. The concert was announced in March, so I had to wait patiently for quite some time. I’m still trying to digest everything, but it’s been exhilarating,” Wajid remarks. She has only participated in a few preliminary discussions throughout the adaptation process and is excited to see the new aspects of the narrative.

“Some things that weren’t in the book have been added. They try to make it as dramatic and fascinating as they can, so that makes sense,” she says.

When Wajid looks back, she can see how she changed from being a nervous writer to a self-assured storyteller. Wajid has a similar experience, very reminiscent to J.K. Rowling’s tale of having her first manuscript rejected by twelve different publishers.

“I used to worry who would even want to read my tales when I first began writing. I’m happy that, despite my first book being rejected thirteen times between 2006 and 2009, I persisted. Though self-publishing wasn’t as popular as it is today, I was on the edge of it,” she adds.

Seeing your characters come to life is one of the most strange experiences an author can have, according to Wajid. “I spent a few hours on the set during the production and was astounded by what I saw. The characters that I had conjured up out of thin air were out and about, going by their screen identities. It made my skin tingle. Wajid replies, “Like I imagined all of this to exist.”