In the early 80s, Gregory David Roberts an armed robber and heroin addict escaped from an Australian prison to India, where he lived in a Bombay slum. there he established a free health clinic and street soldier. He found time to learn Hindi and Marathi fall in love and spend time being worked over in an Indian jail. Then in case, anyone thought he was slacking he acted in Bollywood and fought with the Mujahedeen in Afghanistan.
Amazingly Roberts wrote SHANTARAM three times after prison guards trashed the first two versions. It's a profound tribute to his willpower At once a high-kicking, eye-gouging adventure a love saga and a savage yet tenderly lyrical fugitive vision