MUNNU Paperback

"Munnu: A Boy From Kashmir" by Malik Sajad is a powerful and poignant graphic novel that offers a deeply personal and unflinching look at growing up amidst the long-standing conflict in Indian-administered Kashmir. Drawing from the author's own childhood experiences, the book follows seven-year-old Munnu as his innocent world revolves around family, sugar, and drawing, even as it is increasingly shaped by the omnipresent backdrop of military crackdowns, closed schools, and the constant threat of violence. Sajad employs a unique visual grammar, portraying Kashmiris as endangered hanguls (Kashmiri stags), to symbolize their vulnerability and the dehumanization they face. This beautifully drawn and often heartbreaking coming-of-age story provides an intimate insight into the everyday struggles and resilience of a community caught in a complex geopolitical struggle, questioning every aspect of the Kashmir situation from a rarely heard local perspective.