Fantasy as Cultural Expression: Magical Realms in the Fiction of Samit Basu and Manjiri Prabhu

Abstract

This paper examines the function of fantasy as a vehicle for cultural expression
and identity negotiation in the English-language fiction of Indian writers Samit
Basu and Manjiri Prabhu. Although both authors have gained significant
readership, Basu as a foundational figure in Indian English fantasy following
The Simoqin Prophecies (2004), and Prabhu as the first Indian woman mystery
novelist labeled “Desi Agatha Christie,” their works remain critically
underexamined in postcolonial literary studies. Employing Homi K. Bhabha’s
concept of cultural hybridity and insights from fantasy studies, this
comparative textual analysis investigates the narrative strategies through which
Basu and Prabhu construct magical realms that question fixed identities. The
study reveals two distinct approaches: Basu’s irreverent postmodern hybridity
produces an inclusive, globalized fantasy space that deconstructs epic
conventions, while Prabhu’s destination thrillers embed supernatural elements
within specific geographies, re-enchanting Indian heritage through a
framework of mystery and romance. Drawing on E. Dawson Varughese’s
notion of “Bharati fantasy” as contemporary Indian English mythologyinspired fiction that has moved beyond the traditional postcolonial paradigm,
this paper argues that the magical worlds of Basu and Prabhu function not as
escapist constructs but as spaces where a globalized Indian identity is
produced, negotiated, and expressed. The study concludes that their works
exemplify a new direction in Indian English speculative fiction in which
inherited narratives are reshaped through hybrid forms, situating the fantastic
not as departure from reality but as a site of cultural meaning-making relevant
to post-millennial India.