Sundaram’s fascinating book is based on his life in Congo.
By Rehnuma Majid
WASHINGTON, DC: Actor Manish Dayal, of “The 100 Foot-Journey” and “90210” fame, has taken on Anjan Sundaram’s book “Stringer” as his latest film project.
The multifaceted actor is currently looking for writers for the movie, but is already joined by Laura Hersh and Dan Spilo as producers.
Sundaram’s book released on January 6th of this year. It carries us through the journalist’s early days as a Yale graduate who turned down security and opportunity at Goldman Sachs to pursue freelance writing and reporting in the Congo. A move which made little sense to those around him considering his college studies focused on mathematics and not the kind of tough reporting that is needed to shine light on an area many people have not ventured in.
With little preparation, the story begins with the then 25-year-old packing his bags and leaving for the Congo, where he would stay with a family he was connected with while in the U.S. Obviously, not having lived the life and customs of the people, he is thrown headfirst into cultural practices which, to him are unheard of.
The family he boards with even attempts to join him with a woman sexually; this is a practice done often in a country where the average person makes less than two dollars a day and normally secures a woman financially as well in exchange for the physical relationship.
He rejects these proposals and his living situation quickly sours, as this is seen as disrespectful to the practices of the family clan.
However, he tries to ignore this and continue with his reporting. The year he arrived at the Congo was also the first in which actual elections were held after several years of civil warfare and the international eye was most certainly going be focused on the area. Finally, his risks appeared to be paying off.
What he was able to witness made clear of a society which was undeveloped in every possible way. There were no laws to hold people accountable, but rather social and familial hierarchies which made room for imbalance and dictatorship.
The stark contrasts were evident in everything from homeless children in the same streets which also catered to expensive food and drink. Even the soldiers were severely underpaid. This sort of disparity made it obvious as to just why locals didn’t look at foreigners with trusting eye.
The story is a unique firsthand account of the underreported region and has been met with overall positive reviews, even landing an interview spot on The Daily Show.
Sundaram looks forward to the book being made to film, and has expressed positive emotions towards Dayal working on it, citing the actor’s passion for the story as his reasoning.