There's been much debate over the rewriting of a number of Roald Dahl's books this past week, with everyone from Salman Rushdie to Philip Pullman to PEN America weighing in on the matter.

So when Smita Nair at Scroll asked me if I'd chat with her about it alongside Sowmya Rajendra, of course I said yes!

"Children's literature has often been a censorship battleground. Recently, it was reported that publisher Puffin had hired ‘sensitivity readers’ to scrutinise British best selling writer Roald Dahl’s books and rewrite portions they deemed offensive. As per reports, among other changes Oompa Loompas are now gender neutral, Augustus Gloop is now ‘enormous’ instead of ‘fat’ and Mrs Twit won’t be referred to as ‘ugly’. We spoke to two beloved Indian children's books authors, Menaka Raman and Sowmya Rajendran on their views on the rewriting of old children’s books, characterizations in which, or portions of which, are today considered offensive."