Children’s author Shyamala Shanmugasundaram’s Under Pressure reimagines Freddie Mercury’s early life for young readers, focusing on how the Queen legend transformed childhood bullying and loneliness into music and confidence. With poetic storytelling and evocative illustrations by Pankaj Saikia the book highlights empathy, resilience, and the power
A young Freddie Mercury wins the hearts of his audience
Queen’s four-octaved legend Freddie Mercury’s journey to fame was not easy. As a child, Mercury was bullied for his overbite and called names like Bucky. However, once he began singing, he never looked back. This journey of a bullied child, channelling his fears and energy into music, is what children’s author Shyamala Shanmugasundaram’s new book, Under Pressure (Perky Parrot), is all about.
Freddie Mercury was bullied as a child for his teeth. Illustrations Courtesy/Pankaj Saikia
When Shanmugasundaram read an article which carried the story of the bullying, she realised its impact on the singer, and wanted to reach out to children. “It made me think how much kindness and empathy matter, especially to a child. When you recall your childhood, you may forget the names of the people, but you always remember their kindness or meanness.” She reveals how Mercury was sent to a boarding school in Panchgani at the tender age of eight. “His parents lived far away, in Zanzibar. It would take a month for a ship to come from Zanzibar to India,” she tells us. What does a child turn to when home feels so distant? For Mercury, it was his passion for sports and music, the book notes.
Pankaj Saikia
Pankaj Saikia’s accompanying illustrations depict this accurately, capturing sombre as well as spirited moments. A spotlight always follows Mercury. When it’s not through the stage lights, it is through the sunlight. The rest of the world dims around him into shades of blue. We observe this image transform gradually — from that of a frightened child to one of a confident artiste; Mercury conquers the stage.
Shyamala Shanmugasundaram
The poetic form employed by the writer arrests our attention, too. Children get to count down from ten to zero as they read along. Having grown up listening to songs like The Show Must Go On, and tapping her feet to We Will Rock You, Shanmugasundaram admits that the rhythm of Queen’s music stayed with her. “It is evergreen,” she notes. It is perhaps for this reason that she uses a similar form. At the centre of it all, ultimately, is the voice that speaks to young readers. “Sometimes, we learn to shrink to fit into spaces which don’t serve us anymore. At other times, we learn to dim the light,” she says. But the author believes that we needn’t do so. She wants her readers to learn that no matter the difficulty, we can push through it; we can weather the storm.
Available: At leading bookstores and e-stores
Cost: Rs 299
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