Calling Sehmat

Gripping, emotional, bravery filled book. Sehmat was a brave gurl unlike the movie Sehmat where she broke down at the end. Very very inspiring and patriotic! One thing that puzzles me is that Sehmat passed away in April 2018. Movie released in May 2018. Movie was based upon Sehmat's real life. Sikka ji started in 2000 and finished the book in 2008. How did the book start with her death? Since the book inspired the movie, why didn't they show her death? Was the book edited after her death. Please someone explain. I am dying of confusion. 🙏

The courage of the character and her actions were so gripping. Had this been a fiction, I would have been dismissive. But truth is stranger and more powerful than fiction and the author brings out the various dimensions of the character. I read the book in one sitting...just could not put it down. The only section that seemed questionable to my mind was when Sehmat returns, there is a formal reception and her first boy friend brings flowers to greet her. I thought the spy's activities were top secret and how did the boy friend even know of her arrival. Was the character Abhinav real or fictional? Perhaps the author should have written a longer story. All said, a memorable book and I loved the film too.

I had bought this book after seeing the movie and desiring to know more about this unknown heroine. It was such a good book and my respect for such a person increased manifold. Hats off to the author for persisting in bringing this story out. We need more such stories to understand the kind of effort, pain that a few heroes and heroines take to help our country.

Full of patriotismIt confirms theater people of all regions and religions are ready to do anything for the nation

What a beautifully written book. I got engrossed so much in the book that I wanted to know who Sehmat was in real life and wanted to go Maler Kotla. I hope we come to know her real identity someday.

What an inspiring story. I couldn't put the book down and finished it with in couple of days. A must read for those who love a good spy story. Especially a true one.

Nice, clean and well-maintained book. I am Happy.

Historical novel that kept my interest from the start. It is an informative and quick read.

Rating - 4/5
There are times when you pick a book for the author. You love and respect the authors writing style, the way he weaves the narrative, basically you love the way he tells you the story.
Then you sometimes come across a story which has so much substance to it that you just have to know/read irrespective of the storyteller. ‘Calling Sehmat’ is one such book I have come across. The author has really tried his best to do justice to Sehmat’s story and I think if she had read it she would have been happy about it. The writing style may not be the smoothest flowing but there is so much power in the story that you tend to ignore it.
This book was first published in 2008 (as per Goodreads) and I am ashamed to know that I had no idea of such a hero until I saw the movie. Recently when I saw the movie , I kept feeling this should be known to everybody, there should be a book about Sehmat’s and her families sacrifices and thats when I learnt that the movie was based on the book. Meghna Gulzar has done a fabulous job of portraying Sehmat’s story but there is always a point where the movie ends and the book continues.
Personally, I feel that I have failed as an Indian if I know about the supreme sacrifices done by European war heroes during the WWII but am oblivious to such heroes in our own backyard. Sehmat’s story is one of love, heartbreak, courage, respect and most of all patriotism. With everybody nowadays coming out with their own definition of patriotism, it is important that we throw this book in their faces to teach them the real meaning.
I can speak for myself when I say this that I would never have the balls to do what she did, be it breaking off her relationship, stopping a possibly bright career and becoming a spy because my father wished me to be one to carry forward his work. I doubt if anybody from the current generation would be able to take such a decision.
Sehmat is truely a hero India had but did not deserve. We failed her if we did not know about her role in winning us a war!!
There is a reason why it is necessary to read the book even if you have watched the movie. Sehmat’s sacrifices were built up on or inspired various other smaller sacrifices from people around her. There are the smaller but parallel stories of her mother and Aby who made a lot of sacrifices of their hopes and future to put Sehmat at ease before she left for Pakistan and for taking care of Sehmat after she was brought back. I cannot imagine the pain her mother must have gone through when she was asked by her husband to allow their only daughter to become a spy behind enemy lines, she must have died every night when the tensions were building around the ‘71 war fully knowing that her daughter was playing a role in the storm. I do not know what these mothers are made up of but they sure as hell make us kids stronger.
Aby is a character which I felt should have been given some footage in the movie but it’s a director’s call and maybe they thought it would take away from the real story they wanted to narrate.
The movie in the ending credits only specifies that Sehmat spent her days in India at Maler Kotla as a pennance for what she did to Abdul, the book explains what really happened once she came back to India.
Please read this book and make your kids read it as well. It is time that we need to realise that there are heroes working for us and they need not always wear a uniform and carry a gun. Just like we depend on the armed forces to keep us safe, the armed forces rely on these heroes to do their job as well as they do.
PS - While reading about Sehmat on the internet I came across an article wherein the author received a letter from Farooque Abdullah asking him to refrain from revealing the true identity of Sehmat in the book because there were many such Sehmats operating in the valley and this may put their families ( Sehmat’s and similar families) in grave danger. Wow, I mean just wow, what have we done to deserve such heroes and what have they done other than being born in the valley to deserve this life.
To all the Sehmats and Tejs in the world - Shat Shat Naman!!!

The writing style is simple, flowing and engaging , but some points are over exaggerated . Sehmat 's stay in Pakistan affected me disagreeably , but I relented on my opinion in the second half of the book . In all the grey sequence of events , there are some spots of real beauty that are are inspiring , touching and reassuring . Abhinav , an incredible , real life person , is one of them , and the coming of the fakir is the other . This story is no fairytale with a fairytale ending . It is better ...... because of Abhinav and the fakir . Yes , inspiring , touching , reassuring . There are brief mentions of naval warfare and the loss of young lives .... no matter on this side or that . I salute endeavors like this that bring home the brutality of war .

As per many readers, I looked this book up after watching the movie. Gripping story. Amazing woman. But as other readers have said, bad writing. To be honest, the first 75% of the book is fine. But then it goes weird from 75%-90% (as you can see, I'm a kindle reader ;)). Then it comes back to her story again but it rushed in the remaining 10% of the book.It could have been so much better written. There were interesting characters that like Mir and Aby and her mum and son and it would have been useful to have their perspective of the book as well.So, a good read to learn more about the amazing woman that she was. I read the book in 2 days too - but that's more due to the interest in the main character as opposed to the writer. But thanks to the writer, as without him writing this badly written book, I wouldn't have known her story.Overpriced at £10 for kindle version.

Can't believe it's a real life story. The audacity and the intelligence exhibited by Sehmat is unbelievable. There are no words to thank such people who take such big risks in life, sacrifice everything for their motherland and get into the jaws of death willingly. Couldn't imagine Sehmat's parents strong hearts and Aby's unconditional love for her. These few people can change the life of millions with their story. A huge salute to our armed forces and their families for dedicating their life for the welfare of civilians. A must read book.

An amazing and inspiring story.Keeps the reader intriguided and the susupense just wants you to keep reading.Salute Sehmat Khan