Flashy covers, catchy titles, bold and colorful fonts, are the symbols of a pulp fiction novel. There was a time when these were extremely popular and were found at each red light, stationery, book store, etc. Now, it's difficult to find them. Thanks to the evolution of TV and the dying habit of reading, pulp fiction novels are taking their last breaths.

The Era OfVed Prakash Sharma

These days, a writer with 50,000 sold copies is known as a bestselling writer but there was a time when pulp fiction writers used to sell 10 lakhs copies in a month. Ved Prakash Sharma is one such name. Born in the novel hub, Meerut, Ved Prakash Sharma was a rage among youngsters during his time.

One of his novels, Vardi Wala Gunda, broke all the records and more than 1.5 crores copies of the same were sold within a few months. The demand was such that the 2-3 rs novel was sold in the black market for 20 rupees. That was a time when housewives and youth used to sit at home and spend their afternoon reading novels.

Ved Prakash Sharma has written more than 200 novels during his lifetime and some of his works are adapted in the Hindi film industry too. His popular characters are Vijay, Vikas, KeshavPandit, etc and he is still remembered as the best suspense writer of all time.

Surender Mohan Pathak

Surender Mohan Pathak is another writer who is known for his complex stories and brilliant crime scenes. The writer is active even today and some of his works are being translated into the English language now. He is well known for his novels like 65 lakh ki Makati, etc. Like Ved Prakash Sharma, Surende Mohan Pathak has also written more than 200 novels and has a cult fan following.

Colonel Ranjit

ColonoRanjit is also a Meerut-based Hindi Pulp Fiction writer who is famous for his over-the-top crime scenes and erotic scenes. Before Ved Prakash Sharma and Surendra Mohan Pathak, Colonel Ranjit used to rule the era in the 60s with his impeccable writing skills.

The era of Hindi pulp fiction novels was short-lived. It started during the 1950s with Ibn E Safi and ended somewhere in the late 90s. However, Ved Prakash Sharma and Surender Mohan Pathak were still famous till 2010. The main reason for its fall is the decline in the number of Hindi readers in the country. Many literature writers do not consider the writing of Hindi pulp fiction as art but one cannot deny the fact that these writers sold more copies than anyone else. In all fairness, Hindi pulp fiction writers should have received more recognition and accolades for the amazing work they did for the readers and the language.