Farvi Wadhwa & Tarun Mehrishi Decode ‘The Art of Espionage’ at The Literary Table

Dehradun witnessed two days of literature, art,

and thought-provoking conversations at the 3rd edition of The Literary Table Literature & Arts Festival. Curated by Director Aloka Das Niyogi, the fest brought together authors, thinkers, artists and young literary enthusiasts for a vibrant celebration of ideas.

Among the engaging sessions was ‘The Art of Espionage’, featuring author Tarun Mehrishi and moderated by Farvi Wadhwa, an editor and media entrepreneur. Farvi shared the stage with Nishtha Kapoor, a Grade XI student of Cambrian Hall, Dehradun, adding a refreshing young perspective to the conversation.

The session looked beyond the intrigue and suspense traditionally associated with espionage fiction to explore what truly goes into creating a compelling story — from research and psychology to emotional intelligence, character-building and the ability to understand human behaviour. The conversation also examined how authors navigate the delicate line between fiction and respect for history, particularly when real events, people and circumstances become the foundation for imagined narratives.

Rather than focusing only on the mechanics of writing, the discussion opened up questions around the responsibility of a storyteller — how much research is required to make fiction believable, how characters are shaped by their circumstances and how an author transforms real-world complexities into stories that remain engaging while retaining their human context.

Speaking about the experience, Tarun Mehrishi said, “As an author, it is always a delight to come across an engaged audience. At the Literary Table’s festival, while speaking on the art of espionage, the conversation moved well beyond the stories themselves to cover topics like the emotional intelligence required of authors, the line between fiction and respect for history, and even women’s safety in today’s India. As I complete my third novel, a murder mystery set in the worlds of cricket and Bollywood, I can only hope to have the opportunity to be challenged by the wonderful readers in Dehradun again.”

For Farvi, the session brought together her long-standing experience as a journalist and interviewer with her interest in literary conversations. “I wanted the conversation to go beyond the obvious intrigue of espionage and explore what really goes into building a story — the research, psychology, emotional intelligence and the choices that shape characters. Having Nishtha as a co-moderator also brought a wonderful young perspective to the discussion,” said Farvi Wadhwa.

With sessions spanning literature, crime, history, art and contemporary issues, the festival created a space where stories became a gateway to larger conversations about people, society and the world we live in.

The session also reflected what makes a literary festival meaningful — not simply putting authors and audiences in the same room, but creating conversations that encourage people to look at stories and the realities that inspire them, from a different perspective.