Actor Sivakumar to release ‘When the Gates Closed’ English novel on Jan 3

‘When the Gates Closed,’ an English novel, penned by Arvinda Bharathi, son of Makkal Sindhanai Peravai President and writer of many books lawyer T Stalin Gunasekaran, is going to be released by veteran actor Sivakumar at a function to be held at 5.30 pm at Anna Centenary Library, Chennai, on Jan 3.
The book’s wrapper was released by actor Surya and received by the author (photo). The writer began his creative life in theatre, writing and directing short English plays staged at Alliance Française, Chennai.
His work is shaped by a long engagement with both English and Tamil literature, and by an instinct for the silences, hesitations, and moral tensions that define ordinary lives.
‘When the Gates Closed,’ his debut novel, grew out of watching young people negotiate love, fear, and authority inside rigid engineering college campus rules. It is a story about fragile first love, the quiet rebellion of daily choices, and the subtle weight of parental and institutional control.
Arvinda, qualified in BTech, MBA, also leads a business development team in the technology space, while building Silent Press, an independent publishing venture dedicated to honest and rooted Indian stories.
Early readers including writer Perumal Murugan and journalist Vaasanthi have shared strong, positive feedback, saying the book made them laugh, cry, and reflect deeply.