There are no buts in love
It's never too early to dance
I have to go dance with my past and my future
God doesn't need you to be somber; God needs you to be happy
Everyone loves you as soon as they meet you
Listen to the silence between bird calls
To be happy, all you have to do is smile
You have a lovely face, but it's anything but a poker face
I'm never worried when you're around, Shri Vindaloo
Shri Vindaloo, you don't need a role in any movie — you are a movie
His smile followed her down the corridor to her room
We all make mistakes, which means that we truly belong in the kingdom of God
I learned to sing listening to the palm trees
Rounds of kisses and happiness and a few more cocktails
Out of his window he could see miles and miles of neon, then just sky
There are no buts in love
It's never too early to dance
I have to go dance with my past and my future
God doesn't need you to be somber; God needs you to be happy
Everyone loves you as soon as they meet you
Listen to the silence between bird calls
To be happy, all you have to do is smile
You have a lovely face, but it's anything but a poker face
I'm never worried when you're around, Shri Vindaloo
Shri Vindaloo, you don't need a role in any movie — you are a movie
His smile followed her down the corridor to her room
We all make mistakes, which means that we truly belong in the kingdom of God
I learned to sing listening to the palm trees
Rounds of kisses and happiness and a few more cocktails
Out of his window he could see miles and miles of neon, then just sky
If you drink a lot of feni, you do get drunk — but you also see God
If you ain't late, you ain't in New York
New York is so friendly, particularly when you are spending money
Isn't your last margarita the best margarita?
They've never even kissed, and here they are getting married
What's zydeco? Is it like tequila?
The brain is like a toothbrush
He felt he was inside the horizon – no depth, no distance, no nothing
Be undressed and waiting, my precious angel
Shri Vindaloo, you love everything
If a lady pig puts her cowboy hat on a pig, she's going home with him that night
"Darling," he spread his paws wide — "Come and get it."
The most glamorous mothers of the bridal couple anywhere
Lizards are the only creatures with two male procreative organs
After the second cashew feni, the sun shines from behind your eyes
If you drink a lot of feni, you do get drunk — but you also see God
If you ain't late, you ain't in New York
New York is so friendly, particularly when you are spending money
Isn't your last margarita the best margarita?
They've never even kissed, and here they are getting married
What's zydeco? Is it like tequila?
The brain is like a toothbrush
He felt he was inside the horizon – no depth, no distance, no nothing
Be undressed and waiting, my precious angel
Shri Vindaloo, you love everything
If a lady pig puts her cowboy hat on a pig, she's going home with him that night
"Darling," he spread his paws wide — "Come and get it."
The most glamorous mothers of the bridal couple anywhere
Lizards are the only creatures with two male procreative organs
After the second cashew feni, the sun shines from behind your eyes
THE BOOK
Love Joy and Silliness
A whimsical, warm, and wonderfully silly novel set across eight chapters and six countries. From a tango club in Goa to the overnight train to Leningrad. From the Easter Parade in New York to a zydeco festival in the Louisiana bayou. A wedding in Las Vegas. A sofa in the Soviet Union that does not survive the encounter.
This is a book about love that dances, that crosses borders and laughs the whole way through. It is also about joy, which, together with love, is the essence of spirituality. And, of course, it is about that most underrated of all virtues: silliness.
Meet the Man Himself
Who Is
Shri Vindaloo?
Shri Vindaloo?
Shri Vindaloo, the CEO of Pig Enterprises, is a grand and wonderful pig who lives in Goa, and is always the most joyful presence in any room he enters.
He knows instinctively that love, joy and silliness are all there is, and to be happy all you have to do is smile.
He loves everyone he meets and, of course, everyone loves him back, including many, many lady pigs who he follows (sometimes), meets (sometimes) and loves (all the time).
His adventures take him back and forth between Goa and Leningrad, New York, California, Mexico, New Orleans and Las Vegas. And through all this, of course, multiple love stories unfold.
From the book
There are no buts in love.
Tap to read the next line ✦
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jamal Mecklai
Jamal Mecklai is a Mumbai-based writer, thinker, and — much like his protagonist — an enthusiast of life in all its delightful forms. He is also a financial analyst much-enjoyed in the media, whose business philosophy is “business in pleasure, work is play”.
Love Joy and Silliness is his debut novel about a pig who lives with his heart – his brain, as Shri Vindaloo says – is like a toothbrush, useful for brushing his teeth, but not much else.
He has also produced five short animated films based on chapters from the book, cinematic and warmly narrated in his own voice. Together they form the beginning of a world that extends beyond the page: literary, visual, and unmistakably joyful.
His writing moves easily between wit, affection, absurdity and spirituality, always centred on the reality that love, joy and silliness are all there is in life.
"There are no buts in love."
FROM THE WORLD OF SHRI VINDALOO
Collected Thoughts on Love, Joy & Feni
01
God doesn’t need you to be somber;
God needs you to be happy.
God needs you to be happy.
02
To be happy,
all you have to do
is smile.
all you have to do
is smile.
03
You drink a lot of feni
and you see God and it
puts hair on your chest.
and you see God and it
puts hair on your chest.
04
Isn’t your last margarita
the best margarita?
the best margarita?
From the Book
Thirty Lines That Will
Stay With You.
01
There are no buts in love.
02
It's never too early to dance.
03
I have to go dance with my past and my future.
04
God doesn't need you to be somber. God needs you to be happy.
05
Everyone loves you as soon as they meet you.
06
Listen to the silence between bird calls.
07
To be happy, all you have to do is smile.
08
You have a lovely face. But it's anything but a poker face.
09
If you drink a lot of feni, you do get drunk — but you also see God.
10
If you ain't late, you ain't in New York.
11
New York is so friendly, particularly when you are spending money.
12
Isn't your last margarita the best margarita?
13
It felt like he was inside the horizon — no depth, no distance, no nothing.
14
I'm never worried when you're around, Shri Vindaloo.
15
Be undressed and waiting, my precious angel.
16
Shri Vindaloo, you love everything.
17
What's zydeco? Is it like tequila?
18
The brain is like a toothbrush — good for brushing your teeth, not much use for living your life.
19
They've never even kissed, and here they are getting married.
20
We all make mistakes, which means we, like everyone else, truly belong in the kingdom of God — the Imperfect Master.
21
His smile followed her down the corridor to her room.
22
Out of his window he could see miles and miles of neon and then sky.
23
Shri Vindaloo, you don't need a role in any movie — you are a movie.
24
I learned to sing listening to the palm trees.
25
If a lady pig puts her cowboy hat on a pig, it means she's going home with him that night.
26
"Darling," he spread his paws wide, pursing his snout. "Come and get it."
27
This had to be the most glamorous mothers of the bridal couple anywhere.
28
Rounds of kisses and happiness and a few more cocktails.
29
You drink a lot of feni and you see God. And it puts more hair on your chest.
30
Lizards are the only creatures with two male procreative organs.
Read all thirty moments — and everything in between.
Get the Book on Amazon
Now Seeking the Right Production Partner
An Animated Series Ready for the World
Five proof-of-concept films already narrated by the author. A cinematic universe stretching from Goa to New York, Mexico, Leningrad and New Orleans. Eight ready-made episodes. One unforgettable central character. A world built on love, joy, music, food, longing and elegance.
Limited Opportunity
Early collaborators can help shape the visual language and future adaptation of Shri Vindaloo World.
8
Ready-Made
Episodes
Episodes
5
Proof-of-Concept
Films Produced
Films Produced
6+
Countries Across
The Story
The Story
1
Character Unlike
Anything on Screen
Anything on Screen
GOA • FENI • TANGO • LOVE • NEW YORK • MUSIC • MEXICO • JOY
ANIMATION SERIES • EIGHT EPISODES • GLOBAL STORY WORLD
SHRI VINDALOO • ROMANCE • CINEMA • SILK SUITS • COCKTAILS
GOA • FENI • TANGO • LOVE • NEW YORK • MUSIC • MEXICO • JOY
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
Words from those who entered Shri Vindaloo’s world
Drawn from real reader reviews across India and beyond.
★★★★★
"While it's difficult to categorise this little treasure of a book, it certainly filled me with love, joy and silliness."— Sally
★★★★★
"Just loved the book. Such a vivid colourful character — Shri Vindaloo."— Spotty
★★★★★
"A magical world with beauty and dancing and love… and pigs!"— Bombay Shopper
★★★★★
"Wild, heady, sunny… and totally lived up to its billing — LOVE JOY AND SILLINESS!"— Amazon Customer
★★★★★
"The book gives up its warmth. Warm, witty and deeply human."— Tush
★★★★★
"A rare charm — playful, warm, eccentric, and unexpectedly sophisticated."— Deepanshu
VISUAL ARTIST · PHOTOGRAPHER · FILMMAKER
The Visual World of Mino La Franca.
Mino La Franca is an acclaimed photographer and video artist with more than thirty years of experience creating visual work across theatre, opera, film, publishing, fashion, and advertising.
For Love Joy and Silliness, Mino shaped the cinematic identity of Shri Vindaloo through visual storytelling, art direction, animated films, still imagery, and atmospheric compositions inspired by Goa, music, movement, romance, and joy.
His work transforms Shri Vindaloo’s literary universe into something immersive, emotional, elegant, and visually unforgettable.
FROM THE VISUAL WORLD OF SHRI VINDALOO
Cinematic Frames by Mino La Franca.
