Prajakta Koli, one of India’s most popular digital creators with nearly 9 million followers on Instagram, made her literary debut in late 2024 with her novel Too Good to Be True. The book, published by HarperCollins India, recently won the Amazon India Popular Choice Debut Book Award 2025, a title driven primarily by reader votes.
Despite this commercial recognition, the book has received widespread criticism from literary circles and readers alike. On platforms like LinkedIn and Instagram, several users questioned the book’s literary merit. A post by Namira Chaki, a LinkedIn user and publishing professional, sparked considerable discussion. She compared the novel to a “Wattpad draft by a 14-year-old,” referencing the platform known for amateur romantic fiction.
Chaki’s critique focused on the book’s underdeveloped character arcs and lack of narrative conflict, two foundational elements of effective storytelling. With phrases like “Chinese takeout” for a plot based in Mumbai, the novel surely seems to feature a white-washed layer over the city. Many book reviewers have found the writing style to be struggling to find the balance between a classic western romance and the lifestyle of an Indian couple.
As per Indian Express reviews, the book served up a series of cliches throughout the text with some failing attempts of nuance and depth. The poor character development in shown when the protagonists have been overexplained with the existing lack of continuity. “The writing becomes bland, unimaginative and simplistic, leaving no scope for any kind of reimagination to take place.” the review says. While her post was met with support from fellow readers, it also ignited a broader conversation about influencer-driven publishing. Many commenters expressed concern over how celebrity status can sometimes overshadow writing quality, potentially sidelining talented but lesser-known authors.
A user took the debate forward to “Radhika Agrawal’s Red Flags and Rishtas, published by Bloomsbury, also faced mixed reviews, raising similar concerns about content quality in influencer-authored fiction.” Another comment shared a sure short way to secure a book deal with a reputed publisher needing over a million followers on social media as the first step. Affirmatively raging on the platform, readers and writers have united to agree that “Getting published is a hobby for the elite in India.”
Just like the reducing attention span of the millions of internet consumers these days, “these pop-and-drop books” will soon leave the limelight as per another user on LinkedIn making no real impact unlike “Sudha Murthy, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Chitra Banerjee”.
India has also seen Chetan Bhagat who took the literary community by a storm. A user on social media broke down the claims made in his support of books being great for beginners, relatable, and initiating a reading habit. While agreeing to this claims, she also questioned whether all content is literature and presenting better Indian alternatives to inculcate the habit of reading like Ruskin Bond, RK Narayan and Sudha Murty.
In a popular subreddit on Reddit that discusses Indian books, a user commented on the typical “write what you know trope.” Rana_mahanty wrote, “They just don’t have real social connectionArundhati Roy was also from a rich family, but she knew how India actually works, read her first novel. That’s why she succeeded. Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone was decent because he knew the engineer’s environment, he had been to IIT.”
In contrast, authors like Harshita Gupta, whose debut novel Unloved explores emotional depth and vulnerability, have built followings through organic storytelling and strong literary merit. Though her reach is modest compared to internet celebrities, her book has resonated with readers seeking substance over stardom. Gupta’s rise reflects a counter-narrative within India’s evolving publishing ecosystem, one where content continues to matter.
This ongoing discourse brings into focus a key question: Should popularity dictate publishing, or should literary quality remain the primary benchmark?
India’s literary heritage is rich with timeless voices like RK Narayan, Ruskin Bond, and Arundhati Roy, the latter having won the Booker Prize for The God of Small Things. Today, the rise of content creators entering the author space—such as Twinkle Khanna, Karan Johar, and Priyanka Chopra, blurs the line between influencer content and literature.
As readers grapple with this shift, the popularity-versus-merit debate continues to shape India’s literary landscape. At the end of the day, it all boils down to a reader and their preferences – be it intellectual literature or light-hearted content from a creator. While awards based on votes reflect reach and fandom, they may not always align with critical or literary acclaim.