Wake Up Ali...Wake Up Now is a novel by Nepalese writer and social analyst Sumit Sharma Sameer, published in 2022.
It is the English translation of the Nepali novel "Prabas" (translated as "Migration"), and explores themes of identity, migration, cultural displacement, and self-realization through the experiences of a South Asian migrant worker.
Background.
The novel consists of 136 pages and is divided into five chapters: "Search", "Experience", "Love", "Separation", and "Emergence". The narrative follows Ali, a middle-aged Pakistani engineer from a lower-middle-class family, as he reflects on his experiences as a migrant in Canada. The story traces his physical and emotional journey across Pakistan, Canada, the United States, and eventually back to his hometown of Lahore. Originally written in Nepali as "Prabas", the book was later translated into English by the author.
Plot.
The story centers on Ali, who migrates from Pakistan to Canada in search of better opportunities. Although Ali finds success in his job, he feels lonely and out of place in a foreign country. Feeling unhappy and disconnected, he decides to return to Lahore. There, he looks back on his past and begins a personal journey to understand himself better. The novel shows how migration can affect a person emotionally and how people search for their true identity in a changing world.
Reception.
"Wake Up Ali… Wake Up Now" received critical acclaim for its introspective narrative and philosophical depth. Nepalese actress Manisha Koirala praised the novel as a "philosophical inquiry into the modern world." Professor David Lewis of the London School of Economics described it as “urgent and compelling.” Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa said “This is about social structure, human relationships and individual relationships to society." The book was awarded the Best Debut Novel at the 2022 Kalinga Literary Festival.