Penguin publishes collection of short stories by Manto and Chughtai

A collection of short stories by two of the most prominent Urdu writers of modern India -- Saadat Hasan Manto and Ismat Chughtai has recently been released by publishing house Penguin.

The collection titled "Manto and Chugtai: The Essential Stories" hit stands earlier this month.

The collection features some of the best known stories on themes such as communal violence, the Partition, sex, relationships, and more.

Manto's Partition stories like "Toba Tek Singh", and "Open It!", and stories on sexuality like "Smell" and "The Black Shalwar" have made it to the collection.

"Kafir" and "Sacred Duty" are also among the stories by Chughtai included in the collection.

"Ismat Chughtai and Saadat Hasan Manto were Urdu's most courageous and controversial writers in the twentieth century. This collection features some of their most famous short stories," the publishing house said in a statement on Thursday.

The stories by Manto and Chugtai, which were originally penned in Urdu, have been translated to English by critic and short story writer Muhammad Umar Memon, and US-based author M Asaduddin respectively.