LIFESTYLE
Amish Tripathi, author of the hugely successful Shiva trilogy, is all set to announce his next at the upcoming Zee Jaipur Literature Festival. Yogesh Pawar goads him into revealing more about his new book.
You are ready to announce your next book after the thundering success of your Shiva trilogy. Are you tense or excited?
While writing I'm not tense at all. In fact, I enjoy spending time in the parallel universe of the story, seeing what the characters are doing. But now that the marketing phase is coming up, of course I'm a bit tense and excited. But that is good! It'll keep me focused!
Is this book also a part of a series?
(Laughs) It will all be revealed in good time. Be there at the Jaipur Literature Festival on 23rd January to know about that!
You've said you're equally fascinated with the Indian, Egyptian, Mesopotamian and Anatolian civilisations. Will the new series see a 'civilisational shift' of sorts from India?
There were many concepts that I had. I have picked up one of them and started.
How did The Immortals of Meluha, your first novel in the Shiva trilogy happen?
As for writing, I never really wanted to be a writer. I was academically inclined and active in competitive sports. Yes I went to IIM Calcutta and love number crunching. But I was never creative. The fact that I've written three books that have been well received is actually a surprise to most of my close friends. Many of them still ask: "Sach bataa, actually kisne likha hai?" Trust me, if I can write, anyone can write!
It took the trilogy to bring you back to believing in religion, and making you a Shiva devotee?
Yes. It brought me back to faith. I had turned into an atheist. Particularly the blasts and riots which rocked the city left me disenchanted. I am now a devout follower of Lord Shiva. I wear an 'Om Namah Shivaya' kada, a rudraksh pendant and I worship Lord Shiva every morning. But I also respect all gods of all faiths. There's no contradiction in that. In fact, it is the Indian way. In the beginning I wasn't such a strong believer. No disrespect to any other god, but if someone like me had to be brought back to faith, only Lord Shiva could do it. I am a rebellious guy and Lord Shiva, after all is the original god of the rebels!
How does it feel to be having the last laugh over the dozen odd publishers who rejected your now phenomenally successful work?
Over 20 publishers rejected it actually! But look, hindsight vision is 20-20. I can't blame them for thinking that my book wouldn't succeed. It was in a genre that was sadly not doing well in the English language space. I'm happy my books have done well. Why turn that positive feeling into something negative by unnecessarily insulting others who were just doing their job?
Many lament that the good and the popular are no longer congruous in the world of writing. Would you agree?
What's popular gets decided instantly. What's good takes 20 years or more to figure. Many books that are considered classics today were panned by critics when they released. And many books that were popular in the past have been forgotten completely today. So let time decide whether a book is good or not. Until then, my suggestion is that we shouldn't judge others' tastes. Everyone has a right to decide for themselves what a good book is. We live in a free country.
T-shirts, tattoos and coffee mugs with Shiva iconography… Were you aware what you were unleashing with the trilogy?
I don't think I've unleashed anything. Lord Shiva was always popular. He has always been one of the most popular gods in the Indian pantheon. My books are only a small contribution to his greatness.
Did your banking experience come in handy while writing or did it get in the way?
(Laughs) Well some of the insurance company business plans that I'd written were fiction! I don't know if you'd call that practice for the fiction I wrote later!
You credit your wife with showing you direction when you felt lost…
Yes that's true. She told me not to think of myself as the creator of the story, but simply as a witness to it. That the story is actually taking place in a parallel universe where characters are alive... that I've been given the privilege of entering that universe and recording what I see. It was good advice and it really worked well for me.
Do you ever feel like going back to being a banker?
Are you seriously asking me this question? To be honest it's a thought that crosses my mind ever so often. Because I don't come from a privileged family. If my books stop earning enough royalty for me to meet my responsibilities, I'll have to go back to banking! Let's hope that doesn't happen though.
When is the movie based on your trilogy coming?
Karan Johar's company Dharma Productions has contracted the Indian language movie rights for the Shiva trilogy. Karan Malhotra and his wife are working on the script right now. It'll be a big budget movie series. So it'll probably take a few years before the first movie releases.
p_yogesh@dnaindia.net, @powerofyogesh
DNA TV Show: Why Pakistan worried about a Donald Trump presidency
Pakistan bow down as THIS country set to host India’s Champions Trophy 2025 matches
Amid heavy pollution in Delhi, these 12 Indian cities enjoy fresh, clean air
Bigg Boss 18: Vivian Dsena confides in Kashish Kapoor about his stepdaughters, talks about his...
After S Jaishankar's conference, India slams Canada for action against Australian news channel
Sidhu Moosewala's parents share NEW pic of his baby brother, netizens say 'so cute'
‘It definitely does a lot of good to my ego’: Aishwarya Rai gets candid in film promotion interview
Ignored for Australia Tests, India star slams sensational Ranji Trophy double ton
Interviewer asks Aishwarya Rai ‘how do you look so fab’, she says…
How Biden’s Lame-Duck Period Could Influence Policy Decisions After Choosing Not to Run in 2024
Watch: Viral video shows heated argument between passengers in Delhi metro
Virat Kohli's 'new chapter for me' post ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy sends internet into frenzy
Mukesh Ambani, India's richest man, donated over Rs 400 crore in one year, Gautam Adani gave Rs...
Delhi: Air pollution in national capital spike during Chhath Puja, AQI reaches 'severe' level
AUS vs PAK Live Streaming: When and where to watch Australia vs Pakistan 2nd ODI live in India?
'I gain weight as body...' Arjun Kapoor reveals being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease
Stark Visas: The Best Immigration Consultant in Delhi Sets Immigration Dreams High in Ahmedabad
KREEVA targets top 1% elite for its ultra-luxury homes in Delhi-NCR’s prime locations
Tata Group acquires another company for over Rs 18 crore days after Noel Tata joins board
WPL 2025 Retentions: Full list of players retained and released by all 5 franchises
ED raids main vendors of Amazon, Flipkart across multiple cities, including Delhi, Mumbai due to...
Anil Ambani suffers major setback, his company banned for 3 years due to...
Meet woman, a cuddler, professional hugger, earns Rs 7400 in 1 hour, she is...
Meet teen who started working from garage, now set to make Rs 25 crore at just 16 from...
Viral video: Slum children recreate Sabyasachi bridal wear, designer reacts; WATCH
Missing Home on Chhath Puja: Yearning and significance behind Bihar’s holy festival
Chhath Puja 2024 Day 4: Usha Arghya date, timings of sunrise, puja rituals, significance and more
Ricky Ponting wants Babar Azam to follow Virat Kohli's footsteps for THIS reason
Elon Musk's net worth surges by Rs 2193295096200 in a day after...
Meet India's richest female YouTuber, left teaching job, has Rs 43 crore net worth, now works as...
This fruit is called non-vegetarian, it is...
Meet man who was India's biggest con artist, he sold Taj Mahal, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Red Fort...
Nita Ambani reveals husband Mukesh Ambani follows a strict diet, here's what he eats
'Tu jhuti woh makkar': Influencer accuses 10-year-old of groping her; narrates ordeal in viral video
Richa Chadha, Ali Fazal name their daughter, Zuneyra Ida Fazal; it means...
After returning as President, what will happen to cases against Donald Trump? Know here
25-year-old turns temple thief, steals ornaments worth Rs 78 lakh for...
Why Mahindra XUV700 is perfect for road trips and off-road adventures
Mahindra Scorpio N: A legacy of toughness with a modern twist
'Capable of loving more women': Kamal Haasan's bold take on marriage and relationships goes viral
How reaction time and speed tests can give gamers a competitive edge
This is world’s most polluted city with AQI of 1165, it’s just 409 kms away from Delhi
Blow to Gautam Adani as his company's shares fell 7% due to...
Pune Porsche crash: Father of teen driver's friend surrenders before court
Geographic and political nature of drug trafficking sea routes to India
Delhi AQI Update: Air quality turns 'severe', AQI reaches...
Mukesh Ambani's SUPERHIT new plan for Jio users, offers 100 GB of free cloud storage for just Rs...
Delhi-Mumbai expressway to slash travel time to 25 minutes: Key stretch to open on...
'Modi govt is committed to building terror-free India': Union Minister Amit Shah