‘I found another epic hidden in the Ramayana’: Author Anand Neelakantan

Ramayan may be Lord Ram’s story and Mahabharat Lord Krishna and Pandavas’, but author Anand Neelakantan gave a voice to Raavan and Duryodhan in his novels Asura: Tale of the Vanquished and Ajaya: Roll of the Dice as well as Ajaya: Rise of Kali, respectively. Now, he is all set to release Vanara: The Legend of Baali, Sugreeva and Tara, which is being touted as the first ever love triangle in the world. The writer, who has also penned The Rise Of Sivagami from the Bahubali: Before the Beginning (based on and a prequel to SS Rajamouli’s blockbuster Bahubali) trilogy, speaks to After Hrs about his new book, upcoming works and more.

How did Vanara come about?

Initially, Vanara was written as Tara, a 5,000-word short story about her marriage to Baali and realisation that Sugreeva lusts for her. It dealt with her fear, desire and apprehensions. The chief editor of Penguin suggested that I expand it. The novel is on a much wider canvas and talks about the rise and fall of a race, often mockingly called Vanaras or monkey men, though the central characters remain the same. I found another epic hidden in the Ramayana. I believe this is my best work so far, whether novels, stories or television.

You’ve said that you become the characters while writing, so how do you approach female personalities?

I become the character in my thought. I try to guess what the women I know well — my wife, daughter, sister, mother, friends — would have done had they been in my book. Writing is about imagination.

Which was the first Hindu mythological story that fascinated you?

Ramayana. As a child, I used to wonder how Ravana slept and that he probably laid only on his back. I would giggle at the thought of him brushing his teeth. I had insatiable curiosity and imagination. I’ve tried to retain that. I hunt stories in Puranas and imagine them differently.

Who do you think is the most misunderstood character in Hindu mythology?

Duryodhana because Ravana is flamboyant as well as impactful, and worshipped by many communities. But not Duryodhana, even though his crimes are fewer and milder compared to many characters in any epic. He was the first born of the king and his kingdom was usurped by his cousins who were not even Kuru blood.

Who are the other authors in your genre whose works you admire?

I have many favourites like MT Vasudevan Nair and SL Byrappa. I love to read Ashok Banker, Devdutt Pattanaik and Romesh Menon among my contemporaries.

What else is in the pipeline?

The second volume of Bahubali is in the offing. There is the Netflix show on the Rise Of Sivagami, an original Malayalam novel and in television, I have a big historical show. Vanara is going to be made into a film soon, too.