‘Kai Po Che will be my redemption’

The event, organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) UAE, saw a jam-packed audience listen to the best-selling writer with rapt attention. Among the top dignitaries present was M K Lokesh, Ambassador of India to the UAE and other leading names from the business and corporate sector.

Author of six blockbuster novels, Five Point Someone (2004), One Night @ the Call Centre (2005), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (2008), 2 States (2009), Revolution 2020 (2011) and What Young India Wants (2012), many of Chetan Bhagat’s books have been adapted into Bollywood movies. Hailed as “the biggest selling English language novelist in India’s history” by the New York Times, Bhagat has been named as one of the “100 Most Influential People in the world” by Time magazine.

Khaleej Times caught up with the celebrity author on the sidelines of the “CEO 2020” workshop.

How would you describe yourself?

Wow! I have never been asked this question in all the interviews that I have given till now. So that is a first. Well, I consider myself essentially as an Indian writer, one who uses his writing to reach out to the maximum number of people in the hope that I can touch lives for the better of mankind. That is me in a nutshell.

KT illustration by Rajendran

Why do all your books have numbers in their titles?

I was an engineer and a banker before I became a writer. That is where the numbers come from. It actually started off as a coincidence and then I deliberately began having numbers in the title, just to have a bit of fun with it. I don’t believe in taking things too seriously; I believe in keeping things light.

How do your books do so well?

I don’t know (laughs). I think I have been lucky. I was perhaps in the right place at the right time. I arrived on the scene when there was a genuine need for someone who could connect to the aspirations of India’s new generation. The stories that I told had an immediate connect with people and that tremendously helped the readers associate with my works.

Why does your writing come across as so simple? Do you write like that on purpose?

Yes I am conscious about that aspect of my writing. Please remember that for a majority of Indians, English is not the first language. I tend to get the maximum number of readers because my books make for a compelling and easy read. I have a more generic readership now. Those who had never picked up my books might pick it up now because of the word of mouth. The younger generation definitely relates more to my work.

You have also come under criticism from several highbrow literary circles because of your writing style? How do you deal with it?

The truth is that there still is a colonial hangover in India. Literary elitism emanates from there. Look, I am not into winning literary awards here, or cater to some niche club. I want more people to read and be familiar with literature. That is what I do. The fact that it has actually translated into success means I must be doing something right.

Tell us something about Kai Po Che, the much talked about film based on your novel ‘The 3 Mistakes of My Life’?

The film, directed by Abhishek Kapoor, is being released next week. It was screened at the 63^rd Berlin Film Festival recently where it won rave reviews. I strongly believe that the film will be my redemption. The title Kai Po Che means “I Have Cut”. You hear the expression quite often in the season of kite flying where one of the competitors uses his kite to cut off another competitor’s kite and hollers Kai Po Che!

It is a tad cliché but one cannot resist asking you: What is the secret of your phenomenal success?

Well, I do not sit on my laurels. I like to think that I have not attained everything in life. In fact, I tell myself that I have not ‘arrived’ yet. I seek to constantly improvise. Having the right attitude always helps. Honestly I challenge myself at all times. I’m busy writing books; dabbling with new ideas. I’ve been writing columns in both Hindi and English for quite some time. I am active on the Internet. I feel involved in my films. I am flexible to change.

sadiq@khaleejtimes.com