Vikas Swarup is a famous writer, who has written books like- Q & A, The Accidental Apprentice, and Six Suspects. He is also spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India. He was recently spotted at 4th Delhi Literature Festival, where he enthralled everyone with his session.
One World News got an exclusive opportunity to talk to him and he shared something really interesting that will definitely help the budding writers.
- Sir, your book was converted into one of the biggest movies ever, so, how did you feel during that time?
Look, when I wrote this novel in 2003 and it got published in 2005, I had no expectation of success at all I had never written a novel before that and it was my first novel. I had also never thought of being a published writer, so to speak. It was all by chance that I was like chalo, I will also try my hand at fiction.
And I wrote this novel in two months and I wrote it without any expectation. And it is like a fairytale of being interviewed by you at the Delhi literature festival because of a book, which was made into a movie, Slumdog Millionaire and things like that.
I think primarily why it succeeded was that it struck a chord with people. It is the universal story of the underdog, who beats the odd and emerges as a winner. And that is something, all countries and cultures can relate to. And that is perhaps why the book has now been translated into 43 languages.
Vikas Swarup, Pictures Credit : Kuldeep Pundhir, One World News
- Many times it happens when a book is converted into a movie; it does not do justice to the book. So, what is your opinion on it? Did the movie do justice to your book?
Well, my book also got converted into a movie with lots of difference, in the sense that they changed most of the parts of the story. But, I think the USP of the book was the narrative structure. I mean it was a unique way of telling a story.
No one had ever told a story of the private life of the protagonist with the public spectacle of a quiz show. And that is what Q & A set out to do, and that is the same narrative structure they have employed in the film as well.
Vikas Swarup, Pictures Credit : Kuldeep Pundhir, One World News
They have lifted the exact some structure, what they have not taken is the 12-13 stories that form the backbone of the 12 questions. I personally feel that filmmakers, when they translate the book for a different medium, should have the liberty of bringing their viewpoints to the table, provided that they do so with integrity and do not tamper with the soul of the novel. So, I think that the soul of my book is very much intact in the movie as well.
- Another thing, do you think that the audience for viewing things is a lot more than audience for reading things?
Certainly, we all know that people more watch movies than read books. Films are an easy medium to relate to and as they say for Bollywood movies “Dimaag ko ghar pe rakh ke jao” when you start watching a movie. On the other hand to read a book you need to use your mind. Your mind has to be engaged because the book is a two way process. You read the words on the page and then you imagine that words in your head.
So, unless you do the imagining, the book will not come to life for you at all. So, in today’s world I think people find it more and more difficult to set aside time for books, especially books that are 800 or thousand pages. But, eventually I think that people, who are really interested in knowing about our world can, do so only through books.
- How are you managing your political career with your writing career?
Well, it’s not my political career, it’s my diplomatic career. Well, I am not managing at all. Since I have become the spokesperson my life has completely changed.
Vikas Swarup, Pictures Credit : Kuldeep Pundhir, One World News
My life has become so hectic, I have to travel so much with the Prime Minister, with the external affair minister. Plus, I have to manage the twitter account, the Facebook account, the day to day activities of the external publicity division that I just don’t have the time for books. But, I have to say that I am observing and realizing a lot of stuff.
- Can we expect a book pretty soon?
Not pretty soon. But, once I am out of this job, then the creative juices will start flowing in.
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