Author Interview : Abhishek Krishnan, author of ‘Clouds Don't Pass' (Part 2)

Read up, the second part of the Interview with Abhishek Krishnan, author of  'Clouds Don't Pass'. 

In this section, he talks of the most fulfilling parts in the book, the character he felt most close to, his next book, and also his favourite authors, and then a little more, Folks...

 

What are the most fulfilling parts in your book? 

The book as a whole, is fulfilling. However, I wanted to create awareness to all film aspirants about the frauds in cinema. I wanted to bring all those fraudsters to light. 

Although, I have changed the names of those people, I am sure they would recollect these incidents if they read it. And I am glad I did this.

Which particular character did you feel most close to? Why?

Sushmitaaaa. I really did not know, how I was going to go about writing the Bangalore portions. And then, I created Sushmita. Initially, I just wanted to write a tiny chapter on Abi’s life in Bangalore and get to the climax.

But, the more I wrote about her, the more I liked her. It may sound crazy, but it took me about a week to get over her, after I finished the book.

Who was it that told you that you could become the author, you are today?

Abhishek Krishnan

Mydhili Mithra and Khushboo Mundhra. I have to mention their names. They are my good buddies. They travelled with me throughout the writing process. 

I guess it is the encouragement, which I received from them that pushed me into completing the book.

When will your next book be out?

I have started writing my next book. It’s called ‘Loser-in-law’. This is will also have a lot from my personal experiences. However, I am not sure when I will be able to finish it. I don’t want to work with a deadline. I want to enjoy the process of writing this book.

There are a few glaring mistakes in ‘Clouds Don’t Pass’. I should have edited it better. I don’t want to repeat those mistakes in my next book.

 

Which book are you currently reading?

Frankly, I don’t read much. All my life, I would not have read anything more than 25 books. At the moment, I am reading ‘The White Tiger’ by Arvind Adiga.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

As mentioned I do not fall anywhere under the criteria for being called a reader. However, I really enjoyed reading Salman Rushdie’s ‘The Midnight Children’. However, after reading a couple of books of Chetan Bhagat, I realized that a good story with simple English can also make a great book.

What else do you do on a daily basis?

I think a lot. There are so many conversations that happen in my head at once. 

So much, that sometimes I feel I have an alter ego. Now that I am not working, it is more of thinking, writing and attempting to read.

What advice do you have for the young writers of today?

I am a young writer, myself. If not by age, at least by experience. If I were to advice someone like myself, I would just ask them to enjoy what they write.  

Because when you write it is like you have a parallel life. You live in a whole new world. You know what to anticipate. You know the solution to your problems. You also have the liberty to design your fate there. And it’s beautiful. 

You can catch the first part of this Interview here, and the Review, right here. 

You can also Buy the Book, 'Clouds Don't Pass', here.

Book Review : 'Kalki Evian : The Ring of Khaoriphea’ by Malay Upadhyay

‘Kalki Evian : The Ring of Khaoriphea’ by Malay A Upadhyay is an oddly interesting work. Why I say, odd is because if you are opening it as, just another book, then you could be in trouble. But, it is very thought-provoking and how much, is something I cannot explain, but will try.

It all began as a time travel story, but it never tends to cease there. It just gets odder. Firstly, with its theme of ‘what you put out there, you will get back’. So, the story or stories run their course, based on this theme. 

(The best thing, I felt was the entire future evolution. I mean there are certain parts, which I had imagined and it was amazing to read that very thought of mine in this book. But of course, Upadhyay’s imagination is way past mine.)

Since, the part about how evolution does not just happen to us, but to the entire generation itself. I mean everything is suddenly in a futuristic era. Only this time, of course, you would be in the futuristic Milano in Italy and go to Etna and land up in the Himalayas, following the central character who, lives through two completely different generations. 

Also, anything you do, would not have the same result and every decision you make, would probably have a result in the distant future, if at all. So, the central idea is that we must all break free from our presumptions of time and space. So, whatever and however it is, it is okay.

The advances made by the society, the different results which the characters could land up in, whether it is Qin or Kanha Evian or Friuli or Fridgeon, are all central characters, which it all happens to. Through all these themes are running these characters, and their adventures. How their lives are, how they could be and how they could possibly end up, are all various themes of the book.

The two separate stories which, eventually join, is definitely made for a good, solid read. Of course, the whole thing can get a little confusing but of the 2-3 reads, some parts took, Upadhyay’s second book, am sure would make it all clear?

I am definitely recommending it, because I definitely want to give it another read, soon. Beam me up, Malay Upadhyay because I am looking forward to the second one, too.

If you all want a link to the book, its right here... http://www.amazon.in/Kalki-Evian-Khaoriphea-Malay-Upadhyay/dp/1625261888/  or you can look for the book, here as well, Kalki Evian : The Ring of Khaoriphea. 

Author Interview : Abhishek Krishnan, author of ‘Clouds Don't Pass' (Part 1)

Abhishek Krishnan

How did ‘Clouds Don’t Pass’ happen? Could you describe the journey? 

I am a film aspirant. Apart from acting, I have also had a tad bit of interest in making movies. So, this story initially started as a movie screenplay, inspired from many incidents from my own life.

I accidentally stumbled upon this 'novel' idea. I got encouragement from my friends and it happened.

How did the story, especially Abi’s come out? Did you have a lot of personal experiences to go with it?

Yes... There are a lot of personal experiences in the book. Especially, the college and romance portions. 

Some of them are exaggerated though. However, all that happens in the chapter, ‘the wait’, happened to me.

What according to you is different about your book?

I have attempted two points of view of narration. Third person and first person. The story starts off from the angle of a third person. This is where, I have introduced the characters and the setting. When Abi starts narrating his story to Renjith, the narration changes to first person.

I am not sure if this has been attempted, elsewhere. I haven’t read too many books to be honest.

What was the most challenging part about writing ‘Clouds Don’t Pass’?

Lack of time. It took me three and a half years to finish this book. I almost gave up at a particular point of time. I did not write a word for about a couple of years. 

Later, I happened to browse through my old documents and skimmed through the 150 odd pages, I had already written. I realized it would make a decent book.

And so, I quit my job and finished the book in the next three months.

How would you relate the lives of characters to the lives today? Any similarites?

All the characters that come in the book (except Sushmita and Jesse) are real life characters. There are many people like Abi, who are desperate to make it into movies.

Abi’s friends – Chalu, Peri, Renjith, Nithin, Harish and all the others mentioned, are my friends in real life. And there are instances, where they have gone the extra mile for friends. 

You can catch My Book Review of 'Clouds Don't Pass' here.

Book Review : 'Pradyumna : Son of Krishna’ by Usha Narayanan

‘Pradyumna : Son of Krishna’ by Usha Narayanan was not exactly my first read of Pradyumna. I knew of Kamadeva’s involvement in the entire mix. The story began in Emperor Kaalasura’s palace, where we are introduced to Vama. Before the reader gets too worried about, who this new character is, I might as well tell you. He is the man of the hour, better known as the protagonist, Pradyumna. 

But, due to his circumstances, he supposedly is Kaalasura and Mayavati’s son. But things move fast in this book, and he soon discovers that he is not. Instead, Mayavati turns out to be the love of his life, or perhaps I should say, lives. More on that, if you read the book. 

Vama soon discovers that he is actually Krishna and Rukmini’s son, Pradyumna and he was taken away when he was only a baby. But, his fate is different and he must return after a mind-numbing war with Kaalasura and his two sons.

His place is taken over by Jambavati’s son, Samba, who has a much larger role to play in the future. After Pradyumna is back at Dwaraka, he settles in with Mayavati and not without fanfare, I assure you.  

Once, Pradyuma is back his mother, who with Mayavati’s help, persuades him into marrying her brother Rukmi’s daughter, Rukmavati. After that you are meant to take in another episode of Anirudha, who is Pradyumna’s son who will take Rukmi’s granddaughter too, into the marriage fold. Anirudha’s marriage with an asura’s daughter and later, Pradyumna’s too with another, are all told in this story. Gods with quick tempers, asuras with murderous ones, and raging weapons are all a part of this life of Kamadeva's.

The wars over the Parijata and with more asuras, and other such incidents are all related in this book. Though all these incidents are of an interesting nature, I felt that they were told as if they were chapters in a book, which had to be filled at top speed.  Of course, there is more to this book and it will come out in the second part, I wish that Usha Narayanan tells it to us, by letting a single story build up. I felt that the story probably should have got this at the start itself. It was a story of love, in the beginning at least, which I felt was kind of lacking.

The wars, were of course was very well done. The incidents which work toward building the story, are not properly told, I felt. What happened to Kama and why was he forced to take another birth are all explained here. Pradyumna’s is a story, which should have gotten more of its share, and I can see that Usha Narayanan is at least giving him his due in the spotlight.

Author : Usha Narayanan

Publisher : Penguin Metro Reads

ISBN : 9780143424161

Price : Rs 299/-

You can Buy the Book here.