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.

                                                                                             

Author Interview : Anand Neelakantan, author of ‘Rise of Kali : Duryodhana's Mahabharata' (Part 2)

Read up, Anand Neelakantan, author of 'Rise of Kali : Duryodhana's Mahabharata' (Part 2). We find out what the most challenging part of writing it was, the answer is incredible, as you get the most out of writing of the Gita. 

How he thinks characters are more important, and a little about his favourite authors and future books and also about the TV show, Folks...

What was the most challenging part about writing both parts, now that they are done?

Critically analyzing Gita was the toughest part. I have been learning

Anand Neelakantan

Gita from the age of 5. It is a part of my belief system. But when I write Mahabharata from Duryodhana’s side, I have to critically see Gita and it is very tough task. 

Subconsciously, I kept answering my own questions, just as I have been answering the doubts of many of my friends who care to ask me doubts on the Gita for so many years. 

I overcame it by writing down arguments from either side without pausing to think too much.  The result was surprising, as I found that the stock replies that many Gita scholars or even a layman like me who attempts to answer the doubts on Gita give are really not that logical and there are many questions that remain unanswered. 

I have put them across in the book. Gita is dealt in three parts, 1 - as conversation between Suyodhana and Krishna,  2 - between Balarama and Krishna and 3 - between Arjuna and Krishna, each attempting to answer the questions raised in the previous chapters.

If the reader ends up with more questions than answers at the end of the book, I will consider my attempt a success.

How much of your thoughts and feelings are included in your books?

My writing is thinking aloud and making the readers to feel for my characters, along with me. 

Authors have different ways of telling their story, with elements that are most important. Between your storyline and your characters, which takes precedence? 

Characters - I do not plot for novels, but let the characters decide the course. I write in a flow, often allowing the characters to possess me while I write. 

As far as TV writing is concerned, detailed plotting is required. I am writing Sita’s Ramayan for Star TV now.

Who are your favourite authors and why?

Charles Dickens

For characterization - Leo Tolstoy and Charles Dickens, for plotting - Ken Follet and Frederick Forsyth, for sub text and depth - Somerset Maugham, for intuitive writing - Stephen King, for humour -  P G Wodehouse, for mystery - Agatha Christie, for depth of thoughts - Fyodor Dostoyevsky, for counter telling - Bhasa, SL Bhyrappa and M T Vasudevan Nair, for language - Salman Rushdie, for simplicity - R K Narayan, for imagination - JRR Tolkien, for dark humour- Joseph Heller. The list is endless. I read all genres.

How do you think your book was different from everyone else’s besides it being about the ‘defeated’?

I don’t know. I have not gone for comparisons with other popular authors. That is for the reader to decide.  I write what I know and in the way I know.

How is ‘Amatya’, coming along?  

As of now, I am writing 'Devayani', a young adult fantasy. 'Amatya' is after that.

Do you have any other books planned? What else can we expect from you in

KR Meera

the coming years?

I am also planning nonfiction self-help book based on ancient Lokayutta philosophy, apart from 'Devayani' and 'Amatya'.

Which book are you reading, currently?

Aarachar (Malayalam) by KR Meera.

  

You can Read the Reviews of 'Rise of Kali' here and 'Roll of the Dice' right here.

You can also check out the First Part to this Interview, right here.

You can also Buy the Book here.

Book Review : 'Clouds Don't Pass' by Abhishek Krishnan

Clouds Don't Pass is a story that revolves around Abi and his adventures, over the next few years. Abi is a college student, and basically, everything which some of us have seen, felt, and noticed during the college years, are here in the first half. His life, his passions and the love of his life, Shruthi are all present in this book. 

The first part is all about Abi and Shruthi, when he meets, falls in love and even loses her. There is also, of course the friendship, which he has with some of the characters, which is hilarious. Some of it kind of, took me back to my college days. Abi’s failure in love with Shruthi going out of the picture, ends the first half. Shruthi was married too.

The second half deals the failure in his life, when the mood is set by cinema. Since cinema is a major part of this book, it does not fail to make an appearance here too. Firstly, it does in the first half, when Abi is doing well, and then it goes down in the second half, when he is down in dumps too. He seems to be conned around by the so-called big shots in the film industry. His life takes an unexpected twist with Shruthi’s death.

He finally gets to Bangalore, where he joins up at a call centre. Here, he enjoys his job and seems to be doing well for himself. He even has a new girlfriend. That is when, his life takes another twist, and he ends up meeting Shruthi, all over again.

Now, what is up with Shruthi? What happened to her and her husband? All these questions get asked and answered. All his friends come out to help, in this part.

It basically ran a normal course, fun, love, grief, and twists. Well, I liked it in parts. The writing was good, did not find too many mistakes, besides a few in the beginning, especially with names of actors. But they do say that proper nouns cannot be particularly mistaken. :)

Author : Abhishek Krishnan

Publisher : Notion Press

ISBN : 9789352062201

Price : Rs 300/-