...says Chetan Bhagat, who launched his latest book One Indian Girl, which is written in first person.City Express chats with the author, who is rather unapologetic about his understanding of feminism and humanism
CHENNAI: Whatever you accuse Chetan Bhagat of, eloquence cannot be one of them! City Express catches up with the bestseller author who is credited with getting the non-readers hooked to reading and has a new book on the block— One Indian Girl. For an author, he does fall short of words and banks on millennial bridge phrases— ‘you know’, ‘whatever’ — while talking about how he isn’t writing the Bible for feminism.
This is your first book written in a woman’s voice. Was it challenging?
Well, you know the biggest challenge was to write in female first person. I have to write the woman’s thought and that has to be done throughout the book and that is because being a guy, it becomes fictional. I think that was one of the biggest challenges. Of course the book is also about feminism. It is a very wide subject, often a misunderstood one. So, to try and do that was again challenging.
Feminism is a tricky subject with many variations. Was it a tightrope walk?
Firstly, the book is called One Indian Girl, so it is about one Indian girl’s feminism. You may agree or disagree with it…the fact that millions of books will be sold means girls have accepted it, right? But, people may not agree with the feminism of it. But I can’t write about things that everybody agrees with.
Would you like to clarify that this isn’t the ‘Bible for feminism’ or do you believe in the sort of feminism depicted in the book?
No, it is fiction. And it’s not like I have to especially clarify it. I think the readers are smart enough to know that it’s just a story and it’s one person’s take on feminism. It is not the Bible, it is somewhere in the middle. It is a take on feminism, which I have. That’s all.
In your opinion, what’s feminism and humanism?
Feminism is just a woman having equal rights to happiness. It’s just as simple as that. That’s just it. And whatever that happiness is, it depends on that person. Feminism and humanism are kind of co-related, because humanism is about being a good human and being fair to all. However, feminism is a special term needed to bridge the gap.
Why is the entire story revolving around her pursuit and disappointments with men? The rest of her is absent.
It’s a typical Indian story. I mean it happens in so many households. This is what I got from my research you know. I wanted to talk about feminism in a normal household.
With the second love of her life — Neel, Radhika says that having a choice is bad. Why is she hating her right to decide?
She is just a girl with a lot of self-doubt issues. That’s what she is.... uhh... maybe… she is... it’s my character and she’s not as strong as somebody who would want her to be, but she is more of that, which makes her more relatable. Most girls are not so strong.
In the book, all other women are judged for their stereotypical need of male acknowledgment, even women who make it as Goldman Sachs interns are shown as giggly girls who are dying for rich boss’ attentions.
See, it is a story, you know. If you think the story can be told differently, then people can write their own story. This is the story I have written and this is what happens in the story.
Why is Radhika worried about being attractive and responsive during sex?
These are natural thoughts that come into your head. You can’t control your thoughts, you know. I mean to say that you are a feminist...you can’t control your thoughts you know...right? She’s human. That’s what I am trying to say. It is not like, since you are a feminist, you can’t do this, you can’t try to look attractive for your man because you are feminist. Who makes these definitions? Is there a feminist God? Or is it what an average girl wants, is that feminism? Or does it come from the top? Many girls won’t think like that. Are they not feminists? I mean is the movement going to exclude women?
You are credited with getting the common non-reading class into reading but many feel the quality of writing has only dumbed down the audience’s expectations. Comment
I don’t know who decides what is mediocre and what is not. Who are these people and what have they done? What are their achievements, you know? It is very easy to say, ‘Oh, mediocre books are becoming bestsellers’, you know? It takes a lot of work that connects with the mainstream audience. People who normally say this have almost never ever written a book themselves. People who have these opinions are normally elitists, who want to look cool, therefore they have to diss the popular.