KOCHI: After penning several popular works of fiction including the hit Hydrangea, Lajo Jose made his screenwriting debut with Bougainvillea recently. The Amal Neerad-helmed project is an adaptation of Lajo’s novel, Ruthinte Lokam.
In a candid conversation with TNIE, the Kottayam-based writer said his first love was always scriptwriting. However, when a foray into the film world proved difficult due to a lack of avenues, Lajo turned to novel writing.
Bibliophiles are grateful that he did. Lajo’s works are a tour de force in popular Malayalam literature and have even contributed to academic research and literary studies related to crime fiction.
His other works include Coffee House, Rest in Peace, Kanya Maria and Orange Thottathile Athidhi.
All of them are in the crime genre and boast a Kottayam connection, which, according to him, is a marketing ploy. But avid readers will tell you that what sells his novels is, in fact, his simple writing and the technique of telling the story through the eyes of multiple characters, even those deemed ‘unreliable’. It makes for a pacy read.
Now, buoyed by the success of Bougainvillea, the insurance agent-turned-writer Lajo hopes to find his foothold in cinema.
Excerpts:
You have made your screenwriting debut with Bougainvillea. How does it feel to see your work turned into a film?
I’m very happy. I always wanted to be a scriptwriter — right from the start. I had stories in hand but no avenue to see them made into films. That’s why I wrote novels. Also, very heartening to learn that people who read the novel too liked the movie.
Jumping into scriptwriting… was the process easy?
Scriptwriting is not new to me. Before novels, I was tinkering with scripts. But I could not complete them. I got books to learn the format. Later, when I wanted to write novels, the lack of awareness about the format or the style made it difficult at first. In time, I understood that scriptwriting and novel writing are two very different forms of storytelling. But writing Bougainvillea from Ruthinte Lokam was not difficult. Conveying the emotions in the script is where the essence lies.
Did the film portray the characters and frames as you had imagined them?
Well, they were more beautiful than I had imagined. All thanks to Amal’s creativity.
From Ruthinte Lokam to Bougainvillea — was it a mutual decision to change the title?
The novel’s initial title was Photograph. Instead of painting, the character Ruth engages in photography. Later, I felt painting could be more apt for the character. More artistic. So I changed the name to Ruthinte Lokam. It is, after all, her world and her fight to get out of it. The script was named Bougainvillea as I didn’t want to confuse the viewers or spoil the experience.
What was the inspiration for Ruthinte Lokam?
A dream. A scene wherein a girl was running through the forest. It continued for some days. I tried to write it down every time I woke up, but the details evaded me. I recalled actor-director Vineeth Sreenivasan saying how he used to record his ideas. I tried that technique and managed to capture the elements of the scene. Then, I probed the scene by trying to answer several questions — Who is she? Why is she running? Who is she running from? This helped flesh out the idea. The amnesia bit was inspired by a Korean movie I watched — Memoir of a Murderer. When I finally sat down to write my story, I developed it backwards, from the climax.
The character Esther Emmanuel features in two of your books — Coffee House and Hydrangea. With the inclusion of Esther towards the end of the movie Bougainvillea, are you hinting that readers/viewers can expect more?
Well, you will have to wait and watch. It’s a surprise. I will say this — it was a deliberate effort on our part to bring that connection. Regarding the books Coffee House and Hydrangea, they are part of a 12-book Esther Emmanuel series I’d planned. My other four novels are not part of this series.
Most of your works have a Kottayam connection. Was it a conscious decision to include that?
Yes. It was a marketing tactic (laughs). I figured that with just my name, the book is likely to not sell many copies. So I decided to incorporate elements of Kottayam into it in the hopes that readers there would engage with it more. Secondly, the place is very familiar to me. So it was easier to set my stories there.
Also, you have a fascination for the crime genre, it seems…
Yes, nothing is as thrilling as a criminal investigation. To find answers. Readers/viewers are naturally more involved. I took a fascination for the genre after reading the Sherlock Holmes detective novels. That said, I have also tinkered with comedy and romance genres.
How do you get ideas for your work?
From the news. Real life is where the more cruelty happens, it seems to me. I take that thread, mull it over, and in time, develop it into a story. For Coffee House, the character Jinu is inspired by the Jisha case. In Hydrangea, there are elements of the old ripper figure.
How long do you usually take to craft and complete a story?
That depends. The Coffee House and Ruthinte Lokam took two months each. Hydrangea, six. Both RIP and Orange Thottathile Athidhi needed a year each to complete. Kanya Maria was written in just 17 days.
Do you have a routine when it comes to writing? A favourite spot to write from?
Yes, it’s akin to having a job. I start at 10 in the morning and write until lunch. Then, until six for the evening session. I have my own writing space at home. I’m the most comfortable there.
Of your works, what had the most impact on you?
Hydrangea. I was trapped inside the psychopath character’s mind for around 11 months.
Of all your characters, who remains the closest to you?
Without a doubt, it’s Ruth. Also, Maria from Kanya Maria. These two characters ‘visit’ me occasionally.
Has any publisher approached you to see your works translated into English?
Not yet.
Today, most writers tend to be overtly political with their works. Do you write in a similar vein?
There is politics in every art form, I believe. My politics should be best understood by way of my characters, rather than me saying it out loud. The best way to show your politics is to show them via art.
The readership for Malayalam literature is less compared to English. But in recent months, there has been a surge in interest in Malayalam works. How do you see this shift?
There’s a perennial readership for Malayalam, I believe. This community may be small when compared to English. That said, people who read English too are also interested in Malayalam literature. That’s what’s happened here. As good Malayalam works become accessible and are marketed well, all readers flock to it. Writers, in addition to exploring their interest, must also cater to the interests of the readers, I believe.
Generally, popular literature in Malayalam is looked down upon…
That has been the case for ages. There are some who put literary works on a pedestal and see popular literature as mediocre. But there are also readers who prefer the latter. We must have books that cater to everyone’s interests.
Your favourite books and writers?
Randamoozham by M T Vasudevan Nair and Sugandhi Enna Andal Devanayaki by T D Ramakrishnan are among my favourite works. Ken Follet’s works too have greatly influenced me. I learned many of the novel writing techniques from them.
Current projects?
I’m juggling scriptwriting and novel writing at the moment. I have around a dozen ideas for scripts and a book in progress. But for now, cinema is my prime focus.