1. Taking your background into consideration, when did you know you wanted to write professionally?
It was in 2007 spring that I realized: if I did not write I would die.
2. Your writing shows, what an avid reader you are. Which authors have influenced you the most?
Many writers influence my thoughts. In the last 2 years I have been mostly reading: Murakami, Pamuk, Paul Austere and Upamanyu Chatterjee.
3. Which have been your favorite books till now?
There are many. There are 5, which I believe I would take to my grave: Dakghar, Wasteland, Anna Karenina, Level Crossing (a short story in Bengali by Manik Bandopadhyay) and My Name is Red.
4. Your writing engages a lot of depression and sorrow. Why? Did you ever have a distasteful experience in your personal life?
Life is not a software program fortunately. It has its share of intense happy and unhappy moments, randomly occurring. Melancholy is a door that opens towards realization of beauty and understanding. No, I have not experienced ‘distasteful’ moments in my personal life; that is not to say, I have not experienced intense sadness.
5. Many of your writings have mainly focused on the disintegration in relationships. How would you like to comment on that?
Relationships are like bubbles. They are not permanent. They cannot be controlled from the inside or outside by institutions. Relationships where one invests time, energy and soul can cause deep disillusionment when they burst.
6. In your stories, novels and poems, “Love” has had many different forms. So, how will you define “Love”, in the true sense of the term?
Love is a mirage of happiness while traversing through a wild forest of suffering.
7. Some of your poems and short stories have reflected your disbelieve and contempt towards women? Are you against them?
Frankly, I love the company of beautiful, bright and audacious women. On a more serious note, I must say I do not value judge (morally or otherwise) my characters, whether men or women. My stories and narrative poems take place in the backdrop of modern urban ambience and most of my principal women characters are fiercely independent and as such, they reach different destinies because of the choices that they make in their lives. A writer’s job is not to work to an agenda but to create characters with whom we can relate without polemics. How can one say I could be contemptuous of women when I have created characters like: Vidya and Nandana in Improbable Love Affair; Nayantara in Midnight Conversation; Leila and Bimala Sen in Reunion; Tanya and the 6 women in Prank; Seemanti in New Life; Cocoa Brain; Debolina in New Life and Anjana – the Candy in 2001-2002. I must also add – Sorry, I’m not a feminist nor I’m a communist!
8. In the context of some of your stories and poems, “Dreams” and “Nightmares” have affected the lives of your central characters. Do you think, “Dreams” and “Nightmares” can actually affect our lives?
They can; they do. Most importantly, dreams in an aesthetic context are a literary tool at the writer’s disposal to explore the inner universe. Just imagine: Christopher Nolan’s new film Inception is about thieves of dreams. How important can dreams get!
9. What do you generally dream about? Which is your favorite dream?
My most favorite dream is of a jungle cottage by the side of a wide brimming river where I live happily with my family.
10. “Quadrilateral” starts with “Magic Show”. Do you think Magic can change destinies of people?
In every slice of life there is a fraction, which lies beyond our comprehension and the generality of our theorems and axioms. That is Magic to me and can, of course, irrevocably change destinies of people.
11. Amongst all the books that you have written, which is your favorite character? Do you identify yourself with him or her?
Anjana – the Candy in the poem 2001-2002; a part of me resides in this woman.
12. Why have you emphasized on males as your central characters, in all stories?
It is incidental and the way one defines who is a central character. Every story and poem of mine revolves around a very interesting woman.
13. Apart from sadness, would you like to try your hands on a different genre like humor?
Yes, humor and thrillers.
14. Do you have regrets in your life?
No.
15. Are you scared of anything in your life?
What if I woke up one fine morning blind or without any memory or both?
16. What are your other interests, apart from writing?
Traveling and cricket.
17. Name a book that has changed you as a person.
Most recently: Way to Go by Upamanyu Chatterjee.
18. What is the message, that you would like to pass – on to the youngsters of this generation?
All that glitters is not gold nor diamonds!
19. Your plans for a new book. Have you decided on the Theme or Plot?
I am presently writing a drama: a crime thriller.
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