Package deals

The problem as he sees it is not the huge advance that he got for his first book. According to RUCHIR JOSHI, well known documentary film maker and now novelist, it is the media which insists on raking up the issue. Joshi would rather forget about the advance.

He'd rather you talk about his book, The Last Jet Engine Laugh. You do. Known for his documentary films which have won him accolades, Joshi's foray into writing is his first. That he managed to get David Goodwin as his agent puts him in an elite category making for huge expectations. Joshi is not fazed. He lights his cigarette, puffs away and proceeds to tell you what it is like to write a book. Excerpts from an interview with SUCHITRA BEHAL:

What is the book about?

IT is a story about two people who meet in the 1930s during a demonstration. They fall in love despite the opposition and get married. As years pass, the relationship sours and along with it the dream of the nation begins to crumble. Their son grows up and gets married to a German; later his marriage falls apart. What we have is the son as an old man looking back at the different shards of his life. The book also looks at the Indian urban society travelling through time, at the ruptures and memories of a tradition that fade.

How long did it take to write the book?

It started as a short story which I began in 1992 but I really got down to writing from 1997 to 2000. I showed my work to India Ink, whose response was encouraging. I got in touch with David Goodwin and he said I'd be crazy not to complete it.

What is the difference between creating a film and writing a book?

In a film you are part of a team usually and you are working through the team members' personalities. Whereas this is obviously a different ball game. It's more isolated. Of course there were friends who were very supportive.

How did the idea for the book take shape?

When my first son was born, and after my father died, I wondered how I'd ever pass things down to my children. Soon in my mind it became what kind of future are they going to grow into?

Why was it necessary for you to pass on this experience to your children?

There was already a gap between my parents and me. They came from a small place. My children grew up in cities and take a lot of things for granted. I wanted to convey the constraints, the love, the affection, time, everything - it comes as a package deal.

What kind of reception are you hoping for?

I've made several films so in that sense it is not the first time. I think it is a readable book and people should keep turning the pages.

What are your views on creative writing in English?

My father was a well known Gujarati writer, so I did grow up with this around me. My language of expression is English and that is not deliberate. I don't think it should really matter. Salman Rushdie made a startling debut and that gave an access to Indians writing in English. Why shouldn't our writers write as magnificently as any writer in the world?

Do you like the idea of writing? Is this book autobiographical?

I like the idea of writing, yes. My book is quite deliberately anti-autobigraphical. I knew the material and used it as a take off.

So what are you working on now?

I've got a couple of incomplete films that I need to work on. Then maybe I will do a feature film - only it won't be commercial. Yes, it will be Inian but I will handle the script.

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