Writing crime thrillers is not an easy task in the Indian scenario says Anita Nair.
Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 24: Writing crime thrillers is not an easy task in the Indian scenario as investigating agencies are reluctant to share information on details like the mode of inquiry or procedures of investigation to writers, says Indian-English writer Anita Nair.
Government machinery like the police in the country are scared to be quoted unlike their counterparts in the West and it is a major challenge for writers of crime fiction, the author of 'Cut like Wound', a psychological thriller which received good critical reviews recently, said.
"Though there are private detectives, police are the major investigating authorities in our country. They will not share right and authentic information to writers because of their fear of being quoted."
"As writers do not belong to any particular category like NGOs or journalists, they are not given the correct information," Anita told PTI.
She said the situation is not the same in countries like England, where investigating agencies are free to share information.
"Adequate research is inevitable for writing a crime thriller," she said.
"I discussed this issue with a crime writer in England recently. He said the police department in his country is accessible and has no problem in being quoted or in sharing information. Police there also read a lot, especially crime thrillers," she said.
As writing crime fiction by women is not that common in India, the 47-year-old writer came up with the chilling story of a serial killer and the attempt by a police officer to explore the mysteries behind the murders in 'Cut like Wound' after months of thorough research on various aspects of investigation.
After gaining good reviews and finding a place in the bestseller charts, the crime thriller is all set to be recreated on the silver screen now.
A Hollywood company has approached Anita Nair to film the novel and discussions are going on in this regard.
"It is planned as an English movie in Indian setting like 'Slum Dog Millionaire' and 'Monsoon Wedding'. Discussions are going on and nothing is finalised yet. I cannot reveal more details at this point," she said.
After grabbing readers' attention through suspense and excitement in the thriller, the writer is now getting ready for the release for her next book, the first volume in a historical trilogy set in the backdrop of 17th century South India and 'mamankam', a festival of warriors held once in 12 years in Malabar (north Kerala).
She picked the protagonist for the trilogy titled 'Idris' from 'pulluvan pattu', the folk songs once popular in Valluvanadu areas of the state.
The writer of 'Ladies Coupe', 'The Better Man' and 'Mistress' said she has an innate urge to choose fresh themes as she is a full-time writer and is easily bored if she works on the same themes.
"I am a full-time writer and have nothing else to think about than writing. So, naturally I pick fresh and innovative subjects for my works.But I usually do not go in search of new themes, rather they come to me as one by one," she said.
If the mental dilemmas of women are portrayed in 'Ladies Coupe', 'The Better Man' tells the story of a hero being haunted by the past while 'Mistress' is about the complexities of relations in the backdrop of the dance form Kathakali.
'Idris', expected to hit the shelves next month and brought out by Harper Collins India, revolves around the story of an East African trader Idris and Kadavar, his son born to a Kerala woman.
"It is a pure historical fiction. Kandavar is a character in Kerala's folk songs. The characters are placed in the 17th century cultural settings of Kerala," she said.
An admirer of Brazilian writer Jorge Amado, Anita said she is more comfortable with the wide canvas offered by novels than other formats of literature though she has written poetry, essays, plays and a screenplay.
"I do not bother about the reviews by critics or opinions of readers while writing. It is a spontaneous process which may even eliminate the individual self and gender consciousness of the writer," she said.
The author, hailing from Shornur of Kerala and now settled in Bangalore, also said she is against branding or compartmentalising writers like 'Dalit writer', 'feminist writer' or even 'Indian-English writer'.
( Source : PTI )
Next Story
