Chetan Bhagat says 'everyone in Anna Hazare's class has got placement'

Jaipur: Author Chetan Bhagat who has been active on the social media in analysing political developments on Sunday said the 'class of Anna Hazare' has now got full placement!

"Good people should join politics. It's an individual decision one makes, if you think you can be in a position of influence, you may join politics. I see someone joining some party or the other everyday. Even all the students in class of Anna Hazare are officially placed in politics now," Bhagat said. The popular author was speaking in Jaipur at the last day of the Jaipur Literature Festival.

Bhagat who had previously dropped hints that he he might join politics, ruled out doing so. "I considered doing so but decided against it. Politics is a different ball game and I don't want to lose my identity by toeing any party's line. I will continue presenting my views on the political developments in India but not enter the game.

So, you will see me political but not in a political party," he said.

The 40-year-old author whose books such as "Five Point Someone," "2 States," "Three mistakes of my Life," "One Night at a Call Centre" and "Half Girlfriend" are considered popular among readers said he feels strongly for gender issues and his next book is going to have a female protagonist.

"I have always had an autobiographical element in female characters of my stories. My mother is a strong women, so is my wife and mother-in-law is even stronger!," Bhagat said.

"There is a lot of female energy behind my success. I have tried to portray female as strong women in my books but they haven't been the protagonists in the stories. Hence, my next book will have one," Bhagat said.

When asked, the author agreed that some female characters in his books were based on real people.

"Yes, for two of them! I did marry my 'Two States' heroine, a Tamil Brahmin and the 'Five point Someone' girl is also happy somewhere else today." Bhagat, who has also written screenplay for movies like '2 states', 'Kick' and 'Kai Po Che' which had bagged him a Filmfare award, said his priority would always remain books.

"I am not a Bollywood person. My priority are books and Bollywood is my half-girlfriend," he said, adding, despite being a bestselling author he had his own share of challenges when he entered as screenplay writer in the industry.

"I am not a very star-struck person. My interaction is limited to directors and producers. I had my share of hiccups in the beginning but after 'Kick' I find myself in a familiar zone in the industry," he said.

Advising the aspiring authors to stick to a discipline of writing, he said, "Writing demands discipline, it demands research as well. You have to write and remove the fear of failure in each of your pieces."