Feeding the hunger for words

Writer Shashi Deshpande says she abhors the title of feminist writer. Women are incidental heroes of her novel, she tells Anna Rego

April 03, 2012 06:21 pm | Updated 06:22 pm IST

SPEAKING HER MIND Shashi Deshpande.

SPEAKING HER MIND Shashi Deshpande.

Shashi Deshpande's demure looks betray the strong ideas and beliefs she carries with her. Born in Dharwad, in Karnataka, she went on to study in Dharwad, Bangalore and subsequently Mumbai. Daughter of the Sanskrit scholar and Kannada dramatist Sriranga, Deshpande had a liberal upbringing, but was wed into a conservative family. She has explored the inner conflicts of women in the Indian social set-up through her works. She shuns the title of feminist writer, saying that she only writes about what she knows best, which is the role of the Indian woman.

This Sahitya Akademi award winner has authored nine novels, four children's books and a number of short stories and essays. In this interview, Deshpande speaks about her influences as a writer, her views on the evolution of gender roles and her upcoming books.

How did you discover your passion for writing and take it up as a profession?

I never had any big moment when I knew I would be a writer. For me it came very gradually and naturally. As a child I always loved making up and narrating stories. After I got married, I was unsure of what to do next.

Those thoughts were shelved when I had children but I still wanted to do something productive. I always had a hunger for words, so I enrolled myself in the Bhavan School of Journalism. There I wrote my first story and since then there has been no looking back. I started with feature articles, moved on to stories and then novels.

How supportive was your family in your enterprise?

With or without support, I would have pursued my writing career when I discovered my love for it. Fortunately my husband was supportive and a source of strength.

I had no friends or family who were writers and therefore nobody could identify with my decision to write too much at first, but eventually they did.

Who were the major influences that helped shape your style of writing?

I have a great love of literature and I have read countless books which have all contributed to my writing style.

But reading the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and other writers from the Victorian era in my youth definitely played a big part in my writing. I also came from a literary background because of my father's profession, which played a role in my formative years.

Why do female protagonists dominate your books?

I have never planned for a male or female protagonist in any of my books. I have always written stories of people around me, people I identify with and understand. It happens that women fit this bill the best.

I write about women as they are, not about stereotypes but about real people. I don't know if any of my books will be centred on a male, but if the story does come to me, I would definitely write it.

You have a strong opinion of gender roles and the roles essayed by women. Did you also come from a strong matriarchal background?

Oddly enough, my mother was highly educated but chose to live a different life. She shunned her educational background and was a deliberately submissive housewife. She chose to embrace the traditional role of wife and mother, because in those days society wasn't too accepting of educated or career-oriented women. But my sister and I were very career-minded and at a certain level I believe my mother resented us for that.

Your books have traced the roles played by women in society ever since you started writing in the 80's. How have you seen these roles evolve over the past decades?

There has been a huge shift in women's roles. I'll give you a personal example. When I got married, in my in-laws' family girls used to only study till the 10 standard and then got married. But the present generation of girls in the family are educated, employed and living and working all over the world. They themselves choose whether they want to be married or not.

How do you think modern women are coping with the freedom and the liberties they enjoy and how is it affecting relationships?

There's a sense of responsibility that comes with the freedom not just for women but men too. The sad part is that men haven't changed too much and they aren't as liberal as they seem.

Today, there are more divorces than in the past but that's because women no longer want to be in unhappy marriages. Marriage itself is a difficult institution and remaining happy in one requires a lot of hard work and attention.

Today no woman is, nor should be, putting up with a bad marriage.

We have just celebrated International Women's Day. What are your views?

I really wish we didn't have a Women's Day. I hope there will be a time when this day isn't celebrated because that means we no longer need crutches.

How do you wish for women to be seen?

I want women to be seen as human beings. I don't want there to be any bias or prejudice surrounding how they are seen and perceived.

Your last novel In the Country of Deceit was released in 2008. Can we expect any more books from you in the future?

Yes, I have books coming out very soon. I have two crime novels coming out this year, one in April and one later. Besides this, there will be another novel coming out in 2013.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.