It has drama, politics, action and conspiracy aplenty — all the makings of a good potboiler. Little wonder that the launch of Ashwin Sanghi’s latest book, The Sialkot Saga, was a packed affair. I’ve been to book launches before, but none that were as well-attended as the one on Friday evening. Starmark at Express Avenue was filled chock-a-block with fans, curious onlookers and aspiring writers as Ashwin took the stage with producer Ramkumar Ganesan.
His books lined the shelves, and several readers made an eager dash to grab copies to have them signed by the author, who has, in the past, written books such as The Rozabal Line, Chanakya’s Chant and The Krishna Key.
Following a short trailer introducing the book, Ramkumar went on to praise Ashwin as an author who spins a “bloody good yarn, as they said in the olden days”.
Edited excerpts from their interaction:
Will the book (The Sialkot Saga) be made into a movie or a television serial?
Trust you to straightaway get to the heart of the matter (laughs). I genuinely believe the book lends itself to a series and not a movie. After all, it stretches across an expanse of 70 years. That said, talks are on, but they are still in the nascent stages.
Do you visit the places you write about?
I do, as and when the research demands it. But, if we’re specifically talking about The Sialkot Saga, then no, I did not go to Sialkot. The place is only incidental to the plot. But for books such as The Krishna Key, I did go to Mathura, Somnath and Dwarka. There was just no other way to describe some of the elements.
People say you’re an entrepreneur by day and author by night.
(Chuckles With a chuckle) These days, I’d say I am a writer by day and a drunk by night. Ten years ago, I might have been a businessman who also wrote. But the proportion of writing has changed over the years.
You published your first book under the pseudonym Shawn Hagins.
At the time, nobody other than my wife knew that I was writing a book. When I began trying to find a publisher, I had 47 rejections. That’s when I thought, “What’s the point of putting my name on something if I’m not a good writer?” My wife and I used to play Scrabble, and I put my name on the board, rearranged it, and came up with Shawn Hagins. The perfect anagram. It was after I self-published The Rozabal Line that it got picked up by a publisher. That’s when I decided to begin writing with my real name after being encouraged by a friend.
Have any of your stories upset anyone?
It’s a long list. There’s no way to indulge in a creative pursuit without upsetting someone. Creative work naturally lends itself to criticism. And, we writers have to accept the brickbats and bouquets. The critical element is to be thick skinned. There may be thousands of manuscripts out there that are phenomenal, but the writers may have given up after, say, 10 rejections. I’ve always maintained that the bestselling authors of our time may not be the best writers but those who were too thick skinned to give up.
Your collaboration with James Patterson. Was it easy?
When you are a solo singer, you can make whatever variations you wish to. But when it’s a jugalbandi, you have to be in sync with each other. That’s how writing a book with someone else is. I wrote the plot outline and he made modifications and markings about who’d write which chapter. We then switched the chapters to see if they worked. This does mean more work, but it’s also a lot more fun.
Will you write more books, like other authors who bring out multiple books a year?
The reason I stepped away from business to write was because I wanted to get away from the rigmarole. It would be ironic, if I began churning out multiple books a year. Also, I need time to mull over ideas, zero in on one, and research the topic. My aim, however, is to bring out a Bharat series book, such as Chanakya’s Chant and The Sialkot Saga, every 18 to 24 months.
Quick five with Ashwin
The best book you’ve read?
The one book I keep going back to is Autobiography of a Yogi. I first read it when I was 13, and each time I read it, it reveals something new about life and philosophy.
Who do you admire the most?
There are two people I can relate to the most — P.V. Narasimha Rao and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. They are people who’ve seemingly effortlessly done a lot of good work. They’ve worked hard, but smart.
Your greatest fear?
That there’s an apocalypse tomorrow morning and all of the world’s literature is destroyed, except for one piece by Ashwin Sanghi. And that goes on to become the defacto history for the future. I know how much fact and fiction I’ve mixed.
Most overrated virtue?
Honesty. I genuinely feel in a country like ours, those who can get things done are not people who are necessarily stark honest.
What makes you happiest?
My family. No matter how busy, I set aside time for them. They keep me grounded and are my anchor.
