Filmmaker R. Balki describes Anand Suspi’s collection of short stories, Half Pants Full Pants as a “childhood classic for adults to regain their innocence. Suspi’s tales would have made R. K. Narayan smile.” The book, published by Paper Boat, tells about a young boy growing up in Shimoga. At a reading last week, Suspi talked about how the book came to be. Excerpts from an interview:
Could you describe your childhood?
It was great. My dad was a railway guard. I never felt the lack of anything. Sure, I did not get the fanciest things - but I never felt deprived.
Could you elaborate on your relationship with your family?
I am quite close to my mother. I joke around with her a lot, while my dad and I had a typical father-son distance. My brother and I are poles apart in terms of our mind-set. I started reading when I was in grade four. I read Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven and Famous Five series. The concept of reading didn’t exist at home. Often, my parents would look at me quizzically, but they never forbade me— perhaps because I was good in my studies.
Why did you choose to write short stories?
I did not set out to write a book, it was accidental because I wrote these anecdotes for myself. I first set out to write to prove to myself that I could go beyond advertising. I ended up with a collection of childhood memories.
What is the story behind the title?
I have my friend, Arun Raman, to thank for that. It is the uniform change that happens in middle-school — the shift from wearing shorts, to trousers.
What is your favourite chapter in this book?
Picking up a favourite is difficult. I like ‘Why? Unnecessary!’ and ‘Bicycle Thief Sir’.
How did you find time to write considering you are the co-founder of an ad agency, AndAnd Partners?
I did not have a strict schedule as such, but I wrote during my 15 days in Gurgaon as I worked from home. I usually sat down for periods of 45 minutes and spilled my memories.
Can you name a book that inspired you?
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. I don’t read much of fiction. I also enjoyed The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
When you were writing, was there a point when you switched perspectives with the reader?
As I was writing about my childhood, and the theme was universal, I thought many people would relate to it.
Does writing energise or exhaust you?
Definitely both. A lot of times I got stuck - there would have been something in my mind that couldn’t be penned down. Yet, when I did manage to write a few paragraphs, the excitement I felt was unexplainable.
