Author Nilanjan Choudhury, who recently released his first book “Bali and the Ocean of Milk” (published by Harper Collins for Rs. 199) started writing because of the Bangalore traffic. “During the recession there was a lot of time on my hand and I was also travelling quite a bit. So I began writing the novel to entertain myself,” says Nilanjan, who launched his book at the Oxford bookstore in the Leela Galleria. He believes that everybody has a novel or a film in the making.
“I have always been interested in mythology. So I wrote one based on the famous story of the ‘sagar manthan' or the story of the churning of the ocean for nectar. It is a story of enemies coming together and of unprincipled alliances that are common in politics. This book is inspired by satire and black comedy. Plus I wanted to talk about something serious in a flippant, light, frivolous way,” explains Nilanjan, citing Stanley Kubrick's “Dr. Strangelove” and “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro” as examples.
The book revolves around how the gods and the demons (asuras) of the ‘Hurriyan' civilization come together to churn out nectar of immortality from the ocean, each for their own reasons and what happens after. They are aided by the holy trinity of the gods “Sambha, Jai and Viru”.
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“It is a mythological thriller, with interplay of politics and the personal, magic and situational comedy thrown in. But it is important to keep in mind that I have used the story of the ‘sagar manthan' as one uses a vase of flowers in the room, only for its fragrance and colours. My book is not a retelling, it is a different story about people and contemporary politics,” he points out.
For a debut author, Nilanjan did not have much difficulty in finding a publisher. The process took all of a month.
“The first publisher I went to rejected the manuscript. I then went to Harper Collins, who quickly accepted my book. The editor sent me a message saying she couldn't put down the book. When I set out to write, I gave myself a commandment: Thou shall not bore. Maybe they liked it because it has a strong opening,” shrugs Nilanjan. The book opens with the apsara(nymph) Urvashi complaining about how she has a dismal sex-life with Indrah.
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“I think the battle is lost or won in those first few chapters. Also I sought feedback from a lot of people and incorporated their changes. I believe that a product has to be of a certain quality before it is turned in. The book also had the endorsement of people like Mahesh Dattani, C.K.Meena and Abhijit Bhaduri.”
He feels it could also be because fantasy and mythology are genres of writing that are taking the world by storm.
“Publishers are now more accepting of fantasy because of its success in the West. It is amazing to see how writers like Rick Riordan have become billionaires. The whole genre seems to appeal strongly to swathes of global readers. Many people say mythology is vast and rich and it is a theme that has not been explored very much in English writing. People seem to like looking at familiar characters like Krishna and Rama in unfamiliar perspectives,” he observes.
Yet Nilanjan is not sure if he is going to write a second book.
“I'm an insecure writer, so it all depends on how the reader perceives my work. It has to give the readers joy and if I find that happening, I'll write more. If I'm going to attempt another novel, I'd like to get my teeth into something contemporary, though there is a chance of getting back to mythology. But I'll definitely keep the comedy element and make it a page-turner without being frivolous. Maybe the questions raised in the first book will be answered.”