Kalachuvadu Publications has been in the forefront in publishing serious writings of authors of short stories, fiction and non-fiction, besides translations of a few world classics and Indian classics, from inception. Writings of well known Malayalam authors such as Paul Zachariah, Vaikom Muhammad Basheer and film maker Adoor Gopalakrishnan have also been made available by them in Tamil version.
The best, according to Kalachuvadu, which has over 660 titles to its credit, is defined more by social relevance than commercial success. It has been the harbinger of change in the Tamil publishing industry. By publishing critical and reliable editions of the complete works of Tamil modernists, Kalachuvadu laid down the benchmark for other publishers. The 1990s stand as a period of profound transformation in Tamil society and culture. Kalachuvadu has consistently recorded the travails of Muslim life in India and also provided the platform for Dalit writings. It played a prominent role in heralding the new wave of modern women writing in Tamil. It has found a way for the voices of the marginalised in the country to be heard.
With five full-time editors, it is one of the few publishing houses to enter into contract with writers and make regular royalty payments. Arguably, it remains as the first choice for many serious authors. Writers from nearly 22 Indian and world languages have been translated involving 45 translators and an equal number of compiling editors.
Kalachuvadu’s Kannan Sundaram, son of the late Sundara Ramaswamy, was invited to the U.S. State Department’s International visitor programme and has been visiting Book Fairs in Frankfurt, Paris, London, Istanbul, Oslo and Sharjah to participate in seminars and fellowship programmes, besides literary festivals across India.
Editor and publisher of Kalachuvadu, Kannan Sundaram spoke to The Hindu Friday Review. Excerpts:
What motivated you to launch Kalachuvadu? Was Sundara Ramasamy a motivating factor?
Su.Ra. started Kalachuvadu magazine in 1988. But it folded up in 1989 after eight issues. Then he brought out a special issue in 1991. I decided to re-launch Kalachuvadu in 1994. Kalachuvadu publications was started in 1995 and the first book came out in 1996. The motivation was certainly Su.Ra., whose books were out of print. The idea was to publish a collection of Su.Ra’s works. But within two years, we had moved beyond Su.Ra. to publish G. Nagarajan and Pudumaipithan. And Su.Ra went on to write 15 books in the next seven years.
How do you choose authors or titles? Do you go by popularity or the subject?
Initially we selected texts. We could publish only limited titles and picked up only the best. Much later, we decided to publish the complete works of writers. Popularity has never been the criterion. Merit is. Of course, we are happy if they sell well. Otherwise we are happy with the critical response.
How do you gauge the mood of the book-buying public?
Book fairs are the best spot to catch the readers’ pulse. Some of them ask for a forgotten text or author. We evaluate the demand. When we found that readers were keen on modern classics, we tweaked our publishing programme to satisfy them.
Your publications include both old-world literature (like U.Ve.Sa’s) and contemporary writers. Pa. Saravanan has contributed immensely in unearthing U.Ve.Sa’s literature. Can you give the background?
U.Ve.Sa responded brilliantly to the arrival of print culture and is very much part of modern times, especially his prose. We were in touch with Saravanan much before U.Ve.Sa volumes, while he edited Arutpa-Marutpa and we have published his writings on Vallalar. Saravanan has a special place in our large team of authors and resource persons.
What is your impression on reading public and their taste?
None of the international fairs is for readers to buy books. They are more for business transactions among the many members of the publishing eco-system. You can gauge the trends from publishers but again they change with regions and the times. Novel is ruling the world of fiction everywhere. So are testimonials and memoirs. Short fiction is unfortunately consigned to the back seat. Some concepts like graphic novels have not made an impact in Tamil.
Are Tamil writers’ works welcomed in other countries?
Among the Tamil-reading public, yes. But beyond that it is an uphill task. We need dedicated, well-funded agencies to promote our multilingual literature abroad.
What prompted you to bring out Perumal Murugan’s Mathorubagan?
Why, we were already publishing Perumal Murugan’s complete works and this was no different. Readers responded well and no one took offence till it was given a twist by certain sections.
There is a general opinion that authors are not paid adequately and in time in the Tamil publishing industry. What is your take on it?
It is true. Those who sign contracts and pay royalties are rare. This situation is not healthy. Writers must join hands and fight this out.
According to you, who are the ‘saleable’ writers today? And who are strong in content and expression?
I do not wish to wear the hat of a literary critic, but a unique aspect of Tamil is that modern classical authors such as Pudumaipithan, Ku.Pa. Rajagopalan, Thi. Janakiraman, Ashokamitran, Jayakanthan, Mouni, Ci.Su. Chellappa and Sundara Ramasamy sell much more than the star authors of contemporary writing.
Your transformation as a sensitive writer’s son to a recognised publisher – how did it happen?
I was fascinated by the media as a teenager. Kalachuvadu blossomed when all forms of media were merging and creating new synergies. I decided to pursue my passion and eke a living out of it. It continues to enrich me in ways I never imagined.
What of the future?
Tamil was struggling to break through the glass ceiling, to find its space in mirroring national and international cultural events. I feel we have cracked the ceiling, working alongside many others. We should welcome the cultural winds of the world to flow through Tamil countries even as we stand rooted in our rich tradition.
