Interview with Melvin Durai

Melvin Durai is a writer and a humorist. His funny and thought-provoking columns have graced many newspapers and magazines in many countries. Through his first novel - 'Bala Takes the Plunge' (reviewed here), he has taken firm and sure steps towards expanding his horizons from being a writer of columns to authoring complete books. I congratulate him on the success of his debut novel which has been widely appreciated for the satire, humour and wit. I got an opportunity to conduct an e-interview with Melvin and I am glad to be sharing his views on this blog for all the readers.

When did you start writing? How has been the journey of being a writer so far? And when did you start feeling the need to write a little longer something than the columns?

I started writing in 1993 when I got a job as a newspaper reporter in Pennsylvania. I was a business reporter for three years, then a general assignment reporter. I began writing a regular humor column in 1995. I’ve wanted to write a book for a long time, but it took me a while to find my niche. I experimented with short stories for several years. I also experimented with my humor columns. Many of them are a form of fiction. The journey of being a writer hasn't always been smooth: I've had to stop and ask for directions several times. But I think I'm on the right road now.

Is it a natural progression from writing short columns to being an author of a novel? What do you feel should or would be the next stage for you?

No, I don’t think it’s a natural progression. Many journalists do end up writing books, but most of those books would be non-fiction, I believe. The next stage for me is to write another humorous novel. I also want to continue writing my columns.

Why did you choose to write a novel under humor genre, when it’s a fact that creating a humorous piece is not an easy task?

It's certainly not easy, but I liked the challenge and I also like to make people laugh. Besides, there are plenty of serious novels out there.

Has Bala been inspired by any real life character or it’s a completely fictional character?

Bala is a fictional character, though some of his experiences have been inspired by my and my friends’ experiences.

What is your favourite part in the book?

My favorite parts are the conversations Bala has with his parents. I had fun writing the dialogue.

What would be your dream book as an author - plot wise and the reach wise?

I think every author dreams of writing a book that’s close to perfect and sells millions of copies. My dream is to write a handful of books that I’m proud of. I don’t really dream of writing a particular plot, though I have certain ideas I’d like to explore. For example, I’d like to write about the experiences of a stay-at-home dad, perhaps in my next novel.

Which kind of book you find interesting to read? Which is your favorite author?

I enjoy literary fiction more than popular fiction. Two of my favorite authors are Rohinton Mistry and J.M. Coetzee.

How would you want to make a mark - as a columnist or as an author? Which of these two enthuse you most? Or is it something other than these two?

I’d like to be known mostly as a humorist -- whether I’m writing columns or books. I enjoy doing both. Columns can potentially have a wider reach, especially with the Internet, but books last longer. My 8-year-old daughter, Lekha, is eager to read my novel, but I’ve told her she’ll have to wait until she’s older. It’s nice to know that my novel will be around for a long time, if not in bookstores, then at least on our bookshelf at home.

What is the biggest challenge you face while writing ?

The biggest challenge is setting personal deadlines. If you write 500 words a day, you’ll have a 60,000-word book after four months. But how many of us can stick to the schedule of 500 words a day without a boss checking on us?

What suggestions would you like to give to aspiring writers?

If you want to be a writer, you just have to keep writing. The more you do it, the better you will get. Don’t talk about it, don’t plan to do it -- just sit down and do it. And don’t try to be Salman Rushdie or Jhumpa Lahiri. Try to develop your own style.

Thanks Melvin!

Book Review : Bala Takes The Plunge

Title : Bala Takes The Plunge

Author : Melvin Durai

Publisher : Hachette

My journey with books so far has taught me that readable fiction generally falls in either of these two very broad categories. But if a book fails to qualify to any of the following categories then I do not recommend that book, since readers do not get anything by spending their time and energy on it.

• Books offering some unique idea, out of the box thought, new plot, or some extraordinary event which has never been presented before.
• Books working on known plots or ideas but the outstanding handling and packaging of the same enable them to rise above the rest. From handling and packaging I mean - either the narration is very witty or engaging or presented in such a fashion that something is there for the readers to savor.

'Bala Takes the Plunge' belongs to the second category of writing. It reminds the readers of 'Inscrutable Americans' a lot and a little bit of Chetan Bhagat's '2 States' but the similarity with '2 States' ends with the South Indian flavor which is brought out through the narratives in both the books.

Bala belongs to a middle class family where the only permissible options to build a successful career are - medicine and engineering. Sounds familiar? Yes, this has been the mindset of Indian middle class because these two streams ensure a successful and happy life. But Bala harbors a lingering desire to direct a film and to cast his favorite star Rajinikanth in it. But this particular aspiration of his always triggers a passive opposite reaction from his parents making it an issue not even worth considering. Finally he relents to their dreams and manages to complete his engineering degree and as a perfect icing on the cake gets transported to America. His parents are contented that Bala stands a commanding position in the marriage market but Bala knows that, 'if he doesn't act fast, he might have to settle for whichever bride his Amma chooses' before he reaches the crucial '30' mark. In order to find a suitable match for himself, he tries many ways to meet different girls - by joining the book-reading club, cycling club and such. The author has attempted very intelligent humor in the narrative by bringing out the point about how opinions are formed about people based on the benchmark of - kind of games they play, the clubs they join or the books they read. In the end, Bala does 'take the plunge' but it is interesting to read how and of which kind.

Book has a quick pace to it and the readers would want to know where Bala's destiny takes him to. The tempo drops in the middle when there is a slight overdose of the matrimonial advertisements but then picks up again on a different note. The narrative gets a little serious after that and the story ends on a great note which seals the story delightfully. Its not a literary masterpiece but I think the author never aimed to write one, it’s a fun, light-read book full of witty puns, if you can just ignore a few pages and paragraphs where it tends to drag a little. A good editing would have removed this irritant too.