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I?m like the Ganga... ever flowing
SHOBHAA DE has as much contempt for ?stupid women? as she has for ?stupid men?. So, she is surprised when people call her a feminist. One expected her to be surprised when asked how one-time supporter of her work, Khushwant Singh, now felt that she was ?running out of ideas?? The glib-talker that she is, surprises you instead, as she takes the query with a smiling face and says, ?Oh, Khushwant is such a darling! Of course, I am not responsible for what he says. He has the right to air his opinion.
Shobhaa de on What makes her tick and what ticks her off
SHOBHAA DE has as much contempt for “stupid women” as she has for “stupid men”. So, she is surprised when people call her a feminist. One expected her to be surprised when asked how one-time supporter of her work, Khushwant Singh, now felt that she was “running out of ideas?”
The glib-talker that she is, surprises you instead, as she takes the query with a smiling face and says, “Oh, Khushwant is such a darling! Of course, I am not responsible for what he says. He has the right to air his opinion. But, if what he said had been true, Spouse wouldn’t have become the bestseller and it is breaking all previous records!”
De was in Lucknow for the release of the Hindi translation of her “bestseller” Spouse, by Penguin on Saturday evening.
Ever since her Socialite Evenings—which talked about the life of a prominent socialite trying to drown the sorrows of a failed marriage and failed relationships on Mumbai’s party circuit—was published in 1989, she has gone on from strength to strength penning a string of bestsellers. But, there are many who say she excels as a successful author simply because titilation sells.
But, De doesn’t feel that her books are all erotic and it would be wrong to attribute her success purely to eroticism. True to her style, she makes a bold point. “Guess, a male author would never have been asked this question. Why is it that only women authors have to take this query?” she asks.
Does she feel that she has countered taboos held by women writers earlier?
“Oh, certainly! I feel, expressing oneself is entirely the writer’s prerogative. Male authors are never asked to explain or defend their style. Yes, I would not like to sweep sex under the carpet. If one would like me to believe that we are living in a sexless country, I would of course have reservations for, our ever-growing population perhaps, gives you the correct perspective!” she says.
But, how come, whether Starry Nights that talked about a girl’s struggle to survive in Bollywood to Sultry Days that was about the lust and passion in the world of pseudo-art to Strange Obsession that was about sexual obsession set in Bombay’s fashion world, her novels depict the erotic more vividly than any other Indian author?
“I feel, women are asked such questions simply for vicarious thrill. Grow up! We have entered the 21st Century. That men are still in the 16th Century is another matter,” she retorts.
That, all her writings provoke reaction is something she knows already.
“I love it! For, I would hate to be predictable, boring and seen playing safe,” she says.
As an author, does she get possessive about characters like Karuna in Socialite Evenings?
“Yes, Karuna is one character that I like. But, I generally do not like to cling to the past. I love to create characters and move on minus the baggage. That’s because I can’t afford to do so for I live life in the overdrive,” she says.
That’s something she has been doing since she was 12. Even now, she has two serials, a fashion/jewellery store in Delhi and a couple of books lined up.
Still, she says, she never plans too far in advance. “I am like the Ganga… ever flowing…”. Ask her about her heavy jewellery and the fact that even her attire catches attention and she responds, “Again, these questions are subjected more to women perhaps for that sexual kick. Would you ask Khushwant Singh why he wears what he does?”
You see, she said at the outset that she doesn’t give a damn to stereotypes! This idea but, fell in one!
