Rajnish Sharma takes a walk down the literary path with Anita Nair, as she knits a creative web of words

For someone who started out as a closet writer, Anita Nair has penned a splendid destiny for herself under the sun with her talent out there for all to see (rather read) and marvel at. She admits, however, that she didn’t see herself as a writer till very late, though as a child she was fascinated by words and the thought of spinning stories with words.

Anita credits her creativity to her ‘almost perfect’ childhood. “My family consisted of my parents, brother and dog and we were closely knit. All of us read a great deal (except, of course, the dog!) but I read books with a hunger that was almost frenzied…” and contrary to what most people seem to think, Anita clarifies that she didn’t grow up in Kerala. She only spent her summer vacations there in her grandmother’s house. “I was a very observant child and gathered the sense of darkness that prevailed beneath the beauty of the old and large house my grandmother lived in.”

Anita attributes her passion for stories to her parents. She reminisces, “My mother fed me stories so I would eat. And my father was a brilliant raconteur whose tales alternated between vintage magic realism and anecdotes that sparkled with wit, mostly drawn from his working life. They also had a great eye for the absurd and together all of this exercised a great influence on my imagination.”

When and how did her literary journey really begin? Looking back, the prolific writer says that her first job as a journalist taught her the importance of observing and paying attention to even the smallest detail. Secondly, factual research was the first step to investigative writing. Finally, she had to try and shun the banal and seek interesting angles to stories. “What for me was the crucial lesson was that human interest stories could be found just about anywhere. All you need is to know how to look for it…”

However, it was while working at an advertising agency that Anita actually decided to become a full time writer. It so happened that one day she wrote a short story and left it on her desk. A friend who read it appreciated the story and suggested approaching an editor at the Times of India. A year later, the editor advised her to consider publishing her short storiesand with that, her books started appearing on the stands.

“My foray into creative writing began with short stories, and slowly I moved on to writing novels. I think writing was initially an interest for me, but later it became a serious compulsion.” Anita adds that her stint in advertising helped her craft her writing to the extent that she learnt to edit the flab out. “Advertising is a great apprenticeship for a writer.”

But all this wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Balancing a full time career, a baby and home was by no means a cakewalk, “so I had to snatch time to be able to work on my first book. Also, as I hadn’t even thought of what I was going to do with my stories once they were written, there was no pressure to write in any particular way. Yet, I felt compelled to keep at it day after day. And importantly, as I was a closet writer, I had no way of recognition to evaluate a writer’s merit and sometimes it isn’t as if the writer is even someone whose work is commendable. This shallow device for literary recognition used to distress me; however, now it merely amuses me to see how everything anchors on the 15 minutes of fame.”

Speaking for herself, Anita says with disarming candour that the literary establishment in India hasn’t treated her work with the seriousness that the literary establishment in Europe treats her work with. But “my readers have never failed me.”

So how does a novel take shape in her mind? Anita has an interesting answer to that. “A novel is born from an idea or a thought that tends to disturb the calm of my mind. Very often it is probably because I don’t understand it enough. And so the novel that derives from this commotion happening in my mind becomes my own exploration of that idea and trying to understand it better.”

Elaborating further, Anita says, “What happens is that every day there are several times when I chance upon a word, idea, picture, scene or even thought and think – here’s a story. But what ultimately gets written is an idea that is so powerful that it refuses to dislodge itself no matter what happens. For me, what is supreme is a good story and character driven narratives... naturally, this is what motivates me to write the kind of books I do...

What about the theme of her books, is there a favourite one? “Though I hate to repeat myself in terms of theme, there is one recurrent theme that is buried deep within the warp and weft of the narrative. Namely that in the relationship between individual and society, I have always stood up for individual happiness rather than societal acceptance. That, if there arises a conflict between individual happiness versus social acceptance, individuals ought to be strong enough to put their own beliefs first.” She adds, “My biggest source of inspiration has always been life. Human beings must be the most fascinating creatures on earth. Everything we do, we say, how we live, whom we love and hate, why we go to war, what instigates violence, what inspires kindness - everything is a source of inspiration for me.”

“Once I think of a story line or when an outline sets in my mind, I sit through the book; I progress from scene to scene. When I am done, I read through and re-work. As I write, the plot or the main theme of the story progresses. The crux of the story is always there in my mind, but the story is evolved. The first draft is always by hand and then I key it in. Then, of course, my publisher reads it.”

Well, does this popular writer have any favourite authors herself? “I am a voracious reader, my taste in reading varies from the highbrow to the pedantic, so there isn’t a favourite book, the list is long and uneven but to give you a quick run through: John Updike, Tom Wolfe, E. Annie Proulx, Alan Holinghurst, Harold Robbins, Kundera, Kalidasa, Thomas Harris, M.T. Vasudevan Nair, Mukundan... generally what draws me to a book is the story telling rather than how lyrical the telling is. If a writer marries both, then I am his or her slave for the rest of my reading life. However, science fiction and fantasy are not my cup of tea.”

What have been the influences on her work? Says Anita, “My most seminal influence has been Jorge Amado, the Brazilian writer and perhaps the earlier novels of Llosa.”

How has the writer evolved with each book that she has written?

“Over the years what I have discovered is that with each book I feel the need to raise the bar and make sure that I don’t get stuck in a comfort zone of writing. Hence with each novel I have sought new territories to locate it within.” This also has made her work in different genres from poetry to literary essays to plays and now, even a screenplay.

On the trend of popular books being adapted into films in India these days, Anita says that while some work very well, the others are utter disasters. “I suppose that there is a combination of reasons. The average film audience is no longer willing to accept formulaic films and need to be enthused about what is going to be presented before them as a film.”

On the personal front, Anita says that her parents, brother, husband and son mean the world to her. In fact, says the doting mom, “I learnt from my son to trust people only judiciously and to be less naïve.” The multifaceted Anita also loves music, films, gardening and gastronomy.

As a parting shot, says Anita, “I look at my bedside table now and see how it groans under the weight of books. The pile of books on it could totter and collapse at any moment. Defying all laws of gravity, they stand, possibly by the sheer weight of their collective intellect, and perhaps my cussedness!”