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In an interview, author Arpit Bakshi tells us about writing science fiction, his latest book ‘The Exile of Mukunda’, his favourite science fiction authors and more. Excerpts:
1. Your latest book is a mythology-inspired science fiction– which sounds intriguing. Tell us a bit more about it.
The story is about a futuristic human race called Manavas who are both technologically advanced and are also very comfortable with their past. Now, most Indian ethos derive from Indian mythos. And Manavas have fully embraced that. Their names are synonymous with that of Radha and Krishna. And they also work on sophisticated computers of the future, solving the mysteries of the Universe while simultaneously battling against time for their own survival.
2. From working in the banking sector to writing science fiction, that’s quite a journey. What inspired you to write the Maha Vishnu Trilogy?
I am the kind of person who sees things and wonders about the why(s). I wonder about things like an apple falling from a tree and racing toward the surface of the earth. About what keeps the moon in its orbit and stuff like that. In the past two or three decades, man has made tremendous advances in the field of science. We have created a whole lot of chemical substances that never existed. But to top it all, those man-made substances have found their way into our food chain. So effectively we are just one mistake away from altering the whole human future. One wrong additive and our future might be completely different from what we can ever imagine. This is precisely what happens in Part I of the Maha Vishnu Trilogy, when one wrong food additive forces humans to turn into Manavas.
3. Science fiction is a niche genre in India. Did you keep any particular thing in mind while writing your books? Also, tell us about your writing process.
When I started writing, I wrote for a definite audience. And that audience was the future us. This whole series is a cautionary tale. A tale about what our small mistakes can snowball into. About, what kind of a planet do we want to leave for our kids. Do we want a tomorrow filled with hope or a tomorrow filled with despair. Our today’s action will dictate our tomorrow. My writing process is simple. I decide about the location of the plot, the geography of the location, the various characters etc. Then those characters write their own self. I have to just sit by the system, the characters usually have their own stories chalked out. No matter what I plan, the characters have a mind of their own. I am just a conduit for putting the thoughts of my characters into words. So, the process is more intuitive than planned.
4. Who are your favourite science fiction writers and why?
My favourite science fiction writers are – Isaac Asimov, George Orwell, and Aldous Huxley. And favourite books are ‘Foundation’, ‘Brave New World’, ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’, and ‘Animal Farm’. These are all cautionary tales, telling us how to be vigilant against totalitarian tendencies of governments and other private players with control over resources.
5. How would you complete the sentence: I write because…
I write because people need to read. A future with no books in it, is a future that we must rise against.
6. Your tips for aspiring science fiction writers
As an Indian science-fiction writer, your homework before you can even start writing, grows manifold. You have to have a working knowledge of Indic philosophy along with knowledge of modern advances of science. My advice is to read… read about Vedas, Upanishads, Quantum Physics, Neurology, and other good stuff. And try drawing parallels between them. See how you can draw lessons from Indian mythos and put them in a modern context.
7. Since this is a trilogy, when will the last book of the series be out? Also are you planning to explore other genres after finishing this series?
It will still take at least another year to complete the third part. The third part among other things will talk about creation of matter and the nature of the universe, etc. After this series I would love to write a more fantasy-based genre with just a hint of sci-fi.
8. Lastly, any good books you read this year?
I have read and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Lectures on Quantum Mechanics’ by Nobel laureate Paul A.M. Dirac. Also, earlier this year I read ‘The Magic of Thinking Big’.
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