Sourabh Mukherjee Interview

I had the privilege to get the interview of author Sourabh Mukherjee. These are some of the interesting answers to the questions from the author's response.

 ❤ 1. What made u write the current book ?

There are two primary reasons why I wanted to tell this story.

Firstly, I wanted to talk about how our society has certain pre-conceived notions about human relationships. Any relationship that does not conform to acceptable definitions is quickly dismissed as immoral, illicit, or even illegal. This has been the case with same-sex relationships in our country for a very long time. While the constitutional hurdle has now been cleared, has our mindset really changed? Is the society really open to same-sex relationships? Love, at the end of the day, is love. What we need to realize is that, love and passion come in a variety of colours - it cannot be painted in only one shade.

In that sense, "The Colours of Passion" has been truly hailed as India's first alternate sexuality thriller. It was long-listed in WordToScreen 2018, conducted by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI).

Secondly, the book aims to unravel the dark secrets behind the limelight. I have heard stories of betrayal, conspiracy, heartbreak from my acquaintances in the entertainment and fashion industries, and I felt that, these would be the perfect ingredients for an edge-of-the-seat thriller.

❤ 2. Some memories from your childhood days ?

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I have never really written for a purpose – it is just something I love to do. In my early childhood, I would spend hours writing, as well as making illustrations for my own stories. A number of my poems were published in children’s magazines back in the day. I continued to write through my teenage and later in college. 

❤ 3. If you weren't an author what would you have done
?

In my day job, I work in a Senior Leadership position in one of the leading global technology companies. However, as a passion, I cannot think of anything else other than my writing.

❤ 4. How long does it take to write a book ?

I usually finish the first draft of a novel in about 3-4 months. Then, the manuscript often goes through a couple of iterations as I incorporate feedback from early readers, or, if I want to change a few things in the story.

❤ 5. What was the most difficult part in your artistic journey?

Thrillers these days are rarely about stolen antique or rare jewels. Thrillers today are more about human psychology. They are about the complicated dynamics of human relationships. They reflect the society and the times we live in.

Today, we are consuming crime stories from all quarters – TV, news, movies, the internet. And it is probably getting harder and harder for the mystery writer to conjure an unexpected ending. Also, readers like me who read lots of crime books every year get used to spotting hints and clues in the narrative as they read along.

Therefore, for me, when I write a thriller today, whether the reader was kept guessing about the identity of the antagonist till the last page, is no longer the most important thing. What the reader looks for in a modern thriller is how we get there, how deep we go into the psyche of the characters. One wants the narrative to be intriguing and satisfying to the extent where one feels it is all real, where one can relate to the characters and everything that is happening to them.  As a writer, I believe this is the most challenging aspect of writing a thriller.


                                 ....... End of the Interview