'The most important work of my life is over'

What was the sort of research that went into the writing of this book?
There was not so much research that went into this book specifically. It is universal and primarily imaginative. The Story of My Assassins required research, but this one is dominantly imagined. The setting is imagined and so are the characters.

What in your experience is the advantage of a journalist-turned-writer? How much has Tehelka inspired you?
Being a journalist-turned-writer is a huge advantage. It opens your window to a whole lot of material which would otherwise be inaccessible. A lot of interesting material and stories become accessible to me because of Tehelka and the work it does constantly. You still have to work to convert it into a piece of art though.

How do you manage your time and juggle between the two professions?
You are constantly travelling with the themes. You are short on time when you are a fully-engaged journalist. About 90 per cent of my life is Tehelka. The struggle to find time is always huge.
Most of my writing has been on the run. There is no discipline of time and space, but I do have a fair idea of the work I have to do. If I get fixated on time, I won't be able to write.

You took to writing at a much later age. Was this a conscious decision? Is it an advantage to be a middle-aged writer amongst many younger ones?
I wanted to write during my under graduation, when I was a teenager but journalism thoroughly consumed me. I was also obsessed with the idea of doing something new. I was searching for a particular kind of book. I am grateful I didn't write earlier. And I am grateful I lived the depth and the scope before taking to writing.

Your book reads like a parable of an existing world, an allegory on dictatorial regimes. Are you drawing any parallels in the real world?
Not really dictatorial. It is the tyranny of the idea. It examines the pathology of the human mind and the extent of its deformity. Of what it takes to pursue the idea of purity. Why does a Jihadi decide to kill himself over
living a full life? It is all around you -- in the killings in Norway, in Jihadis, in Hindu fanatics. It is when the idea becomes more important than the man. The book is also a strong cry in the favour of individualism over
collectivism.

What next? Is there an idea waiting to be translated?
Right now, I feel completely empty. The most important work of my life is over, I am dry.

Publisher:u00a0 Harpercollins
Price:u00a0 Rs 499
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