Debabrata is a boring civil engineer with a machinist work ethic, but with a burning passion for writing. He has been born and brought up in Kolkata during a time of upending of the so-called ‘traditional ideals’ and age-old ‘culture’; and in the City of Joy, has been witness to some not-so-joyous circumstances on the personal front.
The up close and personal exposure to this changing social atmosphere with its ups and downs, and the ongoing (almost) crusade between the ‘irrefutable’ age-old values and the ‘sacrilegious’ emerging ideals; shaped the quiet and studious boy’s outlook and developed his interest in observing people and situations, and the way they tend to react to changes.
When he is not burning the midnight oil pursuing his passion for writing, he loves spending time with his wife and little daughter. He loves reading about astronomy, or tinkering with his casual hobby of photography, or even occasionally experimenting with basic sound mixing. Like most Indians, he loves watching cricket; but is also crazy about tennis and Formula1 racing.
Interview Questions for Debabrata Chatterjee
Akhila Saroha: I would like to begin by congratulating you on the publication of “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?.” How has the response to the book been so far?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Well, as you know Akhila, I’m a first-time, and a total unknown right now. So, any response I get is great! I don’t have access to the initial sales figures yet, so I can’t comment on that; but as someone trying to make myself heard, the reviews mean a lot. And the initial reviews are… well, even if I’m saying so myself, they’re quite good!
Akhila Saroha: What led to the idea of writing “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?”? Were there any events that inspired the work?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Actually, this is inspired by the real story of an old friend. Most of the things depicted in the story are ones I’ve been seeing happening since my own adolescence, including to my friend. So, when I toyed with the idea of trying to write seriously, this friend kept coming back to mind. So, I thought why not; and we sat down, discussed at length on how to go about it, and I started the draft.
Akhila Saroha: How easy or difficult was it for you to decide the placement of events in “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?” and keep it simple to understand for the readers?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Well, I don’t yet know whether the timeline will be very easy for everyone to follow, na! But yes, I DID try. I had the advantage of knowing the full story before even writing the first page, so it was easier to decide on how to sequence the events, the flashbacks, and the flashbacks-within-flashbacks! I wasn’t too difficult, but it wasn’t too easy either! And I can only hope I did a good job at lucidity.
Akhila Saroha: What are your views about present-day writing? Do you think it does complete justice in depicting human nature in the light of “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?”?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Really, as a first-timer, I don’t deserve to be in the same room with the leaders in this line! But one thing I can say: while writing my book, I could finally understand some of what goes into creating a story! Readers’ tastes vary, but the storyteller’s efforts cannot, and should not, be undermined.
Akhila Saroha: “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?” shows the uniqueness of your style of writing. Are there any authors that you enjoy reading or any books which are your favorites?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Well, I’ve grown up with thrillers, before I added character-driven dramas to my list of favorites. My favorite authors from childhood would be Jack Higgins, Frederick Forsyth… Michael Crichton… Dan Brown. Among Indian authors, my big fav is Chetan Bhagat without a doubt! Then, Ayn Rand, Khaled Hosseini… I mean, there are lots! The author doesn’t matter so much as the story.
Akhila Saroha: How would you categorize “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?” as its appeal seems to be to a broad audience?
Debabrata Chatterjee: I’d categorize it only as a young adult, character-driven drama that tries to tell a story that a majority of the Indian society can still relate to. There IS an underlying message in the story; I’d be more than happy if that message gets across to even one person reading this.
Akhila Saroha: “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?” has given a powerful introduction to your potential as a writer. Can the readers expect more from you in the future? Please share about your future projects.
Debabrata Chatterjee: I LOVE writing, even though tackling a full-time job in addition to this does takes a toll on the mind and body. But yes, I AM working on something right now. And I CAN tell you right now; that it’s going to be quite a different type of story from my first.
Akhila Saroha: What is the story behind the title of your work, “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?”?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Not much. I just tried to hint at the themes the story deals with. Separate entities that come together as a whole, you might say. But… yes, there IS a sarcastic take on the word ‘destiny’.
Akhila Saroha: Of all the modes of writing, what made you come up with the idea of writing in prose form in “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?”?
Debabrata Chatterjee: The reason’s simple enough. I won’t say I thought it’s the best way to tell the story. No; because there might be better ways to do it. I just found that’s the form I’m most comfortable with!
Akhila Saroha: In the present time, the ideas in “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?” do not find much mention. What, according to you, could be the possible reason for that?
Debabrata Chatterjee: If you’re talking about the jilted-love-angle, I think people at the receiving end prefer to push it at the back of the mind. And if you’re talking about the home angle, well… I’ve seen these same ‘traditional’ ideals still rampant; only hiding underneath a shiny new-age exterior now. I think we’ve learnt to hide our thoughts, our pains better now.
Akhila Saroha: If you were to describe your book “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?” in a few words without giving any spoilers, what would those words be?
Debabrata Chatterjee: I’m not good at… well, intrigue! You tell me how to go about it?
Akhila Saroha: What advice would you give to budding writers who may be planning to write in the same genre as “Love, Loss, Life… Destiny?”?
Debabrata Chatterjee: Oh man, I’m a budding writer myself! What advice will I have for those who’re equal to me, or are ahead of me in the race?
Akhila Saroha: Thank you very much for sparing your time. I look forward to reading more books from you in the future. All the best.
Debabrata Chatterjee: Thank you, Akhila. I too hope you’ll get to read more from me!
