Witty, inventive, quirky, and weirdly whimsical, Radhika Malhotra is the remarkably lively mind behind ‘That’s Why Dogs Fly’. Currently a film writer based in Mumbai, India, Radhika spent her childhood in Dubai, Oman and the United States. She has penned and been involved in numerous award-winning films and through it, has explored various facets of storytelling. She fell in love with books early on and quickly found herself devoted to keeping imagination alive. Her children’s stories find their place in a world that needs to talk more about traversing enchanting universes, about dragons and pixies, elves and fairies. Escape into magic and worlds unknown illuminated her desire to pen children’s books until inspiration found her in the passing of her beloved dog, Presley. The muse behind ‘That’s Why Dogs Fly’ who trotted the globe with her. She still travels and writes, spellbound and sparked by the oddities of the world, with the hope of offering children beautifully wrapped stories by mining the world for its magic.
– The Interview –
The Literature Times: What inspired you to write That’s Why Dogs Fly, and how did your personal bond with Presley shape the story?
Radhika Malhotra: Presley’s life is the inspiration behind ‘That’s Why Dogs Fly’. He travelled the world with me and it was the memory of him on a boat in Rio Lagartos, Mexico, watching flamingos, it was the image of him staring out of windows of planes, that really stayed with me until that plane became a unicorn upon which to soar. ‘That’s Why Dogs Fly’ was found in these moments, which is why many of the illustrations mimic real photos. After his passing, it was all strung into a book to explain the loss to my niece, Anaya.
The Literature Times: The book balances whimsy with poignant themes like love, friendship, and loss. How did you approach blending these elements in your storytelling?
Radhika Malhotra: My writing, even in films, mainly deals with difficulty through humour. I realized the greatest tribute to Presley would be to celebrate him through the same joy he gave me, to truly reflect that while loss hurts, the journey is beautiful and even at its end, life must be celebrated. This lent ‘That’s Why Dogs Fly’ its tone, its whimsy and its journey through loss.
The Literature Times: Your writing vividly captures the magical bond between the girl and her pup. Was it challenging to translate such a personal connection into a universally relatable narrative?
Radhika Malhotra: Human emotion like loss itself is universally relatable so at its heart, this book always belonged to everyone. The use of whimsy simply made it palatable.
The Literature Times: The farewell in the book is both heartwarming and bittersweet. How did you ensure it resonated emotionally without overwhelming younger readers?
Radhika Malhotra: ‘That’s Why Dogs Fly’ was created to explain to my niece, Anaya, about Presley’s passing. So, from its inception, the messaging was always geared toward children. In this case, the need gave fruition to the tale. It (That’s Why Dogs Fly) arose from a very real and honest conversation that needed to be had. Moreover, my last release was a young adult show on Amazon so the tone was one that I’d lived with for some time.
The Literature Times: Your work as a film writer involves visual storytelling. How has that experience influenced your writing style for children’s books?
Radhika Malhotra: Writing for film entails the use of visual language which is already quite prevalent in childrens books. Further, I think it greatly aided in the designing and illustrating of the book as strong visuals were already in mind when framing the story.
The Literature Times: The book’s whimsical tone and enchanting adventures are delightful. What role does imagination play in your creative process, and how do you nurture it?
Radhika Malhotra: We imagine things into existence, realize them. And I think the best way to nurture it is to let it thrive, to let it move ungarnered because really what can be imagined is unbounded.
The Literature Times: This book reflects a deeply personal journey for you. What was the most rewarding part of writing it, and how has it impacted you as an author?
Radhika Malhotra: I think the most rewarding part is in fact, that it is deeply personal, sweetened further by being enabled to helm the creative process. Wonderhouse is a wonderful publishing house to work with and because I approached them with the book complete with illustrations, the process was smooth. They endorsed my authorship and that in turn is how this book has impacted me most; it showed me to push through for a vision.
The Literature Times: What do you hope readers, both children and adults, take away from That’s Why Dogs Fly—beyond the magical adventures and emotional farewells?
Radhika Malhotra: The ability to talk about things that hurt in a way that doesn’t.
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