September 22, 2005
Bombay, the Mehta WayLiterature
In case you missed it in hardcover, Maximum City will be out in paperback next Tuesday.
I will spare you my opinion of the book since Suketu Mehta appears to be Sepia regular, but just for those who can’t get enough, the Columbia Journalism Review runs a highly entertaining interview with Mehta in next month’s issue.
His interviewing technique:
I was writing as I was speaking to these people. Id bring out my laptop.. one of their hit men might say, You know, we had a job to kill somebody for their laptop last week. And Id say, Yes, Im aware of that” …. I noticed this subliminal thing started happening where as they spoke, I was literally typing. My fingers were dancing, and they would look at me and pick up these cues from when Im typing or not. Now, in India the problem isnt getting people to talk, its getting them to shut up or to stick to the topic. And I didnt have to tell them to stick to the topic, but..when they wandered off into a tangent Id still be nodding, but my fingers werent dancing. And so they would, without my ever having to say anything to them, come back to the topic that I was interested in…Writing as self-actualization:
Each chapter was a journey into myself, into my weaknesses and my strengths. And I asked myself, Why was I attracted to these tough boys? And its because in school I was a weedy kid, and I always looked up to the tough boys. The short and the smart sat at the front of the class….in the back were the people who had failed the grade and were taking it again or the really tall kids and we called them the LLBs the Lords of the Last Bench. And I always looked up to these guys. These were the ones who were good at cricket, could get the girls. And here they were they were grown up, and they were my protectors.Even a hitman’s got a conscience:
I remember one of the hit men saying, It used to happen that after I killed, the soul of the man I kill will come and sit on my chest. But then a Muslim gangster taught me to sleep in a fetal position with my back to the door, so the soul doesnt have access to my chest so I can sleep peacefully. Each one of them had different rationalizations, including the police.
Trying to define non-fiction:
They knew I was writing a book…They knew about newspapers, they knew about movies; writing a book was they struggled to understand, some of them. Theyd say, Oh, does that mean its like a Ph.D. thesis? and Id say, Well, no, its a book, and theyd say, Well, is it a novel? …And Id just say, No, its like a magazine, only the size of a book, and everything is true. Theyd give up.
Indian politcs:
I was really afraid of the Shiv Sena…Sanjay Nirupam used to be the Shiv Sena pit bull in the upper house. He got up in Parliament, and holding a copy of my book made a long speech about why outsiders should be prevented from entering Bombay, and started reading off statistics from my book to prove his point. And then the Congress Party MP gets up and says, But the very next chapter of that same book has a direct attack on your party and its role in the riots, and he says, I need not agree with everything that Mehta says. So a vigorous debate ensues and then this inimitable Indian statement I will only agree with the facts that suit me. What are you going to say after that?
Also discussed: How Joni Mitchell inspired the book, why Naipaul is fascinating, and the dismal state of fiction publishing post 9/11- “the dramatic value of the real seems to have overwhelmed our capacity to invent new things.” To name but a few. Great interview.
cicatrix on September 22, 2005 11:30 PM in Literature · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
You won't review the book because the author reads the site? Far out.
Wow. That's a level of fastidiousness that didn't even occur to me. I'm impressed ;)
Actually I just meant that he's been covered regularly by other Mutineers. Malfunctioning wit, sorry!
I'm waiting for someone to come out with the e-book.
You know that's the problem with the Indian writers - they aren't as popular as the phirangs. Y'all remember how HP's e-book was out in a jiffy. I guess it was doing the rounds of mailboxes even before the hard-copy was out!
This is my last day at work and my last day on Sepia Mutiny. I am going to Thailand to teach English for six months, maybe more, and after that I hope to do some serious travel around Asia. Flying out on Monday for two 'acclimatising' weeks on the beaches of Phuket then down to Bangkok.
Good luck everybody - its been a blast!
Punjabi Boy,
Very impressed with what you're about to do with your life. It's been great talking to you on SM too -- the blog won't be the same without you, mate.
Have a fantastic time in the Far East -- I'm sure it'll be the experience of a lifetime.
Take care,
Jai
Jai
Cheers dude! But it really is not a Mother Theresa situation, it is totally selfish and as you probably know, life in Thailand has many attractions for a bored boy like me :D
I am going to learn proper Kick Boxing when I am there too!
Peebster,
No idea what you mean about the extracurricular attractions in Thailand *wink*, although I'm sure you'll make plenty of new "friends" to help you while away your spare time....
Thai Boxing is supposed to be pretty deadly, so you'll probably be learning from the masters. I'll refrain from any corny "Grasshopper" jokes ;)
Again, have a great time, and I'm sure Bong Breaker and I will do our best to hold the fort here pn SM and fly the flag for Ingerlaanda while you're away ;)
All the best.
I wouldn't be surprised if Suketu Mehta reads SM.
Most young authors tend to Google themselves quite frequently after reviews and interviews come out, to see if anyone's talking about it.
Every time I meet an author I've blogged about, I'm a little shocked to find out that he or she has read my blog posts on the subject of their work. (I guess I should stop being shocked...)
Jai
Hopefully at some point I can get a gig teaching English in Chandigarh (at an A level private girls school - have a cuz there) :D after my stint in Bangkok and travel in Asia - (fingers crossed) that will mean Japan and Hong Kong.
I am most looking forward to the Buddhist Temples in Thailand - I am going to shave my head. I have too many Buddhist Fist - Tiger Claw - Lotus Temple fantasies.
PB,
Sounds like it's going to be an incredible trip -- I have a friend who did all this too.
You should post some messages on SM during your holiday if you manage to gain access to the internet. I'm looking forward to reading about all this on your own blog too when you get back, if you're planning to spill the daal there too ;)
Try not to get kidnapped in Bangkok and forced to work as a ladyboy or something, and make sure you don't pick up any funny "infections" while you're there too....Not that you're planning to do anything along those lines, of course...
I have some relatives who've been to the temples in Thailand and yes, they are apparently very picturesque. There's a lot of good sights in Japan too -- old Samurai forts/mansions, etc.
I won't comment on your aspirations to teach those jailbait kurriyan in Chandigarh ! *laughing*
Jai
Yeah I know - people said go to India to teach English to underpriveliged children in shanty towns and ghettoes or to ragged goat rearing sheperd boys and girls in Himchal Pradesh and I was like - yeah, whatever, get me into the A Level Girls school in Chandigarh for the daughters of the rich people LoL
Lets see how it goes - India is 50/50 all depends on my cuz winging me the job - lets see.
Amardeep, I think young authors who don't get reviews in The Economist Google themselves on a regular basis. I doubt someone of Suketu's status bothers.
PB,
Doon School up north is supposed to be very good -- isn't it the best school in India ? Would look good on your CV to have taught there. Although I'm not sure if there are any desi Britney-type girls there (if you really are hellbent on getting yourself arrested ! God knows what the Indian police would do to you !).
Take lots of pics for your blog. I mean pics of your trip, not your cross-continental "conquests" ;)
It all sounds very exciting anyway, so you'll definitely have to tell us all about it on SM when you get back (maybe as a guest blogger ?). You're a superb writer so I'm sure it'll be entertaining reading as always.
(I checked out your own blog for the first time a little while ago -- the article about Angelina and Bipasha made me laugh my head off. What an "anti-climax", eh *wink*. Good that you kept it PG-rated anyway like a good desi son).
Jai
I was going to do some funny ones about Monita Rajpal and Daljit Dhaliwal interrupting their news reports to announce how much they want to have me because they lust me too much especially Monita in the middle of her news report she says - I just cant hold it back no more I love that Punjabi Boy too much - forget Iraq and Hurrican I love that boy ooooh yeah - and then all the other desi girl newsreaders get jealous and start cussing each other like Zain Virjee is like - bitch! Who the f--- does that bitch think she is Punjabi Boy is MINE and it would have been a running joke but I never got round to it - to be honest I am too lazy to write blogs or anything else but crack jokes and stuff.
But I love Monita Rajpal.
===============
Oh yeah Doon school and all that well - I'm not an English teacher to that standard - I just have my TEFL certificate thats all - I'm not a professional teacher or anything - but enough to get a few jobs here and there especially if I put on a posh English accent if I get to Chandigarh.
And they would have been saying what they want to do to me and stuff in the middle of telling the news about war in Iraq and the elections in Germany and the Federal Budget Proposals and the Parliamentary Deabte on Yah Yah Yah they would be like - f--- this shit I just want to do this to Punjabi Boy because he is soooo hot and then I wanna and then I want him to then I want to ----
But I never did because I didnt have the time and I cracked too many jokes on Sepia Mutiny.
Imagine the jokes I could have cracked off these pictures
PB,
You're right, you could do quite a funny "speech bubble" type commentary on those photos of Monita (whoever scanned those in really has far too much time on their hands).
Monita Rajpal is indeed a beautiful girl, and it's good to see her doing so well for herself on CNN. She's originally from the UK isn't she ? I remember she had a Brit accent when she first started anchoring on CNN but then she appeared to gradually fade it out (she managed to do it subtly -- not like that episode of Friends where Ross is pretending to be British when he's lecturing in front of his college students, and then proceeds to "fade out" his accent right there in front of them. Hilarious...)
Daljit Dhaliwal is from Southall, originally. I bumped into Riz Khan once on the plane to India a couple of years ago -- he's from Hounslow, believe it or not. Comes across as a nice guy, very charismatic in an imposing Amitabh-kinda way, is also very tall and wide, looks about 7 foot tall. But very friendly and polite, obviously has a good sense of humour too.
Anyway...you should consider still doing a joke picture-sequence with Monita, Zain and Daljit as you've descibed, it would be really funny. But keep it (reasonably) clean, obviously -- something along the lines of your Bipasha and Angelina skit. We don't want to embarass Monita etc too much.
PB
Have a great trip.
Hope you do get to visit Chandigarh and the girls there. Am going to look forward to your notes telling us "the poor Indian girls" do not need sympathy from mutineers for their oppressed status.(like most of mutiny posts are about oh-so-sad-state-of-indian-women, making some of us laugh)
Boy, if you do visit, it may be a lot of fun.
*laughing*
(and Doon school is all boys buddy. You gotta look out for the Welhams girls..)
Sumita
Sumita,
Dammit, you told him ! It would have been hilarious if PB had turned up at Doon all "ready for action", just to find out within the first 5 minutes that it's a boys-only school !
Just kidding....I wasn't sure if it was mixed/co-ed or single-sex.
lol
Sumita
Thanks for the tip - that Jai Singh was trying to play me eh? LoL
Yeah I need to free some of those 'oppressed' poor little rich girls in Chandigarh.
My brother says he thinks I am going to get religion and end up living as a Buddhist monk in Thailand though.
Read this book in our book club a few months ago, and had the opportunity to meet and ask Suketu a few questions at the Netip Conference a few weeks ago...great book, nice guy, and a good read.
Noooooo
Come back Punjab Boy behta..........
I promise never use my chappal on you again.
Remember when with a Madame in Thailand always check the adams apple first or you'll end up in a Crying Game moment
If you to Japan you must check out Kyoto.
Best of British
your Uncleji
yo punjabi boy,
they have the internets out there in the third world. i do hope you'll chime in from time to time. your approach to topics is sorely needed.
no need to read the posts if you can't be bothered - just pick a random comment thread and barge in.
peace and bon voyage
DUDE!
Ah man, that's sudden. How could you just leave me like this? No explanation. Was it something I said? Why do always go for the wrong type of guy? They always leave. PB, it won't be the same without you.
OK that's your daily dose of Bong gayness.
Jai said:
What kind of crackers advice is that? TAKE PICTURES OF THE CONQUESTS! Please. Thai girls annoy my girlfriend because they make me excited. Do try and drop in now and again. I'm sure you'll love wherever you end up, Thailand is a cool place - but make sure to check out its neighbours. Laos and Vietnam were a blast and way cheaper. Don't bother with Doon School, it's full of dickheads.
I shall end on a joke.
Punjabi Boy's walking sideways through an airport turnstile.
He's going to Bangkok.
Peace out bro, take it easy.
Poor old Cicatrix. A nice cultured little place she created, and the British came along and buggered it up. It's like a colonial microcosm.
Wha? How? But...Punjabi Boy, you just can't DO this to us! Did we call too often? Leave too many messeges? Find ourselves accidentally in your neighbourhood a few (thirty) times too many? I thought you would LIKE the red roses we sent to your job every day!! Call us, pleeease?!!
(ooh, and do sent pics! You could be the Sepia Adventurer-at-Large!)
Actually BB, this does pertain to the post. For anyone who didn't understand what Mehta meant by Lords of the Last Bench...well. now they know.
;P
Damn Brits! Coming in and taking over any brown space and pillaging ;) I keed, yall, I keed!
PB-- WHAT!?!?! I feel ill. I think I need to lie down, I'm so overcome with mourning the soon-coming absense of our PB...
If you'd done this to me on a Monday I'd have been quite devastated. ;)
PB
Not much chance of that. I must introduce you to literature about stories to do with monks. (there is plenty in Indian languages)
but to remind ya...(cheesy song from my childhood)
"One night in bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy"
I had no idea what it meant when I first heard it and it provided for good research material.
Bon voyage.
Sumita
Haha! DesiDancer: "Oh Punjabi Boy you're leaving! If you'd done this on a Monday, I'd be devastated.
But since it's Friday, I don't really care that much!"
Friday is better than Monday for bad news. Since it's the weekend, I'll go drink myself to oblivion and wander the streets calling "Punjabi Boy... PUNJABI BOY!!!"
Except that I live in NYC and I'll probably wind up with 10 taxis... ;)
Erm, Sumita...you're not that old. I can't call you auntie, yaar, if you're referencing Murray Head and the Chess soundtrack.
DD
Did I give away my camouflage there? Darn darn darn!!!!
OK, since PB is talking about Buddhist monks, may I use "old soul" categorization? I Like being called aunty. (It helps me get away with things)
Sumita
Sumita! You sneaky wench! I'm shocked and appalled.
;)
Sumita is Covert Misbehaving Auntie!! She's sweet and congenial, but when we're not watching she cranks up the stereo in the basement and lip synchs and dances to Prince songs ;)
DD
Did you install a camera in my basement? (am going t look right now) But looks like the sound recording didnt come thru. Its not prince music..keep guessing...(My kids know which music though)
Sumita
no, me thinks more like sisqo songs :)
Oya BBB
Nah!!! Good try though!!!
Music is a lil more for me than that..a little more connection...(interesting tip though...)
On that note, my daughter and I took salsa lessons together(she learnt in 5 mins what took me an hour)...Cant think of a better way to bond with little daughter.(who loves to dance)
Sumita
Mr. Mehta talks about an India which is a figment of his imagination. I have lived and worked in Bombay all my life and such characters were no where to be found. I feel it is irresponsible for authors like suketu to reiterate the stereotypes. People at sepia write a review or have an oped on Mr. Mehta's masterpiece.
Cicatrix,
Am going to check out the book. It sounds interesting. Mumbai has a special place in my heart for many reasons and I hope its not another exoticized version of the "west returned" "Oh I know whats better for everyone in India attitude" which a lot of Indian writers in English have.
Really hope its an exception.
I am curious to read Indian writers in English who had to worry about bread and butter issues in life, which I feel does bring a sense of balance to writing. The usual elitist account is highly overdone
Sumita
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
i...i can't go on. :(
Thanks everyone for your kind words!
I'm going to the pub now - take care and good luck with all your missions and life - now its off to the pub for leaving drinks and my last chance to get off with the girl in marketing who wears glasses and has a rose tatoo on her shoulder blade - lets see if I can make her promise to tatoo my name somewhere on her body tonight - wish me luck!!
===================
Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
On hearing thar PB is leaving......I couldn't control the emotional thing thats going on within me......It resulted in automatic tears from my eyes.......suddenly I am drenched in my own tears......few minutes later I am in an Ocean of Tears......
Now I shouting "Oy Punjabi Boy Come and Save me".
Will You come and save me Punjabi Boy?
Yours Only.......
I wonder how many of the ladies from SM will be crying into their pillows tonight...? Ah, PB, what have you done....?
Jokes aside, let's wish Punjabi Boy a fantastic holiday and a safe journey.
Yeah...I'm not sure about that anymore. I wished him bon voyage at first, but now I'm feeling decidedly jealous of all this girlie loving he's getting. Is it very bad to hope he gets V.D.?
I kid!
But I would giggle if he loved a someone who turned out to be a ladyboy long time.
I guess it's time for people like you, me, and Uncleji to pick up the burden of being extra-nice to the ladies here on SM, now that PB has passed the torch to us. Let's make sure we honour the committment in his absence....It's a difficult job, but someone's got to do it ;)
Very bad indeed ! Would be funny if he came back engaged or even married....A lot can happen in 6 months....*just kidding*
What, like that episode of Meet the Magoons last week ? The question is, would PB bite the bullet and tell us all about it here on SM....?
He's got guts doing this, anyway -- going off on a solo trek over there, and for 6 months too. Kudos to him for that.
Is all this blather funny? just for clarity... what are we talking about here? the sex tourism or the female infantilization or the pedophilia or the porn or the image that thailand's been trying to combat? is this forum and are the posters supporting all that?
guys... i know it's all blarney ... but for fuck's sake... enough already.
bon voyage dude. godspeed.
Miscellaneous other crap deleted.
dhaavak, what got into you? Who said anything about paedophilia or pros? If I say I like Thai girls, I mean I think Thai girls are very attractive. How on Earth did you infer that I'm approving of the sex trade or underage sex? You must have it on the mind. If Punjabi Boy was off to France and I said I like French girls, would you getting hot and bothered?
For fuck's sake, enough misplaced sermonising already.
allright people...back to the topic at hand.
Suketu Mehta - Genius or irresponisible stereotype monger?
Looks like the Mic's are all fine. Who is the next speaker...
Pointing a Pistol on his/her head.....if u r not gonna speak on the topic........u know what I mean.....u r smart....now common speak on the topic.
Good.
sumita, have you read mistry - anything but elitist - i felt 'a fine balance' was too severe, but that is probably my discomfort at having india's poverty raked open - 'family matters' is more middle ground - to quote the review - about duty, tradition and love - what's not to like.
Considering Mehta wrote about gangsters and dancing girls, it's unsurprising that you don't hang with that crowd.
i am sure he googles himself every hour as all self involved desi's do.
look at his website and see how proud he is of everyone writing about him.
Gujjuguy says:
Um, promoting his book is his day job. First time I've ever heard a Gujju guy dis someone for business skills.
if self-obession were only a desi thing, the only word for it would be in hindi/telugu/assamese/ect
Very interesting. I only know one hard-core writer (not me, I only have 1 pathetic post on me blog) and SOMEHOW he writes soooo beautifully but he barely knows himself at all, especially when you add other people into the picture. He's fine alone, but the equation of him + girl = mass paranoia and delusions. I think when he writes he just gets even more delusional about any given situation. According to Suketu's method of writing, my friend would have the peace and calm of a buddhist monk by now.
I guess it's different for everyone. I just found that interesting. Haven't read this book yet.... But, he collobarated on the movie Mission Kashmir, so I'm not too interested, unless someone I respect insists on it.
ps. I don't like all the bullshit steps (basic needs, blah blah blah) it takes to get to the point of self-actualization. It doesn't make any sense. Cute term, tho.
maybe you are already there?
hey ang, it was vikram chandra who collaborated on mission kashmir, not suketu mehta. i've not seen the film, but chandra is an amazing writer. his novel "red earth and pouring rain" is pretty good though overlong/overwrought. but his story collection, "love and longing in bombay," is simply extraordinary. blee' dat! this has been discussed here before, i'm too lazy to search :)
as for max city, i started but could not finish it. after a while you kind of got the idea. i ended up skimming. it's a long book, too long by about 1/3 if i were editing. i also found myself wishing he'd taken all this great material and turned it into a novel instead. take liberties with it. and cut out the stuff that doesn't really compel attention. that's the freedom (and challenge!) of fiction...
still, i give him props. a good book, and a real labor of love. respect!
peace
Thanks for the correction Siddhartha (is it okay if I call you Sid?), as well as for the review. All these books about India make me want to visit rather than read. I'll risk running into gangsters.
ha ha ha. Probably not.
Aside: Vikram Chandra's sister Tanuja Chandra is a film-director in Bombay.
Sorry, Siddhartha, according to Suketu Mehta's website, he co-wrote Mission Kashmir.
http://www.suketumehta.com/about.html
By the way, does it strike anyone else that 4 pics on this page are 3 too many?
Both Mehta and Chandra worked on the MK script.
wow, i stand corrected! that's some serious literary firepower. was the movie any good?
Haven't seen it, but that 'Bhumbro' song sure is catchy ;)
I've seen the movie and it was my first and last exposure to Hrithik Roshan. My little cousins have a crush on him so I wa forced to, alright?!! I don't really watch bollywood films, so I lost interest after the first 2 hours of senseless bombing. I think it had something to do with a boy who grows up to be a terrorist b/c his parents were killed in front of him? It wasn't an indie film, if that's what you expected from a serious writer - more blockbuster type. I can't really say if it's good or bad relative to most bollywood movies, so discount my opinion entirely.
It's surprisingly decent. A few plot-holes, but overall it's quite fair. Worth seeing, but not worth buying...
I thought it was toilet. And the frikking 'special effects' did my head in. The director must've just watched the Matrix and figured "YEAH! I'll rip them off wholesale! But I'll do it on the cheap cos I'm so smart!"
Punjabi Boy, our blog, our blog is calling
From glen to glen, and down the mountain side
The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying
'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.
But come you back when summer's in the meadow
Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow
'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow
Punjabi Boy, Punjabi Boy, I love you so.
And if you come, when all the flowers are dying
And I am dead, as dead I well may be
You'll come and find the place where I am lying
And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.
And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me
And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be
If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me
I simply sleep in peace until you come to me.
Bongsy- I'll give you that the ending fight scene was bollocks. But keep in mind I'm a straight woman, and a dancer-- so most Hrithik movies are given special exemption from standards like story and stuff... so long as I get a good dance and don't have to look at the scary thumb
Looks like there has been a falling out between Vidhu Vinod Chopra(Writer/Director of MK) and Suketu Mehta after Maximum City.
Mehta discusses VVR's hissy fit out in the story Cicatrix linked.
was the title of the post a reference to the dj shadow album?
For the unformation of people who aren't in India or Mumbai:
- The dance bars are no more.
- The Chopra guy claims that Suketu Mehta spiced up his life.
- Sanjay Nirupam, the Shiv Sena politican named above is now with the Congress Party.
I loved the book. It will remain the best guide to the character of the city during the 1990s. Probably the decade when the city called Bombay peaked.