Kannada author writes a novel with LGBT protagonist

When Kannada writer S Vasudhendra finished writing the book Mohanaswamy, an unusual collection of stories about a single man, he had trepidation about the book's reception. He was not sure if he ought to release the book and sell it through stores or just distribute it quietly. The reason: The hero of the novel Mohanaswamy is gay, and Vasudhendra's book is possibly the first literary work in Kannada writing that has a homosexual protagonist.Vasudhendra's earlier short-stories had dealt with IT, globalisation and the lives of Brahmins, especially the Madhwas. But Mohanaswamy deals with a rare subject: homosexuality.
"After completing the stories, I showed it to friends. It was a tough decision to bring out the book. But I had no doubt whatsoever that I had to write it; that this was a story I had to tell. I spent sleepless nights, but I released it through my own publishing house, Chanda. The fact that the apex court had just given a strong ruling against homosexuality also influenced my decision," says Vasudhendra.
Mohanaswamy has received mixed reviews from the Kannada literary field. The subject became a hot topic of discussion with many questioning Vasudhendra on his choice of subject matter and others praising it. "I posted about the story on social media. Many youngsters gave me a thumbs up, but older people seemed to have reservations. Surprisingly, women liked the stories more than men,"says the author.
As social media discussions became more heated, Vasudhendra started receiving hate mails and letters. But despite the backlash - or maybe because of it, the book sold well, and Vasudhendra had to bring out a second edition within a couple of months. "I think it will take time for people to accept the subject. I now hope others will also write about the topic of homosexuality and this book will act as an ice-breaker," he says.
According to theatre practitioner and film maker B Suresha, Vasudhendra is one of the most important writers in contemporary Kannada literature. "His recent work Mohanaswamy is one of the best.
Though some details are explicit, the stories makes the reader sympathise with the protagonist Mohanaswamy. This is a first in Kannada," says Suresha.
Speaking on the stories, Vasundhadendra says that exploited people in society have always inspired him to write stories. "So how can I leave gays out? Moreover, it is a subject that is very close to my heart."
Has the writer based the character on anybody he has known in real life? "Yes, Mohanaswamy is a real person. I have known him for years.
Every day, every minute I am in his company. With me in solitude, he shares his loneliness, joys and sorrows - the pains of his different lifestyle."
Vasudhendra is happy that readers have received the book with an open mind. "In the last few months, there have been discussions and criticism of the stories on the internet. All these have given me confidence and courage. I am really pained that I have lost hundreds of my elderly readers due to this book. But then, I have gained many young new readers."
Vasudhendra says stories and novels related to homosexuality are rather rare in Kannada. "Masti Venkatesha Iyengar, U R Ananthamurthy, G S Sadashiva, Shivarama Karanth, Kum Veerabhadrappa have all depicted gay characters, but not in detail. They have not looked at it as a person's life and death struggle," says the author.