He’s known for his work primarily as a translator, but Bhaskar Chattopadhyay also drew attention for editing an anthology of short stories, 14: Stories that Inspired Satyajit Ray (2014). Now, Chattopadhyay has launched his debut novel Patang , which is set in Mumbai and is about a serial killer obsessed with kites and, of course, murder.
What made you choose a crime thriller for your debut?
All my previous books were translations. I wanted to tell my own stories too, although I had not figured out which to tell first. Patang happened at the request of someone from the Mumbai film industry. So, the genre was not really my choice.
Chandrakanth Rathod and Aditya Mathur are intriguing characters. How did you shaped these characters and did they emerge from people you have observed?
One writes one’s characters based on experiences of meeting different people. It is a lifelong experience, and seldom does it so happen that you write a character based on any one person. The characters of Rathod and Mathur are no different. Rathod is a detective who has dedicated his life to solving crime. He’s the seasoned, weathered detective. Mathur is fresh, has an imagination, is a tad nervous and yet, will speak his mind: sometimes a bit beyond what is necessary. He is a rookie cop, the quintessential sidekick, always excited, raring to go.
Characters have a way of setting off on a journey of their own. That’s what happened in Patang .
Which Indian characters and writers in crime fiction
have appealed to you?
I like the character of Byomkesh Bakshi a lot, and of course Feluda. I like Byomkesh because he is believable. Feluda stories are more of adventures, although Satyajit Ray’s writing is extremely sharp. I always read Byomkesh for a good mystery and Feluda for a good time. I’ve always been a big fan of detective fiction, so I created my own detective. You’ll meet him soon in my next novel Penumbra .
Your description of crime in Patang is rather brutal. Were you concerned that it may not appeal to a few readers?
I was very concerned. I’d never used that kind of language before. Honestly, not just the crimes, there were other aspects of the story which were brutal and hard-hitting. I’m a father of two lovely children. I have a loving wife and a caring mother to go back to after I wrote those brutal, gruesome pieces. It was a struggle, every single time. I hated myself, and sometimes I would sleep in my den, not wanting to face them. One might say, what was the big deal, you were writing fiction. But I was already lost in the streets of Mumbai, climbing tall towers, in construction sites, in abandoned steel mills, in deserted churches. For me, Rathod, Mathur, Tony, and all the other characters were people in flesh and blood. So I had to give them a solid reason to do whatever they were doing. After a lot of internal battles, I told myself, ‘You either step out of your comfort zone and go all-out, or don’t write the book.’
Why did you choose a kite
as a symbol for the crime?
Funny you should ask, because I just don’t remember. Perhaps it must have flown into the narrative organically. I remember thinking that I needed a calling card, or a symbol, a motif. The kite just happened.
Going by the narrative, you seem familiar with Mumbai. Have you ever lived there?
I have never. Before I wrote Patang , I visited Mumbai only twice. The first time, I spent three to four hours in the city, and the second time, around 24. The story is purely a product of my imagination, and some research.
Do you intend to do more translations?
Oh yes, I have a few translation projects coming up. I love translating, and I haven’t forgotten that it gave me my first break. There’s tremendous joy in translating.
What’s next and which genre will it be in?
Crime, again. It’s a series of detective novels, and the first one will be out soon. I’m giving finishing touches to the second one. Then, I’ll move on to the third, which I have already plotted. I also have a few exciting ideas in the thriller space, and perhaps a short story collection.
The book’s cover mentions director Sriram Raghavan’s appreciation. Do we see a film soon?
Sriram read and loved the book, and it was gracious of him to give the cover quote. I am amazed at his encyclopaedic knowledge about crime, noir and pulp: he is the hands-down authority in that space, and it’s great to be associated with him.
As far as Patang is concerned, stories written for the screen usually have a long journey to make it to the screen. As the writer, my job is to tell a good story, I’m not worried about the rest. Will there be a movie adaptation? Only time will tell.
Patangis priced at
Rs. 350, Hachette
