Write choice

With fiery journalists for parents, it was but natural for Ali Sethi to begin an affair with the written word. His debut novel, The Wish Maker, though set in Lahore, has a strong Bollywood influence

Ali Sethi is not your regular 25-year-old. He is not on Facebook; he claims he doesn't even know what Twitter is; and he doesn't trust the blog. Instead, he spends his time writing a book The Wish Maker that tells you about the wide gap between the wishes we make and what we achieve.

In the book, Ali has recreated Lahore for readers as his story crisscrosses the present and the past. The central characters in his novel are all women. The book is about fate and choice where they are not conflicting but complement each other.

Born in Lahore and educated in Harvard, Ali is grounded, has a great sense of humour and infuses his reading with such drama that he leaves the audience spellbound. So once he gets talking, it's tough to stop him.u00a0

You're a published author at 25. How did you achieve that?
One Spring break in 2006, when everyone went home, I had nowhere to go, so I stayed on. I was listening to a night raga on my ipod, and suddenly I had these thoughts running riot in my head. I just wanted to capture my thoughts and I began writing.u00a0

When young people are focused on finding the "right job" and making money", why did you choose to write?
I don't think these are irreconcilable. My dad was a bookseller and publisher before he became a full time journalist and my mum's a journalist. They run a newspaper called Friday Times, which got into considerable trouble for it's political overtones. My dad's been jailed several times for his editorial views, and mum with her quiet resolve has run the show.u00a0 Writing is the only profession I grew up knowing. It's like my heritage. In Pakistan, like in India, the orientation is towards the sciences. Humanities is considered a waste of time an excess, a luxury. In Pakistan, reading for pleasure, was never encouraged.

In Harvard, it was an unreal atmosphere. I was surrounded by accomplished professors, who were practising writers. Even though English wasn't new to me, literature and novels were. I remember, in my sophomore year, I enjoyed JD Smith's creative writing class a lot. The proximity to such a young and successful author at that age (I was 18 and he was around 25) inspired me.

What strikes you as different when it comes to creative writing in the Western world?
In the UK and the US, the creative writing culture is very unique. It is kept away from political science, history, sociology and economics. One can get a degree in creative writing. There, imagination is engaged with reality. Fiction makes the promise of plausibility without being real, of being persuasive without being necessary.u00a0

Politically, Pakistan's not the most favoured country at the moment. What has been your experience during your book launch sessions the world over?u00a0
Actually, I realised my book has been read at different levels. My friends who I grew up with say it's like reliving their childhood, visiting the places we used to haunt as kids. For some it is a socio-cultural experience. While westerners have not really been able to identify with the life that is not Islamic, I can't go out and explain to them that Pakistan is a country of 170 million people and not everyone goes around in a burqa! I don't represent a country. A work of fiction can only represent itself.u00a0

Your book refers a lot to Bollywood movies and Indian television shows.
Yes, we grew up on Stardust, Filmfare and Chitrahaar. So these are an integral part of my growing up years. Then when cable TV came, all hell broke loose and a part of Pakistan was exposed to what is known as the 'forbidden" culture. I know a lot of girls secretly read and enjoy Mills and Boons. In fact, this has led to a whole generation of cultural schizophrenics amongst us.u00a0

So who's your favourite actor and actress?
Well, I grew up pretty much on DDLJ (Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) and Yash Raj films.u00a0 My favourites are therefore Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.u00a0 I just love Ram Gopal Varma's movies. But I must admit, I haven't watched any movies for five years now.u00a0

Any favourite pop stars?
I am an out-and-out fan of Daler Mehendi. Bali Sagoo was a favourite too. I still remember I took a photo with Daler when I was about 14!u00a0

If not an author, what would you have been?
I've always wanted to be a musician. Still want to be. I am training in Hindustani music. My first guru was Farida Khanum, a renowed ghazal singer, who was our neighbour, and she initiated me into music. Now I train with Ustaad Naseeruddin Saami and practise for nearly three hours a day. I regret that I didn't have the good fortune to meet Gangubai Hangal. I want to continue with my music studies. My next project could be something in sufi rock, qawali or even as a producer or director of music something that is more effective than literature.u00a0 I want to engage with people in a more accessible way.

Playing many roles: Anjum Hasan, a poet and novelist , moderated the book reading

Question hour

Anjum Hasan has been called the "ideal reader" by some authors whose book launches she has moderated. A poet and novelist herself, Anjum says she agrees to moderate a book reading only if she can respond to the book.

"You have to develop a fraternal feeling towards the writeru2026you can do this (being a moderator) only out of fellow feeling," she remarks. She reads the book a week in advance and about three-four days ahead of the book launch, she just keeps thinking about the story and its nuances. Little wonder that she asks such perceptive questions.

"While moderating, you need to ask specific questions," she advises. Does being an author help her as moderator? "Yes, it does. But one just needs to be an intelligent and perceptive reader to moderate."

Anjum was born in Shillong, Meghalaya and currently lives in Bangalore, where she works for India Foundation for the Arts. Street on the Hill (Sahitya Akademi, 2006) was her debut collection of poems about Shillong and her childhood experiences in the hill town. Her debut novel Lunatic in my Head (Zubaan-Penguin, 2007) was shortlisted for the Crossword Book Award 2007.

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