Fiction author Kunal Basu’s succinct style of writing has roused the interest of many. In a recent interview when he was in the city, the author tells us all — about Kalkatta, his recently published novel, his family’s influence that looms large over his writings and how few things excite him more than fiction...
“Kalkatta is an out-an-out contemporary fictional memoir about Jamshed Alam, a young male gigolo, with an underlying need that binds him in common with the most of us — his need to be mainstream. Jami is an illegal refugee who longs to belong and carving an identity for himself, just like millions of others. I wouldn’t want to divulge more on what ensues,” says the Kolkata-born author. Born to a renowned publisher father and an acclaimed writer mother, Kunal pipes that the love for arts came naturally to him. “I’ve always been passionate about literature and arts. I grew up reading Charles Dickens’ novels and between two people who place literature above all,” says the author who lives between the United States and Kolkata for work.
Set against the backdrop of the bustling city life in Kolkata, the author reiterates how the idea sprouted out of a general observation. “During my visits to the city, I often saw well-dressed young men waiting on motorcycles for hours on end. It would invoke a great deal of curiosity in me. I often wondered what the occasion was, and for whom were these men waiting.” He goes on to explain, “The protagonist here is a reflection of a certain percent that weren’t fortunate enough to get the opportunities that we got. In the story, Jamshed Alam lives two lives — one of a loving son, and the other as a male prostitute. There is a façade to the face. But the biggest takeaway for the character is that through his queer journey, he gets an unadulterated view of the city.”
Unlike most authors, Kunal Basu seems unperturbed about how well the book will be received. “I hope people get the point, thats all I need,” he says.
