Queen of mush

Talking to Shobhaa De is like conversational batting practice. You lob one towards the plate, she knocks it over the fence with her observations on subjects ranging from contemporary Indian writers to the vagaries of power. She is the kind of person you either love or loathe, but can’t ignore.

Though she constantly seeks to shrug off her high-society image and sell herself as a “serious” writer, De, who is also a fashion designer and a publisher, is often seen as a chick lit author (some say her intelligence and lived-in, loved-in looks are her biggest enemies). But as one of the bestselling Indian writers in English who has rarely been away from the spotlight, De says, in an interview with Weekend Review, she is continuously reinventing herself.

“I enjoy many aspects of what is out there — fashion, food, beauty, art, music. But the one enduring and all-consuming interest has remained my love for writing. This is an incredibly important aspect of my identity. Writing consumes me completely,” says De, her piquant personality coming through.

Often called the Jackie Collins of India or even the queen of mush, the 65-year-old former model (yes, she was the first Indian to be on the cover of French Vogue in 1968) first burst upon the scene as editor of Bollywood magazine Stardust. But her real brush with fame came when she dared to write about a subject that Indians had shoved into the closet — sex. Dismantling the common opinion, De’s heroines were sensuous, beautiful and smart, yet conniving.

Striking a chord — that is what De did some couple of decades ago. “Socialite Evenings”, her first novel, published in 1989, explored the lives of bored, rich housewives trapped in loveless marriages. Then she repeated it many times over.

In a country where it takes authors writing books in English years to sell even 100,000 copies, almost all of De’s books have been huge hits. With titles such as “Surviving Men”, “Strange Obsessions”, “Sultry Days” and “Starry Nights”, they take on varied topics and forms — from how arranged marriages work and letters to her children about living, loving and coping with the world to provocative, no-holds barred guide to the Indian man.

Her success story has few parallels. She switched to nonfiction, and she still sold. Her “Superstars India” sold over 125,000 copies.

Where does her appeal lie? De has got it all figured out.“As you evolve and change, your attitudes and interests also shift, “ she says. “I have a passion for life.”

Although her most famous novels have been pulpy, tongue-in-cheek chronicles, her seventh novel, “Sethji”, about a corrupt Delhi politician struggling to hold on to power, is a departure for her in terms of its setting. De’s fiction has never tackled politics but saves her grandest indignation for Indian politicians. “Do the job we the people of India have elected you for. Serve the people, not yourselves. Root out corruption — starting with your own portfolio.”

Is Arvind Kejriwal, an unlikely bomb-thrower in Indian politics recently, answer to the corrupt system, since old guards are completely off the hook to address core issues? De doesn’t offer her allegiance to Kejriwal, although he has found favour with the aspirations of the Indian middle class intellectuals.

“Most of our early politicians were indeed from the middle class,” she says. “It is not about which class one belongs to. It is about honesty and transparency in public life. There are young people out there who have the potential to be inspiring leaders. But they have lost faith in the system.”

Being a columnist with many newspapers and as an active blogger, De’s acerbic comments on social issues has often acted as a mirror to the state of affairs in India. It is not for no reason that she is called on to every other social platform to voice her opinion — a de rigueur on talk shows and debates.

Is there anything that really frustrates her about India?

There are “several”, De says, with unapologetic frankness. “But mainly it is the lack of governance. Our political leaders have simply not performed. Citizens feel let down and deeply frustrated. In such a demoralised environment, we need moral leadership first.”

Since most of the protagonists in her novels, written with a great deal of empathy, are assertive urban women, De is also emphatic about the barbaric gang rape of a 23-year-old woman in Delhi in December — a case that galvanised public anger in India over attacks on women and the inability of authorities to stop them. Opposed to capital punishment for rape, as death is neither the ultimate punishment nor a deterrent, De feels “an enlightened approach” is needed to curb such crimes against women in India.

“I am anti-capital-punishment,” she says. “It really serves zero purpose. What is needed for a long-term solution is an ongoing sensitisation programme. A powerful deterrent that sends out a strong message to society at large that crimes against women will be dealt with severely and swiftly. For that to happen, our policing, our courts and even more importantly, our mindsets have to change.”

The Indian public is losing faith in the system, anti-corruption agencies have only started becoming vigilant and violence against women is an enduring problem; it is easy to understand De’s outrage.

Well, she might have gripes about the Indian social and political system, but she has high regard for the country’s flourishing literary map. De believes there is space for several new voices in contemporary Indian writing, and she is happy that a lot of them belong to women.

“It is a vibrant and highly charged literary scene, “ she says. “Readers today are far more demanding as well. Books and authors have never had it this good. We should make the most of it.”

BOX 1:

Did you know?

*Shobhaa De was born on January 7, 1947.

*Her favourite books are “Catcher in the Rye”, “War and Peace”, “The Little Prince”, “Tender is the Night”, “The Great Gatsby” and “Suitable Boy”

*She had written several popular soaps for Indian television, including “Swabhimaan” and “Shanti.”

*She was the editor of magazines such as Stardust, Society and Celebrity.

*After her first marriage ended in a bitter divorce, De married shipping tycoon Dilip De in 1984. She lives in Mumbai with her husband and six children.

*Of the 18 novels she has written so far, all, except “Uncertain Liaisons”, have titles starting with “S”.

*Last year, Oprah Winfrey’s comment about Indians still eating with their hands didn’t go down well with the many Indians, including De, of course. “Oprah’s Last Chapter! That’s what angry Indians are calling the much-hyped but ridiculously shabby show. Oprah has lost her groove. Honey pack up!” tweeted De.

*De has written a book based on Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor’s sense of style, “Kareena Kapoor: The Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva”, to be released on February 6 in Mumbai. “It’s party time! What a super fabulous way to launch the imprint! I am on top of the world!” De posted on her blog.

-Wikipedia and shobhaade.blogspot.com

BOX:

Shobhaa De on Emirates Lit Fest

“This is my second time and I am very excited. I had a fantastic experience the first time. I expect this fest to be bigger, bolder, livelier and amazing on all levels.”

Catch De on …

March 7 at The Blogging Panel with Boris Akunin and Kathy Shaloub from 5.30-6pm

March 8 with Anupam Kher, talking Celebrity and Success, from 11.30am-noon.

March 9 with Politically Correct and Loving it from 5-5.30pm