Summary of YouTube Interview with Surendra Mohan Pathak ji

Rajya Sabha TV Interview Guftagoo

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Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrMqnwVNzkQ

Surender Mohan Pathak:

• Born on February 19, 1940, in Lahore.
• A leading figure in Hindi detective fiction.
• Over 30 million copies of his works sold.

Early Life:

• Experienced displacement during the Partition.
• Faced financial struggles as a refugee in Delhi.
• Father found a job, enabling the family to settle.

Education and Career:

• Struggled academically but eventually graduated.
• Worked for Indian Telephone Industries for 34 years.

Writing Journey:

• Began writing at 15, first story published in 1968.
• His debut novel was released in 1963.
• Meticulous and disciplined in his writing process.
• Reads extensively across multiple languages.

Legacy:

• His books are eagerly awaited by a large readership.
• He continues to write with dedication at 80 years of age.

Early Struggles with Publishing:

• The writer faced multiple rejections before his first story was accepted and published.
• Initially, he wrote stories for film magazines, earning small amounts by doing so.

Persistence Amid Rejection:

• Despite many rejections from various magazines, he continued writing and eventually gained recognition.
• His stories were rejected by several prominent Urdu and Hindi magazines, including Shama, but this did not deter him.

Challenges with Writing:

• The writer came from a poor background, with only a modest income, and was motivated to write for financial improvement.
• He faced ridicule and struggles in his early career, but persisted with his writing dreams.

Turning Point in Career:

• A key figure in his career helped him gain recognition and publication opportunities. This led to a significant turning point, though it also caused some setbacks.
• Despite his struggles, he kept writing, even when facing financial constraints.

Ghostwriting and Publication Politics:

• He reflected on the ghostwriting industry, discussing how some writers relied on ghostwriters for popular books, while others made money by publishing others’ works under their name.
• He mentioned how ghostwriters, often disregarded in the literary world, made a living through this work.

Enduring Success Despite Setbacks:

• Over time, his persistence paid off, leading to recognition and success in the industry.
• Eventually, he found success with his writing, even as the market for books began to shift, and he faced challenges from larger publishers.

The Role of Fate and Timing:

• Despite early setbacks, the writer reflects on how fate and timing played a crucial role in his eventual success.
• He notes how, after struggling for years, his books began to gain traction, even though the literary world was changing rapidly.

Writing for the Right Reasons:

• The writer mentions that he did not write to gain fame but rather to improve his situation. He was committed to writing as a way to bring about change in his life.

Global Influence of the Internet on Creativity:

• Internet has made the world smaller and influenced music and literature. Piracy and copying of music and literature are rampant today, unlike in earlier times when such plagiarism was hard to detect.
• Internet has made original content harder to sustain as everything becomes accessible.

Crime Fiction in Indian Literature and Film:

• Indian crime fiction novels and films have an engaging appeal.
• Older movies, like Aap Ki Kasam and Aparadhi Kaun, were well-received due to their unique storytelling, but such formats are less common now.

Publishing and Reader Preferences:

• Publishers cannot create writers; readers decide who becomes a successful writer.
• A writer must earn readers’ trust by constantly improving and delivering quality work.
• Marketing and branding are essential. Books are now treated like products, with sales often influenced by popularity rather than intrinsic quality.

Shift in Reader Preferences:

• Younger readers are distracted by Netflix, Facebook, and digital entertainment, leading to a decline in book readership.
• Libraries often hold books no one reads, and the culture of reading is diminishing.

Pop Culture vs. Literary Value:

• Popularity does not always equate to literary quality. The speaker acknowledges their success as an author but defends their writing’s authenticity despite criticism that popular works lack depth.

Family and Writing Inspiration:

• The speaker’s family (wife and daughter) reads their work, providing insights and feedback on its direction.
• Family members’ views can shape a writer’s focus.

Perspective on Hindi Literature and Language:

• Hindi is the world’s fifth most spoken language, with immense cultural potential.
• English dominance is perceived as an erosion of local pride in Hindi and other native languages.

Challenges in the Indian Book Market:

• Selling Hindi books is tough, as people prefer to flaunt reading English books, regardless of their actual engagement with them.
• The perception of Hindi as less “prestigious” contributes to challenges for Hindi writers.

The Writer’s Journey and Work Ethic:

• Success in writing requires persistence and incremental growth. The metaphor of “climbing stairs rather than taking a lift” emphasizes steady progress.
• A writer is their first reader and must ensure their satisfaction before presenting the work to others.

Cultural Commentary on Reading Trends:

• There is an increased emphasis on showcasing books for status rather than genuine reading.
• This cultural shift impacts the publishing industry and reader-writer dynamics.

Overall Observation on Literature:

• The speaker underscores the importance of reader commitment and the need for authors to adapt to changing tastes while retaining authenticity.