Has Chetan Bhagat really waxed?

“It hurts men wouldn’t know this, but it’s a painful job,” Chetan Bhagat joked while talking about the challenges he faced when One Indian Girl was published back in October 2016. Since the book was written completely from a female perspective, he really had to get into the mindset of women and understand their experiences and yes, he even went as far as getting himself waxed just to understand it better.

In conversation with Prajwal Hegde, Bhagat then spoke about the title of his latest book, 12 Years: A Messed-Up Love Story, and explained how it came from two things: first, that it’s his twelfth book, and second, the number also comes from subtracting 21 from 33. He said that the book is inspired by this whole new-generation relationship culture where terms like “situationship” didn’t even exist back in his time. After researching both younger and older audiences, he realized that a 12-year age gap in relationships is something people either fully accept or completely reject. According to him, taking risks and writing stories that challenge society is what keeps his work relevant, and he even said that if something doesn’t challenge him, it bores him and then the book also becomes boring.

He also spoke about how film adaptations of his books haven’t always been pleasant experiences even though Bollywood does boost a writer’s popularity a lot. But for him, movies aren’t the ultimate goal. “As a writer, my job is to make people read,” he said. While talking about the struggles he faced while writing this book, he mentioned that this was actually the hardest book he has ever written because he had to learn stand-up comedy, keep the story fast-paced, and still make the character relatable to younger audiences, all while turning a 33-year-old divorced man into an attractive hero. He also spoke about how technology has changed everything today, saying that thanks to food-delivery apps, a person sitting in Punjab can now order a dosa with just one click, something that would have sounded crazy a few years ago.

Towards the end, someone from the audience asked what would happen if the genders were reversed and the protagonist was a divorced woman instead. Chetan replied that he simply writes what genuinely appeals to him and that there was no hidden motive behind it, and he even pointed out that similar stories already exist by giving the example of Nicole Kidman’s film Baby Girl.

On a lighter note, he advised young women not to wait for a “Prince Charming” because no human being is perfect. As a writer, he joked that he has the power to delete all the bad qualities and create ideal men like Krish or Madhav, but real life obviously doesn’t work like that. He also spoke about how women often look for emotional men who are always there for them, while men watching pornography mistake fantasy for reality, and both sides end up chasing something that doesn’t really exist.

When he was asked whether he would ever write historical fiction, he honestly said that he’s more into contemporary stories and wouldn’t be good at writing historical ones because he’s not passionate about that genre. He ended the session by saying that living a disciplined life is extremely important because when you’re young, you feel like partying, working, and doing random things is enough, but in the long run, discipline is what actually helps you do well in life. And when Prajwal Hegde jokingly called him a baba for giving so much life advice, Bhagat laughed and said that maybe next year he’ll actually come dressed like a baba, and honestly, that would be pretty iconic.

Chimee Zangmu Lepcha

Chimee Zangmu Lepcha is currently pursuing her third-year degree in BA Political Science and Communicative English at St. Joseph’s University. She comes from Sikkim, the cheerful ‘brother’ to India’s seven sisters, a place that has shaped her love for stories, cultures, and quite the strength of community. She hopes to bridge differences, celebrate diversity, and spark conversations that bring people a little closer together. And if you’re ever looking for her, just follow the dogs.