Shoba who? Shoba De. Though her shoba has faded, Shoba De still writes like a tor-nado. Mostly, she writes little novels about Bollywood yuppie types. The novels are nothing more than potboilers, though the author likes to call them contemporary books.
I was accused of giving Shoba De a hard time last week. (See interview Plus page 1) A public relations lady barked at me. " You don't ask questions like that,'' she demanded. "Excuse me?'' I said, in genuine bewilderment. "Why not.'' " Umm... err... because she is a lady,'' this sweet-princess of PR thundered.
Oh so Shoba De is a lady ? My my myeee. (Maybe she should have gone to dainty ladybird instead of raunchy Penguin to get her novels published.) Let us see . Turn to pages of " Strange Obsession' Lesbian rape, sado masochism, acid throwing, gang rape, and all this in Bollywood Hinglish. Yar, jolly good no? Her characters get in and out of bed . But that's only for starters. She loves four letter words beginning with F. No there is nothing wrong with that. What the F? The problem is that Shoba De is this. She writes saleable potboilers, like Jackie Collins or Rosemary Rogers. But, F's and all she is a lady. You can't ask her questions. Oooh. Don't touch her with a bargepole. She's a lady. but sheeeee's a lady!...and you can't offend a little lady, no way. I rest my case.
So, why was I tough on Shoba De? Well was I? You be the judge. Shoba De is not made of marzipan. She is a public figure. She is also a public figure who is cultivating a bit of a facade. She labels herself a contemporary writer, and then says she doesn't like labels. She pushes herself as a novelist, and when she talks of "contemporary writing'' places herself in a niche that she just doesn't quite occupy. I don't throw darts at Shoba De's picture. She has a right to exist. She has a right to write. That's called freedom of expression. But, she can't have the cake and eat it too. If she writes potboilers, if she has a partiality towards smut, then let her be Shoba De the potboiler writer. But when Shoba De the potboiler writer projects herself as Shoba De the "contemporary writer'' (the John Updike of India) then that's stretching it a little bit, don't you think?.
Now look at all those nice old ladies (and some not so nice middle aged ladies ) who told me I was tough on Shoba De and I shouldn't have been. ( Rajpal, you are so naughty.) They were going a little hush hush about the fact that I asked Shoba De about the content of her books, about whether she made a good deal of bucks on her books and all of that. They talk a lot about Shoba De and say she is a well known writer in India and all that. A gutsy lady and all that. A bit of a feminist writer don't you think. "I wonder what her books are like?'' one sweet old lady suddenly announces. I say" excuse me?'' The nice old lady says " I wonder what her books are like.'' Here is a journalist who is a little taken aback that I asked Shoba De about her books. And she hasn't even read Shoba De. Not even for the fact that she is going to be at her press conference. Not even a cursory glance, because its her JOB? She hasn't even read Shoba De, and she has the temerity to suggest I was unprofessional because I was tough. So much for contemporary journalism, and contemporary ethics. They must be like contemporary books, what?
The other thing about Shoba De. She has complained that she was all over the world, and nowhere in the world had she faced an interview like this. Welcome to Sri Lanka, Mrs. De. You want us to be like the rest of the world, why come to Sri Lanka Mrs. De? Are we intimidated by the University of London? Her books may have been in the University of Timbuktu, too. We are supposed to be impressed. Deamon Ananda's books are in the University of Texas. Take my word for it. I saw Deamon Ananda's books, in the University of Texas. Our own Deamon Ananda! The man who writes little cartoon like murder thrillers, gangster variety. These Universities like samples. Next thing we know, they will have lyrics by Nihal Nelson. We are supposed to be impressed.
So Shoba De is a celebrity.? We are supposed to kiss her feet. I didn't call Mrs. De names did I?. The questions were, a hundred per cent, on substance. Yet, we have transgressed the cardinal rule. Asked a celebrity questions about what she does. Maybe I should have treated Shoba De like Snow White. So, you are a celebrity in India, dear lady? How many fans do you have dear lady? Do they kiss your feet, dear lady?
Shoba De thinks we are joyless. Wrong again Mrs. De. If you ask me whether Shoba De has a shapely figure, I'll say yes. We admire women in Sri Lanka. Sure, in Sri Lanka people have sex. How do you think I was here? We don't make a big song and a dance about it of course and write it all over the backs of Penguin's. But we don't have a problem with those who do. Write pornography for all you like. Write potboilers. But if you want to write for Penthouse and think you are D. H. Lawrence, then think again. We don't have a grouse with Penthouse either. Those who want to read Penthouse will read Penthouse, or look at the pictures or whatever. But Shoba De claiming to be a "Contemporary Writer'' is like Penthouse trying to win the Booker prize. Here is to Shoba De for what she is, then, and not for what she is not. Good day, ma'm.
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