Senior journalist & author Avirook Sen speaks on his second book, Aarushi, based on the Aarushi Talwar murder case and its details.
Avirook Sen speaks on the process of writing this book and
his views on the Aarushi Talwar case.
What attracted you to
the Aarushi Talwar case so much that you had to write a book on it – its sheer
sensationalism or the fact that it is still one of the most mysterious cases in
recent times?
What attracted me to the book was the larger story it told.
Well, beyond a murder trial, this is about how India works—or doesn’t.
What was the
assumption of the whole case – before & after writing the book?
I made no assumptions.
How was your approach
towards writing this book?
First and foremost, it was about a scrupulous reliance on
facts. Everything in the book is either a matter of public record or
attributable to an official document or a direct interview.
Some might call the
book a way of cashing on a much talked, chewed and ‘all over the media’ case.
Did that come to your mind?
No it didn’t. All I thought about was the story the case
told.
Were you in touch
with the Talwars regarding the book & how it is going to be written?
Yes. I did several detailed interviews with them, like I did
with a number of other players in the case, including the trial judge.
Public reception of
book like Aarushi is quite dicey, I feel. You never know if how people react to
it. What’s your viewpoint?
The response so far has been overwhelmingly positive—in
every sense. I am grateful for this.
How have the fellow
journalists & other readers reacted to it?
Almost without exception in a generous and sensitive manner.
Once again, I am very grateful for this specially because the book can be
interpreted as being very critical of the media.
Books under
Non-Fiction, Crime genre like yours… One does feel India is a hotspot for them.
As a journalist and now an author, how do you feel?
I’m happy as long as people read it. And it appears they are
reading ‘Aarushi’
Are you still
passionate about journalism?
Very passionate. It’s the only thing I know how to do.
What will the author
in you will be writing next?
Perhaps I’ll provide an answer in this forum soon. Till
then, let’s just wait.
PUBLISHER: Penguin Books India
PUBLISHED: 6 July, 2015
CATEGORY: Non-Fiction, Crime
LANGUAGE: English
PRICE: Rs. 299
Avirook Sen Photo Credit: www.thequint.com
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