By profession a physiotherapist, Dr. Ravi Kumar made a scintillating entry into the world of writing with his excellent debut novel “The Guy Next Door”. He has won several hearts with this simple yet excellent debut novel.
Ravi was born in Allahabad, did his 10th and 12th in Pune, and studied in Nagpur for his medical degree. He loves to watch cricket and movies.
”The Guy Next Door” reminds us of the sweet crushes, infatuations and heart breaks that most teenagers experience at some point of time or the other during the teens. Ravi portrays school campus, teachers, exams, innocent mistakes, silly fights, stupid jokes, friendships, first love, and first heartbreak which would leave a reader nostalgic.
Spectralhues got in touch with the young acclaimed author Ravi Kumar. In an exclusive interview with Susmita Bose he spoke about his book, his inspirations and life.
Q. Congratulations on the success of your debut novel “THE GUY NEXT DOOR”. The book reads like a loser’s bible! Despite the hilarious irony, the characters turn out to be winners in their own ways! Please tell us briefly about the amazing portrayal of THE GUY NEXT DOOR.
Ans. Thanks for the compliment. And thank you very much for labeling my sweet, little, innocent bunch of papers as ‘loser’s bible. Maybe, now I know why people with crushed crush appreciate my work greatly…lolz.
On a serious note, initially I grafted out the peculiar nature of all the characters and I was so amazed that I thought if I continue to put these guys with their original nature into different situations it would be fun. And while scripting even I didn’t know where and what all these guys would do. The basic idea while scripting was to have the pleasures of writing. I was simply enjoying the pranks and the life they were in. I never wanted them to do anything wrong and if they did, I made them realize their faults, in their ways.
Q. Did you expect your book to be this successful? What kind of response have you been getting?
Ans. When I was writing I was not certain that I would ever be able to complete, forget about thinking about its success.
Once the book got finished, slowly and steadily with every edition, I started getting feedbacks from all over the country appreciating my work. Overwhelmed with the tremendous response, which is multiplying with every passing day!!!
Q. Are the incidents and narrations in THE GUY NEXT DOOR real?
Ans. Not exactly real but can say they got inspired by reality.
Q. The current trend in India is to write stories based on life in a college campus. Is there any special reason behind setting your story against the backdrop of a school instead?
Ans. I wanted to disclose an innocent first love which generally happens in school days. And less literature in this backdrop made it a still better choice making it different from others as today’s audience wants something ‘different’.
Q. How much of Raj is Ravi Kumar?!
Ans. 33.34% …lolz… but I can’t say myself. Maybe, people who know me are a better option to answer this question.
Q. Are the central characters like Riya, Sunny, Aki, and Sikha based on real persons known to you?
Ans. To some extent. Actually, I haven’t taken their whole identity as it is; otherwise they would have come to know that I am making them public. Played it very safe and even after reading, they themselves never realized that their characteristic features were taken into account while characterizing the characters.
Q. You have carefully portrayed the two love stories in Raj’s life: his love for Riya on the one hand and Sikha’s love for Raj on the other. Although Raj was never a ‘dumb’ character, Raj does not understand Sikha’s emotions. Is that a deliberate decision on your part?
Ans. I get many mails for Shikha. On the contrary, I wish to ask a simple question – Do only boys have license to fall in love? Why can’t a girl fall in love? If a boy understands enough to leave a girl because she is in love with someone else, why can’t a girl do the vise-versa?
A girl at a very tender age, inclined towards a boy, cares much more for him than what he sees, only to see him happy. She can do this because only a girl can do this. Shikha is my deliberately created character to display the beautiful quality of -the girl next door.
Q. How do u define or describe friendship and love? Do you think friendship can change into love? Do you think the friendship would still survive in such a case if the love were to crumble and fall apart?
Ravi Kumar with singer Shan at the book launch ceremony
Ans. Friendship for me is- Understanding, Caring, Compatibility, and Dependence. Love too means the same but it needs one thing extra to complete its ‘real’ definition and that is Expectation.
Yes, friendship can change into love. Love also has its side effects like Possessiveness, Ego clashes, taking for Granted etc…etc but if you know a person well there is likelihood that these side effects would affect you less.
And by chance, if the side effect wins over the underlying ground feelings mentioned in the definition, then love may succumb but there is still a possibility of continuing with the friendship only if both the involved people are comfortable.
Q. The climax is very sensible and the protagonist Raj seems to understand ‘reality’ at last. What do losing and winning mean to you?
Ans. Making honest and dedicated efforts while following the right path and by being fair, without any biased or corrupt practice, whatsoever one achieves is winning otherwise its losing. Even by being unfair one can achieve higher goals but that would give apparent win yet not the actual win.
Q. Tell us briefly about your journey from being a doctor to an author.
Ans. I am doctor by profession and an author by passion. It’s a good combination of hard work and leisure. I had a habit of writing small-small thoughts and my friends and family always appreciated it. Before me, my college mates realized the potential of my talent and always persuaded me to write wherever they needed write-ups. So be it speech, anchoring material, birthday wishes for teachers or even notice, apology letters…everything came through me which convinced me that I am good in writing.
During one of my preparation days before the exam in the hostel, after the studies, one late night, I wrote the prologue of the guy next door and even prepared its vague backdrop with basic idea about the characters. And then, I stayed back in the hostel after the exam to complete it into a book.
Q. Do you have anything to say about the support you got from your family and friends while writing the book?
Ans. Support was tremendous. I penned my novel being in hostel. After finishing each and every chapter, usually in late night hours, I used to call all my friends, 10-12 of them, to my room and used to narrate them what I wrote. They were my first audience. Their interest in listening and frank opinion encouraged me to propel ahead. Similarly, once in a week I used to call few close girls of my batch, to get a feminine reaction over the work. Their positive words also never allowed me to leave my pen.
The excitement of my family and relatives, especially that of my brothers and sisters, through their calls and in reply to the story I used to mail, made me feel that I was doing something really great and I should carry on with it. It was a wonderful experience!!!
Q. How do you manage to find time for writing from your busy schedule?
Ans. I wrote my book in my college days. By staying back in the hostel during vacations, sometimes bunking college and many a time after college hours in the hostel.
After college, the life has changed but whenever I feel to write, I pull out time, like how a cricket lover pulls out time to watch his match.
Q. Do you find writing easy or difficult?
Ans. My father, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, is a Hindi Poet/ Lyricist/ Screenplay Writer. So writing is in my blood. I don’t mind, you calling me ‘Bloody Writer’ 🙂
Seriously speaking, writing is a leisure activity for me. I do it just because I enjoy doing it otherwise I would have left it.
Q. Could you tell us something about your future plans? Are you planning to write another book?
Ans. At present, I am concentrating on my patients more. For time being, made my writer self to satisfy its writing binge over facebook and twitter. My short story collection ‘What say’ is almost ready. Waiting for a bigger, broader, better platform to introduce it to the market.
Q. What kind of books do you like to read? Who are your favourite authors? Could you tell us something about your preferences in music?
Ans. No specific choice as such. I read religious, spiritual, motivational, educational, regional, fictional and many others. I love to read Khuswant Singhji’s book to learn how to laugh at your own self. Lt. Premchandji’s book for his ordinary stories having extra-ordinary impact. Mr. Chetan Bhagat, to know the latest trend by the trendsetter, himself.
I enjoy listening to Gazals preferably by Lt. Jagjit Singhji and Gulam Ali saab.
Q. Do you have any message for your readers?
Ans. We all are special in our own way, don’t ever compare yourself with others and feel bad. Be what you are but if in case someone is getting troubled by you being you then always be humble enough to change, for a better you. Take care!!!
That was Ravi Kumar! In a candid conversation with Spectralhues he expressed his delight that his debut novel ‘THE GUY NEXT DOOR’ has been received well by book lovers across India. Spectralhues wishes him glorious success and hopes he would come up with many more remarkable books.
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