Filmmaker Shruti Ganguly talks to her friend, the award-winning author Salman Rushdie, as he releases his new novel, The Golden House
Shruti Ganguly: How did you craft the protagonist of The Golden House, René?
Salman Rushdie: I started with René as a writer and I thought, “This is awful and so boring”. It would be more interesting if he was an accountant. Anything except a writer. At a certain point, I thought,“Well maybe he wants to be a filmmaker”. He was the real discovery in the book, and then he became central.
SG: What do you create first—the story or the world?
SR: I had the character of the old man, Nero Golden, from the beginning. This idea of somebody with a shady past trying to move across the world and start again. Other things just fell into place. The gardens began to seem like a stage, a theatre in which all the action could take place, where all the characters could watch each other. I began to think about family, and gradually I got the characters of the three sons. I asked myself, “Why aren’t there any women here?” and I had to find the answer to that question. In the end, there are some very important female characters, including one based on you [called Suchitra]. Once I put René in that world of movies, I didn’t want him to be in this successful, grand Martin Scorsese world, but a more contemporary one, which includes videos and things that get made for the internet, which is what you’ve been doing.
SG: Your previous book was almost an imagination of the future, and this one is a meditation on the past, but also very current.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2017 de Harper's Bazaar India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 2017 de Harper's Bazaar India.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Unyielding And Unmatched
In an industry where every move is scrutinised, Kareena Kapoor Khan lives passionately, loves her job, and understands that there’s more to her than just box-office numbers.
SEEN AND HEARD
Female authors explore how crucial it is that women write about their personal experiences.
INTO THE WORLD OF JUDY CHICAGO
What makes the feminist trailblazer an icon?
'THE LEGACY OF A SINGER WILL ALWAYS STAY INTACT'
AR Rahman believes AI can be used without compromising on the artistic essence.
THROUGH HER EYES
Indian supermodels remember legendary photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta ahead of his 68th birth anniversary.
THE SHAPE-SHIFTERS
From adorning your body to your mantle piece, jewellery designers are turning to homeware.
WEARABLE ART
Three limited-edition timepieces, inspired by Gaston-Louis Vuitton's love for artistry, is an ode to the Maison's legacy of craftsmanship.
AS LONG AS TIME
Bazaar India delves into the ethos of watch brands.
MILANO MAKEOVER
Sabato De Sarno's reimagination of this classic Gucci bag is is an ode to his Milanese becoming.
A LOVE LETTER TO JAIPUR
Designer Surily Goel reveals the making of her latest collection.