LOVE, LOSS, AND LESSONS LEARNED

In conversation with Durjoy Datta, as he reflects on the emotional toll of writing intense stories, his journey as an author, and how his latest book revisits themes of love, second chances, and loss

- SAKSHI MEHTA

GRAZIA: Your journey has spanned more than a decade. How has your perspective on love and life evolved from your debut novel to now?

DURJOY DATTA: When I started writing my first book, I was in my final year of college, and I had a pretty narrow view of relationships. I was arrogant enough to think that whatever was happening to me and my friends was the most interesting story to tell. My first book, Of Course I Love You! Till I Find Someone Better… which came out in 2008, reflected that mindset. I believed that, at 21, you couldn’t possibly find your one true love. There had to be someone better waiting in the wings. As I grew older, my books mirrored my changing perspectives – from a mindset of “If you have money, you can date anyone” in Now That You’re Rich… Let’s Fall in Love to understanding the seriousness of love in If It’s Not Forever, It’s Not Love. Now that I’m older, I write about characters who reflect my age and experiences, focusing on the complexities of life beyond love alone.

G: You’ve also written for others formats like television. How has that influenced your approach to novel writing?

DD: Television taught me discipline. When I started, novels allowed for self-indulgence, and you could hope your niche audience would connect with it. But in TV, especially with shows running for hundreds of episodes, you have to keep the viewer engaged at all times. This forced me to sharpen my storytelling – every scene had to matter. The biggest takeaway was learning how to write dialogues. In books, characters can ramble on, but on screen, long speeches don’t work. That really helped me write tighter, more impactful dialogue in my novels.