Blossom

Reading is one of those things that we tend to forget these days willingly. Fiction or nonfiction doesn’t really matter, the interest seems to be on the wane rapidly. And yet, there are some excellent writers with abundant potential who command a large readership despite the growing popularity of the small screen.

‘Pattukkottai’ Prabakar, widely known as PKP, is one such with a legion of admirers for his writing prowess. His amiable disposition and accessibility to his admirers, fetches him more such fans across the globe.

PKP has more than 200 short stories, 300 novels and 75 serial [mega] stories to his credit. Needless to say that writing is his forte.

One of his short stories ‘Indhiargal Kathalikirargal’ was made into a 45minutes short film by Bangalore Television and gets re-telecast on several celebrations marking Independence day. Cine director Balu Mahendra filmed PKP’s four short stories ‘Theeyanaippu’, ‘Vithivilakku’, ‘Paathukaappu’, and ‘Cinemakaran’ for his TV serial ‘Kathai neram’. Another short story ‘Maram’ gets a special mention here, included as it is in the Under Graduate syllabus of one of the private universities. Recalled PKP, ‘I was profoundly overwhelmed by the letter I received from director Baghyaraj for my short story ‘Irakka Pirakka veindum’ based on the Kargil war.’

This versatile writer is now busy in both small and big screens. What ever he does, he does it with great élan - this is his specialty.

Here are excerpts from a tête-à-tête with PKP for Nilacharal.

• What are your earliest memories?


My school days are still fresh in my memories. You know, just a small parapet wall separated my house from the school. During the recess periods my mother would wait near the wall with Horlicks and oh! What a fantastic days those were! My involvement in writing and co-curricular activities began in the school itself in the form of essay writing, elocution, Kural recitation.


• About choosing a career as writer?
Purely an accident, I should say -- because I was expected to take care of family business after my graduation and I was seriously dreaming about becoming a doctor. What to do… I crushed my doctor ambition in the bud itself for my father’s sake and took economics for graduation.

I think it was a blessing in disguise. I had ample free time to nourish my other interests especially writing. I penned and directed many dramas during my college days [St. Joseph’s, Trichy]. Prizes and praises came pouring in. It was my father who stimulated my interest to participate in a short story contest announced by Vikatan. I gave it a try and my first attempt itself was a success. That short story ‘Andha 3 Natkal’ got published in the Dec. 1977 issue of Ananda Vikadan with my photo and full postal address. I got plenty of appreciation letters even from strangers. That propelled me deeper into writing which later became my career.


• Any significant role for writer Saavi in shaping up your career…


Writer Saavi is one of the most unforgettable persons in my life and so dear to my heart always. You cannot see another such powerful inspiring personality like Saavi, not only for me, but also for all new comers to this field.

It was a time; people like Manian and Saavi came out of Vikatan family to start their own magazines and with them came along the plenty of opportunities for the aspiring writers. Manian started ‘Idhayam pesugirathu’ and Saavi brought out ‘Kungumam’. After a brief stint with ‘Kungumam’ Saavi started his own magazine ‘Saavi’. He has encouraged me whole-heartedly and offered me many assignments. I loved grabbing all those opportunities with both my hands.

I feel proud to say that many of my ‘firsts’ were associated with Saavi… like my first short novel, novel, serial story and also my first experience as sub-editor of a magazine in ‘Disaigal’ to name a few. He was… like a ladder, lifted the career of many such talented youngsters. It is because of him that I’m here.


• Is there any difference between ‘story telling’ and ‘story writing’?


These two are not connected at all. One cannot bring out the needed effort or punch while narrating a story. But, at the same time, privileges are more in writing. One has all the liberty in the world while writing the same stuff… like, you can write or rewrite till you get 100% perfection. It is not so in the case of story telling. Once told, told. That’s all.


• Why has the craze for ‘pocket novel’, an inseparable belonging of the youngsters for well over two decades, faded away now?


The need for change. Life itself is changing so fast. Once we led a life without television, theme parks and the like. Now hundreds of channels are up for grabs in front of you. We live in the world of entertainment. In this world, one does not find time for reading and related things. It is just by force of habit that we read newspapers daily. What is going to be new in the dailies when there is too many 24 hours news channels bringing you all the happenings live across the world, in your drawing room? It’s like ‘palayana kazhithalum… pudiana puguthalum’ … a cycle. Once again that craze will return but it’ll take time.


• Is writing an in-born quality or any one with sheer hard work can become a successful writer… what do you think?


To become a successful writer, one needs to possess a bit of that in-born stuff in them. Of course, with practice and hard work one can learn the finer points of the trade but, possessing a talent by birth itself is somewhat different and definitely they’ll have their career graph skyrocketing.


• At one stage, you entered into the tinsel world too. Is it your destination?


Not at all. I always like to try out new things and the cine world is just one of those areas. I settled in Chennai with the inception of ‘Athma Publications’ – a concern I started with my writer friends SUBA [Suresh-Bala]. We have been successfully publishing many fortnightlies and monthlies all these years.

Once, I went for an interview with director Baghyaraj for our book ‘Ungal junior’. He was so jovial and spoke at length about writers…their values…their non-involvement in the cine field and their sensitiveness as well.

This discussion motivated me -- I always liked trying out new things. I met the director again and conveyed my willingness to be his assistant. He was a bit surprised at my decision because he knew me in and out. It was the busiest phase in my life i.e. between 1980 and 1993. I could not give even a few minutes rest to my pen. That was also a period when almost all the leading magazines including ‘Baghya’ flaunted my articles. That could have been the reason for his surprise. That is how I joined as an assistant director in his team.


• Well, you fit into that nicely. But, is it possible for all the successful writers to become successful screenplay writers…
  

That is definitely not possible. Cine knowledge and cine thinking [i.e. visual thinking] is a must for this job.

You just imagine this scene…

A visually handicapped person walks along the road, bare foot. Some glass pieces stray just a few yards away on his way. Now imagine that you have to present this scene with some thrills. Let’s see the presentation in different modes.

In novel, this scene can be illustrated lengthily to arouse the excitement of the readers. In drama, please imagine the scene once more. The last benchers cannot see the glass pieces on the floor because of the distance. So, there must be a voice over to explain all those things. In cinema it is entirely a different concept. Without uttering a single dialogue, you can make the viewers understand the whole thing with a perfect handling of a camera. That is the knowledge and imaginary skills one needs to possess to become a screenplay writer.


• Your just concluded serial story ‘Oru kathalan oru kathali’ in vikadan in the form of a cinema screenplay, one of your praise worthy achievements in the sense that it is the first of its kind in Tamil story writing…
  

I am always fascinated with trying out innovative things. And it is really a tough job to write a whole serial story with dialogues only. There are screenplay books available in the market for the already released movies like ‘Hey Ram’, ‘Silanerangalil sila manithargal’ , to name a few. But, my effort in that direction was strenuous and individualistic too.

In fact, many people were a little glum in the beginning about this screenplay form serial story. They were of the view that readers would confuse it for a serial drama. But, my explanations and a sample write up convinced them. And it really created waves.

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