Shhh... The writing machine is at work
Jogi, one of the most read contemporary writers, intrigues by saying that his latest book has ‘stories that are not stories’
Ever wondered why some writers have a large fan following and some don’t? Ask Girish Rao Hatwar, who writes under the pen name Jogi and is one of the most read contemporary writers, and he shrugs with a ‘I don’t know’ look.
But his contribution to the Kannada literary world is indisputably among those of the greatest significance in recent times. Hence, readers (also writers) extend unconditional love and affection to him.
There is something about Jogi that makes him stand out among his colleagues, many of them hungry for fame, in the current Kannada scene.
He is described as a ‘writing machine’ though he has published only 22 books, unlike some of the ‘pop’ writers who publish ‘a novel a month’ and still remain unread. “Despite penning only six novels, six collections of short stories and nine collections of column writings, which is not a huge number, people have this feeling that I write a lot.
“Maybe because most of my columns are picked up and republished or the link is given in other blogs as well. My blog Jogi Mane (which has now become jogeemane) has a good number of loyal readers. My column in a popular weekly gets posted in several portals. Hence, people think I write a lot.”
The way Jogi, and his colleague/friend Udaya Marakini, brought about a change in Sunday supplements is fit for analysis. Jogi turned the dull and dreary content of supplements to trendy, crisp, contemporary and introduced many new talents, which brought in new readers. His eye for the extraordinary has never failed him.
He has written the story, screenplay and dialogues for 12 daily soaps for Kannada TV channels. Starting with Yashwanth Chital’s Shikari, the then most popular Guptagamini and Preeti Illada Mele, he brought in a fresh outlook to TV serials. His stories create a warm world in the minds of the readers and his characters seem familiar. I always feel Jogi understands contemporary women better than anybody else, at least in Kannada.
His story Kada Beladingalu was made into a film by Lingadevaru and got the state award for best story and screenplay. When Jogi switched from writing to the visual media, everybody thought that he would create wonders in that field too.
However, they were disappointed. “The visual media does not need a writer. I felt I was not needed there and immediately quit. I returned to the world of the written words where I feel at home.”
Jogi has written novels, short stories, scripts and various columns, but what about poems?
“I am a fan of poetry but not a poet,” he says with a smile.
Ask him what ails the current Kannada literary scene, he is quick to point out that “nobody reads the works of others. Nobody writes about other writers. Each one is engrossed in his or her own world. Earlier, writers used to read, write and discuss other writers. Even the write-ups one sees in newspapers and magazines are typically journalistic in nature.
“They write about the book launch, but never about the contents of the book. When did you last read an in depth analysis of a book? Forget analytical writing, there are no introductions to a book. Literary appreciation is fast becoming a rare thing.”
This Sunday, his new book FACEBOOK.COM/Manasa Joshi (publisher: Ankita Pustaka) is being released. “I am experimenting with the story form. You can call them stories that are not stories,” he says.
It has raised expectations like few books have in recent times. If you want to be among the first to know what he has come up with this time, be at the Indian Institute of World Culture on Sunday at 10.30 am.
(PRATHIBHA NANDAKUMAR Poet, writer, playwright and documentary filmmaker)
Jogi’s new book FACEBOOK.COM/Manasa Joshi will be released on Sunday
Jogi, one of the most read contemporary writers, intrigues by saying that his latest book has ‘stories that are not stories’
Ever wondered why some writers have a large fan following and some don’t? Ask Girish Rao Hatwar, who writes under the pen name Jogi and is one of the most read contemporary writers, and he shrugs with a ‘I don’t know’ look.
But his contribution to the Kannada literary world is indisputably among those of the greatest significance in recent times. Hence, readers (also writers) extend unconditional love and affection to him.
There is something about Jogi that makes him stand out among his colleagues, many of them hungry for fame, in the current Kannada scene.
He is described as a ‘writing machine’ though he has published only 22 books, unlike some of the ‘pop’ writers who publish ‘a novel a month’ and still remain unread. “Despite penning only six novels, six collections of short stories and nine collections of column writings, which is not a huge number, people have this feeling that I write a lot.
“Maybe because most of my columns are picked up and republished or the link is given in other blogs as well. My blog Jogi Mane (which has now become jogeemane) has a good number of loyal readers. My column in a popular weekly gets posted in several portals. Hence, people think I write a lot.”
The way Jogi, and his colleague/friend Udaya Marakini, brought about a change in Sunday supplements is fit for analysis. Jogi turned the dull and dreary content of supplements to trendy, crisp, contemporary and introduced many new talents, which brought in new readers. His eye for the extraordinary has never failed him.
He has written the story, screenplay and dialogues for 12 daily soaps for Kannada TV channels. Starting with Yashwanth Chital’s Shikari, the then most popular Guptagamini and Preeti Illada Mele, he brought in a fresh outlook to TV serials. His stories create a warm world in the minds of the readers and his characters seem familiar. I always feel Jogi understands contemporary women better than anybody else, at least in Kannada.
His story Kada Beladingalu was made into a film by Lingadevaru and got the state award for best story and screenplay. When Jogi switched from writing to the visual media, everybody thought that he would create wonders in that field too.
However, they were disappointed. “The visual media does not need a writer. I felt I was not needed there and immediately quit. I returned to the world of the written words where I feel at home.”
Jogi has written novels, short stories, scripts and various columns, but what about poems?
“I am a fan of poetry but not a poet,” he says with a smile.
Ask him what ails the current Kannada literary scene, he is quick to point out that “nobody reads the works of others. Nobody writes about other writers. Each one is engrossed in his or her own world. Earlier, writers used to read, write and discuss other writers. Even the write-ups one sees in newspapers and magazines are typically journalistic in nature.
“They write about the book launch, but never about the contents of the book. When did you last read an in depth analysis of a book? Forget analytical writing, there are no introductions to a book. Literary appreciation is fast becoming a rare thing.”
This Sunday, his new book FACEBOOK.COM/Manasa Joshi (publisher: Ankita Pustaka) is being released. “I am experimenting with the story form. You can call them stories that are not stories,” he says.
It has raised expectations like few books have in recent times. If you want to be among the first to know what he has come up with this time, be at the Indian Institute of World Culture on Sunday at 10.30 am.
(PRATHIBHA NANDAKUMAR Poet, writer, playwright and documentary filmmaker)
Jogi’s new book FACEBOOK.COM/Manasa Joshi will be released on Sunday
5 comments:
pratibha is super eshtu chennagi nimm bagge bardiddare
sir prathibha super eshtu chennagi barithare nimma bagge
pratibha is super eshtu chennagi nimm bagge bardiddare
Pl provide your phone number or email address.
a.janakiram11@gmail.com
Pl give your phone number or email
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