The New Age Indian novelist: A Conversation with Anees Salim

Abstract

This interview with Kochi-based Indian author Anees Salim was conducted via email over the course of seven months, from April 2022 to October 2022. Anees has been a prolific, award-winning novelist who wrote seven novels within a span of ten years, despite facing numerous rejections from publishing houses. This conversation sheds light on Anees Salim’s significant works, which include Vanity Bagh, The Blind Lady’s Descendants, Tales From a Vending Machine, The Vicks Mango Tree, The Small-Town Sea, The Odd Book of Baby Names, and The Bellboy. These works provide readers with a diverse range of experiences in terms of themes, techniques, and subject matter. In this exclusive interview, Anees Salim talks about the origins of his most recent literary works, his inclination to explore the strengths and flaws of the families portrayed in his fiction, the recurring themes of religious divisions within his narratives, and the fundamental driving force behind his writing, which primarily serves the reader within himself. He also delves into issues like loneliness, death, sorrow, and the creation of fictional places that have preoccupied modern readers. Throughout the interview, he graciously responds to questions, emphasizing that his goal as a novelist is to depict unique reactions to situations while also acknowledging that the perspective from which he views them is shaped by his own experiences and insights.