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Chetan Bhagat is often accused of writing his books solely from a male perspective. In a recent interaction, he opened up about the criticism he faces and revealed that both he and his books are targeted by trolls even before their release.
Speaking to Pinkvilla, Chetan was asked about trolls who called his latest book — 12 Years: My Messed-Up Love Story — not a mature love story but a male fantasy. He responded, “How do I write a book then? Do I co-author the book with a woman? What is this nonsense? I have been writing for 21 years. If the story is not mature, it will not work. If I handle it in a creepy, vulgar way, it will just collapse.”
Talking about why he is accused of being gender-biased towards men, Chetan admitted that he is often stereotyped just for being a man. “That’s classic stereotyping. These people tell me that I stereotype, but they are stereotyping me. They say that if a 45-year-old man writes about a 21-year-old woman, it must be a fantasy. But it is not my fantasy.” He added, “It’s very difficult to be in the writing profession. I am very sensitive to people who write. There is no money. There is no fame. You work for years and you get nothing.”
Chetan also explained that he keeps his language simple to reach a wider audience. “My final presentation is very simple because I have to reach the common man. I talk in Hindi and present myself as a grounded boy. The way I talk, the way I mention tea — it makes people think ‘isko baja bhi sakte hai.’ And I’m successful, so they see me as someone who doesn’t deserve it because they have struggled in their writing careers. If I wasn’t Chetan Bhagat, I would have hated Chetan Bhagat.”
He also spoke about getting appreciation from one of Hindi cinema’s most prolific writers and lyricists, Gulzar. “One person who routinely sends me messages, talks about my columns, and praises my work is Gulzar sahab. One of the first things he told my mother was, ‘I wish I could write like your son.’ Nobody who is doing so well and is as successful ever says that.”
For unversed many of Bhagat’s books have been adapted for films. These include Five Point Someone (3 Idiots), One Night @ The Call Center (Hello), The 3 Mistakes of My Life (Kai Po Che!), 2 States (2 States), and Half Girlfriend (Half Girlfriend).
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