Suketu Mehta

After Maximum City, this mini book?

What is Remembered came to be during my research for a book on New York. Fiction fuels my non-fiction. I was looking to tell a subtle story of exile, and fiction was the perfect, timeless way.

Why did you launch it on the Juggernaut app?

As a storyteller, I don’t care what the medium is.

Do you relate with the protagonist, Mahesh?

There are bits that I can relate to, a few memories. But I know of a lot of people like Mahesh who want to forget everything Indian, but have a chink in their armour.

How different was writing the second book?

Obviously, no research went into this one, except for the perpetual “what if I were inside the person’s head”, when I met people.

Mahesh’s childhood memory of shitting his pants, and stinking up the class....

The poop story is every Ind­ian’s story, including mine!

Cities, in your books, are equal protagonists as people.

I am intrigued by the secret life of cities. I like the juxtaposition of people and places, how they play off each other.

Many feel Mumbai, and its politics, have deteriorated.

Mumbai is both a crow that disturbs your sleep and a song bird. Sure there is bad air, expenses, traffic and bad governance, but it still is the “sone ki chidiya”, the city of dreams.

How does teaching journalism influence your writing?

Teaching introduced me to my young self. It brought back memories and grounded me.

You were born in Calcutta; will we be reading about the city soon?

It is in my head. I love the city, and plan to explore it.

Do you have any plans of settling back in India?

Maybe, but I am not looking to settle anywhere.