Sujatha 2 – July 1st, 2006
Sujatha a veteran writer about seventy years is entrenched with skills of different facets including story writing, screen play writing, viewpoint articles etc…… His refreshing ideas and unique way of writing appeals to both young and old, which makes it possible for him to reach people belonging to various demographics and psychogrphics.
1. What does ‘Success’ mean to you?
Success to me is that, ‘It is not me who has been successful, but it is my writing that has been succesful.’ I isolate strongly between ‘me as an individual and as a writer’. What people are appreciating is my writing and not the person behind it. If you can isolate this key fact, then the success will not enter your head.
Have you had any demanding situations from your fans, because you are a writer?
Yes, of course, there are. I have received ‘Love Letters’ from my fans expressing their love. I clearly tell them that, it is my writing which has appealed to them and not my personality. As a person, I am free to choose my friends, lead my own life. From the beginning I have not been mixing up my personal life and my writing career.
Does today’s spatial pervasive Tamil cinema protect Tamil culture?
Certainly it does not. Very few movies like Thavamai thavamirundhu, Indian and anniyan convey some potent message to the audience. So only one in eighty or ninety movies has the aptitude to convey a moral message. To-day’s Tamil cinema is totally alien to practical life. Who dresses the way in real life which is portrayed in cinema? They are investing heavily in Cinema. So, if the prime intention is only to convey the message, then the movie would hardly survive for three days.
4.What is your idea on the Indian expatriates? What do you think they have gained and lost because they are away from their mother country?
When they live abroad, they become so prosperous. For those who have migrated Overseas, after having spent their younger days in India are guilty about their fellow citizen’s poverty. There is no need for this. If you look at countries like India, ruling such a big country itself is a challenge.
For those, who come from overseas, small inconveniences like power cut are of a major problem. But for those living in India, these are all small problems and their primary concern is to wipe away the poverty.
When we see countries like Singapore, we long for such a beautiful India. But you can not compare Singapore to India. Well regulated Singapore is potent to be prosperous. The situation in India is very different to that of Singapore.
There is a wider consensus that the Tamil language will be wiped off completely in the long run. But where as the Tamil society spread all over the world, why should this idea prevail?
I would say, that this question itself is wrong. How many people did you ask? Ten people and did all the ten people take up to the same idea? No. I would not agree. I would say Tamil is growing. Many people are making this language live. May be the dynamics of a language might change. Certain words, grammar can change. Tamil language will certainly grow and will not be totally wiped off.
What is your idea on ‘Tamil and its progeny’ in Singapore?
Tamil has definitely a prosperous life in Singapore. It has had a glorious past and certainly its growth will be glorious in the future too. My concern is that due to the advent of the Indian based Tamil Television channels, the mainland Tamil Cinema and Television programs might pervade into the local Tamil literature and Culture. In this case, Singapore Tamil Diaspora might lose its vernacular speech and symbol. They might not get the uniqueness of this so called ‘Singapore Tamils’, like the ‘Srilankan Tamils, who has their own dialect and culture.
Your advice to the upcoming writer……
Be truthful to yourself. Write beyond your own likes and dislikes. Read more. Anything you read will help you in your writing.