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Recently, Reader’s House UK, a print and digital pop-culture magazine based in London that works with multiple artists, requested my interview and published it in their April issue. I am reprinting it here for your reading. Thanks!
Tale Crafter! Ranjit Kulkarni
Ranjit Kulkarni’s work specializes realized characters in a limited space, making his readers feel emphatic. The stories are often surprising, but always deeply satisfying.
LONDON – 27 March 2023
Ranjit Kulkarni is an author with a penchant for portraying characters from the real world and weaving stories around their apparently mundane lives. Born and brought up in Mumbai, Kulkarni spent his childhood in the environs of urban, middle-class India. As an adult, he’s travelled the world, exploring the cityscapes of America, getting lost in the natural beauty of Europe, and absorbing the tastes and sounds of Asia. With his constant knack for observation and a deep seated fondness of reflection, he loves crafting tales that entertain and provoke thought.
When not writing, Kulkarni loves reading and going on trips with his wife. He is an avid traveler, a passionate investor and a devoted student of spirituality. He loves ice-cream and chocolate too. He lives in Bangalore India.
His stories have been published in many national and international literary journals and magazines, and released in anthologies.
What’s your favorite book no one else has heard of?
Asaa Mi Asami by PL Deshpande. It has left me rolling in laughter whenever I think about it
You’re organizing a party. Which two authors, dead or alive, do you invite?
Without doubt, P G Wodehouse and Ruskin Bond
What genres do you especially enjoy reading?
I enjoy reading Short Character-driven Literary or Realist fiction the most, followed by humorous fiction of all kinds.
Who is your favorite fictional hero or heroine?
Bertie Wooster or Jeeves – tough to pick one among them, isn’t it?
What books and authors have impacted your writing career?
I would like to think that reading a lot of stories by Anton Chekhov, Ruskin Bond and R K Narayan drew me to writing short fiction that is based on unique characters, their motivations and circumstances, and had an impact on my writing career
What books are you embarrassed not to have read yet?
Lots of them. I haven’t read many of the classics like The Tale of Two Cities, nor have I read any of the recent bestsellers in the Fantasy Genre like the Game of Thrones. I hide when someone discusses them, and hope no one asks me anything about them.
What books do you find yourself returning to again and again?
I read and re-read a lot of Indian philosophy and mythology again and again – The Bhagavad Gita, The Mahabharata, and their various interpretations. I find myself engrossed in their complex meanings, intricate plots and subplots, as well as timeless characters which enthral readers centuries later.
What do you plan to read next?
The Practice by Seth Godin, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and A Man called Ove are on my reading list.
Testimonials: (excerpted from reviewers of recent books)
One of the things that set Kulkarni’s work apart is his ability to create fully realized characters in a limited space. In each of these stories, the reader is drawn into the world of the protagonist, feeling their joys and miseries, hopes and fears. The stories are often surprising, but always deeply satisfying. (Reviewer On ‘Potpourri’)
He has a quest of seeking deep human vibes in varied modes and depict them with so much ease. (Book Critic)
What makes this book truly special is how the author weaves together reality and imagination to create thought-provoking tales that are both amusing and surprising. The stories are inspired by experiences on a road trip, which adds an extra layer of depth and authenticity to the narrative. (Reader On ‘A Bend in the Road’)
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You may also read the interview at their website here: https://thereadershouse.co.uk/pages/ranjit-kulkarni