‘I surround myself with laughter’

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She’s insane. Nothing describes author Rupa Gulab more appropriately. It takes almost nothing to trigger a roar of laughter and if that’s not an incentive to do an interview, I don’t know what is. Five minutes into the conversation and I was worried I’ll have nothing to write about because Rupa speaks about 150 words a minute and that includes laughing over her observations. And since she can give the stream of consciousness technique a totally humour-infused dimension, keeping track of her thoughts can be quite a feat.
Much of that joie de vivre holds the characters together in her latest book The Great Depression of the 40s. A refreshingly honest take on couples battling various aspects of the mid-life crisis, Rupa uses humour in not just her dialogue, but also the way the characters are sketched, without caricaturising them. Not that the book is some slapstick easy-read, it’s in fact the wit that stays with you even after you’re done with it. Though it is light-reading material, Rupa has dealt with serious issues with her characteristic heady sense of fun.
Typically, I asked her what got her to write the book. “It just popped into my head one night when I was feeling low and miserable and desperately in need of a good laugh. I keyed in a few paragraphs immediately for catharsis, and when I re-read it the next morning, I wondered if it had the potential to be a book.”
Mantra, the protagonist, too dabbles with writing a book in The Great Depression of the 40s. Her changing dynamics with her husband whom she loves so deeply are captured marvellously and Rupa presents the modern urban couple in a manner that rarely makes it to literature. A marriage of equals, one of sharing wavelengths and certainly loaded with “punny” repartee; Mantra and Vir are what intelligent couples in love are — funny, respectful and thankfully low on sappiness. The author deserves full marks for presenting a love story without the mush and yet delivering to the readers a couple they can relate to. Incidentally, Vir was created by Rupa, keeping her husband in mind. So what was her husband’s contribution? “He’s kept me amused. Salil (my husband) has a great sense of humour — that’s why I married him. Our conversations are packed with self-deprecatory remarks and nasty cracks. Instead of reaching out for each others’ hands, we’d much rather go for the jugular. Vir is loosely based on him. Salil owes me big time for making him a hero — I’m never going to let him forget it. Though he’s protesting that he’d much rather be an anti-hero because they’re way cooler!”
When you read the book and then talk to Rupa, you can’t help notice how similar in thought-process Mantra is to the author. The inherent ability to look at crisis or issues in a light vein without trivialising them cannot be missed. On the other side of 40 herself, Rupa has a lot to say about what mid-life crisis is all about. “Desperation! Practically half your half is over, and its downhill all the way to the end. It’s not just about saggy baggy physical changes — though I have to admit that glancing at a mirror can be a nauseating experience (not recommended for those with weak hearts). There’s a subtle psychological shift as well. You start questioning what you’ve achieved and believe that this is your very last chance to go out and get what you want (career, relationships etc) while you’re still mentally and physically capable. When I look back, I realise that my teenage years were not even half as turbulent as this. My parents ought to be relieved I’m not living with them these days — my hysterics would drive them round the bend.”
In the book, various situations drive the characters round the bend, but all of them finding some sort of closure towards the end. Vir’s sister doesn’t appreciate the “humour” between her brother and his wife Mantra, more so because she probably just doesn’t “get it”. Don’t dismiss the book as just some disguised chicklit. If you do, you probably haven’t got half the puns anyway. My analysis of the book is “Sex and the City without the sex meets Chetan Bhagat plots with definitely a classy style of writing”.
Apart from the humour, what strikes the reader is the sensible use of English without making it too lowbrow, a tendency many Indian writers living in India tend to do. I have a sneaking suspicion Rupa will be laughing at this comment. No matter how hard the editor worked on the book, Rupa’s natural grasp over the language shows in the puns, the narrative, the dialogue and the character formation.
The beauty of the writing lies in the humour not being forced or contrived, but more dry and honest. Rupa says, “The women I know have a better sense of humour than most men. Besides, I know many men who get terribly offended by levity. I don’t think it’s a Venus and Mars issue — it’s more about the kind of person you are. As a race, Indians tend to take themselves rather seriously. They can laugh at other people but not at themselves. This is not a bad thing, however — personally, I’m really, really glad that there are a lot of sanctimonious, earnest and pompous people around — they give me lots to giggle about. Life would be a yawny bore without them.”
Is there any Indian personality she thinks has a great sense of humour? “R.K. Narayan tops my list. He was witty, warm and a brilliant storyteller as well. Mahatma Gandhi had his moments — remember, when he was asked what he thought of Western civilisation, he said he thought it was a very good idea! Lalu Prasad Yadav is not just the butt of jokes — he makes some rather witty remarks himself,” she says of contemporary personalities with a great sense of humour.
The book, too, has very contemporary references to music and movies, how people speak today and how a media house works. It is well-paced without confusing plotlines, true to the reality about couples and sticks to being a contemporary observation of changing relationships.
The only drawback I would think is that the last few chapters tend to rush a bit, almost trying to finish the book as soon as possible. Apart from that, I think this book is a must-read. If not for anything else, read it to know how humour really makes a couple so endearing to each other and to the onlookers. Says Rupa, “Humour is everything in my life. I surround myself with laughter. My parents, siblings, husband, and close friends are hilarious — truth be told, they’re bordering on insane. Most of the books I read are funny too — the best thing about humour writers is that you can re-read their books over and over again because it’s not the story that matters so much — it’s the style. I also prefer sitcoms to dramas on TV. I’m that determined to die laughing.”
Well, until then, let’s hope Rupa gives us more such literary delights.