Interview with Ashish Dalal
Ashish Dalal is a short story writer based in Gujarat. Born and brought up and educated in MP, India, Ashish works on the post of manager for a reputed firm. He is an author who has been contributing to various newspapers and Hindi magazines for long. Ashish Dalal writers in Hindi and his debut book Uske Hisse Ka Pyar is a collection of short stories in Hindi. You can get this book from Amazon. Read an interview with the author:
Alok Mishra: How excited you are about your debut book, Ashish? How does it feel knowing that your short stories are going to be a part of your own book?
Ashish Dalal: This is my first venture in form of a book so I am as excited as a child. I have similar feelings when a child see and experience things first time in his life & get excited.
Alok Mishra: Uske Hisse Ka Pyar is all about love and relationships and their value in our life. Am I right assuming this or there is something more that you would like to tell the readers about your upcoming book?
Ashish Dalal: This is true that Uske Hisse Ka Pyar mainly focuses the importance of love and relationship in our life but collections of stories in this book are not stories to just entertain the readers. The book reveals the truth of life and conveys a positive message to give priorities to your beloved and his/her share of love.
Alok Mishra: Hindi fiction vs English fiction – do you think there is some kind of conflict going on in the writing industry? Please have your views furthered.
Ashish Dalal: Language is a medium of communication. One can get expertise in any foreign language but feeling can be expressed well in own language. Hindi is our national language & in some part of India, it is mother tongue as well. You cannot compare Hindi fiction with English fiction but this is true that new generation like to read English fiction than Hindi fiction. It doesn’t mean that Hindi fiction unable to provide quality reading material. Hindi fiction is equally good as English fiction but since English is universal language so writers can find more readers for English fiction.
Alok Mishra: You have been contributing to various newspapers and magazines with your Hindi stories. What kind of a response you usually get from the readers? What would you like to speak about the readership of Hindi literature today?
Ashish Dalal: Well, a writer can get success only when he touches the heart of his readers. My readers relate my stories to their lives. This is a success of my writing. In spite of the influence of English language, there is a large group of people who like to read in Hindi.
Alok Mishra: You seem to be enthusiastic about the genre short story and that’s why your tendency is towards the same. How do you see it exactly? What does a short story mean to you? And how does it differ from a novel for you?
Ashish Dalal: Short stories are the most difficult piece to write as an author has to finish what he wants to convey within a limit of few words of the story. A short story can reveal few hours of the life or it can be spread in years as well but has to limited in few pages. I love to write short stories as it gives me an opportunity to convey a strong message in few words. I have to be more conscious to choose proper word when I write short stories. In a novel, an author has a wide scope and multiple ways to express his feeling whereas in short story he has the challenge to give equal justice to all the character of a story.
Alok Mishra: After the release and launch of Uske Hisse Ka Pyar, what are you going to do? Will you prepare for another collection of short stories or the readers might see a full-length novel from you?
Ashish Dalal: It would be difficult to give a proper answer to this question at this moment. My aim is not to increase the collection of my written book. My expertise is to write short stories but in future, I would like to write a full-length novel.
Alok Mishra: How do you maintain time for your literary interests? You are a full-time office-going person as well. Please tell about your art of balancing between work and passion?
Ashish Dalal: To be honest, it is very difficult. I was asked this question many times. My employer pays me for my working hours so I utilize those hours for office. Before and after office hour, I spend quality time to read and write. This cannot be possible if my family do not support me. So simple theory is to keep happy employer, family and you will get support to fulfil your dream.
Alok Mishra: Do you have any special message to the readers who are excited about Uske Hisse Ka Pyar?
Ashish Dalal: Uske Hisse Ka Pyar is not a romantic fiction. It is based on real-life situations, so readers can find a solution to real-life problems, positivism & motivation to love some in a real sense.
Alok Mishra: Thanks for your time, Ashish! I wish you all the best and success with your writing venture!
Ashish Dalal: Thanks!