Earning his stripes
In the months since Aravind Adiga won the Man Booker Prize with his debut novel, The White Tiger, he has not been easy to track down. A scheduled face-to-face interview in London is cancelled; before I know it, he has packed his bags, pocketed his GBP50,000 (HK$567,000) prize money and returned to Mumbai. In the following days, as rumours circulate that he has fired his agent, a second interview is postponed. Adiga says he has some 'stuff' to sort out.
So when I finally corner the elusive literary sensation it seems gloriously incongruous to find him on a beach, ready and willing to chat. Clearly a combination of home and sun-worshipping does wonders for a weary Booker winner.
'Being in Mumbai is incredibly helpful because you are very grounded,' Adiga says. 'There are about 500 people on the beach and nobody gives a s***. When I went out in England people would recognise me. People here are going about the business of daily life. They worry about water, about housing. In India, everything is put in perspective. I'm hoping that perspective will keep me on an even keel and will keep me writing.'
The most even of keels, however, cannot prevent every capsize: after an hour's cordial discussion about everything from fame to the future, literary influences to the state of contemporary India, he greets an innocuous inquiry about his current life ('Are you married or are you single?') with all the warmth of a frozen dinner.
'This has to be the last question,' Adiga says. 'This is where it ends. I'm happy to answer questions about the book. But I'd rather not say any more.'