We last spoke to Amish Tripathi, the best selling author of the Immortals of Meluha, more than a year ago about his debut book, his life and a lot of other things. It was our first interview with an author and among the most detailed we have ever done.

At the launch of the his second book and the sequel to the Immortals of Meluha, The Secret of The Nagas, we thought of talking to him again. So here it is!

Q. Since we last spoke to you, which was in July 2010, how do you think things have turned out for you? You’ve catapulted into a best-selling fiction writer; the publishers must be approaching you left right and centre!

To be honest its gone way beyond what I would’ve thought, it’s a blessing of Lord Shiva. I did not expect this level of success. Book 2 has sold 85,000 copies, gone into reprint for the next 50,000. So between Meluha and Nagas, there’re about 300,000 sold books.

Q. Has your belief in God changed radically in the last few years, or ever since you started writing the trilogy?

It has since the day I started writing. Before that, yes I was an atheist but as I wrote about the simple mind behind the myth of God, I discovered my faith in his divinity. That was what actually propelled me to push the book as much as I can. Immortals of Meluha was rejected by every publisher, I practically published it in association with my agent. He invested in the printing, I invested in the marketing. But even then, I felt compelled to do it. I felt it was my duty and I should give it my best shot possible. Never knew it was going to succeed. My experience in marketing helped, so many years of working had given me very good friends and I took advises from them.

Q. Secret of the Nagas has sold 85000 copies… how does it feel to know your book falls in the ‘most-awaited category’?

Feels nice, feels great. Let’s see where the journey goes forward. This is like a dream to me, my only request is don’t wake me up!

Q. Could you tell us something about your latest book?

Book one ended with Sati about to be attacked by a Naga and Shiva going to save her. So was she kidnapped? First thing those readers will discover is whether she was killed or did Shiva succeed in saving her? But beyond that people can expect the same fast pace, few romantics, drama, tragedy, many old mysteries will get solved, new ones will be created. Most importantly, the philosophy will go much deeper, further on the journey of my philosophy of what is evil.

Like in book one, there’ll be statements about the modern world woven in as a part of the story, not as a gyaan session but as a part of the story. There will be statements against honour-killing as well.

Q. A common rant one gets to hear from your readers is your use of modernized language, and nobody expects Gods or people around them to talk like that. Is the use of such simple and modernized language a deliberate effort on your part or do you not think about it while writing? Was language even an issue?

I believe when an author’s writing, he should write in the language that he communicates in. language is not an end in itself; its purpose is to communicate an idea or a thought. Best way is to do that in the way that you speak in. Fortunately or unfortunately I’ve grown up in a system where I think in English. And it is the way it is because of the education institutions that I went to (Xavier’s and IIM Kolkata). Language adapts to the atmosphere that you’re in.

Essentially the point of a language is to communicate one’s thoughts. An author who speaks in for example, Stephenian English shouldn’t try and be inauthentic, and use modern English to appeal to a modern taste; should not unnecessarily use the dictionary or complex words for the literary critics. I wrote as I was thinking. Every fiction author’s story is blessing- blessing from god, blessing from your genius, blessing from nature, whatever you might call it, it’s from a source that you should be true to. Be true to the story. Don’t let any other factor come in and corrupt that story.

I don’t hold a bias towards any kind of English, I read Amitav Ghosh, Chetan Bhagat, and I love both. In the little fiction that I read, I enjoy PG Woodhouse, I get lost in the beauty of its language. Even Ramchandra Guha communicates complex thoughts in a very simple manner. Ahmed Rashid’s Descent Into Chaos, brilliant! You won’t understand the Afghanistan-Pakistan issue from a better source.

Buddha could teach in classical Sankrit and Pali, but chose to spread his word through Pali – the language everybody understood. The point should always be the message and the thought. Language is a means-to-the-end.

Q. From the overwhelming responses that your books are getting, is a movie deal on its way?

CAA (Creative Arts Academy) has signed me on as a client , I am speaking to Hollywood and Bollywood producers and let’s see. I want to find a good partner. This is the story of my God; I want it to be made with respect.

Q. And how long do you plan to keep your fans waiting for the finale to the trilogy?

I’m going to start it in October end. Definitely will be the most difficult book to write. I have left clues in book one and two, as to what’s going to happen in the final book. Once people read book two, they can go back to book one, to identify the clues mysteries that I left there. But most importantly, the key philosophy, that is the foundation of the book, my philosophy of what is evil, is what needs to be explained. Inshallah, I’ll be able to write it as soon as possible.