The other side of mom

The other day a colleague asked me to name the most interesting person I have interviewed so far. It's difficult to name one, I said. Being a journalist, it's always exciting to meet new people, hear their stories and then write them down in my own words. Some people are interesting, some stories are boring. Some people are warm and welcoming, for others it requires tact and patience to uncover details that shape up their personality. All offer different experiences. The challenge is to present an unprejudiced view of the personalities you meet especially if it's someone you deeply admire or someone who manages to irk you during the interview.

(Left): Ranju Bhatia;
(Right) : Alexshendra

Interviewing someone close to you is an experience on its own. I realised that last month when I interviewed my mom for a story. Mom is a Hindi writer. For a story on 'Is Hindi literature dying amongst the youth', my editor suggested we arrange a dialogue between her and a young author Alexshendra Venus Bakshi to discuss how Hindi literature can be made relevant for young audience. Bakshi recently launched her book Aarambh ki Gyarah Kahaniya. Although a bilingual, the young writer chose to write in Hindi. Mom, Ranju Bhatia, released her second book Kuch Meri Kalam Se, a collection of short poems.  

I don't know anyone more closely than I know her. Yet the interview surprised me. It brought forth a distinct side of her personality. Confident, articulate...she was different from how I know her as my mother. Contrary to what I thought, I was able to look at her objectively. I can't yet put a finger on the most interesting interview but this one is certainly most special! 

(You can read the interview in the June issue of Atelier Diva magazine available on stands across major cities in India.)