FAQ’s (Frequently Asked–and Answered–Questions)
Sep 20th, 2007 by Ashok
These are several Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s), recently updated to include the latest news on my front. If you’d like to ask me a question, visit the Readerswrite page and leave a comment there.
UPDATED: 17 April 2008.
Which is your next book and when will it be published?
My next two books will be Vengeance of Ravana and Sons of Sita. They are likely to be published around the end of 2008 and early 2009, respectively.
If you don’t promote your books or do book launches, readings, signings, etc, how will we know when your new book is published?
Stay in touch with this website, and I will mention an upcoming book once it’s published–although I won’t promote it even here on my own website, just as I don’t promote my previous books, as you can see for yourself. But you will know that the book is published, and that’s really all that matters, isn’t it?
Is your Ramayana series being adapted to film? Details, please!
Yes. I can now confirm that there is a major adaptation of my Ramayana books in the works. Over the past years, I received several substantial offers from major Hollywood studios and production houses including Warner Brothers, Sir Ben Kingsley Pictures, Michael Radford and Chris Rose, Future Group, Canyon Entertainment, Endeavour Agency, William Morris Agency, Adlabs Films, and people working with ILM (George Lucas’ special effects company), New Line Cinema, and the director and producer of 300, all of whom expressed their enthusiasm as huge fans of the books. I finally signed an MoU and the first film is in development. Production is expected to start in 2008. As of now, I can’t confirm the cast and crew of the film, but I do know that major names are attached. This is a major Hollywood production, with three films planned back-to-back and a total budget of well over half a billion dollars.
Are the films based on your scripts? Have you adapted your books yourself>
I was offered a fee of $750,000 to write the screenplay for the film, and I toyed around with notes and ideas for a while, but finally it would have meant taking valuable time off from writing my Mba–even perhaps abandoning the Mba altogether. I’m sure my readers will agree that it’s better for me to go on writing new books than to spend several more years adapting the old ones to the screen.
Is the film adaptation of your Ramayana series books going to be an animated film? I read something about you writing an animated film.
The film adaptation of my Ramayana series is intended to be a live-action film with Indian actors, shot on actual locations as well as sets. It would be what’s called a VFX film these days, definitely not animation. However, I love the medium of animation and I am independently co-producing and directing an animation film based on an original story I’ve written, titled Mahabaalak.
Isn’t Michael Radford of Il Postino fame directing the Ramayana films? I read something about it recently.
It’s true that Michael Radford did come to Mumbai and visit me twice, and we spent a couple of lovely afternoons talking about film and the Ramayana. But in the end, I believe another director is being engaged for the project. If it was upto me, I would recommend Michael highly, but the powers that be have the final decision and unlike authors like J. K. Rowling or John Grisham, I don’t have final say in who gets to direct or act, etc.
I also read about Sir Ben Kingsley being involved. Is that true?
See the answer above. Yes, Sir Ben did contact me and, like Michael, is a huge fan of the series. I have a lovely fan letter from him, which I will always cherish. He also had a number of prominent star friends whom he felt suited certain roles perfectly–Nicole Kidman for Supanakha, and she had apparently read the first book and loved it, Sir Anthony Hopkins for Sugreeva, and several others. But in the end, as I said, those are producers’ decisions and I can only wait to see what they finally decide.
We’re huge fans of your’s. Would you please, please, please inaugurate our college literary festival?
I’m flattered that you thought of me, but I don’t do any kind of PR at all, not even promoting my own books. In fact, I’m against all book promotion and authorial self-promotion, without exception. You can always keep in touch with me through comments or Live Chat on this website though!
Will you deliver a talk or workshop for our college/cultural group/literary festival, etc?
I’m flattered that you thought of me, but I don’t do any kind of PR at all, not even promoting my own books. You can always keep in touch with me through comments or Live Chat on this website though!
Our bookstore would like to host a book reading and signing with you.
I’m flattered that you thought of me, but I don’t do any kind of PR at all, not even promoting my own books. You can always keep in touch with me through comments or Live Chat on this website though!
May I interview you for my newspaper/channel/magazine/radio channel/site?
I’m flattered that you thought of me, but I don’t do any kind of PR at all, not even promoting my own books. You can always keep in touch with me through comments or Live Chat on this website though!
Who’s your agent or literary representative? And your PR firm?
I don’t use an agent or representative, manager, associate, assistant, PR firm, etc. I work completely alone, and do everything myself, from research to writing to contracts, and even make my own tea.
I’m the Editor of a forthcoming anthology, and would love to include a short story by you. Our pay rate would be xyz.
I’m sorry. While several of my short stories were published internationally over the past twenty years, I haven’t written short stories for several years now. I can’t write a new one for you as I don’t accept commissioned assignments.
Hi. You may remember me from your advertising days. My client is a major MNC/Corporation/well-known brand/etc and thinks highly of your work. We want you to write and direct a TV ad spot for XYZ brand. Please let us know your charges and when you can come in for a briefing.
Hi. It’s been a long time since my brief stint in advertising (in the 80’s). Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t do that kind of work anymore.
Dear Mr Banker, this is Ekta Kapoor. I’m your biggest fan since your novel Vertigo was first published back in 1993. It was one of the inspirations for my first success, as I have said in several media interviews. Congrats on all your success. It would be really great to combine our talents and do something great together. When and where can I meet you to discuss?
Dear Ekta, I’m truly and sincerely flattered by your offer. Yes, I have read your generous comments praising Vertigo and my work. I do appreciate that. However, I don’t do commissioned projects anymore, and no longer write television serials. Thank you for your interest and I wish you all the best.
Mr Banker, sir, our client is the main sponsor for the (country name) Cricket team and he is a great admirer of your work. He wishes to commission you to write a book of short stories on the theme of tea, which is the product he manufacturers. On his behalf, we would like to invite you to his tea estate in (country name) as his honoured guest. Please let us know dates convenient to you and your charges for writing the short stories.
Dear sirs, thank you, and please thank your client as well. I’m honoured by his appreciation but I don’t take on commissioned work. I wish you the very best in finding other writers more suited to the task.
I am a great fan of your’s and am really eager to meet you and get a glimpse of the man behind the work. Please don’t say no!
Occasionally, I do meet with readers directly, usually at a food court in a mall over a cup of tea, with my family present. But the last few ‘readers’ who said they needed to meet me urgently turned to be people with various business propositions in mind rather than a mere meeting of minds. So I have to gently suggest that you enjoy the books, and forget about the man who wrote them, thank you for your interest, best wishes.
You can always keep in touch with me through comments or Live Chat on this website though!
Sirji, I am the producer of a forthcoming film on Buddha/Rama/Krishna/ Hanuman/etc and feel that nobody can do justice to the script as you can. Let’s meet to discuss terms and deadlines. We have a $20 million production budget.
Sorry, sirji. I don’t do commissioned work and am not accepting scriptwriting work at present.
Namaskaram, Shri Ashokji. We are the trust that manages the ABCD Temple in (place name). We are great admirers of your Ramayana novels. You are doing a great thing for Indian culture. We would like to meet with you to discuss your writing some scripts for corporate films for us, as well as two books on our sanstha. We are willing to pay a fee of Rs 35 lakhs for each script. Can we meet at Taj Land’s End, Bandra, on (xyz) day at (xyz) time?
Dear Punditji, I am sorry but I don’t take on commissioned assignments, whatever the fee and am not available for scriptwriting work.
Dear Ashok Banker, I am a literary agent based in New York. We handle authors such as (names). Congratulations on the tremendous success of your Ramayana books. We have a publisher who is looking for an Indian writer to produce a non-fiction book on Vaastu Shaastra/Bollywood/Sunjay Dutt/Vedic Mathematics. The advance being offered is $50,000 but it is negotiable.
Dear NYC Literary Agent, I’m sorry but I don’t accept commissioned assignments, whatever the advance. I only write original books that I wish to write and then seek a publisher afterwards. I also don’t work with agents or representatives and only deal directly with publishers–which is why I don’t publish in the USA since all major publishers there only deal through agents.
Hi Ashok, this is XYZ, Editor of (name of publication). We would like you to write an essay/editorial column/book review/etc for our Anniversay issue/Sunday edition/etc. The deadline is (date).
Hi, XYZ, nice hearing from you. Even if I wanted to write, my books seem to demand every last bit of my energy these days, and I’m one of those unfashionably low-profile people who prefers to keep his name out of the media–even as a byline under an essay, article or reivew.
Where can I find copies of your books in the USA?
You can’t. My books are only published in India.
Where do you live, in India, USA or elsewhere?
In India since birth. I don’t own a passport and have never been outside India.
What religion, caste, etc, are you?
I’m of mixed race, mixed religion, and was exposed to so many different cultural and communal influences when growing up that I guess you’d have to just call me ‘Indian’.
