Anita Nair on Hot Stage: ‘The novels are a journey of discovery’

The novels are a journey of discovery, says author Anita Nair talking about Hot Stage and the Gowda books

Borei Gowda, who was introduced in Anita Nair’s police procedural, Cut Like Wound, is one of her favourite characters. The 57-year-old author was speaking at Bookworm on Church Street in Bengaluru, at the launch of the third novel Gowda novel, Hot Stage (Harper Collins). For all who have wondered what Gowda looks like (does he have a mustache? Is he clean shaven?), Anita names actor Prakash Raj as the inspiration. The actor was at the launch and read an excerpt from the book.

“Prakash has been my muse in so many ways,” says Anita. “I was a quarter way into Cut Like Wound, and had this character fully formed in my head, but I didn’t have a face for him. Then out of the blue I had the face and it was Prakash Raj. He became Gowda in my head.” Gowda and Prakash are roughly the same age and are both Bangalore boys, Anita says.

Raj has created such a strong impact in the way she thinks, Anita says. “Two of my best stories in audio format, ‘The Little Duck Girl’ and ‘A Field of Flowers’ were both read by Prakash. When I was writing those stories, I couldn’t think of anybody else who could play that role.”

The award-winning actor, well known for his work in several languages including  Telugu, Tamil, English, Kannada, Malayalam, and Hindi, found his way into Anita’s children’s book Bipathu and a Very Big Dream. “Prakash played a character called Maash in ‘The Little Duck Girl’. The character had so much life that I couldn’t abandon him and I brought him into Bipathu as well. Prakash and I also collaborated on a poem which I wrote and he read.”

Bengaluru, Prakash says is beautiful and free. “There is also politics, crime syndicates, and drugs. The city has different layers, it’s an animal which can survive. Some things go extinct, while others stay relevant. The Bangalore I see in Anita’s books is real, tangible and true.”

Hot Stage, comes nearly seven years after 2016’s Chain of Custody. “I hadn’t intended for such a long gap,” says Anita. “In fact, right after Eating Wasps (2018), I had started researching the next book. When I realized that there was a certain predictability about the theme I had chosen for book 3, I started afresh. Meanwhile, I had got busy with my audio stories as well as a children’s book. Gowda had to wait a bit, which was great as it allowed me to intensify the scope and depth of research.”

Hot Stage is set towards the end of 2012. Cut Like Wound, set in the busy Shivajinagar area features a vicious serial killer. “That book was set in August-September 2011. It was followed by Chain of Custody, which was set in April 2012.” Anita says she wanted to ensure a six-month gap between each novel. “To make sure Gowda has a few more cases to handle before he retires.”