Fatwas enormously important for literary world: Hanif Kureishi

JAIPUR - London-based novelist-cum-playwright Hanif Kureishi feels that fatwas on writers of Islamic origin are “enormously important in the literary world for they change perceptions to realities in fine print”.

“They (fatwas) are historical events that reflect on liberalism in writing. In 1994, I was thrown out of a mosque in London where I was taking notes on students’ debates on the revolution for being a friend of Salman Rushdie. I realised that words were dangerous and I was writing in times of terror. It made me think differently,” Kureishi, the author of books like award-winning “The Buddha of Suburbia”, “Intimacy” and “The Black Album”, told a media interface at the Jaipur Literature Festival Saturday.

“I was not particularly afraid then, but over the years, I became concerned about causing offence to people these days. Religions are enormously powerful in authoritarian regimes, to be attacked and insulted. I am afraid that liberalism is shrinking instead of expanding in the age of terrorism,” Kureishi said.

The writer, who lives in West London, rarely moves his stories out of his immediate locales. “I am fascinated by the place where I live. I am not a writer like Franz Kafka or Samuel Beckett - I write about the lives, clothes, politics, language and the movement of people in and out of here - the Asian, Romanian and Polish immigrants. I write about a small area in West London,” Kureishi said.

The 55-year-old writer, who is known for his powerful books exploring racism, nationalism, immigration and sexuality, “feels that London has changed over the years.” “London is now an international city like a super state. Earlier, the area of West London where I stayed used to be predominantly a white suburb, but now it is a homogenous place,” Kureishi said.

According to Kureishi, “in the old days, it was difficult to be an immigrant as if you are from the moon. With Muslims, people have a lot of ideas about their beliefs and many times about what they consider their dangerous beliefs. There is a projection of a certain image about Muslims and it is very difficult for them to escape that projection. But Muslims too themselves have to be blamed for this,” Kureishi said.

“London now is a much easier place to live in because there is less racism. But life is difficult because of the crash of the economy. Unemployment is rising and housing is expensive. The economy is being destroyed by over-inflated capitalism,” he said, explaining the evolution of London from a white city to one of rainbow colours.

Kureishi was born to a Pakistani father and a British mother. He attended Bromley Technical High School and spent a year studying philosophy at the Lancaster University before dropping out. He graduated in philosophy from the King’s College in London.

“I am currently working on the screenplay of Aravind Adiga’s ‘White Tiger’. I needed the money for my children - to ensure that they have a better life. The lives of my children are much more insecure compared to mine. I need to make films like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’,” he laughed.

“India is the most happening place in sub-continental literature,” Kureishi observed. “Almost every Indian is writing novels, including those in information technology. Publishing has become a primary industry and is booming too. Cultures and literature survives on new voices. When Salman Rushdie appeared on the scene, everyone said it was a new voice,” he said.

The writer is working on a short novella.