The Novel in Adaptation

A discussion between Chetan Bhagat and Anita Roy on the novel in adaptation, exploring questions such as: faithfulness or distance? Should the filmmaker follow the book, or can he use it as an inspiration for his own creation? And – lost in translation? Does a book lose some of its qualities when it is translated into a visual medium, or can book and film complement and enrich each other?

A discussion between Chetan Bhagat and Anita Roy on the novel in adaptation, exploring questions such as: faithfulness or distance? Should the filmmaker follow the book, or can he use it as an inspiration for his own creation? And – lost in translation? Does a book lose some of its qualities when it is translated into a visual medium, or can book and film complement and enrich each other? Chetan Bhagat is the author of two blockbuster novels - Five Point Someone (2004) and One Night @ the Call Center (2005) that top bestseller lists to date since their release. In March 2008, the New York Times called him the “biggest selling English author in India’s history”. Both his books have inspired major Bollywood films. Seen more as the voice of a generation than just an author, this IIT/IIM graduate is making India read like never before. ‘The 3 Mistakes of My Life’ is his third novel. After eleven years in Hong Kong, the author relocated to Mumbai in 2008, where he works in an investment bank. Apart from books, the author has a keen interest in screenplays and spirituality. Chetan is married to Anusha, his classmate from IIMA and has twin boys Ishaan and Shyam.

Anita Roy is a freelance writer and critic. Brought up in the UK, she has lived in Delhi for the past 12 years, and worked as an editor for Oxford University Press, Dorling Kindersley, and is currently with Zubaan, an independent women's publishing house. Her work has appeared in a number of anthologies, and she is a regular contributor to magazines and newspapers such as Outlook, The Hindu, The Hindustan Times, Biblio, Time Out, and Outlook Traveller