Writer's duty is to stay true to what they believe, says author Banu Mushtaq

New Indian Express

a day ago

MYSURU: International Booker prize winner Banu Mushtaq said her stories are pro-people and filled with hope, avoiding conflict and despair.
Speaking on 'Lighting the Way: Kannada, Women and the Booker's International Stage' during the 9th edition of the Mysuru Literature Festival 2025, organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust at Hotel Southern Star here on Saturday, Mushtaq, who is also an activist and lawyer, explained that while lawyers and activists try to resolve conflicts and bring issues to a logical conclusion, as a writer she does not offer ready-made solutions.
'In my stories, I try to motivate readers to find solutions themselves,' she said.
Recalling the 1970s, when there were agitations around issues of farmers, women, language, and the environment and the 1980s, which saw the rise of Dalit Bandaya Sahitya, feminist writing, and Muslim-sensitive literature in Karnataka, Mushtaq said there were around eight to ten Muslim writers inspired by Bandaya Sahitya.
'Dalit Bandaya Sahitya had a profound impact on our literature. At the time, most writers were Brahmin men, with very few women among them. Their perspectives were often treated as definitive. I found Muslim men were depicted as either extremely good or extremely bad. But I believe there are good and bad people among both Hindus and Muslims. So I chose to write in a way that challenged these male Brahminical narratives,' she said.
'Trying to keep everyone happy is hypocrisy. I faced threats, was banned by sections of the community, had a person barge into my office with a knife and try to kill me. But I didn't give in.
During the Booker jury's review of my work, they saw that my stories weren't limited to one community or religion but addressed universal issues. Many Muslim organisations felicitated me,' she said.