Suchhanda Chatterjee discusses her debut anthology ‘The Silent Matter Stories’
Producer and storyteller turned author Suchhanda Chatterjee opens up about her debut collection of short stories, The Silent Matter Stories, which deal with human psychology and the unexplored sentiments of the human mind. We catch up with her at Café Mezzuna to learn more about the book and her creative process.
Excerpts:
Where did you get the inspiration to write the book?
When my son was very young, I used to make up stories for him to put him to sleep. Of course, I didn’t pen it down but wrote the summaries of a few. Those were children’s short stories. Later on, when I was working, I got into boredom and started writing short stories whenever I used to travel. I made one of those into a short film to test if people will like it or not. That got several awards, to my surprise and gave me the push to write more.
Since you were writing for a long time, why did you think this was the apt time to publish your debut book?
I have produced two films based on short stories by Satyajit Ray and Saradindu Bandyopadhyay. When I was making the films, I thought of penning down some more stories of my own, two of which were accepted by filmmakers Pradeep Sarkar and Priyadarshan. That was when I thought that it was time to have a book on my name. Three of my short stories which are adapted into films are there in the book along with three new ones.
How long did the entire process take?
Almost one and a half years of to and fro! I sent the drafts to the editors who worked on it. Then it went to the publishers. But when it went to them, they immediately said a yes. At first, I thought they said yes because of my name and I continuously asked them if it was genuinely worth it and they replied affirmative. That gave me a kick of satisfaction. Also, now that the book is out I’m a little confident. Even if I get one comment or feedback on any of the six stories, it makes me happy.
Why did you choose to name it ‘The Silent Matter Stories’?
This is about the dark shadows of the human mind. I am dealing with hidden psychology and mindset. And these dark shadows are always silent. Also, if you read the stories, it is full of love but amongst this cycle of love, lust, and desire, there is some kind of hidden darkness.
As a reader what appeals to you?
I read a lot of scripts because of my work. Also, short stories attract me. I’m not a very avid reader. From childhood, I have only read short stories. But I have never been influenced by anybody’s writing. That is why you would find all my stories to be original.
What is your creative process like?
I think if a situation can be turned into a nice story or not. Then I’ll observe the environment for a long time. Ponder upon the ending or a surprise element and then write about it. A situation stays in my mind for say around six months, and then I’ll think of writing. Till the time I can crack the ending, I will not be excited to write on it.
What do modern readers like to read?
Today’s readers like to read any kind of content. Previously, we were stuck with family dramas, ghost stories, murder mysteries, thrillers, and comics. But today, because of the internet, a lot of things are accessible to people. A reader might want to know about a boy’s love affair in Barcelona.
Are you currently working on any theme and will we ever get to see a novel by you?
My next book is also a compilation of four stories but slightly larger than short stories. Out of that two of them will be made into feature films. But a novel, no.
Can you give us a sneak peek of the films?
One of the stories is being developed by Arijit Biswas who has written Andha Dhun, Merry Christmas, etc. We will soon announce it. Till now I have done short films but this will be a full-fledged feature film on my story. But there is a difference. If you read my story and watch a movie based on it, it’s totally different. When I narrate to the writer or director, they take the gist of it and make it more cinematic. In writing, my stories are way simpler.