Acting calls but Chetan Bhagat refuses to say Hello

The author declined an invitation to act in a Salman-Katrina starrer based on one of his novels

Devanshi Joshi. Vadodara/DNA
Monday, September 22, 2008
The novelist, Chetan Bhagat, seems married to the printed word for he let go of an opportunity to interpret one of his characters on the silver screen. The author said on Saturday that he was offered a role in the film, Hello, which is based on his book, One Night at the Call Centre. He, however, declined the offer. Bhagat made this disclosure during an interaction with students at Paramarsh-2008, the ongoing three-day festival of MSUs faculty of engineering and technology. Hello is scheduled for release on October 10. “I was invited to play the role of Ganesh in Hello but I declined the offer,” said Bhagat. “I dont think I would have been any good as an actor.” He is, nevertheless, very excited about the movie which is directed by Atul Agnihotri, and has Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and some other well-known actors in the significant roles of the film. “I saw the unedited version of Hello a few days back and was delighted by what I saw,” Bhagat said. He, however, added that, while he liked movies, he found the written word a more rewarding medium because reading stimulates the imagination. “When you read a book, the mind is forced to imagine the situations, characters and incidents portrayed in it. This does not happen with a movie,” he said. Bhagat lamented the fact that reading had become less popular among youth, and said that authors must do more to reach out and connect with the young generation. “Todays youth are not particularly keen on reading. They read only those books with which they can relate immediately. It is, therefore, important for writers now to have something in their books that resonates with the experience of the young generation,” said Bhagat. “Thick literary tomes are unlikely to click with young readers today. For them, books must have a bearing on their lifestyle.” Bhagat is currently working on a new book, a romantic comedy. Both his earlier books — Five Point Someone and One Night at the Call Centre — have already been translated and published in Hindi, while their Gujarati versions are in the pipeline. When asked which of his books was his favourite, he said, “I have a soft corner for Five Point Someone.” Talking about One Night at the Call Centre, he said he had been criticised for making God a caller in the book. “But for that bit of negative criticism, the book has been praised by readers and critics alike. I am happy with the reception given the book.”