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Balasubramaniam or Blue Submarine, as the Airport officials call him, is a B.E. specialization: Mechanical. He is cursed to be intelligent and hence he cannot do what who he likes i.e., to direct Tamil films. Like any Engineering student, Bala moves to the United States. The story progresses to his life in the America. Mostly intended to be humorous. He is almost 30, a Director of the company, flex-it, which coaxes people to buy fitness machines but yet, single. While his parents want him to get married and pressurize him, he is hell-bent on marrying he likes/loves. His search for a perfect bride lands him into situation of sorts. What happens o his dreams, his ambitions, marriage plans follows the rest of the story. Few things most of us who are going through the “Quarter Life Crisis” will surely agree with Mr. Bala.

The book is a welcome relief from the myriad books penned by different newbie Hinglish driven Indian Authors. The book is funny but sometimes the jokes get overboard. Few parts that I liked were: There should be a Dal-Mart in India (we have so many types of Dal – tuar, moong..etc). Comparisons between the East and the West are drawn very well. I usually like blogs related to Tamil Nadu as they have a charm of their own. This one was similar to that. The cricket mania, the language..et al.

Personally, I liked this book. A perfect travel read.

Random Questions (RQ) with Author, Melvin Durai, author of “Bala Takes the Plunge”

How did your close friends react to the book?

MD: The reaction is always the same: “Can we get our money back?” Actually, I haven’t forced my book on my close friends, but those who’ve read it have given me positive feedback. Some have raved about it, others have merely said they enjoyed it. (The former probably did love it, the latter probably hated it.)

Is the character Thiru, in the book, any close friend of yours?

MD: He’s a composite character. I’ve had more than one friend who were like him.

Why did you think such a story for your book, Any incident?

MD: The book arose from my own experiences searching for a bride more than a decade ago. I wrote a few humor columns about my experiences and realized that there was a lot more humor that could be tapped in a book. The character Bala isn’t me, but some of his insecurities are definitely mine.

Why writing as a career?

MD: To this day, my mom keeps asking me that question! She wanted me to be a doctor.
But I decided to follow my heart, though it wasn’t the smartest decision financially. I was meant to be a writer and find it very fulfilling.

When will your next set to release?
I’m not sure when my next book will come out. I’m still working on it. Hopefully
in 2012 or ’13.

How long did you take to write this book?

MD: About four years. Much longer than I should have taken. I didn’t write
continuously, sometimes going a few months without adding much to the book.

What is your mantra to avoid writers block?

MD: My mantra is “Just write.” It doesn’t matter if what you write is terrible or
uninspired. The “delete” key is your friend. Use it frequently.

Ruskin Bond loves to write in his little room. Few writers love to write in the
garden. So which is your place?

MD: I can’t say that I have a special place. I do most of my writing on the dining
table. Other times, I write on the couch or in bed. At least one of my three
kids is usually around, so I don’t have the luxury of uninterrupted writing.
That will change in a few months, when my youngest goes to kindergarten, so I
hope to be more productive.

Thank You!

Filed under: Books, Humour, Writer's Block Tagged: | Author Interview, Book Review