Mallikarjun B Mulimani is a versatile writer. He writes novellas, novels, long and short poems including haikus. His books and style of writing, where brevity is the hallmark, influenced by his engineering background, are unique and highly acclaimed. His writings are crisp, carrying a theme and a message making them highly readable. So far, he has twenty-one books to his credit. They revolve around diverse themes: psychology of humans and their milieu, God, love, sex, religion, realisation of self, life, and death. They often touch the metaphysical domain. His latest book ‘Predator & Prey’, an artistic look at life, universe, philosophy, and psychology, is published by Leadstart Publishers.
TBE: Tell us about your latest book, Predator & Prey. Can you share with us something about the book that isn’t in the blurb?
Mallikarjun Mulimani: It is a book about the agony of an enlightened life, and that is why at the very beginning, there is my proverb, “It is better to stay foolish and continue than to become wise and stop.”
TBE: At the heart of Predator & Prey is the concept of meaning of life. What inspired you to explore this subject as a theme for a novel?
Mallikarjun Mulimani: The apparent meaninglessness of life.
TBE: What is the significance of the title?
Mallikarjun Mulimani: That all are one another’s predator and prey.
TBE: How was your publishing journey with Leadstart?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: It has been simply marvelous throughout.
TBE: The protagonist has three imaginary friends: the moth, the chameleon, and the eagle. What do they symbolize?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: Man, man, God, respectively.
TBE: Under which genre can we put ‘Predator & Prey’: Allegory or bildungsroman? And Why?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: Can’t it be both and more? And why not?
TBE: How do you balance narrative and information, storytelling and erudition in your novels?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: I wing it!!!
TBE: What is your message to young people, when depression, suicide, and drug overdoses are at an all-time high?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: There is no God, soul, or rebirth. You have only one life. Karma is only between living beings, and nothing supernatural. Believe only in yourselves. Stop following people blindly. Start thinking on your own. Come up with your own philosophies for life. There is no single truth. All that matters is you live life happily while letting others do the same.
TBE: Describe your typical day spent writing. Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: I write continuously for around 15 hours, most of which span the entire night. I usually finish my books, which are only a little more than novellas as I believe in brevity, in three to four months. I like it completely quiet and work in the glow of a small moon-lamp and my laptop’s screen. The best part of the remaining nine hours, which too are spent at home, is having tea with dad and cribbing about my life. Everything about me is unusual, but I believe that in the ordinary lies the extraordinary.
TBE: What authors, books, or ideas have influenced you?
Mallikarjun B Mulimani: All which I have read!!!
Check out previous interview with Mallikarjun Mulimani
