Tamil author Perumal Murugan says his works allow everyone to fit in and debate and happily talk within that space but a handful who are stereotypical make this space controversial.
"I never intend to create controversies. My only intention is to communicate through my creations. I want my work to break the social stereotype, break the stasis," he says.
Murugan proclaimed his own 'death' in 2015 after right-wing groups agitated against his fifth novel "Madhurobhagan" ("One Part Woman"). He resumed writing the next year after a Madras High Court ruling. He has recently written books like "Kozhaiyin Padalgal" ("Songs of a Coward") and "Poonachi" ("The Story of a Black Goat").
He says his works are bold conversations and he wants to communicate across time and space, through many situations.
"My conversations allow everyone to fit in and debate and happily talk within that space. The handful who are stereotypical make this space controversial," he is quoted as saying in an interview to The Equator Line magazine.
Murugan sees no harm in his writings setting off a controversy provided they do not incite either hatred or violence.
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He says that one who starts a conversation should be prepared for all kinds of reactions.
"At the time of 'One Part Woman', I wasn't ready for such outbursts. Had I known such things would happen, I would have written that book in such a manner that would not have provoked strong reactions," he says.
On his characters, Murugan says he does not decide their fate.
"I dig and show what they have been destined to be. I would like to know why they have been cast the way they are."
All his books have been translated into English. He says he writes in Tamil as it is easy to use the language that his people speak.
"I don't know English. Even if I knew, I doubt if it would be as easy to handle as my mother tongue," he says.
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