Magazine Interview

Sitting in Starbucks on St Ann’s Square, supping coffee and chatting about Bollywood heroes, I almost forget that Vijay Medtia - this happy, chatty, animated man - is the creator of Veer Subadar, the brooding lead character of his debut novel The House of Subadar. Veer’s family travel across India to find work in Bombay after their home, in the country, is repossessed. They face hostility and conflict on their journey, yet despite the tense elements throughout, it is a beautiful tale, with its descriptions of rural India creating a peaceful, almost romantic effect. The story is so poignant and tragic that I think I was half expecting to meet with a tortured soul, yet Medtia himself is neither hostile nor solemn – instead, he is full of positive energy and excitedly open about his experiences in the publishing world.
“It’s been a giant leap forward in understanding the book trade. As soon as you get published, it starts a whole series of events - you have to meet editors, do redrafts, meet deadlines. You start to understand that this book game is a business. You can’t be lazy.” This does not put him off – instead he seems eager to soak up what the experience has taught him: “It’s a learning process, despite the pressure, it’s enjoyable!” He is a hard worker, dedicated to his craft, as any writer has to be, “It’s not easy. The line between success and failure is very thin and you have to be prepared for things to take a long time and, of course, for rejection.”

Medtia’s perseverance stems from his work as a building contractor - a job not so dissimilar to writing as one might think, “Both involve seeing a project through to the end, and that is creatively satisfying for me. Once you start, you have to carry on.” This inherent dedication and discipline is definitely something gained from growing up here in the North West, where he feels he has “absorbed a focussed work ethic.” When talking about other influencing places, his face lights up when talking about India – an obvious inspiration for his first novel: “India has inspired me because it's a land of such contrasts, colour and excitement. Growing up in Britain has shown me the importance of working hard, but seeing India so much has given me a wealth of knowledge. It’s a different world – it’s exciting!”
As well as travel, many diverse authors inspire Medtia’s work, and he cites Honoré de Balzac, John Steinbeck, R.K. Narayan, Thomas Hardy, Kazuo Ishiguro and V. S. Naipaul among his favourites. “Great writers influence your writing. Learning from the masters, you’re holding their hand. As you get stronger on your own feet, you let go. After you write two or three novels, hopefully your own voice comes out.”
And now he’s been published himself, are there any tips he’d give to budding writers? “My first tip is not to bother!! It’s too hard! Also, be prepared to earn nothing for a few years. If you can acknowledge those things, and still carry on, you’ll become a published writer. Be determined, be open to learning, and observe life.”

There is a great sense of hope in his novel, with the Subadar family carrying on despite immense hardship. It has been a long journey for Medtia professionally, yet it is clear that he is still enjoying the ride. New success has not made him complacent, and it’s refreshing to be in the company of someone with such optimism and excitement. He exudes an attitude full of hope and faith, not just in his career but also in life. He strives to break religious and social stereotypes through his writing, and it is writing that defines him, not his ethnicity, “I just try to be a good person, and have a good heart.”
This interview was done by Tahira Dar for the DXN Magazine.