‘Indians writing in English cannot come close to Manto, Premchand or Bibhutibhushan’: Bhalchandra Nemade

An argument with Jnanpith winner Bhalchandra Nemade on the limitations and inevitable failure of Indian writing in English: Scroll.in

Literature is political in nature…literature needs a folklore, a shared history to exist

“There are questions of roots, literary cultures. Languages work within a number of contingent factors, including folklore, say, literary history, shared history and geography, flora, fauna, everything. Unfortunately, the kind of medium you have chosen – whatever your compulsions – you may land yourself into a no-man’s land gradually. Because you are using a form which has no folklore, no shared history.