Author Chaya Srivatsa's total recall

What would you do when you decide to take a long break after a career that spanned for over more than 30 years? One might think of hanging up one’s boots in the cupboard. However, freelance writer and author Chaya Srivatsa decided to brush away the dust that had collected over time on her precious box that contained all of her stories and interviews that she had been doing the past three decades.

Thus materialised Pen Drive, Chaya’spick of the best from her career that saw her writing for several leading newspapers and magazines in the country. The author says, “I had filed all my stories sincerely over 30 years. They were all lying inside a box. My husband had then passed away and I relocated to an ashram, to explore spirituality and had a lot of time to spare. I realised lots of people I had interviewed like Ashok Kumar, Sohrab Modi, Durga Khote, Nirupa Roy, Dev Anand and many more were being forgotten by people in the modern times. I wanted to bring alive those memories.”

Several of the artistes from Bollywood whom she interviewed went on to become her friends. However, she admits that meeting actor Raj Kapoor was the most pleasant experience, and the veteran star’s respect for women touched her heart. She recounts, “It was the best thing in my life. He valued people no matter what. Sometimes, he would even lend me his car to go home in. He even gave me a screen test for Ram Teri Ganga Maili but I din’t make it.”

The ex-lecturer with KC College also is a motivational speaker today in corporate organisations. Her interaction with kids has helped her understand people better. “I never knew anything about art. But I was once given an assignment to interview Rukmini Verma, painter Raja Ravi Verma’s direct descendent. I learned a lot from her. I also learned what cartooning was all about from RK Laxman. It was surprising to hear from his (Laxman’s) wife that  Laxman wasn’t funny at all.”