Vikas Swarup away from the glare, but has no complaints

Vikas Swarup should have been at the centre of the celebrations at Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, where Slumdog Millionaire, the film adaptation of his novel Q and A won three Golden Globe awards.

Swarup missed out on the glamour and excitement because he had not been invited to the do. He, however, hopes to be there for the Oscars.

Swarup, an Indian diplomat posted in Pretoria as deputy high commissioner, watched the event on television in London. Thousands of miles away from the spotlight, he was not grumbling. “Yes, on the whole I am very  happy,” he said when contacted by DNA.

He said he was satisfied with the film version of his novel. The story has been condensed, but the spirit is intact, he added. “Some adjustments were necessary.” He saw Slumdog Millionaire in London on October 30 and was happy that director Danny Boyle did not deviate much from the book.

The film rights for Q and A was bought  in 2004 by Film Four, UK, even before the novel was released. Once the decision to make the film was taken, Swarup met screenplay writer Simon Beufoy several times.

The first draft was shown to him, and he gave his suggestions. Accordingly, the second draft was made and shown to him.

Swarup was delighted that the AR Rahman score for the movie won the music director a Golden Globe. “The music was integral to the film. I am overjoyed that Rahman has got worldwide acclaim.”

The rights of his second novel, Six Suspects, have been bought by the BBC. It would be auctioned to be made into a movie. However despite these lucrative deals, Swarup said he would not quit the Indian Foreign Service. “I am happy writing in spare time. A full-fledged career as a writer would be stressful,” he said.