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Take Your Own Way says Rajnikumar Pandya

Rajnikumar Pandya

Rajnikumar Pandya

My dream was to become a musician.

Rajnikumar Pandya is a well known name in the field of Gujarati literature and pen portraits. He chose to quit his banker job against his desire to become a full time writer. His novel ‘Kunti’ brought him great popularity and some troubles too.

Recently, he pen portrait Upendra Trivedi’s life. He is also working on composing ‘Meghdut’-Kavi Kalidas’ famous creation in such a way that even a common man can understand it. It will be in song format.

After having a tea, he shares many unfold moments of his life with Speakbindas.

VIDEOS OF INTERVIEW

Part 1


Part 2

Part 3

Interview Excerpt

Q.: You are heartily welcome at Speakbindas.com. You are a full time writer, a literary person, a music-lover, a researcher and there may be many other aspects unknown to everybody. So, if Rajnikumar Pandya himself is requested to introduce Rajnikumar Pandya, what would it be?

  • Amm.. A Lost Human! I wanted to become a musician but became a banker. I pursued B.Com instead pursuing a course in art. My first hobby was music, but I couldn’t become a musician. Rest, I became a literary person and that to after serving as a Banker for 30 years. So I feel that I am not a successful person. Today as you are interviewing me doesn’t introduce my success. Because what I should have done 30 years before, I am doing today, and now how many years are left in life?

Q.: And can we have some specific reason behind such feelings?

  • We may call it situations, circumstances, or false decisions. It depends on the kind of parental atmosphere a person is brought up, his own revolutionary and independent nature etc. I feel that if I was a revolutionary kind of kid who could deny to his father’s decision, I could have been a different kind of person today. It happened with in my life for my job, my marriage. I have suffered a lot for my weakness of not able to say “NO.”

Q.: Which is your favorite activity?

  • To keep listening music of old films, share it with friends and acquire from them the same. Today I am doing the same in addition to writing.
Devang Vibhakar with Rajnikumar Pandya

Devang Vibhakar with Rajnikumar Pandya

Q.: Literature has many forms, which one you like the most?

  • Short stories. It is a tough form of literature but I am quite good at that. I also like poems. Many of my novels too have been popular. Apart from short stories, I also love Pen Portraits because I can bring in the story element in it. It doesn’t matter which form of literature I do write, you can find the story element in it. It’s like if you ask a singer of Shastriy Sangit to sing a song of Sugam Sangit, you will somehow feel the presence of Shastriy Sangit in it.

Q.: How do the professional and literary writings of Rajnikumar Pandya differ?

  • You are right with that. I can say that, a writer who writes professionally has the effect of literature too in his writing. I quit my banker job in 1989. I was branch manager of Vijaya Bank. I had to quit it despite the salary and position was good, but demand of writing had increased. At that time, facilities like V.R.S. was not available, no question about facility of pension! And I jumped into writing filed as a full time writer. As a writer it wasn’t a time when I can totally sustain my life by writing short stories. So I accepted the professional writing too such as Pen Portrait. But whatever such professional writing I do, you can find the touch of a novelist in me. So it is quite difficult to differentiate professional and literary writing.
  • Yes, it’s true that the writings that I have written for my own pleasure can be called literary writing, and which I have written on project basis is professional writing. For example, I am working on ‘Meghdut‘ which is created by Kavi Kalidas. Being a director of this project, my first hobby of music has helped me a lot to compose Meghdut with music. And hence, I could suggest Praful Dave for singing, Asit Desai for composing this Mahakavya.

Q.: You are more recognized and known for your novel ‘Kunti‘ based on which twice national television serials are made. It is said that this novel has also brought troubles for you. Would you please shed some light on it?

  • It is also translated into Hindi. At present, ‘Kunti’s’ fifth edition is in printing. I have added a new chapter in it by title “Thodu Sukh, Jaja Sanga.” So to say, it has given me happiness and popularity like the eminent actors like Dev Anand became close to me because of Kunti. It also earned me good money. At the same time, it has also brought the troubles for me. How? Kunti is based on true life story of an Indian woman whose son was adopted against her permission in Sweden. She wasn’t neither aware about this nor was in a position to enquire about the same. Then she got married again, had more children. But she was craving to see her first son once in her life-time. And three decades were passed for her craving. She met big heads like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru requesting them to help her at least to see her son for once and hear him saying ‘mother.’ Nobody helper her for several reasons.
  • Ultimately she came to me. And through my efforts, she found the address of her son, who was living in Sweden, and I also helped her to raise fund for her trip to Sweden and after 30 years she met him. I helped her to fulfill her impossible dream.
  • So based on this true life story, I wrote a novel, being myself one of its characters and I gave it title ‘Kunti.’ And as it was a novel, I added many new characters, incidents, plots, sub-plots, anecdotes in it. Theme was based on her life but the novel was full of many other incidents.
  • So initially, she liked all this, but later by someone’s influence of telling that I earned a lot from this book, she went against me. She came to me and complained me saying that I have earned lacks from it and why I haven’t given anything to her? I clarified to her that it’s a novel I have written and has much more than just her life-story. I also told her that even she can write a novel herself. She also complained that by writing this novel, I badly affected her privacy.
  • Court told her that she has told her story to newspapers, media prior to release of ‘Kunti’ and hence it doesn’t remain a personal story anymore. Ultimately, she lost the case. But it gave me mental troubles for five to six years. Ultimately she asked for my forgiveness and recently wrote me a letter expressing her gratitude. So such kinds of events are part and partial of writer’s life.

Q.:  What would have become if not a writer?

  • A musician, no doubt about that. And even a singer.

Q.: Any such a thing that you wish to learn even today?

  • I would like to learn to play harmonium.

Q.: Who are your favorite writers?

  • In Gujarati, Jhaverchand Meghani. I also like writings of Chandrakant Bakshi, Mohammad Mankad, Joseph Macwan. And in non-fictional I like Urvish Kothari. In fictional I like Manto, Chekhov, Krushnamurti.

Q.: Lastly, any special message you would like to give to readers of Speakbindas?

  • It’s not a message but request to those who are watching this video right now, particularly youth that Take Your Own Way. It’s a biggest punishment to do the things that doesn’t match your passion, that I am suffering from. As parents also, observe your children aptitude, passion and support them in developing it.

About

Devang Vibhakar is the Founder and Editor of www.SpeakBindas.com. He has interviewed more than 350 people. His effort was recognized by Limca Book of Records, twice. He has been to Scotland as well as Germany as part of vocational & cultural exchange programs and has compiled five books so far. He's passionate about bringing forth interesting stories & interviews of entrepreneurs to avid readers of SpeakBindas. He can be reached here.

18 thoughts on “Take Your Own Way says Rajnikumar Pandya

  1. M.D.Gandhi, U.S.A. says:

    બહુ સરસ લેખ લખ્યો છે. ઘણુ જાણવા મલ્યું.

  2. sapana says:

    Sunder Interview.

    Sapana

  3. dilip gajjar says:

    Vey nice interview by Vibhakar of Rajanikant Pandya.
    Regards
    Dilip Gajjar

  4. rkpatel says:

    No matter My only question which our GENIUS-RUSHI-MUNIS had answered ages ago which we-Indians neither KNOW nor WANT TO KNOW is that ARE WE SELFISH or ARE WE UNSELFISH..??

  5. Very Nice interview, great writer & rationalism!!

    I lot like “Kunti” novel and i have fan!

  6. Padmanabh K. Joshi says:

    Rajnikumar Pandya is well-known for his writings on different subjects which have been very well appreciated. But apart from he being a popular writer, his one unknown apect is that as and when he comes to know about a known or unknown person’s pain or tragedy, he is the first to help them. And therefore, I always use great lyricist late Shailendraji’s stanza to introduce Rajnikumar Pandya, ” Darad Paraya Jisko Pyara Wo Kya Apni Baat Kahe”… He has been very kind and always helpful to friends. This is a ver good interview since Rajnibhai is very open and honest in telling story of his life.
    Padmanabh K. Joshi

  7. Navnit Shah says:

    Great interview of a great Gujarati writer Rajnikumar. Congratulations. Rajnikumar’s contribution to Film literature and his characterization of persons in his own style is unique. I enjoyed the interview very much.
    keep up the good work.
    God bless you all.

  8. Amarsinh Vaghela says:

    Dear Rajnikantbhai,
    It was a fantastic interview ! What ever you did so far had a great success !! How can you say that “YOU ARE A FAILURE
    PERSON’ ? God bless you Sir.
    Regards.
    -Amarsinh Vaghela

  9. Harnish Jani says:

    Thank you Bevangbhai for nice interview-
    I m always a fan of Rajnibhai’s writings.especially about films and film personalities. He is the master.

  10. Sumant Vashi (usa) says:

    Dear Rajanibhai,This is very nice to peep in a simple hearted human , who reveales his BINDAST story, without hesitation from A to Z . This I came to read during the week , he wrote about Mahendra Kapoor in Gujarat Times(usa) ,where he has confessed that he missed the opportunity to enter in the field of his first choice music, and even today he is missing it..Here we see his hard work in the field, he was given , or chosen by him, as the work to be completed, which is quite necessary to do.Rajnibhai, I can only pray Almighty God to give you a long healthy life, and do more work in Gujarati literature and reveal your full experiance/attachment/ rememberance with past filmy duniya.

  11. Husseinali says:

    સલામ
    બહૂ સૂંદર વાત ચિત
    સૂખી રહો
    હુસ્સેઇન દાતૂ
    તાન્ઝાનિયા

  12. ruchir joshi says:

    i am a big fan of rajnikumar padya.god bless u sir….

  13. rajesh says:

    hub sundar. hu gujaraty chhu. guj.ma samaj vadhare pade to koy samajavi sake kharu. me gano samy dhyan karyu chhe pan hamna gana samay thi bandh karel chhe. yogya samaj ni hovathi. yogya margdarshan aapso. aabhar.

  14. nikul joshi says:

    vrey nice MEGHDUT sir

  15. mrudula shah says:

    hearttouching interview

  16. gorde sir says:

    a great person

  17. gorde sir (from shirdi) says:

    please, contact 9527335912

  18. FALESH RAMCHANDRA VORA says:

    03.04.2018
    ફ્લેશ રામચંદ્ર વોરા
    8490051989

    વિષય:માનવતા

    સત્યઘટના પર આધારિત
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    પ્રસ્તાવના

    આ સાથે વીડિયો પોસ્ટ કરું છું એ
    આત્મશ્લાધા માટે નથી❌,
    મારી કોઈ ચીપ પબ્લિસિટી સ્ટંટ નથી❌,
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    ———————————
    આજે સાંજે 6.40 ઘેરે આવતાં હું બાઇક પર હતો ત્યાં અચાનક નજર વીડિયો માં દર્શાવેલ પરિવાર તરફ ગઈ. એક જ સાયકલ પર ત્રણ લાચાર અશક્ત
    અપંગો ની સાયકલમાં અપંગ માગવા નીકળ્યાં હોય એ તમામે લાખ્ખો વખત જોયું હોય! મેં પણ! પરંતુ આ કેસ માં એ નથી રોકાયા❌ હું એમના તરફ ખેંચાયો
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    શ્રી હાટકેશ મહાદેવે અને માં જગદંબે એ અનાયાસે મારામાં દયા,માનવતા, કરુણા, અનુકંપા ….નો ભાવ જાગૃત કર્યો
    જય હાટકેશ

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    ———————————
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    ૐ નમઃ શિવાય
    જય હાટકેશ

    05.04.2018
    માનવતા

    મારા આગલા મેસેજના અનુસંધાન માં…
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    ———————————
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    એ પૈકી એક ગ્રુપમાં થી એક બહેન આ મેસેજથી લાગણીશીલ બન્યાં, ઈશ્વર કૃપાથી એમનો માનવતા/દયા/કરુણા ભાવ પ્રગટ થયો
    મને અચાનક આજે બપોરે એમનો ફોન આવ્યો

    એમણે મને વાત્સલ્યપૂર્ણ આદેશ આપ્યો કે તમે આ પરિવાર ને ગમે ત્યાંથી શોધી કાઢો અને એમને એ બહેન તરફથી X મદદ કરો

    તો મેં સાંજે 6 પછી એ આદેશનો અમલ કર્યો

    એ ફીડબેક વિડીયો અમુક મોકલું છું.

    માત્ર આ બાબતે રસ હોય એમના માટે

    અન્યો ને નમ્ર વિનંતી કે આ મારા મેસેજો ઇગ્નોર કરે / ડીલીટ કરે

    જય હાટકેશ

    07.04.2018
    આના અનુસંધાન માં.

    આવાં લોકોને માત્ર બે ચાર જોડી કપડાં કે 200-500 રૂ આપી દેવાથી કોઈ મહાન કાર્ય હોય એવું નથી. કેમકે આવાં અપંગ અશક્ત લાચાર નું કોઈ નથી.

    મહાદેવ માતાજી બોલવા પૂરતું સારું લાગે.

    બાકી એનાથી જીવનનિર્વાહ ન થાય. આખી જિંદગી ન નીકળે. એમની સમસ્યાઓ નું કાયમી સોલ્યુશન ન નીકળે.

    બાકી હવે હું એક એવા અનાથ આશ્રમની શોધમાં છું કે જે આવાં લોકોને રાખે.

    આ પ્રયત્ન ના ભાગ રૂપે મેં એક બે મિત્રો દ્વારા મારા ધ્યાનમાં હતો એવો એક આશ્રમ,
    મધર ટેરેસા આશ્રમ, નોવિનો બેટરી સામે, મકરપુરા રોડ, સુશેન ચાર રસ્તા થી આગળ ડાબી બાજુ, તપાસ કરાવી અને મેં જાતે 02656544287 પર 3 ફોન કરી , 3 સિસ્ટર્સ (અલગ અલગ હોદ્દાના) સાથે વાત કરી ઉપરાંત એના વેબસાઈટ પર મળેલા મુખ્ય મથક ના મોબાઈલ 8939300227 પર પણ વાત કરી

    પણ એમણે આવાં લોકોને રાખવાની સ્પષ્ટ ના પાડી. ઉપરાંત વધુ ચર્ચા કરતાં, મને મારી રીતે આવો કોઈ આશ્રમ શોધવાની સલાહ આપી

    આથી મેં એક પોલીસ ઇન્સપેક્ટર સાહેબને પણ ફોન કરી પુચ્છયું પણ એમના ધ્યાનમાં પણ નથી

    આથી આ ગ્રુપમાં જનરલ તમામ લોકો ને પૂછું છું કે,

    જો કોઈ એવો આશ્રમ મળે તો મને સંપર્ક કરવો જેથી હું અને અમુક આ સેવાયજ્ઞ માં જોડાયેલા લોકો આ અપંગ અશક્ત લાચાર લોકોને આવાં આશ્રમ મા દાખલો અપાવી આ સમસ્યા નું કાયમી લોન્ગ ટર્મ સોલ્યુશન લાવી શકીએ

    આભાર

    જય હાટકેશ

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