Interview With Aakash Mehrotra, Author of “The Other Guy ”

The other guy came out in 2017. The SC ruling to decriminalize same-sex relations came in 2018. In that way, I feel any queer literature of that era, where you were being damned a criminal for being gay, has taken the literary course forward.

on Jul 03, 2023

Interview With Aakash Mehrotra, Author of “The Other Guy ” | Frontlist

Frontlist: The Other Guy presents a realistic portrayal of a contemporary same-sex relationship. What inspired you to write this book?

Aakash Mehrotra: I’d say ‘The other guy’ is more of a product of my own hidden emotions and a desire for self-validation. As a queer, growing up in an era when same-sex relationships were even less normalized than today, and we had no role models or art or literature to comfort or inspire us, I always felt a palpable void in my life. I found myself seeking validation and acceptance from others, often neglecting the vital aspect of self-love. I found my comfort in writing – and from there, a desire came to put into words all I have felt over the years. And thus, ‘The other guy’ was born – a gay romance that breathed in a pretty heterosexual world. It was more like looking at my sadness, comfort, and even desire through the protagonists’ eyes.

Frontlist: The book explores the challenges of coming out and navigating relationships for individuals who are not heterosexual. How did you approach capturing the complexities and emotional journeys of these characters?

Aakash Mehrotra: When I decided to write a queer story, I was certain that even though the story would be a reflection of me as the topic is so close and personal, it doesn’t have to be my story or my emotions. Same-sex relationships can be complex, both emotionally and socially. Existing within a closed society may bring many challenges in navigating the relationship as a lot of people are there to gate-keep a lot of your needs. I talked to a lot of queers to understand their lives, the challenges they face, the complications as they navigate their lives, and the desire to have a relationship that is seen as normal. Those conversations helped me understand their lives and provided the elements to capture the emotional journeys queers undertake. It was quite a lot to box in in one book or story, but a start had to be made somewhere with something.

Frontlist: The book touches upon the societal repression faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in the Indian context. How did you aim to depict the tension and dual lives many people are forced to live due to societal norms and archaic laws?

Aakash Mehrotra: While writing, it was clear that this whole aspect of living double lives has to be brought out. That tension resides within queers, which shapes up differently – sometimes as rage towards society or oneself, or sometimes as courage or desperation to take extreme ways to navigate. I presented a thought of a lavender marriage in my book (which is controversial). But that was still the climax. This whole aspect needed to be brought out throughout the story as signs or signals. It was fashioned as protagonists hiding their relationship as a friendship, making love in hidden spots and making sure they aren’t seen, or as a dilemma when they dress up in the morning to their office set in a certain hetero-normative set-up or the monologue which was used to bring up all those bottled emotions.

Frontlist: The book touches on the activism and advocacy often associated with queer literature. How did you incorporate these aspects while presenting a realistic love story?

Aakash Mehrotra: Honestly, I never made it a point to use this book for advocacy or activism. For me, it was a love story that needed to be told. But it is quite natural that when a story of a repressed community is revealed, it becomes a piece of advocacy and says much more without saying anything. Queers face a lot of challenges in our society, be it when growing up with repressed feelings which shatter their confidence often, or the questioning eyes of society, and the thought that they have to live their life as someone who they are not keeping their identity up close in the closet. I feel that any story that can bring out these closeted conversations, that rage and insecurity bucketed inside, or the soft sides of being queer will become an element of advocacy, even when you have never desired to make it so. Or, as they say, when love blossoms in challenging circumstances, it becomes immortal and inspires generations.

Frontlist: How do you see The Other Guy contributing to the literary discourse and advancing the representation of queer lives?

Aakash Mehrotra: The other guy came out in 2017. The SC ruling to decriminalize same-sex relations came in 2018. In that way, I feel any queer literature of that era, where you were being damned a criminal for being gay, has taken the literary course forward. Queer lives needed representation in arts, media, literature, or any aspect of society. I, for instance, grew up with almost nothing to read with who I could relate. In fact, it was worse; homosexual relations were mocked. I was very young when the movie ‘Fire’ was released, and there were massive protests and cinema halls burned for showing the movie. There was no queer book you could lay your hands on; writing a gay romance wasn’t seen as good business by both writers or publishers. If, by any chance, ‘The other guy’ has filled that void and given aspiring queer writers the thought that this is possible, and you can craft a gay romance, and people will accept it, I feel the book has done its work. Now we see a lot more conversation, but still, there’s so much to say and talk about and so many lives to touch. We are still at the basic, laying grounds for the future.

Frontlist: The book addresses the dichotomy of love versus friendship in the context of gay relationships. What insights or reflections did you hope to provide readers through this exploration?

Aakash Mehrotra: I feel this was the most touching part I wanted to touch upon. That’s why I brought two parallel love stories in the book, one hetero-relation, and one same-sex relation. That brought out some social nuances and outlooks in the novel without being too didactic. Also, it was a conscious decision to give a lot of space for every straight character in the story to grow and express themselves. It was essential to provide the story with a certain outlook from their point of view – the thoughts held tightly, the dilemma, and the entire fragility of emotions that could be traversed. Friendship is one overwhelming emotion in the novel, not just between the protagonist Anuj and his straight friends, or the delicate association he lived with his elder sister, which was borderline sisterly love and friendly affection, but also between the gay lovers Anuj and Nikhil. Their relationship was wrapped in a mix of love and friendship. This was quite personal because I believe that affection and love can not survive without friendship, and friendships don’t last long without a hint of affection.