Nikita
Tak: Let’s welcome to my blog, Rohit Sharma, the
author “Te Amo I Love You”, an enticing romance-thriller smash hit, and “12
HOURS”, an enthralling anthology.
Rohit
Sharma: Thank you, Nikita. J
Nikita
Tak: Firstly, congratulations on the 3rd
anniversary of your book "Te Amo I Love You".
Rohit
Sharma: Muchas Gracias (Thanks a
lot). Third anniversary! Phew! It has been fantastic three years of my life. I
still remember the day (July 2008), when I had eventually finalised the climax
of ‘Te Amo’. The book took more than 4 years to complete (from idea to
published work), and it was a journey with lots of ups and downs. Now, when I
look back at those 4 years (2008-2012), I feel content. The hard work, the
sweat, the frustration, the patience has finally paid off. Over the last 3
years, I have earned over 40k readers, and much more love and adulation. ‘Te
Amo’ was a big risk, but the God above, and the readers have been extremely
kind to me.
Nikita
Tak: Your birthday
Rohit
Sharma: July 6th (let’s
keep the Year a secret!) J
Nikita
Tak: Your hometown
Rohit
Sharma: Faridabad
Nikita
Tak: Your place of birth
Rohit
Sharma: Amritsar
Nikita
Tak: Your favourite fashion trend
Rohit
Sharma: I have no fashion sense
whatsoever. I wear what I like, or what my sister forces me to wear. I am not a
fashion freak, but I love my Bracelet, and my collection of Black Suits.
Nikita
Tak: Your favourite food
Rohit
Sharma: Love whatever Mom cooks. But
‘Sarason Ka Saag’ is my all time favourite.
Nikita
Tak: Your favourite dessert
Rohit
Sharma: I love Ice Creams! I have a
sweet tooth! Give me anything sweet, and I will gobble it up.
Nikita
Tak: Perfect attire for a date
Rohit
Sharma: It depends on various things
– weather, time, place etc. In summers, I will probably prefer a pair of jeans
and a t-shirt. In winters, and especially if the place is a classy one, I will
go for a semi-formal look (Black suit, with a matching shirt).
Tell you what … you ask me something, and I start
imagining. Writer instincts, I guess. I have never been on a date, so I have no
fixed answer. J
Nikita
Tak: Your favourite perfume
Rohit
Sharma: For myself - Issey Miyake,
Hugo Boss, Davidoff … but if I have to choose one, I will go with Issey Miyake.
On females, I love ‘212 Sexy by Carolina Herrera’.
Nikita
Tak: Your 2 A.M friend
Rohit
Sharma: My family.
Nikita
Tak: Things you can’t live without
Rohit
Sharma: I will positively die
without Food, Air, and Water.
Nikita
Tak: One thing you want to change about yourself
Rohit
Sharma: I try for perfection in
everything I do. Nothing bad in it, but I, sometimes, irritate others. Ask the
cover designers of my books. J Gladly, most of the people
don’t complain.
Nikita
Tak: What you do to relax?
Rohit
Sharma: Lots of things – Books,
Movies, Sports, Gym, Travel, Social-Networking. There are so many things to do
in life, with so little time.
Nikita
Tak: Movie that brings smile to your face
Rohit
Sharma: Namaste London and Zindagi
Na Milegi Dobara
Nikita
Tak: Million dollar (happiest) moment of your life
Rohit
Sharma: The happiness on my sister’s
face, the day she got married. It was a tough, but one of the happiest days of
my life.
Reviews by some readers, whose lives got changed
after reading my books, was overwhelming. Also the proud look on my Mom &
Dad’s faces whenever I did (or will do) something good in life. Luckily, God
has blessed me with numerous happy moments J
(touchwood).
Nikita
Tak: Embarrassing moment of your life
Rohit
Sharma: My jeans ditched me once while
playing a game of Table-Tennis. Luckily I had a jacket, which I wrapped around
my waist, and drove back home. J
Nikita
Tak: What you love to write more, stories or poetries?
Rohit
Sharma: Novels. (Romance-Thrillers
preferably)
Nikita
Tak: Favourite
Author/Authors
Rohit
Sharma: Nicholas Sparks, Sidney
Sheldon, Amitav Ghosh, and Ashwin Sanghi. Among my contemporaries, I truly
appreciate and love Novoneel’s work.
Nikita
Tak: Favourite
Poet/Poets
Rohit
Sharma: I rarely ready poetry, and I
have surely missed work by many brilliant poets. Among the ones I have read, I
like Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poems. They are truly inspirational.
Nikita
Tak: Favourite
Actor/Actors and Actress/Actresses
Rohit
Sharma: Hrithik Roshan and
Aishwarya Rai / Penelope Cruz.
Nikita
Tak: What was the spark/flame of inspiration for you,
before you began writing this first ravishing novel?
Rohit
Sharma: Love and craziness for
Spain and their culture.
Nikita
Tak: Would you like to dedicate your first novel to
someone? If yes, to whom and why?
Rohit
Sharma: To everyone who believe in
the power of Love, and also to those who don’t.
Nikita
Tak: Other secret skills you cherish
Rohit
Sharma: I am a better dancer than a
writer, and I am a good cook too.
Nikita
Tak: Your secret to
success
Rohit
Sharma: My Mantra – “Success is temporary.
Stay grounded, and keep working hard.”
Nikita
Tak: What would you
do if you win 1 Crore rupees?
Rohit Sharma:
Let’s be pragmatic here. I
will pay off my house loan, and from the remaining amount (which will be
enough, I guess) I will open a decent school/hospital, for the needy, on my
mother’s name.
Nikita
Tak: If you had a
last wish?
Rohit
Sharma: Most of what I had ever
wished for, has already been fulfilled. I have no new wishes, at the moment.
But if some sort of Gennie appears and tells me that it’s my last day, and I
have one wish to make, I will ask for good health and happiness of my loved
ones.
Nikita
Tak: Message for
emerging writers
Rohit
Sharma: A few important points –
1. Don’t write for money.
2. Don’t follow the herd.
3. Continuously improve your
writing skills and vocab.
4. Write ‘Good’ stories, and by
good I mean, stories which I have some depth and meaning.
5. Write that can make someone
smile, or cry, or fall in love, or can bring a change in the society.
6. Don’t be afraid of
experimenting. Success will not teach you anything. Failure can.
7. Be patient, and don’t follow
shortcuts. Success is sweeter when it is earned the hard way!
8. Most importantly . . . fall
in love with your work, only then the readers will love it.
Nikita
Tak: Thank you for taking time to interact, wish you
success in all your future endeavours!!
Rohit
Sharma: Thank you, Nikita, for
giving me an opportunity to share my thoughts, and for celebrating Te Amo’s
anniversary. It is, indeed, a very special gesture. I am grateful. Thank you.
