"Superwoman is a feminist's villain" says writer Meghna Pant

What do you do when a man says a woman can’t write a war novel? You prove him wrong by writing one, which is exactly what Meghna Pant did. “I had to debunk the stereotype,” she says about her book The Man Who Lost India. She doesn’t like to call it solely a war novel, though, it’s one of peace as well, she says, to serve as a wake-up call.

Within the pages of her latest work lies a narrative breaking away from conventional storytelling. She’s never been one for conventions anyway, with published works ranging across genres and styles. The Man Who Lost India is set against the backdrop of an Indo-China war in a dystopian future where readers are taken on an immersive journey through the town of Lalbag.

Here, echoes of conflict are felt through every character’s words. There’s a darkness that encompasses Pant’s characters, who live under Imperial rule. Pant’s sardonic exploration of the social and geopolitical landscape, love and life in the time of war, with a spritz of humour and a dash of science fiction, leaves a lasting impression.

Raised amidst the rigid societal expectations of the ’90s, where parents limited their children’s career choices to predetermined boxes of doctor, lawyer and chartered accountant, Pant harboured a love for writing. As a kid, she wanted to be everything at once, from accountant and actor to advertising executive and doctor.

She knew pursuing her passion was an idealistic dream. “I was able to buy into that only once I was settled in my career as a journalist and, more importantly, financially stable. I think women, especially, need some sort of stability in order to pursue their passion full-time, as I do now.” The balancing act can be a challenge, but we could all learn a thing or two from these literary greats to overcome creative blocks.

She saved up before diving into writing as a career, saying, “Unless you have a large inheritance, you have to be practical. There are bills to pay.” Pant speaks the truth, she doesn’t like to sugar-coat things. As a journalist, truth and facts were her bread and butter, after all. “I give this advice to every single writer, every artist actually — you don’t owe allegiance to anybody. The only thing that you owe allegiance to is the truth and that’s where you should remain.”

In The Man Who Lost India, we get a poignant portrayal of what Pant says is inevitable: a collision between global powers, exacerbated by the looming spectre of climate change, adding further pressure on our already depleting natural resources and growing global population. Pant’s narrative serves as a clarion call to the international community, advocating for diplomacy and dialogue to combat increasingly violent conflict.

When you speak to Meghna Pant, you get the feeling that she knows exactly who she is and how to express that in words while wielding her pen or, more likely, typing away at a keyboard while her kids are at school or asleep.

“Superwoman is the feminist’s villain. We’ve been put up to these impossible standards. We have to run our houses and careers, and take care of kids and elders. There are so many roles that a woman has been made to take on at any point and in any field.” When she was pregnant with her first child, she was told in a passing comment that “you’ll be out of commission for five years”. She ended up publishing multiple books during that time. “I have been at my most productive after becoming a mother,” she says. It took some changes in the schedule, which means there is no schedule. “Now, with children, I write whenever I get a free second.”

As the night unfolds and characters dance through the labyrinthine corridors of her imagination, Pant remains steadfast in her commitment to her craft. “What keeps me up at night are the stories clamoring to be told,” she reveals. “Each character, each plot twist demands to be heard, refusing to be silenced.”

Pant hones her narrative prowess through the prism of journalism, marrying the precision of facts with the boundless expanse of fiction in her creative writing. “Journalism instills discipline, honesty and resilience,” she reflects. Pant draws inspiration from everyday life, weaving tales from the fabric of human experience. “Human truth is often stranger than fiction,” she observes sagely.

Intense observation is part of being a storyteller, often circling our near and dear ones like vultures, waiting to pick at the carcass of their experiences — the good, the bad and the ugly – then channelling bits and pieces of it into narratives that resonate with readers in a digestible manner.

With The Man Who Lost India, Meghna Pant sets off to ignite a conversation and bring to light a frightening, very possible reality through a narrative that lingers long after the final page is turned. In her hands, dystopia becomes a canvas for introspection, a looking glass unveiling human beings’ complexities and indomitable spirit.

Published by Simon & Schuster, you can click here to get a copy of The Man Who Lost India.