When Salman Rushdie came calling...

Being Rohinton Mistry's younger brother can't be easy. Not if you happen to be a writer yourself, that is. And yet, Cyrus Mistry has managed quite well, considering his debut novel, The Radiance of Ashes, was a nominee for the English Fiction award. Set in Mumbai, the book jumps from a middle-class Parsi housing colony to a slum on the outskirts of the city, its protagonist 'Jingo' drifting from one setting to the next.

An award-winning playwright and screenwriter, Mistry was polite and disarmingly down-to-earth. He made small talk with a few other writers in the room, before sitting down for a quick chat.

What do you do when you're not writing fiction?

I write sporadically, in between earning a living by working as a journalist, writing film scripts and plays. Now, finally, I hope I have been able to reach a stage where I can devote myself to fiction full-time.

Do you think it makes sense for an author in India to continue writing full-time?

It makes sense for me because it's probably the only thing I can do, and do well. As far as monetary terms go, my book was first published abroad, so I don't have much to complain about. The money will come. I have my foot in the door, I suppose, so the next book will be easier to publish.

Image: Cyrus Mistry can write. And he has proof.