What made you write a memoir?
AV Anoop, author, You Turn (Courtesy the subject)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a lot of time on my hands and I wanted to use it well. Because of the unexpected break from my hectic schedule, I could read, look back at my life experiences, and write down my thoughts. I also attended some online meetings where people asked me to speak about my success as a businessman and film producer.
These opportunities gave me the confidence that I needed to write a memoir. To be honest, even after finishing my manuscript, I thought that I might have to go down the self-publishing route but Ravi Deecee of DC Books liked it and published it in Malayalam. After that, Penguin Random House came on board to publish the English translation by Geeta Nair. She was equally comfortable with Malayalam and English and understood my style of writing really well.
What target audience did you have in mind while writing?
I wanted to write a book that would be informative and inspiring for any youngster who wants to start a business, enter the field of social work or get into filmmaking. I was lucky to get a chance to explore all these areas, so I wanted to share my journey with the younger generation. I hope that the English translation will help me reach a wider audience.
Your grandfather — AC Govindan — was a writer, and so was your father AG Vasavan. Did they serve as sources of inspiration, or did you feel intimidated by the expectations that readers might have and the comparisons that they might draw?
I was only three years old when my grandfather passed away. I have learnt about him mainly from the elders in my family because we got very little time together. As a magistrate, he used to read a lot. There was a separate room in the house where he used to sit by himself, immersed in books. He gave motivational speeches and also wrote books. My father, who was the Director of the Fisheries Department in Kerala, used to write humorous columns and articles. My love of reading and writing certainly comes from both of them. But I am not so prolific with my writing. I took nearly two years to write this book. With my schedule, I found that the most effective way to write was to make quick notes on my mobile phone whenever an idea occurred to me and elaborate on it later as soon as I got some time. Once I found confidence within myself, I did not worry about expectations and comparisons.
200pp, ₹499; Penguin
In your book, we meet Dr P V Sidhan, your late uncle who was the genius behind the Ayurvedic soap Medimix. What did you learn from working with him?
Sidhan Uncle was passionately involved in his work, and it was inspiring to see that. He was a student of Government College of Integrated Medicine and Doctor of Medicine and Surgery at Kilpauk Medical College. Students who completed this course were allowed to practise allopathy and Ayurveda. When he became a doctor for the Indian Railways, he used to leave for the hospital by 7.30 in the morning and return by 5.30 in the evening. Every morning, he woke up around 4.30am. His personal assistant used come in by 5am and take down all the instructions. Sidhan Uncle trusted people, delegated responsibilities to them, and monitored them properly. I observed all these qualities in him that contributed to the success of the business. Many of the patients approached him for treatment of skin diseases. That led him to make viprathi oil, which is prescribed for skin diseases. When the patients found it effective, he thought of making a soap using the same ingredients. Sidhan Uncle and his wife Soubhagyam used to make the soap in their own kitchen in Chennai before a factory was set up. Today the soap is known and used internationally. I joined him in the early 1980s.
In the early days, you went around selling Medimix soap on a bicycle. Today, it is a common sight in hotels, restaurants, and hospitals. How did the brand grow?
When you have a new brand, you have to invest time and effort in making it visible. You have to introduce the product, explain what sets it apart from existing products in the market, and talk about the quality and pricing. This has to be done very carefully. I enjoyed that. We decided not to offer credit to our distributors. We asked them to buy the product and sell it. Many of them were reluctant but we did not budge. We wanted them to invest money, however little, so that they would take an active interest in promoting and selling the product. When shopkeepers think that they can easily return a product, they do not put in much effort.
You produced the film Yugapurushan (2010) based on the life of spiritual leader and social reformerSree Narayana Guru. Why are you drawn to him?
More than a hundred years ago, Sree Narayana Guru was talking about caste-based discrimination, social equality and providing education to everyone regardless of their background. I wanted the younger generation to know what Kerala was like before him and what it became after him. He was ahead of his time. I wanted to produce Yugapurushan because I wanted to spread his teachings in society, and I am glad that R Sukumaran agreed to direct it.
What film projects are you working on at the moment?
I am busy with a documentary film, which looks at the significance of Ayurveda today. People have many misconceptions about Ayurveda. This film will hopefully clear up the confusion because it is based on evidence from clinical trials and research studies. It brings together perspectives from eminent scholars and practitioners from India, Germany, Switzerland and the United States. I believe that Ayurveda is not our past; it is our future.
How do you respond to people who call Ayurveda a pseudo-science?
The whole purpose behind making the film is to address such criticism. Negative comments against Ayurveda, especially from the Indian Medical Association, are misleading and harmful. I believe in the coexistence of Ayurveda and allopathy. The focus should be on the patient’s condition, and the specific treatment required to cure and heal that person. I believe in integrating what is best and most effective from different systems of medicine.
In 2023, you were appointed the Chairman of the India Eurasian Trade Council. Tell us about your plans.
The purpose of the India Eurasian Trade Council is to strengthen bilateral trade relations. My role involves taking delegations from India to Eurasian countries and setting up meetings with government agencies to enhance business ties. People from Eurasian countries like Georgia and Kyrgyzstan are very keen to provide facilities for shooting of Indian films in some of their most beautiful locations. I am excited to see how this role evolves over time.
Chintan Girish Modi is a Mumbai-based journalist who writes about books, art and culture. He can be reached @chintanwriting on Instagram and X.