Riddhika Jain is a writer of lesbian fiction who resides in Kolkata, India.
Your 2nd book, Scarred, came out on 21st February, 2021. What was the inspiration for the story?
The inspiration for my story would be the queer people who are forced to marry someone they do not love just because the Indian Society thinks loving a same sex person or a trans person goes against their societal norms. But to be honest, I believe in love is love. I have also discussed various social issues in it that are neglected in India such as domestic violence, marital rape, mental health, women empowerment as well as the LGBTQIA+ issues. These topics needs to be talked about too.
What motivates you to write?
My mentors who push me to write and finish that first draft of my book, the LGBTQIA+ community of India for they too deserve their stories to be told by an Indian Author who identities herself from the same community and ofc, love. Love is the sole reason I write. I know I have a story that needs to be out and waiting to be read by so many people, that itself motivates me to write.
How do you select the names of your characters?
For an Indian setting, I choose the names that are unique and uncommon in India. But I have been thinking lately to pick a common name for my fourth book as it’d be easy for the person with that name to relate and pick the book.
What is your favourite love story of all time, either book or movie?
Movie – Loving Annabelle
Which actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?
Stephanie Beatriz from Brooklyn Nine Nine Series as she perfectly fits the role of Jhanvi who’s my main protagonist from Scarred. I would love to see her play
About Scarred:
“What is pain, if not felt?
What is love, if not lost?
My parents forced me to marry a man of their choice. He turned out to be a monster. Now, I am alone. Everything I believe in, goes against the norms of society. Just as everything was fading to black, a woman stepped out of the shadows and saved me.
But was I saved?
And at what price?
My name is Jhanvi Gupta, and this is my story.”
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