Tamil writer Imayam in an interview with justice (pensioner) Prabha Sridevan in the Hindu office in Chennai on Thursday, July 24, 2025 | Photo Credit: B. Thamodharan
The writer’s task is to create, while the translator inaches a new life into it in another language, he said on Thursday (July 24, 2025) awarded Tamil writer Imayam Sahitya with academies.
Mr. Imayam was in an interview with justice (retired) Prabha Sridevan, a former judge of the Madras High Court, who translated three of his books into English in the Hindu office in Chennai. Sharing her experience with working with Mr. Imayam, Justice Sridevan said: “Transfer of Vattary Vazhaku (regional dialect) into English is difficult. But Mr. Imayam does not use Vattar in his writing.
When he spoke of the transfer of IPPodhu uyirodirukiren Mr. Imayam into an English edition (for now I am alive … for now), Judge Sridevan said, “The story tells a 15 -year -old boy. I cannot use words like” dichotomy “or” parameters “. faithful to your age and background. ”
He answered the question of Judge Sidevan, who asked whether humor in his otherwise dark and serious stories came naturally or is consciously added, Mr. Imayam said he was not sitting and deciding what to include or omit. “It’s a character that makes decisions, not me. I don’t guarantee. I just write what they’re talking about. As soon as I finish writing, the character leaves me and I leave them,” he said.
“Love is the basis of all my stories,” Mr. Imayam said, talking about where he attracts inspiration for his stories. As society is constantly changing, it is the duty of the writer to document this transformation. The most important responsibility of the writer is to maintain the restoration and transformation of the language through creative evolution to ensure that the tongue remains alive and relevant, he said.
“For me, the narration is second. Revival and refreshing tongue comes first. This is my identity. In the last two thousand years many kings and wealthy people came. Only Tholkappiyar, Thiruvaluvar and Kambar still live through their writings,” he added.
(This conversation was held as part of the Hindu Out Out Out Print series with writers)
Published – July 24, 2025 22:02
