Charu Nivedita (born 18 December 1953) is a
Tamil writer based in
Chennai,
India. His novel Zero Degree (1998) was translated into English in 2013 and longlisted that year for the annual
Jan Michalski Prize for Literature.[1] It was also selected or the prestigious 50 Writers, 50 Books - The Best of Indian Fiction, published in 2013 by
HarperCollins.[2][3]
In addition, he has written essays published in such magazines as Art Review Asia, The Asian Age[5] and Deccan Chronicle.[6] His most recent novel, Conversations With Aurangzeb, was released in October 2023. It is part satire and part historical fiction, exploring the enigmatic persona of the controversial 17th-century Mughal Emperor
Aurangzeb.
Towards a Third Cinema (Articles on Latin American Cinema)
Novels
Existentialism and Fancy Baniyan - Tamil / Malayalam
Zero Degree - Tamil / English / Malayalam
Rasa Leela
Kaamarooba Kathaigal
Thegam
Marginal Man (Tamil title was named 'Exile') - Tamil / English
Conversations With Aurangzeb (Tamil title was Naanthaan Aurangzeb)
Short stories
Carnataka Murasum Naveena Tamil Ilakiyathin Meethana Oru Amaipiyal Aayvum - Collection of short stories, published along with Nagaarchunan and Sylvia, aka M.D. Muthukumarasamy
To Byzantium - A Turkey Travelogue (Tamil title was named 'Nilavu Theyatha Thesam) - Tamil/English
Unfaithfully Yours - Collection of articles
Mazhaiya Peigirathu
Anithavin anthapuram
Play
Rendaam Aattam
Antonin Artaud - Oru Kilarchikkaranin Udal
Cinema review
Latin American Cinema
Cinema: Alainthuthiribavanin Azhagiyal
Theeraakaadhali
Cinema Cinema
Naragaththilirundhu oru kural
Kanavugalin Nadanam
Towards a Third Cinema
Oliyin Perunchalanam
Collection of interviews
Ozhunginmaiyin Veriyaattam
Ichchaigalin Irulveli (Second edition of the erstwhile Paaliyal - Oru Urayaadal that comes with the new title)
Question and Answers
Arugil Varaadhey
Aram Porul Inbam
Awards and accolades
Zero Degree was selected for the 50 Writers, 50 Books - The Best of Indian Fiction, edited by Chandra Siddan and Pradeep Sebastian, published by
HarperCollins.[2][3]
He was selected as among 'Top Ten Indians of the Decade 2001 - 2010' by The Economic Times.
Zero Degree (in English) was long-listed for the 2013 edition of
Jan Michalski Prize.[1]
Zero Degree was selected in 2013 as one of "fifteen lesser known yet incredible Indian novels" by Mensxp.com.[7]
The Hindu included Nivedita in its list of "Manathil Pathintha Mugangal 25" (Twenty-Five Eminent Personalities of
Tamil Nadu) in its
Diwali Malar 2014.
He received the 2022
Vishnupuram award,[8] a literary award instituted by Vishnupuram Ilakkiya Vattam.
In his foreword to the
Malayalam translation of Zero Degree,
Paul Zacharia wrote, "It is like an open experimental laboratory. Amidst the smoke, noxious vapors, and beautiful imagery, I experienced a wondrous journey."[10]
Tarun Tejpal wrote that Zero Degree is remarkable for its experimental voice and its varying and shifting tonalities.[11]
Anil Menon considers Zero Degree bold and ambitious.[12]
Translator Jason Grunebaum considers Zero Degree "wildly exciting".[13]
Public events
Literary festivals
Charu Nivedita was one of the invitees for the 2010[14] and 2011[15] editions of Almost Island Dialogues,
New Delhi.
Hay Festival 2011,
Thiruvananthapuram was inaugurated at the British Deputy High Commission,
Chennai by Mike Nithavrianakis, the then Deputy High Commissioner, followed by a reading of an excerpt from Charu Nivedita's works.[18]
He was felicitated at the Twenty Sixth Anniversary Celebration of Katha, a monthly literary magazine of
Sambad (an
Odia daily) at
Bhubaneswar on 10 February 2013.[22]
He was one of the invitees for the Brahmaputra Literary Festival 2017.[23][24]
He was one of the panelists in Kerala Literature Festival 2017.[25][26]
He was one of the speakers the Manipal International Literature and Arts Platform 2018[27][28]
Film festivals
Charu Nivedita was invited as the Guest of Honour on 10 March 2002 at the National Folklore Support Centre Folk Festival,
Chennai.[29]
He inaugurated the International Film Festival of Tamil Nadu 2010, Chennai, organised by the International Tamil Film Academy and Seventh Channel Communications.[31]
He inaugurated the Fourth Panchajanyam International Film Festival 2011 at
Chittur, Kerala.[32]
He inaugurated the valedictory session of the Third International Film Festival 2011,
Kochi, which was jointly organised by the
Kerala State Chalachitra Academy, Heart Light Association and the
Ernakulam District Information Office.[33]
At the 2013 Chennai Rainbow Film Festival (LGBT Film Festival), presented by
Alliance Française de Madras, he participated in the 'Panel Discussion on Media Portrayal of LGBT issues.'[34][35]
He was invited to speak at the valedictory function of ‘Thattakaperuma,' a series of programmes to observe the second death anniversary of
Kovilan, Malayalam writer at
Thrissur on 3 June 2012.[37]
He delivered the commemoration speech at the '
Bob Marley Cultural Fest' on 11 May 2010 at
Kochi.[38][39]
He was one of the panelists at the
Outlook Speak Out debate 2010, Chennai on the subject 'Moral Policing in a Democracy'.[40]
Social activism
Charu Nivedita at Velichikala - Anti-clay mining protest, May 12, 2008
Charu Nivedita at Velichikala
Charu Nivedita at Plachimada Anti-Coca-Cola Relay Hunger Strike, 77th day, May 13, 2008
He was invited as the chief guest of Sambavas' annual celebrations (a
Dalit caste) at
Chalakudy in Kerala on 11 May 2008.[41]
He inaugurated a meeting and spoke among the adivasis protesting against wanton clay mining at Velichikala, near
Kollam.[42]
He addressed a gathering of Plachimada villagers who were on a relay hunger strike against
Coca-Cola's wanton over-drawing of groundwater and polluting water bodies.[43]
He marched with villagers protesting against
Coca-Cola and
Pepsi's wanton overdrawing of groundwater at
Kanjikode, near
Palakkad on 29 August 2008.[44]
He inaugurated a symposium on Mullaiperiyar Dam issue organized by 'Uyiru', a joint cultural forum of Tamil and Malayalam writers and social activists on 7 July 2012 at
Kottayam.[45]
"There is nothing like planning in my literature, at any point of time. It's something which gets written between the schizoid state and dreams. Hence, with this same reason, I cannot comment on my writing. Like how I don't accept the roles of a father, a son, a lover, a friend – I despise the role of a writer too. My writing is nothing but the brush strokes of a person trying to escape from hell."