The Chick-Lit Writer: Madhuri Banerjee

When you pick up a book that says “Losing My VIRGINITY & other dumb ideas”, what’s the first thought that comes to your mind about the author ?

For someone whose first book had the “V” word on the cover, Madhuri Banerjee is one of the very first writers, to write about the bolder side of modern day women, in a repressed society like India. Labelled as the “chick-lit” writer by critics, Madhuri embraced the tag with pride.

“If writing about women and their feelings is chick lit, then so be it! It’s a very powerful thing that I am carrying on.”

India has very few women today who are as bold and as practical as Madhuri. I’ve seen charismatic men who completely understand women, but we are yet to see a woman as realistic and matter-of-factly as Madhuri.

A wise woman, who has bravely surfaced ups and downs in her life, Madhuri, tries to talk about many things that are vital to Indian women. From all that she has learnt though her experiences, she genuinely wants Indian women to “voice” their “real” thoughts.

Debugging myths like married women cannot have sexual preferences; losing your virginity with “the one” doesn’t define that you’re in “true love” with that person; it’s more about evolving and understanding yourself.

Being “the – only” chick lit writer. 

Chick-lit is not about finding a guy, falling in love, and losing the guy. Writing about women’s issues is a very powerful thing. Emily Dickinson was a chick lit writer, and so was Emily Bronte. If my books sell because I’m writing “women’s issues” then it’s great for my career!

How is writing a Full Time Career?

Writing since she was six years old, Madhuri, has had a super creative mind, and the ability to transform her thoughts on paper in her genetics!

“I wrote my first book when I was about 11 years.”

She writes every single day. When she was 9 years old, she picked up a spiral notebook, started writing and wouldn’t stop until she finished it! She maintains a yearly diary, since she was 10! Proudly she stated that it was in her destiny to write.

Women who are quiet about their sexual desires. 

“I think housewives today are living in a patriarchal system where they are answerable to their husbands, their in-laws and an entire society.”

She states that women today are scared to speak about their sexual desires and their needs. Even asking for something as basic as a “me-time”, is something women refrain from doing, just to keep their marriages intact!

“If you don’t tell your husband what you want, then you’ll be living this half-life all your life.”

In context of ambiguity or fear, the wives don’t tell their husbands what they really like, whether they are happy with their sex-lives or not. And this ends up in the woman being almost depressed. Why can’t women just speak up? Is Madhuri’s question to the ladies out there.

Housewives today should definitely speak up. They would be pleasantly surprised to find how many husbands actually would be willing to give it to them!