Author Interview: Brannavan Gnanalingam

The Life and Opinions of Kartik Popat is a ferocious, often hilarious, and stinging political satire that casts a searing look at the rise of wannabe South Asian firebrand politicians in Western democracies and imagines what that may look like in our own fair country. The novel satirizes the concept of the idealised minority: the main character Kartik makes a laughingstock of some of today’s political machinations and delineated politics, and reacts to the idea of the political mutual admiration society in an egocentric way.

Brannavan Gnanalingam is an award-winning novelist based in Pōneke. He is the author of Sprigs, which won the Ngaio Marsh Award for Best Novel in 2021 (and was shortlisted for a whole host of other prizes!). Other award-winning and nominated books include Sodden Downstream, and A Briefcase, Two Pies and a Penthouse. He has written for the Sunday-Star Times, and been a film reviewer for The Lumière.

The Life and Opinions of Kartik Popat is Brannavan’s eighth novel.

We were thrilled when Brannavan took time out from his very busy schedule to discuss The Life and Opinions of Kartik Popat and we wish to extend our heartfelt thanks to him.

This interview was done in conjunction with Caffeine and Aspirin, the arts and entertainment review show on Radioactive FM. The interview was arranged by Lawrence & Gibson Publishing and was conducted by host Neil Johnstone.

You can hear the interview and borrow The Life and Opinions of Kartik Popat and Brannavan Gnanalingam’s other novels by following the links below.

• The life and opinions of Kartik Popat / Gnanalingam, Brannavan
• Sodden downstream / Gnanalingam, Brannavan
• Slow down, you're here / Gnanalingam, Brannavan
• Sprigs / Gnanalingam, Brannavan
• A briefcase, two pies and a penthouse : a novel / Gnanalingam, Brannavan
• Credit in the straight world / Gnanalingam, Brannavan
• Getting under sail / Gnanalingam, Brannavan