One can never be a good artist   without having a handful of  critics- author Sahil Mudasir

“The real taste comes when one defeats those complexities and come out victorious”.

Thank you shahid for giving us your precious time. You are most welcome!
I am honored. Thank you for this    opportunity!

Q Tell us about yourself?
A) I am Sahil Mudasir, hailing from a small hamlet, Melahura in Shopian.I am a teacher by profession and a published poet too. I have published two books, ‘ The Shadows’ and ‘ Secrets of an occupied heart’. Apart from this, I am working as a co-editor for ILA international magazine.I am also an Ambassador for International youth development United Nations.

Q How you started your journey?
A) Well, my life has been a journey since from the begining.When I was born; my life was already a complex question for me to answer. I have seen trials and tribulations in the process of my being. I have seen life from very close, where to my utter surprise, everything seems scattered. However, I learnt to collect all the pieces of my life in my palm and found a handful of pearls. It was then in 2014, I thought to give an actual shape to the challenges in the form of verses I quote.

Q What was your parent’s reaction when they got to know about your writings?
A) Parents are the real mentors who always care for you and hope to see their child do something better. As of my parents reaction, they have always supported me and undoubtedly have trust in me.They provided me every possible assistance in my journey as a writer. They were always helpful and cooperative. I am thankful to the Almighty for blessing me such wonderful parents.

Q Why do you write?
A) Well, there are writers who have multiplenumbers of stories to share of why they write. But the real taste of writing comes when you write with an aim or purpose. Since my childhood, I always try to give something to the society. Apart from this perspective, there are stories in our valley which get buried without any acknowledgement, as a writer, I try to give voice to the voiceless, people of my valley. I want to represent their sufferings, troubles, and hardships to the world.

Q Any difference you feel in yourself because of writing?
A) Exactly, Writing has made my journey very easy to get connected globally. It has developed me as a real human being. Writing for me is a channel to give vent to my thoughts and feelings. Moreover, it has provided me a good platform, where I can express the language of silence andthis language never lies to you.

Q You have written a book, titled as “The Shadows”. What’s it all about?
A) ‘The Shadows’, talks about the pain and sufferings of people. It takes the reader to the human world where everything is shattered and broken.One can feel the gloomy atmosphere and disturbance caused by some mighty powers.
There are indeed, poems of hope and resurrection amidst these irruptions and intercessions. Themes of nature and beauty, feminism, love and lost, pangs of separation, nostalgia, frustration, expectations and hope, futility of wars, solitude, can also be seen in the book.

Q How social media is both source of contribution and devaluation to art?
A) Well, social media is not always devaluating the artist’s productivity.Infact, it can provide you a platform to work out your process as an artist.It makes your journey easy and more comfortable and reminds you from time to time, how you have been seen in the world of literature.
On the other side, there are, indeed, some negative effects of social media. Too much of everything is always dangerous and enough to kill your talent. Making excessive use of social media will kill the power of imagination in you and can leave bad imprints on your personality. It may, surely, weaken the power of art and artist in you.

Q How do you handle demotivating responses?
A) One can never be a good artist without having a handful of critics.Infact, it is the critic who gives birth to the real artist in you.Moreover, I never feel disheartened after getting any demotivating comments from people rather I feel happy to take those responses as good gestures to polish my art better. I also suggest that one should never be discouraged to see such responses but be satisfied that someone is reading with interest what you write or create.

Q How reading enhances our writing skills?
A) Reading is a good way to improve your writing.Inorder to do something, it is imperative to know what you want to do. You can’t do any job unless you know how to do that. Similarly, if you want to write a book, you need to read books. Reading can develop new styles, new genres and other forms of writing in us. Reading helps us to get connected to our imagination and ideas that always knock our mind. Therefore, the more we read the more better we write.

Q What would be your message to aspiring writers?
A) Since, we are surrounded from every corner by the budding writers who write or plan to write. My message for them is to come forward, if they yen to give something to the society. The journey may be hard in the initial, but smooth in future. One must focus on the journey and not the destination. The real taste comes when one defeats those complexities and come out victorious.

Thank you, Sahil! We wish you luck and success.
Pleased! Thanks a lot for the wishes!