Charu Nivedita


Charu Nivedita aka Charu is a Tamil writer based in Chennai, India.
His novel Zero Degree was translated into English in 2013 and longlisted that year for the annual Jan Michalski Prize for Literature. It was also selected or the prestigious 50 Writers, 50 Books - The Best of Indian Fiction, published in 2013 by HarperCollins.
Charu uses postmodern themes in his writing. He was selected as one among 'Top Ten Indians of the Decade 2001 - 2010' by The Economic Times. He is inspired by Marquis de Sade and Andal.
In addition, he has written essays published in such magazines as Art Review Asia, The Asian Age and Deccan Chronicle.
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. This Novel won the Crossword Award in 2024.

Works available in English

  1. Zero Degree
  2. Marginal Man
  3. To Byzantium: A Turkey Travelogue
  4. Unfaithfully Yours
  5. Morgue Keeper
  6. Towards a Third Cinema
  7. ''Conversations With Aurangzeb''

Novels

  1. Existentialism and Fancy Baniyan - Tamil / Malayalam
  2. Zero Degree - Tamil / English / Malayalam
  3. Rasa Leela
  4. Kaamarooba Kathaigal
  5. Thegam
  6. Marginal Man - Tamil / English
  7. Conversations With Aurangzeb

Short stories

  1. Carnataka Murasum Naveena Tamil Ilakiyathin Meethana Oru Amaipiyal Aayvum - Collection of short stories, published along with Nagaarchunan and Sylvia, aka M.D. Muthukumarasamy
  2. Nano
  3. Madumitha Sonna Pambu Kathaigal
  4. Shakespeare-in Minnanjal Mugavari
  5. Kadal Kanni - Short stories translated from world literature
  6. Oorin miga azhagaana Pen – Translated short stories from world Literature
  7. Muthukkal Pathu - Selected short stories
  8. Morgue Keeper - Selected short stories in English in Kindle
  9. "Diabolically Yours", in Exotic Gothic, Volume 5

Collection of articles

  1. Konal Pakkangal - Part 1
  2. Konal Pakkankal - Part 2
  3. Konal Pakkangal - Part 3
  4. Dhisai Ariyum Paravaigal
  5. Moodupani Saalai
  6. Varambu Meeriya Pradhigal
  7. Thoppul Thalangal
  8. Kalagam Kaadhal Isai
  9. Dante-yin Siruththai
  10. Yenakku Kuzhandhaigalai Pidikadhu
  11. Kadavulum Nanum
  12. Kalaiyum Kaamamum
  13. Kadavulum Saithaanum
  14. Sarasam Sallabam Saamiyar
  15. Vaazhvadhu eppadi
  16. Ketta vaarththai
  17. Malawi endroru Desam
  18. Azaadhi Azaadhi Azaadhi
  19. Adhigaaram Amaidhi Sudhanthiram
  20. Kanavugalin mozhipeyarppaalan
  21. Manamkoththi paravai
  22. Enge Un Kadavul?
  23. Kadaisip Pakkangal
  24. Vetrulagavaasiyin Diarykkuripugal
  25. Pazhuppu Nirap Pakkangal - Part 1
  26. Pazhuppu Nirap Pakkangal - Part 2
  27. Pazhuppu Nirap Pakkangal - Part 3
  28. Nadodiyin Natkuripugal
  29. Medusavin Mathukoppai
  30. Kanavu Cappucino Konjam Chatting - 1
  31. Kanavu Cappucino Konjam Chatting - 2
  32. Kanavugalin Mozhipayarpalan
  33. Itchaigalin Irulveli
  34. To Byzantium - A Turkey Travelogue - Tamil/English
  35. Unfaithfully Yours - Collection of articles
  36. Mazhaiya Peigirathu
  37. Anithavin anthapuram

Play

  1. Rendaam Aattam
  2. Antonin Artaud - Oru Kilarchikkaranin Udal

Cinema review

  1. Latin American Cinema
  2. Cinema: Alainthuthiribavanin Azhagiyal
  3. Theeraakaadhali
  4. Cinema Cinema
  5. Naragaththilirundhu oru kural
  6. Kanavugalin Nadanam
  7. Towards a Third Cinema
  8. Oliyin Perunchalanam

Collection of interviews

  1. Ozhunginmaiyin Veriyaattam
  2. Ichchaigalin Irulveli

Question and Answers

  1. Arugil Varaadhey
  2. 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.
  • He was selected as among 'Top Ten Indians of the Decade 2001 - 2010' by The Economic Times.Zero Degree was long-listed for the 2013 edition of Jan Michalski Prize.Zero Degree was selected in 2013 as one of "fifteen lesser known yet incredible Indian novels" by Mensxp.com.
  • The Hindu included Nivedita in its list of "Manathil Pathintha Mugangal 25" in its Diwali Malar 2014.
  • He received the Kannadasan Award in 2019.
  • Naanthaan Aurangzeb was selected as the best novel of the year 2021 by Vasagasalai.
  • He received the 2022 Vishnupuram award, a literary award instituted by Vishnupuram Ilakkiya Vattam.Conversations With Aurangzeb won the Crossword Award in 2024.

Literary contemporaries on Charu Nivedita

Public events

Literary festivals

Film festivals

Lectures and meets

  • Charu Nivedita delivered the 2009 Paul Chirakkarode Memorial Lecture at Kottayam.
  • 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.
  • He delivered the commemoration speech at the 'Bob Marley Cultural Fest' on 11 May 2010 at Kochi.
  • He was one of the panelists at the Outlook Speak Out debate 2010, Chennai on the subject 'Moral Policing in a Democracy'.

Social activism

  • He was invited as the chief guest of Sambavas' annual celebrations at Chalakudy in Kerala on 11 May 2008.
  • He inaugurated a meeting and spoke among the adivasis protesting against wanton clay mining at Velichikala, near Kollam.
  • 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.
  • He marched with villagers protesting against Coca-Cola and Pepsi's wanton overdrawing of groundwater at Kanjikode, near Palakkad on 29 August 2008.
  • 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.

'Zero Degree' in Academics

Zero Degree was on the curriculum in Spring 2010 in a Comparative World Literature course, taught by Jordan Smith, at California State University, Long Beach.

Quotations

  • "I convert my schizoid into an art."
  • "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."
  • "Hatred is a disease."