Salman Rushdie Interview: A Chance of Lasting

"I feel very proud to be part of this resistance", says the acclaimed British writer Salman Rushdie reflecting on his book The Satanic Verses and the years of the fatwa. "Today people are much weaker. I wonder if such an act of collective solidarity would ever happen again."
"My parents used to say, that I always wanted to be a writer", this conversation with acclaimed British writer Salman Rushdie (b. 1947) begins. Rushdie talks about his early love for reading, his Indian childhood and his father, who told stories to him instead of reading them out loud.
Rushdie talks about his early attempts of writing, starting with commercials. Rushdie also reflects on his close relations to filmmakers and musicians in the Britain of the 1970's. Looking back, Rushdie is sure, why he became a writer, having a talent for language: "It needs some form of solitude in your nature. That you prefer doing something by yourself. A screenplay for example is only a step on the way to a film. I just thought, I like to do it by myself. But it took me a very long time to do find out how to do it."
Midnight's Children, published in 1981 and dealing with India's transition from British colonialism to independence and the partition of British India, changed Rushdie's life. The novel won the Booker Prize and later the Bookers Booker Prize and was added to the list of Great Books of the 20th century. "Writing the book took me five years. I am very proud of that young man who struggled to find out how to write without any guarantee, that the book would be published. I was pretty sure it was a good book. But I had no confidence in the fact, that anybody else would agree. Midnight's Children then told me, that I was the writer I could be."
"As an author of literary fiction you are writing books that you hope will endure. That will sit on the bookshelf and outlast the author. It's now 33 years since Midnight's Children was published. The fact that people still read it, the fact, that young people still read it and find, it has something to say to them, that's very satisfying."
This conversation with Rushdie then circles around The Satanic Verses and the debate after it's publication. "The fatwa wasn't only about me. It was a moment, when a line had to be held, when you could not concede the fight."
Rushdie talks about the years of hiding, his relationship to his son and how reading and literature helped him through those dark years. He reflects about the solidarity he received as well as about the fight to keep The Satanic Verses in print: "The reason why we managed to defend the book was that very widespread belief that it had to happen - not so much for the book itself, but for this old reason: the freedom of speech. People, whom I had never met, went to battle for me - booksellers, publishers, ordinary people, who bought the book as an act of support and solidarity. That was their way of saying: I am on your side."
"Mostly in those years, I was touched and impressed by the degree of solidarity, that there was. Mostly! There are always some people who fall short of what your expectation is. The great mass of writers and book-world-people understood, that something serious was at stake, in which they all were implicated. Politicans as often came very late to the party."
And Rushdie continues: "I feel very proud to be part of this resistance. Today people are much weaker. I wonder if such an act of collective solidarity would ever happen again. We have fallen a long way short of the strength that people collectively showed in the late 80's and early 90's."
Rushdie ends by reflecting about his autobiographical book Joseph Anton: A Memoir. "I finally reached the point, where I was able to write the book and look back at the things that have happend. It was clear to me, that it was me, who should write this story." Rushdie also speaks about the role of literature in a fearful world - a world of darkness. Literature, he says, has to challenge the narratives, we surround ourselfes with - the narrative of family, politics, whatever. As a writer, he says, I feel it is my responsibility to speak up and to give back some of the solidarity, I have received myself earlier.
Salman Rushdie (b. 1947) was born in Mumbay and is the author of worldwide bestellers like Midnight's Children and The Satanic Verses. The latter caused fierce protests in the Muslim world. Death threats were made against Rushdie, including a fatwa issued by the Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini on 14 February 1989. In his latest autobiographical novel, Joseph Anton: A Memoir, Rushdie reflects upon his decade of hiding.
Salman Rushdie was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner.
Camera: Klaus Elmer
Editing by Kamilla Bruus
Produced by Marc-Christoph Wagner
Copyright: Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2014.
Supported by Nordea Fonden.

[@guharup]

Thanks for doing what you did. Courage against bullies at all times

[@Katharsis540]

Truth Against The World. Druid saying.

[@golbargaam]

Thanks to you for this interview, and thanks to hom for writing " des versés satanique" . My son was beaten at school in Lyon, France because has asked his class mates if they have read this book!?

[@NoOne-tg9tk]

France is infested by Islamists

[@kaungkhantthein5348]

I am so sorry to hear that.. I hope your son is alright

[@BonniciAlexia]

Imagine sitting next to him at a dinner party! What an interesting, curious, and honest person.

[@artiesolomon3292]

very funny and entertaining interview

[@arunamahendradissanayake8084]

If you think your religion might be harmed by a book, a novel or by a person means that religion is a weaker one. You d better to find a another religion

[@iga27]

Thank you Salman! Go on living, and spreading your 'gospel' of humanity. Perhaps one day your islamic enemies understand what life is about. For now, it seems they only understand what death is about, if only for a fleeting moment.

[@8b.pbijoysasmal12]

peaceful community ☪️🕋🕌 have start spreading peace everywhere 💣💣💣💥💥💥

[@baqirhemraj7639]

Where are you Mr Salaman Rushdi?

[@NoOne-tg9tk]

Bombay... originally from Kashmir India

[@baqirhemraj7639]

@@NoOne-tg9tk How come there is no news of Salman Rushdie, Is he alive?

[@NoOne-tg9tk]

@@baqirhemraj7639 he is alive but lost his one eye and mobility of one hand sadly

[@baqirhemraj7639]

@@NoOne-tg9tk Is he able to write and continue to write novels?

[@NoOne-tg9tk]

@@baqirhemraj7639 don't know yet

[@ramdularsingh1435]

Salman Rushdie is a creative genius. He is a responsible citizen of a country and the world as well. Before all the rest he is human being. So he must be allowed to speak or write about anything he feels and thinks to be right.

[@ManOfSteel1]

satanic verse is truth and its always hard to fight evil. only couragious can speak the truth, cowards lie below the quilt of violence.

[@MrAbhithepandey]

I could not see his teeth, despite trying to see them.

[@rahulkemp8347]

lol

[@kiranrathod7469]

They were not seen thirty years back too in his bbc documentary on youtube.

[@sheislit9599]

At 2:16 they do appear.

[@greenjupiter]

Hahahaha

[@cherp5837]

@@sheislit9599 so funny you guys are

[@kiranrathod7469]

Can any one give me Rushdie's email address?... A fan!!!

[@debayandasgupta488]

Can we connect, a fan too

[@kiranrathod7469]

@@debayandasgupta488 Yes

[@erumashfaq6107]

Ofcourse, controvertial stuff, especially against Islam will be published.whats great in it mr rushdi?

[@skhalidinformation..1432]

FU...............

[@NoOne-tg9tk]

FU Islamists

[@MuhammadTayyabRana]

Your message was "don't go anywhere to Islam". But look there are 2 Billion Muslims. They will continue to rise... You made attempt get publicity to mock a religion. You had nothing positive from yourself to inspire the world instead put Muslim behaviors on fire to get sympathy from enemies of Islam.. So, you were totally wrong....

[@hemanths1448]

Hope, you have made this comment after reading his book. Books don't offend people very easily. Life is too short to force yourself to read a 400 page book. It's not anti Islam to support someone's right to freedom. We here in india lost people like m f Hussain because of fanatic medieval mindset.

[@krishnanunnimadathil8142]

I don’t think you get it. What he meant was to avoid discussion of Islam as a subject in a novel setting; which is what the response of the unlettered to the Satanic Verses proved. Not surprised by your lack of understanding, however - those millions who couldn’t read a word to save their life, who were ranting against the book were similar in their ability to comprehend what’s being said by Rushdie.

[@FlyingSpaghettiMonster2000]

Banging out kids to breed a religion doesn't validate its nonsense.

[@corngrohlio]

Even if he did offend your religion... get the fuck over it? Such fragility from Islam is weak

[@guharup]

And almost none of them could create a modern nation with a modern economy yet. Also no contraception. Big deal