Meet The Author Karan Oberoi:
Karan Oberoi is a highly successful author, screenwriter, and producer with a diverse background in the entertainment industry. His debut book titled “Battlefield Brothers” is co-authored by Kiran-Nirvaan and published by Om International Books. Other titles published by him are “Rockstar Reverse” and “Holy Cow”. There are seven more in the pipeline, three of which are already written across genres.
Karan has been a part of the entertainment industry for over twenty years. He has developed and written the story and screenplay for a premium series “Mukhbir: The Story of a Spy” for Zee 5. He was the face of over 200 commercials, and has produced 40 commercials and music videos.
He is also the founder member of India’s first and only boy band – “A Band of Boys”, one of the highest-selling platinum artists in the country. They have five albums and have done over a thousand concerts across the world. He has composed music for his band and films like “Sadda Adda”, “Dubai Return” etc, along with composing three private albums and a solo album on Anvil. He can also play close to 15 instruments.
Karan has also acted in popular soap operas like “Swabhmaan”, “Saaya”, “Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahi” and in premium web series like “Inside Edge” on Amazon Prime.
He is the director of the first of its kind binaural spatial audio musical film called “Choti Choti Baaten” which will be released in the next few months. He has recently produced a Bollywood feature film called “Strawberry Point”, in English and Hindi which has been taken up by an LA-based syndication company for a worldwide release.
Let’s get to know him more deeply.
Q.1 “A good writer possesses not only his own spirit but also the spirit of his friends.” Who are some of the individuals who have supported you in your writing journey that you would like to thank?
Any creator/storyteller is only as good as the people around him, who encourage him to express and expand his creative horizons unabashedly without fear or doubt. The list for me is really long and beautiful, but it starts with my wonderful parents, my siblings, my best friends and my creative mentors. All their names are mentioned in the acknowledgment section of every book of mine. Most creative expression dies at the altar of self-doubts. That’s when people that surround you can help you tide over those circumstances and make you reach for the skies. So truly it’s all about love and encouragement that encapsulates your world!
Q.2 Your first book, “Battlefield Brothers” became a bestseller and your second book “Rockstar in Reverse” received an overwhelming response and sold out in its first batch. What do you think resonated most with readers? Please tell us a bit about both the books.
Honesty! That’s my simple assessment. Any story told with conviction and heart will always resonate with the reader. This applies to every form of storytelling, including films, TV, web etc. Whenever an original idea is expressed with integrity and the right intent, nine out of ten times, it will find its audience.
Battlefield Brothers is a true story of four brothers of one family who fought heroic and immensely consequential battles, in India, in 1962, 1965 and 1971. In a period of history when sending a son to battle was akin to sending him to certain death, a family sent four. This is the story of the valour of that family wherein one brother is assumed dead across enemy lines. The other brothers then go beyond the call of duty to try and rescue him in the middle of a brutal war of 1971. It’s my greatest fortune to be born to that legacy, as it’s the story of my father and three of his brothers. So it holds a special place in my heart.
Rockstar in Reverse is a tongue-in-cheek, biting satire of the Indian music industry, coupled with a whacky twisted love story about second chances and redemption. It’s a humorous albeit heartfelt tale that includes life’s lessons that borrow heavily from my own experiences in the music industry as a singer/songwriter. Like a faux autobiography!
Q.3 Your third book, “Holy Cow”, has already been optioned for the big screen. Can you share any details about the story and what inspired it?
Holy Cow is a macabre reality of the malaise that exists in society where legal loopholes are exploited for revenge and retribution, to destroy lives. It’s a brutal tale, based on cases where innocent lives are ruined forever, almost like collateral damage, to a law that was made to serve and protect the wronged gender. It’s being manipulated and abused as a tool of extortion and exploitation now. It shows a mirror to society and the picture isn’t very pretty. It’s inspired by real events all around us. It’s being helmed by a well-known director and an A-list Bollywood star.
Q.4 “Mukhbir,” your screenplay work, has garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards. How does it feel to receive such recognition, and what impact has it had on your career?
Mukhbir was a game changer for me as a writer. The kind of critical acclaim, love and recognition it got was truly overwhelming and jump-started my career as an author, and story/screenplay writer. The series was made with an incredible amount of passion, sincerity and conviction, and the results were all there to see. I was on top of the world when I got those awards. They were a validation for my honest intent and gave me the fodder to carry on unabashed with my convictions.
Q.5 You’ve produced close to 40 commercials and music videos, and a Bollywood feature film. What challenges do you face as a producer, and how do you overcome them?
The biggest challenge in India for a storyteller is the dogmas that prevail here. The idea to templatise filmmaking because of a desperate need to only chase box office numbers makes us fearful and less original. So we end up leaning on conveniences such as an overt reliance on star power to get us over the line. A star is as good or as bad as the written word that he has to bring to life with his craft. That basic understanding is lacking. Plus, a very few people actually read in our industry. That just queers the pitch even more. So as a producer, one ends up catering and pandering to a lineup of individuals across the value chain, that may not necessarily be the best ones to bring the story to life. The only way to carve a niche is to push through with confidence, conviction and integrity.
Q.6 What advice would you give to aspiring writers, musicians, and filmmakers looking to make their mark in the industry?
The only advice I can actually give is – Be original! Each one of us has a unique genetic thumbprint. And that must be reflected in our stories, songs, poems, and films. Dogmas are a death of originality. So chase a story or a song that you are dying to express, as opposed to the one that you’d like to be heard. Like it’s said – a canary sings because it has songs in its heart and not necessarily because it wants to be heard.
Q.7 How do you see your writing evolving in the future? Other than Holy Cow, are there any upcoming projects or books you are currently working on that you can share with us?
Every experience, good, bad, or ugly is enriching to a storyteller if taken in the right spirit. So I hope to stay childlike in my curiosity and evolution as a writer/singer /actor. I have finished seven books across multiple genres and writing two more at present. Net net, I am a restless busybody and love what I do.
Q.8 Out of all your achievements, which one gives you the most personal satisfaction and why?
Any honest expression that resonates with the same passion and conviction with which one has expressed it, gives me the greatest joy. So when my first album went platinum with the Band of Boys, when my first book became a best seller or the series that I wrote and produced – Mukhbir – was accepted with so much love and acclaim, I was on top of the moon. Nothing would satisfy me more.
Q.9 Which are the top 3 books you would highly recommend, and what’s your most favorite genre? Tell us a bit about your likes, dislikes and hobbies?
I read across genres. I just love to read anything and everything. But the two books that have left the most impact on me are – Sambhog Se Samadhi Tak by Osho and Blink by Malcom Gladwell.
I love simplicity and joyful people, and avoid any interactions with people who have a bleak overview of the world. I am blessed to have converted my hobby into my profession, so am happy doing it 24/7. I dislike any kind of pretense and am happiest amidst people who are sweet, straightforward and have a buoyant attitude in life.
Q.10 “An Author, Actor, Producer, Music Director, Lyricist, Model, Singer and Screenplay writer”- all in one person! How do you manage to balance all these roles effectively?
I just wake up early to make space for everything that I want to do. And secondly, I don’t listen to people who try to limit me in any way because they speak from their own limitations and I don’t necessarily conform to that. If someone wants to really do something they will make the time or make an excuse. I chose the former. Plus, I am not very social. That gives me a lot of time to be able to do things that I really want to do. Simple!
Q.11 What factors are most important to you when choosing a book marketer? Any 3 practices that according to you are a must while marketing a book.
Being truthful helps. Plus, it’s very important that they are aligned to your thoughts so that you don’t have to shout to be heard. Easy-going communication helps. Also, if they treat you like an assembly line and have the same template for every book – then run a mile away from them…
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