As she defines herself, she is the big eyed Bengali girl who always has an opinion.
So we asked the melodious singer/beautiful writer Kimayaa to share her opinions with us.

Me: Hey, how are you?

Ankita: Hi! I am fine, thank you! 😊

Me: Without waiting, let's start with the interview right away!

Tell us something about yourself.

Ankita: Wow, I’m already at a loss of words! But here’s me giving a shot.
I am Ankita and I am that big-eyed, Bengali girl who always has an opinion. I feel strongly for
so many things that I often feel like there isn’t enough paper in the World to collect my thoughts!
I’m a chai addict and if you can’t find me at home, I’m probably at a random restaurant sipping at a cup of tea and reading a novel.

Me: Ahh! Somehow I can see the connection between your love for chai and the name of my interview book!
Ok, I know I am silly! 😬

How did you get the motivation to write?

Ankita: I honestly never needed any ‘motivation’ to write! Sounds absurd and vague, but for as far as my memory goes, I have truly enjoyed weaving plots in my head. I would often try to give them words, scribble senseless, disjointed scenes at the back of random notebooks in the
middle of classes in school.

I eventually got a little more organized, trying to name my stories and my characters. I transitioned to typing on the desktop instead of scribbling behind notebooks when I was thirteen.
One day, my sister accidently opened my story folder on the family PC and read one of my many attempts at writing a novel. I still remember that day, when she insisted that my writing was good.

It really was surprising for me. Because if anything, I was embarrassed of my plots and my
habit of writing scenes out of nothing.

But Didi was earnest and very, very supportive. She is still supportive, to this day. I don’t think I would have ever considered writing officially on
any platform if not for her.

Me: Haha, we had one more writer who's sister played a major role in making her write. It was Joy, author of The Secret Service and many more.

How did you get to know about Wattpad?

Ankita: Lol, again my sister. She had a best friend who was a bookworm of the highest order. The best friend would read books all day and all night; to the point where her Mother had to keep her novels under lock and key during their final exams for the Tenth grade. Her last resort had been reading on her phone.

Back then, eBooks weren’t as much of a rage or as easily accessible as they are today. (I sound a hundred years old, don’t I? 😂😂)

So she mentioned Wattpad to my sister; who in turn mentioned it to me. But I’m a really, really stubborn and block headed person. I didn’t really pay attention to what she said. I remember checking the website out and being impressed, but not really considering it because back then I was already writing on this other site.

I wrote anonymously on that site for about a year, it was actually ‘I Was, I Am’ itself, only a much more un-edited and cliché version. But that site that didn’t have many; rather any; Indian readers. It was disheartening to not have people relate with my characters. I had considered writing about foreign countries for a while; but scrapped the thought just as quickly. If there was one thing I was clear about post such a deliberation; it was that I was going to write only about the Indian culture.
My principle has been the same since then, if I can’t relate with my characters; there is no way I can get my readers to connect with them.

However, courtesy my block-mindedness, I took a good, extra year to officially accept
Wattpad. This was when I had just given my Tenth Board Exams, had way too much free time on me and had a heartbreak waiting to happen, lol.
Wattpad constructively helped me
through it all!

Me: And I can actually relate to your sister's best friend. My ma had sent all my books and novels to my cousin's house so I won't read them... Yet I went to library without telling her. So her 'almost perfect' plan didn't actually work. 🙄

So you just said that you relate to all the characters of your book. Hence, I kind of know your answer to this question but I will still ask it...
It is said that books are somehow related to us. Is it true in your case?

Ankita: Absolutely! Each one of my books have stemmed from my life in some weird shape or form.

I pictured Aditi and her friends; when I was sitting in my class in school and like I have mentioned in one of my chapters of ‘I Was, I Am’; there was a reason everything happened
with Aditi.

In some way or another, they were close to things that I was experiencing around that time.

‘Back to Back’ happened at a time when I was in Twelfth grade and had very, very closely witnessed the monotonous life of a CA student; courtesy my sister’s IPCC coaching and exam days. I remember dropping her for one of her exams and seeing this boy in a blue denim shirt frantically studying his notes outside Didi’s exam centre; that gave me Vedant’s idea.

The red Nike backpack was the school backpack of a guy from my school I never quite got
over. I still picture him with that bag haha.

Meera however; is purely fictional; with little facets of my various outbursts and dilemmas through my growing years so far. Every time I had questions about societal norms brewing inside of me, I’d find a way to get Meera to question them. Vedant however, was that part of my subconscious that always knew the answers to each one of my questions.
So in essence, they are both me. Meera is the ambitious and selfish part of me; and Vedant is the sensitive and caring part of my personality that lies hidden under layers and layers of careful grooming.

Me: I am sure this needed a lot of self analysis to write Meera and Vedant.

How do you manage your busy schedule along with writing?

Ankita: Who says I manage my schedule and writing? 😂
I’m HORRIBLE at it. There are days I want to rip my hair out of my scalp out of sheer frustration of how late I’m running on my schedules and time tables.

Even as of now, I’m actually really annoyed with myself for having two incomplete stories on Wattpad. I feel unprofessional and I feel like I’m being unfair to my readers. But that’s that, very, very early on in life; I’d settled with the fact that my career was always going to be my first priority.

From time to time, Wattpad and writing take a back seat for me. So really, I don’t manage both things. I choose from between the two.

And fortunately or unfortunately for me, I’m too practical for my own good and always choose my studies over writing.

Me: Finally someone, I could relate to. I felt every word of this answer! Really!

Who is your favourite writer on and off Wattpad?

Ankita: Are you really going to make me choose? There are so many!
To name a few; there’s Chaashnee, there’s TripuWrites and Superstar.

Off Wattpad too, I can name some of my favourite books but not a fixed author who is my favourite.

1. The Mute Anklet by Radhika Nathan

2. The Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon

3. Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer

4.Tea for Two and a Piece of Cake by Preeti Shenoy

5.The Scarlet Pimpernal by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

6.The Shiva Trilogy by Amish.

Me: Haha well Superstar recommended you to me 😁
Let me tag all three of them here so they know how much love they get!

chaashnee superstar806 TripuWrites

Tell us something fun and distinctive about you.

Ankita: Hmmm…distinctive would probably be my eyes. While it isn’t too uncommon for Bengalis, I am said
to have humongous eyes. I receive extreme reactions from people. Some say they are plain ugly, and others think they’re the most beautiful set of eyes they have ever come across.

And one more thing I’ve learnt is distinctive/ fun about me is that I really enjoy going to restaurants
by myself. Like, the idea of being by myself and spending a whole day with nothing but my own thoughts is out of the most enticing of imaginations I have ever harboured.

Oh also! I sing. I probably don’t love it as much as I do writing but singing too, is an irrevocably important part of my life. I have sung for numerous events till I was in school, and I’ve finally mustered up the courage to put up some songs I’ve sung with the guitar up on Instagram.

Me: Is it the same Chashnee who made you post your song on Instagram?... Well, then thank you for that Chashnee!
And by the way, I love your eyes. I am really tired of being called 'Chinki' due to my small eyes. 😒

If you had to suggest one of your books to be read by a new comer on Wattpad, which one would it be and why?

Ankita: Definitely the BACK TO BACK series. I’m the kind of person who likes to get used to an author before
I experiment with their works. And the BACK TO BACK series is very short and crisp. If one is at it, they can finish the whole series within four to five days which is enough time for them to get accustomed to my writing style.

They can then switch over to ‘Paakhi’ or ‘I Was, I Am’ depending on their lines of interest; also depending on whether they want to read from my desk!

Paakhi is a mystery/drama work and ‘I Was, I Am’ is contemporary drama with truckloads of romance.

Me: Back to Back is one series, I guess, everyone should read!

If you have to recommend someone else’s book which one would you recommend?

Ankita: Again, I cannot give you one name. These are some of my favourites on Wattpad:-
1.Bhabra by TripuWrites
2. Dil Jaanta Hai by Chaashnee
3. The Balcony by Superstar008
4. Dear Pat by Superstar008
5. Chaahat by Cheenikam

Me: Well, The Balcony and Vikramaditya will be in my heart always! 😍

What’s the best and the worst comment on any of your books?

Ankita: I honestly don’t have one best comment to mention. People have been so, so kind to me on this
platform. I will forever be grateful for all the love.

As for the worst comment; again; I don’t really remember so starkly. But I do have a vague memory of someone lashing out at Aditi’s conflicts towards Aakash and Dev. I didn’t mind their not agreeing with her character; but they got a little personal somewhere along the lines. So yeah, that was probably it.

Me: Ahh... Well..

Any tip for the new writers.

Ankita: Write for yourself! I won’t say the number of readers don’t matter because if I’m being honest, it
really is the most flattering feeling in the World for people to read your imaginary World and your thoughts and appreciate it.

But honestly, people only appreciate you and your work when you yourself appreciate your words.
Never forget that.

Apart from that, focus on quality over quantity. You only have one first novel; make sure you are certain about what is going to be your first story and make sure you are committed to it and actually
finish it. It breaks a huge barrier in your head that houses all doubts about yourself.

Me: True.

Your ‘Back to Back’ series was much appreciated by your readers so don’t you plan on making an ‘I Was, I Am’ series?

Ankita: Well, I surely am very, very pleasantly surprised at how much people seemed to enjoy the B2B series but as of now, I don’t have any plans of making an ‘I Was, I Am’ series. I’m already working on Mihir and Adrija’s spin off because of how much people wanted to read about them.
But if the readers say they want to read more about the other characters, it will be my pleasure to write about them. This is only if I get a good amount of readers asking for a series, otherwise no.

I’m quite satisfied with how the story has ended.

Me: You know your job, readers!!

Mihir and Adrija had a very difficult story. Had you already planned to make a spin off for them or it just happened?

Ankita: I had NO plans to write anything else about the characters from ‘I Was, I Am’, apart from giving them extended epilogues because how people insisted they want to read more. But where I thought I was ending things realistically, people started asking more about Mihir and Adrija. I had never imagined they would leave such an impact on readers.
So yeah, sometime last year; I got this one scene about the two of them in my head and coupled with some positive response from the readers; I decided to give them a story of their own.

Me: Now it's our job to ask her to write a sequel for Aditi.

Parallel to a love story, ‘I Was, I Am’ also showed friendships being broken and then mended. Also, there is a sub plot of following your passion. Were they necessary for the main plot?

Ankita: So here’s the thing, my stories never have ONE plot. Except maybe ‘Back to Back’ and ‘Back and
Forth’. I consider my characters to be alive and real; and I don’t think there is any person on the planet with just one problem. We’re all dealing with a lot on our platter; and so was Aditi.

I also don’t like making any central characters; because I feel every character deserves to have their
story told.

So yes, maybe the parallel plots weren’t necessary in its literal sense, but they were definitely important to make ‘I Was, I Am’ a complete story in every sense of it.

Me: The parallel plots did give a realistic touch though!

Are there any chances of a spin off for Disha and Arjun?

Ankita: Like I said, I love writing. I wouldn’t mind writing a spin off for Disha and Arjun but I don’t see myself doing it unless there are readers who ask for it. And so far, they aren’t the most popular couple from the story!

Me: Haha, obviously but I really want to know if their relationship actually was okay or there were more twists and turns.

Usually on Wattpad, we find stories where the girl falls in love with a boy and then they end up together. How did it come to your mind to actually show the reality that not every time is the first love THE ONE?

Ankita: First, I’m so glad you’re not hating on me for scrapping the whole first love theory. Because really, in
all the years ‘I Was, I Am’ has been up; I have received two extreme reactions. Love and hate.
People have called Aditi confused and lost and what not.

But here’s the thing, I didn’t have to think of this plot. It just happened on its own. I myself have never been a believer of first love. Sure, it’s something special and something we hold dear but really, how many times do we actually end up with that person for the rest of our lives?

I believed in Aditi’s feelings, and I was certain of why Aditi’s falling for Dev made sense. And so it happened!

Me: No, I loved Aditi because she was real. Some of my friends did say that why didn't she end up with her first love and I just said the same thing you said.
Maybe I am too practical for my own good! 🙄

In an era of Pyaar Dosti Hai, Love is Friendship; why did you break the rule by making Aditi fall for her boss?

Ankita: Is there such a rule? I honestly didn’t know I was breaking one until now!
I truly respect people who fall for their best friends and actually make it work; but to me; love has no formula. The heart wants what it wants. And well Aditi’s heart…it wanted Dev!

Me: With all due respect to Shahrukh Khan, this Pyaar Dosti hai dialog was the most cliched and dumb dialog I had ever heard. And to think I hoped that something like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai would happen with me too. 🙄😂😂

Between Aditi, Disha, Tara, Adrija and Meera
a) Who would you befriend?
b) Whose quality are you fond of ?
c) Who do you not like too much?

Ankita: Haha, good question.

I would like to befriend Meera most certainly. I love how focussed she is about her career and how undeterred her passions and goals are despite having so many hiccups along her
journey.

Again, Meera’s focus is something I deeply admire. I wish I could be that sure of myself.

I…don’t particularly like Adrija. Her way of dealing with life, the man she loves or just, her way of interpreting a situation isn’t something I am entirely too fond of.

Me: Good choice though, I was thinking that Aditi would also have some place in this answer. 🙄

Choose two from the following-
Harshad, Aakash, Dev, Vedant, Mihir and Aritro

Ankita: Oh definitely Mihir and Aritro!

They are both a work of art, and I am so intrigued to imagine the two of them have a conversation.

Me: Haha that would would make a different book in itself. 😁

Can you tell us something about your upcoming works?

Ankita: I just want to wrap up ‘Unsaid, Undone’ and ‘Paakhi’ for now to be honest. I am most nervous about ‘Paakhi’ because of how much I have planned for the story. Also, it is based off of my culture, of Bengalis. I don’t want to mess it up.

So yeah, no new works until I wrap up my old works.

Me: All the best with that.
And this is the last and a question I personally wanted to ask.

You are a forever 21 fan so how did you feel when it started closing it's outlets?

Ankita: When Forever 21 closed its outlets it took me a while to even believe the news.
I didn't understand what could've possiby gone wrong for the brand.

Thankfully though, there was H&M and Zara and the like that I had started to fancy. Also, there are Forever 21-s at malls pretty close to my place so let's just say all's well for me. :)

Me: Well, this would be the end of the interview. Thank you for taking out your time and answering these questions. 😁

Ankita: Thanks Amisha! It was really fun answering these questions. I hope I haven’t embarrassed myself. 😅😅

Me: Haha, no you didn't.
Bye!

Ankita: Bye!

  -------------------------------

   AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey guys,
So with this we are at the end of the Season 1.

Also a huge shout-out to DipanwitaC for making this beautiful cover.

Love Love,
A.S. ♥️