PVPF 2024

Interview with Ritu Soni Bhagat, Author of English Hinglish

Discover English Hinglish by Ritu Soni Bhagat, an engaging book that enhances writing skills while making learning fun. Perfect for students!
on Sep 12, 2023

Frontlist: "English Hinglish" presents a unique approach to teaching English by integrating Hindi films. Could you share your inspiration behind this creative and innovative language-learning method?

"If there is a book that you want to read, but hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." — Toni Morrison.

Ritu: I started writing as a hobby in my school days, and today I do it religiously, for my students as well as for myself. It’s a rare hobby and passion that gives me immense joy, and I love spending time on it. The purpose of my writing is to educate students in an entertaining way. I think it helps students enhance their writing skills. I have always told my students to keep themselves abreast of the happenings around them in order to improve their writing style, vocabulary, and language skills. The golden rule for scoring good marks in English is to dedicate an hour daily to newspaper reading. Developing language skills also helps us understand other subjects. This book is the best use of the concept of 'Newspaper in Education.' My extensive experience of teaching in reputed schools and conducting English language workshops resulted in creating countless worksheets. And then came the idea of turning these worksheets into an interesting book. Now, what got me started on this idea? Words have always fascinated me. From watching Sabira Merchant’s TV show 'What’s The Good Word?' to my passion for reading newspapers and a string of numerous memoirs written by film personalities, I have always been attracted to the world of words and filmdom.

My father’s passion for listening to news on TV, in some ways, sowed the seeds of this book. My father never missed his newspaper reading. When I was a child, my father had given me the task of finding ten words from the newspaper, consulting the dictionary, and writing down the meanings every day. I used to do this work very diligently.

It is his encouragement alone that has given me the strength to be able to present the biggest collection of idioms and present it through the world of Media and Entertainment, which is the best use of the term 'Newspaper in Education.'

Frontlist: Idioms and proverbs are an integral part of any language. How did you choose the idiomatic expressions featured in the book, and how do they relate to the world of Bollywood?

Ritu:"Meticulous thinking has gone into selecting and compiling a list of idioms for this book. After a lot of brainstorming, I decided to take examples from one field: Bollywood. The reason behind the decision was to make this book appeal to today’s readers. The film industry defines the culture of our country to a very large extent, and people here try to emulate Bollywood stars. Hence, all the previous worksheets were kept aside, and thus began a different journey: of creating something new. However, gossip does not find any place in my book, only relevant, meaningful content."

"Newspapers have always been used for educational purposes, but I think it's an art to use it in the most entertaining manner."

"We all have been brought up on proverbs in some way or the other, and Late Alyque Padamsee, the Brandfather of Indian advertising, said that good phrases, proverbs, and teachers stir something inside of you and set you on fire. The main thing he focused on while making ads was his purpose to educate in an entertaining way. What he loved about proverbs and quotations was that they really open one’s eyes to principles of living in a very entertaining and relatable way."

"Once, when Mr. Sunil Alagh, the renowned business leader, came to FICCI, I shared with him my idea for this book. He said, 'if you have an innovative idea, nothing can stop it from being successful.' Spurred by his comment, I worked on this original idea until it turned out to be a very authentic book."

"Any other writer who writes day in and day out, with the same consistency as I have been working on this book, would have written down 10 to 12 books, and I have written just one. I just want to state that this is not a simple book but a General Knowledge book, a motivational book, and a book to improve your English. I want to take this book to everyone who wants to learn English in an easy and interesting way, plus to all the voracious readers who love to read."

"Writing this book has made it clear to me what author Amish Tripathi means when he says this sentence, 'to write one page he has to read thousands of pages.'"

"In the context of singing, it is being said, 'If I don't practice for a year, my audience will know. When I don't practice for a week, my musician will know. When I don't practice for a day, I know.' I also sit and keep writing for my book around the clock. This is the level of my passion. I also enjoy doing it every day. It tickles me pink, and therefore, I don’t like to miss it out even for a day and can write at a stretch for many hours.

Frontlist: Bollywood holds a special place in the hearts of many. How do you believe the connection to Hindi films enhances the learning experience for "English Hinglish" readers?

Ritu: Films have the ability to bring about a change in our hearts and minds. That is the reason I have chosen the concept of Bollywood. All sorts of Bollywood news and titbits have been used productively here. Most of them are the actual idioms used in various situations, collected from various leading newspapers and other sources. Newspapers have been diligently scanned, and then selected news has been creatively turned into interesting stories by a lot of brainwork and imagination.

This book is a first in many ways as there are no dots to be connected, and the examples used in this book are original. I hope it improves the reader's vocabulary, creative writing skills, comprehension skills, and imagination. Remember, 'the man who has no imagination has no wings.'

The concept of teaching English through the medium of India’s beloved Hindi film industry is original. A lot of creativity, arduous work, painstaking effort, and vast research have resulted in this book. Moreover, I wish it to be read by all film and TV stars. These stars have educated and entertained us through Bollywood; now it’s my turn to entertain and educate them through their own medium. In fact, it has taken almost ten years to put this book together. The range of subjects and their presentation amounted to no less than doing a Ph.D. on the subject. Believe me; it wasn’t easy!

Frontlist: Your book targets a wide range of audiences, from students to professionals. How did you tailor the content to cater to different walks of life and learning needs?

Ritu: My magnum opus is a compilation of interesting facts that are useful for all age groups and can be enjoyed by all. My book is an amazing collection of idioms, phrases, sayings, and proverbs accumulated over a long period of time. In fact, it’s an all-in-one book. If there weren’t already a famous Shakespearean play by the same name, I would have named this book 'As You Like It' as it is meant for everyone. 'English Hinglish' is an engrossing motivational and life skills book with plenty of general knowledge thrown in for good measure.

My exclusive collection of words and phrases conveys a profound message and values, and I have tried to make learning more meaningful by focusing on them. These words and phrases flow like a story.

We have all grown up reading idioms from 'Wren and Martin,' which is considered to be the Bible for learners of the English language. We owe a lot of our learning of the English language to this classic. However, one drawback is that the examples used there are not relatable for millennials, as they are all imaginary. When real examples from sports, politics, or entertainment are used, learning becomes more absorbing and keeps students abreast of current affairs.

Let me explain with an example. The idiom 'to lock horns' means ‘to engage in conflict.’ To quote from the Cambridge Dictionary: ‘The mayor and her deputy locked horns over plans for the new road.’ Then, a sentence from the Collins Dictionary reads: ‘During his six years in office, he often locked horns with lawmakers.’

Now let me explain this term with an example from Bollywood. '3 Idiots,' one of the most relevant films of our times, revolves around the Indian education system. Aamir Khan, as the quirky Rancho/ Phunsukh, drives home the point that if one chases excellence, success is sure to follow. He locks horns with the ruthlessly competitive dean of his engineering college, Viru Sahastrabudhe, played by actor Boman Irani. I can imagine the reader’s eyes lighting up as they recall the fun and pranks in this hit film. This certainly can’t happen when the example is from Great Britain, of another age, another time, and in quite a different context. Similarly, there is nothing dull about the two chapters on grammar in this unconventional book. Heart-touching real-life stories have been combined with the reel world, which is a very novel idea.

‘The writer does not choose the genre, the genre chooses the writer,’ says author Shobha De.

For my book, the genre and I have chosen each other.

Frontlist: As an author, what aspects of Hindi films do you find particularly rich in language content, and how did you select the most effective ones for inclusion in "English Hinglish"

Ritu: I am happy that I have been able to give shape to my vision. It has shaped up in a way that goes above and beyond what I had visualized. Today, I can proudly say that it has become an awesome collection of idioms and proverbs used in the context of Bollywood.

Writing each chapter of my book has been akin to selecting and collecting the finest fabrics from various cloth merchants, and then stitching them together with my own writing skills and wisdom in the most creative and innovative manner. The result of my labor of love is a designer piece, to be appreciated by connoisseurs of designer dresses.

Frontlist: "English Hinglish" seems to not only teach language but also bridge cultural gaps. How do you envision your book fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of both English and Hindi film culture?

Ritu: The book 'English-Hinglish' is an amazing collection of idioms and proverbs through the medium of Bollywood. It's the sure-shot and guaranteed way to learn idioms and proverbs. It's not just about newspaper education or the newsmakers; the book is the news itself due to its out-of-the-box theme. It encapsulates my unique hobby of collecting proverbs, phrases, words, and idioms for educational purposes.

I have often been asked, 'Are you related to Chetan Bhagat?' Well, by blood, we are not. But as he brought the love of reading fiction to the masses and improved their English language skills, I want to inspire a love for idioms, proverbs, and phrases through my ingenious style and encourage young people to read newspapers as part of their education to enhance their language skills.

The reason why I have added meanings of the idioms in the book when they are available at the click of a button is that I have taken a lot of effort to provide the best, the appropriate, and the relevant meaning of the idiom. Writing the meanings right in front of you makes you look at it and learn it immediately. Otherwise, you may become lackadaisical and tend to carry it over until the next time, which usually never comes.

Frontlist: As an author, how do you perceive the growing preference among today's youth for the English language over Hindi, to the extent that many face challenges in performing even basic counting in Hindi?

Ritu: I believe that whether they know basic counting in Hindi or not is not the question, as they know all the popular Hindi songs and dialogues. They sing and dance to those songs. The question is whether they take pride in speaking their mother tongue or not. Knowing many languages is a matter of pride, but not knowing your mother tongue is shameful.