He may be best-known as Kareena Kapoor’s fiance in 3 Idiots but Sanjay Olivier Lafont is also a fantasy fiction writer, whose debut novel is Warrior (Penguin Books India, Rs 399). And while Shiva may seem the go-to god for writers of Indian fantasy, in Warrior, it is Shiva’s son Saam who must rescue a world on the brink of destruction. Can father and son reconcile their differences? And what is to become of the beautiful mortal, Maya? t2 dials the half-French, half-Indian dude in Mumbai to discover a brooding writer lurking under the garb of that branded boor called Suhas in 3 Idiots.

Why did you decide to write fantasy fiction surrounding Shiva?

I’ve always loved Shiva in Indian mythology. In the book, dramatically speaking, Saam is the son of the god of destruction and that immediately creates a drama that you wouldn’t have if I’d picked any other god. In this destruction, there are also all those great complexities and dichotomies and we see that Shiva is both ultimately passionate and ultimately dispassionate. 
One of my main influences was also the Mahabharata. In my mind, it is the most complex and complete epic in all of literature. Juxtaposed against the backdrop of the warring cousins — brothers who grew up together and are now slaughtering each other — are gods and demi-gods getting involved in this conflict. I wanted that dichotomy in my plot. So what I’ve created is a broken family and set it against the backdrop of a world coming to an end. 

Do you love fantasy fiction? Who are your inspirations?

I got into reading when I was very young (he lived in Paris till he was about seven). This genre really attracted me. Redwall by Brian Jacques was one of the first fantasy books I experienced. Lloyd Alexander’s The Chronicles of Prydain was really the catalyst for my interest in this genre and also for writing. After I moved to India, I didn’t find a lot of fantasy books in the market. What was available was Terry Brooks and JRR Tolkien; those were also pretty influential. Further down the line was Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time and George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, that everyone knows as Game of Thrones.

Do you watch Game of Thrones? 

I do. I’ve also read all the books that have come out up until now. 

Since you’re an actor too, who would you play in that series?
I think I’m most attracted to the story of Jon Snow. Jaime Lannister is also interesting. The thing with Martin is that he has wonderful characterisation. You discover why Jaime was called the Kingslayer and then you realise he’s not completely black.

Tell us about playing Suhas in 3 Idiots...

There’s so much good I can say about the entire experience. The production was so professionally and tightly run. I knew, six months in advance, the exact date I would be flying to Shimla to shoot the wedding scene and the date didn’t change! That’s how organised they were. This  sort of thing really helps you plan your life accordingly, as an actor, especially in terms of your performance. 

Are you still recognised as Suhas in a mall or at a party?

It does happen quite often, actually. It’s very flattering and very humbling. I’ve acted in a lot of other things and people kind of know me from there but the kind of love and connection I’ve gotten from these one-on-one encounters is just amazing. They remember the name Suhas and quote his lines with gestures and everything! And I played a fairly small supportive role in the film. Sometimes they go, “You’re nothing like your character!” and I’m both flattered and insulted. Flattered because I take that as praise of my performance and insulted because I’m not that materialistic a person! 

Any other movies lined up?

Nothing right now. I’m very busy with my book, Warrior. I’ve just written a feature film script for myself and it’s a fun comedy. I’m looking for a producer to partner it. 

What do you remember of France?

My passion for stories really began in France. I remember the cartoons and films I used to watch and I remember the impact they had on me. And then when we moved to India, it took a serious turn. The films that I saw in France with actors like Jean-Paul Belmondo, Louis de Funes, that’s the stuff that really influenced me. Belmondo was a trained theatre actor and when he did theatre in France you see that tradition of French physical comedy, of which Moliere, the playwright, is the greatest example. That’s called comedy of manners in English and I used my training in the comedy of manners to create the role of Suhas Tandon. 

If Warrior became a movie, who would you want for the roles of Saam, Shiva and Maya?

I originally wrote Warrior as a feature film script more than a dozen years ago. I was in Delhi and my intention was to write an Indian film with the special effects of a Hollywood blockbuster. The Harry Potter and X Men and Lord of the Rings films were all coming out at that time and I wanted something on that same epic scale but set in India. 
If it were to become an international film, I can see Johnny Depp playing Saam, Emma Stone as Maya, because she has that sparkle and crackle, and an unknown actor with a striking face as Shiva. 

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