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The
Bright Light Café Presents ...
Ravi
Bedi
Biography
Photos
Art
Writing
When
were you born?
1
March 1939.
Where did you spend
your childhood?
In Jodhpur, the second largest town in the state of Rajasthan,
India.
How has your
upbringing influenced your writing and your art?
My upbringing was
without my father, who had died very young, but I was
influenced by the integrity and example of a couple of elders
around me. Music and art (in that order) has been in my blood.
I dreamt to be a musician and composer; I learnt to play the
piano by ear on my own. But it was either engineering or
medical those days, which put the meat on the table! I could
have been a good architect, but I did not get an opportunity.
However, I became a chemical engineer by chance (that’s
another interesting story) and landed up in the Air Force. The
creative urge in me, however, drove me to painting, and much
later in life - writing.
Are you married?
What is your spouse’s name?
When/How did you meet?
Yes, happily married
for the last forty-one years. My better half’s name is Aruna.
Her father was my dad’s classmate in the famous FC College,
Lahore (now in Pakistan). Her mother was my mother’s
classmate. They got married because of my parents. So it was
natural for Aruna and me to meet, for the first time in the
year 1957. We knew instantly that we were made for each other,
but it took a couple of years to disclose our feelings for
each other. Communication was not easy; I was debarred to meet
her for a couple of years. Eventually, however, I won her
hand. By the way, she was sweetness personified and humble,
but now she wears the pants in the house!
Have you any children?
What are their names?
We have one daughter, Mahima, our princess, who came into this
world fourteen years after our marriage! She is in advertising
and refuses to discuss marriage.
When did you first
start creatively writing and why? What prompted you to become
a writer?
English is not my first language. In fact, I learnt more
abuses in school than English prose. The creative urge in me
compelled me to share my stories and thoughts with others.
However, I am not as gifted as Rod and Barbara, but I am
trying to learn and be better.
When did you first
start painting/drawing and why?
What prompted you to become an artist?
I was in the wrong
profession and I knew it. I wanted to be in a creative field,
but landed up in a destructive one, thanks to the lure of the
blue uniform. I never went to an art school, but took to art
to satisfy my creative urge. I have been painting off and on
for over forty years now. Creating something beautiful on the
canvas is my greatest joy, and a lasting one.
Who is your favourite
artist/s and why?
Oh, there are lots of
them, but Impressionists have impressed me the most, because
they have a unique way to depict life. Modern art, of which I
do a little, is not my cup of tea.
Is there certain style
of painting your prefer?
Why?
Impressionism. It leaves the details and yet conveys a lot in
its own unique way.
What is your favourite
painting/s and why?
Once again, there’s a whole lot of them; some of them my
own.
What is your favourite
book/s and why?
I don’t read much. I have no favorites.
What is your favourite
poem and why?
Sorry, I am not into poetry.
What is your favourite
short story and why?
The stories written by RK Narain. You feel as if you are
sitting in a cinema house.
Who is your favourite
writer and why?
Khuswant Singh of
India. He conveys so much with so few, and so convincingly.
Besides, he has great sense of humor.
What is your
favourite song/music and why?
“Unforgettable”
and “Hotel California”, and also some old soulful Hindi
songs of a bygone era. You have to listen to them to believe
me.
What are your artistic
goals?
To please myself and
folks around me, including those who come to Bright Light Café.
What are you dreams
and goals?
It’s too late in the day to think of goals and dreams.
It’s time to enjoy what one has and leave the dreams and
goals alone.
What are your hobbies?
Painting, music,
driving long distances, writing, and golf. What more can a man
ask for?
What is the artistic
(art and writing) process like for you? Do you sweat blood or do the words and pictures come easily?
Is there an approximate time it generally takes you to
complete a project?
I can finish half a dozen paintings in a day or two, but
writing is a phenomenal challenge; one is never satisfied.
It’s tormenting, but very challenging. Once a painting is
done, you don’t want to touch it again. Painting or
composing music is a lot easier. Stories are never finished;
you want to make changes every time you revisit them. It can
be very tiring; one is never satisfied.
Do you have any advice
you can share with other aspiring artists and writers?
Just go ahead and do what you like. Enjoy what you do and
forget about success or failure. Remember, a lot of excellent
artists or writers never tasted success in their lives. In
modern times, however, a lot of trash passes off as works of
genius. Today, a brand name is more important than the
content.
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