My writing kept me focussed during Covid-19 isolation; says Deepam Chatterjee

Deepam Chatterjee, a retired Indian Army captain took up film- making after a debilitating spinal injury compelled him to leave the Army. In this period, he spent time with various spiritual teachers, including the Dalai Lama. Later, he trained under Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and taught the Art of Living courses before embarking on a journey of self-exploration. A keen researcher as well as a chronicler of oral narratives, Deepam writes and lectures on Hindu thought, meditation, spirituality, mysticism, mythology and wellness. He has translated a significant body of Sanskrit works into easily readable literature for young readers and mainstream audiences.

His recent outcome 'The Millennial Yogi' crafts an extraordinary tale of loss, redemption, and the fight for one's soul in an increasingly materialistic world and the zeitgeist parable for anyone searching for meaning and purpose in life. 'The Millennial Yogi' has got tremendous advanced praise from the likes of Shashi Tharoor, Karan Singh, and Shankar Mahadevan.

In an exclusive conversation with The Hans India, Deepam shares some important moments of his journey. Let's have a look into it.

Deepam says that 'The Millennial Yogi' is completely influenced by my personal journey. He says, "'The Millennial Yogi', in a way, describes two phases of my life. When I left the Indian Army, I had no job, and no qualifications. I was not in a great state of mind. The first thing I had to do was get a grip on myself. My family was, and is, my strength. It took a long time, but life began to look up, and I healed. Then, I began to teach others to heal. The character Vini is a bit like me now- older, wiser, and calmer. And Jay, on the other hand, is a lot like me at the beginning of my search. Vini goes through a spiritual journey after immense turmoil and emerges as a wandering minstrel who sings songs of awakening. Jay goes through his life at a breakneck pace, making many choices that lead him to ruin. I found that the life choices I made along the long and winding path, taught me tough lessons. I have shared much of these through the life route that Jay takes."

Deepam says that writing was the discovery of a fiction author within me. He says, "Although I had planned 'The Millennial Yogi' a couple of years ago, I never got down to writing the book until Milee Ashwarya, my publisher at Ebury Publishing - Penguin Random House India, pushed me to write it. The writing was the discovery of a fiction author within myself! I have been writing non-fiction for quite a while, and I also write for the screen. Bringing the two different styles together was a new experience for me. The book is written in a very visual style."

He added, "I completed the book during the pandemic, around the time of the Delta wave, when our entire family went through COVID-19. The writing kept me focussed during the isolation and quarantine. I do hope that readers will experience that hope and sense of attainment when they read the book."

Speaking about his journey as a film maker, Deepam says, "I am primarily a screenwriter and research consultant. It happened by chance, when I was teaching classes on Mysticism and Mythology at Mumbai, I was approached by a couple of producers and asked if I would be interested in working on TV serials as a research consultant. I was interested and joined a few big projects. Soon, I was roped in to write the story of the serials as well. This was a great learning experience for me. I also wrote a number of graphic novels and have developed over 50 documentaries and Tele-serials. For Television, I have been a consultant in the past on historical "Chakravartin Ashoka Samrat," "Porus" and "Rudrama Devi" and also for mythological shows "Mahakali - Anth Hi Aarambh Hai" and "Karm Phal Daata Shani". I also wrote two long running mythological shows "Ma Shakti" and "Chakradhari Ajeya Krishna."

"I am often consulted for fact-checking on historical and mythological events shown in mainstream movies and OTTs since a lot is at stake when making films and web shows, and there's no point courting controversy if it can be avoided. I often provide alternative solutions. Based upon my advice, a sizable number of projects have been modified, and one film has even been shelved, saving the producers possible litigation and a large amount in production costs," Deepam adds.

Speaking about his next works, Deepam said, "My next book should be coming out in early 2023. The book is in the same genre as 'The Millennial Yogi'. Its protagonist is a young woman, who grapples with feelings of emptiness, despite having achieved material success. Her journey across the mystical tapestry of today's India, and has a powerful mystical encounter which transforms her."