Author spotlight interview: Binendri Perera with Monika Singh

Monika: Please tell a little bit about your author's journey to our readers. 

Binendri: I started writing stories when I was eleven years old. I wrote stories with my friends and then for my friends. My school friends were my first audience. They continue to be my best supporters.

My mother called printers and publishers and helped me figure out how to publish my first book. I was fourteen then.

I have published six books in Sinhala since. My novel Nuwanakkari won the Best Novel Contribution of the Year in 2009. Her Truth is my seventh novel and my first English novel. 

Monika: How does the title "Her Truth" reflect the core message of your book?

Binendri: My novel explores how women are often not heard and believed, and how their voices and experiences are frequently either suppressed or manipulated for others' benefit.

Her Truth is a story of how women find ways to rise beyond these societal pressures and contribute to making society a better place. 

Monika: What challenges did you face while writing about such a complex topic that often offends almost everyone out there? 

Binendri: First of all, I think the topic of gender-based violence need not offend anyone but rather everyone should join to eliminate such offenses.

In my novel, both my main female characters have faced gender-based violence.

In the case of Shreya, her being portrayed as a victim is manipulation. We see that in chapter one itself.

But the story of my other main female character, Natharie, stands in contrast to this. She did truly suffer violence that she does not speak of publicly even at the end of the book. There is no safe space.

To bring out this contrast, I needed many characters from different backgrounds. There I faced the challenge of making sure that the story remained clear and interesting while I captured the realities of women's lives.

Monika: Can you shed some light on the protagonists and their journey in the book? 

Binendri: For Shreya, this is a personal quest to reveal the truth of what happened between her and her friend Thevin.

For the other characters, this is a fight to win democracy and end corruption. 

Monika: Can you discuss a specific twist in the story of Shreya that affects lifestyle choices, as the character "Shreya" does? 

Binendri: Shreya was the only child of an upper-class family. She had everything she wanted, and she was well protected.

But then, after the student leader, whom she admired, was wrongly accused at her expense and no one took her seriously, her lax attitude to life changed completely. 

Monika: How did you develop the character of the protagonist, Shreya?

Binendri: Shreya's character was not inspired by one particular person, but she has characteristics of the strong women I have seen in my life.

I have seen that these women have not necessarily been liked, but they are determined and want to abide by what they believe is right. They always try to be true to themselves.

I wanted Shreya to be someone strong and genuine and driven by a sense of justice. 
 

Monika: What tips do you like to give to younger girls, especially about laws and politics? 

Binendri: I want to encourage them to be interested in laws and politics and study them. I also want them to get involved in the political processes of making laws and implementing them.

No matter what field you’re in, these are going to affect your lives. It’s going to affect the quality of education and health care you get and your safety in the streets.

But since women have been kept out of these law-making and implementing processes for a long time, we still don’t have enough women in these spaces.

So, I would encourage younger girls to get involved in whatever capacity they prefer. 

Monika: Please tell about some important secondary characters from this book who played an important role in the protagonist's lifestyle transformation. 

Binendri: Natharie, Shreya’s lecturer. I would say she is not secondary but rather parallel because I developed the story based on these two women.

Natharie is Shreya’s human rights lecturer, and she inspires Shreya to continue her quest. 

Then there is Thevin, the student leader who helped Shreya earlier, who is now returning to politics. Shreya has high hopes that he and his team will serve the country well.

Chanuk is a senior at her police academy. Shreya is initially very suspicious of him because he is related to her enemy. He goes on to play an important role in Shreya’s quest for truth. 

Finally, Dewmin is Thevin’s younger brother. He is very critical of Shreya for her silence. But he is also similar to Shreya in his temper and his determination to fight injustice. He becomes a prosecutor for this purpose. 

Monika: What societal issues did you want to address through this book? 

Binendri: I wanted to focus on two things mainly.

First is how gender-based violence affects and shapes women's lives.

Second is the importance of fighting authoritarianism and corruption, the importance of fighting for democracy.

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Monika