Last Updated:November 04, 2025, 12:48 IST

Chetan Bhagat revealed that legendary lyricist Gulzar often messages him to praise his work and once told his mother, “I wish I could write like your son.”

Chetan Bhagat shared that legendary lyricist Gulzar often appreciates his work.

Chetan Bhagat is one of the most well-known writers in India, and his name and fame go beyond bookshelves thanks to his novels like 3 Idiots, 2 States, and Kai Po Che, which turned out to be major Bollywood successes. While many like his way of writing because of simpler language and relatable stories, he does face criticism from a section.

Recently, in an interview, Chetan Bhagat talked about facing criticism for his latest book 12 Years: My Messed Up Love Story and shared, “How do I write a book then? Do I co-author the book with a woman? What is this nonsense? I have been writing for 21 years. If the story is not mature, it will not work. If I handle it in a creepy, vulgar way, it will just collapse.”

Further, while speaking about one of his admirers, he shared that it is none other than the legendary lyricist Gulzar Sahab, who praises his work. While talking about Gulzar, Bhagat shared, “One person who routinely sends me messages, talks about my columns, and praises my work is Gulzar Sahab. One of the first things he told my mother was, ‘I wish I could write like your son.’ Nobody who is doing so well and is as successful ever says that.”

Chetan Bhagat On Using Simple Language In His Novels

Chetan keeps the language of his novels quite simple, with minimal use of phrases and jargon, and the reason is quite simple — he wishes to reach a wider audience. While talking about his language, Chetan shared, “My final presentation is very simple because I have to reach the common man. I talk in Hindi and present myself as a grounded boy. The way I talk, the way I mention tea — it makes people think ‘isko baja bhi sakte hain.’ And I’m successful, so they see me as someone who doesn’t deserve it because they have struggled in their writing careers. If I wasn’t Chetan Bhagat, I would have hated Chetan Bhagat.”

Chetan Bhagat On Living In Dubai

Bhagat has seen the highs of fame most writers only dream of: blockbuster films based on his books, red carpets, and celebrity attention altogether, but he still walked away from all of this to live a more peaceful and quieter life. Speaking about this shift, Chetan shared, “I mostly live in Dubai now, and I am not famous in my neighbourhood. I still love it. The shadow of fame influences creation. If I am constantly aware that I am famous, it won’t lead to very good writing.”