He is contemporary India?s best-selling and probably the most read English language author. And somehow, there are no two ways abut Chetan Bhagat?the readers either love his writing or love to hate it. But love him or hate him, you just can?t ignore him. From railway stations to urban book stores and from newspapers to television news studios, Bhagat?s writing and commentary have penetrated most forms of popular media in the country. What Young India Wants?Selected Essays and Columns is Bhagat?s first non-fiction publication, which draws from his newspaper columns, essays and speeches. So how different has non-fiction writing been? ?It is difficult to do non-fiction as you are giving your opinion and not everyone will agree with it. It is, however, very satisfying, perhaps even more so than fiction as you get a chance to express yourself on something real,? says this prominent face of Indian popular fiction. Chetan Bhagat tells Sukalp Sharma in an e-mail interview about his latest offering, writing, the youth and what young India really wants. Excerpts:

Best-selling fiction author and critics? favourite punching bag, you are loved by millions of readers, but criticised by the literary types for being ?non-literary? and ?over-simplistic?. Somehow the same is said about your columns and essays. How does it affect your writing?

Well, feedback does and should affect everyone, except that in my case I get too much of it. Hence, I have devised internal coping mechanisms to deal with it. You could say it is a bit like a wax-coating, where everything kind of touches me but still slips away?and that applies to praise as well as criticism. I don?t let it affect me too much, but within the negative feedback there are rare nuggets of wisdom that I learn from. The rants or the gushing praise, I just ignore.

Is this compilation of columns and essays a shot at being taken seriously as a commentator by those who have dismissed you in the past? Or are you still happy being the rebel writer loved by masses?

I am happy with the love of my readers. I am primarily an entertainer, but I do have a serious side. I also know that I am often taken more seriously than I?d like to be. I have been doing columns for the past three years and they are often discussed in the social media. The book of columns is just an extension of that aspect of me.

So does young India know what it really wants, given the complexities of our society, polity and economy? Or are we talking here about a huge mass of youth, frustrated and without direction?

Of course India is complex and diverse, but that is almost chickening out from doing any real analysis. I think the youth want a good life, and those aspirations are pretty universal, whether or not they express them as such.

While concluding the book, you yourself mention that the essays can at times ?be too simple or idealistic?. But isn?t that a part of our larger problems as well?trying to find linear, ideal and simplistic solutions to problems and issues?

Well, eventually the best solutions in life are quite simple, aren?t they? It is a myth that we need complex solutions to India?s problems. The answers are simple, what is complex is getting people on board as we have a lot of diverse opinions. I think What Young India Wants tries to put some of these solutions out there, and given that it will have some reach, will perhaps build some consensus.

No doubt the columns and essays touch upon very contemporary as well as conventional issues and problems daunting us. It is full of questions as well. But where do the answers lie?

Some within the column, some based on what the reader thinks or feels. It is important to bring issues to dinner table discussions, and that is perhaps the most a writer can hope to do. Answers have to come collectively from society.

Given the current political, social and economic uneasiness in the country, which are the three major critical issues facing India, according to you?

Corruption, division among the Indian people and lack of clear economic policies to pursue wealth will perhaps top the list.

And what about fiction? What can we expect next from your pen?

Next Diwali, in 2013, India will be reading. That is all I can say. Stay tuned!