# Empathy for opposing views key to storytelling: Kannada author 2026-08-22T03:42:35+00:00 | Entertainment | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Kannada author Vasudhendra said at the Book Brahma Literature Festival in Bengaluru on Friday that understanding opposing viewpoints is essential for honest storytelling. Speaking at a masterclass, he said stories emerge when writers look at the world from a perspective they may not like. He warned that activists who turn to fiction often struggle to step outside their own worldview. Vasudhendra, who is openly gay, cited writing about homophobia as an example. He said if he portrayed all homophobic people as villains, he would be a poor storyteller. Only by accepting that they may lack knowledge about homosexuality, he said, does the story emerge. He also noted that truth in literature differs from truth in journalism or law, and that factual inaccuracies do not necessarily make a story untrue if it builds reader empathy. A panel discussion on literary tradition and contemporary writing was also held at the festival. Writer Krishnamurthy Hanur said understanding past literary and political developments is fundamental to modern writing, and questioned whether Kannada literature can be discussed without classical figures like Pampa and Kumaravyasa. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Vasudhendra's remarks come at a time when Indian literature sees a surge in activist-writers, particularly around caste and gender issues. The tension he describes, between advocacy and narrative craft, is a live debate in Kannada literary circles, where authors like himself (Tejo Tungabhadra) have pushed boundaries on sexuality and history. The festival's focus on tradition versus innovation mirrors a broader tension in Indian languages: how to honour canonical figures like Kumaravyasa while making room for new voices. Readers and publishers will watch whether more established writers publicly echo or challenge Vasudhendra's call for empathy across ideological lines. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Straight reporting of festival events and author quotes with no editorial framing. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Bengaluru, Book Brahma Literature Festival, Vasudhendra Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/empathy-for-opposing-views-key-to-storytelling-kannada-author/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/empathy-for-opposing-views-key-to-storytelling-kannada-author/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/