Narrators

5 Questions with Narrator Vikas Adam

When I see the name of this month’s featured narrator on the cover of an audiobook, I know I’m in for a treat. Vikas Adam infuses his performances with engaging warmth and respectful characterizations, adding drama and/or pitch-perfect humor as required by the story.

Vikas has long and broad experience as a narrator, with hundreds of titles in his audiography. He has performed an impressive range of audiobooks, including classics like A PASSAGE TO INDIA, contemporary political nonfiction like the THE MUELLER REPORT, and the very funny Klawde series for children. I especially like Vikas’s collaborative work on the young adult rom-coms written by Sandhya Menon, in which he voices believable American teenagers, most of whom are sons of Indian immigrants.

Whether you like nonfiction, contemporary fiction, or speculative fiction, you’ll find plenty to choose from when you pick an audiobook read by Vikas Adam. Read on to see how Vikas answered some questions about his life and work and find out more about who he is both in and out of the recording booth.

AudioFile : What is the one thing you wish you knew before you recorded your first book?

Vikas Adam: That in most cases, I will be actor and director and so it’s important to know the world of the book. By knowing the world, that means looking at the writing style and finding how best to interpret it. There’s a certain amount of creative license you may take, but every acting choice you make must still be rooted in connection to the text, the tone, and the story you are telling.

AF: Tell us something surprising about yourself.

VA: I am fascinated with and love Feng Shui and have decorated my house and studio accordingly with touches inspired by the practice; I enjoy continuing to learn in my spare time.

AF: What’s your go-to beverage when recording? How about after recording?

VA: Go-to beverage: Water, coconut water, hot water with lemon; coffee if needed. After recording, a complex and yummy bourbon.

AF: Is it difficult to avoid foreshadowing, especially when recording a book with a twist?

VA: I didn’t see this question coming.

AF: What do you never wear in the recording booth?

VA: The romance fans will appreciate this: When it comes to shopping for new clothes, if there’s a particular flirtation happening between me and an article of casual clothing, my mind inevitably questions whether there would be a future for us in the booth. How vocal is it when I move? If this particular relationship between clothing and model is meant to be symbiotic, then an understanding has to be made that in the booth, I am allowed to be loud and said article of clothing must be silent, especially as I physically move my arms and hands during a powerful scene. Thank God my torrid affair with corduroy was short ’cuz it would have been a painful breakup at this stage in my life.

Thanks so much for answering my questions, Vikas. I love your sense of humor! I hope one day we can talk noisy clothing over a fine bourbon.

For more audiobooks narrated by Vikas Adam, browse our reviews.

CANDACE LEVY | FEBRUARY 24, 2021

Talking with Vikas Adam And Josh Hurley

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The Golden House