While surfing through my Goodreads account, I came across the current indie-bestseller ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’ authored by debut writer on the block Vishnu Vardhan Pingali. After reading the rave reviews about this techno-thriller, I just had to get my hands on the book and connect with its writer for an interview here on my blog, insaneowl.com. ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’ currently has 39 rave reviews on Goodreads, including my 5-star review of its fantastic plot and unique narration. It has also received a stellar 41 global ratings and rave reviews on Amazon India, with most being 5-star reviews. Included in that number would be my own 5-star review of probably one of the most happening books in the science fiction or dystopian indie market today. Vishnu Vardhan Pingali is a talented, trendsetting science fiction author who will likely hit 100 reviews on Goodreads and Amazon by the end of 2025. Let us not miss the trailblazing author as he charts his early success with his techno-thriller; he is certainly an author to watch. I’m therefore so honored to have bestselling indie-author Vishnu Vardhan Pingali as my interviewee here on my blog, insaneowl.com. Welcome to insaneowl.com, Vishnu!
Biography: I never imagined I’d one day become a writer and publish my own books—but here I am, turning that dream into reality. As an avid traveler, I’ve explored many places and embraced countless “firsts” in life, each experience adding a new layer to my perspective.
A passionate movie lover, I enjoy films across Hollywood, Bollywood, and Tollywood. I’ve always been inspired by master storytellers from around the world—their ability to craft compelling narratives fascinated me. That inspiration sparked my own storytelling journey. Where it leads, I’m excited to find out.
Fiza: First of all, let me thank you for accepting my friend request on Goodreads and getting in touch with me so promptly – you are quite a gentleman. Have you always been this humble, Vishnu?
Vishnu: Hi Fiza ji, actually, I should thank you for connecting with me on GR. My circle is huge, and everyone likes to talk to me, maybe because I am humble.
Fiza: Tell my readers here on insaneowl.com more about yourself, and when did you realize that you wanted to become a writer by profession?
Vishnu: My zeal to write started almost 15 years ago, but nothing progressed due to professional commitments. I wrote many concepts and stored them in my Google Drive. This year, I had some free time and took one of my ideas out, finally completing it. I wrote this idea down in 2017.
Fiza: Name some of your all-time favorite books and authors. Don’t forget to mention the books that led you to probably create the wonder that is ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’.
Vishnu: I was not a reader before. I started reading after publishing my first book this year. I read a few recently, and I liked Jack Reacher: Killing Floor. My inspiration to write a book came from all the movies I watched.
Fiza: Whom do you live with or room with? Who do you call family?
Vishnu: Mother, wife, and daughter (aged 10 years).
Fiza: Tell my readers more about your current bestseller, ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’.
Vishnu: It’s a fast-paced suspense thriller. The story revolves around Bangalore city and the Western Ghats. NIA officer Arjun narrowly escapes from a kidnapping attempt, and just before he starts to find his kidnappers, he must hunt down an ISRO employee on the run after planting a deadly virus on ISRO mainframes. Soon, he realizes that his death is key to the world’s survival. He has to find the anti-virus while escaping every agency in the country that is hunting him down.
It’s a sci-fi thriller. I hope readers enjoy the fast-paced story.
Fiza: What gave you the idea for the unique and highly suspenseful plot of ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’?
Vishnu: The idea emerged from a lot of discussions with friends on subjects like what happens when we suddenly don’t have the internet for a few days, or if we lose all the digital data we have in the world.
Fiza: I’ve heard that you are big on movies like me. Name some of your favorite movies and explain why you love them.
Vishnu: As I said earlier, I was never a reader; I got inspiration from the movies.
As a child, I was fascinated by movies like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Independence Day, Cliffhanger, James Bond movies, and Sherlock Holmes, among others.
What I like about these movies is the pure action and thrill.
Fiza: Do you think ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’ can one day become a future film? If so, would you like it produced by Bollywood, Tollywood, or Hollywood? I think this book has got to be made into a movie pronto.
Vishnu: I would love to see the day when my name appears on movie titles, with the line “Based on the novel ‘The Reset’ by Vishnu Vardhan Pingali.” It doesn’t matter who makes it.
Fiza: Would you consider working on a script for ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’ if given the opportunity to do so in the near future, or do you wish to first write and publish some more bestselling novels?
Vishnu: Well, my aim is to have some books in my name before my retirement. I will be starting my second book soon. And yes, if an opportunity comes, I would love to work on the script.
Fiza: Choose one from the following and then give a reason for your choice:
Coffee, Tea, Fruit juice, and a tall glass of wine.
Vishnu: Fruit Juice, as I don’t like the rest (I like Beer and Whisky though.)
Fiza: How did you go about writing and publishing your current Amazon bestseller: ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’, Vishnu? I just keep needing to hear more and more about this awesome 5-star read!
Vishnu: Well, as I said earlier, I don’t read books, just watch movies, and I used to think about different movie ideas and write down those ideas. This happened a long time ago, and recently I got some free time at work, so I immediately picked one of the ideas and completed it in six months. I just wrote it like a movie screenplay. Well, now I have so much feedback from all over the world about the improvements that I need to make and implement in my next book.
Fiza: Choose one from the following and then give a reason for your choice:
Bollywood, Tollywood, Hollywood, Kollywood.
Vishnu: Every industry has excellent storytellers. If the movie is good, I don’t mind watching any film from the industry. I grew up watching Tollywood, Bollywood, Hollywood, and Kollywood movies dubbed into Telugu. If the movie is good, it inspires me to think like the writer. If it is not good, I think about how the story can be told better, and that’s where I get ideas.
Fiza: If you were given the choice of an Indian director for the future film ‘The Reset’, who would you choose and why? If it were me, I would have blindly chosen the Telugu director S. S. Rajamouli, known for movies like Baahubali: The Beginning, RRR, and Baahubali: The Conclusion. But I’ll hear your take on this.
Vishnu: Good question, I never thought about it. If I had to pick someone, SSR would definitely be a good choice. Besides him, I would prefer Ritesh Rana from Tollywood. I liked all three of his movies. Prashanth Verma, from the Hanuman movie, is also a good choice. Watch the movie AWE when you get time.
Fiza: What dreams do you have for ‘The Reset’ as a book? What more do you wish to do with it or in that same genre?
Vishnu: Well, I would love to see your questions come true —that one day someone makes a movie out of my book.
And I will continue writing in this genre, as it is my favorite.
Fiza: Who is your writer mentor? Why do you consider this person your mentor?
Vishnu: As I said, I don’t read books, just watch movies, so all the talented directors out there are my mentors.
Fiza: Are you on Fable or The StoryGraph? Name some social networking sites where my readers here on insaneowl.com can contact you about your book and future works.
Vishnu: I am on Facebook and Instagram; just search my name.
Fiza: Where would we find you most often offline?
Vishnu: Office, home, badminton court, driving on highways.
Fiza: Who are your favorite thriller writers? How would you compare their individual styles to your own?
Vishnu: All thriller movies I’ve seen are my favorites. And compared to them, my style is still evolving. I need to work a lot on my second novel.
Fiza: Choose one of the following and then give a reason for your answer:
Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Zendaya
Vishnu: Julia Roberts —I just love her for her acting and smile.
I wanted to choose Anne Hathaway, too, but you wanted only one choice.
Fiza: Whom would you star in a future film based on your novel ‘The Reset’? I am especially keen to know who would play the role of the antagonist from your book.
Vishnu: Why not me? Jokes apart, Rishab Shetty fits well.
Fiza: Where do you write your books or stories?
Vishnu: At home, on my laptop.
Fiza: Where do you read most of the time? I currently read in bed, because I am always dead tired after a long day’s work at Podar International School, Santacruz, with a warm cup of milky South-Indian-brewed coffee on the side table.
Vishnu: I recently started reading after publishing my first book, but it is not regular. But I can read anywhere, at the office, on a trip, and, of course, on the bed before sleep too.
Fiza: Describe your ideal of a great reading nook.
Vishnu: The first impression is the best impression, so the initial part should attract me.
Fiza: Who is your favorite movie actor, and why do you like this actor’s work?
Vishnu: There are many —Robert Downey Jr., Tom Cruise, Irfan Khan, SV Ranga Rao, Ramya Krishna, and the list goes on. I like them for their acting skills, facial expressions, and dialogue delivery.
Fiza: What role would you give this actor in a movie based on ‘The Reset’?
Vishnu: Well, I would have loved to see Irfan Khan or SV Ranga Rao play my hero’s role, but neither is alive now.
Fiza: You’ve read my short story ‘My Sweet Lord’ recently, which was based on the Tibetan Monk crisis of Chinese-occupied Tibet. Can you share something more about this Kindle short of mine and why you gave it a 5-star review on both Goodreads and Amazon India?
Vishnu: It’s short, it’s straight, and it’s impactful. The story conveys the message immediately.
Fiza: Which book or short story of mine are you currently reading now and how is it going so far?
Until Death Do Us Unite: Short Story. I couldn’t find time to read due to some changes at work. I can see that this one is also a short story, so I will finish it soon.
Fiza: What do you think are the similarities between your books and mine, considering you’ve read two of my titles in the past month?
Vishnu: We both come to the point straight.
Fiza: Vishnu, you come across as a simple yet gifted and talented person. Who has made you into the caring person that you are today? What would you like to tell my readers here on insaneowl.com about this person?
Vishnu: Tough question, obviously parents and then a gang of good friends.
Fiza: List the following in order of their importance in your life, from greatest to least:
Your friends, your writing career, ‘The Reset’, a love interest, and going abroad to work
Visnu: It is already in order.
Fiza: Which was the best review you got for ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’ on Goodreads and Amazon India, respectively? Would you like to share those reviews with my readers?
Vishnu: For sure, your review. It is the most detailed review I got.
Fiza: Where do you see yourself five years from now, Vishnu?
Vishnu: At least three books in my name.
Fiza: What are you currently working on?
Vishnu: Got a few ideas, but need to get into action. My writing is on hold for a few days while I make some changes on the professional front. But I will definitely start in the new year.
Fiza: Name some of the books you are reading currently. What are these books all about? I am intrigued!
Vishnu: The Watchman, right now, and I want to start Robert Ludlum’s books sometime soon.
Fiza: Where can my readers get your book ‘The Reset: A Global Technothriller’?
Vishnu: Recently, I published my book on all the e-book platforms like Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play Books, etc.
Conclusion
It was wonderful having Indian author Vishnu Vardhan Pingali here on insaneowl.com and learning so much about his work and life. Do get your copy of his book today!
If you want to check out some more delicious indie-author book reviews, then you can continue browsing through insaneowl.com here.
If you are interested in more book reviews, indie author interviews, book analyses, short story analyses, poems, essays, essay analyses, and other bookish content, check out my blog, insaneowl.com. If you are interested in purchasing my books, you can check the products page of my blog or on Amazon. There is a lot of good stuff to buy! Happy reading to you always!
©2025 Fiza Pathan
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