<p>Author Chetan Bhagat, who has been slapped with Rs 1 crore defamation suit, has denied that "Half Girlfriend" has any reference to the family of erstwhile princely state of Dumraon in Bihar.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The author said there was some "misunderstanding" as his book is a work of fiction.<br />Chandra Vijay Singh has brought the defamation suit against Bhagat for allegedly portraying the male members of his family in negative light.<br /><br />Bhagat said there was no relation between the family he mentions in his book with the real one.<br /><br />"Somebody in Bihar feels they belong to the family, which is fictionally represented in the book. But it is fiction. So the question of defamation does not arise and I don't know these people. I don't even know they existed.<br /><br />"Once they said they were not happy I said, 'let's be friends and let's have a friendly chat'. That I will say to anyone. If I don't know someone exists, how will I defame them? It is a misunderstanding. They have asked us to respond to them so we will respond," Bhagat told PTI here.<br /><br />The author is confident that the matter will be sorted out.<br /><br />"The court will decide. It is almost a compliment if people feel my story in 'Half Girlfriend' is real, it is not. I am shocked that people feel that way," he said.</p>
<p>Author Chetan Bhagat, who has been slapped with Rs 1 crore defamation suit, has denied that "Half Girlfriend" has any reference to the family of erstwhile princely state of Dumraon in Bihar.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The author said there was some "misunderstanding" as his book is a work of fiction.<br />Chandra Vijay Singh has brought the defamation suit against Bhagat for allegedly portraying the male members of his family in negative light.<br /><br />Bhagat said there was no relation between the family he mentions in his book with the real one.<br /><br />"Somebody in Bihar feels they belong to the family, which is fictionally represented in the book. But it is fiction. So the question of defamation does not arise and I don't know these people. I don't even know they existed.<br /><br />"Once they said they were not happy I said, 'let's be friends and let's have a friendly chat'. That I will say to anyone. If I don't know someone exists, how will I defame them? It is a misunderstanding. They have asked us to respond to them so we will respond," Bhagat told PTI here.<br /><br />The author is confident that the matter will be sorted out.<br /><br />"The court will decide. It is almost a compliment if people feel my story in 'Half Girlfriend' is real, it is not. I am shocked that people feel that way," he said.</p>