Deepa Bhasthi discusses her approach to translating Heart Lamp, noting that each book presents a unique challenge. To prepare for her work, she read all of Banu Mushtaq's published fiction before selecting stories for the collection. Bhasthi appreciated the creative freedom she was given and highlighted her initial unfamiliarity with the cultural context of Mushtaq's stories. To bridge that gap, she immersed herself in related art forms, including Pakistani television dramas and music from artists like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Sethi, and Arooj Aftab. She even took classes to learn the Urdu script, which she believes deepened her understanding of both the stories and Mushtaq’s language.
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Bhasthi reflects on her lifelong passion for reading, tracing it back to her grandmother, who captivated her with storytelling. This experience inspired Bhasthi to share a similar sense of wonder through her own writing and translation work.
Among her influences, she cites translator Jayasree Kalathil, whose translations from Malayalam to English often feature innovative forms and styles. Bhasthi finds learning from Kalathil’s work invaluable for her growth as a translator.
Currently, Bhasthi is revisiting Kuvempu's Malegalalli Madhumagalu, a significant text in Kannada literature, recently translated into English. She is also reading Mohammed El-Kurd's Perfect Victims and the Politics of Appeal, which she describes as crucial reading for contemporary times.