Considered as one of the most talented and versatile actresses, Deepti Naval who featured in hit movies like Chashme Baddoor and Saath Saath, has donned many caps as a photographer, film maker, painter and also established herself in the field of writing poetry and short stories. She was in Haridwar for two-day literary festival organised at Gurkul Kangri Vishwavidyalay when The Pioneer spoke to her about her lesser known facets as a writer. Dressed in silk saree during the inauguration of the festival and interactive session with the scholars gathered from across the country and Nepal, Deepti also answered questions posed by the literateurs and her fans in natural poise to everyone’s admiration.Some excerpts from the interview:

You have quite a few books on hand listed in good read choice series; Black Wind and Other Poems, Lamha Lamha to name a few. Why do you write?

Whenever one’s heart is heavy, writing is a way to vent out one’s emotions.

Your poems seem to be influenced by Maya Angelou and Sylvia Plath. Are you a voracious reader too besides being a writer?

When the writer writes, some images gathered during one’s study period do shadow the mind. During schooling, I did read the classics from English literature which are always at the backdrop of my mind. I do revisit them sometimes while writing. The reading is many times to explore if they tell something else than what you have drawn earlier from these books. I do read fiction as it comes from life too and one gets experience of the other author free of cost and one starts correlating oneself with that. But I am fond of reading autobiographies. The first book I read was Autobioraphy of a Yogi and every 10 years I do read it again.

Are your books autobiographical, if so, to what extent?

To the extent that it does not sensationalise. I do have to say honestly about living life but never encash that living. I admit that under the garb of fiction, we say a lot but not to increase the saleability. I have drawn the line but at the same time I am not dishonest. In fact, no writer can tell the entire truth, some are kept in emotional reservoir. But I am not that honest, to the extent to hurt anyone.

You write in English, Urdu and Hindi but which is your favorite medium?

Having studied in a convent school, English came naturally to me. Our teachers were mostly English and French nationals. English has a big market. My father once told me that 50 vernacular words are adopted by English language everyday. I switched back to writing in English because of the casualness of language.

Your celebrated poems ‘The art of self-destruction’. Anything you wish to say on that?

The art of Self destructionNo one does it better

I have mastered the craft with great skill

A craft not easy to master, mind you Working each stitch carefully into ...

When I wrote composition Lamha Lamha, it was in my youth. Ideas of romance had developed but things actually do not happen like that. Life moved on and it took much time for this to get published. It is autobiographical depicting harsher realities of life. When we go into self destruction mode, pulling threads, then the whole yarn is set loos. This poem is on relationships. Pregnant Nun painting was my signature painting. There have been so many.

What about life’s struggles and their formative influences on your writings?

When you face harsher realities of life, things start clouding and clashing with each other, you get traumatised. Pressure of work also exists. Hardships come just to check your strength. This has become pattern of my life. Elated I sit again, amidst the debris of another relationship (she recites few lines from Black wind and other poems).

 What about the growing craze of social media among youths today?

Usage of social media for expression must be limited. “Bahut si apbhasha social media par dekhne ko milti hai” (lot of loose language is seen on social media) That should be restricted to media only and not come in literary writings.

Does loneliness haunt you at times?

I love aloneness when you are with your thoughts. It is not loneliness but aloneness, a positive virtue which everyone must cherish to live with.