Mainstream Hindi film actors were considered antithetical to literature, and even intelligentsia, for long. They said education wasn't an actor's forte. But what happens when actors turn the tables and become authors themselvesIJ Is it misplaced authority or an expansion of their inherent talentIJ ANANYA BORGOHAIN attempts to find out
For the young lot of the country, the India of the 90s holds a cult space. The nostalgia of that era is so strong that it has shaped the central worldview for most of us. And what could be a better representative of that wistful period than the mainstream Hindi films of the timeIJ They weaved colourful dreams, gave hope to the striver, and meaning to the mundane. But they were also ruthlessly evaded by the middle class, which believed that they were corrupting society whose core is founded on sound education.
The screen and the shelf were two parallel lines without a common destination, the epitome of binary opposition. Now, 25 years later, in a very interesting trend, Hindi filmmakers and actors alike are foraying into literary authorship. The ‘stars’ that glittered the screen are now claiming space in the dusts of wisdom on the bookshelves.
It’s much amusing to see that actors, who have generally been perceived as non-readers, unenlightened minds, are now penning the books which are being read by those who critique them.
Naseeruddin Shah said, “To the teachers in school who said I would make nothing out of my life, I have shown what talent could fetch me.” His autobiography And Then One Day was confessional and conversational, and aspired to attain redemption and catharsis.
He wrote about his sense of failure, both as a son and father, and living at the generosity of his brothers. It happens very rarely when an actor, an acclaimed and much loved one at that, offers a glimpse into his innermost insecurities and most vulnerable flaws that have affected his choices in life.
last year, he told me, “Why should I put myself on a pedestalIJ I have discarded self-censorship to the best I can.” Though, he also very firmly asserted that he would not write a sequel to it.
In a very different genre, Twinkle Khanna, on the other hand, compiled her essays and social commentaries in Mrs Funnybones. It was again very refreshing to see a side of the actor whom we had hitherto only seen dancing around trees in films. The readers saw a thinking individual who was not only articulate but had gritty wit and self-deprecating humour, much unlike the divas that actresses of the 90s are often seen as. When we had discussed her literary pursuits, she mentioned that she was writing fiction next. So of course, this transition to being an author was serious enough for her.
That does not come as a surprise as Twinkle is indeed an avid reader. She said, “I read a lot of science fiction, Asimov, Neil Gaiman, Ken liu and also enjoy PG Wodehouse and Rohinton Mistry. My favourite would be Asimov though I don’t think a single writer has influenced me as much as a lot of wonderful concepts by diverse writers that are swirled around in my subconscious mind.”
A couple of weeks ago, actress Sonali Bendre too came up with her book on parenting, The Modern Gurukul, in which she has shared a lot about her family life. In her book, there was no trace of the coy sweetheart whom everyone admired 20 years ago. Instead, there was a disciplinarian mother who was very specific about her son Ranveer’s food, education, character and hobbies.
We had discussed the diverse roles she plays — actress, daughter, wife, mother, and now a writer — and she said, “I have always tried different avenues even when it wasn’t a trend. I was one of the first film actors to have done television (Kya Masti Kya Dhoom) in 2001. I have also been a model before debuting as an actress. Writing a book was then an extension of my personality. As a mother, on the other hand, it was a microcosm of the multiplicity I enact. I had a disciplined lifestyle but my husband completely changed his to suit the role of a parent. He quit smoking, barely drinks and never misses his runs, so that he could lead by example when it comes to Ranveer. We have movie nights at home, vacations, and play dates. Ranveer has been taught to realise that the media attention he may receive is only reflected glory and it doesn’t belong to him. He will have to work hard to attain adulation.
“And then I am a reader too. There was a time when I could finish reading a book in one and a half days regardless of how thick it was. I love watching war documentaries and reading sci-fi and fantasy fiction. My favourite writers are Gabriel Gracia Marquez, Suzanne Collins, Amitav Ghosh, Isabel Allende, Neruda, Elif Shafak, Devdutt Pattanaik, Ravi Subramaniam. I am no longer in the phase to read lee Child and Dan Brown.”
I pointed out to her that her contemporaries like Twinkle and Shilpa Shetty have turned authors as well. So is writing intended to bring them back under limelightIJ Sonali clarifies, “See, Twinkle and I are both readers. In fact, we also get along because we are both fantasy fans, for instance. So I think writing came naturally to us. As for Shilpa, her book is on health, on the right diet. I believe that only makes sense because she is a strong authority in matters of fitness.”
Interestingly, all these books have been published by the same publishing house, the Penguin Random House group. In fact, the publishing house is also working on actor Emraan Hashmi’s book that chronicles his child’s struggle with cancer, and we hear Karan Johar is penning a book for them as well.
So whose idea was it then to sign the actors for books from different genres and subjectsIJ Caroline Newbury, Vice-President (Marketing and Corporate Communications), Random House India, says: “Within our non-fiction publishing, we are always looking for the best authors to write on the most interesting topics. When looking to acquire any book — whether by a well-known name or a debut author — we look at the strength of the subject, the appropriateness of the author to write on it and the interest of readers.
“In the above examples, Naseer is a hugely acclaimed actor with a hugely interesting life story. He is also as accomplished on the page as he is on stage or film, and so this combination made a compelling book. Similarly, Twinkle has garnered millions of fans from her witty, insightful columns and so a book was a natural choice for such a writer. Shilpa is well known for her passion and interest in health and fitness, and Emraan has just gone through an emotional journey with his son’s illness which he wants to share with the public in order to help others going through the same problems.”
About the authors’ involvement in designing the fonts, format, jackets et al of their books, she says, “Absolutely, all of these authors have been hugely committed to their books right from the writing process to sales and marketing. All have put in considerable time and effort into promotions. They have been incredibly involved throughout the process. Publishing is always a collaboration and all the authors have been closely involved with jackets, formats etc.”
Sonali mentions, “It all happened so fast. When my friends suggested I should write a book on parenting, I had laughed it off. But then I actually started penning it and later approached Random House to publish it and they agreed! It’s a simple book but I was very sure that I wanted the font of my book to be in a very specific way. That I was adamant about.”
But how did she know that writing about parenting would be her forteIJ She says, “Seeing my son grow, hear him say surprisingly intelligent things at such a tender age, develop his own character, adapt, interpret, were all things I wanted to share. I have revealed a lot of personal things about him and I don’t know how he would react to that when he grows up, but I believe it was worth the risk.”
Another mainstream publishing house, Rupa Publications, too brought out two such books. One is the recently released Guns and Thighs by Ram Gopal Varma (his candid musings which has fascinating and amusing statements on his colleagues), and the other is, surprisingly, Ayushmann Khurrana’s debut as a writer, Cracking the Code. Surprisingly, because it is a memoir he has penned to formulate certain maxims from his personal experiences for aspiring actors; many might agree that he is too young for a memoir.
His book aimed to free struggling actors of all delusions of grandeur and help them embrace reality.
Earlier this year, in an interview with us, he had mentioned, “Every day, many youngsters arrive in Mumbai to pursue their passion with colourful dreams in their minds. This book is to guide them to be careful in the edgy tread. It’s also for the ones who are packing their bags to return home after having failed.” Kapish Mehra, Managing Director, Rupa, says, “We brought Raghu Ram’s (of Roadies fame) autobiography in 2013 as well. All these people, Ram Gopal Varma, Ayushmann Khurrana, Raghu Ram have an interesting chain of thought. Why are people scared of RaghuIJ Why is RGV so uniqueIJ And Ayushmann, son of an astrologer from Chandigarh, dons multiple hats in the glamour industry. We approached them because all of them made for fascinating stories, and the reception of the books has been heartwarming.”
But barring a few, many mainstream publishing giants have shied away from featuring books written by actors. Is it a conscious decisionIJ
Anurima Roy, Senior Manager, Marketing and Publicity, Bloomsbury India, says: “We have a book on Madan Puri by his son Kamlesh Puri, which is due to release in January. I believe what matters is coming up with the right book by the right author, and a celebrity may not necessarily sell a lot of copies after the initial burst of publicity, which normally happens due to these glitzy launches. After that it really needs to be great content and even better sustained marketing to keep the book selling. Deepti Naval’s book, for instance, didn’t get the attention that it probably deserved. Timing and marketing are crucial.”
Faiza Khan, Publisher, International Trade, Bloomsbury India, mentions, “I’d love to sign on one or two actors whose works and lives bring out the narrative of a changing society, or for that matter, a country. It hasn’t been a conscious choice to not have a Hindi film actor in our current list of authors. In fact, I was trying to buy Rishi Kapoor’s biography but it went to another publishing house.”
Khan adds, “I’m not really sure one can lump actors turning into authors together. There’s a sense of demarcation because some are very literary, like Naseeruddin Shah, whereas some have no such aspirations or inclinations.”
The publishers, however, believe that it’s too early to tell on their sales, but the initial responses have been very strong. While some of these books are still in the pipeline, some have hit the stands only a couple of weeks ago.
Amidst this, Twinkle’s book has sustained itself in the bestseller list and has been appreciated by readers with largely positive reviews. Similarly, Naseeruddin Shah’s book was critically acclaimed widely; it made its way into the bestseller list soon after its release and held the position for many months, and continues to do well.
Certainly, the trend of actors turning writers is not only in vogue but looks like it is here to stay. While some books have really been intelligent and helpful, for many they might also serve as a forum to reclaim lost name and fame, a la small screen actors ‘rediscovering’ themselves through Bigg Boss. Albeit here, sensibility and talent matter much more.
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