A thing for biographies
My favourite genre is biographies which are very inspiring and a good read too. I like to read biographies about people from all walks of life. The latest biography is My Name is Gauhar Jaan in which I am acting on stage too. I really like this biography written by Vikram Sampath. Biopics are something which one can always read. Vikram is a very good writer and I am happy to act in a play written on his work. He is one of the rising talents in Indian literature.
Loving courtroom dramas
My earliest reading memories are of reading comics like Amar Chitra Katha, Bahadur, Chacha Chaudhary, Champak, etc. and books on Nancy Drew by Carolyn Keene and especially Perry Mason books written by Erle Stanley Gardner. I like courtroom dramas and Perry Mason is the best I have read. Even Agatha Christie is a fantastic read and her characters like Hercule Poirot are iconic.
Connecting with Chitra
My favourite author would be no one specific but I like to read mythological books written by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni because of the way she fleshes out her characters and her magic with words which I really admire. She not only writes well but fascinates the readers too. She is a good poet as well.
A time to read
My ideal time to read would be whenever I am not busy with my plays and films and generally when I am travelling on a plane or whenever I find leisure time. Generally, I don’t have ample time to read books but I have to find time to read books.
Favoured format
The real fun of reading a book lies in holding it in one’s hand. I bought a Kindle, but I couldn’t communicate with it and I came back to reading physical books.
Recommendations
I recommend all books by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni and Hindi literateur Dr Dharamvir Bharati. I also have a preference for biographies and autobiographies.
From book to screen
A good screen adaptation of a book I like is Suraj Kaa Saatvan Ghoda directed by Shyam Benegal based on a novel by Hindi famed writer and editor Dr Dharamvir Bharati.
