Nawaz Modi Singhania is in news currently for more than one things. While some are sympathising with her for the trauma that she is going through, most are celebrating the success of her newly launched book, Pause, Rewind. In person, she is strength personified as she deals with the odds that life has dealt her.
In a candid interview to FPJ, she reflects on the divine disposition of life’s events and showcases an unyielding spirit immersed in intellectual elegance.
When asked about how she is coping with everything with grace and calmness, she says: “I am doing precisely what I have advocated in my new book, Pause, Rewind. I lead from the front.”
As she strides into the next chapter of life, Nawaz remains a muse of mindful living, imprinting a legacy, a self-actualised persona guiding seekers — whether followers or family — to discover the deeper meaning behind health, harmony and intentional living.
Excerpts from the interview:
What’s your advice to women who have had to face unavoidable setbacks in their lives like you?
Every rose has it’s thorns. Some are lucky enough to have rose bushes and even rose gardens — guess what, they come with that many more thorns. You take the good with the bad. Stars are never seen in the daylight; they are only seen because of the darkness. Life is an amalgamation of all things. I don’t get elated with success, neither do I feel down and out by perceived failure. This is one of the most important lessons my father has taught me — to keep my emotional stance on an even keel regardless of ups and downs. Life for everyone will always be full of both.
What are your plans for the next stage of your life?
The beautiful saying that ‘man proposes, and God disposes’ comes to mind. Like Amitabh Bachchan is well known to say, that “if your prayers are answered, that’s great. But if they are denied, then His will has prevailed” — and what could be better?
What unique insights does your book bring to the discussion of anti-aging that readers can’t find elsewhere?
There’s a lot that I’ve learnt from my life’s work in the field of fitness, wellness, health, and anti-aging that comes from experience, an amalgamation of many different learnings, time and trial. Having heard people ask me over and over again about various aspects to do with this, I realised a book was really in the offing — that these things were not naturally out there for people to have the benefit of.
How did the title Pause, Rewind come about?
As the book is about natural anti-aging techniques, the initial title was going to be Time Arrest. Shortly before hitting print on the book, a close friend pointed out to me that Time Arrest was also the name of a Japanese or oriental anti-aging skin-care product line.
The Penguin Random House Publication team therefore wanted to avoid any possible litigation to do with trademark or copyright issues, and we therefore debated a new name and landed upon Pause, Rewind.
Did your father share any advice with you about retaining joy and purpose as one gets older?
My father is and always has been my biggest Hero — beyond being both a father and a mother to me, he’s my mentor, my guide, my philosopher, and my best friend — of all time. He’s the most positive person that I know, a formidable front line fighter in the legal world with a reputation at the very highest.
In a recent Instagram post of mine where he is quoting Longfellow, in reference to my book Pause, Rewind, you’ll see first hand my father’s attitude towards aging.
If you were to dedicate your book to three people, apart from your close friends and family who would they be?
I find that question a very difficult one to answer — because my natural go to’s would always be family and close friends. If you still insist, it would be my ancestors who watch over me so closely, to all those who contributed to making me who, and how I am today, and lastly, but actually firstly, to the good Lord, above, and the powers that be.
As a Founder of BodyArt and fitness advocate, how do you plan to continue growing your footprints on health and wellness industry?
I have very many ideas about this, but for the time I’d only like to say that I prefer to let my actions speak louder than my words. They say if you want to know how a thing turns out, remember that Time reveals everything. Let’s give Time, a little time. You will see.
