NEW DELHI: Actress turned author Soha Ali Khan who launched her book, ‘The Perils of Being Moderately Famous’, has said writing the book was a cathartic experience for her.
Talking, Soha, who was in the national capital in connection with the book launch, said, “It was a cathartic experience. Because I was revisiting so many memories, talking so many things that have happened a long time ago.
And you really start on to scratch on the surface, talk about emotions and feelings.” “And I am someone who is quite reserved. So I forced myself to really think about the right words to communicate what it was feeling at certain points in my life and I think that’s always cathartic.”
Asked about the feedback within the family, Soha, who was accompanied by her mother and veteran actress Sharmila Tagore, said, “it was very good. My mother read the book as I was writing it, as did Kunal. And both of them liked the tone and were laughing at the same places, gave me lot of constructive criticism, and a lot of notes has been incorporated in the book as well.
My brother Saif Ali Khan’s favourite were chapters on college, travel which he liked very much. So it was very encouraging.” Whether she will prefer writing biographies of her parents Sharmila Tagore and Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, Soha said, “No.
For a child to write biographies on their parents, I don’t know how many people will be interested in reading it because biography should be objective and you should also have a critique of a person.
I always said my parents’ stories are incredibly phenomenal and their stories should be told in form of novel, movies and shared with the world. Whether I am the right person to do that, I don’ know but yeah it’s worth considering.” On how she would compare her acting to writing, the actress said, “It’s not for me to compare. Compared to writing a book, acting in the film is for the wider audience, and then the audience judges you. So, it’s not for me to say. “I can read my book and say it is honest, it is me, it’s my voice, my tone. I think I have tried to tell my story, and when I read it I think it communicates what I was feeling. But once it’s written, and you buy the book, it belongs to you, and then it is for you to read and interpret it and whether that interpretation matches with mine or not, it really can vary from person to person.” “But the response so far is very encouraging. What I have heard from people, I think they have understood the tone with which I have said the story, and I think they have appreciated the candour,” the ‘Tum Mile’ actor said. On being asked if it was difficult to write, especially the bits about her father’s last days in the hospital, Soha said, “naturally of course it was difficult because you have to revisit those memories. It was seven years ago. And when you think about it, it’s never going to be a fun experience. It was cathartic to do that. Very soon after he passed away we wrote a collection of essays on him called ‘The Nawab of Cricket’ and at that point I have actually written in my book using excerpts from that which is why it’s so vivid in detail. So it was difficult.” Talking about the changes in life post motherhood, Soha said,”my life has changed completely. Your life is not your life anymore. It belongs to someone else. And I never thought that it would happen with me. I have always put myself first. And this is the first time I am thinking about someone else. When I think about the work I have to take on, the dinner, etc, because these decisions I am taking for Inaaya.” From endearing characteristics of her father to her mother’s illustrious family tree, her relationships and her struggle with writing, Soha’s debut novel is a breezy and riveting read, full of insights and humour. Published by Penguin Randomhouse India, “The Perils of Being Moderately Famous” is a collection of Soha’s personal essays where she recounts, with self-deprecating humour, what it was like growing up in one of the most illustrious families of the country. (AGENCIES)
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