On Sunday I had a talk session organized by Junoon Theatre and it was my first experience of addressing an audience at the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum. I shared insights into the life and work of a film critic and author and the impact and the influences of people I met during my career.
Excerpts of the conversation:
My career has been a series of unplanned victories. As the youngest in the family, I had no ambitions of a career leave aside becoming a working woman. I didn’t want to do a job because it would entail making mistakes and getting fired and I didn’t want to be in any uncomfortable situation. But destiny has its own plans and one day, while my parents were traveling abroad I read an ad in the paper inviting college students with a flair for writing, I went for the interview, one thing led to another and rest is history.
I was unsure at every turning point but took the plunge and embraced the challenge. When I was offered editorship way back in 1985 I felt I was inadequate for the post and discussed it with my mother. She said take the challenge, if you deliver you have a career, if you don’t they will sack you and by the time they do this, you will have some bank balance.
From reporter to editor to columnist to author to critic has been a long and fascinating journey, a journey that has enriched and evolved me. The books I wrote have evolved me as a writer and a person. Writing is a lonely process but also fulfilling. My books are like my children and it is difficult for me to choose my favorite. Parents never have a favorite child so how can an author have a favorite book? Yes, there are special memories and that is acceptable but more about this in a separate blog soon…
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