Neena Gupta Finishes Writing Her Autobiography ‘Sach Kahu Toh’ In Lockdown. It Releases Next Year And We Can’t Wait!
If there’s one celebrity I truly admire not only for her brilliant acting chops but also her knack for breaking stereotypes, it is veteran actress Neena Gupta. From being a single mom to asking for work on her Instagram account and taking up unconventional roles in films like Badhai Ho, she has consistently proved that she is here to make her own rules. Currently, she is spending her lockdown days in Mukhteshwar, Uttarakhand. She regularly gives us a sneak-peak into her life where she is seen doing house chores, making parathas and decluttering cupboards. But that’s not all she did in the lockdown. Turns out, while we were failing miserably at baking banana bread and obsessing over Dalgona coffee, Neena Gupta finished writing her memoir.
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Neena Gupta has added one more feather to her hat by turning an author and writing her autobiography titled ‘Sach Kahu Toh’. It will cover her life journey from her childhood in Delhi to her days in the National School of Drama, the controversial affair with West Indies cricketer Vivian Richards and her second chance on the silver screen. Through her book, she wants the readers to know that if “she can get up, get going and look really good while doing so” after so many hardships and fallbacks, so can they.
The book is slated to come out in four to five months and is being published by Penguin India under ‘Ebury Press’ imprint. Neena announced the news of her autobiography through an Instagram video post, where she revealed that she was initially hesitant about the decision and had second thoughts about it for many years, but finally “likh dali.”
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In the video, she also mentions that she decided to take the plunge and write her book while she was in self-isolation in Mukhteshwar. In an interview, she said, “Taking long, winding walks every day, appreciating the sounds of the birds and basking in the chill of the mountain air, I asked myself, ‘Why should I write a book? What do I have to say that could help and inspire someone?’ With so many incidents that have made me and also broken me, and I needed to free myself by getting them out. Reflecting about my life, my journey and the things I’ve had to overcome will make me feel better and lighter.”
Gurveen Chadha, the senior commissioning editor of Penguin Random House India said in an interview, “Neena Gupta is a treasure and I’ve been a huge fan of her work, her wit and repartee over the years. On social media, she drops truth bombs with perfect poise—whether it be her views on motherhood, the norms of ‘unladylike’ behaviour, or an out-of-work actor seeking roles! The best memoirs are as unsparingly honest as this and I’m so happy that Penguin will be publishing.”
Gupta started a series titled ‘Sach Kahu Toh’ on her Instagram account where she talked about relatable topics and heartfelt and enlightening conversation in small videos. This was probably the inspiration behind the name of her book. In those episodes, she often talked about little things like dealing with the pandemic blues, the struggle of DIYing facial waxing to heavy topics like why getting involved with a married guy could be the worst decision for you and why it’s important to appreciate your man’s efforts. These insightful talks often stemmed from her own life experiences that she passed on to her followers in the form of friendly advice.
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Neena Gupta is an inspiration to all the women and her life is nothing short of legendary. From having a child out of wedlock and proudly raising her all by herself to breaking fashion rules for older women, she has set some serious goals for women to live on their own terms. Plus, from being married at the age of 50 and nailing an item song at 61 (remember, ‘Aunty Kisko Bola Bey?‘ from Masaba Masaba?), she has constantly proved that she is not someone who succumbs to societal norms and age is just a number, at least for her. Her book would simply be a rulebook for women to break the ceiling and do what they love, which translates to ‘There are no rules’.
Sach kahu toh, I am really excited for her book to release and can’t wait to read her memoir. I am sure it will be as fun, honest and inspiring as Neena Ji herself.
