‘I worshipped Enid Blyton’

Which books are currently on your reading list? I am juggling several books. There’s Inner Engineering by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Creative Visualisation by Shakti Gawain, which is my second read, and Autobiography of a Yogi. Which was the best book you’ve read so far? I would say it’s a toss-up between The Alchemist, Roald Dahl’s’ Switch Bitch and Bridget Jones’s Diary. Which writers — novelists, critics, or poets — working today do you admire most? Off the top of my head, that would include Paulo Coelho, Eckhart Tolle, Louise Hay and Dr Brian Weiss. I also admire the works of Gulzar and Javed Akhtar very much. Which genres do you enjoy reading? Which do you avoid? I love short stories, because they require the least time. I also enjoy books on spirituality, as you can tell from my list. I stay away from thrillers or action. What kind of reader were you as a child? Which books and authors have stayed with you? I worshipped Enid Blyton. I read everything she wrote. I liked The Famous Five, The Secret Seven and The Malory Towers series, among her other works. If you had to name one book that made you who you are today, which would it be? I can’t say a particular book has been life-changing for me, but the philosophy in one of them has stayed with me. In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho says, “When you want something, the universe conspires to help you achieve it.” I’ve seen that to be true. Which is your favourite fairy tale or folklore? The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. It’s not a fairy tale, but as a child, it took me to a magical world. Not many fairytales have the power to transport you, but Blyton’s books had that special ability for me. Which was the last book that made you cry/laugh? That one’s easy. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini made me cry buckets. Which author would you choose to write your life story? I don’t know what genre my life story would be. There’s so much that happens in life. An action thriller, a spiritual journey or a comedy; it could be anything. I will decide on the author when I know.

Not many fairy tales have the power to transport you, but Blyton’s books had that special ability for me. MANDIRA BEDI, ACTOR

PHOTO: PRODIP GUHA/HT