SUSHANT TURNS AUTHOR WITH REALLIFE CRIME STORIES

Actor Sushant Singh is working on his debut novel, which will be coauthored by Delhibased fiction writer Kulpreet Yadav; will explore crimes and their impact

Coupling his experience of dealing with crime stories and his love for the written word, actor Sushant Singh is all set to don the author’s hat. His debut book on “real-life crime stories” will be co-authored by Delhi-based fiction writer Kulpreet Yadav.

“I’ve never tried my hand at writing, except jotting down a couplet every now and then (smiles). That’s something different then writing prose. That is why I felt the need to co-author with a professional writer. I hope I pass with not flying colours, but walking colours,” laughs Sushant.

Talking about the book’s subject, the actor who has for long been anchoring a crime-based show on television, says, “I’ve already gone through a lot of stories and the way crime affects society. Crime is not just a crime in isolation. There are victims, and law and order involved. Every crime or a major crime has a big impact on society. For example, the Kathua case or December 16 gangrape case. These are recent examples that saw the government [and authorities proposing or] making changes in the law. In that perspective, we want to explore criminals and their impact.”

Sushant, who has acted in films such as Jungle (2000), The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002), Lakshya (2004), Baby (2015), and Lipstick Under My Burkha(2017), also shares that his “inclination towards poetry and literature” came during his time at Kirori Mal College (KMC), Delhi University.

“That’s why I ended up doing English Honours. And the faculty of KMC was one of the best faculties in the university at that time. That, of course, helped,” he says.

The process for fruition of his debut novel has begun, and in full swing.

“Kulpreet and I got along and the [book’s] idea was floated by our agent. Everything is going to start now. It will be curated and cowritten by me, [incorporating] stories which appeal to me and Kulpreet, notorious criminals who changed the course of law, or [cases that] made big changes in the social perception of the criminal system,” says the actor.

The story will take shape with research, which Sushant says will “involve going through police records, and meeting police officials and investigating officers, [apart from ] victims, NGOs”... wherever the research leads them. “We’ll be asking police officials about the stories that affected them, and criminals they consider [to be] a turning point [in their lives] in some way.”

The actor hopes that writing the book — and an attempt at scriptwriting in general — will instil “discipline” in him. “There are ideas bubbling in my mind. I have been struggling to write a script for a long time now. I have so many ideas, but, never had the discipline to write my own script for a film or web series,” he signs off.

I’ve already gone through a lot of stories and the way crime affects society. Crime is not just a crime in isolation. There are victims, and law and order involved. A major crime has a big impact on the society. SUSHANT SINGH ACTOR

PHOTO: FOTOCORP