AUTHOR ALERT IN BOLLYWOOD

A host of actors and filmmakers are penning books. Some have released, others are lined up

They have moved beyond the silver screen to embrace the written word. While books by Rishi Kapoor, Karan Johar, Twinkle Khanna and Divya Dutta have been released, those by Soha Ali Khan, Raveena Tandon and Hrithik Roshan are in the pipeline. There’s no denying a trend here — of Bollywood celebs, actors and directors, turning authors. And thanks to the stars’ fanbase, strong buzz surrounds the book, right from the announcement. But what are these celebs writing on? Soha’s debut book, The Perils of Being Moderately Famous, will highlight her life’s stories of being a royal princess and as she puts it, being a “moderately famous” celebrity. “I love to read and I do that quite well, so it can’t be much harder to write, right? I also have some time on my hands, as most actors often do. I can use it creatively to pen down memories from what surely must be a life less ordinary. I am a princess after all,” Soha says. The super-fit Hrithik has been getting requests from friends and family to write a book on fitness. And if sources are to be believed, Hrithik might soon oblige them. Speaking to HT City, Raveena shares her literary plans. “Along with working on my films and the other work that I have at hand, I am also writing a book. But can’t talk much about it now,” she had said. In a “Bollywood-dominated nation”, books by actors and directors are quite popular, says author Ashwin Sanghi, whose book, Chanakya’s Chant, might get adapted into a mini series, and The Krishna Key into a film. “If you see the bestseller list along with fiction, a lot of non-fiction making their way into it. And these non-fictions are in the nature of revelations. So someone who had worked in the Prime Minister’s office or had a colourful life in Bollywood.. such stories make for a fantastic read. There is an element of voyeurism in them, which appeals to readers,” he adds. Ashwin has Rishi Kapoor’s Khullam Khulla, and believes that in India, three things make for news apart from politics — Bollywood, cricket and sex! “No doubt, Khullam Khulla and Karan Johar’s An Unsuitable Boy created a lot of buzz,” he says. Author Anuja Chauhan feels that the trend is more publishing driven. “I think commissioning editors approach actors or directors to write books for them, as they feel such books sell well,” shares Anuja. Filmmaker Shirish Kunder, known for his sharp sense of humour, is also getting offers to publish a book. We hope he finally agrees!

Commissioning editors approach actors or directors to write books for them, as they feel such books sell well ANUJA CHAUHAN, AUTHOR

While Soha Ali Khan (L) and Raveena Tandon’s books are awaited, Rishi Kapoor (below) and Karan Johar’s (below right) books made headlines for their controversial content