A WOMAN OF HER WORD

Anmol Malik might have started her career as a singer and lyricist, but the daughter of musician Anu Malik has found her true calling as a writer

Stories can be told in many ways – through books, through songs and poetry, through films, through art. Singer and songwriter Anmol Malik epitomises this fact. The 25-year-old has just debuted as an author with Three Impossible Wishes, a light campus romance.

“Creativity has no boundaries, and I love to create music, stories and universes,” says Anmol. “Even when I write music, I try to tell a story; lyrics have always been my first attraction to any song, because they feel like a hidden reward just waiting to be discovered.”

The daughter of musician

Anu Malik, Anmol always wanted to be a writer. “I’ve studied and worked diligently towards it all my life,” says Anmol, who studied creative writing at the University of Warwick, England.

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SCENE AND HEARD

Anmol worked at Leo Burnett and Utv-disney before going on to lead the script department at Yash Raj Films. The idea for Three Impossible Wishes struck her when an image suddenly stuck in her mind – a quaint little pub, and a boy and a girl walking together in the silence of the night.

“I could feel the cold and hear the crunch of the snow beneath their feet,” says Anmol. “I could hear their conversation and all I did was note it down. So you could say I started in the middle of the book and the story wrapped itself in layers around this one scene. This chapter is called Whiskey On Ice –I titled all my chapters with the food and drink that play an important part in each section.”

When she noted down that image, Anmol did not imagine that she was writing a book. “I write to make myself happy,” she explains.

THERE’S SOMETHING VERY CALMING ABOUT OPENING A BOOK, TURNING THE PAGES AND JUST DISSOLVING INTO THE STORY

“So that when I read the words on paper, they make me smile. I loved writing Three Impossible Wishes. It’s a movie in a book! If Bridget Jones’s Diary, Notting Hill and Mean Girls made you smile, I hope my book does the same. The first draft was ready in four months. Then fine tuning and editing took around a year, but I honestly enjoyed the whole process and was so heavily invested in it that I didn’t notice where the time went.”

WE ARE THE WORLD

Anmol’s inspiration comes from the world around her – events, movies, books, conversations, colours, the traffic, weather changes. “It all sort of boils together, like ingredients in some mad recipe,” she laughs. “I’ve always been dreaming up stories and singing songs. But there’s a discipline to it. I’m at my desk every day, writing.”

She isn’t concerned about the millennials’ reputation of being too easily distracted to read a book. “I think everyone wants to escape a little,” she says. “And books, movies, music, art, all have the power to do that. It’s magic. There’s something very calming about opening a book, turning the pages and just dissolving into the story.”

Her favourite books are by Salman Rushdie, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams, and she also loves a ton of classics. “Though comfort reads are always J K Rowling, Enid Blyton, Herge, and Eoin Colfer,” she adds.

SURPRISE!

Neither Anmol’s family nor her friends knew anything about her book till the day the e-edition released. “I didn’t believe it could happen myself, so I just didn’t tell anyone,” laughs Anmol.

But then actor and poet like Ayushmann Khurrana praised the book, calling it “Totally cheeky, completely hilarious and endlessly charming!” And now Anmol has little reason to doubt her writing skills. “I can’t thank Ayushmann for being as largehearted as he is talented!” she says fervently. “He is one of the brightest stars in the galaxy. And I really hope people give the book a chance. It’s a fun, breezy read meant to feel as heartwarming as fresh-from-the-oven chocolatechip cookies.”

What’s the last thing you googled? How to make moong dal chilla.

Tell us one skill that you have acquired during the lockdown.

Cooking some new dishes.

Name your first celebrity crush. Hrithik Roshan.

And what was your most starstruck moment? When I met Salman Khan in person during the promotions of Nikamma on Bigg Boss.

What was the first Bollywood song you got hooked to? O o jaane jaana from Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998).

Which Bollywood movie have you watched the most number of times?

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).

Tell us the most over-the-top thing you have done in real life?

Moving countries (from

New Zealand to India) to pursue my dreams.

Which is that one habit of yours that you want to get rid of ?

I procrastinate while packing and unpacking.

An advice you would want to give your 10-year-old self...?

Don’t be scared to follow your heart.

What’s the most challenging part about being a star on social media?

Managing different content between hectic work schedules.

List three things essential to be successful on social media.

Be yourself, be consistent and be real.

What has been your funniest memory while recording a song?

During the recording of the song Disco Disco with Sachin Jigar, I would get fidgety and make random noises. And, some of those have actually been used in the song!

What would the title of your biography be? The tiny one with not so tiny dreams!