MEERA SYAL
Wise words
Comedian and actress Meera, 56, lives in London with her husband, actor Sanjeev Bhaskar, daughter, Chameli, son, Shaan, and mother Surrinder
How tidy is your house?
Much as I’d love shiny minimalist surfaces, with three generations in the house, that’s wishful thinking. However, downstairs at least, we try to clear up at the end of every day, so we have the illusion of tidy.
Hoarder or clutter-free?
Hoarder. But I have a manic clear-out once a year to enable the next cycle of hoarding.
When did you last clean your bathroom?
We have a cleaner once a week but I clean the bathroom and kitchen pretty much daily.
How often do you change your sheets?
Fortnightly.
What is your signature dish?
My biryani’s pretty good, and my lemon drizzle cake seems to be a favourite. I’m a keen baker, mainly because I need an excuse to eat large amounts of cake.
Cook for friends or go out for dinner?
We eat in more than out. Given the choice, I’ll always cook Indian food – there’s infinite variety for all palates as half our family is vegetarian. I’m lucky enough to still have my mum, who’s an amazing cook. I’m still picking up tips, even after all these years.
What is always in your storecupboard?
Tinned tomatoes. They are the basis of any good curry.
What food could you not live without?
Truly? Toast. Hot, buttered, lots of it.
Who would you love to invite to dinner?
Strong, inspirational, rebellious women: Frida Kahlo, Nora Ephron, the Rani of Jhansi, the Obamas… I’d love to know what they’re thinking right now. Kathy Burke and Jo Brand for laughs, and both of my grandmas.
Give us a tip to save time. Delegate! I learnt a bit too late that it’s not our job to do everything. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. And if you don’t get, keep asking until you do!
Saver or spender?
It depends what sort of year we have had. Being self-employed in the creative arts means you can’t really plan ahead, so when we’re flush, we get the boring stuff done like house repairs. When we’re not, we try to be sensible.
What is your health motto?
Stay active and curious. Being passionate about something that engages your mind and body is the best tonic. When you find something that you love doing – for me, it’s netball – keeping fit is much less of a chore.
Where in the world is your happy place?
Any beach. The ocean makes me happy.
What advice will you hand down?
I told my daughter that every woman should have the ability to earn her own money, so that she enters into a relationship as an equal and stays in it because she wants to, not because she has to.
What’s the secret of a happy house?
Eating together, having a laugh, giving each other space when needed.
◆ Meera stars in Abi Morgan’s The coming soon to BBC1
Split,