Of stars and stereotypes
There is a certain satisfaction when one reads an autobiography by a superstar – the kind who has a very polished, smooth screen face, but the words in their book tell a different story. Call it voyeurism, if you so wish but all that prose about quirky imperfections, broken promises, raw wounds and scars from fears fought and most importantly, surviving in spite of it all to put it down on paper is to me like pure, eloquent poetry. I believe it is not just an act of honesty but of great courage too.
And Sharon Stone's autobiography is just that. Released last year, The Beauty of Living
Twice offers an extremely stinky, squeamish insight into the so-called esoteric world of Hollywood as an institution and of the people who power it. What it also does is, it offers hope to those who feel let down, disappointed and embittered either by the roll of the dice or by the powers that be.
At the outset, Sharon Stone seems like an unlikely source of inspiration. Those from my generation would remember the actor for that one sensational role in the part erotic part thriller film Basic Instinct – a film that went on to be a milestone, not just for its explicit content but its scintillating storytelling as well. For those who are rolling their eyes right now, Sharon got an Oscar nod for her performance in Martin Scorsese's Casino and has many other awards under her belt.
In the interview on page 20, the 64-yearold star who has fought repulsive patriarchy and deeply ingrained culture of pigeonholing
Sharon Stone’s autobiography The Beauty of Living Twice offers an extremely stinky, squeamish insight into the so-called esoteric world of Hollywood as an institution and of the people who power it
with grace and dignity, says while conversations and protests about gender bias and inequality are important, it is more important that women get behind the steering wheel and drive their own destiny.
Wishing you and your family a very happy Eid Al Fitr and Akshaya Tritiya.