Agar main fillum star hoti...

There is this column called Bibliophile in the Sunday supplement of The Asian Age. People from varied fields are asked about their book-reading habits. They all sound deathly serious, and a few authors are invariably 'marked' – somehow Paulo Coelho and Deepak Chopra are great hits with film stars!

Since it is unlikely I will be featured there, I decided to answer the questions here as a film star would. In parenthesis is what they really mean.

Which was the last book that you read?
The Alchemist. (Saala, film magazine tha, usme woh animal print waala chakaas shirt pehnela apun ne…)

Which is your favourite place to read?
The bed. (Yedaa! Bed par koi padhta hai, kya?)

Who is your favourite novelist?
Paulo Coelho. (Yaar, yeh aadmi tau mast hai, apun ko bachayela aakha time. Naam leneka aur impression achcha fit hota hai.)

Who is your favourite literary character?
Devdas. (Sabko maalum yeh Sanjay Bhansali ne script bachaane ka waaste saala purana book se uthaaya. Book mein tau character hoyega ich na…)

Which poem can you recite by heart?
Some by Shakespeare. (Abey, Jack and Jill chalega nahin kya?)

Which is your favourite children’s book?
Amar Chitra Katha. (Tereko yaad hai kya?)

Which book should you have read?
All epics. (Should ka matlab? Jabardasti hai? Aur epics ke liye itna time khotee kaiku karega?)

Which school/college texts did you enjoy the most?
Shakesepare. (Ha, ha, college gaya kaun? Aur school bhi tau…)

Which book according to you is under-rated?
All by Deepak Chopra. (Under-rated bole tau? Itna paisa kamaaya usne sab ko maamu banaake. Mila tha apun ko Goa mein, iska waaste naam yaad hai…)

Which book changed your life?
The Bhagwad Gita/Bible/Quran. (Oh, god, mera baap, iss balaa se bachao, ab tau naam bhi le liya hai aapka!)

Which book would you make compulsory reading?
The above. (Bachao!! Agar reading compulsory hoga tau apna tau vaat lag jaayega bhidoo…)

Which book did you never want to end?
The Alchemist. (End kaise hoyega jab shuroo ich nahin kiyela?)