What
books are you currently reading or have finished reading…
Now, I'm reading Elia Kazan's A life, an autobiography.
Genre/s that you prefer to read is…
When it comes to reading I'm quite a farrago. An eclectic
mixture of autobiography, philosophy, films, politics,
motivational, inspirational and spiritual books are
what I prefer reading.
One interesting reading habit that you have…
Rather than being an interesting habit, mine may be
unusual because of my schedule. At times, I spend days
without any serious reading. And when I get the time
then it can be a marathon with the books.
The story behind how you picked up the reading habit
is…
Reading habit must have been seriously embedded while
in school in Moscow, where the system was to encourage
students to read and provide opportunity to buy various
books other than the just course books.
Writers who have inspired you a lot are…
I can't actually go on telling the name but autobiography
of fascinating people with equally fascinating career
like Jung Bahadur Rana, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela,
Bill Clinton, Mao, Hitler, Gandhi, Benazir Bhutto, and
screen legends like Elia Kazan, Stanislavsky, Kathirine
Hepburn, Sinatra, are all inspirational and provide
a lot of ins and outs about life.
Tell us about the books that have been your
source of inspiration and have touched you deeply…
Again, I would like to say, all the biographies of the
gigantic personalities I mentioned in a question above
are the books that made my reading fun, interesting
and knowledgeable.
You read for the sake of—knowledge or
entertainment or more?
One should make reading interesting, like most things
in life. Books do serve dual purpose. Knowledge and
entertainment both come simultaneously.
There's cinema, television channels, Internet
and many other forms of entertainment. Don't you think
books have been overshadowed?
I really don't see TV and books as competitors; they
rather compliment one another. But on second thought
you only have so many hours in a day so at times one
does have to forgo one for the sake of other. TV can
also be both, entertainment as well as knowledge. The
great aspects of books are that they come in so many
genres that are from gardening to cooking and to rocket
science. So there is one for every one.
Any autobiography of any actor that fascinated
you the most...
Oh! Yes the latest edition of Romancing with Life by
Dev Anand was highly fascinating and influential.
Why do you think even actors should be avid readers...
One should read irrespective of which walk of life one
follows because reading has all what you deal with in
life. It's not just about reading to broaden your knowledge
but reading to learn to live life beautifully.
You read when...
When I'm off from my shooting, I go on a marathon of
reading. It feels great and relaxing.
What would you want to advise young aspiring
readers…
I don't believe in advising too much as such, but if
you truly ask me, should one read? My spontaneous answer
is yes, yes and yes.
A lavish shopping of fashionable clothes or
buying some good books…
I do not forsake my shopping completely especially when
I am abroad. But I have also been known to be spending
hours in those fascinating book stores abroad and I
love this type of shopping too.
Your favorite saying on reading…
At the risk of sounding cliché, I say unlike
wealth, knowledge one gets from books remains forever.
So what are you keeping while building up your treasure? |
|
Rajesh, who did his schooling from New Delhi (India) moved
on to Anglo-American School in Moscow (Russia) and eventually
earned his graduation in English Literature, Political Science
and Economics from Punjab University, India. This macho man
started his career as a model for a fashion magazine Fashionnett
published from New Delhi. In 1990, he got his first break
in Yugdekhi Yug Samma. Eighteen years down
the line, he has now acted in over two hundred films. Peregrination,
reading, swimming and movies are what he regards as his hobbies.
