Deepti Naval featured in a picture. (courtesy: deepti.naval)
Deepti Naval is disappointed by the social media's description of the film industry in the country. Contrary to her experience in the industry which was "very different," the actress remarked that the industry has "come under flak for various reasons." At the book launch event of her memoir, A Country Called Childhood, the veteran actress was quoted by news agency PTI as saying, "I would definitely speak or write about some of (my) wonderful experiences in the film industry. These days the whole world is out there on the net giving a lot of gaalis (abuses) to the film industry. It's come under flak for various reasons, real, unreal, I can't make out. This is not the industry I know."
She said that she doesn't relate to some of the tweets about the industry as she has met some "wonderful" people. "What all is going on in the tweets or remarks on the net, I don't relate to that because I've met some wonderful people. There are all kinds of people everywhere, in every profession, or area of life. Right now, the industry is being singled out as the worst place in the world to be in," she said.
Deepti Naval has featured in a number of critically acclaimed films such as Shyam Benegal's Junoon, Chashme Buddoor, Saudagar, Leela, Memories in March, and Listen... Amaya. She also worked in Garth Davis's Lion in 2016. She was featured last in the TV series Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors in 2021.
The 70-year-old actress may have done "very little work" in films compared to her colleagues, but she's okay with that. "My colleagues had done 250 films, whereas I've done only 100 films. But I'm okay with that. If I was consumed by Hindi cinema, I wouldn't feel the need to write or paint or go on treks," she said.
Deepti Naval's book, A Country Called Childhood, published by Aleph and launched by Sharmila Tagore, is a deep dive into the childhood of the painter-actor-writer. She said that she started taking notes for her memoir 20 years ago, and it only took shape five years ago.