Penguin Random House to publish Neena Gupta’s memoirs

Penguin Random House India has announced the acquisition of actress Neena Gupta’s memoirs, Sach Kahun Toh. An intimate account of her personal and professional journey, the book will be published in the summer of 2021 under the Ebury Press imprint.

The two-time National award-winning actress, filmmaker, producer and television personality has starred in several critically acclaimed television shows and films. Her most recent work includes award-winning performances in Badhaai Ho (2018), Veere Di Wedding (2018), The Last Colour (2019) and Shubh Mangal Zyaaa Saavdhan (2020). She currently stars in Netflix’s web-series Masaba Masaba with her daughter Masaba Gupta where they play fictionalised versions of themselves in a playful peek into their lives in fashion and film.

The memoirs will chart her journey, beginning with her childhood days in Karol Bagh, Delhi, through her time at the National School of Drama, and moving to Bombay in the 1980s and dealing with the struggles to find work. It will also detail the big milestones in her life, her unconventional pregnancy and single parenthood and successful second innings in Hindi cinema. 

Commenting on writing her first book, Gupta said, “In the first half of 2020, when the country went into lockdown to battle the COVID-19 crisis, I found myself in Mukteshwar, a beautiful, scenic village in Uttarakhand. It was here I realized I had nothing to do other than battle my own thoughts. I started to reflect and relive my life’s journey. Taking long, winding walks every day, appreciating the sounds of the birds and basking in the chill of the mountain air, I asked myself, “Why should I write a book? What do I have to say that could help and inspire someone?” And I realized two things, which made me immensely hopeful."

"My life has been festered with so many incidents that have made me and also broken me, and I needed to free myself by getting them out. Reflecting on my life, my journey and the things I’ve had to overcome will make me feel better and lighter. Secondly and more importantly, through the book I also want people to know that despite my flaws, my broken relationships and my circumstances in life, if I can get up, get going and look really good while doing so, so can you!” she added.

Milee Ashwarya, publisher at Ebury Publishing and Vintage Publishing, said, "Neena Gupta is someone I deeply admire for her indomitable spirit, originality and immense talent. She has, during the course of her life and career, faced innumerable challenges with fortitude, and has overcome them with elan. Neena is an inspiration to women across generations, and I am delighted that she has chosen Penguin Random House India to share her incredible life story."