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At 60, Shobhaa De looks forward to a “crowded, productive and exciting decade”

You turned 60 the year independent India turned 60. Did that motivate you to write Superstar India :From Incredible to Unstoppable? Who are your superstars in today’s India?
I feel I have been writing this book in my mother’s womb, for 60 years. But yes, my turning 60 was the trigger — it was time to take stock of me and my country. Progress reports of both read rather well. Today’s superstars are only the products of cinema and cricket. The greatest superstar India has produced is Mahatma Gandhi. Nobody in the world can challenge his unique status. The others come and go as per the flavour of the season. 

The 60th year of Independence has unleashed celebratory writings across the media for a year now. What’s different about your book?
I am not a historian, economist, industrialist, politician or academic. Mine is a ‘felt’ account of areas I know something about. Since the book has no agenda, its tone is upbeat and not entirely smug. It expresses despair and celebration equally. It’s not gender-neutral. It has been written by a woman in a woman’s voice. History is chronicled by men for men. It’s our turn now. I believe women experience countries and cultures differently from men. Read the book and check that out for yourself!

Do you cringe when you look back at the explicit sexual content of your once-hugely-popular S-series of books?
Out of 15 books, precisely three novels contain explicit references to sex. Yet, I am constantly asked about the sexual content of my books in an obsessive way. It makes me wonder about the levels of frustration... or the levels of ignorance? We are in the 21st century, not the Victorian era. Grow up. Every title of mine has been a bestseller, including the non-fiction-books that were anti-septic and squeaky clean, even by puritanical standards. I guess, I must be doing something right. 

Do you miss the Bookers and Commonwealths on your literary mantle?
I write for readers, not awards. And I refuse to write formulaic books revolving around caste and class that Western publishers adore. Marlon Brando once said, ‘I also write for appreciation now, whatever the motivation may have been in the past.’ And that appreciation comes from readers, not  literary committees sitting in London. Like Bollywood chasing an Oscar, certain Indian authors too pander to publishers abroad. I find that cringe making. 

Few years back, 40 was the new 30. Today, 60 is the new 40. How does it feel to be in the 60s’ club?
It’s a pretty good space to be in. But don’t treat me like the first woman to turn 60. I neither flaunt nor hide my age. I am cool about this biological fact of life. The next decade looks crowded, productive and exciting. 

The general media reports about Bollywood today the way Stardust did under your editorship in the 1970s. Your take on that.
The Stardustisation of media is complete. I have a hearty laugh at the irony of it all. The media barons who once huffed and puffed about Stardust have now converted their publications into its new-age versions. In such a crowded field of clones, it’s hard to tell one from the other. 

As Stardust editor, you had once said, “What we write is only 20 per cent of the rot in film industry lives. If we wrote the 100 per cent, there would be no idols left.” Do you still hold that view?
Stardust was and still is a phenomenon. It brought about a sea-change in film journalism. It was irreverent, witty and daring enough to go into unknown territory. While other magazines devoted pages to Asha Parekh’s poodles, Stardust ran stories on Rajesh Khanna’s secret marriage.  

So, were all those juicy stories true?
They ought to be as they are generated by the protagonists themselves. The untold stories are far more shocking than anything you see published. Bollywood is a grim place that tries to present its prettiest face to the world. But is anybody really fooled? 

Today Shobhaa De is a brand. What’s your take on the making of brand Shobhaa as superstar Shobhaa?
The question is not whether I see myself as a brand but whether others see me as one. I’m afraid the answer is ‘yes.’ Ten or so years ago, when Amitabh Bachchan was getting himself ‘valued’ as a brand, a financial whiz offered to put a price tag on my brand worth. I refused as I thought it was absurd to commodify people. It’s an entirely different ball game now. Every known person comes with a price tag. Sad, but true. Sometimes the numbers discussed are in the public domain, at other times, they remain unspoken. But they are very much there. So, there’s no point fighting shy of accepting such crass realities. 

Your detractors accuse you of using the processes of the media you were once a part of to market brand Shobhaa.
There’s no way  anyone can ‘control’ an image. That’s insulting public intelligence. People can see through manipulation. Besides, smart marketing cannot sell a dud — whether it’s a book or a soap cake. I am clear-headed about my goals. I want to deliver 100 per cent with every book. My strike rate has established my success. I understand the value of my  brand positioning better than anybody else. It’s in my own interest to ensure any new book of mine gets the attention it deserves.  

How’s the real Shobhaa different from brand Shobhaa?
Do I get affected by it? Sometimes. Do I buy into it? Not really. My innate pragmatism saves me from self-delusion. I work hard and I like my rewards. Besides, my sane family provides me the daily reality checks. Do I know my worth? Experts tell me I hugely undervalue myself. Let’s put that down to modesty. What do I need to leverage Brand Shobhaa De for anyway? I am neither a movie star looking for roles nor a politician in search of votes? I am happy that my readers like my books.