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 NON-FICTION

The Perils of Being Moderately Famous

Soha Ali Khan

Published: December 12, 2017

Publisher: Penguin India

Pages : 256 (paperback)

It seems every Bollywood actor, at one point of time, sees the need to come out with a book—on their spectacular flashbulb-lit lives, how they beat the odds for a comeback, or even a diet book, if nothing else. But Soha Ali Khan’s debut book ‘The Perils of Being Moderately Famous’, a collection of personal essays, doesn’t feel like an actor, one who belongs to such an illustrious family for that matter, boasting and bragging about life and its luxuries. Instead, as she recounts what it was like growing up as the daughter of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and Sharmila Tagore, and being Saif Ali Khan’s sister, and Kareena Kapoor’s sister-in-law, Soha, with her wit and self-deprecating humor, narrates things so refreshingly that it makes her relatable, despite her star status. The book feels like a one- on-one conversation with the writer.

As a part of some notable and some forgettable films, Soha is what you could call ‘moderately famous’. But as Asian Age rightly noted, “Star­dom may have gone to the brother but grace seems to be a legacy received by Soha”, and it’s the grace with which she has penned her book that makes it such a delightful read. This is one memoir that’s not in your face, heavy with ‘brutal honesty’ and ‘frankness’ that feel forced.

She’s not trying to get you to like her or think well about her through her writing. She’s simply telling you her story. The ease with which she talks about those one off date nights and serious affairs and then her college life and foray into acting makes you wish the chapters were a bit longer. Life could definitely use a little bit more of her wit and insight.

And while she makes you laugh time and again, there are also moments in the book that are stir­ring and get you thinking. Bits where she talks about her father and her relationship with him as well as the pain of losing a parent whom she loves and respects in equal measure make you take a moment to remem­ber all the people and things you hold dear in your life.

What’s also remarkable about the book is that nothing feels over the top and there have been no attempts to sensationalize things. That is not Soha’s style. She is all about keeping it simple, humorous, and classy as she shares her personal expe­riences with warmth and a lot of integrity while offering some nev­er-seen-before images of her family, childhood, and her daughter Inaaya. Reading ‘The Perils of Being Moder­ately Famous’ affirms the fact that experiences are universal and that you don’t have to be famous, even moderately so, to enjoy the little things in life and be grateful for what you have.

The world of advice is a crowded space. Everyone has an opinion about everything and every­body seems to know what’s best for you. And a quick look down the self-help aisle at your local bookstore proves that for every problem you have many people out there have ‘just the right’ solution. But if there is one person you would enjoy lis­tening to, then it’s probably Mark Manson. He doesn’t just tell you how to live a good life by identifying what’s important and what’s not, but is so brutally honest about his own problems that being able to relate takes away half your worries.Now, while not giving a fuck may seem simple on the surface, it’s a whole new bag of burritos under the hood. I don’t even know what that sen­tence means, but I don’t give a fuck. A bag of burritos sounds awesome, so let’s just go with it.

This is just an example of the kind of lines Manson’s not-so-subtle book on letting go of everything that’s not important in your life is filled with. And that’s what makes reading the book such a delightful experience. But despite the profanity, The Sub­tle Art of Not Giving a F*ck is actu­ally incredibly inspiring and deeply philosophical. Add to that the fact that Manson has a wicked sense of humor and you have a self-help book that feels like a heart-to-heart conversation with a friend where you are forced to reexamine what you really care about in life.

Manson argues that life is essen­tially an endless series of problems and the solution to one problem is merely the creation of another. He says life sucks for those who con­stantly try to get away from prob­lems. So, he suggests, instead of trying to find out how you can get rid of your problems, you just have to find problems that excite you, and those for which you are willing to make some sacrifices.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck could very well be the reality check you needed about confront­ing your problems, fears, and expec­tations, and learning when not to give a f*ck about them. Because, if Manson is to be believed, caring less about things is the only way to lead a good life. APEX BUREAU

The French Embassy in Kathmandu is holding the fourth edition of ‘Goût de France /Good France’. Goût de France/Good France is a unique global event held across five continents in over 150 countries, involving French embassies and chefs from around the world. It unites all of them on March 21 with one common objective: to celebrate French gastron­omy with local products and talents. The fourth year of Goût de France /Good France will see some 3,000 participating restaurants worldwide.

“There is a traditional link between diplomacy and gastronomy,” says His Excellency Yves Carmona, the French Ambassador to Nepal. “There was a cuisine ‘à La Française’ already in the 14th century, well before there were permanent Embassies [16th century]”.

He said the event was not about diplo­macy but business. France decided to promote its attractiveness to add to the already healthy tourist arrival rate in the country (89 million in 2017). Gastronomy has helped them in this regard. The ‘Gas­tronomic meal of the French’ has been declared as ‘Intangible Heritage’ by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The event is growing popular in Nepal and is running in its third consecutive year in Kathmandu. Eight restaurants and school are taking part in this year’s prestigious event. On March 21 they will serve special French cuisine.

“Although the origin of the event is French, it can be considered a very Nepali event since almost all restaurants and schools are run by Nepalis,” says Carmona.

The restaurants and schools that are participating this year are

- The Old House Pvt. Ltd, Durbarmarg, Kathmandu

- Garden Terrace (Soaltee Crowne Plaza)

- La terrace (Global Academy of Tourism and Hospitality Education)

- Rox Restaurant (Hyatt Regency Kathmandu)

- The Chimney Fine Dining (Hotel Yak and Yeti)

- Silver Mountain School of Hotel Management

- Olive Garden (Radisson Hotel)

- Pauline’s Garden, Baluwatar, Kathmandu

Kathmandu: Veteran Indian writer of Nepali descent Indra Bahadur Rai passed away in his home town of Darjeeling on Tuesday. He was 90. Rais is considered one of the most erudite and acclaimed writers in the Nepali language. In a career spanning almost seven decades, Rai authored over a dozen books in sev­eral genres including novels, short stories, essays and literary criticism.

There’s a Carnival Today, a trans­lation of Rai’s novel Aaja Ramita Chha, was launched in Kathmandu last year. Long Night of Storm, a translation of 16 stories picked from Rai’s two short story collections—Bipana Katipaya and Kathastha—was launched here last week. The novel and the short story collection were translated by writers Manjushree Thapa and Prawin Adhikari respec­tively.

General Secretary of the CPN (Revolutionary Maoist) Mohan Baidya ‘Kiran’ has announced a ‘new revolution’ in the country following his party’s merg­er with the Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplab’-led Communist Party of Nepal. Baidya made the announce­ment at a joint program organized in Bharatpur, Chitwan. “The two parties will work togeth­er to start a new revolution,” said Baidya. “But unlike the previous revolution, it won’t be violent.”

Baidya argued that another rev­olution is necessary because the Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachan­da’-led Maoist Center—which has now merged with KP Sharma Oli-led CPN-UML—has ignored those who were killed, disappeared or injured in the ‘People’s War’. Therefore, the responsibility of fulfilling their demands has fallen on the shoulders of his and Biplab’s parties.

Taking a jab at Dahal, Baidya said the country’s hero has turned into a villain. “How can we trust some­one who, when he lost the ability to go at it alone, has tagged along sometimes with the Congress and at other times with the UML? At a time when those who contributed to the ‘People’s War’ are behind bars, Dahal is indulging in power politics. This has compelled us to choose a revolutionary path,” said Baidya.

Baidya accused Dahal of working to protect the same system that he once waged war against. He claimed that the much-touted left unity between the UML and the MC won’t last, notwithstanding the country’s need for a stable government.

Baidya also challenged the govern­ment to arrest Chand, after it issued an arrest warrant against him.

Ranbir Bam, politburo member of the Chand-led CPN, said it had now become glaringly obvious that Dahal was working against Maoist princi­ples. “In the past, many asked us why we splintered from the mother party. Time has provided the answer to that question,” said Bam.

“It was the ‘People’s War’ that gave birth to Dahal. But he ended the war only to be part of the old establishment. How can someone who couldn’t manage the needs of the families of those who fought for the revolution manage the needs of the entire citizenry?” asked Bam. “That’s why Nepal’s revolution remains incomplete. So we’re wag­ing another revolution.”

Before the start of the Holi week, KP Sharma Oli was already thought of as perhaps the strongest prime minister of democratic Nepal.Following the unification of his CPN-UML (the biggest party in national parliament) and Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led CPN Maoist Center (the third biggest), Oli already commanded a single-party majority in the federal parliament as well as in six of the seven provincial assemblies.

If the current efforts to bring Upendra Yadav’s Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum into the government succeed, then the ruling coalition will have 190 MPs in the 275-strong federal lower house, or over two-thirds of all seats.

That will give the coalition enough votes to amend the constitution, most crucially to make it easier to change provincial boundaries. The forum is close to joining the government because PM Oli has assured it of support for such a constitutional change. As we went to the press, the forum’s participation in the government was all but certain, with negotiations deadlocked not over ideological issues but over distribution of portfolios.

When the forum eventually joins the federal government, Oli will also have great leverage over Province 2, the only province that his communist juggernaut does not currently control. (The forum’s Lal Babu Raut is the chief minister in the province.) But the prime minister is not stopping there to consolidate his power.

This week also saw the prime minister change laws to vest all the residual powers—the powers that, for some reason, have not been delegated to the provinces, the local bodies and to other ministries—in the Prime Minister’s Office. He does not stop there. The PMO will henceforth directly oversee such vital state organs as the National Investigation Department (tasked with strengthening national security), the Department of Revenue Investigation (investigating leakage of taxpayer money) and the Department of Anti-Money Laundering.

From now on, the PMO will also set the guidelines for and monitor NGOs and INGOs. It will also have the power to open new think tanks.
PM Oli now has near absolute power. How he uses it will define his political legacy. It will also set a strong precedent, good or bad, for how the all-important task of institutionalizing the new federal democratic republic pans out.

Having secured the unification of the CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist Center), the largest and the third largest parties in the federal parliament respectively, UML Chairman KP Oli has formally invited Upendra Yadav’s Sang­hiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal (SSFN) to join his government. Oli has hinted that he is open to the idea of amending the constitution to address the demands of the Madhesi parties.

The prime minister right now has the support of 174 lawmakers in the 275-member lower house of the federal parliament. Oli believes that if he can get the support of the two main Madhesi parties—Mahanta Thakur’s Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) with its 17 seats and Yadav’s SSFN (16 seats)—then the leftist ruling coalition will have a solid mandate to govern for the next five years.

But the two main Madhesi forces have so far been non-com­mittal. When The Express wanted to know about the progress in his deliberations with the ruling parties, SSFN chairman Yadav was dismissive: “Oli’s government is all talk. So far it has made no substantial proposal that will convince us to join the government.”

Asked what the bottom-line of the Madhesi parties is, Yadav retorts that the bottom-line “has not changed in a long time.” He was primarily hinting at the old demand of the Madhesi parties that there be two Madhes-only provinces in the entire Tarai belt and that there be more representation from Mad­hes in the national legislature.

The Madhesi parties believe that voters in Province 2 trusted them so that they could make a strong pitch for con­stitution amendment. As such, it will be difficult for them to abandon the amendment issue. But it will be as difficult for the UML chairman to change provincial boundaries, as he reckons that his party won the elections by constantly ques­tioning the rationale for the kind of constitution amendments the Madhesi parties want.

Yet a kind of meeting-point seems to be on the horizon. RJPN leaders in particular say the UML and Oli have, after the elections, “softened on Madhesi issues,” as senior RJPN leader Sarvendra Nath Shukla put it. “So although we may not immediately join the government, we can still consider supporting it from the outside.”

An RJPN leader even hinted that his party could be flexible on the provincial boundary issue, thus far the biggest sticking point between the UML and the Madhesi parties.

Shukla for his part believes the UML has realized that it cannot ignore Province 2, “which among the seven provinces sends the most MPs to the national parliament.” Considering the softening of the UML’s stand, says Shukla, “Madhesi par­ties should also be ready to find common ground.”

 A quick-fire 42 runs in 31 balls by bowler Karan KC propelled Nepal into the qualifiers of the 2019 Cricket World Cup, as they beat Canada by one wicket on Wednes­day, February 15. This represents the greatest victory for Nepal in the 50-over international cricket. Nepal will now be able to take part in the World Cup Qualifiers to be held in Zimbabwe in March later this year. Top two teams in the qualifiers will make it to the 2019 World Cup in England and Wales. In the final (must-win) match of the ICC World Cricket League Divi­sion-2 held at the Wanderers Crick­et Ground in Windhoek, Namibia, Nepal sneaked through on the last ball, thanks to the heroics of KC, whose inning was studded with three fours and four sixes.

Earlier, deciding to bowl first, Nepal had restricted Canada to an average total of 194 runs, for eight wickets, in the stipulated 50 overs. Basant Regmi was the pick of the bowlers for Nepal, taking three wickets and giving away only 34 runs in 10 overs. Sandeep Lamichhane took two wickets while Karan KC and Sharad Veshwakar took one wicket each.

In reply, Nepal made a poor start losing opener Gyanendra Malla for just 9 runs and captain Paras Khad­ka for a first-ball duck. Sharad Vesh­wakar too was out early, scoring only 1 run in 5 balls.

Building on the 45 runs scored by wicket-keeper batsman Dilip Nath and 18 runs by Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh and Rohit Kumar took Nepal close to the victory target. However, Nepal kept losing wickets and were left with the last pair in the 42nd over with only 144 runs on the board.

However, Karan had other ideas and took away the match with a sen­sational innings, while Sandeep gave him company. Karan scored a single of the last ball to script a famous win for the country.

With the win, Nepal finished top of the points on the (six-team table) with 8 points from five matches.

(With inputs from RSS)