Kabir Bedi, who is promoting his autobiography Stories I Must Tell in City Beautiful, says he wants to be known for his strengths and weaknesses alike

Sheetal

“I spotted actor-writer Kabir Bedi today and walked in his exact footsteps as he was leaving the Capital Book Shop,” read the status of one of Chandigarh residents, who is a fan of Kabir Bedi.

Kabir Bedi’s autobiography, Stories I Must Tell, remains the bestseller and the actor was in City Beautiful and visited popular bookstores to promote the same. He says, “It’s all those bookstores that have helped my stories to reach to more and more readers. I can’t thank them enough.”

Making ripples with his debut book, the writer confirms that he had read various autobiographies before writing his own memoir but only to discover there’s no formula. “If there’s one, it’s a really boring one. And I wanted this book of mine to be an entertaining read. So, I had developed my own defined structure and narrative style wherein to keep it interesting for the readers, I did not follow a linear narration,” he adds.

The autobiography which he calls ‘un-put-downable’ is the result of 10 years of thinking and one year of vigorous writing. Ask him about the decreasing attention span of readers and he answers, “Time is the most invaluable thing for anyone. It’s the demand of today to be concise and interesting in putting forth your point and whether it happens through a reel, story or a book depends on your creativity. I have always been a reader who would finish a book in one sitting and would never go back to a book which did not excite me. I have learnt to be a writer of the former type.”

On the digital era, Kabir says he so wishes to be born in this age which would have enabled him to document his memories the way today’s generation can. The actor who manages his social media handles by himself, says, “One cannot be in sync with all that’s happening on social media but I have always challenged myself. I think the two transformative incidents of my life, one, leaving AIR after Beatles’ interview, and second, leaving for Rome to audition for an Italian movie, say a lot about my risk taking ability.”

While films are happening on the sides, it is his writing career that he wishes to talk about more. All stories are personal and so is how one wants to be perceived through them, and with this autobiography, “I just wanted to be known for my strengths and weaknesses alike, to be celebrated for the milestones as a great actor in Europe and internationally and mistakes such as going bankrupt even after touching such success. I wish to be called out for the triumphs as well as tragedies. People had known me through my films and articles but this recollection of past has been a reconstructive and emotional journey.”