<p>Deepti Naval, who is one of the established actors of Indian cinema, is also a painter, photographer, poet, writer and director.<br /><br /></p>.<p>After her schooling, she migrated to the United States, where she was educated at the City University of New York. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts at Hunter College in Manhattan. When asked about her interest in various fields, Deepti says, “One is represented by what one does. I am essentially an actor and writing comes from that. <br /><br />Painting comes later. Photography is my hobby and I love to capture nature and landscape.”<br /><br />She made her debut with the movie Ek Baar Phir in 1979 and has acted in more than 60 films since then. Among them are Chashme Baddoor, Kamla, Mirch Masala, Ankahi, Main Zinda Hoon, Panchvati and more recently, Leela and Freaky Chakra. She also wrote and directed Thodasa Aasmaan, a TV serial about women, and produced a travel show called The Path Less Travelled.<br /><br />Deepti, who also studied psychology in the US, says the subject is still useful to her. <br /><br />“Psychology helps me deal with life. It enhances my understanding of human beings and nature. I studied abnormal psychology and it helped me write about women in mental asylum.”<br /><br />Being a painter and photographer, she has several exhibitions to her credit and enjoys trekking in the remote mountains of Himachal and Ladakh. She also runs the ‘Vinod Pandit Charitable Trust’, set up in memory of a late companion of hers, for the education of the girl child.<br /><br />Deepti, who recently came out with her book ‘The Mad Tibetan: Stories From Then & Now’, says, “The stories are about all the characters around me, some stories are autobiographical and some are about the characters that I have encountered in my life.”<br />Deepti has acted with Farooq Shaikh in many movies and the duo are coming together once again, after 26 years, in Listen Amaya. “I have always enjoyed acting with him and I am really excited about this film.”<br /><br />Was direction difficult? “Yes it was very difficult (laughing). But, being an actor helped me a lot. You have a lot of work while you are director. You have to take care of every department. But I had very good people working with me during the film.”<br /><br />The film Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aane Ki Baarish, talks about an ageing prostitute, who has limited customers and has a wheelchair-bound son to take care of. Deepti says Vidya Balan and Hrithik Roshan are her favourite actors. About the influence of Hollywood in Bollywood, she says, “I really don’t know about that as I don’t watch a film until it is recommended to me.”<br /></p>
<p>Deepti Naval, who is one of the established actors of Indian cinema, is also a painter, photographer, poet, writer and director.<br /><br /></p>.<p>After her schooling, she migrated to the United States, where she was educated at the City University of New York. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts at Hunter College in Manhattan. When asked about her interest in various fields, Deepti says, “One is represented by what one does. I am essentially an actor and writing comes from that. <br /><br />Painting comes later. Photography is my hobby and I love to capture nature and landscape.”<br /><br />She made her debut with the movie Ek Baar Phir in 1979 and has acted in more than 60 films since then. Among them are Chashme Baddoor, Kamla, Mirch Masala, Ankahi, Main Zinda Hoon, Panchvati and more recently, Leela and Freaky Chakra. She also wrote and directed Thodasa Aasmaan, a TV serial about women, and produced a travel show called The Path Less Travelled.<br /><br />Deepti, who also studied psychology in the US, says the subject is still useful to her. <br /><br />“Psychology helps me deal with life. It enhances my understanding of human beings and nature. I studied abnormal psychology and it helped me write about women in mental asylum.”<br /><br />Being a painter and photographer, she has several exhibitions to her credit and enjoys trekking in the remote mountains of Himachal and Ladakh. She also runs the ‘Vinod Pandit Charitable Trust’, set up in memory of a late companion of hers, for the education of the girl child.<br /><br />Deepti, who recently came out with her book ‘The Mad Tibetan: Stories From Then & Now’, says, “The stories are about all the characters around me, some stories are autobiographical and some are about the characters that I have encountered in my life.”<br />Deepti has acted with Farooq Shaikh in many movies and the duo are coming together once again, after 26 years, in Listen Amaya. “I have always enjoyed acting with him and I am really excited about this film.”<br /><br />Was direction difficult? “Yes it was very difficult (laughing). But, being an actor helped me a lot. You have a lot of work while you are director. You have to take care of every department. But I had very good people working with me during the film.”<br /><br />The film Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aane Ki Baarish, talks about an ageing prostitute, who has limited customers and has a wheelchair-bound son to take care of. Deepti says Vidya Balan and Hrithik Roshan are her favourite actors. About the influence of Hollywood in Bollywood, she says, “I really don’t know about that as I don’t watch a film until it is recommended to me.”<br /></p>
