In an age where celebrities have transformed into new-age literati — Soha Ali Khan’s witty and thought-provoking book, The Perils of Being Moderately Famous, stands out. In an interview with Patriot, she tells us how she got trolled on Twitter for wearing a sari, why sexual harassment is a reality that needs to be addressed by the Indian film fraternity and why fame should never be taken seriously

A recent article titled ‘The Follower Factory’ in The New York Times unravels the story of Devumi — a company that has sold millions of social media followers to several celebrities and influencers. The celebrities then used the fake followers to make millions of dollars. In the light of such an event, it is safe to say that fame has become somewhat of an epidemic. And, in a world where popularity has become so crucial for success, being moderately famous is one (insignificant) thing — but to own it is another. Soha Ali Khan is one of those rare stars to do that.

Even though celebrity autobiographies are the equivalent of an iPhone software update — there’s a new one every six months—most of them are blowing their own trumpets, basking in the star-studded glory of a superfluous industry. Soha Ali Khan’s book, “The Perils of Being Moderately Famous” — nonchalantly honest, humble and alternate — stands out for the breaking this stereotype. 

I am waiting for Khan in front of a small but tasteful room at Bikaner House after the launch of her first book, while she’s giving other interviews. Khan is dressed in a pair of cropped cigarette pants in black, showing off just a tad of her ankle. Not too much, not too less. She paired it with a cream-coloured satin top and a deep blue jacket with bell sleeves. A lustrous necklace sits on her neck. Just to add a bit of shine to her ensemble. Her hair is neatly tied in a ponytail. Nothing is over the top.

But, Soha Ali Khan Pataudi’s inconspicuous choice of clothing is unlike her family’s star status. Her father was a cricket legend, mom’s a movie star, brother’s a Bollywood heart-throb and sister-in-law becomes a sensation in everything she does. Did I forget to mention she’s also a princess? But, if there’s one thing that she has made her peace with, it’s that her family’s stardom isn’t in her control. Neither is her own success or fame, unlike the things she can actually rein in — her choice of clothing, for instance.

Nothing seems contrived about the 39-year-old actor. She’s an undoubted master of moderation and in a world that is used to overdoing, over saying and over showing — moderation is certainly a gift to behold. Naturally, Khan decided to write a book about it. And, rightly so. Her book is a collection of witty, thought-provoking and sometimes self-deprecating essays. From the time someone acknowledged her fame for being Saif Ali Khan’s sister at Selfridges in London to the time she was trolled and bullied on Twitter for wearing a Kanjeevaram sari — Khan does not let passing encounters or undue criticism undermine her identity.

Even as the mother of Inaaya Naumi Kemmu, she doesn’t get worried by unnecessary scrutiny. “I understand that it’s a part and parcel of being in the public eye. With social media being everywhere, even when you go out, people take pictures. This is the reason why Kunal posted Inaaya’s picture before we took her out of the house for the first time. He told me, ‘When we go out, there’s going to be a photographer lurking behind the tree trying to take a picture. I want to take control of this. And, I want to be the first one to post a picture.’ And, that’s why we did that. And, I appreciate that. We also need to understand that this is the world we live in. So, there’s no point fighting it. It is better to own it,” she said. 

Her book affirms the fact that Soha is not the one to get consumed in the prism of her own world. “Shortcut options are popular now: steroids to sculpt one’s body, instead of a proper diet; muscle-building and cardiovascular exercises to burn fat. Cosmetic enhancements such as Botox, fillers and tummy tucks are now as mundane as waxing your legs. One just does what it takes to look good. Relationships too seem to survive only on the surface, with an emphasis on having fun and living in the moment. It is too tedious to share our deepest feelings, too hard to commit to being there when things get tough, too demanding to learn from our mistakes,” she writes in her book.

So, even though a ‘Celebrity Index’ ranked her “dangerously close to being ousted at 46, a precarious position”, — Khan knows that fame only lasts for 15 minutes for many, even if you’re born as a star like her. And, it’s unfortunate how we’ve become the sum total of an immaterial following.

But, Khan has risen above the triviality of these numbers. She gets her sense of security from various sources, like “a happy and stable childhood, a good education and just the sense of having self-awareness. I think it also comes from travel and knowing that there are other things out there and not taking fame very seriously. Yes, some people are very famous and some people are less famous. What’s the big deal? Fame and your career is just one part of your life. And, to be truly happy, you need to check many boxes. There’s your personal life, professional life, public image — there’s so much that goes into that. From the outside, you may think that some people, who seem very famous or wealthy, have it all.  But, you don’t really know how it’s there on the inside. Instead of going into comparisons, and wishing that you had a certain person’s life, the idea is to focus on yourself and be happy wherever you can.”

She also notes how film stars have now become role models — a bane and boon of the 21st century. “In my mother’s time, actors were not considered role models. It was still considered a taboo to be an actor in those days. Girls from good families didn’t become actresses. Now you have many women who are role models in the film industry. And, that’s wonderful,” she said.

“Women are also entering films at a later stage, after getting their degrees and after having different kinds of work experiences. It’s not like they start at the age of 16 anymore. This isn’t the only world that they know. There are also a number of interesting faces who are now coming up. You don’t have to be stereotypically beautiful or should know how to dance. There’s a role made for different people and you’re casting characters now as opposed to just the hero and heroine,” she explained.  However, in a post-Weinstein era, even fame can’t save you from society’s worst evils. So, I couldn’t help but ask the cerebral actor about the state of the Hindi film industry.

“I think it [sexual harassment] absolutely does exist. Not just in the film industry but in society at large. And, it’s not just female actors who need to come together — female and male actors need to come together. And, it’s wonderful that people are finding the courage to voice their experiences. And, in today’s atmosphere, it’s being supported and encouraged that you have sexual harassment committees now. Law enforcers are taking it seriously. And, people really understand that it can be devastating for them and for their careers to do something like this,” she said.

This story was published in the Patriot.