This is an interview given by Deepti Naval in the year 208 - to Fuse Plus Media, Pune. DEEPTI NAVAL – A SHORT PROFILE Deepti Naval is an Indian film actor, director, writer, painter and photographer. A multi-faceted personality, her major contribution has been in the area of art cinema, winning critical acclaim for her ‘sensitive and close to life’ characters that emphasized the changing role of women in India. EDUCATION After her schooling at the Sacred Heart Convent, Amritsar, Deepti migrated to the US with her family in the year 1971. A graduate of Hunter College of the City University of New York, Deepti acquired her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts studying Painting as her major subject and English and Psychology for minors. Her interest in a whole range of other subjects led her to study American Theater, Photography, and Astronomy. After graduation Deepti had a brief stint with the ‘Gene Frankle Institute of Film and Television’ pursuing her passion for films and acting. Inspired by her father, Deepti believes in education as an ongoing process throughout life and has spent several winters in New York doing workshops in Creative Writing. ACTOR The first American-Indian girl to join Hindi films, Deepti made her debut in the year 1980 with the path-breaking film Ek Baar Phir, for which she won her first Best Actor award, and has since appeared in more than 90 films, including Chashm-e-Baddoor, Katha, Rang Birangi, Kisise Na Kehna, Saath Saath, Yeh Ishq Nahin Aasaan, Mirch Masala, Kamla, Ankahi, Andhi Gali, Mohan Joshi Haazir Ho, Main Zinda Hoon, Didi, Panchvati, Leela, Shakti, Firaaq, Memories in March, Listen Amaya, NH-10 and the much acclaimed and Oscar Nominated film Lion etc., carving a distinct niche for herself in the Indian Film Industry. Deepti was awarded Best Actor in several international film festivals for her roles in Leela, Firaaq, Memories in March and Listen Amaya etc. She also won Best Screenplay at the NY Indian film festival for her directorial film, Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aane Ki Baarish. Deepti Naval was recognized as the 2007 Tribute Honoree of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. DIRECTOR She wrote and directed Thodasa Aasmaan, a women-centric TV serial and produced a travel show The Path Less Travelled. THEATRE Deepti has recently made her debut in theatre, with the poetic stage show, EK MULAQAAT where she plays the celebrated Punjabi writer, Amrita Preetam. WRITER As a writer, her selection of poems, LAMHA LAMHA was published in the year 1981. Her second book of poems, BLACK WIND And Other Poems was published in 2004. THE MAD TIBETAN: Stories From Then and Now was her first anthology of short stories published in 2011. PAINTER As a painter her knife work with oil on canvas is distinctly expressionistic – especially her landscapes, figures, self-portraits and sketches. She first showed her paintings at the Jehangir Art Gallery in a solo exhibition, called REFLECTIONS followed by several exhibits in India and abroad. PHOTOGRAPHER The still camera is another excuse for soul-searching time with her Self. Deepti displayed her photography in the series called IN SEARCH OF ANOTHER SKY, ROAD BUILDERS and SHADES OF RED. Apart from all her interests, Deepti is actively working to create awareness towards the Mentally ill. For the education of the girl child she runs a charitable trust. A gypsy at heart, Deepti enjoys trekking in the remote mountains of Himachal and Ladakh.

• published: 13 May 2016
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