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Bionote: Yasser Usman is an award-winning Indian journalist, editor, and author of four bestselling film biographies. His recent book is the critically acclaimed bestseller - Guru Dutt An Unfinished Story. His words have appeared in several Indian and international publications. He is a columnist with Khaleej Times (Dubai) and Head-Digital Video Strategy of a sports portal. He has been a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for excellence in journalism, Red Ink award, and News Television Award among many others. He lives in New Delhi and London.
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This interview is featured in the book,
LETTERS FROM SANTA: an anthology of poems, short stories and interviews
available worldwide via Amazon. Here is the India link.
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TMYS 1: Please tell us about the SANTA of your life. Maybe a person who felt like Santa or a phase, a day, an event, a moment from your childhood when innocent wishes seemed granted.
Yasser:
I believe that throughout our lives, we encounter versions of Santa in various forms. However, when reminiscing about childhood, one cherished memory stands out: the exchange of letters with my grandfather. As a child, I would compose these letters using the basic sentences I had been taught in school during our ‘letter writing’ class. To my surprise, my grandfather responded with the utmost seriousness, as if he were conversing with a dear friend. Years later, as I revisited these letters, I discovered the depth of life, love, and hope that his words held. What made these exchanges even more special was the consistent presence of a 100 Rupees moneyorder with each letter. It became abundantly clear that Santa was very much real, that he truly exists.
TMYS 2: Now that you have moved from India to UK, how did the experience of Christmas, or any other festival close to your heart, change for you? What matters most to you while celebrating the festivals – is it the decors and the rituals, or the people, the food, the memories associated, or something else?
Yasser:
Festivals always revolve around people: family and friends. In our household, Eid held special memories. Waking up early in the morning to witness family members preparing the feast, getting new clothes in order – it all plays like a montage in my mind. But as a child, I had deep fondness for Diwali. Perhaps it was the weather, the nip in the air signifying winter's arrival. Diyas, decorations, and fireworks, all followed by an incredible dinner. Diwali in Delhi is simply enchanting, truly a magical time of the year, with the city transformed into a dazzling display of lights and colors.
Christmas in the UK is uniquely charming, though distinct from the celebrations I grew up with. The harsh weather, pervasive gloominess, and biting cold contrast starkly with the warmth of our festive traditions. Yet, London exudes an undeniable magic during this time, like a city adorned in a sparkling gown. The streets particularly in Central London echo with the laughter of people bundled up in winter coats, rushing to find last-minute gifts or simply savoring the ambiance. Despite this enchanting transformation, nostalgia tugged at my heartstrings during my first Christmas here. I longed for the cozy gatherings, and the shared laughter that truly make the season special. Christmas in the UK served as a poignant reminder that festivities are incomplete without the cherished people.
TMYS 3: How were you introduced to the world of films and how did it contribute to the making of the person you are today? Which films did you watch during your formative years, that may have left a profound effect on you and why?
Yasser:
I guess the love for movies came from my father. Growing up in a small town in the 1980s, Bollywood was our only escape. My movie-loving father took us to a nearby cinema once a month to watch a new film. I devoured film magazines that were available on rent, learning about the actors, the making of the film, and the scandals and controversies surrounding it. The film magazines of the day were delicious, and I was obsessed. It remains a mystery why did my family never stopped this kid from reading film magazines. Stories of the magical successes, haunting downfalls, and torrid romances of film celebrities were part of our dinner table conversations. As a starry-eyed teenager, this world fascinated me to no end.
The movie that left a profound effect on me as a kid was Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s Anand. I watched it on Doordarshan and I was stunned by its climax when Anand dies. It was deeply moving for me then. I think it tackles the difficult subject of death and illness with both warmth and thoughtfulness. The way it emphasized the importance of cherishing every moment, a simple yet profound message and those scenes between Anand and Babu Moshaye…such a banger!
TMYS 4: You have authored the bestselling biographies of great film personalities like Guru Dutt, Rajesh Khanna, Rekha and Sanjay Dutt – each of them were extremely influential and were reigning through different decades. How struggling was their accent to the peak and how difficult was their phase of fading off from the limelight. Your observations on these extraordinary people will inspire the children of today in understanding a few relevant things about success and failure.
Yasser:
When I began writing about the film stars, I was more keen on writing about the phase when they are past their prime or facing a downfall. But as I went into research, I also realized it’s their crazy success that makes their downfall memorable. And then the glory of a comeback. I feel their real lives are more ‘filmy’ than their films. I write cinema books like a cinematic journey. My attempt is a journalist attempt to document the ‘whole’ story, a cohesive narrative so that they are understood in a new perspective.
Talking about success and failure, I remember the legendary screenwriter Salim Khan (of Salim-Javed) telling me for one of my books, “Success has destroyed more people than failure will ever do. In failure we look back to see what went wrong and analyze it. But in success there is no looking back and no analysis because whatever we are doing is liked by people. We are doing everything right. I will give you an example from my career. After our many hits in a row, our (Javed and I) film Imaan-Dharam flopped miserably. I watched it eleven times to understand what went wrong with the script. But I watched Sholay just once.”
TMYS 5: As a film critic and an author, what is your personal vision? What did you wish to do differently or what kind of change did you aim to push, through your presence? Given a choice, is there anything which you would like to go back and attempt again from scratch?
Yasser:
I am a storyteller passionate about cinema. As I delved into the realm of cinema literature, I couldn't help but notice a significant gap – there were remarkably few books dedicated to the realm of popular cinema and its iconic actors. This struck me as quite unusual, considering the profound influence that popular culture, particularly mainstream films and their stars, wield over every generation. In my view, delving into their cinematic achievements and the allure of their stardom represents more than just an exploration of the silver screen; it's a means of chronicling a pivotal chapter in history from a fresh and insightful perspective.
TMYS 6: If you had to recommend a few films to the tweens (pre-teens) today, which ones would you recommend and why?
Yasser:
It's disheartening to acknowledge that great ‘children's films’ are not produced in India. There are myriad reasons behind this issue, and it's a topic that warrants an in-depth discussion. I've observed that some of the most entertaining films that captivate and delight kids often hail from the Western cinematic landscape. In the last few years I remember Inside Out, Paddington, Harry Potter films, classics like Back To The Future or ET…as cool films for tweens. There are many more.
TMYS 8: If you were Santa, what would be your advice to a child?
Yasser:
If you work hard and believe in yourself, you can become anything you wish to be. So dream big, keep believing in the goodness of the world, and chase your dreams with all your heart. May your days be filled with joy, and endless possibilities. Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!
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This interview is featured in the book,
LETTERS FROM SANTA: an anthology of poems, short stories and interviews
available worldwide via Amazon. Here is the India link.
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An interview by Gennia Nuh for #TellMeYourStory, under the Story Project 11 themed on Letters from Santa.