EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | Jugal Hansraj: From being a child actor to becoming a children’s author – Times of India

Did you know that Indian actor, writer, and National Award-winning film director Jugal Hansraj is also an author? He began working in films first as a child actor, ‘Masoom’ being the most notable. He then went on to become a lead actor in films like ‘Papa Kehte Hai’ and ‘Mohabbatein’, among others. In 2006 he turned writer-director and made the animation film ‘Roadside Romeo’ and in 2010 he directed the feature film ‘Pyaar Impossible’. In 2017 the actor-writer-director added another feather to his cap by turning an author with his debut book ‘Cross Connection: The big circus adventure’. More recently, his new children’s novel titled ‘The Coward and the Sword’ was published by HarperCollins India in late 2021.

In an exclusive interview with us, Jugal Hansraj discussed his new book, writing journey, Bollywood, fatherhood, his favourite authors, and more. Excerpts:

1. What was the inspiration behind writing your second book, a fantasy fiction for children titled ‘The Cowards and the Sword’?
The inspiration was two-fold: I had already published a book in 2017 for young readers in the age group 6-10 years, and I started working on this around the birth of my son, Sidak, a few months after the first book was released. I had taken a break; I was just staying at home taking care of my wife and our newborn son and I had a lot of time in my hand. Also, I’ve been studying Buddhist philosophy, and reading about Buddhism and practicing it for a long time. There is this particular quote that I found very profound and when I re-read it, it kind of struck a different chord in me probably because of fatherhood… The quote read: A sword is useless in the hands of a coward. I thought it was very profound because it talks about bravery which is actually within oneself. Also being a fan of the whole fantasy fiction genre like the ‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Narnia’ that I have grown up watching, I still enjoy this genre very much. So all these things together sparked a thought in me and that one little quote lead to an entire book!

It happened over a long period of time, it was a slow process. It wasn’t a commissioned book, so it was something coming straight from the heart. I would like to think of it as a labor of love. Because apart from telling a good story I was also trying to pass on a good message, not only to my son when he grows up and reads it but, to all the young readers out there.

2. Do you plan to adapt it for screen too?
Definitely! Being from the movie business and being someone who loves movies… I’m not a trained writer and so when I write I write it like a movie. I close my eyes, I see the opening shot, the big 70 mm screen, a big castle on top of the mountain, and a blue ocean– the thoughts come to me visually first and then I put them to words. I don’t know how and when, but I would like to adapt it into a movie. It’s got scale, an underdog, bravery, a nice plot, a nice adventure– so visually also it should be a treat.

I’m already writing book two in the series and hopefully, it will be out by the end of this year or early next year… Book two is about the same characters who have grown a bit older and going forward with their lives. Obviously, there would be some new characters coming in. There is growth in the characters and I presume there is growth in my writing as well.

3. Do you plan to write a memoir anytime soon?

I’m not sure. I do have some anecdotes as I have been a part of the film industry since I was a child. I don’t like talking about myself too much. If I did, I have some interesting incidents and anecdotes to share as it’s been an interesting ride. In fact, I started modeling when I was a child at the age of two and this was even before ‘Masoom’.

4. What prompted you to become an author?
My first book ‘Cross Connection: The big circus adventure’ was in fact supposed to be my second animation film. I was supposed to write and direct it; I had written the first draft of the screenplay. There was this joint-venture of the Big Indian studio and Walt Disney and they had all liked the story but for some reason, the joint-venture broke up and the movie never got made. This first draft was lying in my pen drive and I found it many years later. I was sad it didn’t get made into a movie. I thought, if I depend on producers and studios it would never come out and so I started writing it as a book. When I wrote it I felt free that there was no producer or filmmaker sitting on my head telling me what to do. It was very liberating and later I got it published… Once you have one book published you have this confidence that you can do it again and that helped me write another book.

5. Who are your all-time favourite authors?
In the fantasy fiction genre, definitely, JRR Tolkien, JK Rowling, CS Lewis. As a child, I used to like PG Wodehouse a lot, especially the language and how he would create the visuals. I still re-read his books. I read a lot of non-fiction like Bill Bryson and Anthony Bourdain. I also read a lot of biographies and books on people traveling the world and other cultures, which fascinates me.


6. A book that touched you?
Books that left an impression on me– definitely learned Ayn Rand’s ‘The Fountainhead’. Bill Bryson’s ‘A Short History of Nearly Everything’– it’s the best science book I have read in my life. I wish they taught more of this in school. I know more of science through this book than what I learnt in school! William Dalrymple is another author whose work I really enjoy.

The writer who most influences me and who has influenced my book ‘The Coward and the Sword’ is Daisaku Ikeda. He writes in Japanese and I have read a lot of his translated books. I have learnt a lot about Buddhism, life and peace, and even this idea of being against war.

7. Would you like to share a parenting tip?

I’m still learning, to be honest. I can’t say I’m the best father but I’m trying the best with all my heart. My life is transformed (after becoming a father) in the best possible ways. I can’t imagine my life without my son, Sidak. I don’t know how I did, all these grown-up years without him. My son is my life– everything revolves around him. Even the books I’m writing are with this thought that when he grows up, I hope he is proud of me. I want to leave something nice back for him. So every action now is in that direction.

8. Your writing tip?

A trap that generally people tend to fall into is to write what other people might like because you’ll never be able to know that. Then you are not being true to yourself. The best thing is to write what touches you and what you like to read. Write it to the best of your ability and then hope people would like it.

9. I write because…

I love escaping into another world.

10. Any advice you would like to give your younger self?
There’s an old Frank Sinatra song that has one lyric in it, and I quote, “Regrets I have a few, but then again too few to mention”. So I won’t tell my younger self anything. I think it is fine– I am what I am because of how I was. There may have been many things that didn’t work out for me. But I have a lot to be grateful for– I have a wonderful family, my parents who are no more, my brother, my wife, my child. Nothing else matters.

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