FIRST IMPRESSIONS: MEERA SYAL MBE
What are you working on at the moment?
A new David Hare play called Behind The Beautiful Forevers for the National Theatre. I am also attending the Breast Cancer Care fashion show in October. Having had friends and family affected by cancer, I know how important the charity is.
When were you at your happiest?
Jumping in and out of the surf on Zuma Beach recently was pretty joyous, but the birthdays of my two children were unbeatably blissful – apart from the intense agony of getting them out, obviously.
What is your greatest fear?
Illness or misfortune affecting my loved ones.
What is your earliest memory?
Walking in a field of corn with my dad. We lived in a mining village in the Midlands surrounded by open countryside. My arm was at full stretch; all I could see was a forest of yellow stalks.
What do you dislike about yourself?
I can be a bit of a potty mouth in traffic, so I’m told…
Who has been your greatest infl uence?
My parents: their wisdom and love gave me the confi dence not to be afraid to take risks and follow my passions. My mum had breast cancer a few years ago and seeing her courage through that awful time has emphasised this.
What is your most treasured possession?
At the moment my laptop – I have just finished my third novel and months of work is sitting in there.
What trait do you deplore in others?
Bullying.
What do you dislike about your appearance?
One of the major benefits of getting older is that you learn to accept yourself, warts and all.
What is your favourite book?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
What is your favourite film?
Imitation Of Life (1959), an emotional drama about the relationship between a white single mum and her black nanny. They have daughters the same age who grow up as best friends until inequalities emerge.
And your favourite piece of music?
Goldberg Variations by Bach or Joni Mitchell’s Blue album.
What is your favourite meal?
My mum’s kadhi and rice – a typical Punjabi dish, a sort of broth made with yoghurt and gram flour.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
The Dalai Lama (he seems to have an amazing sense of humour), Rosa Parks (African-American civil rights activist), Germaine Greer and the Rani of Jhansi (an Indian warrior queen who took over an army when her husband died; she was an amazing horsewoman and a great wit, too).
What is the nastiest thing that anyone has ever said to you?
Luckily, I don’t remember.
Do you believe in aliens?
Little green ET beings, no; some life form out there, definitely.
What is your secret vice?
If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret any more.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Occasionally, especially for events like births and weddings.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
‘We’re going to be late!’ I’m the timekeeper in the family.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
A megaphone (see the question above).
Tell us one thing people might not know about you.
I play netball with a local group and have done for the past 20 years. I used to play for the county several decades ago.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
Director Billy Wilder’s epitaph comes from the last line from one of his best fi lms, Some Like It Hot and says, ‘I’m a writer but then nobody’s perfect’, which I think is perfect. But as I’m a Hindu and will be cremated, I don’t have to worry about this one too much.
Meera Syal is an ambassador for Breast Cancer Care and will attend the London fashion show on 1 October. To book: www.breastcancercare.org.uk/theshow
A new David Hare play called Behind The Beautiful Forevers for the National Theatre. I am also attending the Breast Cancer Care fashion show in October. Having had friends and family affected by cancer, I know how important the charity is.
When were you at your happiest?
Jumping in and out of the surf on Zuma Beach recently was pretty joyous, but the birthdays of my two children were unbeatably blissful – apart from the intense agony of getting them out, obviously.
What is your greatest fear?
Illness or misfortune affecting my loved ones.
What is your earliest memory?
Walking in a field of corn with my dad. We lived in a mining village in the Midlands surrounded by open countryside. My arm was at full stretch; all I could see was a forest of yellow stalks.
What do you dislike about yourself?
I can be a bit of a potty mouth in traffic, so I’m told…
Who has been your greatest infl uence?
My parents: their wisdom and love gave me the confi dence not to be afraid to take risks and follow my passions. My mum had breast cancer a few years ago and seeing her courage through that awful time has emphasised this.
What is your most treasured possession?
At the moment my laptop – I have just finished my third novel and months of work is sitting in there.
What trait do you deplore in others?
Bullying.
What do you dislike about your appearance?
One of the major benefits of getting older is that you learn to accept yourself, warts and all.
What is your favourite book?
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
What is your favourite film?
Imitation Of Life (1959), an emotional drama about the relationship between a white single mum and her black nanny. They have daughters the same age who grow up as best friends until inequalities emerge.
And your favourite piece of music?
Goldberg Variations by Bach or Joni Mitchell’s Blue album.
What is your favourite meal?
My mum’s kadhi and rice – a typical Punjabi dish, a sort of broth made with yoghurt and gram flour.
Who would you most like to come to dinner?
The Dalai Lama (he seems to have an amazing sense of humour), Rosa Parks (African-American civil rights activist), Germaine Greer and the Rani of Jhansi (an Indian warrior queen who took over an army when her husband died; she was an amazing horsewoman and a great wit, too).
What is the nastiest thing that anyone has ever said to you?
Luckily, I don’t remember.
Do you believe in aliens?
Little green ET beings, no; some life form out there, definitely.
What is your secret vice?
If I told you, it wouldn’t be a secret any more.
Do you write thank-you notes?
Occasionally, especially for events like births and weddings.
Which phrase do you most overuse?
‘We’re going to be late!’ I’m the timekeeper in the family.
What single thing would improve the quality of your life?
A megaphone (see the question above).
Tell us one thing people might not know about you.
I play netball with a local group and have done for the past 20 years. I used to play for the county several decades ago.
What would you like your epitaph to read?
Director Billy Wilder’s epitaph comes from the last line from one of his best fi lms, Some Like It Hot and says, ‘I’m a writer but then nobody’s perfect’, which I think is perfect. But as I’m a Hindu and will be cremated, I don’t have to worry about this one too much.
Meera Syal is an ambassador for Breast Cancer Care and will attend the London fashion show on 1 October. To book: www.breastcancercare.org.uk/theshow