In Sach Kahun Toh, actor Neena Gupta chronicles her extraordinary personal and professional journey-from her childhood days in Delhi’s Karol Bagh, through her time at the National School of Drama, to moving to Bombay in the 1980s and dealing with the struggles to find work. It details the big milestones in her life, her unconventional pregnancy and single parenthood, and a successful second innings in Bollywood. A candid, self-deprecating portrait of the person behind the persona, it talks about her life’s many choices, battling stereotypes, then and now, and how she may not be as unconventional as people think her to be.
The 62-year-old actor avoids such an insult in Sach Kahun Toh, an incredibly enjoyable book, by writing an autobiography in the purest sense. “I know many of my readers are waiting for me to get to the juicy aspects of my life,” she says, refusing to tell the tale that others want her to tell. Don’t make any false statements. I know there’s a portion of you who simply bought this book to read about my relationships and the scandals that have surrounded my public image for decades.” Instead, she lays out her own storey, defying popular perceptions about her and revealing that the only response to her life is anticipation, not insatiable curiosity.
Much of Sach Kahun Toh’s easy charm resides in Neena Gupta’s wisdom while looking back, in excavating lessons from failing, and resistance to being a stereotype even as a rebel. Celebrities write about life to restore their public persona, storify their legacy. Neena Gupta uses life to dismantle her persona, rewrite her legacy. — Indian Express
While Bollywood is a huge part of the book, your takeaway is the simple charm of a woman who is brave, resilient and refuses to back down. — Elle
With Sach Kahun Toh, Neena Gupta turns her refreshingly forthright, candid gaze on her own life and journey. — First Post
Sach Kahun Toh is a fascinating window into the sensibilities and influences of one of our finest actors. — The Hindu
But what keeps you hooked is Neena’s straightforward, sometimes melancholic, wise-with-age-and-experience voice. This is a woman looking back at her tumultuous life with grace and forgiveness. — Anupama Chopra, Film Companion
Neena Gupta’s Sach Kahun Toh is quite refreshing, engaging and to the point. If you plan to pick it up only for the ‘juicy’ bits then you might be disappointed, but if you are willing to know the person a lot more then this autobiography is highly recommended. — Pinkvilla –This text refers to the hardcover edition.
