31 Comments

Enjoyed this a lot , Karthik. Writing is so solitary,. I am just glad that reading everyone here is not solitary. And by that it makes writing less solitary.

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Thank you so much, Sanket! I was not entirely fond of having the comments section under my writings. I used think that if someone really wants to respond, they could write me an email. But I have grown to like this part - of reading to the comments and responding. This makes the whole exercise a lot less solitairy and fosters much needed kinship :)

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Hello! I'm a new follower always looking to read writers of colour, people like me, on Substack. Thank you for this essay, what moved and touched me the most in your honesty and vulnerability- bravo! And secondly, I love your way of story-telling!! More please. Xx

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Hello Gursharn! I am so glad you enjoyed this essay. Thank you for your encouraging words :)

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This one broke and mended a part of my heart. Dec Anand may just be the motivational icon writers, like you and me, haunted by our fears and doubts, need. Thank you for this post. Saving it for reading again and again.

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Oh yes! I realised that while writing this essay. Dev Anand embodies that mad creator energy we aspire for! 🤩

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What a beautiful essay to wake up to. Cheers to being ridiculous 🙃

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Yusss Farah! Cheers to being ridiculous! The only way to do this 🙃

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Karthik.. absolutely brilliant! I'm in complete awe of this essay and all the terrains it walks through to bring itself home. I love this scenic route ...seldom easy, always beautiful. Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous stuff

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Yayyy I'm so happy you enjoyed reading this so much 😁

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Cheers 🍻 to being ridiculous and free 🤩!!!

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Thankoo Savvy! 😊

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It's the kind of piece that shifts perspective, and the kind that makes you feel closer to the elusive world of filmstars. Thank you for giving this to us!

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Thanks so much, Ritika! I feel I was extremely lucky to get that time with him at that advanced stage of his life - and he was still so brilliant, articulate and 100% himself!

Here is a profile of a very different kind of filmstar of this generation: https://substack.com/home/post/p-148687348 Thought you might enjoy reading this :)

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Thank you for sharing!

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Done reading all the comments after reading the essay and I'm still smiling! That last bit, Karthik - ghazab kr diya :))

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Thank you for all the love and support, Sanobar!

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Throughly enjoyed and liked the idea of being crazy.

Thanks Karthik!

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Yay! Happy to hear that Leena!

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What an utterly fantastic essay, Karthik. I’m blown away.

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Phew! That's a huge compliment! Making me giddy :D

Thank you Priya!

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Lovely essay, Karthik! So much to think about. In talking about your fears of writing you've touched upon the fears of many of us, I suspect. Thanks for talking about it with courage and through the example of Dev Anand's failures.

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Thank you, Ayush! While writing this, i realised Dev Anand is the greatest creator we have. The one who went out there and got the job done!

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So good, Karthik! It has such an easy flow, lovely anecdotes, and your trademark thoughtful introspection. Reading your essays feels like hearing you thinking aloud and its delightful. Really enjoyed reading this!

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Thanks a lot, Rohan! It has taken me years to figure these things out and I was not sure of what form to put these thoughts in. I have read such essays on Substack and that gave me the permission to write my essays in this form, and ask the reader to make inferences. I'm so happy and thankful to have found this readership :)

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Loved it Karthik. ❤️

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Hi Mitu, happy to hear from you 😊

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Terrific Karthik! Loved this so much! Please keep writing ❤️

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Awww thank you Doel 🥹

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Karthik- I need to learn from you how to not ask anyone what they think of my writing. I am petrified every week when my substack goes out and someone or the other always unsubscribes. Thank you for this lovely essay. It's just a great reminder to keep chugging along if writing is what makes us happy

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Hey, but I have not been able to ask anyone what they think because I am worried if the essay is good enough or not.

Glad you liked this :)

Yes! We keep writing and improving!

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