Sudha Murty: I would like Alia Bhatt to play me in a movie

Sudha Murty

In an engaging fun-filled session about her latest book 'Common Yet Uncommon', celebrated Indian children's book author and philanthropist Sudha Murty, revealed how she would like Alia Bhatt to play her character, if there was ever a movie made on her.

The revelation came during the session titled 'People of the Land', A glimpse of North Karnataka through its ordinary people and their characteristics on the last day of the 14th edition of the Mumbai Lit Live! The Mumbai Lit Fest on Sunday. After an engaging discussion, Ishita Thakur, who was in conversation with Murty, asked the multi-hyphenated Murty, who in Bollywood or Hollywood would she like to play her, in a movie on her life. In her typical comical fashion, she immediately said, "Though I am on the fatter side now, once upon a time I was young and thin. I would like Alia Bhatt to play me. I am not as beautiful as her and I was okay when I was young but not fat." From there, Murty only when on to heap praise on the Bollywood actor. "She is not only good looking but also a great actress. Look at her acting in Raazi and Gangubai Kathiawadi."

When asked who would play her husband and Infosys founder Narayan Murthy, she said it would be best to ask NRN, as she fondly calls him. "Because Murthy is a very serious person. He talks 10 sentences a day and I'm the opposite, so I really don't know who can play him. But, it has to be somebody really serious."

Interestingly, Murty is a movie buff and has a lot of knowledge about Bollywood. In fact, she is a huge fan of one of the yesteryear actors of Bollywood. When asked to choose between JRD Tata and Dilip Kumar, she said it would be unfair because they are two different fields. However, Kumar will always remain her favourite actor. "While most people like Mughal-e-Azam, I really liked 'Madumati'. Most of you may have not been born but I watched it on June 5, 1958. He was such a good actor." After him, Murty says it is Shah Rukh Khan. "Only he could play the role in 'Veer Zaara', and act the way he did in the Veer Zaara separation," she adds.

Murty, who visits Mumbai often was in the city for the Tata Lit Live! The Mumbai Lit Fest for the first time ever. While she used to be often told to come for the festival by founder Anil Dharker, she couldn't make it. "Now that he is gone, I am sad that I couldn't make it while he was there."