If you go on Google, you will find the world’s most famous internet services provider has celebrated the iconic Indian actress and dancer Zohra Segal with a doodle. The reason being on this day in 1946, Zohra’s film ‘Neecha Nagar’ was released at Cannes and won the festival’s highest honour, the Palme d’Or Prize. The doodle shows her doing a dance mudra, wearing a pink saree and smiling. I remember Zohra well. I did an unusual interview with her in which she was wonderfully wicked and discussed Men, Sex, Food and Whisky!
I discovered the grande dame in Zohra over dinner at Dolly Thakore’s. The food was eclectic. Salad, kebabs, curry-rice. Zohra had heaped her plate with one large, gnarled hand. In the other she held a glass of whisky. She attracted one and all with the grandeur of her presence. ‘All’ were nubile actresses. I was the only man. She seemed relieved for the break in company and imperiously held out her hand to be kissed. “I usually drink a Bloody Mary, but tonight, I am having whisky. Several whiskies,” Zohra cackled. Then seductively she said, “Come sit by my side, I am old and hard of hearing, come and talk to me.”
She was 93 then, and at that galloping old age she had more appetite for life than women quarter her age at the dining table. And one major ingredient of that life was sex. Zohra had earlier shot an ad film with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar and found him “wildly exciting”. But Shoaib had no time to bowl her over, he had a flight to catch to Rawalpindi, and Zohra found herself with me. I was amazed at how much dinner she put away but Zohra said, “At my age, I’ve got to look at my figure… you may look at it too, go on, I know you want to!”
I was finding a strange physical resemblance between Zohra and Mother Teresa, right from the height and smile to the wrinkled, happy face and large knuckled fists. I wisely didn’t mention it because Zohra was discussing sex. “You know what I like to eat best of all,” she asked, leering at me over her whisky glass, eyes sparkling with mischief. “I like eating men!” Cackling with laughter again, she did a bottom’s up with the whisky glass and continued, “Earlier when I used to have a drink, I tended to become vulgar, but now I am sensible.”
BBC did an interview with V. S. Naipaul, Ismail Merchant and Zohra once, and she was asked what was the secret of her energy. Zohra said “Sex!” BBC asked them what books they read next. And Zohra said, “Detective novels, thrillers, and books on sex. These are stories for the night!” She told me she was a tomboy. “I hated feminine things like babies, sewing and cooking. I much rather discuss sex than do any cooking,” Zohra Segal said, slapping me on the back and cackling again. I wonder if Google knows this delightful side of her.
About Mark Manuel
The above thoughts/content has been proudly copied from the wall of Sir Mark Manuel. Being interviewing almost every role model of this country and going stronger each day. Mark Manuel is a respected Mumbai editor, writer, and columnist.
With over three decades of journalism in leading publications. This includes the Free Press Journal, Times, Dainik Bhaskar, Mid-Day, and Afternoon. He is famous for his brilliant pen interviews. He himself is a TEDx speaker.
Further
His interviews have featured in several leading media houses. They include the Hindustan Times, Huffington Post, BBC, and Network 18. Almost every famous person has been interviewed by him. In the country from Mother Teresa to Muhammad Ali. His first book is just out. It’s titled Moryaa Re! It is a crime thriller that is perhaps the country’s first police procedural. He began his career covering crime. And in a tribute to his experience and knowledge of this beat.
Several distinguished officers of the Mumbai Police and its Crime Branch collaborated with him to make this book possible. In a statement of friendship for Mark Manuel and admiration for his work, Amitabh Bachchan wrote the forward.
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