Actor Manmohan Tiwari, who is currently seen in Gehna: Zevar Ya Zanjeer and Mishri, says that reading has been one of his primary hobbies since he was in school.
He adds that he loves Hindi literature and poetry. “Since I was in 8th or 9th grade, I have loved Hindi very much. I really enjoyed reading the poetry and works of Hindi poets like Jaishankar Prasad and Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. Since then, I developed an interest in writing. Writing and reading have become my favourite activities,” he says.
He adds, “It’s a habit I picked up in childhood. Since the 6th grade, I started enjoying reading poems. As I began reading poems, I became interested in knowing who wrote them, which led me to learn about the poets and read their other works.”
Ask him for a book title that will remain close to him, and he says, “There is a book by Deep Trivedi, a very good writer, titled ‘101 All Time Great Stories.’ It contains many stories, and I read it often. I have read the stories many times, but I still read them.” Ask him if he feels that book reading culture is dying because of the internet as people are busy reading on social media platforms and browsing YouTube, and he says, “No, it’s not dying. It’s just that people now have more variety. Those who love reading books will continue to read them, and they now have other options as well. People don’t just listen to songs on YouTube; they also read, listen to, and learn about many stories. These things are adding value through social media, not diminishing the importance of books or reading.”
Talking about audiobooks, he says, “Audiobooks are a unique way to absorb literature that provides a different feeling, But nothing can replace the feeling of holding a book.” He adds, “I really love the feeling of book in my hand. It is unique. That earthy, musty smell that comes from the pages of a book, we can’t get that from audiobooks, or anything else. Nothing can replace it.”
