Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

My top 10 books by Guleraana Mir

“MY FIRST love was literature and I grew up reading novels. Here are 10 books, in no particular order, that have affected me in a profound way,” said Guleraana Mir.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salman Rushdie: This is a story of where stories come from, and at the same time explores how Haroun and his father cope when Haroun’s moth­er leaves them for the neighbour. I love Rushdie’s use of Hindi words as names of characters and places al­luding to the idea of censorship and silence. Anything Rushdie writes is magical, but this one is extra special.


I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: When Angelou was challenged to write an autobiog­raphy that could be considered ‘liter­ature’, she delivered this. It demon­strates how a young woman’s love of reading helped her blossom into a resilient woman of colour in an America plagued by racism. Reading it growing up, I truly felt that if I just surrounded myself with books I could achieve whatever I wanted.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood: I read this at school and re­member thinking how despite intrin­sically being a feminist novel, it didn’t read as something that was written by a woman. Dystopia for me up to that point was something men wrote, and this novel changed that for me.

2001 Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke: I have always been obsessed with space; at aged 10 I wanted to be an astronaut, until I remembered I get intensely travel sick! However I didn’t read the book until my hus­band insisted I’d love it. I did! Then I watched the Stanley Kubrick adapta­tion and it’s one of the few movies that I feel is as good as the book.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis De Bernières: This has everything you could want from a novel – excel­lent characters, history, comedy and romance. Reading it as part of my A-Level in English Literature, I enjoyed analysing the themes and language. I’ve read it several times since and each time I take away something new.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: I recently re-read this book as an adult and fell in love with it all over again. I don’t know if we truly understand America’s history of race and segregation in the UK, but this book really challenges prejudice by presenting a child’s perspective on morality and the justice system.

Fruit of the Lemon by Andrea Levy: Set in 1980s London, this novel ex­plores what it means to be a child of immigrants. Faith, the protagonist, has never been to Jamaica and doesn’t truly understand what her parents went through when they left. Even though I spent my childhood visiting Pakistan every summer, I still felt the same detachment from my heritage that she does and it was interesting to experience Faith’s journey.

Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie: There are so many threads to the story and so many characters to identify with that I’ll never tire of reading it. The language has such richness to it that anyone interested in words can really immerse them­selves in the pages.

All Men Are Mortal by Simone De Beauvoir. This is a pretty brutal as­sessment of human relationships and the way humans treat each other. De Beauvoir’s experience of philosophy and pioneering feminism come to­gether to create an existentialist piece of writing. I didn’t think I’d like it, but it proved to be a captivating read.

Reading Lolita In Tehran by Azar Nafisi: This is another book about books. It follows an Iranian professor and her book club during the revolu­tion, as intellectualism in Iran is dis­mantled. Azar’s own dedication to literature really fueled my love of books and the power of the written word. She risked her life to keep her book club going, and that is some­thing I truly admire.

  • Guleraana Mir is a UK-based scriptwriter. Her new show Coconut continues its UK tour from Wednes­day May 16 to Saturday June 30. Visit www.thethelmas.co.uk and Twitter: @TheThelmas for more info.

More For You

The Odyssey

The Odyssey poster features a fractured Greek statue with glowing embers

Instagram/theodysseymovie

'The Odyssey' first look revealed as Christopher Nolan drops teaser in cinemas

Quick highlights:

  • Universal Pictures releases poster for Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey.
  • Teaser trailer only available in cinemas before Jurassic World Rebirth.
  • Matt Damon stars as Odysseus in the film set for release on 17 July 2026.
  • Ensemble cast includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, and more.

Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan is officially delving into mythology. His upcoming film The Odyssey, a retelling of Homer’s epic tale, has just dropped its first poster, and a short teaser trailer is now being shown exclusively in cinemas alongside Jurassic World Rebirth.

The poster leans into the film’s mythological roots, featuring the image of a fractured Greek sculpture engulfed in embers, with the words “Defy the Gods” stamped across the middle. It also confirms the theatrical release date: 17 July 2026.

Keep ReadingShow less
Deepika Padukone to be honoured with Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2026

Deepika Padukone joins Hollywood Walk of Fame

Getty Images

Deepika Padukone to be honoured with Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2026

Quick highlights:

  • Deepika Padukone to be honoured with a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2026 under the Motion Pictures category.
  • She is the first Indian actress to receive the recognition, announced by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.
  • The Class of 2026 also includes Emily Blunt, Rami Malek, Timothée Chalamet and Miley Cyrus.
  • Deepika expressed her gratitude on Instagram, calling the moment “Gratitude…”.

Deepika Padukone has been named among the 2026 honourees for the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first Indian actress to receive the distinction. The announcement, made during a live event hosted by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, places her alongside a global line-up of actors, musicians, and broadcasters to be celebrated with their own stars on Hollywood Boulevard next year.

  Deepika Padukone to get Hollywood Walk of Fame star Getty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron about life in her 40s

Getty Images

Charlize Theron says sex in her 40s is better than ever as she speaks about her one-night stand with a 26-year-old

Quick highlights:

 
     
  • Charlize Theron revealed she recently slept with a 26-year-old and called the experience “really f---ing amazing”.
  •  
  • The actress made the candid admission during her appearance on Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy podcast.
  •  
  • Theron spoke about her distaste for dating apps and why she’s happy being single.
  •  
  • Her latest film, The Old Guard 2, is now streaming on Netflix.
  •  
 

At 49, Charlize Theron says she’s enjoying a new sense of freedom, and it includes some unexpected, thrilling experiences. The Oscar-winning actress recently spoke about a sexual encounter with a 26-year-old that she described as “really f---ing amazing”, during her guest appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast hosted by Alex Cooper. Promoting her new Netflix film The Old Guard 2, Theron got candid about her dating life, past relationships, and how her forties have brought her a refreshing shift in perspective.

 Charlize Theron Charlize Theron poses with her Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role during the 76th Annual Academy AwardsGetty Images

Keep ReadingShow less
‘Ramayana’ teaser

Ranbir Kapoor appears as Lord Ram for the first time in the Ramayana teaser

Youtube Screengrab

‘Ramayana’ teaser drops as Ranbir Kapoor, Yash and Sai Pallavi lead Nitesh Tiwari’s epic saga

Quick highlights:

 
     
  • The teaser offers the first look at Ranbir Kapoor as Lord Ram and Yash as Ravan.
  •  
  • Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, Ramayana will release in two parts during Diwali 2026 and 2027.
  •  
  • The film features music by Hans Zimmer and AR Rahman and action by Hollywood stunt legends.
  •  
  • With a reported budget of £78 million (₹835 crore), it’s the most expensive Indian film to date.
  •  
 

The much-awaited teaser for Ramayana, starring Ranbir Kapoor as Ram and Yash as Ravan, is finally out, though viewers will have to wait longer to see actual scenes from the film. Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, the teaser opts for a stylised introduction to the mythological world rather than full footage, with only fleeting glimpses of the lead characters revealed at the very end.

  Ramayana teaser out featuring Ranbir Kapoor and YashYoutube Screengrab

Keep ReadingShow less
Sacha Baron Cohen Mephisto

Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto confronts Riri Williams in the Ironheart finale

Sacha Baron Cohen’s Mephisto finally enters the MCU in 'Ironheart' twist that changes everything

Quick highlights:

• Mephisto, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, debuts in the final episode of Marvel’s Ironheart.

• The villain tempts Riri Williams with the resurrection of her deceased friend Natalie.

Keep ReadingShow less