Decoding Common Man

In a heart-to-heart talk with LAILA BHAIDANI, Citadel uncovers what went into the making of her book, Us...mostly, which sheds a pristine light on the extraordinary qualities of commoners.

- Aakanksha Chopde

Laila Bhaidani, whose very first story, The Unsung Melody, won a popular fiction contest, is a bookworm in the true sense of the term. hailing from a joint family, she is an alumnus of the Loreto school, kolkata. her passion for writing and creativity flourished while pursuing English Literature in college, followed by another degree in Mass Communication. having been in the field of creativity and content development for nearly a decade, Laila has surely carved a vision of her own!

Besides being a true-blue storyteller, she’s a movie buff, connoisseur of salsa and Bachata, enjoys learning new languages and exploring myriad cuisines and cultures from across the globe. Intriguing combination, we must say!

Being asked about her flair for writing, Laila reminisces, “As a child, I was always fascinated by stories. everyday, my father narrated customised tales to me, and oh boy! how happy I would be! plus, I was an avid reader of comics, magazines and books. The fact that a few words can create a whole world of imagination intrigued me.”

Elaborating on her love of story telling, she says, “Writing challenged my mind to create visuals with words. Initially, I wrote about what I felt about deeply, for myself. This then gave way to writing about others. I wrote feelings, responses, confusions and challenges of other people, which advanced my interest in writing. I imbibed what others felt and expressed it through fictional characters. Writing was the lens through which I looked at the world. It gave me the opportunity to step in other people’s shoes and express it as it is, without any judgements.”