Meera Syal on life and literature

“Every time I come back, Dubai looks different,” Meera Syal, a British writer and comedian, said, as she began her session for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai on Sunday night at Dubai Festival City. She is also a producer, actress, playwright, journalist and singer.

Syal spoke about her latest novel, ‘The House of Hidden Mothers’, which focuses on surrogacy in India. ”India is the world’s centre for surrogacy, it’s the cheapest ... in the world.” When she started on the book, this part of the healthcare sector in India was not very well regulated, but new laws have been implemented.

She was born to Indian parents in England and during her session, she spoke a lot about how being an immigrant shaped her parents’ lives and affected her when growing up.

She said: “Like a lot of Indian families, our traditions were really strong. It was Indian inside the house and British outside, and I was the bridge. When I was growing up there were very definite labels about what’s a ‘good Indian girl’.”

But, Syal said her parents were her saving grace.

She said: “I did have one enormous slice of luck. My parents defended me... They knew what it was like to not be able to fulfil artistic dreams.”

Best known for her role in the British television show, ‘The Kumars at No. 42’, Syal was appointed as the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1997 New Year Honours and the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2015 New Year Honours for services to drama and literature.

As she spoke about her love for storytelling and writing, Syal said: “My parents would sit and talk to me about old stories. I just knew I had a burning need to tell the story. The reason I started writing is because I was part of a generation that was brand new in Britain...”

In 2003, Syal was listed in the UK-based newspaper, The Observer, as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy

She said: “Being funny becomes a defence mechanism. Humour in your stories breaks down barriers.”