Deepti Naval is an actor, director, writer, painter, and photographer. Making her debut in 1980, she acted in more than ninety films, including Chashme Baddoor, Katha, Saath Saath, Kamla, Ankahi, Main Zinda Hoon, and Mirch Masala. She received several best actor awards, and also won the Best Screenplay award in 2010 for her directorial film, Do Paise Ki Dhoop Chaar Aane Ki Baarish. She is also the author of two poetry collections: Lamha Lamha (1981), Black Wind and Other Poems (2004), and a short story collection: The Mad Tibetan: Stories From Then and Now (2011). A Country Called Childhood: A Memoir (2022) is her latest publication.