From hanging out at Kamla Nagar market to relishing desi Chinese and coffee, actor Mouni Roy remembers each fun-filled moment from her alma mater Miranda House; where getting admission was like a “dream come true”! A graduate of English (Hons), 2005 batch, she also shares how her college encouraged her love for reading.
Why did you choose to come all the way from West Bengal, to study in Delhi University (DU)?
DU’s syllabus is one of the best for literature. I appeared for an entrance exam and got through a few colleges. In fact, my father had suggested that I should go for a girls college because I come from Cooch Behar (West Bengal), and at that time I was barely 16 and leaving home… So that’s how I decided to come here, and Miranda House was like a dream come true!
What made you take up English (Hons)? Are you still interested in literature?
I’ve always loved books, reading them, diving into them, being in them, learning from them and growing with them. Which is why I knew from very early on — I think from std VI or VII — the only subject that I truly loved was literature, both Hindi and English. Stories are something that really attract me, be it fiction, non-fiction or biography, I just love them all. I’m still very much invested in literature, and read a lot. So yes, I’m a nerd and a very proud bookkeeper!
Were you a backbencher or a studious one, regular with attendance and assignments?
I was a backbencher (smiles), but I was regular with my attendance. And I was allowed to sit for my exams. So that justifies me being regular with my college for most part of the year.
Which were your favourite hangout spots within the college premises?
I had quite a few favourites. First has to be the library, then the auditorium, and also our classrooms and canteen.
Which were your go-to places around the campus?
Around the campus, it had to be Kamla Nagar! There was a small community centre where we all would hangout and have aloo parantha. I still remember relishing desi Chinese with Schezwan sauce, and lots of coffee. I vividly remember, there used to be a park in our community centre. We used to walk and talk lying on the grass without looking at our watches… those were different times, it feels like a different lifetime already.
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