PVLF 2025

Interview with Nelofar Currimbhoy, Author of "Flame: The Story Of My Mother Shahnaz Husain"

An intimate conversation with Nelofar Currimbhoy on Flame, her mother Shahnaz Husain’s journey, resilience, and the legacy of Ayurveda beauty worldwide.
on Mar 28, 2025

Frontlist: Flame is an intimate portrayal of your mother, Shahnaz Husain. What inspired you to document her journey in a personal and profound way?

Nelofar: My mother and I used to drop by the Barista to grab some coffee and spend time together, just the two of us. On one of our trips, my mother browsed in the bookshop they had added and returned with a gift for me. It was a copy of a book by Gulzar’s daughter, Meghna, about her father’s life.

When I opened it, it said, “Write a book on me someday, Nelofar.”

And that was the beginning of Flame.

Frontlist: Your mother defied societal norms and built an empire from scratch. How did you balance narrating her struggles and triumphs while maintaining authenticity in the book?

Nelofar: This book was written from the heart. It was as though I could have been speaking to the universe with my eyes shut and my heart open. Her struggles have been portrayed as I saw them, with the angst, energy, and determination that are hers.

Frontlist: Was there a particular moment in your mother’s life that you found? What is the most inspiring or challenging thing to write about?

Nelofar: Yes, this is not just my mother's story. It is also my story, embedded with that of many close to us. My brother's loss at a young age, which happened while I was halfway through my book, was painful. Getting down to bracing myself and completing the book with the pain we had all gone through was a challenge.

Frontlist: Shahnaz Husain’s story is a testament to resilience and self-made success. How do you think her journey aligns with the spirit of International Women’s Day?

Nelofar: My mother started her career many years ago when a ring of conservatism existed around every woman. She had to conform to rules laid down by men, and being an earning member of the family seemed almost an insult to the men in her family. Sadly, in India, a multilayered society, this attitude of ‘ownership’ of a woman’s life still exists in smaller towns. Her journey, narrated in Flame, aligns with the spirit of International Women’s Day as a living example of what a woman can achieve if she has the will to change her life.

Frontlist: Many women today aspire to break barriers but struggle with self-doubt. What lessons from Flame do you believe can empower women to chase their dreams?

Nelofar: Self-doubt results from conditioning, where the son is always the family star, whereas the girl child is undermined. As mothers, we can give our daughters the affirmation that they are in the world to give their best side. The many lessons in Flame are, in fact, affirmations that a woman needs to equip herself with education or vocational training that can give her the ability to find financial independence.

Frontlist: Being her daughter and biographer, did you discover new Aspects of her personality while writing Flame?

Nelofar: Even though I had seen my mother as no one else could, as her biographer, I would just sit down and ask myself the obvious question: "How did she do this?" The answer came as I unraveled her life. She didn’t wait for opportunities; she made her own. She did not accept destiny; she always felt it was in her to change her life's path. This is the most inspiring part of her personality.

Frontlist: The book captures both professional milestones and personal struggles. How did you navigate the emotional depth required to tell her story?

Nelofar: The professional milestones were manageable. The personal struggles were tough. No writer connected with the subject can remove themselves from the angst. Yet, any situation depicting pain in a narrative should be shared in small doses, and the rest should be left to the reader to sense.

Frontlist: Your writing style is evocative and immersive. How did your previous Experience as a poet influence the storytelling in Flame?

Nelofar: Being a poet has been my best advantage as a writer. It’s made my writing in prose much more sensitive. I also believe that when you write about a fragrance, let your reader imagine the notes of the perfume. If the reader is not immersed, if he misses the whiff of the scent, you haven’t done justice.

Frontlist: The Shahnaz Husain brand revolutionized Ayurveda beauty worldwide. What do you think was the most defining factor in her Success?

Nelofar: Many moments defined my mother’s success, but that changed the game when she decided to go into the market and be available all over the country, not just in the franchised salons. Much more is to come.