Popular success took a bit longer to come to Pamuk, but his 1990 novel "Kara Kitap" ("The Black Book") became one of the most controversial and popular books in Turkish literature, due to its complexity and richness. In 1992, he wrote the screenplay for the movie "Gizli Yüz" ("Secret Face"), based on "Kara Kitap" and directed by a prominent Turkish director, Ömer Kavur. Pamuk's fifth novel "Yeni Hayat" ("New Life") caused a sensation in Turkey upon its 1994 publication and became the fastest-selling book in Turkish history. By this time, Pamuk had also become a high-profile figure in Turkey, due to his support for Kurdish political rights. In 1995, Pamuk was among a group of authors tried for writing essays that criticized Turkey's treatment of the Kurds. In 1999, Pamuk published his book of essays "Öteki Renkler" ("Other Colors").