Bollywood:Advertisers figured out a while ago that nothing captivates Indians like movies and cricket and now Indian publishers are cashing in on this vibrant industry. In the last six months, over nine books on the film industry and Indian film stars have been released and most of them have done exceedingly well. Romancing with Life (Rs 695), Dev Anand’s autobiography is a bestseller these days, as is Anupama Chopra’s King of Bollywood: Shah Rukh Khan and the Seductive World of Indian Cinema (Rs 395). Anand’s book has sold 15,000 copies across India.“The middle-class Indian audience who watch films in metro multiplexes want to know more about the industry, the actors and the world of Indian filmmaking,” explains V K Karthika, publisher, Harper Collins.Stephen Alter’s book, Fantasies of a Bollywood Love Thief, which traces the shooting of Omkaara through the badlands of UP, is a telling account of the new breed of filmmakers and the changing processes in Indian movies. We’re the world’s largest film watching nation, we know the plot before the story ends, we’ve got the songs whirring inside our heads, so it’s no surprise that books on films are fast ousting fiction from readers lists. “There are so many fascinating stories within the industry and the scope will only increase,” says Kishwar Desai, author of the recently released Darlingji, a biography of Nargis and Sunil Dutt. Desai goes on to add, “Cinema in India has a socio-economic impact on society — as viewership goes up, so will readership.”
The Dutt daughters, Namrata and Priya’s memoir Mr. and Mrs. Dutt: Remembering our Parents is full of anecdotes and private photographs that give readers an insight into the lives of these iconic figures. “We’ve written from our perspective as children and I can confidently say that nobody else has seen this side of them,” states Priya Dutt.
Mr. and Mrs. Dutt has sold 6,000 copies in Delhi and the publishers, Roli Books, will be bringing out the second print soon.In the next six months, look out for more: by mid 2008, a comprehensive guide to Bollywood, and a list of Indian cinema’s 50 greatest movies are expected to hit shelves.
Mr. and Mrs. Dutt has sold 6,000 copies in Delhi and the publishers, Roli Books, will be bringing out the second print soon.In the next six months, look out for more: by mid 2008, a comprehensive guide to Bollywood, and a list of Indian cinema’s 50 greatest movies are expected to hit shelves.
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