Sone Chandi Ke Buth is a collection of writings on cinema that includes the observations, thoughts and reflections of one of the pioneering film directors and journalists in the country, K.A. Abbas. This book includes incisive profiles of personalities such as Prithviraj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, V. Shantaram and others; film reviews and essays that interrogate the line between art and stardom in the Hindi film industry; and short stories that lift the veneer of Bollywood's glamorous world.
Sone Chandi Ke Buth is a collection of writings on cinema that includes the observations, thoughts and reflections of one of the pioneering film directors and journalists in the country, K.A. Abbas. This book includes incisive profiles of personalities such as Prithviraj Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, V. Shantaram and others; film reviews and essays that interrogate the line between art and stardom in the Hindi film industry; and short stories that lift the veneer of Bollywood's glamorous world.
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas distinguished himself by his ceaseless passion for revolutionary politics, which he expressed through his writings and films. He was a visionary who strongly believed that creative and artistic interventions are indispensable to nation-building. Bread Beauty Revolution, spanning the years 1914 to 1987, encapsulates Abbas's work, ideas, and ideals. It also provides an insight into the beginnings of modern India. The volume encapsulates 74 books, 40 films, 89 short stories and 3,000 pieces of journalistic writing byAbbas. His work flows in three languages - Urdu, Hindi, and English - and he translated his own writings freely from one language to another. The volume is in ten parts: (i) 'Abraham and Son', about Abbas's birth and upbringing; (ii) 'I Write as I Feel', which includes Abbas's first and best known short story 'Ababeel' (Sparrows), the story of Abbas's struggle after the publication of his short story 'Meri Maut' (also called 'Sardarji'), and Mulk Raj Anand's letter celebrating his literary genius; (iii) 'My First Love Affair', on his lifelong relationship with and unabashed admiration for Jawaharlal Nehru; (iv) 'Naya Sansar', the witnessing of the birth of an independent India; (v) 'Dharti ke Lal', recounting Abbas's love-hate relationship with the Left movement of which he was an outspoken advocate as well as fearless critic, his account of the birth of IPTA, writing the play Zubaidah and being invited to make the film Dharti ke Lal; (vi) 'Bambai Raat ki Bahon Mein', about another love that gripped his mind and soul, the Indian film industry; (vii) 'Reminiscences', containing personal accounts by people whose lives Abbas influenced, as well as a short story by him, 'Achchan ka Aashiq' (Achchan's Lover); (viii) 'Jagte Raho', an account of Abbas's fight against the censorship imposed on his film Char Shehar Ek Kahani (Four Cities, One Story), 1968, which led to the famous case, K.A. Abbas versus the Union of India, and the landmark judgment in his favour holding that pre-censorship of cinema was a violation of freedom of expression; (ix) 'Ek Aadmi', Abbas's 'beginning' as well as his 'end': his review of Shantaram's film Aadmi which brought him to the film world, and Ek Aadmi, his last film, which had a posthumous birth; andfinally, (x) 'Rahi', named after the eponymous movie Abbas made in 1953 about tea garden workers.
Widely known for his humanistic outlook and social realism, Khwaja Ahmad Abbas invariably drew inspiration from real-life situations and characters. In An Evening in Paris And Other Stories, the storyteller charms the reader with aspirational tales of ordinary men and women, guided forward by a lifelong dream. With dabs of magic realism and tales of wishful travel to faraway lands coursing through the stories, this is a fascinating collection. Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, born in Panipat, Haryana, wrote stories and novels in Urdu, Hindi and English, which have been translated into several Indian and foreign languages. As a screenwriter, his most famous films have been Naya Sansaar, Saat Hindustani, Jagte Raho, the Palme d’Or winner Neecha Nagar, and well-known Raj Kapoor movies like Awara, Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker and Bobby. His column ‘Last Page’, holds the distinction of being one of the longest-running columns in the history of Indian journalism. Begun in 1935, in Bombay Chronicle, it was published by the Blitz after the Chronicle’s closure, until his death in 1987. In 1969, Abbas was awarded the Padma Shri by Government of India. Talking Points Includes some of the finest short stories by the author, journalist and film director Each story provides a glimpse into the humanistic outlook of the writer Encompasses a variety of socially relevant themes that were close to the writer’s heart Includes a milestone interview with Abbas about his views on cinema and filmmaking Worldwide readership/market Students of Literature, schools and colleges, libraries, journalism schools, story/screenplay writers, vintage book collectors and general trade
The lyrical prose of writer, journalist and film director Khwaja Ahmad Abbas (1914-1987) easily lends itself to short stories. In Sardarji and Other Stories, a captivating collection, the protagonists of each tale are portrayed grappling with realities imposed upon them by an unrelenting historical churning that compels them to revisit their relationships with their cultural, spatial and psychological moorings. Communal riots, poverty, abjection, love and longing or renewed hopes and nascent dreams make this collection an incisive and moving portrayal of the human condition. This Khwaja Ahmad Abbas collection includes some of the best short stories ever penned down by the author, journalist and film directorEach of the stories selected for this volume gives a glimpse into the mind and works of this legendary writerEncompasses a variety of themes that readers can easily identify with.Includes the last interview with Abbas about his last film, Ek Aadmi.
Gautama's ideas went against the established beliefs of centuries. His teachings did not rely on the idea of a Supreme God or gods who could rescue humanity from its sorrows; instead he believed that nirvana lay within each person; and could be achieved by following the right path. Even though he was one of the most influential men who ever walked the earth; very little is known about the life of Siddhartha Gautama; the man we call the Buddha. His teachings were followed for 1;500 years in India; and became the guiding principles of life for both rich and poor; high born and lower caste. Today; the religion he founded is followed all over the world.Here is the fascinating story of his life-from his youth as a privileged prince to his renunciation and attainment of nirvana; how his teachings changed all those who came in contact with him; and the story of the tumultuous lives of people and kingdoms in ancient India.
Guru Dutt’s filmography has some names which have long been considered as some of the best films to have ever been made in India. His masterpiece Pyaasa (1957) was featured in TIME magazine's All-Time 100 Movies list in 2005. His films are still celebrated and revered by viewers, critics and students of cinema the world over, not only for their technical brilliance but also for the eternal romanticism and their profound take on the emptiness of life and the shallowness of material success. He was Indian cinema’s Don Juan and Nietzsche rolled into one. But while much has been said and written on the film-maker and his art, little is known about his life behind the screens. This richly layered account takes a deep dive into the journey of a lonesome, troubled genius who was endlessly being pulled in contrary directions throughout his life. A child prodigy, who actually began as a dancer learning from the great Uday Shankar, an unconventional film-maker who desired commercial success without ever compromising on artistic satisfaction, a self-made entrepreneur who hated numbers yet single-handedly ran a film studio juggling the roles of a producer, director, actor, financier — all this while struggling silently with a deeply troubled personal life, at the centre of which was his tumultuous marriage with Geeta Dutt. Guru had it all — love, family, money, fame and validation from his audience. His untimely death by suicide, that too after multiple failed attempts, had shocked the entire film industry. But what led to that fateful night when he tipped his hat and said his final goodbye? Best-selling Bollywood biographer Yasser Usman explores the man and the myth Guru Dutt in this definitive biography of a nonconformist star, uncovering the extraordinary lives of the rich and the famous as well the incredible toll it takes on the emotional and mental health of a human being. With cameos from close friends and colleagues Dev Anand, Waheeda Rehman, Johnny Walker, S.D. Burman and most significantly Dutt’s sister, noted painter Lalitha Lajmi, a short but compassionate, ambitious and ultimately tragic life reveals itself in the pages of this book. This is a gripping, meticulously researched and moving portrait of an unfinished life — a tale of unrequited love, unresolved relationships and unmatched cinematic talent.
Healed is the powerful, moving and deeply personal story of actor Manisha Koirala's battle against ovarian cancer. From her treatment in the US and the wonderful care provided by the oncologists there to how she rebuilt her life once she returned home, the book takes us on an emotional rollercoaster ride through her many fears and struggles, and shows how she eventually came out triumphant. Today, as she completes six years of being cancer-free, she shares her story-one marked by apprehensions, disappointments and uncertainties-and the lessons she learnt along the way. Through her journey, she unravels cancer for us and inspires us to not buckle under its fear, but emerge alive, kicking and victorious.
