Customer Reviews

Behind the Scenes of Hindi Cinema: A Visual Journey through the Heart of Bollywood

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The heavily-illustrated work imparts the carnivalesque style of the now globally popular Bollywood films of India--the exotic, often extravagant, costumes, the promotional stunts, the common themes such as traditional morality and romance and marriage, the blaring music, the theater and constant motion and sense of anticipation and surprise. In the foreword, Amitabh Bachchan explains the Bollywood films are "inspired by epic and folk theatre." In the early days of the films, movie moguls would send messengers with drums to announce a film's opening; like Indian royalty in ages past would have bells and drums sounded to call the public for an announcement. The often collage-like visual material is so vivid and jumpy that it can override the text. But for ones looking for material on the making and promotion of Bollywood films, social and religious subjects reflected in them, their distribution in the global entertainment system, and the marginal, yet influential Tamil cinema, it's found in substantive chapters by different writers knowledgeable in these areas. A timely, unique work on the Bollywood films whose mixed, yet focused content mirrors the mixed elements and vitality of such films.

I took on the task of doing an extensive study of the modern Bollywood cinema, in comparison to the current atmosphere of South Asia/India

Of all the Bollywood books I read, this one was, by far, the best one available

The book showcases aspects and foundations of the Bollywood cinema genre, including the roles of villains, hereos, heroines, etc, and how each of them tie into the common dramatic themes and stories of Bollywood films

In addition, the book is filled with EXCELLENT pictures, giving great visual justification to every major point and argument

Lastly, it does a good job of referencing many Bollywood films, both new and classical, giving readers a good opportunity to go back and review those films, if need be

Overall, this book is advertised and marketed as a sensational fanbook of Bollywood, but from an intellectual and film scholar perspective, I would conclude that this is the best book on Bollywood that I have read and studied, both sensationally and intellectually

Thank you for reading and Happy Buying!!!!

Beautiful pictures, arty design, but not much of substance in this book. Its really more of a pictorial history. This book gives very little insight into modern Hindi films. Living in India, and watching a number of Hindi films, I find they are a window into Indian mindset and worldview. And if you suspend your irony, some moments of silly fun. Too bad this book doesn't unlock more of the secrets of Bollywood.