Hema Malini


Book Description

One of the most enduring divas of Hindi cinema, a producer and director for films and television, dancer and choreographer par excellence, magazine editor, an active member of Parliament and now a singer, Hema Malini wears many hats with admirable ease. No other industry name comes close to matching the breadth of her achievements. In an industry where the male star has traditionally driven the commercial success of films, Hema was an exception, with her name alone sufficing to ensure a film's box-office glory. She was, arguably, India's first female superstar. Apart from starring in mainstream super-hits like Johny Mera Naam, Jugnu, Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay and, more recently, Baghban, she received critical acclaim for her performances in Lal Patthar, Khushboo, Kinara, Meera, Ek Chadar Maili Si and Razia Sultan. But there is much more to her than just her Bollywood journey.From her efforts at reviving and sustaining classical dance to her graceful handling of her personal life and the controversies that have plagued her in her political avatar, from her relationships to her religious beliefs and her recent tryst with singing, Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl covers it all. With detailed interviews and exclusive anecdotes from her family, friends and co-actors, this is an inside look at the remarkable life of one of our greatest cinema icons, someone who has truly lived life on her own terms.




Hema Malini: The Authorized Biography


Book Description

Hema Malini, the quintessential 'Dream Girl'of Hindi cinema, has truly nurtured a dream and followed it to its realization. After being unceremoniously dropped from her first Tamil film as the director felt that she didn't have 'star quality', Hema signed the Hindi film she was offered opposite Raj Kapoor. Just eighteen, she soon conquered the hearts of all moviegoers with her beauty, grace and charisma. From Johnny Mera Naam to Sholay, from Meera to Baghbaan, she has portrayed a diverse range of characters that will always remain a part of film legend. Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Sanjeev Kumar . she worked with all the leading stars, but it was with Dharmendra that the chemistry on screen was palpable. The special bond she shared with Dharmendra set the rumour mills buzzing, and defying all conventions, Hema married her Jat hero in May 1980. Striking a perfect balance between her personal and professional life, Hema maintains a dignity about the little world she shares with daughters Esha and Ahana. This intimate portrayal, the first authorized biography, by Bhawana Somaaya is a result of her long years of association with Hema as a film journalist and critic. Hema speaks to Bhawana more candidly than ever before about her life, with and without Dharmendra, her children, her mother and her twin passions of dance and acting.




Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl


Book Description

One of the most enduring divas of Hindi cinema, a producer and director for films and television, dancer and choreographer par excellence, magazine editor, an active member of Parliament and now a singer, Hema Malini wears many hats with admirable ease. No other industry name comes close to matching the breadth of her achievements. In an industry where the male star has traditionally driven the commercial success of films, Hema was an exception, with her name alone sufficing to ensure a film's box-office glory. She was, arguably, India's first female superstar. Apart from starring in mainstream super-hits like Johny Mera Naam, Jugnu, Andaz, Seeta Aur Geeta, Sholay and, more recently, Baghban, she received critical acclaim for her performances in Lal Patthar, Khushboo, Kinara, Meera, Ek Chadar Maili Si and Razia Sultan. But there is much more to her than just her Bollywood journey. From her efforts at reviving and sustaining classical dance to her graceful handling of her personal life and the controversies that have plagued her in her political avatar, from her relationships to her religious beliefs and her recent tryst with singing, Hema Malini: Beyond the Dream Girl covers it all. With detailed interviews and exclusive anecdotes from her family, friends and co-actors, this is an inside look at the remarkable life of one of our greatest cinema icons, someone who has truly lived life on her own terms.




Hema Malini, Diva Unveiled


Book Description

On life and work of Hema Malini, Hindi motion picture actress, dancer, and politician; with reference to India.




Asha Parekh The Hit Girl


Book Description

Asha Parekh was to the movies born. Ever since she was knee-high, she faced the camera as a child artiste, while performing simultaneously at dance fetes. An alumnus of Bombay’s The J. B. Petit Girls’ High School, she devoted after-school hours to learning classical dance from exacting gurus. Given a break as a leading lady by Filmalaya Studio’s Sashadhar Mukherjee, she debuted opposite Shammi Kapoor in the romantic entertainer Dil Deke Dekho. Instantaneously, the audience and the critics agreed: “A star is born.” Followed a concatenation of silver and golden jubilee hits, which established her as the quintessential Hit Girl. Possessed of all the requisites of the cinema of the 1960s and the ’70s – felicity at instinctive acting, intricate dance skills and the ability to invest conviction into the roles of zestful, glamour-exuding film heroines – she made an impact, too, with parts demanding gravitas. Apart from films in Hindi, she has also acted in films in Gujarati, Punjabi and a film in Kannada. The Mumbai film trade, to date, acknowledges her as one of the heroines with the highest number of successes. Her innumerable dance ballets on stage have earned her untold acclaim, at home and overseas. Among her other facets, she has been involved since decades in running a charitable hospital. She was Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (1998-2001) and has been associated with the Cine and TV Artistes’ Associations and other organisations dedicated to the welfare of film industry workers, technicians and actors. She turned producer and director with several top TRP-rated TV serials like ‘Kora Kagaz’ and ‘Palash ke Phool’ and programmes like ‘Baaje Paayal’. Currently she has chosen to retire from acting, but adds, “Never say never.” She lives by the famed Juhu shoreline in Mumbai.




Mithun Chakraborty


Book Description




Rajesh Khanna


Book Description

The untold story of Hindi cinema’s first superstar Obsessed female fans routinely sent him love letters written in blood. Hysterical crowds camped outside his house to catch a glimpse of the superstar. And the frenzy unleashed by his public appearances was enough to give law-enforcers a nightmare. In the 1970s, Rajesh Khanna achieved the kind of fame that no film star had ever experienced before—or has since. But having climbed to the pinnacle of success, he then saw it all vanish. And through it all, he remained a fighter till the very end. In this riveting biography, journalist Yasser Usman examines Rajesh Khanna’s dramatic, colourful life in its entirety: from little-known facts about his childhood to the low-down on his relationships and rivalries, from his ambitious hopes to his deep-seated insecurities. What emerges is a tantalizingly written, meticulously researched chronicle of a fascinating and mercurial man—one who was both loved and feared by those closest to him. It is a story that encapsulates the glittering, seductive, cut-throat world of Bollywood at its best and its worst.




Rekha


Book Description

RekhaÕs sexual openness raised eyebrows and rattled people. Bollywood wasn't ready for such an irrepressible woman, and tried to suppress her. This book tells the truth about her relationship with the reigning superstar of the time, her many other lovers, and the shocking suicide of her husband




Bollywood For Dummies


Book Description

Take the trip of a lifetime into the past and present of Bollywood Fascinated by the high energy, high emotion, high color, endless dance routines, and sheer scale of Bollywood—but afraid you'll never really know your Ghazals from your Qawwalis, or your Khans from your Kapoors? Well, in the immortal line from the Hindi-language blockbuster Sultan, "No one can defeat you unless you accept defeat yourself," and there's no need to be defeated at all when you can sit back with Bollywood For Dummies and immerse yourself in the glamorous whirl of one of the most exciting movie industries on Earth. Starting with the time-travel adventure of the book’s main feature—the history of the Hindi-speaking industry from people and events of early to mid 20th century Mumbai—you'll also journey in space, taking fascinating documentary side trips to get to know Tollywood’s Telegu-language cinema in southern India, as well as the growing influence of Lollywood across the border in Pakistan. Written by the cohosts of Desi Standard Time, a podcast that explores Bollywood and South Asian movies and media, you'll see how the unique cinema culture of Bollywood in particular has become a global phenomenon, reflecting the rise of India as an independent nation and presenting its long history—and it’s exciting and multifaceted present—in new, influential, and enduring forms. Whatever you paid the price of entry for: the popular Bollywood "Masala" movie style that emphasizes music, comedy, romance, and action; sensitive critiques of a fast-changing society by the Indian Social Realism movement; new forms of music from Indian disco to Sufi boogie; or a look at the lives and talents of the great acting dynasties—it's all here. And there'll still be plenty more plot twists beyond these to surprise and delight you. Get to know the people who built Bollywood Discover the main music and dance styles Explore and recognize Bollywood’s influence on Western cinema Go social and join up with the liveliest Bollywood fan communities You're right to be excited: for newbies a whole new world awaits, and for aficionados, there's always so much more to know. So, sit back with this book, grab some popcorn or a plate of samosas—or why not both—and prepare to begin an electric feast to sizzle all your senses.




Khullam Khulla


Book Description

Son of a famous father. Father of a famous son. I am the hyphen between them. Only, Rishi Kapoor was and is so much more. Few actors in Hindi cinema have had this sort of a career arc: from the gawky adolescent pining for his schoolteacher (Mera Naam Joker, 1970) to the naughty ninety-year-old (Kapoor & Sons, 2016), Rishi Kapoor has regaled audiences for close to fifty years. He won a National Award for his debut, became an overnight sensation with his first film as a leading man (Bobby, 1973), and carved a niche for himself with a string of romantic musical blockbusters in an era known for its angst-ridden films. He was the youth icon that is still the toast of the satellite TV circuit. The songs he lip-synced are the bread and butter of all radio stations even today. Then there was the second coming after a brief hiatus in the 1990s - as one of the finest actors in mainstream Hindi cinema with powerhouse performances in films like Do Dooni Chaar, D-Day, Agneepath and others.Characteristically candid, Rishi Kapoor brings Punjabi brio to the writing of Khullam Khulla. This is as up close and personal a biography as any fan could have hoped for. He writes about growing up in the shadow of a legendary father, skipping school to act in Mera Naam Joker, the workings of the musical hits of the era, an encounter with Dawood Ibrahim, his heroines (their working relationship, the gossip and the frisson that was sometimes real), his approach to his craft, his tryst with clinical depression, and more. A foreword by Ranbir Kapoor and a stirring afterword by Neetu Singh bookend the warmest, most dil se biography an Indian star has ever penned.