For all the film enthusiasts, who have an affinity towards classics, here is an ideal pick, in the form of a book written by none other than Anupama Chopra. Her acclaimed release, 'Sholay: The Making of a Classic'is a not-to-be-missed book on Indian cinema, which takes the readers down the memory lane. The book is a complete and exhaustive account of the making of the biggest blockbuster of India cinema - Sholay, directed by Ramesh Sippy and released in 1975. Narrating the interesting encounters through the journey of completing the avant garde flicker, Anupama Chopra has proved her mettle yet once again. To know more about the book, read the review given below.
The Book
With the help of her book, 'Sholay: The Making of a Classic', Anupama Chopra narrates the journey of a four-line idea that went on to become the greatest blockbuster of Indian cinema. The adventure began with the tricky process of casting. This was followed by the actual filming, which took place over two years, in a barren, rocky landscape. The book also describes the first few weeks after the film's release, when the audience stayed away and the trade declared it a flop. Thus, the making of the film is undoubtedly a story equally dramatic and entertaining as the film, Sholay itself.
With her deftness at writing and storytelling, Anupama Chopra also mentions instances wherein Amitabh Bacchan had to struggle to convince the Sippys to caste him over the flamboyant Shatrughan Sinha. The author also refers to the eleventh-hour confusion over dates, resulting in Danny Dengzongpa's exit from the film and the role of Gabbar Singh being given to Amjad Khan. Moreover, Anupama Chopra also added spice to the tale, by talking about the budding romance between actors Hema Malini and Dharmedra during the shooting.
The Author
Anupama Chopra is a known film journalist, apart from being a movie reviewer with NDTV and India Today. Wife of filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, she is also a renowned writer and has written many books, which have won her acclaim. Anupama Chopra has also received the National Film Award for Best Book on Cinema for her book 'Sholay: The Making of a Classic'. After this, she came out with several other books, specifically on cinema - such as a book for the 1995 blockbuster Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge; the biography of popular Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan, named 'King of Bollywood : Shah Rukh Khan' and 'The Seductive World Of Indian Cinema', among others.
