Film-based books [UBC Post 2]

I love reading about movies and people or things associated with it. By reading about films, I don't mean filmy gossip. OK, that too. But what I actually meant was reading about say making of a film or how the script was developed for some classic or the lives of film stars, and so on and so forth. 

Right now, I am reading an interesting book called 'The Greatest Show on Earth: Writings on Bollywood', edited by Jerry Pinto. This book is actually a compilation of selected writings from various other sources. In what I have read so far, I read about how the overhyped Sholay was poorly received on release but eventually went on to break many records, how Karan Johar-Aditya Chopra identified NRI audience as big business and created a hero in Shahrukh Khan with whom they identified while the Indian audience aspired to be, Raj Kaoor's real life romance with Nargis, Padmini and Vyajanthimala (did you know there was a thing between Raj Kapoor and Lata Mangeshkar too), a very interesting interview of the eccentric Kishore Kumar by Pritish Nandy, and many such interesting pieces.

The other film-based books I have are:

1. First Day First Show : Writings from the Bollywood Trenches by Anupama Chopra

2. Popcorn Essayists : What Movies do to Writers, edited by Jai Arjun Singh

3. Mother Maiden Mistress: Women In Hindi Cinema, 1950-2010 by Bhawana Somaaya, Jigna Kothari, Supriya Madangarli

4. Bollywood's Top 20: Superstars of Indian Cinema, edited by Bhaichand Patel

And the books I am eyeing for a while are:

1. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro by Jai Arjun Singh

2. Sex in Cinema by Fareed Kazmi

3. You Can't Please Everyone: films censorship, an insider story by Kobita Sarkar

Here is a list of the Best books on Bollywood, on GoodReads.

So, do you have a book based on films to recommend?

June Photo A Day : Day 29: In My Bag

In my Bag is the book I am reading, of course. Always. No matter where I go. I always carry a book. Because every time I don't, I find myself in situations where I have to while away time doing nothing. Besides, these days that is the only way I can read.

This book is The Greatest Show On Earth, edited by Jerry Pinto. I love movies and I also love reading about them. This book is a collection of write-ups on various aspects of films and film stars compiled from several sources.