The story behind the making of a film can be as exciting
as the movie itself. Hindi cinema offers a wide array
of styles and approaches to film-making, packed with
excitement, personalities and drama. While the popular
expression ‘Bollywood’ suggests homogenous formulae, some
film-makers break the mould. Vishal Bhardwaj has reinvented
genres and brought his dynamic vision of storytelling to the
silver screen. Setting Shakespeare’s tragic tale of Othello in the gangster-infested badlands
of western UP, Bhardwaj created a cult classic, with unforgettable dialogue, stunning
imagery and unique music.
This book takes readers behind the camera and follows the making of Omkara from the
initial brainstorming sessions to scriptwriting, music composition, pre-production, casting,
shooting, editing and release. At the same time, it offers encounters with other celebrated
directors such as Dev Anand, Gulzaar, Madhur Bhandarkar, Shekhar Kapur and Mahesh
Bhatt. Anyone who wants to know the true story of the creative process behind popular
cinema will find the answers here. Originally published as Fantasies of a Bollywood Love
Thief, this edition comes with a new introduction that features Vishal Bhardwaj’s latest film
Haider, based on Hamlet, which completes his Shakespeare trilogy.
About The Author:
Stephen Alter is the author of more than
fifteen books of fiction and non-fiction,
including Accounts of the Asian Elephant,
the contentious border between India and
Pakistan, as well as personal journeys in
the Himalayas. His interest in Hindi cinema
goes back to the 1970s, when he grew
up watching movies of that era. Born
in Mussoorie, he has lived there most
of his life. Alter has received a number
of honours including a Guggenheim
fellowship and a Fulbright award. For ten
years, he was a writer-in-residence at MIT,
teaching classes in creative writing.
