Irreverent, witty, nonchalant, breezy and yet profound. That’s Shah’s book in short. Coming after Dilip Kumar’s underwhelming work, this was a sparkler.
Be it his taut relationship with his father, or his bizarre first marriage, Shah spares few. Where he does let readers down is when the few he spares are mostly the Bollywood biggies (It’s not AB, if that’s what you are thinking, though there’s not much about him either).
Shah is arrogant and knows it. He is judgmental and shows it. And boy he can write, and proves it.
Anyone who disagrees with his views is free to write a ‘counter’ book. Till then, this one will remain a benchmark for Bollywood icons.
The short epilogue of the book is one of the best I have ever come across till date. Consider this:
“Ever since I was fifteen years old, following my triumphant turns as Shylock and Lear in school, when I actually began to dare to think of myself as an actor I have always had this waking nightmare: one day I meet up with a wise old man who, after watching my work, says to me, ‘Well… doubtless everyone has always said you are a very good actor but…’ And I still have no clue what he says after the ‘but’…
I think I have reached the stage that when I look in the mirror I get a hazy glimpse of him and he’s looking right into my eyes.”
Take a bow Ramchandra Guha for goading the man into completing the work.
Anyone who disagrees with his views is free to write a ‘counter’ book. Till then, this one will remain a benchmark for Bollywood icons.
The short epilogue of the book is one of the best I have ever come across till date. Consider this:
“Ever since I was fifteen years old, following my triumphant turns as Shylock and Lear in school, when I actually began to dare to think of myself as an actor I have always had this waking nightmare: one day I meet up with a wise old man who, after watching my work, says to me, ‘Well… doubtless everyone has always said you are a very good actor but…’ And I still have no clue what he says after the ‘but’…
I think I have reached the stage that when I look in the mirror I get a hazy glimpse of him and he’s looking right into my eyes.”
Take a bow Ramchandra Guha for goading the man into completing the work.
