When Jagat Murari, a young film student in post-war America, finds himself at the feet of one of cinema’s true giants – Orson Welles – during the making of Macbeth in 1947, the lessons he absorbs on that set will shape not only his future, but also the future of Indian cinema. Returning to a newly independent India, Jagat goes on to build the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from the ground up.
In The Maker of Filmmakers, Radha Chadha offers an intimate and meticulously researched portrait of her father – a celebrated documentary filmmaker – and the iconic film school he built. With uncanny consistency, FTII turned out top talent – the likes of Shabana Azmi and Jaya Bachchan, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Subhash Ghai, and other cinema legends. His alumni became the leading actors, directors, cinematographers, sound designers and editors of Bollywood and beyond. They spearheaded the Indian New Wave, kickstarted regional language cinema, and helped usher television into the country.
How did Jagat go about ‘making’ such extraordinary filmmakers? What was his secret formula? With unprecedented access to Jagat’s diaries, letters, personal papers and over 100 interviews with alumni and colleagues, Radha Chadha leads us behind the scenes, and into the mind of a visionary who reshaped Indian cinema, even as he grappled with its many challenges.
A gripping tale of ambition, adversity, and artistic brilliance – richly illustrated with rare photographs – The Maker of Filmmakers paints a vivid picture of one man’s unwavering belief in the transformative power of cinema, and how his determination helped turn Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today.
Set against the backdrop of some of the landmark events and characters of the last century, this is biography and cinematic history at its best.
March 1947.
A four-year-old Salima Hashmi is witness to the Sikh leader, Master Tara Singh and his many followers denouncing the demand for Pakistan.
Soon, the sub-continent is partitioned and Salima, her sister Moneeza, her English mother Alys, and her father, the renowned Urdu poet and leftist intellectual, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, are citizens of the nascent Pakistan.
Life in the newly formed nation is full of ups and downs, the lowest points being Faiz’s imprisonment in 1951 on charges of sedition and his subsequent self-exile from Pakistan in 1960. Even as the family struggles to cope, life is not without its highpoints. There are picnics and outings with her cousins, Salma, Mariam and Billoo. The family home is frequented by writers, artistes and political figures and Salima is privy to their conversations and arguments. And through it all, Salima finds her footing in art which becomes her life’s calling.
Waiting in the Wings, the first part of her two-volume memoir, is the account of the first two-and-a-half decades of Salima’s life. It is as much a portrait of a young nation as it is the account of the author’s own life.
So many of our country’s heroes from the past remain unsung. Murarirao Ghorpade is one such. He was a valiant warrior, an articulate statesman and a descendant of the Maratha clan, committed to Hindavi Swaraj.
Murarirao independently built a strong and highly efficient military force. He established his reputation on being able to break the dreaded war tactic employed by the French Army—the French Hollow Square. His support was sought by the Peshwas, neighbouring kingdoms, the French and the British. In fact, it so happened that he came to save Robert Clive from a crushing defeat at the hands of the French at Arcot. This war was a turning point in India’s history. That he has been denied attention could well be because much of documented Maratha history faces north. Murarirao’s story faces south. And it was his actions on behalf of the Marathas that drew the ire of his nemesis, Haider Ali Khan.
This is an exciting tale of military conquests, espionage, forbidden love and loyalty in eighteenth-century Deccan, and a record of how, in an era marred by treachery and expediency, Murarirao Ghorpade survived seventy-plus years by instinct, bravery, statesmanship, valour and loyalty.
Robin Singh had everything he wanted and more—well-settled in the US, financial freedom, married to the love of his life—except he was not happy. It was in his pursuit of happiness that he stumbled across purpose. It eventually took giving up on happiness and pursuing purpose before he realised that he had finally found what he had been looking for.
This is a book about what happened between him exiting his tech company and starting Peepal Farm—an animal rescue centre. It is a compilation of all the answers he got along the way and the questions he asked to get those answers. He still can’t tell you what is life or why is life . . . but he can answer why to live and how to live.
Happiness Happens is ultimately an exploration of what really makes us happy. It is Robin’s journey told simply, with the hope that it will reach people who are dissatisfied with how they have been living but haven’t yet been able to answer how else to live.
‘Aphrodite! The name has always struck me as perfectly fitting for my wonderful mother.’
Aphrodite Krishnamurti’s life is a testament to resilience, love, and transformation. From the sun-drenched days of Doxato, Greece, to the bustling high streets of Kavala, her childhood was filled with laughter and imagination. Despite the upheavals of the Second World War that engulfed Greece during this period, Aphrodite faced every challenge with unwavering dignity.
Love found her in the form of a young Indian medical officer, P. V. Krishnamurti, whose arrival on Greek shores marked the beginning of a new chapter. Her life spanned three continents, and she navigated each with composure and confidence. Her deep bond with her daughter, rooted in unwavering support and encouragement, is the heart of this story. This book delves into the enduring power of a mother’s love, and a unique mother-daughter relationship that has only deepened over time.
Swimming In Our Oceans traverses the uncertainties and contradictions that shape who we are. The memoir explores performance, invisibility, and mental health, following Pragya’s move to a village in Uttarakhand. Alternating between the author’s past and present, Swimming in Our Oceans questions what it means to belong – to a place, to a person, to oneself.
Hundred Greatest Love Songs is a genre-bending memoir of a young artist and poet willing to risk his life for his craft. Told in a hundred short chapters and arranged like a playlist, the story is one of transformation—spiritual, sexual and intellectual—as the protagonist, a waiter, carves his path from a greasy diner in small-town Iowa to a prestigious arts college in upstate New York. Along the way, he makes many new friends: misfits and outcasts who become his chosen family, and renowned American poets and artists who show him that it is possible to lead a remarkable life, no matter the circumstances.
At its core, the book is an ode to friendship. It is as much about an artist trying to find his place in the world as it is about the people who help him do so. Ultimately, Hundred Greatest Love Songs serves as a testament to the healing power of poetry and proves that literature, art and music can save lives.
Six Indian soldiers, as part of their regular patrolling exercise, go missing from the Bajrang post in the Kaksar sector in Ladakh.
A captain and his men are outnumbered by hundreds and fired upon relentlessly from all angles.
Captain Saurabh Kalia and his five men from 4 Jat Regiment were the first casualties of the Kargil War in 1999. The unit was captured alive by the Pakistani Army and subjected to unimaginable horrors for twenty-two days—a stark violation of the Geneva Convention. The men had vowed not to reveal any secrets if captured, and they kept their promise even when each and every bone in their body was hammered to pieces.
In The Legacy of Captain Saurabh Kalia, Dr N.K. Kalia—with author Sreemati Sen—documents the inspiring life of his son, his pivotal role in the Kargil war, and his family’s relentless efforts in their quest for justice.
Featuring exclusive photographs, excerpts from the captain’s diary, letters written by him and rare interviews of his family, relatives, teachers, classmates, batchmates, and officials who were then posted in Kargil, this deeply researched account brings to light a story of valour and courage like you’ve never known before.
Upendranath Brahmachari conjured a potent drug to vanquish the spectre of kala-azar, saving millions from the deadly disease. Ram Nath Chopra explored ancient ayurvedic knowledge, extracting a natural compound from sarpagandha to treat seizures and high blood pressure. Azizul Haque and Hem Chandra Bose etched a novel cipher for fingerprints, birthing the science of forensics with their elegant method. Though pilfered by Scotland Yard, it found mention in the intricate plot of Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of the Four. Yellapragada Subbarow sculpted five monumental discoveries that reshaped modern medicine, saving countless lives—yet, in a poignant twist of fate, could not save his own.
These stories are not mere chronicles of inventions, but sagas of lives devoted to the pursuit of brilliance. They bring alive the history and sociocultural milieu of the times these men lived in, how they changed the landscape of Indian science and how they proved that the only difference between the ordinary and the great is this: the ordinary think they are great and the great think they are ordinary.
Embark on a captivating journey with Babur: The Quest for Hindustan, where the narrative resumes with Babur’s daring campaign in Bajaur. This meticulously researched biography continues to challenge the conventional portrayal of Babur, offering a nuanced view of his ambitions and complexities. Drawing from the rich Persian manuscript of the Baburnama and other primary sources, this book is a pivotal addition to Babur’s biographical genre, essential for anyone seeking to understand the enigmatic ruler’s legacy. Discover the multifaceted world of Babur, where history and intrigue intertwine.
