May 3, 1913 marked a historic day for Indian Cinema. India's first indigenous silent film Raja Harishchandra was released at the Coronation Cinema in Mumbai. Dadasaheb Phalke, a man of versatile talent, who had a varied career as a painter, photographer, playwright and magician before he took to filmmaking, was responsible for the production of the film, adapted from the Mahabharata. This laid the foundation of what, in time, would grow to become the largest film producing industry in the world.
Tilak Rishi, a movie buff who grew up along Hindi cinema, cherishes great memories of the bygone era of 30s and 40s; the golden age of 50s and 60s; the period of the parallel cinema in 70s and 80s; and Bollywood’s grand entry into the new millennium with worldwide popular movies, in his book, “Bless You Bollywood: A tribute to Hindi Cinema on completing 100 years.” Spanning a wide range of decades, genres and style, the Bollywood film culture in all its glory is a wonderful thing. Of the hundreds of great hits it has given, some have attained an aura of unparalleled respectability because, over time, they continue to draw viewers in multitudes for weeks, months and even years. “Bless You Bollywood” is Rishi’s endeavor to pay tribute to the tallest amongst movie makers, artists, composers, lyricists and script writers down the decades, for contributing their extraordinary caliber to Bollywood.
With more than a billion Indians, Bollywood boasts a built-in audience far more vast than anything Hollywood can ever dream of and hundreds of millions of others are also caught under the influence. To billions of people, it’s a way of life. They are the ones who will find the book immensely interesting and precious for its unique presentation of the best of Bollywood in its 100 years of excellence in entertainment, said the press release.
Book Title: Bless You Bollywood: A tribute to Hindi Cinema on completing 100 years
Author: Tilak Rishi (Also author of ‘Paradise Lost and Found’)
Publisher: Trafford, USA