Indian cinema completed a century in 2013. The centenary was marked by special events celebrating cinema over the last century. Books were written and films like 'Bombay Talkies' were made to celebrate the achievements and growth of Indian cinema. Given this background there are no quiz books to celebrate the centenary journey of Indian Cinema. The idea behind this book is to create more interest about the journey of Indian films and recognize the work of eminent directors and actors.

The Indian film industry stands above most other national cinemas due to its local focus yet enormous size. Although gaining more and more international popularity, the main audience for this cinematic titan resides within India, and while this may seem a restrictive quality, the fact that India is the second most populated country in the world, combined with the local focus of Indian cinemas (in 2012 foreign imports only filled 9% of the total film box office), Indian cinema has grown to become one of the largest film industries in the world. Although the film industry is widely known as 'Bollywood', this term actually only refers to the Hindi-language films produced through the studios in Mumbai (Bombay), only one part of the incredible spectrum of Indian films, albeit the largest.The origins of cinema can be traced back to the French Lumiere Brothers. Unveiling their first short films in 1895, these revolutionary filmmakers tempted the world with a new form of entertainment. In 1896, the brothers toured their works to India for the first time, hosting a screening in Mumbai Watson Hotel. Reported as the 'Miracle of the Century' by The Times of India, it was not long until converted film fanatics started to emerge in the then British governed India. Through experimenting with techniques and technologies, early filmmaker Hiralal Sen made the first Indian short film in 1898. 1912 then saw the first screened Indian silent film, Shree Pundalik, directed by Dadasaheb Torne. Outside help was used however, with the film shot by British cinematographers and the negatives sent to London to be processed. It was the next year, 1913, which saw the first truly authentic Indian film being screened: Dadasaheb Phalke's Raja Harishchandra, and thus Indian cinema was born. Since these early beginnings India's film industry has continued to flourish, growing in popularity, size and reach. There are many factors for this ongoing growth, one of them being the affordability of cinema in the country. From the early days onwards, India cinema venues have made films accessible to the wider public, providing cheap admission, with convenient extras being sold as buyable additions, not inbuilt in the price. With the vast economic gap that is found in India, this factor has allowed film to become an art form for the people, not just for the upper class. Interestingly, in the late 1920s the Britishgovernment tried to promote UK film in India in an attempt to overtake the growingAmerican cinema, and created the Indian Cinematograph Enquiry Committee. This programme failed with this aim however, with the committee favouring Indianproduced films; it seemed that nothing could stop the growth of this national movement. With technology advancements, sound and dialogue became more and more implemented in Indian films throughout the 1930s, leading to a surge of song and dance in films, such as in Indrasabha and Devi Devyani. This element would take a strong hold in Hindi cinema, and is a renowned quality found in many Bollywood films being made today. Another influential factor in Bollywood's growth was India's independence in 1947. Proud in becoming an autonomous country, national cinema experienced a Golden Era from the 1940s to the 1960s. This era saw directors such as Satyajit Ray, Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor andVijay Bhatt create a wide range of classic films, further establishing and redefining Indian film. It was these influential filmmakers who paved the pathway for the future of Bollywood, and its present day position as one of the largest film industries in the world.

May 3, 1913-a historic day in the history of Indian Cinema. India's first indigenous silent film Raja Harishchandra was released at the Coronation Cinema in Mumbai. This lay the foundation of what, in time, would grow to become the largest film-producing industry in the world. 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, overtime, they continue to draw viewers in multitudes for weeks, months, and even years. Bless You Bollywood is an endeavor to pay tribute to the tallest among movie makers, artistes, composers, lyricists, and scriptwriters down the decades for contributing their extraordinary caliber to Bollywood.

Although the motion picture industry in India is one of the oldest and largest in the world—with literally thousands of productions released each year—films from that country have not been as well received as those from other countries. Known for their impressive musical numbers, melodramatic plots, and nationally beloved stars, Indian films have long been ignored by the West but are now at the forefront of cinema studies. With the prolific number of films available, it can be difficult to know what to watch. In 100 Essential Indian Films, Rohit K. Dasgupta and Sangeeta Datta identify and discuss significant works produced since the 1930s. Examining the output of different regional film industries throughout India, this volume offers a balance of box-office blockbusters, critical successes, and less-recognized cult classics. From early films by Satyajit Ray to contemporary classics such as Salaam Bombay and Lagaan, each entry includes comprehensive details about the film and situates the work in the context and history of the Indian canon.In addition to these notable productions, this book also examines key film directors and the work of major film stars in the industry. While many studies of Indian films focus on a single language’s contributions, this encyclopedia offers a comprehensive guide to productions from across the country in various languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, Assamese, Punjabi, Marathi, and English. 100 Essential Indian Films is an engaging volume that will appeal to both cinema scholars and those looking for an introduction to a vital component of world cinema.

One Of The Most Enduring Love Stories Of Our Times. First Published In Bengali In 1917, Saratchandra Chattopadhyay'S Tragic Tale Of Devdas Has Become Synonymous With A Passionate, Intense Love That Does Not Find Consummation. It Is The Story Of Devdas And Paro, Childhood Sweethearts Who Are Torn Apart When Devdas Is Sent Away To Calcutta By His Father, The Local Zamindar. When Devdas Returns To His Village, Now A Handsome Lad Of Nineteen, Paro Asks Him To Marry Her. But Devdas Is Unable To Stand Up To Parental Opposition To The Match And Rejects The Proposition. Stunned, Paro Agrees To Marry An Elderly Widower. Devdas Returns To Calcutta, But Every Waking Hour Of His Is Now Filled With Thoughts Of Paro And His Unfulfilled Love For Her. Desperate To Resolve The Situation Somehow, He Runs To Paro Who Is Now Married And Asks Her To Elope With Him, But She Refuses. Heartbroken, He Seeks Solace In Alcohol And In The Company Of The Courtesan Chandramukhi. Chandramukhi Falls In Love With Devdas, But Even When He Is With Her He Can Only Think Of Paro. It Is Now His Destiny To Hurtle On Relentlessly On The Path To Self-Destruction. Devdas S Tortured Life Ends When, Dying Of A Liver Ailment Brought On By Alcoholism, He Journeys To Paro S House To See Her One Last Time. Arriving In The Middle Of The Night, He Dies Unknown, Untended, On Her Doorstep. Paro Comes To Know Of His Death Only The Following Morning. Devdas Has Enthralled Readers And Filmgoing Audiences Alike For The Better Part Of A Century. This New Translation Brings The Classic Tale Of Star-Crossed Lovers Alive For A New Generation Of Readers. The Classic Novel Brought To Life In A New, Lucid, Extremely Readable Translation.

Contributed essays.

From the movie-going public in India to its diaspora scattered across the world, Indian cinema finds space in the life and consciousness of anyone who engages with it, either for entertainment or out of academic interest. And, from Raja Harishchandra, the first full-length Indian feature film released in 1913, to the present, when Indian cinema is garnering global attention and appreciation, the Indian film industry itself has come a long way and has undergone seminal changes.100 Years of Jump-Cuts and Fade-Outs: Tracking Change in Indian Cinema traces the manner in which Indian films have evolved over the last century. Beginning with the era of silent films, Shoma A. Chatterji examines how adaptations of literary works have moved away from the original; debates the treatment of violence and political ideas in our movies; analyses the representation of sexual minorities in films: and explores the thorny issue of censorship versus creative license. She also profiles some of the regional avant-garde films of the country, as well as political and parallel cinema, and tracks the evolution of the item song.Dealing chiefly with mainstream Bollywood, the author demonstrates the change that is gradually sweeping the industry, in spite of the prevalence of formula-based films. In many cases, she shows how the formulae themselves are changing. Well-researched, insightful, and supporting each argument with sound, apt examples, 100 Years of Jump-Cuts and Fade-Outs presents a compelling account of one of our most important and prolific industries.