Contributed write-ups on the works of an Indian film-maker, put together by his daughter, who also wrote three of the chapters

Bimal Roy, 1909-1966, Hindi film director; contributed articles.

Udayer Pathe, Bimal Roy’s first film, revolutionized Indian cinema. Hailed as a pioneer by Satyajit Ray, he was perhaps the first to bring shades of grey to the black-and-white screen. Roy’s spare storytelling and nuanced understanding of the human condition are reflected in classics like Devdas, Sujata and Madhumati. His ability to illuminate ordinary characters like Shambhu in Do Bigha Zamin and Kalyani in Bandini, is attested to by their being a part of popular memory even to this day. The Man Who Spoke in Pictures is not just a eulogy to this great director, but also an insight into Roy, the man, the director and his art. The auteur’s little-known Bengal phase is chronicled by Mahasweta Devi and Amit Chaudhuri, as well as Tapan Sinha, Amit Bose and other greats of cinema who trace his journey from cinematographer to director. His Bombay years are recorded through a collection of analyses and anecdotes from leading literary and cinematic luminaries, including Nayantara Sahgal, Gulzar, Naseeruddin Shah and Khalid Mohammed. The final section examines Roy from the outsider’s perspective, with articles by Meghnad Desai, Rachel Dwyer and Paula Mayhew.

Devdas is the title of a 1920s novella by the farmed Bengali writer saratchandra chatterjee. It became so popular that 15 film versions were made in various Indian Languages and periods. Bimal Roy's 1955 film is considered the finest as it sensitively tells the tragic love story between Devdas (Dilip Kumar), the son of Brahmin landlord Aand Parvati (suchita sen) his childhood sweetheart. Caste and class difference keep the lovers apart. Parvati is married of to a rich older man and devdas, who allows Chandramukhi (Vijayanthimala), a selfless prostitute, to help him at first, but ultimately finding no meaning to life, he takes to drink. The Dialogue of Devdas will be presented in a four language format: Hindi, Urdu, Romanised Hindi, Urdu and English translation. Forewords by Bimal Roy's Family and extensive commentary are also featured.

Providing a critique of a common scholarly tendency in the field of popular Indian cinema, this text argues that Indian cinema cannot be understood in terms of a national paradigm, but must instead be considered as a field of visual and cultural production that interlinks diverse sites, in India and beyond.

Shyam Benegal is the best known and most prolific contemporary film-maker from India's arthouse or 'New Cinema' tradition. This work traces a career with its beginnings in political cinema and a realist aesthetic. Sangeeta Datta demonstrates how the struggles of women and the dispossessed and marginalised in Indian society have found an eloquent expression in films as diverse as Nishant, Bhumika, Mandi, Suraj Ka Satwan Ghoda and Kalyug. The book also traces Benegal's work with his protégés and collaborators including many of the biggest names in Indian Cinema - Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah, Karishma Kapoor and A.R. Rahman.

Here Is A Visual Feast Of Osian'S Hugely Successful Landmark Auction Of Memorabilia Relating To Hindi Cinema 1930S-70S. This Publication Forms An Invaluable Resource For Fans, Students And Scholars Of Indian Visual Culture And Graphic Art.