The reel-real journey of 75 years

If you are a movie buff, this book is for you. And if you are not a movie buff, this book is still for you. In one word, an enchanting read. ‘75 Years 75 Films: India’s Cinematic Journey’ by Amitava Nag, published by the Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India is a fascinating journey of how cinema has evolved through seven and a half decades, wonderfully exploring the Golden Age of Cinema, the dramatic rise of Bollywood, the Parallel Cinema movement, the advent of sound in cinema, formation of studios, Indian films and the world, and a plethora of technological advancements that have over the years shaped film industries.

From ‘Dharti Ke Lal’ by KA Abbas (1946) and ‘Do Bigha Zamin’ by Bimal Roy (1953) to ‘Sahaj Paather Gappo’ by Manas Mukul Pal (2016), and from ‘Mother India’ by Mehboob Khan (1957) to ‘Baahubali: The Beginning’ by SS, Rajamouli (2015) and ‘Angamaly Diaries’ by Lijo Jose Pellissery (2017), these seventy five timeless reviews by Amitava Nag are not just mere reviews, but immortal pieces evocative of nostalgia. Each review presents the subtle changes in production, the plots, and the filmmaker’s perspective. The book also points out a significant fact that, in the initial days of cinema, the filmmakers did not have filmmaking schools to go to, neither were they trained in cinema-making or technology. Yet, they made blockbuster hits that have remained timeless pieces of marvellous art. The book also provides you a glimpse of the metamorphosis of the medium in terms of the change in audience tastes. There is no thematic grouping of films in this book, but the seventy five films that have been listed have been sequenced by their years of release. As mentioned by the author himself, contrasting and dissimilar, the films celebrate the speckled mix of Indian diversity. The cover, a rhythmic reel-mosaic of the film posters, has been beautifully designed by Bindu Verma.

Views expressed are personal