Once Upon A Time In Bollywood: The Story Of A Celluloid Dream!

 " A tribute to the legendary film director, K. Asif " (14th June 1922 - 9th March 1971), the handsome book opens with this dedication accompanied by a striking photograph of K. Asif standing against the backdrop of a mural depicting a war scene with spirited soldiers and a magnificent elephant. The visual sets the tone for what is to follow in the next 284 pages. Author Sunil Salgia, a renowned personality associated with several films and television shows in various capacities, has penned a scintillating account of the extra-ordinary life of K. Asif and the passion with which he made "Mughal e Azam", one of the biggest films ever made in India. Salgia chose to tell the story in the form of fiction that incorporates facts and reality generously. His efforts have resulted in a fast-paced and gripping tale of a man's perseverance --or madness-- in following his dream and emerging victorious against all odds.

Salgia has been actively involved with the making of successful television shows like Rajani, Udaan, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Indradhanush and many others as writer, director and editor. He edited the colour version of "Mughal e Azam" in 2004. During the process, he came across the enchanting story of its maker K. Asif. His fascination with the legendary filmmaker resulted in "Once Upon A Time In Bollywood", his maiden book.

The book traces the journey of K. Asif--Adil in the fictional narrative--from his humble beginnings as an assistant at his uncle's tailoring shop to the celebrated maker of an epic film. Salgia has woven a beautiful love story featuring Adil and Shama, enriching it with many political and historical details that are relevant to those times. So, while Gandhi and Jinnah are referred to in the narration of events taking place in Bombay in pre-independence times, Saadat Hasan Manto and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto appear briefly as characters in the main story. Veiled references to Lata Mangeshkar, Naushad, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan along with other personalities from the film industry make for interesting reading.

Salgia manages to engage the reader with his crisp writing and brisk pace. Short chapters keep the story moving. The filmmaker's resolve to make a grand film, his wit and subtle manipulations to achieve his goals in terms of the high benchmarks he had set for himself, the numerous obstacles that came his way, the long and treacherous road towards realising his dream, all make for compelling reading. 

The book is peppered with amusing anecdotes related with the making of "Mughal e Azam" in particular and the Hindi film industry in general. While reading the book, some incidents that I was not aware of stroked my interest and I checked them out immediately. The 1944 explosion of S S Fort Stikine at Bombay Dockyard, the interaction between Manto and Adil, the presence of Bhutto on the sets of "Mughal e Azam" ("Salim Anarkali" in the book!), the release of the film in Pakistan in 2006, the telecast of the film on Amritsar Doordarshan in 1976 being lapped up by people in Lahore are some of them. 

That the author is associated with cinema and television is evident from the way he has written several "scenes" in the book, especially the ones between Adil and Shama in the early part of the story. Thanks to his adept writing, the visual comes alive in one's mind while reading the book. Also, the mention of technical details while writing about shooting adds authenticity and weight to the narrative.

The book contains many heartwarming stories of sound and light technicians, carpenters and painters, people from the makeup and dress departments, choreographers, camerapersons and many others who work behind the camera to put together a film. An actor walking barefoot in the hot sands of a desert, an actress working hard in the last stages of her pregnancy, another actress facing the camera with heavy iron chains on her shoulders, and lightmen walking on planks that hang precariously from the ceiling are just some instances to name a few. Surely these people are driven by a passion that makes them undertake such arduous tasks. These stories underline the contribution of scores of nameless and faceless people who put in incredible efforts towards making a film.  All in all, a very enjoyable read for lovers of Hindi cinema! That would amount to a very large number given the hold cinema has over the sub-continent's psyche.

Last but not the least, a big shout-out to the designer of the cover for the alluring image of a group of dancers performing for the emperor in his court while the film director is watching the proceedings. The resemblance of the lead dancer with the bewitchingly beautiful Madhubala is hard to miss!