Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood’s Bad Boy

Sanjay Dutt’s biography by Yasser Usman talks about one of the bad boys of Bollywood. I picked up this book as I have grown watching his movies and wanted to know more about him. While his movies were an indispensable part of my childhood, I was never a big fan of Sanjay Dutt. For me, … Continue reading →

How the BJP Wins: Inside India’s Greatest Election Machine

Prashant Jha, an Associate Editor with Hindustan Times, has a long track of covering Indian national politics, particularly politics in the Gangetic plains. How the BJP Wins: Inside India’s Greatest Election Machine is his latest book. As the title of the book suggests, this book tells us how the BJP wins election after election. In … Continue reading →

The Fascinating World Of Wild Bird Feeding

The birds at my balcony appear to be really impatient and sad. I was just back from a field trip and there was no food on the bird feeder kept on my balcony. While I had kept some grains on the feeder before leaving for field work, there was nothing there now. I cursed myself. … Continue reading →

The Story Of A Stylish Villain With Handsome Looks

Prem Nam Hai Mera – Prem Chopra is one of those biographies I read of late. Written by his daughter Rakita Nanda, the book is a well narrated account of one of the iconic villains of Hindi film industry. Known for his trademark lascivious scorn and brilliant dialogue delivery, Prem Chopra was one of the … Continue reading →

Book Review: ‘When the Road Beckons’ by Ravi Manoram

After a long time, I picked up a travelogue and I am happy to say that the book I chose did not let me down. When the Road Beckons by Ravi Manoram is a travelogue of a man who takes a journey to Ladakh on his motorbike. While this book, on surface, appears to be … Continue reading →

Guns and Thighs: The Story of Ram Gopal Varma

My Rating*** Guns and Thighs: And Other Stories from My Life is the autobiography of Ram Gopal Varma, the man behind iconic films like ‘Satya’, ‘Rangeela’, ‘Company’ and ‘Sarkar’. While Ram Gopal Varma has given us these really impressive movies, he is also the man behind some horrendous movies like ‘Aag’, ‘Daud’, ‘Naach’ and ‘Darna … Continue reading →

Brihadaaranyaka , the Great Upanishad – Understanding Brahman and the Ultimate Reality

My Rating**** The Upanishads, the ancient Hindu scriptures, are the core of Indian philosophy. These are the works that explore the metaphysical truths of human existence. Of all the Upanishads, the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad is not only one of the oldest, but also one of the greatest. It is greatest in respect to its theme and … Continue reading →

Book Review: ‘Paradise Lost & Regained’ by Ratnadip Acharya

My Rating***** ‘Paradise Lost & Regained’ by Ratnadip Acharya is a beautiful take on the true meaning of life. We all, intentionally or unintentionally, try to find out the real purpose of our lives and Ratnadip did the same in the form of a beautifully written prose. The author conspicuously suggests that our lives have … Continue reading →

Many Stories in the Tongues of Animals

Dear book lovers, today I am going to talk about ‘the stories in the tongues of animals’. Got confused? Ok, do not get puzzled. Let’s solve the mystery. Actually, today I am going to review a book, which is a retelling of the Panchatantra. The title of the book is ‘Kalila and Dimna #1 – … Continue reading →

To Sir With Love

My Rating***** Life is not a bed of roses. On the other hand, it has its own twists and turns. It tests us all. There is no exception. However, if you are strong, the world cannot deter you. In fact, nothing can put off you. And, this is what makes an ordinary person an extraordinary … Continue reading →