40 Retakes

by Avijit Ghosh

About the Book: 40 Retakes Have you heard of Footpath (1953), perhaps the most Left-leaning film in which Dilip Kumar gave one of his most nuanced performances? Of director-actor Chandra Shekhars Cha Cha Cha (1964), a fascinating musical where the Harijan hero becomes a fabulous pop dancer? Of Gaddar (1973), perhaps the finest example of film noir in popular Hindi cinema? Of the Amol Palekar-directed Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jayen (1990), a rare true-blue musical with Nana Patekar at his best? Of Sehar (2005), one of the most underfeted gangster movies by Bollywood? Of Antardwand (2010), a movie on shotgun weddings that gobsmacks you with its authentic portrayal of mofussil Bihar? National Award-winning film writer Avijit Ghosh takes a second look at 40 such compelling Hindi movies that have been largely forgotten. Speaking with the directors, producers, cinematographers, music directors and actors behind these, he explores how and why they have fallen through the cracks of our memory. Insightful, racy and loaded with interesting anecdotes-did you know Simi Garewal was dating cricketer Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi during the making of Teen Devian? And that Amitabh Bachchans Majboor has shots directly inserted from (not inspired by) Charles Bronsons film, Cold Sweat? This book is as much for Hindi movie fans as it is for serious About the Author: Avijit Ghosh Avijit Ghosh was born in Agartala, capital of the tiny north-eastern state of Tripura and grew up loitering in the small towns of Bihar and Jharkhand: Dumka, Giridih, Arrah and Ranchi. Spending most of his college hours in cinema halls, he graduated in history from St Xaviers College, Ranchi and filched countless cups of canteen tea from friends on his way to earning MA and M Phil degrees in modern history from Jawaharlal Nehru University. A journalist and a husband for the past 20 years, he has worked with Press Trust of India, The Pioneer (the best days of his life, some months he even worked for half pay), The Telegra

315 pages, Paperback

First published September 30, 2013

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

☑️This book talks about my first love i.e. movies! And that too Bollywood classic movies 👍
As is suggested in the title itself, this book talks about 40 such movies that have not been given due credit at the time of their release or have been buried in the past.

The author researched thoroughly regarding such movies which were either ahead of their times or which dealt with issues that the audience were not ready to accept openly.

He did the research on 100 such movies which he had to reduce it to 50 & then ultimately to 40 for the sake of the length of the book.
The 40 movies which are talked about in the book include :
1. Mr Sampat *1952 ☑️deals with corruption
2. Footpath *1953 ☑️deals with post-independence social issues
3. Cha Cha Cha *1964 ☑️deals with Dalit/caste issues
4. Kohraa *1964 ☑️deals with murder-mystery
5. Teen Debian *1965 ☑️ahead of its times dealing with urban romance
6. Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi *1966 ☑️deals with suspense
7. CID 909 *1967 ☑️spy movie (should I say more?!)
8. Sara Akash *1969 ☑️deals with small town life
9. Dastak *1970 ☑️explores intimacy & social hypocrisies with passion & integrity
10. Lal Pathar *1971 ☑️deals with feudalism without taking sides
11. Mere Some *1971 ☑️deals with aging & students' unrest
12. 27 Down *1973 ☑️explores urban alienation
13. Aavishkar *1973 ☑️deals with marital discord
14. Gaddar *1973 ☑️a thriller dealt in details!
15. Majboor *1974 ☑️'A sophisticated thriller sans fluff'
16. Dillagi *1978 ☑️romantic comedy 'with an inventive plot'
17. So Baar Phir *1980 ☑️deals with 'women's freedom of choice in a failed marriage'
18. Namkeen *1982 ☑️'A guided tour through the hearts of 4 fascinating women'
19. Hip Hip Hurray *1983 ☑️ centered around sports, deals with teen psychology
20. Aghaat *1985 ☑️'free and frank discussion on ideology'
21. Khamosh *1985 ☑️'proves that a great whodunit is all about bright little ideas'
22. Janam *1986 ☑️family drama
23. Dacait *1987 ☑️drama dealing with favorite 'with a dose of realism'
24. Trishanagi *1988 ☑️deals with religion & philosophy in an engaging way
25. Disha *1990 ☑️deals with migrant workers with sensitivity
26. Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jayen *1990 ☑️musical
27. Raat *1992 👍👍👍👍👍 ☑️deals with supernatural/paranormal elements /possession
28. Aaina *1993 ☑️family drama with 'crude comedy'
29. Naseem *1995 ☑️deals with Babri Masjid demolition
30. Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin *1996 ☑️a Mumbai mafia thriller
31. Aar Ya Paar *1997 ☑️features the 'most real anti-hero in mainstream films'
32. Hari Bhari *2000 ☑️deals with female reproductive rights
33. Haasil *2003 ☑️deals with sociology & politics
34. Sehar *2005 ☑️gangster movie based in Eastern UP
35. 1971 (2007) ☑️deals with forgotten prisoners of war
36. Hulla *2008 ☑️deals with ''urban mind's ghettoization''
37. Rocket Singh *2009 ☑️deals with business philosophy
38. The Stoneman Murders *2009 ☑️deals with the real serial killer that terrorized pavement dwellers in Bombay in 1980s
39. Gulaal *2009 ☑️deals with 'elusiveness of love in a surreal setting'
40. Antardwand *2010 ☑️deals with patriarchy set in rural Bihar.

👍This is such a well researched book with references given at the end of each chapter.
Any movie buff will love it as much as I did👍
You will not believe how some movies were so ahead of their time with diverse issues being brought up/shown in each of these movies.
Recommended especially to Bollywood fans!

[Arun Divakar · Rating 3 out of 5]

The different constituent elements of financial success do not always come right for all movies and some sink without a trace at the box office. Not many of the audience members remember when these movies were released and when they disappeared and yet once they seem to have been forgotten, these movies get a second life. Either through DVD’s, TV premieres or YouTube more people start watching them and talk about them and wonder ”why did we not watch this in the theatre ? “ Some such movies go on to become cult classics and are remembered decades after their initial release dates. Maybe it is my obsession with movies as a whole that made me pick up this book out of simple fascination to know what could these forgotten gems be ? The best part of the book was that I could add quite a few lesser known Bollywood movies to my watch list.

Cinema is almost always subjective in terms of what it makes one feel as a viewer. Just like the saying that no two people read the same book, it can also be said that in most of the cases no two people watch the same movie. Here is where I tended to disagree with the author of the book that the book talks about “40 Bollywood Classics You Might Have Missed”, what does appear a classic to the author might not be so for me as a reader and vice versa. But to his credit, the author picks a wide variety of movies across a lot of genres and these make for interesting reading. There are cop movies, horror flicks, social and period dramas and many a different shade of stories all of which share a common fate that they did not make the cash registers ring when they were released. In crisp summaries, Avijit Ghosh analyses the movie and includes information gleaned from the makers and the actors which adds on for more trivia.

Recommended if you are someone who loves movie lore and wants to check out some offbeat shades of an otherwise loud and colourful movie industry.

[Ashok Rao · Rating 4 out of 5]

40 Retakes is as entertaining and as interesting as the films included in this book. The author has meticulously done the research and succeeds in making both the hindi movie fans and the students of serious cinema happy. Also included are the dialogues which could have been as famous as the dialogues written by Salim-Javed but were forgotten like the film itself. For example the dialogue from the film Gulaal - "Who aisa aadmi hai jiska apni biwi ka saath bhi najayaz sambandh hai" (He is the sort of the guy who has illicit relations even with his wife.) is absolutely unforgettable. Avijit Ghosh definitely achieves his goal of helping us remember those films which have been forgotten and need to be reintroduced to to the new generation of filmgoers.

[gramakri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting and enjoyable stories about the movies which deserved better in terms of critical appreciation and/or popularity.

Read the complete list of films featured in this book along with the reasons why they were included by the author in my blog
http://bookwormsrecos.blogspot.in/201...

[Jawahar Surti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. The author started out with 100 films, cut down to 50 and these 40 films made the final cut. He gives his reasons of why the film made the cut and then analyses the film with short synopsis and adds in a short story related to the film... I enjoyed reading it and will see, over a period of time, the movies listed. Not necessary That I would also like all but would still like to see from the author's take on them... Already watched Thoda Sa Rumani Ho Jaayein and thoroughly enjoyed it...

The films included are: (I have seen 15 of them)
1. Mr Sampat (1952)
2. Footpath (1953)
3. Cha Cha Cha (1964)
4. Kohraa (1964)
5. Teen Devian (1965)
6. Yeh Raat Phir Na Aayegi (1966)
7. CID 909 (1967)
8. Sara Akash (1969)
9. Dastak (1970)
10. Lal Pathar (1971)
11. Mere Apne (1971)
12. 27 Down (1973)
13. Aavishkar (1973)
14. Gaddar (1973)
15. Majboor (1974)
16. Dillagi (1978)
17. Ek Baar Phir (1980)
18. Namkeen (1982)
19. Hip Hip Hurray (1983)
20. Aghaat (1985)
21. Khamosh (1985)
22. Janam (1986)
23. Dacait (1987)
24. Trishagni (1988)
25. Disha (1990)
26. Thoda Sa Roomani Ho Jayen (1990)
27. Raat (1992)
28. Aaina (1993)
29. Naseem (1995)
30. Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin (1996)
31. Aar Ya Paar (1997)
32. Hari Bhari (2000)
33. Haasil (2003)
34. Sehar (2005)
35. 1971 (2007)
36. Hulla (2008)
37. Rocket Singh (2009)
38. The Stoneman Murders (2009)
39. Gulaal (2009)
40. Antardwand (2010)

The author feels these films need to be seen. And if already seen, re-watch from the perspective he describes... And I agree that sometimes watching the same movie from a different perspective makes a difference..

[Rammesh Venugopal · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are the kind of person who is into the esoteric and boasts that "ah only I have seen that movie" then this book is for you. Though I consider myself to something of a movie fanatic, it was clear that of the 40 films, I had seen only 17 - which is still not bad. Of course, I had heard or read about all the other 23. They include such decidedly odd ones as Cha Cha Cha whose music is simply stunning but the title belies the fact that the film championed - SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER - the fact that anyone could rise up the ladder - in this case, a Dalit. That, of course, was a learning for me and obviously, I see the film and its music in a totally new light.

Each film is analyzed in depth and with labels like: Why" "what makes it tick" you can't help but end up like this one which is a mirror as to how Hindi Films have grown both in content and technical sophistication over the years, here from 1952 to 2010.

Its available on Kindle Unlimited and Kindle and well worth it .

[Anuradha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a labour of love. I could feel the author Avijit Ghosh's passion for cinema radiating from each page. In this book, he introduces us to 40 Hindi movies from 1952 to 2010 that in his opinion, deserve another viewing from an audience whose tastes have matured over time to truly appreciate these works, many of which were ahead of their time.

I found it very interesting to read. Mr. Ghosh has researched his book thoroughly - he has not only viewed all the films but also has first hand accounts from the cast & crew, researched articles from film journals, interviews & national papers and other books on cinema. While I don't agree to every film that has made the list, I appreciate the painstaking effort Mr. Ghosh has taken to give this book its final shape.

I've not read many books on Indian cinema but this book has effortlessly become one of my favourites.

[Tam The Med Student · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a rare read. especially for the movie lovers. Some movies, some stories, some characters having failed at the time of the movie release is so heartbreaking. The extra efforts, the anecdotes and the situations depicted are such a delight to read about. Highly recommended!!!

[PRAVEEN KUMAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives insight of makers about their idea about film making

, it also makes you realize that every venture including film making requires professional knowledge, excitement, routine work & timing

[Rajesh Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening

A very enlightening book for cinema lovers. Have seen a few of them and I found the insights enlightening. A recommended must read.

[Ietrio · Rating 2 out of 5]

A dubious book at least. Why these 40? Why 40 and not 50? And simply retelling the synopsis and adding some trivia does not seem to be an argument to care for a movie.

[Partha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read. Author covers some 40 underrated bollywood movies along with details on why it should have a look (or a relook). Plus loads of trivia for an entertaining timepass.

[Ashwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bollywood is one of the largest film industry in world, with almost 3.9 Billion people having watched it. It is past 5 years, where literature related to Bollywood has been coming out in form of books. In terms of documentation, Bollywood has been dismal compared to other film industry.

Avijit Ghosh writes about 40 Bollywood films which are classics, but for some or other reason may have been ignored by public in recent times. He speaks to actors and directors about the experience of the film. The choice of his films are varied, so we have a pulp film like Gaddar, a film on Dalit hero Cha Cha Cha and so on,

This is an interesting book for those who love Bollywood and it also traces the history of Bollywood and how it has been evolved for so many years.

[Anandh Sundar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes beyond the standard review format of '100 films to watch before you die' and gives the historical and present context. It also gives the other movies simillar to this. For example, it puts the context of Footpath alongside Deewar, and examines why one worked and other flopped. For fans for old Hindi movies, or even of alternate art, this is a great read to pick up and identify movies to showcase for academic or other purpose

[Vikas Datta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite interesting as it resurrects a range of forgotten path-breaking classics and highlights the versatility of the Hindustani cinematic tradition... But Mr Ghosh should also have given his longlist to inspire others while it is time that someone wrote the number of supporting actors who have enlivened many a film but languish unsung...

[Mukesh Kumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

250th Rating! And quite a well researched book this, surprisingly. Especially liked the earlier sections till the mid 80s, where the author really unearths some really well crafted masterpieces, that have been almost forgotten. Amusing anecdotes abound as well. A good read.
And it provides you with a long list of films that need to be watched immediately!