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Directors' Diaries: The Road to Their First Film
For many people, the word director/film-maker is mystifying, holding within its folds spaces inaccessible to most people. In this book, Rakesh Bakshi attempts to demystify the director's invisible and omnipotent presence in films. He documents the lives and experiences of some of the finest Hindi film-makers - Ashutosh Gowariker, Mahesh Bhatt, Prakash Jha, Shyam Benegal, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bhardwaj, Zoya Akhtar, Santosh Sivan, Subhash Ghai, Farah Khan, Imtiaz Ali, Govind Nihalani. In fascinating interviews, these directors reveal the many and unexpected turns their lives have taken, how and why they came to direct their first films and what influenced the choices they made. About the AuthorFilm scriptwriter, director, actor, author, photographer, swimmer, walker and cyclist, Rakesh Anand Bakshi is the son of the legendary lyricist Anand Bakshi. He is the founder of Bicycle Angels, a non-profit social initiative that helps donate bicycles to the underprivileged as a means of livelihood. He loves reading biographies, self-help books and novels and watching different kinds of cinema and documentaries.
- GenresNonfiction
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2015
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113 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
October 6, 2020
You can call this book a text book in film making. The personal stories of some of the greatest directors of Indian Cinema makes a compelling read. It has some very interesting anecdotes, advices for aspiring film makers. When you are watching a movie, the question that comes in your mind is how they do it? The book provides all the answers to your questions. You come to know that many of the film makers are well read and are interested in other form of arts. The best advice comes from Govind Nihalani:"You must feel happy and exicited in what you choose to do, that is the way to go forward. Walk alone if need be. Don't worry about what others are doing or saying."
August 15, 2015
I love books that offer insight into personal vision of a movie maker. I had read a similar book couple of years ago featuring stalwarts like Steven Soderbergh in this book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A similar attempt has been made by Rakesh Bakshi, son of eminent lyrics writer Anand Bakshi, to interview 20 Indian directors and their journey to their first movie. 20 directors are: Anurag Basu, Ashutosh Goariker, Farah Khan, Govind Nihalani, Imtiaz Ali, Mahesh Bhatt,Prakash Jha, Santosh Sivan, Subhash Ghai, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bhardwaj and Zoya Akhtar.
The conversations cover each of their upbringing, evolution of their artistic mind, their influences, their foray into adult world of employmen, their directorial style, their strengths and tracing the path to first movie. The interviews of Imtiaz Ali and Vishal Bhardwaj made their impressions on my mind more due to their warmth and openness to share their story. Both recount their loves, personal and intrinsic motivations that led them to movie-making. It was pleasure reading actor-director Tigmanshu Dhulia's story, I have always admired his work and his story was as interesting. Mahesh Bhatt had interesting things to say but sometimes appeared preachy. I felt both Farah and Zoya could have been bit more open though they both have an interesting trajectory to their first movie.
Another interesting aspect of the film is take of an associate for example a cinematographer who has worked with director reflecting on their experiences. I liked reading this and again enjoyed reading account of veteran documentary movie maker Ranjan Palit who was cinematographer for Vishal Bhardwaj's Saat Khoon Maaf.
Only minor grouse I have with author is that perhaps he had written this as himself and not as son of Anand Bakshi, he would have appeared more in authority of this book.
A similar attempt has been made by Rakesh Bakshi, son of eminent lyrics writer Anand Bakshi, to interview 20 Indian directors and their journey to their first movie. 20 directors are: Anurag Basu, Ashutosh Goariker, Farah Khan, Govind Nihalani, Imtiaz Ali, Mahesh Bhatt,Prakash Jha, Santosh Sivan, Subhash Ghai, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bhardwaj and Zoya Akhtar.
The conversations cover each of their upbringing, evolution of their artistic mind, their influences, their foray into adult world of employmen, their directorial style, their strengths and tracing the path to first movie. The interviews of Imtiaz Ali and Vishal Bhardwaj made their impressions on my mind more due to their warmth and openness to share their story. Both recount their loves, personal and intrinsic motivations that led them to movie-making. It was pleasure reading actor-director Tigmanshu Dhulia's story, I have always admired his work and his story was as interesting. Mahesh Bhatt had interesting things to say but sometimes appeared preachy. I felt both Farah and Zoya could have been bit more open though they both have an interesting trajectory to their first movie.
Another interesting aspect of the film is take of an associate for example a cinematographer who has worked with director reflecting on their experiences. I liked reading this and again enjoyed reading account of veteran documentary movie maker Ranjan Palit who was cinematographer for Vishal Bhardwaj's Saat Khoon Maaf.
Only minor grouse I have with author is that perhaps he had written this as himself and not as son of Anand Bakshi, he would have appeared more in authority of this book.
February 11, 2016
Gives a very good perspective into film making
September 2, 2015
It requires tremendous efforts to document and write such a book. 12 of Bollywoods most prolific filmmakers/ Directors giving the audience an in-depth insight into the "road to their first film" is worthy of applause. #RakeshAnandBakshi has truly researched and written an undeniably gripping, educative and entertaining book. #DirectorsDiaries begins with a brief introduction of author Rakesh Anand Bakshi followed by a wonderful picture with his father the Legendary lyricist Anand Bakshi to whom this wonderful book is dedicated. After a brilliantly focused, precise and informative foreword by Meghna Ghai Puji (Daughter of legendary filmmaker Subhash Ghai, & President of Whistling Woods International) it is clear that this book has educational value to upcoming talents and those enrolled in courses at the academy. The foreword by Professor Karl Bardosh (New York University) further sets the mood for the book, explaining the art of film making, artistic quality & craft of film making (or being an Auteur).
A beautifully written introduction highlights the importance of direction during the film making process.The book then begins to unravel the stories we have all been waiting for since the initial viewing of the front cover ( as the cover of the book shows twelve photographs, each capturing a profile of a filmmaker). Anurag Basu, Asutosh Gowarikar, Farah Khan, Govind Nihalani, Imtiaz Ali, Mahesh Bhatt, Prakash Jha, Santosh Sivan, Subhash Ghai, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bhardwaj, Zoya Aktar - each give us a candid account of their lives, what led them to film making, their journey into the film world and their personal journeys that shaped their vision in film making.
Beautifully written interview like segments keep the readers attention affixed to the content. I am a film buff, yet I was unaware of the journey, personal struggles or of the interesting theatre, television shows and movies these wonderful filmmakers were associated with at the very beginning of their foray into the film land. Truly gripping reading material.
Without giving much away, I would like to emphasize that this book Directors Diaries by Rakesh Anand Bakshi is a "Must Read - Must Have" book for all who are interested in bollywood films; for all interested in film making; for all interested in anecdotes and glimpses into the life of a director/filmmaker; for those seeking real life stories of encouragement and most importantly, for all interested in reading good content - as this book surely has captivating content.
Huge round of applause for the tremendous efforts by Rakesh Anand Bakshi into bringing Directors Diaries into fruition and we truly are a very lucky audience to have such an captivating, entertaining and equally educative book available.
A beautifully written introduction highlights the importance of direction during the film making process.The book then begins to unravel the stories we have all been waiting for since the initial viewing of the front cover ( as the cover of the book shows twelve photographs, each capturing a profile of a filmmaker). Anurag Basu, Asutosh Gowarikar, Farah Khan, Govind Nihalani, Imtiaz Ali, Mahesh Bhatt, Prakash Jha, Santosh Sivan, Subhash Ghai, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vishal Bhardwaj, Zoya Aktar - each give us a candid account of their lives, what led them to film making, their journey into the film world and their personal journeys that shaped their vision in film making.
Beautifully written interview like segments keep the readers attention affixed to the content. I am a film buff, yet I was unaware of the journey, personal struggles or of the interesting theatre, television shows and movies these wonderful filmmakers were associated with at the very beginning of their foray into the film land. Truly gripping reading material.
Without giving much away, I would like to emphasize that this book Directors Diaries by Rakesh Anand Bakshi is a "Must Read - Must Have" book for all who are interested in bollywood films; for all interested in film making; for all interested in anecdotes and glimpses into the life of a director/filmmaker; for those seeking real life stories of encouragement and most importantly, for all interested in reading good content - as this book surely has captivating content.
Huge round of applause for the tremendous efforts by Rakesh Anand Bakshi into bringing Directors Diaries into fruition and we truly are a very lucky audience to have such an captivating, entertaining and equally educative book available.
March 19, 2016
Bollywood today is an international phenomenon. We have a lot of filmmakers who have given Indian cinema a sheen that is not only global but helped give it its distinctive signature. However, while 'masterclass' interviews with top Hollywood directors are easy to find, readers who want to know more about Bollywood's filmmakers would be sorely disappointed at the limited amount of literature available on the subject. Rakesh Anand Bakshi's debut book, "Directors' Diaries: The Road to Their First Film" is a huge contribution in filling that gap. The book is studded with interviews of some of the top filmmakers of Bollywood--ranging from Subhash Ghai to Imtiaz Ali, Govind Nihalani to Farah Khan, Zoya Akhtar to Vishal Bharadwaj. The interviews with 12 directors open up the world of Indian cinema and also the signature styles of filmmaking of each of these filmmakers. It also is a peep into their personal journeys, the ups and downs of their careers, the heartbreaks and triumphs and how these have shaped their own films. The book also explores the working relationships between directors and their cinematographers, editors and art directors, providing insights that are valuable not only to the lay film enthusiast but also to budding filmmakers. If you love cinema or have ambitions of making your own film, you need to read this book. Today.
October 27, 2015
Best book to understand the inner mind of filmmaking and the relation between director and cinematographer
July 11, 2019
I always wanted to know how directors made their first film and where did they arrange for the finances. This book is truly gold in those terms.
The book world of movies is full of books that are written by Holywood writers telling you about Hollywood stories and how Hollywood works.
Even when they generalize something in those books, it is limited to what happens in Hollywood.
I was fed up reading those books, about their directors, about their writers, their methods, their history and their techniques.
And then I saw this book which was like a surprise for me. I immediately bought it and started reading it. I finished it in one sitting.
It was really inspiring and more than that it was a good feeling that someone is at least writing about the film directors of my own country.
Having said that, the book is not a perfect one by any means. I can understand that because, the writer, Rakesh Bakshi is not from film line and he doesn't know which questions would benefit a film enthusiast more and which question is totally a redundant one.
another problem is that the questions are repetitive. There were questions that didn't make any sense at all, like whether the director likes to sit behind monitor or not.
It was irrelevant yet it was asked to every director. The questions should have been made according to the director's profile.
I think he made a questionnaire and sent it to all directors and asks them to answer them whenever they feel like.
The process of making a questionnaire took away the candid nature and honesty of the answers.
After a while, you start to get bored because of the same questions and sometimes very diplomatic by the directors.
However, I must applaud the entire attempt, though a flawed one because this is something that no other writer is doing.
I would be eagerly waiting for the next book in the series if he is writing one. a must read book for new age filmmakers. really motivating to hear the stories of directors that we admire and how they made their first film.
But don't follow it and chose your own path because what matters, in the end, is your own journey.
The book is good for inspiration for upcoming filmmakers.
The book world of movies is full of books that are written by Holywood writers telling you about Hollywood stories and how Hollywood works.
Even when they generalize something in those books, it is limited to what happens in Hollywood.
I was fed up reading those books, about their directors, about their writers, their methods, their history and their techniques.
And then I saw this book which was like a surprise for me. I immediately bought it and started reading it. I finished it in one sitting.
It was really inspiring and more than that it was a good feeling that someone is at least writing about the film directors of my own country.
Having said that, the book is not a perfect one by any means. I can understand that because, the writer, Rakesh Bakshi is not from film line and he doesn't know which questions would benefit a film enthusiast more and which question is totally a redundant one.
another problem is that the questions are repetitive. There were questions that didn't make any sense at all, like whether the director likes to sit behind monitor or not.
It was irrelevant yet it was asked to every director. The questions should have been made according to the director's profile.
I think he made a questionnaire and sent it to all directors and asks them to answer them whenever they feel like.
The process of making a questionnaire took away the candid nature and honesty of the answers.
After a while, you start to get bored because of the same questions and sometimes very diplomatic by the directors.
However, I must applaud the entire attempt, though a flawed one because this is something that no other writer is doing.
I would be eagerly waiting for the next book in the series if he is writing one. a must read book for new age filmmakers. really motivating to hear the stories of directors that we admire and how they made their first film.
But don't follow it and chose your own path because what matters, in the end, is your own journey.
The book is good for inspiration for upcoming filmmakers.
May 25, 2017
Clearly one of the underrated books in the film segment. Methinks most directors personal anecdotes are the real highlight of the book. It lends a lot of perspective to readers and aspiring people who intend to start in the cinema.
The narrative is very natural and fairly free-flowing. Really liked the diaries of the following directors:
Subhash Ghai- Was the surprise, felt that it would be not that great,but was really insightful.
Ashutosh Gowarikar
Farah Khan
Govind Nihalani
The narrative is very natural and fairly free-flowing. Really liked the diaries of the following directors:
Subhash Ghai- Was the surprise, felt that it would be not that great,but was really insightful.
Ashutosh Gowarikar
Farah Khan
Govind Nihalani
July 5, 2022
For any wanna-be director :) It is pretty cool to hear from the directors who have told us some brilliant stories, particularly their journeys and their working style. What I absolutely LOVED tho was relating SO MUCH to their self-doubts, working styles, and perspectives. It can be incredibly FRUSTRATING at points, the whole carving out the path towards your dream. It is quite encouraging to see that the masters also had gone through some similar mental hassles. If they did it, why can't you, right?
September 28, 2015
It took me just about 3 days to finish reading this entire book. I never felt like putting it down. I am a complete Hindi Movie buff and for me it was a pleasure to read the kind of effort that goes in to make a movie.
Despite being the primary transcriber for this book and despite knowing everything way before anyone else did, I was still hooked on to it. I simply love the way the content has been presented in the book. I never felt disinterested or bored as the content was so gripping. The Q&A format did the trick!
Mr. Bakshi, this book is one of its kind and I feel it’s not only helpful for aspiring film directors but people from other fields as well. At the end of the day it’s about lots of hard work, passion and keeping your dreams alive. This book is inspirational in its own way.
Thank you for such a wonderful book as it only makes a typical movie buff like me fall in love with Cinema and its story tellers even more.
Despite being the primary transcriber for this book and despite knowing everything way before anyone else did, I was still hooked on to it. I simply love the way the content has been presented in the book. I never felt disinterested or bored as the content was so gripping. The Q&A format did the trick!
Mr. Bakshi, this book is one of its kind and I feel it’s not only helpful for aspiring film directors but people from other fields as well. At the end of the day it’s about lots of hard work, passion and keeping your dreams alive. This book is inspirational in its own way.
Thank you for such a wonderful book as it only makes a typical movie buff like me fall in love with Cinema and its story tellers even more.
January 13, 2016
The book describes how various arts have enriched the directors.It also makes us realize how important it is to be a versatile artist to succeed in film making.The book reveals a glimpse of journey that speaks a lot about the lives of directors through a precise and lucid narration style!Extracting interesting experiences is indeed a difficult task!The real success of the book lies in it!The struggle faced by these directors can be a learning read for many.It's one of the most catchy stuffs I have ever read!
August 22, 2015
First of it's kind.Liked it!!
July 18, 2024
Dil maange more!
January 9, 2016
Interesting read for movie buffs.
March 12, 2017
A good book with some really helpful tips from some of the greats of the Industry.
November 9, 2015
it is wonderful book for tv directors .
October 11, 2025
This is one of those books which will be better in a podcast format.. it was first published in 2015 and I don’t remember that podcasts were a big thing then and hence the book .. it’s Mr Bakshi asking set of similar 10-15 questions to various directors on their journey, struggles, view on life/ directing etc.. a decent book for aspiring people in the Cinema world to browse through.. for me most importantly it also highlights struggles of most of them as they carved their paths which seems laid out for them if u don’t know the backgrounds.. and how the movie is truly a visionary thing to make with so many ppl involved including art editor, cinematographer, editor, director etc.. I have started to appreciate these roles better after reading this and will now try to read the end/ opening credits for these functions too and not only the actors..
March 25, 2023
Got some good informations and stories of experiences all those between mass nepotism
May 4, 2016
An inspirational book but provides a shallow in sight on the subject of film making. The book must be welcomed because we have got so less literature on our cinema hence desperately cling on Coppola's and Scorsese's of the western world. But I was disappointed with the knowledge sharing part. Few questions related to Film making and more of a personal journey of the director to his first film. The question of how is asked but rarely why is asked. No break down of director's movies or important (Famous ) scenes.
With Western literature asking and replying objectively to help out film makers. The book ends up being a disappointment. The questions are very subjective in nature hence the answers can't be blamed. Even though most are auteur , very less on the script writing side and whole writing process. The book has a lot of internal story for each director but falls short on the external part (work) .
An inspiring read
All in all a well tried effort but comparing with YouTube being bombarded by film making channels, the book appears a bit taste less .
With Western literature asking and replying objectively to help out film makers. The book ends up being a disappointment. The questions are very subjective in nature hence the answers can't be blamed. Even though most are auteur , very less on the script writing side and whole writing process. The book has a lot of internal story for each director but falls short on the external part (work) .
An inspiring read
All in all a well tried effort but comparing with YouTube being bombarded by film making channels, the book appears a bit taste less .
December 17, 2016
considering the lack of books on Indian filmmakers was really looking forward to this book. but the interviews were very disappointing. the questions were very average and the answers were equally evasive. it felt like reading a wikipedia page instead of a deep and personal conversation. I am being harsh, perhaps because I expected much. I do appreciate the effort. I would say this content suits a coffee table book better.
July 28, 2016
Please write a sequel (volume 2 ) to The Directors' Diaries: The Road to Their First Film.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews