King of Bollywood

KING OF BOLLYWOOD is a sweeping portrait of a man who is worshipped as a modern-day God, a country finding its identity and a movie industry that helped to change the face of India. The book reveals how Shah Rukh Khan, a middle-class Muslim boy from Delhi, broke into the insular, nepotistic world of Bombay show business and emerged as a superstar. His larger-than-life tale takes us through the colorful and idiosyncratic Bollywood movie industry, where fantastic dreams and outrageous obsessions share the spotlight with extortion, murder, and corruption.

Mira Nair, director of THE NAMESAKE, comments, 'The ultimate story of the outsider who became Bollywood's great insider. Chopra captures the snap, crackle and pop of celluloid dreams in this immensely readable bio of the great Khan's life...a bounty for cinema lovers everywhere.'

Emma Thompson, Oscar winning actor, comments, “The Easy Riders, Raging Bulls of the Bollywood industry and essential reading for any Shah Rukh Khan fan.”

KING OF BOLLYWOOD is the first comprehensive narrative account of Bollywood published by a major US publishing house: Grand Central Publishing (formerly Warner Books). The book is being distributed in India by Om Books and Westland Books Pvt. Ltd. Internationally renowned film critic Anupama Chopra combines her knowledge of the Bollywood industry with firsthand interviews and exclusive photographs for an exclusive, insider’s look at Shah Rukh Khan and the world of Bollywood. KING OF BOLLYWOOD will also be available in Hindi, Marathi and German translations.

Anupama Chopra is a film critic and book author. She has written about the Hindi film industry since 1993. Her work has been published extensively in India Today. She has also written about Bollywood for various international publications such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Variety and Sight & Sound. Currently, Anupama scripts and hosts a weekly film review show.

Anupama Chopra’s first book ‘Sholay: The Making of a Classic’ sold over 10,000 copies and won a National Award for the best book on cinema (2000). Her second book, ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya le Jayenge’, was published by the British Film Institute as part of the Modern Classics Series.

More praise on the book…

'King of Bollywood is the all-singing, all-dancing back stage pass to Bollywood. Anupama Chopra chronicles the political and cultural story of India with finesse and insight, through fly-on-wall access to one of its biggest, most charming and charismatic stars,' praises Gurinder Chadha, director of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM.

'This smart and thoroughly researched book explores stardom - that most of mysterious of phenomena - and in telling the story of Shah Rukh Khan it also shows how a city, an industry and a star can be characters in a single urban epic. Anupama Chopra knows how to blend social analysis with the frisson of glamour and the insider's knowledge of one of the world's great dream machines,' says Arjun Appadurai, John Dewey Professor in the Social Sciences, The New School, New York.

'India has changed more after economic liberalization in 1991 than at any other time in its history. This elegant book is not only an intelligent guide to the charismatic superstar of this era, Shah Rukh Khan, but also to the Indian film industry (Bollywood) and modern India itself. Long live King Khan!' says Dr Rachel Dwyer, Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema.

'I have always read Anupama Chopra’s books with relish. She has an educated and unbiased approach. Her work is always thought provoking and entertaining. Whoever reads this book will have a clear and insightful understanding of Bollywood and of course, me. Thanks Anu,' says the King Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) himself.