Lights Camera Masala: Making Movies in Mumbai

An insider’s look at the glitz, grit and grandeur of Bollywood, the world’s largest film industry. Lights Camera Masala is a celebration of contemporary Hindi cinema – popularly known as Bollywood. The book documents the fascinating process of making a typical commercial Hindi film through the adventures of a pair of fictitious characters called Vijay and Ravi as they endeavor to make a Bollywood film of their own. Famous film personalities-from seasoned scriptwriters such as the Salim-Javed duo, to celebrated actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai, and renowned directors like Ramesh Sippy and Karan Johar – all share their experiences and provide fresh insights into film-making. Lights Camera Masala also records the stories of the behind-the-scenes people who are such an intrinsic part of the Bollywood machinery- a light boy, a make-up artist and a choreographer, among others. Featuring the emergence of stars as brands and culminating with the glitzy IIFA awards, the book is a visual extravaganza. Sheena Sippy’s stunningly evocative photographs capture the grandeur, grit and madness that is Bollywood. Luxuriously packaged in an avant-garde design with over-the-top special features, including a fold-out poster and a star-search pinwheel, Lights Camera Masala is a rich tribute to the chaotic, entertaining world of Hindi cinema.