BOLLY TALKIES: Book review

Book Cover: Author's Copyright

“India has two religions- Bollywood and Cricket”

Archana Srivastav’s BOLLY TALKIES has recently been released in the #BlogchatterEbookCarnival by Blogchatter with other 62 amazing books. Non-fiction and especially Bollywood has been a popular genre in India of late, the audience/readers always look forward to knowing more about film, characters and the people who play these characters in these films.

Bollywood is definitely a magical realm where everything becomes larger than life as if by some magic. , even life itself! The out of this world heroines, the superhero-like heroes, the legendary villains all have played a role in establishing Bollywood as the “Baap” of entertainment in India. Though sometimes it does perpetuate stereotypes, and on other occasions, it dares to break them as well.

Archana is an MBA Graduate, Former HR Professional, Former Management Faculty, she thoroughly enjoyed her working career till 2015, after which she took a break from working, but her love and enthusiasm for Hindi films is evident in each chapter of the book.

Archana says in the blurb –

“The book is an assortment of a list of famous Bollywood movies. There are twenty-six chapters in this book, the names will either be of a character from the movie, the movie, or a collection of similar characters.”

While some chapters are dedicated to one character in one film several others have references to more than one like the one about friendships in films. The highlight of each chapter is not the brief synopsis of the plot or the character but the second half where the author speaks about the lessons learned from the film, the takeaways, and the eye-opener points. These reflect on a variety of themes from life lessons to parenting, about character building, relationship advice, and more, making the format innovative and engaging for the reader.

The language is easy and every day with a solid peppering of Hinglish and quotes from Bollywood. Some chapters like “XTRA Dose Of Laughter” and “Second Inning Of YESTER YEAR'S Actors” are a surprise as they compile the punch of a lot of legendary characters/actors and films into one.

The author walks us through films and characters that, in her opinion, have been game-changers in some way. The reader might have different opinions about these and might not consider these as the best films or characters but they made an impact and changed mainstream cinema in some manner. They influenced viewers, perceptions about common beliefs but also how filmmakers and film-making practices have evolved.

This book provides an insightful tour of the glamour and variety of Indian cinema along with profiles of characters, insights into subjects, some lesser-known facts, and how each of these became path-breaking.

The book is for all Bollywood enthusiasts and even those who want a peek into what makes Bollywood such a dominant sub-text in who we are as a society and a country. It is a light-read suitable for all age-groups above pre-teens and gives enough food for thought about films as a change-making art form.

The author can be reached at archana.sahay9@gmail.com

Blogchatter E-Book Carnival- Mentor Calling!

Last year was my 5th consecutive year at the AtoZ blogging challenge, I partnered with Blogchatter whose various activities and support throughout April and beyond made it a unique experience and I was motivated to convert these posts into my first e-book.


The book is now available at Kindle HERE

It was a topic close to my heart and the book has been featured at various other addresses like at SheThePeopleTV HERE

In 2020 Blogchatter is back with their E-Book Carnival, my experience with them was absolutely worth a mention as I received various kinds of support at all stages and having a peer community there with first-time e-book authors like me back then and experienced ones it was a unique camaraderie of shared knowledge and resources.

This is what motivated me to agree to be a mentor this year with Blogchatter and pass the lessons and the kindness on, though I did not attempt the AtoZ challenge this year due to some personal challenges and the pandemic.

An important aspect is that as a new author you get lot of readers right there in the community and reviewers too, also mentors like me can assist in overcoming hurdles if any.

For more details, you can check out the FAQs, check mentor profiles at the LINK below, but first of all, go and register yourself for the e-book carnival, we at the Blogchatter community have your back!

Good luck!

REGISTER FOR BLOGCHATTER E-BOOK CARNIVAL 2020

BOOK REVIEW: Shhh! Don't Talk About Mental Health

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TITLE: Shhh! Don’t Talk about Mental Health

AUTHOR: Arjun Gupta

CONTRIBUTORS: Rajnandini Sarkar, Rohit Kumar

FORMAT: Paperback/ Kindle

PUBLISHER: Notion Press; 1 edition (28 June 2019)

PAGES:  206 ( Paperback)

Cover Image: Amazon

This is mental health activist Arjun Gupta’s second book about mental health. He is himself a survivor and also an applied Psychology student.

The interesting cover featuring three monkeys symbolising speak no evil, see no evil and hear no evil is striking and attractive. The blurb puts forth an interesting proposition, almost suggesting that this could be in the genre of like historical or scientific fiction, it says:

“In the 19^th year of his life, Yashasvi tried to end his life. Follow the journey of Yashasvi and millions of other people who are tormented by their own minds. This is not a self-help book. Mental health is no longer just about helping yourself. It is a movement against an invisible crisis that breeds inside our minds. A crisis that makes you question the voice in your head. Yes, the same voice that is reading this out to you.

True stories, research, statistics and facts. This book will convince you why mental health cannot be just about self-help anymore, and why people like Yashasvi need our help.”

The author himself asserts that this is not a self-help book but a psychology book and is divided appropriately thus into six sections titled – From Possessed to Depressed, Defining Mental Health, Understanding Mental Illness, For and Against Mental Health Awareness,  Stigma: A silent weapon, The Dull Golden Bird. Section II is the briefest and Section V the longest.

The author is able to maintain a consistent voice and easy to understand language though there are a lot of technical terms used. The book places mental health in the canon of psychological research and writing appropriately and through Yashasvi sets the conundrum at hand clearly.

“This led Yashasavi to believe that his problem was geographical, nutritional, physiological, social and everything but psychological.”

The author then delves into how mental illnesses were perceived and treated historically and also speaks about the evolution of the discourse around mental health as a separate branch under psychology. Use of everyday examples from life and films makes concepts easy to read and grasp for a lay person too.

The book clearly explains common confusions about the subject like difference between mental health and mental illness. It brings forth lot of latest research and data about stigma and hurdles in the course of mental health.

The last section also focuses specifically on the Indian context and provides insight into the socio-cultural aspect of the issue too.

The 25 pages long Reference List not only shows the amount of hard work and research put into the book but could be a handy-list of books to read for anyone wanting to delve deeper into the subject.

WHO MUST READ THE BOOK

• -          Psychology students and researchers
• -          Mental Health Activists
• -          Survivors and Caregivers

WHY MUST THIS BOOK BE READ

• -          Well-researched  data and facts
• -          Easy to comprehend language and format
• -          Catalogues contemporary facets of mental health scenario

As a fellow mental health activist I hugely recommend this book and hope it reaches all the right places.


This book can be brought HERE fom Amazon.

This review is a part of Blogchatter Book Review Program 

Pause and Reflect : Guest Post on Mental Health ( Blogchatter E Books)

When was the last time you did something which made you naturally happy?

I use the word "naturally" here because our life has been seeking all the artificial modes for supplying happiness to us. We put on a happy mask for the outer world, but deep down inside, we are struggling, hiding our real self, pretending and being obnoxious.

May is the month for Mental Health Awareness, a topic which many people shy away from, ignore to learn and understand. A little bit of sensitivity and empathy could help someone, a little knowledge can save someone or even self.


In this high-tech era, we are so consumed with the artificial discoveries that we tend to ignore our inner voice, we neglect what our dear ones are trying to communicate with their broken sentences. We fail to read between the lines and continue to live our superficial life created for our convenience.

Mental illness is not a matter of shame or embarrassment and people need to understand it to save lives. 

Recently I did my bit in contributing some Mental Health Awareness among the people around me by writing a short eBook on Mental Health Awareness, " 26 Days 26 Ways for a Happier You" an A to Z guide to self-awareness.

We all go through criticism, judgmental paradox, hypocrisy, color shaming, body shaming, comparison, self-doubt and what makes it even worse is that we remain unaware of the consequences which we might face in the long run if do not get a proper closure to all the encounters we had in our life, neither the suppliers of such traumatic incidents care to make it even and easy for one.


We can certainly not control the external factors, what people think of us, what people say but we can definitely take care of ourselves. We can protect our inner self from getting demolished and debunked, for that we just need awareness, we need to present and be aware.


In order to get a deeper insight, I was exploring the library of Blogchatter eBooks and I discovered two amazing books in the same genre reflecting a lot of useful information over the subject matter, which only helped me to understand this underlying matter of concern more deeply.


POOJA PRIYAMVADA’S MENTAL HEALTH, A PRIMER

https://www.theblogchatter.com/download/pooja-priyamvadas-mental-health-a-primer/

In her book, she has mentioned 26 such problem areas which are still unknown to many due to lack of awareness. It is said that it is difficult to understand the pain of others unless you wear their shoes, and the author herself has been through the pain and that’s the reason now imbibed with her own experience and her deep research she is spreading the awareness around her to build a safe and non-judgmental space for all.


The book suggests all the risk factors, common symptoms, and some precautionary tips to avoid the situation and be there for the person in need. The author has very well compiled the list of symptoms, proper diagnosis and timely treatment for the illness like Bipolar disorder, Eating-Disorder, Self-harm, Anxiety which is very essential and on high alert which is only possible when one is aware of it.


DARSHANA SARMAH’S PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD


A handbook about you and your mind. This book discusses some very important aspects and ideas which can bring wonders to one's life if carry forward in a proper
way. The author has very rightly said that the right attitude and right mindset could take you to places and how practicing compassion and forgiveness can set you free.


The book denotes 26 such mindful elements, of which we remain unknown and unaware if worked upon could bring wonders in one's life.

Pause and reflect


Stop and introspect


Why so hurry


What is the rush


Be present


Be aware


Be there.






Much love and gratitude

Priyanka


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Priyanka Nair is a post-grad in Administration, Tech-savvy, loves to explore creative treasure. A Writer by passion and a speaker with compassion.She is a Mental Health Awareness Blogger and a YouTuber, Author of "26 Days 26 Ways for a Happier You" and Co-Author of " Women are Roses".



This post is part of BLOGCHATTER E_BOOK CARNIVAL.

Book (Af) Fair !!

My tryst with books is probably as old as I am, but in quaint small town Shimla where I grew up in the 80s and 90s there were just two good bookstores and the others were basically stationers calling themselves booksellers.

Whenever my father traveled work to Delhi or bigger cities he would get me books. In those days Russian translated tales and abridged English classics were all I got. The only good library around was a State Library but access to children was limited.

I first saw a proper book fair much later in life in Chandigarh and even then though the first urge used to be to make the best bargain in the limited budget I had as a student, what I loved most was the vision and smell of books.

Ever since I moved to the NCR in 2004 I have attended every edition of the World Book Fair in Delhi, barring one or two. So why do I got to book fairs?

I have started asking myself this question more often now, since I also have a child now who seems to have inherited the same passion.

Surprisingly in this age and time too when there are thousands of books available for easy access in a device like the Amazon Kindle, paper books have still not lost their charm or appeal.

So what drives me to books, specifically book fairs and the most special annual pilgrimage of all the World Book Fair in Delhi?

Well firstly book fairs are not just buying and selling of books but an experience of a fascinating world of languages and cultures via literature and the printed word. I use the word PILGRIMAGE often for them because the reasons remain mostly the same that used to be for spiritual pilgrimages for pilgrims. The tangible presence of so many books- their smell, vision, touch is a succor for my reader soul.

I feel some kind of redemption for all my other economic and worldly vices by spending time, attention and money on books.

One of my favorite tactile activities other than cuddling and kissing loved ones is diving into a pile of old books and smelling them, literally inhaling them,feeling the flavors of several decades on their paper skins and reaching a readerorgasm !

What are your reasons for loving or hating books?

Have you ever fallen in live with book fairs?

How THE ALCHEMIST altered me !

Those were the days of a heady pen-friendship that was gradually taking a romantic turn. In late teens in small town Shimla the keen reader me had access to books available only in the rustic, colonial State Library where new titles were rare and arrived couple of years later when they were no longer new.

And there it came as a birthday gift from the mystery pen-friend I was falling in love with – Paulo Coelho’s THE ALCHEMIST.

The inscription read- So that you believe in your dreams!

The shepherd boy’s story had me hooked right from the word go. It connected directly to my wanderlust and traveller’s soul and I was also mesmerised that how a distant friend knew what would grasp my attention firmly.

I loved the way this tale was not just ancient wisdom/folklore turned into modern day motivational and inspirational story but at its core it was essentially a love story.

I was battling with depression; the book uplifted my spirit in magical ways and helped me see light. It made me believe in love and the miracles we simple humans could achieve in love for someone whom we love deeply.

Over the years I bought several copies of this book to gift to almost everyone I knew. This is one book I always recommend for self-help and motivation. It also got me hooked on to Paulo Coelho's blog which led me to become a blogger too a few years down the line.

I today possess several editions of the book, including my favorite of the entire lot is the illustrated one that I often read snippets from to my young daughter.

This is one book that has reinforced my belief that books are the best legacy, the best gift and the most precious unending joy.

The Alchemist has surely altered my chemistry as a reader forever!

“THIS POST IS WRITTEN FOR NOVEMBERSCHILD IN ASSOCIATION WITH KALAMPEDIA – QUEST FOR KNOWLEDGE”. 

Rigor Mortis Revisited

Science says
brain shall live
ten minutes
after death

before the memory center
the last one to die
flashes a slideshow
of life gone by

so lets pick the slides

• my father's snowboots
• Shimla's cedars whistling
• little fingers dipped in paint
• a dark lonely corridor
• the smell of books
• first blood in panties
• the rush of a love letter
• first dead body
• waves and sand
• scars and bruises
• cobbled streets of Brugge
• touch of a surgical blade
• a Sufi shrine
• a little Buddha
• two small feet kicking
• Ardas in a Gurdwara
• papers and destiny
• Screens and calls
• blinking cursor

the last moment of my
Rigor Mortis love