Book Review : Everybody Wants A Hit

Everybody Wants A Hit

By Niilesh A Raje

Author Derek Bose
Publisher Jaico Books
Price Rs 195/-
Pages 200
ISBN 9798179925583

There was a time where movies used to be running in cinema halls to packed capacity followed by Golden Jubilee or Silver Jubilee celebrations. But, in today’s age of social media where attention span is very less one hardly gets to hear of movies running for several weeks followed by any jubilee celebrations. So, “Is there a secret recipe for a Bollywood hit?” or it’s just a mix and match one does that projects these thespians in a light that appeals the masses.

In the book titled, “Everybody Wants A Hit” published by Jaico Books the author Derek Bose shares with the readers 10 Mantras of Success in Bollywood Cinema. The ten mantras covered in this book touch on all aspects including, “Content is King”, “Honesty is the Best Policy”, Nothing Sells Like Sex”, “What’s in a Name” and much more.

Author, Derek Bose is a senior well-known author and journalist who specializes in Bollywood and other aspects of India's film industry. An alumnus of St Columba's, New Delhi, he has held senior editorial positions with India's premier news organizations, the Press Trust of India and the Indian Express.

In one of the chapter titled “What’s in a Name?” the author shares his observation citing examples that names do makes a lot of difference in show business regardless of the fact what Shakespeare had to say about roses. Heroines known with their better names include Sulochana (Ruby Mayers), Meena Kumari (Mehzabeen Begum), Rekha (Bhanurekha Ganesan) to name a few. The author’s observation also suggests that the use of the letter “K” is supposed to be “spiritually most potent” whereas “V” spells not for victory but doom unless it vibrates well. However, there have been people like V. Shantaram, Vinod Khanna, Vivek Oberoi and Vyjanthimala Bali amongst the exception. A name means a lot in Hindi Cinema. What might appear to be a casual allusion could actually serve to be the identity of an actor or would mark to be the new beginning for the director.

Where the chapter “Honesty Is The Best Policy” is concerned the author has given the example of Amitabh Bachchan. Even after he was voted as the Star of the Millennium and had a wax image to his name at Madame Tussauds in London he continued being his humble self, never questioned the judgment of his directors. Whatever role he played Bachchan did it with supreme confidence and complete conviction.

The readers get profited with relevant examples the author has supplemented against each of the 10 mantras covered in his book. To make one’s journey in Bollywood a rewarding experience the author says that success in Bollywood is not a matter of chance or luck but involves methodical approach coupled with analytical reasoning. If one adheres to this the journey would indeed prove to benchmark of success.