How KA Abbas’s book on Hindi cinema holds the mirror to the industry | Books and Literature News,The Indian Express
Writer-filmmaker KA Abbas’s writings showcases life in the film industry, with all its idiosyncrasies and brilliance
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Abbas recounts this in the chapter “Meena Kumari: The Muse, The Ghazal” in his last book Sone Chandi Ke Buth: Writings on Cinema (Penguin Vintage, 2022). Edited and translated by film scholars and trustees of the Khwaja Ahmad Abbas Memorial Trust Syeda Hameed and Sukhpreet Kahlon, the book presents a poignant portrait of Meena Kumari — the child star, legendary actor and poet — who had to sacrifice her dreams to work in movies, to support her family. While telling her story, the film journalist-turned-filmmaker brings insider insight. He employs a similar approach while profiling other stalwarts such as V Shantaram, Dilip Kumar, Balraj Sahni and Satyajit Ray.
Multi-faceted Abbas, who penned 74 books, occupies a unique space in Indian cinema as its tireless chronicler as well as creator. The 1914-born joined the Bombay Chronicle newspaper as a correspondent in the ’30s, and started his famous column “The Last Page” in 1935. Later, he moved to the Blitz and continued his association with it till his death in 1987. While working with the newspaper, he was moonlighting as a publicist for Bombay Talkies studio. Later, under their banner, he debuted as a screenwriter for Naya Sansar (1941). Soon, he established himself as an incomparable screenwriter with movies such as Chetan Anand-directed Neecha Nagar (1946) and V Shantaram-directed Dr Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946). Quick to expand his repertoire, Abbas made his mark as a director with Dharti Ke Lal (1945), which narrated the horrors of the 1943 Bengal famine, and in 1951 set up his production company called Naya Sansar.
Referred to as “human dynamo” by his close friends, the Panipat-born writer has closely watched the film industry through the journalistic lens since the 1930s, notwithstanding his intimate and professional associations with several prominent personalities. He peeled off the veneer of the film industry, critiquing movies and recording behind-the-scene shenanigans. As a screenwriter-filmmaker, however, he was preoccupied with telling socially relevant and humane stories through movies such as Rahi (1953), Munna (1954), Jagte Raho (1956), Saat Hindustani (1969) and Mera Naam Joker (1970).
The recently-published Sone Chandi Ke Buth, which is divided into four segments — Funn Aur Funkar (art and artist); Kahaaniyaan (stories); Articles; and Bombay Chronicle Articles — is mainly a compilation of his journalistic writings and four short fictions. Some of the best pieces in the book are about famous personalities.
Rating: 5