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• ‘You cannot plan theStack IndIa, ChIna offer two

things in Bollywood’ development models
The Game Of VOTes
post-World War II narrative in Asia by zooming in on
By Farhat Basir Khan; Sage; 232 pages; 595 The book Containing the China Onslaught captures the
Athiya Shetty says she took time off after her first China and India and their influence on other nations
two films to improve her craft as she wants to “The emergence of TV and other modern mass media in the late A fAscinAting book on India-China growth pa-
20th century changed the face of the electoral campaign (in India).
be a part of movies that help her “break the • Malaika faces Soon, the TV emerged as one of the most effective rameters, different from contemporary writings by
mould” in Bollywood. Her latest film Motichoor bias over skin mediums for election campaigns. Since all the mod- American and Chinese economist/political scientists/
Chaknachoor opposite Nawazuddin Siddiqui is Actress Malaika Arora says ern electronic devices such as radio, tape recorder, diplomats has appeared recently from an unlikely
something that she believes will “challenge her she faced bias in the industry video tapes and cameras were becoming easier to author, Pradip Baijal, a bureaucrat reformer, looking
as an actor”. “I worked on myself as an actor. I when she entered showbiz access for the public, the recorded speeches of the at the issue from the field upwards into all aspects of
would do a lot of workshops. There is nothing because of her dark skin key leaders of political parties started circulating this very complex journey, and explaining the Indian
wrong in taking time off to better myself. In tone. “I came at a time in the rapidly and were played frequently on the streets of standpoint in Containing the China Onslaught, pub-
this industry, you can’t decide what path you business when this whole small towns and villages, where public gatherings lished by Quadrant and printed by Thomson Press.
Author Pradeep Baijal has compared and contrasted
were arranged by the volunteers of the parties,” writes
want to walk on. You can’t plan things. I felt I thing about dark-skinned, Farhat Basir Khan, a faculty member at AJK Mass Com- alternative models of development, roles of respec-
need to prove myself to be here,” Athiya was fair-skinned was so prevalent munications Research Centre at Jamia Milia Islamia in tive governments, providing a structured analysis
and I was always put into the
quoted as saying in an interview. “I had a great dark-skinned category so that Delhi. He traces the story in two parts: The Traditional Approach To along with the role of the United States in facilitating
time working on Hero and Mubarkan but was always there initially so Campaigning (1952-1984) and shifts gear from the 9th General Elec- China’s growth. The book captures the trajectory of
somewhere I was not fulfilled as an actor. This ya that bias was always there,” tion in 1989, which he terms the second evolution of poll campaigns China’s growth over the last four decades and offers
film gave me the opportunity to work hard Malaika said. Malaika, known as it marked the entry of professional agencies into the fray. uncommon sights into the key
and break the mould, challenge myself and for her dancing numbers -------------------------------------------------------------------------- drivers for its growth while
get out of my comfort zone. The idea is to feel like Chaiyya chaiyya, Gud critiquing India’s lost oppor-
satisfied and fulfilled as an actor.” Athiya, naal ishq mitha, Maahi ve, my LiTTLe epiphanies tunities.
The book has many
By Aisha Chaudhary; Bloomsbury; 75 pages; 350
daughter of Suniel Shetty, said she looks at Kaal dhamaal and Munni surprises, the elegant and
badnaam hui, expressed her
competition as something that makes the views in an episode of Neha “Before reading, I would like you to know that this expressive hard cover, its
job fun but does not look at what others Dhupia’s #NoFilterNeha isn’’t written like any ordinary book. It’s more of a content and quality of paper,
are doing. “If you concentrate on your Season 4. The mother-of-one, way to express my thoughts that come to me as the ex-Foreign Secretary Shyam
work then your journey becomes easy. who is often in news for her days go by. Actually, my days aren’’t very ordinary Saran’s review on back cover,
Everybody is struggling to do their best. relationship status with actor either. Not for an 18-year-old girl, that is,” Aisha says “We finally have a well-re-
Today there are different platforms and Arjun Kapoor, also said that in the author’s note. Now sample this epiphany: “The searched and an eminently
there is work for everyone,” she said. she doesn’t care about trolls. fact that I am sitting here, writing these words, is a readable book on China, of-
She plays the role of a small-town “Personally, I care a damn. ... miracle. I would not have been here, on this earth, for fering a much-needed Indian
perspective on that country...
more than a year had destiny not changed its mind.”
woman in the romantic comedy, I just feel bad for people out In My Little Epiphanies, Aisha takes a hard look at her It plots the incredible trajec-
there who talk or behave in a
which required her to go through certain way,” Malaika added. own feelings and what it was that gave her a sense of tory of China’’s growth over the last four decades and
workshops to get heracting right. hope and control. These thoughts gave her life purpose and mean- offers uncommon sights into the key drivers underly-
ing, something to hold on to. Aisha underwent a blood stem cell ing it, encompassing political, economic and geopo-
transplant — her father being the donor — when she was six. litical factors. The author’’s critique on India’’s lost
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- opportunities will stimulate a welcome debate and
that is a compelling reason to read the book”.
• Split bringS happineSS for adele I attract DeLiriOus CiTy — pOLiTy anD VaniTy in urban inDia “Any non-fiction book is written with certain audience
Economist Nag’s review is almost a warning too,
By Gautam Bhatia; Niyogi Books; 312 pages; 995
English singEr-songwritEr is now rEdiscovEring hEr social lifE love in mind. Author of a well-researched book is looking
Singer Adele seems to have found happi- trIangles’ Could an underground skyscraper, rather mudscraper, be a plau- for approbation from thought leaders, intellectuals
ness, putting her split with Simon Konecki sible idea for a future city? Can electric cars combine with smart and academics. But when Stephen Hawking wrote his
behind her. Adele went public with her homes to make a completely movable family unit, asks architect and best seller A Brief History of Time, he wanted to reach
break-up from Konecki in April. They have artist Gautam Bhatia in this book, which grew out of a grainy com- out to non-academics and lay public. That is why his
continued to amicably raise their son to- bination of despair and delight that afflicts the resi- publisher had warned him that each equation in his
gether. Since the split, Adele has been redis- dents of every Indian city. For instance, while working book would cost him at least a few thousand readers.
covering her social life and she let her hair on a clothing design outlet, the architect suggested There are also books which are written to argue in
down at her friend Drake’s birthday bash that the owner make his office in the oversized service favour of a particular ideology or a particular world
weeks ago, reports mirror.co.uk. “Adele has elevator, enabling him to be constantly on the move view or a particular policy framework. There are also
been finding herself again and rediscover- between the 12 factory floors. “The unimaginably wide books which are written only the author thinks he has
ing her social life. After having Angelo, now disparities in living conditions seen today must force to say something of importance to the entire world.
seven, she didn’t want to go out,” a source imaginative solutions. Many such proposals may This later genre of books may turn out to be a great
told Grazia. Adele was inspired by Beyonce’s oscillate between silliness and perversion, but if at book or a babble of thoughts — a kind of stream of
shape-up, so she’s grateful she’s giving her so ananya panday all a future potential for realisation exists, then every consciousness. I find this book has elements of all
• Happy alone Adele breaks up from Konecki much help on her own transformation. (in an interview) generic bash is worthwhile,” Bhatia writes. the above characteristics.” ww

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