Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema

cover of Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema

The Indian motion-picture industry is one of the largest in the world; 23 million Indians go to the movies every day. Written by Rajadhyaksha (senior fellow, Centre for the Study of Culture and Society, Bangalore) and Willemen (critical studies, Napier Univ., Edinburgh), this is a one-stop reference book on Indian cinema. Encompassing films in the major Indian languages, this revised edition (originally published in 1994 and updated to 1995) contains entries on directors, stars, producers, writers, and composers and lists birth and death dates, background information, and filmography. A chronological listing of films from 1912 onwards–complete with cast, credits, and plot synopses–is also provided; and black-and-white photographs appear throughout. In addition, a time line chronicles major milestones in Indian cinema, and a chart displays film statistics on both sound and silent films. An extensive bibliography and a name and film index rounds the volume out. No collection on Indian film can afford to be without this book; highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries.