Funky Bollywood: The Wild World of 1970s Indian Action Cinema

When I learned that Todd Stadmant was writing a book on 1970s Hindi action films, I knew right away that we were all in for a treat! I have followed Todd on his blog "Die,Danger,Die,Die,Kill" as well as his writing in magazines such as Famous Monsters of Filmland. He is one of those rare authors who can write about low budget and/or quirky cinema with humor, love, and most importantly, respect.Even the most casual fan of Bollywood cinema will enjoy this book!

This book is a MUST HAVE for any Bollywood fan. Incredibly detailed & really well written.I absolutely LOVE it!!!!!

In my many years of voraciously consuming films from all over the world and in numerous time periods there is one big fat blind spot that I have: Bollywood. Sure, I've seen a handful of films from India and have really enjoyed the films that I've seen but it's such a huge world of film that it's always been daunting for me to dive into. There's also the long run times, varying degrees of budget and quality, and the lack of access here in the states (though in recent years that has changed in a big way thanks to streaming services). In short: I had no idea where to begin. Thanks to Funky Bollywood, now I do.Funky Bollywood: The Wild World of 1970's Indian Action Cinema is a reference guide that doubles as a history lesson in Indian films. The book is a true blue treasure for cinema fans. Beautifully assembled with eye popping colors and slick layouts its a feast for the eyes which directly mirrors the vibrancy of Indian cinema. The book treats the reader like a curious person with zero knowledge which lets face it, most of us are when it comes to Indian cinema. He doesn't talk down to the reader though, he assumes that if you're interested in action films from India, you're probably a cinema buff. I never once felt lost either. Everything is so clearly laid out and he does a ton of work to help educate the reader on some of the historical/cultural context of the films as well. He tries to paint a full picture and does so quite well. Each film is hand picked for a variety of reasons which he explains. It isn't a comprehensive book but that would be overwhelming considering the tremendous volume of films produced in India each year. Besides, we want to know what all the best flicks are, we don't need to be bogged down by a plethora of reviews for bad flicks. We can get to those after we've watched the good ones.Each review of the film includes an extensive synopsis and a lengthy review along with stills from the film and all the important info about who wrote, directed, starred etc. The reviews also include little signs that denote common themes found in numerous Indian films.It's obvious that author Todd Stadtman knows his Indian films backwards and forwards and loves talking about them. The enthusiasm found in the book is infectious. The layout is top notch as is the print quality and binding. But what else would you expect from FAB Press, the premiere funky book publishers?

This is a fantastic primer on cool 1970s Hindi action movies. The design and layout are fun, but the content is superb. I wanted to watch everything in it immediately. The only downside is that many of these movies are still quite hard to track down for English-speaking audiences.

Written a casual, humorous, but incredibly well-informed tone, Funky Bollywood is a fantastic place to begin any journey into the dizzying candy-colored world of 1970s masala film. From Amitabh Bachchan's bow ties to Feroz Khan's manly pelt of chest hair to Helen dancing with a bottle of Johnnie Walker, Stadtman helps novices and experts alike navigate the twisting back alleys of disco-era Bollywood action. There's also a healthy dose of cultural and historical information to help back up the cinematic insights, all surrounded with the disclaimer that culturally, the book is an (enthusiastic and educated) outsider looking in. The eye-popping colorful design completes the effect. Another top notch offering from one of my favorite publishers of cult film books

The Indian film industry has long been synonymous with all-singing, all-dancing, melodramatic and escapist movies (it's a different matter that there are exceptions to the rule, and they are on the increase). But the masala film, a spice mix of everything from action to romance, drama, comedy, and pathos thrown in, is invariably what it means to most people.Over the century that Indian cinema has been in existence, one decade that has stood out for the total paisa vasool ('getting your money's worth') quality of the masala entertainer has been the 1970s. This was the decade of blockbusters like Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Deewaar and Yaadon ki Baaraat. It was a time of some of the most fantastic (and I mean that in the sense of being 'hard to believe') stories, over the top costumes (not to mention set design, makeup, art direction, and more), and a cinema that was, in every way, much larger than life.This is the period, and these the films, which Todd Stadtman sets out to explore in Funky Bollywood: The Wild World of 1970s Indian Action Cinema: A Selective Guide. The title of the book says it all: the 70s action film, whether it was a relatively slick one like Gaddaar or a trashy one like the Gunmaster G-9 film Suraksha, was invariably pretty wild. There was loads of action, lots of dhishoom-dhishoom. And this guide doesn't aim to be comprehensive (that would be a tall order, indeed); it is decidedly selective.Stadtman's book begins with a brief introduction to the Indian action film of the 70s, followed by brief biographies of the leading lights of the period—not just actors, but directors, singers, composers, and more; and a quick summary of the main tropes that characterised these films. This is followed by what comprises the bulk of the book: in-depth reviews of nearly seventy films, most of them Hindi. Each review begins with a list of the cast and the main crew, followed by a detailed synopsis (watch out: there are spoilers here!), and finally, Stadtman's own take on what works in the film and what doesn't. There are colourful reproductions of posters and lobby cards, stills, and occasional text boxes about certain actors, songs, and so forth. At the end of the book are two separate, smaller sections that deal with particular sub-genres of the Indian action film: the spy film and the curry Western.This isn't a book to read if you're looking for behind-the-scenes tidbits about these films. It is also not (as Stadtman points out in the introduction) an academic book. It is, as is evident from the glorious funkiness of the cover itself, a book to enjoy the action films of the 70s, to reminisce (if you've already seen these), or to find more films to watch. What adds to the enjoyment is Stadtman's excellent sense of humour and his obvious and intense affection for these films, warts and all. Just reading his writing is a joy.Indian readers might find certain errors in transcription irritating (I couldn't help but wince at Shantinagar being repeatedly spelled Shantinagan, or Hotel Mansarovar as Mansaro, among others). Also, I'd have liked some additions to the book: for instance, a more detailed history of the action film in Indian cinema (Stadtman does mention the Fearless Nadia films, but it might have been interesting to also look at how we got from Fearless Nadia to Humsaaya, Kismat, Yakeen and Aankhen). Also, while the book does have reviews of a couple of Telugu action films, there is no mention of other Indian action films (were there any, was the question left in my mind, or should this book have been titled Funky Bollywood: The Wild World of 1970s Hindi Action Cinema? Which is anyway probably more apt, considering Bollywood is a term applied to Hindi cinema, not the many regional language cinema industries across the country...)If you've ever attempted a Helen shimmy or muttered out of the side of your mouth, "Kitne aadmi thhe?" (or want to know what that means), this book is recommended.

This is a very well written book for Hindi films enthusiasts. I'm glad that I managed to grab a copy of it.

Bought as a GiftLove Fab PressWell received