SuperTraits of Superstars- A Review

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I received the book ‘Supertraits of Superstars- Success stories of Bollywood’s Biggest’ by Priyanka Sinha Jha, from the author through The Tales Pensieve Book Review Program.

Inspiration and motivation come wherever we seek them from. Like the lives of great personalities from world history and polity, lives of our own Bollywood stars can inspire us too. Author Priyanka Sinha Jha has compiled mini-biographies of eleven stars of Bollywood, highlighting their unique traits and strengths that make them what they are. Some of them are superstars in the pinnacle of their success still working and enjoying the fruit of labour, still pushing their limits saying learning is a continuous process. Some of them are the game-changers, making the assumed impossible finally possible through their constant efforts and risk taking attitudes. The author has focused on their early life, struggle, accomplishments, achievements and what we readers can learn from it and inculcate in our lives. And it does inspire admiration and at least provoke a thought.

I found some little known facts about my favorite actors and actresses in the book. I never knew Amitabh Bachchan had a blog which he updated daily, or that Vidya Balan was dubbed unlucky in South before she débuted in Bollywood.  We audience more often than not take them for granted, criticizing their reel and real lives. So an insight into their brighter sides was an interesting read. I liked the chapters on Aamir Khan and Vidya Balan the most- my personal favorites.

Each chapter in the book is about a particular Bollywood star. It starts with a quote relating to their unique quality, and an introduction to their present status, name and fame in India and the world. It cites examples, incidences and dialogues from interviews to underline their distinctive features. Every chapter reads like a favorite newspaper column, or the preferred entertainment page. And the author being a journalist makes sure that the writing style is too as interesting as that.

This book, a non-fiction, can inspire one if one wants to get inspired. It is a good read.

Read the book blurb and other details here. Link for Goodreads. 
Flipkart.

The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.

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Queeristan by Parmesh Sahani

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  Queeristan (Amazon Link) Thanks to Audible Free Trial I listened to this amazing non-fiction on LGBTQ inclusion in Indian workplaces. Author Parmesh Sahani identifies as gay Indian, working closely with Godrej higher management and employees for years to create an inclusive workplace, both legally and in spirit. This book is a result of those years of experience, research, collaboration with individuals from difference spectrum of the society and organizations who has successfully transitioned into a queer friendly one.   Indian history is inclusive. From the Khajuraho temple architectures, to Konark to the Rig Veda, there is existing proofs even 2000 years ago of Indian inclusiveness of queer. It’s the draconian British law that criminalised it, which was scraped in 2009, came into effect once again following a sad judgement in 2013 and eventually was scraped off for good in 2018. I am in awe of the lawyers who fought this legal battle- colleagues and partners – Arundhati Katju
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