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Amitabh Bachchan As The Other
Amitabh Bachchan As The Other' by Shoma A Chatterji is not a biographical study of the actor. Beyond the persistent ‘angry young man’ label, Chatterji contends that Bachchan's cinematic prowess defies stereotypes, aligning him more closely with the intriguing concept of ‘The Other.’ This ‘Other’ challenges norms, demands our attention, holds us responsible for our actions, and prompts a reconsideration of our understanding of the world. To substantiate this thesis, Chatterji meticulously examines fifteen of Bachchan’s classic performances spanning two decades, from Anand to Agneepath. The other films in this study include Parwana, Zanjeer, Saudagar, Namak Haram, Abhimaan, Deewaar, Sholay, Amar Akbar Anthony, Don, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Shakti, Coolie, and Main Azaad Hoon. In the chapter titled ‘Othering the Other,’ we witness a mellow Bachchan embracing roles he never thought possible in his youth.
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Suchitra Sen
Arguably the greatest star of Bengali cinema, Suchitra Sen mesmerized audiences for years, before withdrawing from the public gaze and refusing to emerge in the limelight in the last decade of her life. In this nuanced biography, Shoma Chatterji unveils the two different dimensions of the Suchitra Sen persona: as a legendary romantic star with an audience pull spanning over two decades and her slow but steady metamorphosis into a powerful performing artist through films like Deep Jele Jai, Hospital, Mamta and Aandhi who could seamlessly and effortlessly essay completely different characters without the on-screen partnership of Uttam Kumar. Award-winning author and film critic Shoma Chatterji presents a fascinating portrait of an icon of Indian cinema, addressing two significant elements that have not been touched by other writers - Suchitra Sen as a working woman in films and her wilful social seclusion.