Sone Chandi Ke Buth: Writings on Cinema

• Originally written in Urdu, these writings have been translated into English for the first time. Abbas discusses personalities including Prithviraj Kapoor, Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, V. Shantaram and Satyajit Ray, while also examining the relationship between art, stardom and the commercial film industry.

K. A. Abbas (1914–1987) was a pioneering Indian journalist, writer, screenwriter and film director. He wrote extensively about cinema and worked as a film critic and journalist for publications including the Bombay Chronicle and Blitz. He also wrote the screenplay for several important films and directed movies including Saat Hindustani.

The collection provides a unique insider’s perspective on Indian cinema. Through profiles, film criticism, essays and stories, Abbas examines the people, creativity, politics and commercial pressures behind the screen. His sharp and humanistic writing reveals both the glamour of Bollywood and the realities hidden beneath it.