The Book of Bollywood Lists

And so, Westland has shown extraordinary courage by agreeing to publish what is going to be my second book. It is an honour to be published by the same house which has several of my favourite author/bloggers on their list already. From literary fiction to cinema to travelogue to horror, their roster of authors and range of topics are quite fantastic. Three of their authors made it to the cover of Outlook recently as Lo-Cal Literati.

Okay... end of publisher gushing. Now, the book...

The book is about the favourite pastime of Bollywood fans.

Which are the 10 best death scenes? 7 best sequels? Anupam Kher’s 8 best performances? 12 best comedies of all times? The whole parlour game of making lists – and fighting endlessly over them – is what this book is all about. Currently, blood is being shed in college canteens, on internet discussion forums, over a drink to decide the 10 best Gulzar-RD songs This book is not intended to stop those battles but to fuel them.

(BTW, none of the above lists appear in the book.)

The book is about getting more people to join in the favourite pastime of Bollywood fans.

This book is incomplete. Don't ask for your money back because I assure you it is more fun this way. The book lists out some of the names of a list and you are supposed to come up with more. Scribble in the extra names on the margins. Call up your childhood buddy in Alwar and ask him how many films he remembers in which Amitabh played a Muslim. Feel superior if an obvious name is missing.

In short, this book is for you.

Readers of Calcutta Chromosome are requested to buy, read and gift the book in large quantities.

(Helpful Hint: Buy two copies at least. Keep one on the bedside table and quickly flip through a couple of chapters before sleeping. Keep one in the drawing room to impress visitors with your eclectic taste.)

But first, get to work. Give me a name for the book.

The Book of Bollywood Lists (a.k.a TBBL) is not sounding deliriously inviting to me. So, do you have some better ideas?

Title Suggestion Trivia: Kirron Kher is credited with 'Title Idea' in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge.