Love it or hate it, we can confidently say that the Bollywood film industry produces some of the best films to some of the worst films one could ever think about. There is no doubt about it. Whatever the case be, in the book ‘The Adventures of an Intrepid Film Critic’ journalist Anna MM Vetticad tries to unravel the good and the bad side of the film industry that is considered one of the biggest the world over. I may go on to add that the industry produces a film every week of the year, be it a hit or a flop.

Vetticad has painstakingly watched 121 films in a one year period, and has also interviewed the people who made these films. In this book, she calls a spade a spade, the honesty that lies in this book, is something remarkable. The journalist turned author chronicles the changing face of Bollywood, discovering in the process an industry beyond the Vidya Balans and Priyanka Chopras, the Kapoors and the Khans. She unravels the other side of Bollywood where lesser known films could’ve bloomed, but due to the lack of the right marketing, perseverance and star status such films go unnoticed. In her early chapters (Chapter 3) she describes how self made actors who are unknown in the industry make a name for themselves, however small, just because of money power. Though the films usually disappear with time, a few do reach the eye of the movie goers. Such films are directed, co – directed or produced by the wannabe actor himself, just to make a name for himself.

Being a movie critic is not really easy; directors and producers want feedback the moment you exit out of the screening, especially if it is a press screening. This does not really give time to the reviewer to condition himself or herself and grasp the whole movie at the spur of the moment. In an age of multiplex, a big banner has all the more chance to booking almost all the theatres in the country for a top star cast, then that leaves a question, as to what happens to the small budget films, who despite having a small star cast, may have a better script than that of a big budget film. Movies you may have never heard like Memories In March, A Strange Love Story, Impatient Vivek, Happy Husbands, Azaan are surely not your regular films, but if you really take a look at maybe a few of them, you would find a lot of substance, a storyline that may just strike you. Vetticad’s take on these films in a humorous angle is also fun to read.

Vetticad has also included interviews with Onir, Rohit Shetty and Vidya Balan which gives an insight to what really goes on in the Bollywood film industry. Her full page black and white sketches of the world of Bollywood, each tells a story, and adds to the beauty of the book. In fact, one of the book’s illustrations, which is also the cover of the book, is of the author holding up a magnifying glass to the screen magnifying the actor torso.

In her Appendix I she has mentioned all 121 films she reviewed for her blog, complete with details of Director, Cast and Language of the film.

Vetticad has also included a few reviews sent by her bloggers, from a contest she held in 2011, wherein she invited readers to send in a 200 word review of any 2011 Bollywood film that she had already reviewed. She has reproduced word for word the reviews sent by her readers.

Vetticad has done a noteworthy job of bringing to the fore lesser known films. She has taken a magnifying glass to really check each and every film she watched in 2011 to really come to a conclusion, what really flops and what really hits. We applaud her for her stand when she says the days of silver and golden jubilee celebrations of films are gone. Within a month, a film is out of the theatres and in another month is available on DVD. The magic of the Hindi movies is dying and we can only conclude and agree with Vetticad and say that the best will always win….. by that we mean the lesser known mortals who survive the storm.

Getting a stamp of approval from Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor who wrote the Foreword to the book, puts Vetticad in the right side of the critics, for we are sure some may not agree with her points of view in this book.

The Adventures Of an Intrepid Film Critic

Anna MM Vetticad Om Books

Price: Rs 295

Reviewed by Verus Ferreira