Hero Vol. 1 - The Silent Era to Dilip Kumar

Author: Ashok RajPublisher: Hay HouseYear: 2010Language: EnglishPages: 412ISBN/UPC (if available): 9788189988272 DescriptionA comprehensive, reel-life chronicle of Hindi film heroes and a kaleidoscopic view into the fascinating world of Hindi cinema.This volume depicts the evolution of the Hindi film hero from the silent era to Dilip Kumar and his contemporaries. The film hero is portrayed as a credible representative of the social, cultural and political milieu of his era. The author contends that the development of Hindi cinema as a powerful expression of popular culture has been largely centred round the frontal figure of the hero. Beginning with the pioneer of cinema in India, Dadasaheb Phalke, the author moves on to ‘resurrect’ forgotten heroes of the silent era such as Khalil and Raja Sandow. With the dramatic advent of the ‘talkies’, many new talents came to the fore. The careers of the early heroes (for example, Sohrab Modi, V. Shantaram, Prithviraj Kapoor, Motilal and Ashok Ku