Bollywood Confidential

by Sonia Singh

Book Overview

After seven years of slogging through film roles too embarrassing to mention, twenty-eight-year-old struggling L.A. actress Raveena Rai has finally been offered a lead A potentially career-making turn in a major Hollywood epic, perhaps? A meaty part in a serious drama with Oscar(R) written all over it? Not To Raveena's great dismay (and her mother's delight) she's flying off to India to star in a new Bollywood extravaganza. Oh well, a lead is a lead,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B000ENWIJY
• ISBN13: 9780060590383
• Release Date: June 2005
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Laugh Out Loud

This book had me cracking up. I loved it! I'm not very up on Indian culture, so this was a funny, interesting dive into it! I love her ironic, sarcastic, page-turner style of writing. I finished it in a couple of hours, cracking up with a plate of cookies. Perhaps curry would have been more appropiate!

Sure it's chick lit but I liked it and I am no chick...

I read this one afternoon and enjoyed it. The book was funny, interesting, and overall a nice read on a summer afternoon. Although I am nowhere close to being the target demographic, even I, the single, white guy in his 30s, thought it was fun. They should make a movie out of it though.

Takes you to India

This book exposes all the cliche's of Bollywood and the culture created by it. Sonia Singh has done a great job in capturing all the emotions one goes through while watching a typical 3 hours bollywood film - you go through the same emotional roller coaster while reading the book. Light and fun - I recommend it if you're interested in learning about the indian film indutsry culture while getting a few chuckles.

Sonia does it again!

I LOVED this book - don't get be wrong, I still think _Goddess for Hire_ is utterly fabu and I'm crossing all my digits that Sonia's next book will have Maya in it - but _Bollywood Confidential_ is a breezy romp. Once again, even though I'm a notoriously slow reader, I read the book in a day. While I may not have laughed out loud as many times as I did w/ _GfH_, I still enjoyed _BC_ immensely. Sonia continues to write with a humorous tone which is always a positive IMHO (If you like humor in your fiction, give Christopher Moore a try and if you like it in your fantasy titles, try Terry Pratchett). Additionally, I liked the insight one gets into the Bollywood/Hollywood film industry - guess in some ways they really aren't that different after all. One of the bonuses is that if you are interested in checking out Bollywood titles and are a novice (like I am), Sonia has a section at the back of the book with suggestions and descriptions of her favorite films. So if you are looking for a light hearted summer read, I'd highly suggest picking up a copy of _Bollywood Confidential_ and entering into Raveena's world.

lampoons the Bollywood movie industry

Wannabe actress Raveena Rai has failed to make it in Hollywood so when her agent informs her that he has a starring role in a Bollywood movie, she immediately accepts the job. Without waiting for anyone to change their mind, Raveena quickly heads to Bombay where she assumes fame and fortune await her. However, upon reaching her destination in India Raveena finds nothing is remotely like that described by her agent she now considers slime. Her hotel is a dump, but she cannot move in with her Uncle Heeru as his home is overrun by wild pigeons. Even worse, her script is not written and she must dance more than act. To make her stay more miserable her director uses a hands on method touching her everywhere while trying to get her on the casting couch; all this without a script. On the positive side of this disaster is her leading man, mega hunk Siddharth, who Raveena believes is her destiny though she has a few rivals who consider the most popular Bollywood actor of the moment as fair game. Using stereotypes as support cast, Sonia Singh lampoons the Bollywood movie industry for making inane films that are so undemanding and unoriginal yet at the same time Raveena toasts the industry for its vigor and energy. The story line is well written as the audience wonders whether Raveena will get the leading man and finish the movie while eluding the fast hands of the lecherous director. Contemporary readers will welcome this fine absorbing look at the dynamic Indian film industry. Harriet Klausner