Anhonee ko honee karna hamara kaam hai. (It is our job to make the impossible possible.) The sentence leading into the title song of the blockbuster film Amar Akbar Anthony sums up the magic of Manmohan Desai; the master entertainer whose desire to please his public made his name synonymous with success during much of his career in popular Hindi cinema from 1960 to 1988. In Enchantment of the Mind: Manmohan Desais Films; Connie Haham delves into the directors work and analyses some of his cinematic signatures - speed; fun; adventure and delight; alongside a devotion to motherhood and a stance in favour of inter-religious harmony. His cinema is fondly remembered for its many catchy tunes and the characters brought to life by leading stars; from Raj Kapoor to Amitabh Bachchan. Lending extra magic to this book is Manmohan Desais own account of a life dedicated to cinema - a medium he wielded artfully to depict both struggle and an affirmation of life.
#1532177 in eBooks 2014-08-11 2014-08-11File Name: B00PP0FQWW
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The ultimate look at creativity from the inside. Love it.By Terrence WalshThis well-worn book has been in my library for six years. I read it cover to cover when first received; and have since gone back to it several times. It may be the ultimate inside story of creativity.Although I had seen Godspell in 1972; I was not keenly aware of Mr. Schwartz until my children chose Wicked for their theatre experience when we visited London in 2010. Clearly I was not the first to be blown away by the power of that musical. I had to know more about the creative development of such a work. That lead me to "Defying Gravity." I actually read the last chapter first; then worked to the beginning by chapters. Odd; but true.Ms. de Gieres exploration of creativity in the person of Mr. Schwartz is one of the clearest views Ive found of what it takes to make something magical. She covers the inspiration; the perspiration; the tenacity; setbacks; trouncings and triumph. That has been very helpful for me and my own creative work.I was particularly touched by the story of how Wicked was reworked after its pre-Broadway run in San Francisco. The authors--Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman--stood their ground to exercise the power to reshape the show before opening in New York in 2003. The theater is much different from cinema. One of the greatest differences is ownership. A dramatist--in this case; Schwartz and Holzman--may LICENSE a show to a producer but as authors they still own it. Wickeds creative recess between San Francisco and New York is perfect proof of that difference. There are so many stakeholders; so much talent demanding to be put to work. So many egos. So much money; so little time. For me; Chapter 28 is the most compelling in "Defying Gravity."I found "Defying Gravity" to be engaging; uplifting; insightful; and more. I loved it on first reading and have returned several times to appreciate various parts. Thats why Im writing this 5-star review--I love this book. I hope you find this review helpful.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A Must Read for ArtistsBy Todd FifieldI found the book to be both fascinating just as a very good book and very helpful to me as an artist. There are creative notes sections on the chapters that Ive found to be very; very useful to me as a writer. Stephen Schwartz shows great insight into the creative process that any artist can use. I suggest buying the paperback version so that these creative notes can be bookmarked easily and referred to.The last section on Wicked goes through the whole creative process of what is going to probably be the most successful musical of all time. A must for budding musical theater writers.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A far superior bookBy R. Patrick BaughThe best book by far on the creative career of Stephen Schwartz; with a heavy focus on "Wicked". Everything you want in a behind the scenes book!
