10 Best Books on Indian Cinema

We have compiled a list of the Best Reference Books on Indian Cinema, which are used by students of top universities, and colleges. This will help you choose the right book depending on if you are a beginner or an expert. Here is the complete list of Indian Cinema Books with their authors, publishers, and an unbiased review of them as well as links to the Amazon website to directly purchase them. If permissible, you can also download the free PDF books on Indian Cinema below.

1."Deep Focus: Reflection On Indian Cinema" by Ray Satyajit “Deep Focus: Reflection On Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is for people who want to learn about Indian Cinema. The author talks about the different aspects of making movies and even gives tribute to silent cinema. The book also discusses the challenges of turning books into films. The author shares his personal experiences of being a jury member and a contestant in film festivals. Additionally, the author pays homage to fellow filmmakers like Godard and Uttam Kumar. The book also includes pictures taken by the author and photos of him.
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2."History of Indian Cinema" by Renu Saran “History of Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is for people who want to learn about Indian Cinema. It talks about the history of Indian cinema for the past 98 years, from 1913 until just before the book was published. The book provides detailed information about Hindi cinema and also regional cinemas. It lists successful and groundbreaking movies from each era, along with notable actors, directors, awards, and achievements, arranged according to region and industry. The author also writes about how the industry works and gives details about the training facilities available to actors. The book explains the process and criteria for film certification and the equipment used during filming at different times.
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3."100 Years of Jump-Cuts and Fade-Outs: Tracking Change in Indian Cinema" by Shoma A Chatterji “100 Years of Jump-Cuts and Fade-Outs: Tracking Change in Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is written for people interested in learning about Indian Cinema. This book provides information about the way Indian films have evolved over the last century. It begins with an examination of the silent films era. The author also talks about topics like the adaptation of literary works, representation of sexual minorities in films, horny issue of censorship versus creative license and many more in this book. The author also tracks the evolution of the item song.
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4."Indian Cinema: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)" by Ashish Rajadhyaksha “Indian Cinema: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)” Book Review: This book is written for people interested in learning about Indian Cinema. The author provides detailed information about the political, social, and economic factors which, over time, have shaped Indian Cinema. This author covers everything from silent cinema through to the digital era. This book contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. The author combines facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm in this book.
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5."Fingerprinting Popular Culture: The Mythic and the Iconic in Indian Cinema" by Vinay Lal and Ashis Nandy
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6."Films and Feminism: Essays in Indian Cinema" by Jasbir Jain “Films and Feminism: Essays in Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is for people who want to learn about Indian Cinema. It covers topics like changes in film techniques and audiences, how alternative and commercial cinema are becoming more similar, and how women are portrayed in movies. The book mainly focuses on Hindi cinema, but it also talks about Bengali and Kannada cinema. It discusses how women are represented in the film industry.
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7."Kanan Devi: The First Superstar of Indian Cinema" by Mekhala Sengupta “Kanan Devi: The First Superstar of Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is for people who want to learn about Indian Cinema. It is about Kanan Devi, and the author tells us all about her life. The book talks about the things she achieved in her movies, and the difficulties she faced before she started working in the film industry. The book is also a tribute to a time when Indian cinema was different from how it is now. advertisement advertisement
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8."Voices of the Talking Stars: Women of Indian Cinema and Beyond" by Madhuja Mukherjee “Voices of the Talking Stars: Women of Indian Cinema and Beyond” Book Review: This book is written for people interested in learning about Indian Cinema. This book examines the complex relationships between cinema, industry, cultures, labour and gender during the studio era 1930-1955. This book talks about the frameworks of film history, culture and politics, weaving in debates on romance, sexuality, body and masculinity. This book also contains rare photographs and writings by leading women actors like Meena Kumari Naz and Mae West.
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9."Narratives of Indian Cinema" by Manju Jain “Narratives of Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is for people who want to learn about Indian Cinema. The book talks about how people in colonial India reacted to the emergence of cinema, and how the medium was seen as a tool for creativity. The book also looks at some of the problems that arose with the development of Indian cinema. It examines how the industry has changed since colonial times and how some things have stayed the same.
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10."History through the lens - Perspectives on South Indian Cinema" by S Theodore Baskaran “History through the lens – Perspectives on South Indian Cinema” Book Review: This book is for people who want to learn about Indian Cinema. It is also helpful for historians and students of Indian film. The book talks about topics like the beginning of cinema in the southern part of India, trade unions in the South Indian film industry, and the importance of recording the history of southern cinema in detail. The author also talks about the challenges faced by Tamil cinema in breaking away from the influence of company drama and the continued use of stage elements.
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We have put a lot of effort into researching the best books on Indian Cinema and came out with a recommended list and their reviews. If any more book needs to be added to this list, please email us. We are working on free pdf downloads for books on Indian Cinema and will publish the download link here. Fill out this Indian Cinema books pdf download" request form for download notification.