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Published: 04 October 2019

Last Updated: 01 May 2021

professor toofaanii publishers is happy to announce their 14th book:

Unsung Junior Artists of Hindi Cinema Vol 1 (Who Debuted Before 1961)

by Upendra Samaranayake and Prof Surjit Singh

This is the first ever book on Junior Artists (previously called Extras) in Hindi cinema. These people are NOT lead players, supporting or character artists. These artists are supposed to remain inconspicuous, do not have a spoken part, never get a closeup, and, are akin to other props on the set such as sofas, stuffed tigers and wall clocks!

A lot of these artists are seen as teachers, temple priests, policemen, moneylenders, henchmen, beggars, lawyers, judges, and regular party goers or court attendees, to name a few. They are known by various names: junior artists, atmosphere, background talent, background artists or performers, supernumeraries, supers, walking background, human props, and so on. Of course, they are never mentioned anywhere.

In this book you will find almost 50 of them (who debuted before 1961) named and identified by their roles in hundreds of films. Next time when you watch your favorite film and wonder who is that sitting at a party or in a cabaret, open this book and you will be find enlightenment!

We are happy to acknowledge the superb help from Shishir Krishna Sharma, who contacted two key people in the industry to get letters of appreciation from them, Shri B N Tiwari, President, Federation of Western India Cine Employees, and, Shri Hemanshu Dadbhawala, Vive President, Junior Artists Association.

The book is in English, 6" by 9", 306 pages. The first 20 pages can be read here. As usual, it is available on Amazon and Pothi.

AMAZON (BW) LINK

POTHI (BW) LINK

 

 

Read the first 20 pages here:

 

 

 

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Published: 09 January 2019

Last Updated: 15 January 2022

Note: The Sitara in the cast of Devdas (1935) is not the well-known Sitara Devi who acted in films like Roti (1942) and Hulchul (1951), but a different Sitara, sister of Jamuna. We thank Dr J P Guha for this information.

professor toofaanii publishers is happy to announce their 12th book

Hindi Films: Pictures of the Cast (1933-1937)

by Sheo Khetan (it is first non-technical book) and Prof Surjit Singh (it is his 8th book and 6th on Hindi cinema)

How many times have you wanted to know how the actors in old movies looked like? Of course, we are all familiar with the famous ones, Saigal, Ashok Kumar, Lila Chitnis, Madhubala. But how about many others whose names appear in the film cast and filmographies? This book is an attempt put faces to their names. We have taken the first 20 Hindi films whose videos are in our collection and captured pictures of the cast and included more than 300 pictures.

Black and White, paperback, color cover, 117 pages, with Table of Contents and Index.

Buying information

1. Paperback on all 13 Amazons, eg in US

Amzaon US Paperback

2. ebook on all 13 Amazons, eg in US

Amazon US ebook

3. Paperback on Pothi India

India Pothi Paperback

4. ebook on Pothi India

India Pothi ebook

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Published: 20 July 2015

Last Updated: 21 July 2015

Edwina: An Unsung Bollywood Dancer of the Golden Era

PREFACE    1
HINDI MOVIE AND ITS ORIGINS    7
Theater before the Modern Era    7
Modern Era    9
Outline of Hindi Cinema    10
DANCE IN HINDI FILMS    15
Shehzadi    15
Azurie (Anna or Annette Marie Gueizielor)    16
Cuckoo Moray, or Cuckoo    16
Helen    17
Dancer Actresses    17
Male Dancers    17
Same Sex Dances    18
Other Types of Dances    18
Backup Dancers    18
ANGLO-INDIANS IN HINDI CINEMA    21
Brief Note on Anglo-Indians    21
Anglo-Indians in Theater and Cinema    22
EDWINA'S LIFE STORY    23
Early Life    23
Movies and Marriage    28
Life in the UK    34
Some memorable photos    37
HEROES, HEROINES AND SUCH    41
Actors    42
Mehmood    43
Actresses    47
Choreographers    50
Robert Master (Surya Kumar)    50
P L Raj    51
Herman    52
HER FELLOW GROUP DANCERS    55
Terence    55
Philomena    57
Teresa and Oscar    58
Jennifer    60
Marie and Shinde    61
Pamela (Bonnici)    62
Saroj Khan    63
Herman (as a dancer)    63
Vijay (Borade)    64
Abe Cohn    65
Tony Pereira    66
Ahmed    67
Bhagwan    67
Robert D'Souza    68
Other Group Dancers    68
HER ADVENTURES IN THE FILM LINE    69
Becoming a Dancer    69
Clothes, Hair, and Makeup    70
Edu's Hairstyles    72
Filming A Dance    74
Hip Shaking and Eye Rolling    75
Some Dance Memories    76
The Downside    76
CONCLUDING REMARKS    79
FILMOGRAPHY    81
List of Films    81
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REMARKS    89
ALPHABETICAL INDEX    91
ABOUT THE AUTHOR    95