Book review: Khullam Khulla by Rishi Kapoor

This is more a brief take than review of the book.

My holiday reading was Rishi Kapoor`s Khullam Khulla,  (HarperCollins) and a thoroughly enjoyable read it turned out to be. All through, you sense the polish given by co-author veteran film journalist Meena Iyer but it is Rishi Kapoor`s strident voice heard in the book, that overweening confidence, artless honesty and a brusque,  couldn’t- care- less attitude we have come to associate with the man who tweets fearlessly.

His look-back is most entertaining for people of my generation. He deconstructs the Amitabh Bachchan myth, stating firmly that due credit has never been given to the others who got a measly presence in films that were dominated by the tall actor. He admits to having bought his first film award, for Rs 30,000 at that.

He talks of his less-than-simple relationship with son Ranbir. He makes mention of Raj kapoor`s inamoratas and avers that he has been faithful to Neetu… in her afterword, she states that she is sure he has strayed once or twice but that she has come to terms with it!

It was another time altogether, when stars occupied a shining niche in the firmament, when the media was a gentle beast and mostly friends with the stars, and while competition was swift and fierce, it lacked the take-no-prisoners edge it has acquired now.

An easy read, with lovely pictures and a cherry on this cake, that afterword by Neetu Singh Kapoor.