The Front Row

Anupama Chopra’s The Front Row hosted some of the biggest names from Bollywood, Hollywood and world cinema. There were candid, intelligent discussions on stardom, craft, fame, relationships, work-life balance and much more. The Front Row broke the mould of the celebrity chat show, reflecting instead the thoughtful, straight-talking nature of the host herself. It brought to bear on the conversations Chopra’s own deep understanding of cinema and of the world behind it. This book is a selection of the very best of The Front Row. From Salman Khan to Madhuri Dixit, Priyanka Chopra to Nicole Kidman, Raju Hirani to Rohit Shetty, they are all here. The insightful discussions range from the Rs 100-crore club, supporting actors and villains in Hindi cinema, to the making of some of the most celebrated movies in recent times. While Ang Lee talks about surrendering to the movie god, Amitabh Bachchan discusses what it is like to be called God. If Aamir Khan owns up to how Satyamev Jayate changed him as a person, Shah Rukh Khan talks about what it is like to be ‘just an employee of the Shah Rukh Khan myth’. Johnny Depp reacts to Tim Burton’s verse about him – ‘There was a young man, people thought he was handsome, so he tied up his face and held it to ransom’ – Martin Scorsese wrestles with the question of how a film-maker can combine artistic integrity with commercial success, and Spielberg acknowledges how he ‘wouldn’t know how to make a Martin Scorsese movie’ and how that makes him sad. Engaging, penetrating and great fun, The Front Row: Conversations on Cinema is essential reading for all movie buffs.