KAT Le!

This is what newspapers call a 'Sales Promotional Feature'. Not very interesting content but pushes sales. If the first print run of Kitnay Aadmi Thay doesn't vanish from the markets immediately, there will be more. And be prepared for more KAT jokes like the one in the title of this post.

Koolkart Piece
Koolkart is a site that looks to make the shopping experience social through recommendations and interactions. I wrote a short piece for them on my love for Bollywood trivia.

On the positive side
Reviews have been generally positive. Bollywood agnostic Mad Momma is happy. As are Aneela and my cousin on the Flipkart page
ItchingToRead did the first review of the book - even before I had received my copy.
Abhishek and Suhel are self-confessed Bollywood trivia addicts. They seemed to have liked it too.
The venerable JAP called the book his 'current source of joy'. And Maryann laughed out loud at a couple of parts in book (while in office).
By and large, people seem to be liking the book. Though, one must admit the people who have read it are all hardcore Bollywood fans and therefore, part of the book's constituency.

Fanboy
I have been reading Anupama Chopra for nearly two decades now when she used to write on Bollywood editor for India Today. I have been a fan of hers for nearly decade now - ever since she wrote Sholay: The Making of a Classic. I sent her a copy of my book more for my own satisfaction than the thought that she might get any time to read it.
So, I was more than a little surprised when she tweeted this:

As a classmate pointed out, I behaved like a giggly teenager. On closer inspection, I realised she had made a marginally positive comment and probably just started on the book. But then, she wrote the book on Sholay. You know, the book on Sholay.


Now on YouTube
Recently, I had a small l(a)unch meet with some bloggers and contest-winners who answered this question correctly. In the group, there was Aashish Chopra who fiddled around with his iPhone and threatened to record my silly banter. I thought he was joking even though he mentioned that he had made a video on getting a refund from a phone company.
As it turned out, he did record me answering a few questions though I wandered off on a tangent very quickly. This recording and some cool editing resulted in a YouTube video with some snippets from the book, some squeaky-voiced pronouncements from me and scary visuals of my Dracula teeth.
I am so amazed at this output that I cannot even begin to describe it. Just watch it!


Kindle in the Wind
And finally, the Kindle edition of Kitnay Aadmi Thay is now available here.
At a paltry $7.99, it is a cheap, cheerful and environment-friendly way to know more about the opening sequences in Ramesh Sippy movies. Do buy, recommend and review it on Amazon.

And hello, kind souls in India -
Paper versions of the book are available for less than $3.99 at online and offline bookstores near you.

Helpful links available in the right panel (thoughtfully arranged in increasing order of price).
If I haven't said it already, BUY IT!

Comments

Buls said…
Hi... I have been reading your blog for sometime now... I would not have purchased the book 'coz I am not such an avid Bollywood fan but something made me buy it from flipkart (maybe the discount?)... will start reading it today. Kudos!!!
Anamika said…
Fun Video and Congratulations on the book. I got myself a copy from a friend who was visiting India. Like it so far. Good job!
Anonymous said…
and please may I knwo how to get this shipped to Sydney, Australia ??
@Australian Anonymous: uRead.com ships outside India. You can pick it up from there.
I am presuming you don't want an ebook.
Anonymous said…
OMG Anonymous is over the moon at discovering Uread, thanks to you .. the shipping is affordable too - unlike some sites where the book is less than $5 and the shipping is $15 !!!
thank you many times over Dipta..

Looking fwd to the book and many more Indian titles which i cudnt get easily before..
Thanks heaps!
Straight Cut said…
MAAN GAYE USTAAD!! Read your book at one go this weekend and it was FANTASTIC. The treasure-trove of trivia, embellished with footnotes, plus your humour - Heady mix, man. Keep up the great work.
KAT brought back tons of fond memories - And (since the basic premise of your book is to foster discussions/ debate between movie lovers!!), I would love to share some of these interesting trivia-thoughts/ ramblings with you. Is there any e-mail id where I can mail you? Else maybe I can post them here itself?
@Straight Cut - Glad you liked it!
I am okay with either. You can mail me (diptakirti@gmail.com) or post it here. But if it is rambling :-) then mailing would better, I think.