Vancouver-based broadcaster Gurpreet Singh has tried to expose the growing polarization of Indian society and cinema through the story of one of the most popular movie stars.
From Nazneen to Naina: 20 years of Kareena Kapoor Khan in Bollywood and what that means for India and the rest of the world is based on her film career so far, and what she has been facing at the hands of followers of the current right wing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government, under which attacks on religious minorities have grown.
Published by Ludhiana-based Chetna Parkashan, the book will be out in the first week of September, the birthday month of Kareena, who has already turned forty.
She has been under constant backlash for marrying a Muslim man, adopting Khan as her last name, and naming her two sons Taimur and Jeh, all of which has been interpreted as an affront by the self-styled defenders of Hindu religion.
This is a reflection of the growing intolerance in a toxic political environment, created by those in power both within and outside the Indian film industry.
The book talks about her work, going into the details of her performance as an actor and an activist and philanthropist, trying to make connections between the present political situation and its impact on the cinema. It looks deeply into the challenges before Kareena, for being a flag bearer of secularism which is despised by the religious bigots who have become emboldened at the behest of the BJP regime.
Her significant role as someone who stands up against hate on the screen has been underlined in the book which also attempts to make a critical assessment of her position on issues, such as racism, feminism, environment and state violence.
Gurpreet is a news caster and talk show host with Spice Radio in Greater Vancouver and writes for the Georgia Straight. This is his fifth book, which was edited by Kimball Cariou, the former Editor of People’s Voice.
To pre-order a copy, please contact Satish Gulati at +91 98152 98459 or Sumit Gulati at +91 98762 07774 or + 91 95011 45039.
