As India celebrates the Oscar wins of ‘Naatu Naatu’ from the Telugu film ‘RRR’ and ‘The Elephant Whisperers’, the spotlight falls on other multitalented people who have bagged the award in the past. Here are some page-turners on a few such inspiring personalities.
Notes of a Dream: The Authorized Biography of A R Rahman
Author: Krishna Trilok
Everyone knows and enjoys A R Rahman’s music. But how many know about the man?
Read this one to know about his philosophies — hope, perseverance, positivity and love. From when he was a composer of jingles to his break in feature films, his eagerness in integrating new technology and old-fashioned music scores, this book looks at Rahman’s success story, covering its high and low notes.
It features interviews with the man himself and interesting insights from people who know him well.
Rahman won two Oscars in
2009, one for Best Original Score and the other for Best Original Song, which was shared with Gulzar for ‘Jai Ho’.
Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination
Author: Neal Gabler
Known to be a visionary, Walt Disney’s determination and obsessive perfectionism which transformed animation from a novelty to an art form, is explored in this book.
From the evolution of the popular cartoon Mickey Mouse to the making of feature films like ‘Snow White’, ‘Fantasia’, and ‘Bambi’, this biography covers how Walt changed the entertainment industry. His work helped build an empire that combined film, television, theme parks, music, book publishing, and merchandise. Walt is known to have won the highest number of Oscars to date. He also holds the record for nominations, with 59 nominations on record.
Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep
Author: Michael Schulman
This book on three-time Oscar winner and Hollywood actor, Meryl Streep, explores her life as a youngster in the 1970s, wrestling with love, feminism, and her talent.
The book deeply looks at the ‘Iron Lady’ of acting, from her days as a student. It also gives insight into movies that turned her into a star, such as ‘The Deer Hunter’, ‘Manhattan’, and ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’.
The author, Michael Schulman, focuses on Meryl’s rise as an actor on the New York stage; her short-lived love affair with actor John Cazale; and her marriage to sculptor Don Gummer. It features varied black-and-white photos, and gives readers a glimpse into the life of the actress before she turned into an icon.
Steven Spielberg: A Biography (Second edition)
Author: Joseph McBride
In this in-depth biography, the author writes about the various unrevealed dimensions of Steven’s personality. In comparison to the first edition, the second edition includes four new chapters that look at Steven’s story, focusing on his creatively active period from 1997 to his time as a partner at the film studio DreamWorks SKG.
Works like ‘Amistad’, ‘Saving Private Ryan’, ‘Minority Report’, and ‘The Terminal’ expanded the filmmaker’s range, be it in terms of adventurous creations or controversial matters. This book re-evaluates his life and works, guiding readers to his more mature content. Steven won his first Academy Award for Best Director in 1993 for ‘Schindler’s List’.
The Contender: The Story of Marlon Brando
Author: William J Mann
Based on the two-time Oscar-winning actor’s private archives, this book looks at Marlon’s life as never before. It dives deep into his childhood trauma. The actor was one of the first celebrities to use his fame to bring attention to social, political, and moral issues, and called out racism in the US.
The author, William J Mann, looks at the actor’s life beyond his films, and at his protests against racial segregation and discrimination at the height of the Civil Rights movement. While these actions were often seen as “needlessly provocative” then, they are now are a source of inspiration for many actors.
(All books are available online)