COFFEE TABLE BOOK TO UNVEIL RARE & CANDID PICTURES OF PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI

Journalist Tales

Mumbai: India will soon get a first hand preview of Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi’s candid moments and memorable occasions. A coffee table book titled ‘Narendra Modi – A Visionary Prime Minister’ containing over 300 rare pictures compiled over a period of thirty years will be released in Mumbai on August 23. Edited by renowned Gujrati writer, Shri Aashu Patel and photographed by ace lensman, Shri Dilip Thaker, the book will be released bilingually in English and Gujrati.

“I can say confidently that this book is a class apart. Narendrabhai himself will be surprised with many of the photographs clicked by Dilip Thaker. Photographs of ribbon cutting and speeches have been published many times. But the moods, temperaments, activities and settings showcased in the book are stunning. Even if we keep aside the photographic skills, the range of pictures by itself astonish the senses,” says Aashu Patel who has edited the book besides having written twenty four other books in Gujarati including the bestseller ‘Madam X’ which is being made into a movie by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Anurag Kashyap.

Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD), Smt Smriti Irani will launch the book at a grand function at NSE Ground in the presence of BJP National Vice President, Shri Parshottam Rupala and Members of Parliament (MPs) Shri Paresh Rawal, Shri Kirit Somaiya, Shri Gopal Shetty, Smt Poonam Mahajan and other dignitaries.

“Attended by over ten thousand Gujratis from the city, this will be one of the largest book launches in the annals of Indian history. Photographs from the book will be put up for display at an exhibition at the venue. In addition the programme will have musicals by Falguni Pathak, Preeti-Pinki, Parthiv Gohil and others alongside entertainment programmes by Dilip Joshi and cast of Tarak Mehta Ka Ulta Chasma,” says Shri Bhargav Patel, President, Mumbai Gujarati Cell, BJP who has organized the launch. “The event will reflect every bit the grandioseness of the subject and the painstaking detailing provided by the author and photographer while conceiving the book.”

“The project has been very close to our hearts, especially because we have trailed Mr. Modi’s colorful journey in politics until eventually, his appointment as the PM of India. So we thought it’d be a great idea to share some of the little known and lighter shades of our PM’s life and times with everyone. Hopefully, people will love this book as much as we’ve enjoyed working on it,” says Mr. Dilip Thaker. “This coffee-table book is by far my greatest achievement. It has some rare photographs of Narendrabhai depicting his journey from Vadnagar, a small village in Gujarat to 7 Race Course in New Delhi,” concludes Mr. Thaker.

The English version of the book is published by the leading publishing house - Pentagon Press and the Gujarati version, by Navbharat Sahitya Mandir, one of the largest publishers in Gujrati. The coffee table book is the 25^th book of writer-journalist, Aashu Patel and the first of photo-journalist, Dilip Thaker.

AN AAMIR KHAN BLOCKBUSTER RELEASING ON JUNE 08

First Ever Coffee Table Book On Aamir Khan

Mumbai: Not merely a perfectionist or superstar, as Aamir Khan is wont to be tagged by his fans, he is also one of India’s most versatile actors. With a fresh approach and profound commitment to roles, both off screen and on it, he went on to reinvent the concept of stardom in Bollywood. And when he hosted the television show, ‘Satyamev Jayate’, so penetrative was his presentation that his identity transformed into that of an activist.

Inarguably, Aamir is one of the most colorful personalities of India. And all the myriad hues, captured in technicolour, will be released on June 08 at Mumbai in the form of a coffee table book titled, Aamir Khan – Actor, Activist, Achiever. The first ever coffee table book on the superstar, this unique pictorial biography authored by ace lensman, Pradeep Chandra, contains about two hundred pictures and rare insights by writers like Rauf Ahmed, Mayank Shekhar, Vikas Sinha and others, with the foreword composed by Rajat Sharma.

“I won’t call this a biography in the strict sense of the term. But the book does try to look into his soul. Besides covering his broad career path and major incidents in personal life, I have also included many little known anecdotes of the star. While many of us freely use terms like ‘calculated’ and ‘methodical’ to describe Aamir, by his own admission, most of his crucial decisions have been taken impulsively – be it his marriage, decision to quit studies or become an actor. They all were split second decisions,” says Chandra.

The book is the author’s tribute to the superstar and the man behind it. As a photographer who has captured Aamir from his early days in cinema, Chandra has included exquisite stills, paintings, sketches and unforgettable images that encapsulate Aamir’s intensity and dedication to his craft. Chandra follows Aamir’s career seeking to understand the twists and turns, and the people and places whose influence was paramount in shaping his journey.

The book is third in part of the tribute series the earlier two being, “AB The Legend – A Photographer’s Tribute” and “M.F.Husain – A Pictorial Tribute.” The former was published by Rupa Publications in 2006, while the latter was published by Niyogi Books in 2013.

Published by Niyogi Books, Aamir Khan Actor Activist Achiever will be available for sale at Rs. 1500/- from June 09 onwards at leading book stores and online outlets.

Pradeep Chandra has been associated with Bombay Times, Indian Express, Illustrated Weekly & other prominent publications. He has done several exhibitions like Haveli Dreams, (based on Shekhawati), Kashmiri Pandits, and Britain (to commemorate 50 Years of Indian Independence) and has been a part of various art camps as well.He is the author of the coffee table book on Amitabh Bachchan titled “AB The Legend – A Photographer’s Tribute” and “M F Husain – A Pictorial Tribute”.