Raj Kapoor: The Master at Work

This is a great book. 34 years after his passing away, he is still remembered, showing what a great filmmaker he was. I had very happy memories of meeting the great doyen of the Indian film industry, Late Shri Padam Bhushan Raj Kapoor in 1973 at a Hotel in Park Lane London. He was down to earth person.

The works of a legend like Raj Kapoor cannot be captured in a single book, leave alone a dozen of them. However, Rahul Rawail’s labour of love ‘Raj Kapoor: The Master at work’ attempts to unravel the cinematic genius from his point of view and he succeeds in his endeavor.The best way to tell the story of a towering personality is probably how some of the best movies are told. An established hero tastes failure in the first half of the movie, and the interval block pushes him into a corner. And in the second half he emerges successful against all the odds.Fortuitously Rahul Rawail’s association as an assistant director with Raj Kapoor (or Raj Sahab as he refers to him throughout the book), began with the commercial failure ‘Mera Naam Joker’ and progressed with the blockbuster hit ‘Bobby’.He takes us through his journey of learning the ropes from a master, while throwing light on Raj Kapoor’s art and craft. The distinction between art and craft is best seen in a master’s work…the art being a flicker of inspiration, and craft is the perspiration in putting it all together and taking it to the desired audience. Rahul Rawail does an excellent job of presenting the unique combination of art and craft and sketches the portrait of Raj Kapoor who with all his talent and eccentricities devoted his entire life to cinema and kept his spirit intact amidst all the difficulties.The later part of the book is about the films Rahul Rawail directed and how his learning from Raj Kapoor held him in good stead. Once again his love and respect towards Raj Kapoor flows out of every word in these pages.The book is a must read for all movie enthusiasts and especially for the current generation who probably know Raj Kapoor as the grandfather of Ranbir Kapoor.

Raj Kapoor was without a doubt the greatest bolywood filmmaker. His understanding of how to narrative a story on celluloid is unparallelled.Rahul Rawails close proximity brings the Man aliveA must read

Good book for cinephiles, fans of Raj Kapoor and Rahul Rawail. Also contains interesting bits of trivia pertaining to Rawail 's films and the influence of the showman on his filmmaking. Worth a read

Insider view about the master Raj Kapoor about his body of work