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The Maker of Filmmakers
How Jagat Murari and FTII Changed Indian Cinema Forever
by Radha Chadha
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Book Presentation:
When Jagat Murari, a young film student in post-war America, finds himself at the feet of one of cinema’s true giants—Orson Welles—during the making of Macbeth in 1947, the lessons he absorbs on that set will shape not only his future, but also the future of Indian cinema. Returning to a newly independent India, Jagat goes on to build the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) from the ground up.
In The Maker of Filmmakers, Radha Chadha offers an intimate and meticulously researched portrait of her father—a celebrated documentary filmmaker—and the iconic film school he built. With uncanny consistency, FTII turned out top talent—the likes of Shabana Azmi and Jaya Bachchan, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Subhash Ghai, and other cinema legends. His alumni became the leading actors, directors, cinematographers, sound designers and editors of Bollywood and beyond. They spearheaded the Indian New Wave, kickstarted regional language cinema, and helped usher television into the country.
How did Jagat go about making such extraordinary filmmakers? What was his secret formula? With unprecedented access to Jagat’s diaries, letters, personal papers and over 100 interviews with alumni and colleagues, Radha Chadha leads us behind the scenes, and into the mind of a visionary who reshaped Indian cinema, even as he grappled with its many challenges.
A gripping tale of ambition, adversity, and artistic brilliance—richly illustrated with rare photographs—The Maker of Filmmakers paints a vivid picture of one man’s unwavering belief in the transformative power of cinema, and how his determination helped turn Indian cinema into the global powerhouse it is today.
Set against the backdrop of some of the landmark events and characters of the last century, this is biography and cinematic history at its best.
About the Author:
Radha Chadha is an author, columnist, speaker and one of Asia’s foremost experts on marketing and consumer insights. Her book The Cult of the Luxury Brand: Inside Asia’s Love Affair with Luxury became a bestseller and the go-to book for understanding luxury in Asia. With two decades of experience at top advertising agencies, including JWT, Ogilvy, Grey and Bates Asia, she has helped shape the strategies of major global brands. In 2000, she founded her own brand consultancy based in Hong Kong, focusing on Asia’s evolving consumer landscape. For over a decade, Radha also wrote a widely-read column for Mint, one of India’s leading business newspapers. She holds an MBA from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a BA from St Stephen’s College, Delhi. Radha grew up on the campus of the Film and Television Institute of India, where her father, Jagat Murari, guided a generation of filmmakers. She now lives in Dubai with her husband.
Press Reviews:
Mr Murari was a guardian figure to us. Mr Murari at FTII fostered purpose, discipline and artistic growth and we were fortunate to study under his tutelage and guidance. His recommendation to Mr Hrishikesh Mukherjee launched my film career, for which I am eternally grateful. -- Jaya Bachchan
See the publisher website: Viking
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