Book Review:- Salman Khan: The Sultan of Bollywood

I still remember the posters of him I used to buy with my pocket money. So, when I got the opportunity to read his biography, I jumped at it. He is none other than Salman Khan, the undisputed Bhaijan of Bollywood, and the book is his newly launched biography, Salman Khan: The Sultan of Bollywood, by Mohar Basu.

About the Author

Mohar Basu is the Chief Correspondent at Mid-Day (Entertainment). As a film critic, she has reviewed numerous movies across various media. She has also authored Shah Rukh Khan, another biography of the Badshah of Bollywood.

About the Book

The book is about the rise of one of the Bombay Film Industry's most powerful icons. It takes a deep dive into the real person, beneath the larger-than-life persona he carries effortlessly. It is full of interesting anecdotes and lesser-known trivia about one of the nation's biggest stars, which have seldom been revealed. The book has a few details about his behind-the-scenes of shootings, his turbulent stage of life, involving him with the law and of course, a lot about his rooted and grounded upbringing by his parents. 

Review of Salman Khan: The Sultan of Bollywood:

First of all, the cover is very attractive. Well, honestly, anything with Salman Khan in it is bound to be appealing; such is his charisma. And every word of the book has justified this charisma in his real life as well. The author's direct approach and continuous flowing style have perfectly summarised the making of the star, despite a humble beginning in ads and a supporting cast in a heroine-oriented film.  Even when his first movie showcased the concept of love in a new way, the awards overlooked him, and all the credits went to his co-star. However, that did not stop him from garnering a huge fan following, especially among his undeniable female fans, which went on to become something that had never been observed before. He became the charming Prem, who is grounded by traditions and values, but at the same time did not shy away from flexing his muscles and going bare-chested. Heroes like Sanjay Dutt and Sunny Deol had already flaunted muscles before, but their characters were mainly laden either with grey shades or vengeance. We, the kids of the 90s, have seen how the younger male population started to hit the gym, and the author has duly credited this phenomenon to Salman's screen presence. 

The individual views of the audience also make the reading quite engaging. A biography of a huge star would have been incomplete and stale without the opinions of people who love him so much. It has also highlighted his differences with his co-stars and the media in general, with excerpts from a few journalists who were strongly opposed to him. What I enjoyed about this book, Salman Khan: The Sultan of Bollywood, is that the author maintained a neutral tone about the star, making it sound like reading about a real person with both his good and bad. There is no effort of hero-worshipping him nor portraying him entirely evil, despite his legal troubles.  The book is a candid representation of what goes behind Being Human. 

You can get your copy here.

The review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program.