Book Review: The Luminous Life of Jackie Chan Edited by Shyam Dua

When I was in school I remember watching Jackie Chan’s amazing movies. After reading this book I get an idea about Jackie’s struggles in the movie world. He surely did not become a star overnight.

Jackie Chan’s real name is Chan Kong-Sang. Born to underprivileged parents in Hong Kong he gets admission at Peking Opera School. Here students are taught traditional Chinese arts of performing, singing, acting, acrobatics and martial arts. He moves to Australia with his parents.

As far as his career his concerned, Jackie performs as child actor and later as a stuntman. Only later does he get lead roles in movies. Later he takes charge of duties ranging from producing to directing films. Jackie makes his films both funny and exciting at the same time. He also owns a stuntman company.

According to the book in Hong Kong only the blockbuster Jurrasic Park has surpassed at the box office. This account of Jackie Chan also includes an interview of him. In the interview Jackie believes he is like a bank. He collects and saves all his fans. They never go away. One of the last chapters of the book includes one on filmography and the other one is reviews on few of his films.

Changes in Jackie Chan’s life, his inspiration, struggle and his massive influence on films has been portrayed in very simple words this short book.

Read More

Book Review: Iqbal As I Knew Him by Doris Ahmed

This book is a first-hand account of a German lady who lives in Dr. Muhammad Iqbal’s house. She comes to his house after the death of his wife Sardar Begum. Doris looks after Allama Iqbal’s children and manages his house.

In the book the author mainly talks about Iqbal and the people around him. Doris discusses Iqbal’s daily routine, his clothes, servants, his house, children and his friends. The last five headings of the book are dedicated to Iqbal’s relatives. The author views Iqbal as a deeply religious person who leads a simple life. Nawab of Bhopal sends monthly stipend of Rs 500 to Iqbal. In addition to that Iqbal refrains from taking beef as it makes him ill. The reason Iqbal states is that his ancestors had been Hindu Brahmans.

 Iqbal cares a lot for his children Bano and Javed. He had married thrice. When Iqbal was on his deathbed he really missed Hakim Qarshi who was away in Hyderabad. He believed Qarshi could provide him comfort.

Furthermore the book includes about Javed’s growing up, going to Cambridge, coming back, getting married and having children. It also includes details about Bano and her children. There are about half a dozen pictures at the end of the book which includes author’s pictures with Iqbal’s family. This book reveals the relations of Allama Iqbal with his close friends and family.

Read More

Book Review: Lahore in the Time of the Raj by Ian Talbot and Tahir Kamran

This is an amazing book which provides an account of the interesting colonial period in Lahore. It gives the reader an insight to Lahore’s importance in South Asia.

Various connections/ networks of Lahore with other important cities of United India have been explored in this book. This connection includes Calcutta, Delhi, Bombay and Karachi. It does not end there. Areas such as Afghanistan, Arabia, Europe and North America have also had relations with Lahore. These linkages had social, cultural and economic characteristics.

The second chapter on the Darvazas and Mohallas reveals how the life of the city was influenced. The tourists/ travellers who visited Lahore shaped many elements in the city. All this is explained in great detail. Some of the poets, wrestlers, cricketers, politicians and academicians are also discussed.

Furthermore the consumption of foreign goods in colonial Lahore has been elucidated in a separate chapter. Both the British and those well off Indians shaped a pattern of consumption in Lahore. The route of pilgrims who travelled to Hejaz via Lahore has also been highlighted in the book. Others who visited shrines in Lahore and other places in India have also been mentioned. Migration in Lahore, Lahore’s importance as a city in the independence movement is also discussed in great detail. Official statistics have also been quoted from credible estimates.

Moreover establishment of educational institutions in Lahore by the British are also cited. Various prominent graduates of Islamia College, Government College and FC College and Punjab University have been briefly mentioned in this book. Examples include KK Aziz, Allama Mashraqi and Allama Iqbal’s educational years in Lahore.

Anybody interested in history of subcontinent or history of Lahore must read this book!

Read More