This volume traces the growth of the indigenous Hindi film hero from the silent era up to Dilip Kumar. The film hero is depicted as a credible representative of the social, cultural and political milieu of his era. The author contends that the development of Hindi cinema as a powerful expression of popular culture has been largely centred round the frontal figure of the hero. In the course of the narrative, the subject matter presents a compact history of mainstream Hindi cinema by placing personalities, events, and trends in specific time frames.

Author Biography

Ashok Raj is one of the world's leading critics of Hindi cinema.