115. A new way of reading books and Bollywood tidbits

Just to clear that I do not endorse any product or make you buy something for my gain.  If I find something that looks or feel good, and I am able to enjoy the benefits, I just share it with you so that you may also use it and enjoy the benefits.  Like I had mentioned earlier in my blogs about how to watch movies for free in theaters every month, how to get free food at airport lounges and other such blogs.  Please feel free to try it and then only go for any of my recommendations.  There are lot of good deals available in the world, one should just know where to find it😊!!

I already have a subscription that gives me access to more than 1000’s of magazines and newspapers across the world.  I have also shared the subscription with some of my relatives and friends who are also using the same subscription it to read the magazines from their homes😊.  I pay just Rs 999 per year and can access all these magazines on my devices, be it on iPad, Android Tablet, mobile or PC!! 

Recently I came across a new and a cheaper way of reading books😊.  Cheaper than buying and reading😊.  I normally download books and read.  Some of the books are difficult to find as they might have got released very recently.  Sometimes they are not so readily available even after scouring the internet.  Due to this, I just lose interest and forget about the book, till suddenly one day I realise that I have missed that book!!

Recently I found out about the Amazon’s “Kindle Unlimited” scheme.  They charged me Rs 199 and gave me a three months’ subscription wherein I can download any book in this category and read it.  And of course, they have more than a million books under this category, in different languages too!!  The only catch is that, at any given time, I can have only 10 books in my “download” section. Once I have read the book, I can always “return” it back and download the next one😊.  After 3 months of usage, they will charge me Rs 165 or so, per month, if I want to extend the subscription.  Please note that all the books available in Amazon is not available in Kindle Unlimited😊!!

I was under the impression that these books could be read only on a Kindle.  Of course, I have a Kindle😊.  But they have apps for Android and iPad’s too, wherein your library can be downloaded on these devices and you can read it just like a book.   For the past week or ten days, I have been reading books on a daily basis.  I downloaded some books for my mother and my wife too.  I read on Android tab, my mother on iPad and my wife on Kindle😊!!  So, no fighting as to who gets to read and when😊😊!!  You just need an Amazon account, not the “Amazon Prime” one😊, and are good to go😊!! You just need an internet connection to download the book in your device and can later read the book in your device without an internet connection. Happy reading!! 

The Bollywood tidbits are from the books that I read through Kindle Unlimited!!

Here are some Bollywood tidbits that I learned from reading the book on Kishore Kumar and from the Making of Don (Amitabh’s and not Shahrukh’s😊)!!

Kishore Kumar was the first choice for playing Rajesh Khanna in the iconic film, Anand.  At that time, Kishore was not interested in acting and wanted only to sing songs.  When the director insisted that he would be the hero, he went and got himself bald!!  The director had no alternative other than to look for another star and zeroed on Rajesh Khanna😊!!

Kishore had 4 wives, of course at different points of time😊.  He used to jokingly refer to all of them as “Bandariyas” (female monkeys) as all of them were residents of Bandra😊 in Mumbai!!

Kishore Kumar agreed to act in Padosan because of his friendship with Mehmood.  When Sunil Dutt and Mehmood saw the rushes of the movie, they immediately felt that Kishore had acted better than both of them in the movie, even though Kishore’s character was a supporting actor!!  They had some of their scenes reshot so that they could perform better.  But when the movie released, they knew that people came to see only Kishore in the movie, for repeat screenings😊!!

During the song recording of the iconic “Ik Chatur Naar Badi Hoshiyaar” song, Manna Dey thought that he will be able to sing better than Kishore.  While the song was being recorded, Manna Dey was singing “Naach Na Jaane Aangan Teda…. Teda… Teda… Teda….” Just then Kishore started singing “O Tede, O Tede, Arey Seedhe Ho Ja Re, Seedhe Ho Ja Re”.  Immediately, Manna Dey looked at RD Burman, the music director, to convey that this line is not there in the song.  RD Burman requested him to continue the song and let it be recorded😊.  Later Manna Dey agreed that Kishore brings his entire soul into the song and not just sing whatever he is told to😊!!

Amitabh Bachchan’s Don was completed and ready for release when the director showed the movie to his guru, the legend, Manoj Kumar.  Manoj Kumar mentioned that the 2^nd half is very racy and there should be a song fitted in.  And that is how the iconic “Khaike Paan Banaraswala” song came into the movie!!  Don was supposed to be released without this iconic song that made the movie what it is😊!!

Same thing happened for the “Yeh Mera Dil” song of Helen and Amitabh.  Manoj Kumar saw the song and then said some story should happen in the song otherwise the song does not convey anything.  So, the director fitted the story that during the song, Helen would empty the revolver of the bullets😊!!  Most of the changes in shooting in Don took place then and there.  Either someone improvised or the director got the idea then and there and shot it!!

For one important scene’s shooting, they found that Zeenat Aman will not be available for the shoot as she was busy with Dev Anand’s film shoot.  They shot the scene without her.  And later added a dialogue in the movie where Amitabh tells Iftikhar to ensure that Zeenat Aman is not present in that meeting😊.

Earlier, it was decided that the climax will have lots of bullets flying around and it will be a total carnage, as it was a gangster movie😊!  Someone mentioned that it will not look nice to show so much violence.  Later it was decided to shoot the climax with just one “red diary” and everyone fighting to get the possession of it!! This climax proved to be the icing on the cake for the movie😊!!

And lastly, Pran was paid the highest amount as remuneration for the movie😊, much higher than Amitabh or Zeenat Aman, the lead pairs of the movie!!

Cheers until next time!!

Today’s Daffy Definition

Modern Wife – One who knows what her husband’s favourite dishes are and what restaurants serve them!!