Bombay Talkies: An Unseen History of Indian Cinema

- Rare behind-the-scenes photographs from personal archive of cinematographer Josef Wirsching - Seeks to situate a film pioneer back into the history of Bombay cinema - Select images of cast and crew, production stills, and publicity images from early days of Indian cinema - Brings to light the historical and imaginative value of Wirsching's photographic archive Ever since cinema became a popular medium of mass entertainment, audiences have been intensely curious about life and work on a film set. How are films made, we have wondered, hoping that first-hand knowledge of a film set will explain the hold cinema has on us. This book presents rare behind-the-scenes photographs from the personal archive of the cinematographer Josef Wirsching, a pioneer of Indian cinema. Most of these photographs were taken in the 1930s and '40s when Wirsching was employed at the legendary film studio, Bombay Talkies Ltd. The essays by a variety of scholars and film historians help us understand the historical and imaginative value of Wirsching's photographic archive. Shot across film sets and outdoor locations, the images comprising of the cast and crew, production stills, and publicity images from the early days of Indian cinema show us that history, and cinema itself, is a vital ongoing project. Published in association with The Alkazi of Collection of Photography, New Delhi.