Saeed Mirza

This book gets one extra star just for engaging writing style. It was so engaging that I read 2 pages at a bookstore and decided to buy it. Then I wanted to sleep on my early morning flight but didn't - it was captivating enough that I'd finished 3/4ths of the book in the flight itself.

The author Saeed Mirza is director of popular TV serials such as Nukkad and has also directed movies like 'Albert Pinto ko Gussa Kyun aata hai?'. His book is addressed to his mother who was interested in knowledge and democracy while she was alive. The book is a compilation of various vignettes from author's personal life, his childhood, some bits on history and culture, stories (I loved the story of Nusrat Beg. Saeed Mirza is very much interested in beginnings of Moorish, Arabian and Islamic culture. Icons such as Kemal Ataturk, Ibn Senna, Ibn Rush etc. occur again and again. His pain at demolition of Babri masjid and 9/11 comes alive clearly in the book. He also highlights the story of some individual individuals/social workers from various parts of India Some sad, others heartbreaking.

All in all I had great time reading the book. What's more, book ends with a (new) film script that is atatched at the end of the book.… (más)