There are some for whom life is not a mere existence but a journey of evolution and revelation. These are people who don’t ‘settle in’ or stay in their comfort cocoon. They welcome new challenges in the quest to define and redefine life, weave stories of awe and admiration, leaving behind trails for others to follow.
One such individual is Ram Kamal Mukherjee. A scribe par excellence, Ram’s life palette is filled with myriad vibrant hues, almost as beautiful as a butterfly.
Ram, post his journalistic journey, turned a storyteller in the Indian television space (co produced Zee TV show Bin Kuch Kahe) and now is making headlines for writing a biography on dream girl of Indian cinema, Hema Malini. And guess what? None other than Hon. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written the foreword of the book titled Beyond The Dream Girl, published by Harper Collins, which will see its official launch tonight at an event to be held in a suburban hotel in Mumbai.
So why a biography on Hema Malini? “I don’t think anyone else in Bollywood is as multifarious, multi-talented like Hema Malini. Movie star, bharat natyam expert, film director, she was of the first movie stars to enter TV space acting in a 13 episode series back in 80’s, later she got into politics and what not… so her life curve is so inspiring. There is a lot to talk about Hemaji which is why the biography is a great read,” shares Ram with IndianWikiMedia.
So in the growing digital era, are books still relevant? “Well, yes times have changed. People are reading books less but we will have copies available on Kindle and have audio books version, but books will always be special and reading is a good habit. So relevance is still there, certainly.”
Talking about the journey of writing Beyond The Dream Girl, Ram says, “Let me tell you, I have already written a coffee table book on Hemaji back in 2005 titled Diva Unveiled. Many are getting confused and comparing the two books. The coffee table book was more pictorial and captured the moments in Hemaji’s life. The biography has good pictures but is more content driven, textual and depicts her life holistically. Remember, it’s a biography and not an autobiography. So it’s Hemaji’s life told through the prism of my eyes. I have spoken and interviewed people who are close to her and documented her journey. The process has been enlightening but to convince Hemaji to do it was a challenge. However, at the end it’s all good and I hope you all will like it.”
There is not an iota of doubt about it.
Versatile as ever, so what does Ram like more, reporting, writing or producing content? “Well, I have had my tenure as a journalist and now exploring other avenues. I am keen in the space of production, motion pictures et al. I have already produced a TV show and soon new announcements will be made. So, fingers crossed.”
For the uninitiated, diva Deepika Padukone will also grace the launch event.
“Deepika is one of the sweetest persons I have known. We have shared a cordial relationship since a long time. So, when I and Esha (Deol) were ideating on who should be part of the event, we thought of Deepika. Hemaji is a superstar and so is Deepika. The fit is perfect. Her upcoming Padmavati is looking stunning. Deepika is extremely fond of Hemaji and when I reached out to her, she agreed and said ‘would love to be a part of this for Hemaji’. Really grateful to Hemaji for being so supportive and gracious and also to Deepika for taking time out from her busy schedule and attending it. I am hopeful and upbeat that the book will become a bestseller and people will like it.”
Well, whatever Ram touches turns into gold. On his big day, IndianWikiMedia congratulates him on the achievement and wishes him success. Go grab Beyond The Dream Girl: a must read for all.