27 October, 2015

#BookReview :: Made In India by Biddu

About the Book:
As a child, Biddu dreamt of going west and making it big as a composer. At the age of sixteen, he formed a band and started playing in a cafe in Bangalore, his home town, At eighteen, he was part of a popular act at Trinca's, a nightclub in Calcutta devoted to food, wine and music, At nineteen, he had college students in Bombay dancing to his music. 

In his early twenties, he left the country and ended up hitchhiking across the Middle East before arriving in London with only the clothes on his back and his trusty guitar. What followed were years of hardship and struggle but also great music and gathering fame. From the nine million selling "Kung Fu Fighting" to the iconic youth anthem of "Made in India" and the numerous hits in between. Biddu's music made him a household name in India and elsewhere. 

In this first public account of all that came his way: the people, the events, the music tours and companies Biddu writes with a gripping sense of humor about his remarkable journey with its fairy tale ending. Charming, witty, and entirely likable, Biddu is a man you are going to enjoy getting to know.


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My Review:
I am not very much into reading autobiographies but someone made me pick this one up. And I am glad that he did.

When I think of Biddu, the song Made in India sung by Alisha Chinai instantly popped into my mind. I was in school back then when this album made it huge! It was in a way my introduction to Indipop music. And so it is no wonder that Biddu’s name reminds me of that album that had 10 amazing songs and in a way, this book is also aptly named as ‘Made in India’. 

Born and brought up in South India, Biddu was enamored with music from a young age and soon formed a band called Trojans that played at clubs in quite a few cities of India. What is interesting though is the fact that Trojans was most probably one of the first English bands in India. But that did not last and as his bandmates found their own ways, Biddu’s conviction in his path was strong. He left India with a guitar, three pounds in his pocket and a dream to make good music. The journey was certainly not easy, but his determination and diligence forged his way through a lot of hurdles and betrayals. As a result he did finally make a breakthrough and slowly climbed the ladder of success.

What I liked about this book the most is the author’s very witty and self-effacing narration style. Somehow he would make the simplest of situation seem interesting and funny. His sense of humour is not your forceful or poke-you-till-you laugh kind; instead it is one that genuinely makes you smile while reading. The second thing that shines through the book is the personality of the man himself. A reader will find it easy to relate to him and even feel like that they know the person closely. The author has struggled a lot right from his early years and so it would have been easy for him to put on airs once he achieved the kind of success that many can only dream of. Instead he has stayed very rooted and his narration of both his struggle and glory remained balanced through his narration. The book gives us a look into not only his professional life, but also his personal life as well – and there too a perfect balance has been maintained.


You know how people often tell you that if you have a dream and you are ready to work hard for it without giving up, then success will be yours eventually? Biddu is a live example of it. I admired his belief in himself and his talent, the way he kept on moving forward no matter how many doors were closed on his face and simply how he just did not give up! His passion and obstinacy is truly admirable. 


Review Copy received from Read Out Loud

About the Author:
Biddu was born in India, where he started his career playing in a pop band whose influences lay in the classic repertoire of the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Following his early success, he decided to hear West and move into the international music arena. He struck gold, signing the unknown Carl Douglas and producing "Kung Fu Fighting?" which went on to become a hit all over the world. He also wrote and produced hits for Tina Charles and soul legend Jimmy James. 

Around this time, Biddu became involved in Indian music: he composed the cult "Aap Jaise Koi" for the film Qurbani which set a new landmark for sales in India He followed this up with a pop album, Disco Deewane, with Nazia Hassan, which became the largest selling pop album in Asian history, and was the first Indian album to hit the charts in fourteen countries. In 1995, Biddu wrote and produced the three-million-selling album Made in India with the singer Alisha Chinai. To date, Biddu has sold over thirty-eight million records worldwide.


For more details on Biddu, Visit the Wikipedia Page



Giveaway:

- 1 Gift Voucher : $10 Amazon GV or INR 500 Flipkart GV (Winner’s Choice)
- 1 Signed copy of Curse of the Godman by Biddu
- Paperback copy of Made in India by Biddu

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