Guns and Thighs by Ram Gopal Verma is a collection of
anecdotes that takes you on a brief tour into the behind-the-scene world of
Bollywood. Verma, while working as a director, has seen many upheavals in his
own career as well as those of others. He is surprisingly honest, often
merciless when it comes to criticizing himself. He attributes the success of a
film to the cast and crew whereas if it flops he puts the burden solely on the
director. In Guns and Thighs he looks back and vivisects every success and
failure in his life. He explains why an experimental film like Satya(1998)
became a cult, whereas Aag(2007), a
remake of another cult film Sholay(1975),
flopped. He often philosophises about the career in film industry. He has been
associated with Bollywood for a very long time. During this, he has witnessed as
many meteoric rises to fame, as he has observed rapid declines into oblivion. While
discussing the precariousness nature of film-business he mentions Basu
Chatterjee, a very famous director best known for classics like Chooti Si
Baat(1975), Chitchor(1976) and Khatta Meetha(1977). Ram Gopal Verma sadly
observes that to the present generation of actors Basu Chatterjee is not a
familiar name anymore. Even those who have heard his name, aren’t interested in
doing films with him.
In Guns and Thighs, Ram Gopal Verma remarks that he thinks
hits are as much part of Bollywood as the flops. Flop, as he sees it, is nothing but a decision gone wrong. A
flop, however can teach plenty that a hit won’t. It is imperative that you
learn from your mistakes. Verma’s narrative about his personal life is candid.
He makes no attempt to prevaricate about his fascination about the underworld.
He doesn’t fail to mention that he was once arrested on the charge of piracy.
Unlike many filmmakers who import concepts from abroad and conveniently forget
mentioning it, Ram Gopal Verma frankly admits the influence of Mario Puzzo’s The
Godfather(1972) in his own movie Sarkar(2005).
He also minces no words in mentioning his admiration for Sridevi, whom he considered
a woman of ethereal beauty. He expressed his disapproval about reducing such a
great actress to an ordinary housewife. He says he is unable to forgive Boney
Kapoor for bringing that angel down from
heaven to such an ordinary, humdrum existence.
Though Guns and Thighs by Ram Gopal Verma comes in the shape
of a memoir, the book gives you important revelations on success. Behind every
anecdote there is a definite conclusion – a philosophy, a life lesson. “Just as a man’s physical survival depends
on his own effort,” says Verma, “His
psychological survival depends on his own mental effort and any effort at the
end of the day has to be directed.” I believe his attitude towards life is very
much influenced by Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. His early life was an
uphill battle that he survived because he believed in himself. He believed in
his vision, so much so that people who worked with him believed in it too. It
will hardly surprise me, if someone mentions Guns and Thighs by Ram Gopal Verma
as a motivational book instead of a biography.
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