The Bollywood Beauty

by Shalini Akhil | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0143003623 Global Overview for this book
Registered by rapturina of Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on 6/16/2007
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19 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Saturday, June 16, 2007
Picked this book up at the airport in Singapore while waiting for a flight to Vietnam.

From the backflap:
"Kesh: born and bred in Australia; drinks at the pub; studies feminist theory; a fun-loving gal of Fijian-Indian background.

Rupa: born and bred in Fiji; scared to leave the house; makes own roti; the full-on 'Bollywood Beauty'.

When Rupa comes to stay with her cousin Kesh, it's a complete culture clash. And the chai hits the fan when Rupa has to decide between new-found passion and the ways of the past.

In this delicious and highly spiced novel, Shalini Akhil dishes up tears, laughter, music and food, with a truly scary dinner dance thrown in... and a final scene to make you laugh and cry."

Journal Entry 2 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Sunday, June 17, 2007
I really liked this book! It's a fairly fluffy read, but it does deal with some interesting issues like cultural identity and the choices one makes in life. It's well written (with a touch of Aussie slang that made me miss my time in Australia :D) and Shalini Akhil vividly brings to life the (Fiji) Indian culture - especially the food.

This book will be going into the world as a bookring - but with a twist! As Bollywood cinema is so prominently featured in this book and many people might have never actually seen a Bollywood movie, I thought it'd be a nice idea to include a DVD. So if you're curious about the type of movies they keep talking about in the book, you can watch one of the movies (or both) and review them in your journal entry. :D

The movies included (on a double DVD) are Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenghe and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Both feature big stars Shahrukh Khan and Kajol and were very succesful movies.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenghe is about two young Indians, Raj and Simran, living in Britain, who meet on a trip around Europe. They dislike each other at first but end up falling in love. However, Simran, who sticks to her Indian values, is sent to India by her dad to marry the guy she was promised to and Raj follows her, trying to convince her - and her family - she should marry him instead.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is about two college friends, Rahul and Anjali. Anjali falls in love with Rahul, but he has already fallen in love with someone else, Tina. Anjali is heartbroken and disappears; Rahul & Tina marry and have a daughter, but Tina passes away. The daughter finds out, through the letters her mom left behind, that Anjali used to be in love with her dad, and goes on a quest to find her and bring her dad and Anjali back together.

Please PM me to sign up for the ring!

Participants:

katayoun [in Iran, send anywhere - no dvd!]
hengameh [in Iran, no dvd]

BOKWORMY [in Portugal, send anywhere]
Elsita [in Portugal, send Europe]
okyrhoe [in Greece, send anywhere]
Sirah [in Finland, send Europe]
myntti [in Finland, send anywhere]
Penelopewanders [in Switzerland, send Europe]
chich [in France, send anywhere]
Plum-crazy [in UK, send anywhere surface]
k2005 [in UK, send anywhere surface]
kotus123 [in Germany, send Europe]
Moonwoolf [in Portugal, send anywhere]

kellyhp [in US, send anywhere]
KatieLindsay [in US, send US]
Erishkigal [in US, prefers sending US/Canada]
perryfran [in US, send anywhere, a few hops down the list]
azuki [in US, send US/Canada]
PRCS [in Canada, send anywhere surface]
Kimmi [in Canada, send anywhere]
kobie03 [in Canada, send anywhere]

Izzati [in Malaysia, send Asia/Australia]


frangipani08 [in Australia, send anywhere surface]-----> here!
helocin [in Australia, send anywhere]

Journal Entry 3 by rapturina from Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland Netherlands on Tuesday, June 26, 2007
The book is in the mail to Katayoun as of this morning!

The plan has changed a bit to get around the Iranian postal system: apparently dvd's aren't allowed to come into the country. Katayoun has the movies I intended to send though, so she will make a copy and that copy will travel along with the book when she's done with it. However, if her copy doesn't work for some reason, let me know and I can send you the original that I have (that makes no mention of regions anywhere, so I assume is region free).

Because a lot of people have joined this ring, please pass on the book and the movies within an acceptable amount of time (i.e. a month or so), so everyone gets a chance to participate!

Enjoy! :D

Journal Entry 4 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Tuesday, July 3, 2007
tra la!!! :) the book is here and it's amazingly fast (and they didn't open the parcel!! :)) so i've got one and half books before this (or i might cheat a little bit and read this on the side!!) thanks rapturina for making this ring possible.
(and the dvds are ready to be included!!! :))

Journal Entry 5 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Tuesday, July 10, 2007
this is fun, i really enjoyed the parts describing the indian get togethers, the food descriptions and also you could just see everybody milling around and the craziness. in addition to fun descriptions, i liked both girls rupa and keshini (though i must say that i didn't understand them all that much sometimes :) but then it could be that i don't understand young people nowadays :)) still the book is finished and i miss these people. thanks so much rapturina and i'll be handing this book over to hengameh this friday.

Journal Entry 6 by katayoun from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Friday, July 20, 2007
and it's handed over to hengameh with the two dvds and one additional "mohabbatein", it contains some the holi festival (the bollywood version, still interesting!) and so thought that might be fun also.

Journal Entry 7 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Sunday, July 22, 2007
i got the book and started it.thanks for sharing.

Journal Entry 8 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Monday, July 30, 2007
the book was a nice one.i really enjoyed reading it.thanks for sharing.

Journal Entry 9 by Hengameh from Tehran, Tehran Iran on Sunday, September 23, 2007
unfotunately, i couldn't post the movies. but the book is on its way to bokwormy. katayoun is going to do me the favour of posting the movies with another book to bokwormy.
sorry for the incovenience.

Journal Entry 10 by BOKWORMY on Monday, October 1, 2007
Thanks hengameh for posting it over and rapturina for sharing it with me :)
Please note: I just received the book but not the DVD

I´ve got a few bookrings before this one but I´ll try to be as quick as possible.

10/10 - I´ve received the 3 DVD´s today thanks hengameh for sending them over with the lovely book :)


Journal Entry 11 by BOKWORMY on Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Sorry to you all for taking sooooo long :#

A highly enjoyable book that bought me back to my adolescence :) being from Melbourne myself I was able to just imagine the places which the author talked about. How I miss those dinner dances!

Pming next person on the list.

Journal Entry 12 by BOKWORMY at on Monday, December 17, 2007

Released 16 yrs ago (12/17/2007 UTC) at

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On the way to Elsita in Portugal!

Journal Entry 13 by Elsita from Almada, Setúbal Portugal on Wednesday, December 26, 2007
And it's with me now... I mean, the book and the 3 dvd's! Thanks, BOKWORMY!
Happy New Year to you all!

Journal Entry 14 by Elsita from Almada, Setúbal Portugal on Tuesday, January 8, 2008
I adored Kesh's and Rupa's stories, besides the fact that they were hard to understand...maybe because they don't even understood themselves.
Had to go and went to eat some indian food, the descritions made me have desires of it! And I was lucky, because while I was reading the book, I saw a documentary about the History of India, as well as documentaries about indian food. Not so lucky with the movies, I only was able to see Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, my dvd player couldn't read the others :((

Thank you so much, rapturina, for this ring!
On it's way to okyrhoe, as soon as I get the adress.

Journal Entry 15 by okyrhoe from Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Thursday, January 24, 2008
Arrived today. Thanks rapturina for including me in the bookray and elsita for posting it to me!

I look forward to the weekend, when I can cook some Indian food, put the DVD in the player and then get to the book. I'll try to save the second film for after the book, but don't know if it's possible! A very close friend of mine happens to be the world's most devout Shah Rukh Khan fan; it appears that SRK films are highly addictive ;-0

Journal Entry 16 by okyrhoe from Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Thursday, January 24, 2008
BTW, best wishes for 2008 everyone!

Journal Entry 17 by okyrhoe from Athens - Αθήνα, Attica Greece on Tuesday, February 26, 2008
This is a light and fluffy read but unlike some commercial titles you aren't left in the end with a sense of having wasted your time with a formulaic story. Shalini Akhil's prose flows nicely from past to present, and we get a three-dimensional view of the main characters. Also, some hyphenated-Indian writers tend to go overboard on the descriptions of 'exotic' cuisine and customs etc but here the dramatic tension (cultural identity, post-teenage rivalry, mother-daughter relationships, etc) remain firmly the main focus of the narrative.

For a different approach to the theme, I recommend (un)arranged marriage by Bali Rai.

Shalini Akhil on Bollywood
Her writer's blog.

---
Added April 7 -- A not-so-successful 'Hollywood meets Bollywood' production, My Bollywood Bride.

Journal Entry 18 by Sirah from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Thursday, March 6, 2008
Got it, thanks everyone!

Journal Entry 19 by Sirah from Helsinki, Uusimaa / Nyland Finland on Friday, May 23, 2008
Enjoyed the book! Rapturina send me the original of the movie Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, since the copies did not work. It´ll be enclosed in the envelope.

Thanks a lot for sharing!

I´ve contacted Myntti for the address.

Journal Entry 20 by myntti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Thank you! The book and the DVDs are here.

Kesh: born and bred in Australia; drinks at the pub; studies feminist theory; a fun-loving gal of Fijian-Indian background.

Rupa: born and bred in Fiji; scared to leave the house; makes own roti; the full-on 'Bollywood Beauty'.

When Rupa comes to stay with her cousin Kesh, it's a complete culture clash. And the chai hits the fan when Rupa has to decide between a new-found passion and the ways of the past. In this delicious and hightly spiced novel, Shalini Akhil dishes up tears, laughter, music and food, with a truly scary dinner dance thrown in...and a final scene to make you laugh and cry.


***
16.6.2008 I've now watched all three films and I'm going to read the book over the weekend.
***
14.7.2008
I finally finished reading the book! I've PM'd Penelopewanders for address.

Journal Entry 21 by myntti from Tampere, Pirkanmaa / Birkaland Finland on Friday, July 25, 2008
This was a nice introduction to Bollywood films - I liked the films that are travelling with the book and if I come across more Bollywood films, I'll probably watch them. The book on the other hand... well, it didn't grab me at all, so I more or less forced myself to finish it. I guess The Bollywood Beauty could be categorized as 'chick lit' (sort of), and I'm not a fan of that genre, so that might be the reason why I had trouble with it. Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this type of book right now. :-) But as I said, I did enjoy watching the films. Thank you for the ring, rapturina. The book and the DVDs are now on their way to Penelopewanders.

Journal Entry 22 by wingpenelopewanderswing from Saint-Loup-des Vignes, Centre France on Monday, August 11, 2008
These (the book and the DVDs!) arrived safely while I was away, and now I have quite a few rings which have rolled in more or less at the same time... I'm preparing an EFL course with the theme of India for the fall (for teenagers) so this will be a nice continuation of my other reading... Thanks so much for sending, I'll try to get this read, the films viewed, and all sent on within a reasonable amount of time.

Journal Entry 23 by wingpenelopewanderswing from Saint-Loup-des Vignes, Centre France on Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Here as a ring, with Bollywood DVDs galore!
I really enjoyed this story about a Fijian Indian living in Australia and making her way between tradition and finding her own way, with a little detour into "sibling" rivalry. Very funny, and well-written, and an interesting insight into this culture. We watched one of the DVDs (Kuce Kuce..)but my kids won't let me put another one on... (we don't have many film viewing options in our house, so each film is subject of much debate and compromise...)
Fun though (and the kids did stay all the way through until the end even though they had threatened to leave before it started). Thanks so much for making this available, a really good read.

Journal Entry 24 by wingpenelopewanderswing at Bookring, .---controlled release---. Switzerland on Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (8/20/2008 UTC) at Bookring, .---controlled release---. Switzerland

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This is now on its way to France, with all the DVDs... enjoy, and thanks so much for making this great book available! A real delight.

Journal Entry 25 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Monday, September 1, 2008
Book & DVDs received this morning, thanks so much for passing them on penelopewanders (*loved* the postcard too, merci beaucoup!!). Thanks for hosting this ray rapturina, I think this is going to be a lot of fun:-]

Journal Entry 26 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Sunday, September 7, 2008
I'll have to agree with myntti here, this book was too "chick lit-like" for me and it just didn't interest me at all, although I did finish it;-) I haven't yet had time to watch any of the DVDs so I've copied them all so as not to hold the ring any longer:-) Thank you so much for sharing rapturina! Although I didn't enjoy the book I think the DVD + book combination was a great idea:-)

I already have Plum-crazy's address and will be sending her the book & DVDs tomorrow:)

Journal Entry 27 by chich from Ibiza - Sant Antoni de Portmany, Illes Balears/Islas Baleares Spain on Monday, September 8, 2008
Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Book sent to Plum-Crazy today, enjoy!




Entry #33 for the 2008 Keep Them Moving Challenge.

Journal Entry 28 by wingPlum-crazywing from Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Thursday, September 11, 2008
The package arrived this morning - thank you so much for including me in this ring - it looks like fun!

I've a book to finish then I'll start on this. I think I'll watch a DVD this afternoon....it will make doing the ironing so much more bearable :o)

Journal Entry 29 by wingPlum-crazywing from Brighouse, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 16, 2008
I found this an okay read. The relationship between Kesh & Rupa didn't really grip me & the way everyone fawned over Rupa put me off her! However, I did love hearing about the traditions & customs such as Holi.....& I loved reading about the food :o)

As for the DVD's, I spent a lovely 3 hours watching "Kuch, Kuch, Hota Hai" - I had a laugh & a giggle....& it even bought a tear to my eye!

I haven't watched the others &, as I'm going away for a week & don't want to hold the ring up, I'll have to give them a miss :o(

Thanks for sharing this rapturina-a great idea & good fun!

Journal Entry 30 by wingPlum-crazywing at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (9/17/2008 UTC) at By mail, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases

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On it's way to K2005

2008 KEEP THEM MOVING CHALLENGE (#59)

Journal Entry 31 by k2005 from Oxford, Oxfordshire United Kingdom on Sunday, September 28, 2008
i received this last weekend and read it straight away. i'd had a terrible week and this was an enjoyable easy read to curl up under my duvet with. i'll watch the dvd's today and pm kotus123 for her address.

Journal Entry 32 by k2005 at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom on Saturday, November 1, 2008

Released 15 yrs ago (11/1/2008 UTC) at -- Controlled Release, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- United Kingdom

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finally on its way to moonwoolf! hope you enjoy it.

Journal Entry 33 by Moonwoolf from Azambuja, Lisboa (distrito) Portugal on Thursday, November 6, 2008
And here it is. :D
I have several books to read before this one, i hope not take so long.
I will say something when a finish read. Thank you for sharing and sending.

23 April 2009=> I apologize for taking so long with this book, i have started reading today, and will send this very soon.

13 July 2009 => Have finished reading a month ago, but didn't had an answer from the next member. So i try to contact the next one...

19July 2009 => No one answers me... Its been difficult to contact someone, i 'll try azuki..

20July 2009 => Have an address! Hope that you enjoy as much as i did. Although i was not able to see the films, my dvd didn't read them... But i liked very much of this book. Now it will go to the other side of Atlantic Ocean.

Journal Entry 34 by Moonwoolf at Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal on Monday, July 20, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (7/21/2009 UTC) at Lisboa - City, Lisboa (cidade) Portugal

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Happy travel little book :D On your way to Erishkigal, Texas USA.

Journal Entry 35 by wingerishkigalwing from Salt Lake City, Utah USA on Thursday, July 30, 2009
wow--years later, here it is! since I signed up, not since moonwold sent it~~I thought it arrived very quickly from Portugal. Thanks for sending it on! And for the Lisbon postcard!! I look forward to watching and reading!!

Journal Entry 36 by wingerishkigalwing from Salt Lake City, Utah USA on Friday, August 14, 2009
I just now finished the book, and I really enjoyed it! I'm not at all a chick-lit fan, so maybe what appealed to me was the immersion in a culture so totally unlike my own. I loved that! Hey, I can't even imagine all that family gathering-- even my extended family is miniscule, and i'm much more accustomed to being alone than with others, let alone hordes of others--overwhelming! And all the talk of food....mmmm I am sooo in need of an Indian-food-fix now. Maybe this weekend, and I can start the films.....
I must add that it wasn't just food and culture; I enjoyed the interplays between the characters, and found them well done. Near the end, I was afraid it was going to degenerate into trite cliche, but fortunately, it did not.

Thanks for sharing this, rapturina, and thanks all who have sent it along. It will probably take me a few weeks to watch the films--I'll journal again after--

Journal Entry 37 by wingerishkigalwing at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Utah USA on Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (10/13/2009 UTC) at -- Mail or by hand-rings, RABCK, meetings, Utah USA

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I'm finally getting this on it's way to perryfran! What absolute fun the films were! I watched "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai " twice, the copy, I could never get the original to play. uh-oh, now that's it's been awhile of busyness, I'm not sure which of the other I was able to play....I think it was "Dilwak ....." the other I tried on my dvdplayer, and computer, but couldn't get it to work. Interesting, I detest American "Romantic Comedies," but found these so much fun that I'm in search of Bollywood flicks in SLC! Thanks so much for this cultural exchange!!


confirmation # 0309 0330 0001 7631 5355

Journal Entry 38 by wingperryfranwing from Elk Grove, California USA on Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Received in the mail today - finally - after waiting many months for this one. Thanks Erishkigal for sending this on along with the DVDs and rapturina for starting this ring. I hope to get to this soon but have a couple in front.

Journal Entry 39 by wingperryfranwing from Elk Grove, California USA on Monday, November 2, 2009
I really enjoyed this story of Indian life in Australia and Fiji. When I first signed up for this bookring, I was thinking it would be about a Bollywood actress in India and the Bollywood film industry. Instead, the story was about young Indian people living in Australia with a Fijian background who used to act out scenes from Bollywood movies when they were young. The novel really immerses you into Indian culture including the large family gatherings, food, celebrations (such as Holi, the Hindu festival of colors), as well as the young people's lives and Australia's pub scene. The story of Kesh and Rupa, along with their friends Ash, Raj, Vir and Dave, was quite enjoyable and I was drawn to how their Indian background was interwoven with modern life in Australia.

I did get the DVDs to play (one DVD was dirty and after cleaning it played OK) and watched some parts of the movies; however, the length of these epics made it a little prohibitive to watch them all. Thanks rapturina for sharing this experience. I have azuki's address and will get this (including the DVDs) in the mail to her today.

Journal Entry 40 by wingperryfranwing at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada on Monday, November 2, 2009

Released 14 yrs ago (11/2/2009 UTC) at Bookring/Bookray, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- Canada

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Mailing to azuki in Miami, Florida. Enjoy!

USPS DC# 0308 0660 0000 7783 5760

Journal Entry 41 by wingAzukiwing from Miami, Florida USA on Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Found this arrived at my door step a few days ago but hardly had time to journal till now, after three trips in three weeks. This week I will be busy attending and volunteering at the Miami Book Fair so hopefully next week I can get down to start reading the book and watching the video.

Journal Entry 42 by wingAzukiwing from Miami, Florida USA on Thursday, December 17, 2009
The story is not as fluffy as I thought it may be, which was good. An interesting introduction of the lives of Fuji Indians in Australia. I also enjoy tremendously the DVDs included, and the healthful flush of my tear ducts as a result. Kajol is especially cute as a college tomboy, though I didn't like Shahrukh Khan - afraid I was too annoyed by his character in the start of Dihwale that there was no redemption.

PRCS wishes to skip, so I will contact Kimmi and send the book and DVDs on.

ETA: Book and DVDs were mailed on 12/30. Sorry for the delay but I wanted to avoid the holiday crowd at the post office.

Journal Entry 43 by Kimmi from Kelowna, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Yay! This arrived today. I will read it once I finish my current book. I am also looking forward to watching the movies. Thanks for letting me be part of the ring.

Journal Entry 44 by Kimmi from Kelowna, British Columbia Canada on Wednesday, January 20, 2010
This was a quick and light read although not a hugely enjoyable one. I found Rupa and Kesh to be frustrating characters because their moods changed so quickly (often in one page from hatred to giggles).

I did really enjoy learning more about East Indian culture and tradition.

I already have kobie3's address and will get this in the mail this weekend, after I have watched a Bollywood movie or two. Thanks for sharing rapturina.

Journal Entry 45 by Kimmi at Kelowna, British Columbia Canada on Saturday, January 23, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (1/23/2010 UTC) at Kelowna, British Columbia Canada

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This is being sent to kobie3 today.

I watched the first movie on the double DVD last night with my husband, mom and step-dad and we had a good laugh. Certainly a different style from what Hollywood produces! We thought the movie was over after 1.5 hours but no, it announced intermission and then continued for another 2 hours!! Light entertainment!

Journal Entry 46 by kobie03 from Lewins Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada on Friday, February 5, 2010
Book and DVD's arrived today. Thanks. I'm away for a few weeks awaiting a new grandchild so it may be a few weeks before I get to read the book and watch the films.

Journal Entry 47 by kobie03 from Lewins Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador Canada on Friday, February 26, 2010
Enjoyable quick read. I liked how it explored East Indian cultures and traditions and its impact on kesh and Rupa,two university students in Australia, the family gatherings, the food, the dances and the girls self-discovery as to the best way of life for them. I didn't watch the DVD's because of time available. I'm welcoming a new Grandson and was busy watching him.
Thanks for sharing, rapturina.

Journal Entry 48 by kobie03 at Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada on Friday, February 26, 2010

Released 14 yrs ago (2/26/2010 UTC) at Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada

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mailed to frangipani08

Journal Entry 49 by frangipani08 from Brisbane, Queensland Australia on Friday, May 21, 2010
Arrived a couple of days ago - what a lovely surprise to come home to. Just the thing for a cool Autumn day! Thanks Kobie03.

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