Libraries Of Leaders: The Books That Inspire Film Directors

1. Ram Gopal Varma

Ram Gopal Varma is best known for his gangster and underworld crime drama films. Satya (1998), Company (2002) and Sarkar (2005) were not only successful at the box office but also received critical acclaim for being well researched, intelligent, honest and thought provoking. In a candid chat with BloombergQuint, he shared a list of the books that that have influenced him and his films .

1. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Not surprisingly, Varma rates this as one of his favourite books. It chronicles the battle for power between five fictional mafia families operating in New York, and has been made into a movie trilogy. Varma acknowledged that Sarkar was his tribute to Puzo’s novel.

2. The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

An internationally acclaimed work first published in 1943, The Fountainhead has sold more than six million copies worldwide. It is the story of a young architect who has a new approach to a profession in which tradition is venerated. The battle between the individual and the collective is the dominant theme of this book. Varma said the book taught him the virtue of selfishness and the dangers of altruism.

3. Thus Spoke Zarathustra by Friedrich Nietzsche

In this book German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche uses the ancient Persian religious leader Zarathustra – who speaks in allegories and parables – to voice his thoughts on the human condition. It introduces a doctrine called Ubermensch or superman, and says that a human being must strive to attain perfection rather than worship it. Varma’s explanation for why it appeals to him is certainly a departure from the book’s sombre theme.

2. Mahesh Bhatt

Mahesh Bhatt, the maker of award-winning films like Zakhm (1998), and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), wears many hats. He’s simultaneously a director, screenwriter and producer. His films, through a career spanning more than four decades, have won commercial success and critical acclaim. In a free-wheeling chat, Bhat shared with us the books that have inspired him and his body of work.

1. The Lonely City: Adventures In The Art of Being Alone by Olivia Laing

The book is an exploration of what it means to be lonely in a big city and dwells extensively on how the lack of intimacy impacts human behaviour, what brings people together, and the impact of technology on our lives. The book also draws a connection between loneliness and creativity, which Bhatt finds particularly appealing.

2. Hope for Film by Ted Hope

Ted Hope is an independent film producer whose movies have received 12 Academy Award nominations. This book offers an insider's view into the business of film making, and the impact of corporatisation, technology, and social media on the industry. It also dwells on the challenges the business faces and the opportunities that continue to bring hope.

3. Fireflies by Rabindranath Tagore

This is a collection of proverbs and poems which Tagore collected on his journeys to Japan. The word ‘fireflies’ refers to a particular genre of short proverbs or poems thought to have originated in China and Japan, and traditionally written on a piece of silk. Bhatt said he found the collection moving.

3. Shyam Benegal

The octogenarian director is a Dadasaheb Phalke award recipient and has such critically-acclaimed films as Ankur (1974), Nishant (1975), and Zubeida (2001) in his repertoire. Film critic Madabhushi Rangadorai, better known as Randor Guy, describes Benegal as a maestro. In a recent interview with The Hindu, he shared some of his reading list.

1. Netaji: Living Dangerously by Kingshuk Nag

Benegal, whose 2004 film Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The Forgotten Hero, is an exploration of the life of the enigmatic freedom fighter, said the book addresses several interesting issues – what compelled him to leave the country, whether he really died in a plane crash or returned to India under an assumed identity. Benegal said that he appreciated the book's complete lack of factual distortion.

2. The Lost Generation: Chronicling India's Dying Professions by Nidhi Dugar Kundalia

As the name suggests, the book chronicles twelve professions in India which are slowly going extinct. These range from professional mourners or rudaalis to the bizarre task of street dentistry. Benegal said this was a book he was looking forward to reading.