Rukshmanii Kumari

In her second book, award-winning actor Divya Dutta recounts her experiences with some of the stalwarts of Bollywood who played a significant role in her film journey. She talks about the inspirations they have proved to be in her life through what they did for her and what she learnt from them. From winning an acting scholarship with Sonali Bendre to sharing a vanity van with Juhi Chawla and her bond with Shabana Azmi, she tells it all with rare candour and humility. Her interactions with stars like Irfan Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakeysh Mehra and many more shows not only the deep impact they had on her life but also how that defined the trajectory of her own career.

The Global Desi: Reflections on Home and Away was born out of Sundeep Bhutoria’s newspaper columns and blogs chronicling his travels across the globe and his observations on matters that affect all our lives. Divided into three sections — Food & Travel, Social Issues and Literature — the columns take readers on an exciting journey of discovery — of places and people, with India at its very heart. Be it a quirky café in Brazil or a glimpse of Rajasthan in Rome, be it a commentary on social etiquette (or lack thereof) during a pandemic or behind-the-scenes notes on the largest literary festival in the world, this book informs, amuses and provokes in equal measure.