Capturing Bollywood in images

Launched by Amitabh Bachchan, Bollywood In Posters is a celebration of poster art in Hindi cinema.

It is the first collection of around 200 posters of all the classics spanning 80 years of Hindi cinema, along with their credits, popular songs and interesting anecdotes, with the oldest film’s poster in it being that of Alam Ara, India’s first talkie film dating back to 1931.

Besides host Ajay Mago and writer S M M Ausaja, celebrities like Gautam Rajyadhyaksha, Rahul and Dimpy Mahajan, Sufi singer Sahil Multy Khan, pioneer poster painter Prithvi Soni, Charanjeet Singh and Saurabh Shukla also graced the occasion.

“I began by collecting posters of Amitabh Bachchan’s films over 20 years ago, starting with his film Kaalia. And now, to have Mr Bachchan himself launch my book is a great honour,” said Ausaja.

As a token of his gratitude, Ausaja gifted Amitabh Bachchan an extremely rare two-sheet poster of the latter’s iconic film, Deewar from his mind-boggling collection. 

Amitabh Bachchan said, “S M M Ausaja has taken upon himself the most tedious and worthy cause, that of the preservation of Hindi cinema’s history. Posters have been an integral and the most important medium in the realm of information and marketing of films.”

Bollywood In Posters is soon to be followed by the screenplay of the phenomenally successful film, 3 Idiots.