Book on legendary filmmaker Basu Chatterjee to hit the stands on March 23

A new book on the life and times of veteran filmmaker Basu Chatterjee, which will take readers behind-the scenes of his films such as Chitchor, Sara Aakash, Khatta Meetha and Baton Baton Mein, is set to release on March 23.

The book, titled Basu Chatterji: And Middle-of-the-Road Cinema, is written by award-winning author Anirudha Bhattacharjee and published by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).

Touted to be the quintessential 'middle-of-the-road' filmmaker -- a genre that he founded in Bollywood -- Chatterjee began as a cartoonist in a tabloid. He changed his career path after assisting Basu Bhattacharya in the Raj Kapoor-Waheeda Rehman starrer Teesri Kasam.

His cinema was progressive for the times, unhurried and a slice of everyday life -- about conversations over cups of chai and romances blossoming in public buses, trains and office buildings.

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"The book celebrates the work of one of the most underrated, yet successful, film-makers in Hindi cinema. It places Basu's cinema and television work in the context of the changing times, like the emergence of Rajesh Khanna, Kishore Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, the Emergency, the return of Sarat Chandra's stories, the introduction of disco and the decadent phase of Hindi cinema in the 1980s," the publishers said in a statement.

Chatterjee's cinema popularised actors like Vidya Sinha, Amol Palekar and Zarina Wahab in his movies that revolved around the day-to-day life of the middle class.

He famously gave off-beat roles to stars of the era be it Amitabh Bachchan in Manzil, Rajesh Khanna in Chakravyuha and Anil Kapoor-Amrita Singh and Amjad Khan in Chameli Ki Shaadi.

He also directed Ek Ruka Hua Faisla, Kamla Ki Maut, Chhoti Si Baat, Rajnigandha, Swami, Baton Baton Mein and Shaukeen.