Jessica Hines

This book is such a complete waste of time. Written by a woman who is more famous for allegedly giving birth to Aamir's child.

This book is completely misleading to the reader who hopes to find something about BigB.Instead what reader find is endless litany of complaints on how no interviews are being granted by BigB, he is so busy, there is also suggestion of BigB's manipulation that he shows troubled side so that you think I have to be his friend now, interview will be later. Even on page 231, 253 (book is only 286 pages), same complaints go on. Considering someone spent so much time with Amitabh,you would think she would come up with some insight that we don't know before. Some new stories, and not complaints.

Also, all Bachchan references and info have been heavily borrowed from other existing sources. Now point being, if that is all you are going to do - regurgitate all that already exists, why write new book?

In the name of getting Hines point of view of 'looking for BigB', what we get is - numerous references of being sucked in pollution in Bombay (wasn't this your choice, why complain over and over?), mosquitoes in rooms in Pune, reading Sebald, some snippets of conversation with Aamir (okay, what relation is to the subject of the book. Or the fact he kneeled at your door to play practical jokes - some name dropping, eh?!), I-am-Cornish-so-I-don't-understand-why-Indians-think-rains-are-romantic and so on.

By end of book I was very exasperated, frankly neither am I a great Amitabh fan, nor I think rains are romantic but reiteration of same ideas common from expats of a particular country over 283 pages was irritating. Esp when title of the book has set different kind of expectation.

I really wonder why Bloomsbury would publish such an aimless rambling and cribbing from a lazy author who seems to little to recommend herself in her writing - with an obvious lack of perception and new thought. I am not surprised why BigB never like first or second draft.

My advice - just stay away from this book. Don't buy even if it is dirt cheap since I have suffered by making that same mistake. :|… (meer)