SOUTHASIA Online

Any book on a colossal figure can only do justice to the person if it is worthy of him or her. Tested on this touchstone, the coffee table volume on the finest female singer of the subcontinent Lata Mangeshkar... in her own voice - Conversations with Nasreen Munni Kabir is in keeping with the stature of the superstar of film music in the subcontinent. In so far as her popularity is concerned Lata is to South Asia what Umme Kulsoom was to the Arab world.

A London-based documentary filmmaker and author, Kabir has done some invaluable work both for the print medium (books and articles for prestigious journals) and television. The volume under review appeared many years after the much applauded six-part documentary that she made on Lata Mangeshkar in 1991 was aired by Channel 4 TV. In 2008 the writer decided to update her previous work by doing a book on the thrush-throated singer, with her participation, of course.

From a businessman and cricket commentator to a government employee and a quiet diplomat must have been like a metamorphosis for Jamsheed Marker. To borrow his favorite expression, it was a real "chiaroscuro." Here he was his own boss, rubbing shoulders with all kinds of people and at his leisure, giving an eloquent running commentary on the game. There he was in the straitjacket life of an employee, who must choose his words and his contacts with care and discretion.

Indeed, Marker had a taste of this change soon after joining his new calling when he was invited to give his last commentary and was pleasantly surprised to discover that he had to have prior permission from the "competent authority" for the engagement. And, to obtain the permission, he was required to answer a long questionnaire as well as submit a copy of the "script" of his "speech" to which he must adhere. (He got the permission anyway and without hassle.)