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Off the Record
In a journalist’s career, the best stories can seldom be published…
Veteran journalist Ajith Pillai’s colourful career spanning nearly three decades has taken him from the murky underworld of Bombay to the icy heights of Kargil; yet, the reports he has written are only half the story. Now, for the first time, the ‘off-the-record’ experiences that never found their way to print are presented in this witty and engaging memoir.
Beginning with a call from a furious Chota Shakeel, Dawood Ibrahim’s right-hand man, asking him to retract a story on ‘Bhai’ or face the consequence, Ajith takes the reader on a journey that sees him guide V.S. Naipaul to meet the ‘boys’ from the underworld; follow the sensuous Silk Smitha around Bombay on a New Year’s eve; witness the first shots of Operation Vijay during the Kargil War; track, along with a colleague, a Brigadier accused of high treason across the country; stumble upon embarrassed Congressmen in Kamathipura, Bombay’s red-light district; discover who was actually pulling the strings during Vajpayee’s tenure as PM; and coordinate the coverage of the multimillion dollar Scorpene submarine scam and the sensational Radia tapes.
Written with Ajith’s trademark wry humour, these real stories, often more entertaining than fiction, are a testament to a journalist’s life, as well as a comment on the changing nature of the effervescent Indian media.
Veteran journalist Ajith Pillai’s colourful career spanning nearly three decades has taken him from the murky underworld of Bombay to the icy heights of Kargil; yet, the reports he has written are only half the story. Now, for the first time, the ‘off-the-record’ experiences that never found their way to print are presented in this witty and engaging memoir.
Beginning with a call from a furious Chota Shakeel, Dawood Ibrahim’s right-hand man, asking him to retract a story on ‘Bhai’ or face the consequence, Ajith takes the reader on a journey that sees him guide V.S. Naipaul to meet the ‘boys’ from the underworld; follow the sensuous Silk Smitha around Bombay on a New Year’s eve; witness the first shots of Operation Vijay during the Kargil War; track, along with a colleague, a Brigadier accused of high treason across the country; stumble upon embarrassed Congressmen in Kamathipura, Bombay’s red-light district; discover who was actually pulling the strings during Vajpayee’s tenure as PM; and coordinate the coverage of the multimillion dollar Scorpene submarine scam and the sensational Radia tapes.
Written with Ajith’s trademark wry humour, these real stories, often more entertaining than fiction, are a testament to a journalist’s life, as well as a comment on the changing nature of the effervescent Indian media.
- GenresNonfictionPoliticsIndia
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
8 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 31, 2020
Extremely partial in details. He mentions about Bombay riots but choose to talk about only Hindu mobs, strikingly silent regarding Muslim violence.He covered kashmir in 1995 but deafeningly silent regarding kashmire pandits masscare and exodus which taken place just two years before.And about 1993 Mumbai blast he says "allegedly" done by dawood.I wasted my time on this book.
March 3, 2016
"Off the Record" is a collection of memoirs by Senior journalist Ajith Pillai of “Outlook” magazine. In today's world where news travels faster than light, it was interesting to read about the times when there were no mobile phones or the Internet and the length and breadth at which a journalist had to go to get his story to his editor. Mr. Pillai has clearly been in the thick of things because he had covered every big story there is from the underworld, Mumbai bombings, Kargil war and huge political scams and scandals of the times. The book even though covers some complicated topics is surprisingly a very light read. Witty in places, sarcastic in others most of the stories are the ones that my generation of Indians grew up with, so it makes an eye-opening read. There is no over dramatic story telling, no false claims and no name calling Mr. Pillai keeps his language unpretentious for the reader to follow keeping one engaged and curious to read more such stories.A good book to read for the children of 80s and 90s who want to get an insight behind how the real India made and captured news.
September 8, 2014
Ajith Pillai recounts the most dramatic of his experiences as a reporter in an understated and light style."Outlook" has always been my most favorite newsmagazine and to read the stories behind the actual news stories in "Outlook" makes for fascinating reading.From a phone call from Dawood Ibrahim to witnessing the auction of a cine star's bikini,Ajith Pillai has lived a heady life as a journo and he makes us enjoy his variegated experiences as much as he did.
August 19, 2014
A senior journalist's candid account of things as they happen in his career never gets boring. More so if they include off the record events. And what I liked more about Ajith Pillai's book is that he takes up the crucial issue of media ownership without resorting to unnecessarily preachy dialogues but exhortations to not discourage but equip the editors and reporters of the future.
January 3, 2017
The book gives a candid account of the 25years spend in the adventurous profession of journalism. People interested in history of India from 1980 will find this book interesting.
June 30, 2019
A concise read for anyone interested in the 90's. Ajith is a traveling journo who wrote with a keen mind and a transparent hand. Very few times have I come across an author comfortable with their personality ups and downs and it shows in how he remembers tackling his adventures whether it was talking with the Dubai Mafia, or jostling with LTTE discussions or even losing his wallet on a packed bus. This is an interesting book indeed!
February 20, 2018
This book is an account of a journalist covering the entire country with snippets through his career sharing some chilling. and mind boggling encounters, reminds us of how murky things can be. From politics to underworld, he throws light on topics which a common man wouldn't really never know. At times funny and thrilling at the same time, it sure is a must read.
June 14, 2023
A fantastic read for anyone who wants to know the details of a successful journalist's career
September 6, 2024
Don't expect an unbiased look into India's political changes from a left leaning journalist.Expect that ,the evolution of journalism has been well explained.
October 24, 2016
A collection of very interesting, non-interesting, trivial, and engaging adventurous stories from the life of Ajith Pillai as a journalist for 28 years in India, who worked in Bombay to Madras to Delhi. The tales include him getting a threatening call from Chota Shakeel, taking V S Naipaul to a gangster team for the research of his new book, witnessing and reporting the terrible 1993 riots in Bombay, the obsession of Indian parents in making their children cricketers, witnessing the Kargil war and the adventures in Kashmir, tracking down various people and exposing the truth behind national scandals and corruptions, little features done on matters ranging from legalizing cannabis to reporting about a bunch of Aussies in Madras cleaning public toilets to a slum where people make money by selling kidneys to witnessing the side effects of banning liquor in Andhra Pradesh in Mid 90s, interviewing various remarkable people like Dr.Varghese Kurien and Sunil Dutt, and some trivial stories like participating in an auction where Pooja Bedi's Bikini and likes were bid by a curious audience.
The book has got some remarkable stories, and opinions by the author, all the while providing a rough idea about what was happening in the country during the 90s and 2000s. Eliminating some of the insignificant tales, the book is otherwise an intriguing read for sure.
The book has got some remarkable stories, and opinions by the author, all the while providing a rough idea about what was happening in the country during the 90s and 2000s. Eliminating some of the insignificant tales, the book is otherwise an intriguing read for sure.
February 10, 2016
|Three and half stars| As mentioned in the caption of the title, this is a book by a veteran journalist about those stories which either were not pubished or had some interesting background to be shared. People who have interest in history and societal activities will find 'off the record' a thorough and insightful read. Others may get bored from the book, because of different taste and not because of poor content. Ajith Pillai has written a gripping and exciting book recounting his journey through his career. One could but feel the excitment of exploring the truth whilst reading his accounts. He has covered many stories and that has been possible because he has kept the details to be precise and information to be concise. His reporting from J&K , to his time in New Delhi, to his reporting of Silk Smita's New Year event (or not), to his interview with the erudite Dr V Kurien, to his insight on Congrss' 90s debacle, to his sharp observation of Mumabi riots after 1992, Pillai has shared best of his journalist experiences.
Special mention for the language used and must be applauded. This is a great read for those who wish to look back to the history of India and get nitty-gritty details of few events who get just passing mention in current times.
Special mention for the language used and must be applauded. This is a great read for those who wish to look back to the history of India and get nitty-gritty details of few events who get just passing mention in current times.
June 24, 2016
An excellent behind the scene accounts of various stories done by Ajith Pillai as a journalist. We read magazine articles, some we like and some don't but behind every article or story there is quite good amount of efforts and some time life threatening risks taken by the journalist writing these stories.
In the memoir Ajith has shared his memories about some of the fascinating stories he has done and sometime we also get to know what was not published and why.
In the memoir Ajith has shared his memories about some of the fascinating stories he has done and sometime we also get to know what was not published and why.
November 13, 2015
The author has covered most of the significant events from 1980s to 2014.The author appears to endorse his mentor the late Shri Vinod Mehta s pro congress views.(I don't intend to say that journalists should walk over a tight rope,after all they too are a part of the general public which is affected by the decisions of the ruling party. Exceptions-the likes of Mr Vir Sanghvi,Barkha Dutta etc.
April 11, 2015
Starts off like a thriller, but - in the end, it tapers down a bit.
Still, a good read if you are interested in the evolution of print media - in India - in particular
and
media, in general.
Still, a good read if you are interested in the evolution of print media - in India - in particular
and
media, in general.
Want to read
September 2, 2015A book that documents stories behind news stories. told from the perspective of journalist who did ground breaking work in different genres of journalism. a must read.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews