Balham to Bollywood

by Chris England

For most actors, the idea of going to India for eight weeks to act in a Bollywood epic shot in the middle of the desert would send them scurrying back to their agent asking for some other work. Chris England was given just a part, he was to play a cricketer in a British Army team playing against a small Indian village over a hundred years ago. At home Chris runs his own cricket team, so for him this wasn't just work, he felt he was representing his country. This is a cricket tour diary with a difference. Chris charts the progress of the film from his audition in a London park to the film's release 18 months later.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, India

350 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I have lived all the Lagaan experience. As a new but issemediable Lagaan and Aamir Khan fan, I couldn't not read this book, and I actually enjoyed it! It completed the experience by complementing the documentary, I learned new things and many others in general I felt it as an extension of the film itself.
So, Lagaan the movie, Madness in the Desert documentary and this book is the whole paquet.

[Les Dangerfield · Rating 2 out of 5]

Truth be known, I only read half of it. In some respects an interesting view of what it's like to be a minor actor in a Bollywood film, but otherwise disappointing. The writing style is not generally engaging and the writer shows little understanding of/empathy with the Indian culture which he finds himself in - it's more as if he has transplanted his own UK culture to India.

[Adviti · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Sharmili · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laugh Out Loud hilarious Book. The book is about the very English behind the scene account of the cricket cast of the movie Lagaan. The character Yadley to be more specific. This book is meant for all Cricket lovers (who have a sense of humor), Bollywood fans (Ammir Khan fans to be more specific) and travel lovers.It gives a detailed account of how they got selected for the movie (they are all actual cricket players from England from the team England XI), how they made it to Bhuj and how they acted their parts! Funny Funny Funny.......
It takes you through the entire making of the movie Lagaan with dialogues from the movie in the start of each chapter.
Bhuvan - We are coming together to form a fist... : )

[Ankur · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very as-it-happens account of the shooting of Lagaan from the eyes of a bit actor who happened to be visiting India for the first time... It is filled willed with little nuggets which keep u smiling, and discloses enuf home truths to make u feel slightly embarrassed. after all Lagaan is 1 of the most popular and well made hindi films in our generation!

Must read if you are interested in non glorifying accounts of the hindi film industry :)

[James Farrant · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book about filmmaking in India and a fair bit about cricket, and it is the latter that attracted me to read it. Nowhere near as funny as some seem to find it, but interesting and amusing. I shall have to watch the film that the making of constitutes the bulk of this story.

[Sunne · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to reread, but now I think I can part with this book.

[John Grinstead · Rating 3 out of 5]

Possibly the ultimate dream for any cliub cricketer who loves the game and happens to be a jobbing actor...make a film about cricket!! Really enjoyable.

[Kate Millin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A diary about an actor called England who goes to India to take part on a Bollywood movie called Lagaan including cricket. Interesting and different