Starlet Rivals

Bollywood Academy #1

by Puneet Bhandal

Twelve-year-old Bela has always dreamed about becoming a famous Bollywood star, and now the opportunity might finally be within her grasp. When a reality TV show gives her the chance to dance in front of the nation, she knows that she is performing for a place at the most prestigious stage school in Mumbai. Can Bela win the Dance Starz competition to score a place at the Bollywood Academy and move one step closer to her dreams of stardom? And will child star Monica, the most "in" girl at school, see her as a friend or a rival? Praise for Starlet Rivals "Bela dreams of Bollywood stardom – but can a girl from her less than privileged background have a chance of winning the national Dance Starz competition, and a place at a prestigious Mumbai stage school? A deliciously readable addition to the stage-school story canon for song-and-dance fans of 7+."― The Guardian , Children's Book of the Month "What follows is everything readers could want – dream come true film opportunities, stays in the most glamorous locations, new friendships and the tiniest hint of romance. Young readers who love Ballet Shoes or The Swish of the Curtain , or who dream of stage stardom, or those who just love stories with great characters in exciting situations, they’ll all devour this new series. Applause all round!"― LoveReading4Kids “Not only is the book bursting with glamour and excitement, it also has thoughtful messages about the perils of the limelight and the importance of doing the right thing. A delightful page-turner.”― Book Trust “Boarding school, betrayal and Bollywood glamour – this book has it all. The first in Puneet Bhandal's brand new series is a riveting, rapturous read that's every bit as captivating as a show-stopping Bollywood dance. I would love to see it screened either as a movie or a Netflix series.”― Paperback Snob

264 pages, Hardcover

Published September 13, 2022

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This middle grade novel written by Puneet Bhandal brings readers right into the world of Bollywood movies! Starlet Rivals tells the story of Bela, a girl who loves to dance and auditions for a reality tv show with the prize of attending a Bollywood Academy. She wins and ends up joining a group of young starlets like herself, all vying for a future surrounded in lights. This book is a great opportunity for readers to learn about the culture, including the Bharatanatyam dance style, and Bollywood movies, whether the readers are familiar with Indian culture or not. I think this is a great book for teachers wanting to diversify their classroom library, and for parents wanting to expose their children to new role models and diverse female characters. I would definitely recommend this book, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review it!

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading so many dystopian fantasies and books dealing with heavy subjects, it was delightful to read something filled with Bollywood fun. Serious issues of class differences and nepotism as well as bullying are actually central to the plot, but the focus remains on Bela's incredible adventure at Bollywood Academy. (Diversity doesn't include a discussion of caste unfortunately.) Totally predictable, this middle grade novel was perfect for an afternoon of escape to India and star-studded glitz and glamour, with a lovable main character who ultimately chooses character rather than revenge.

[Tianqi (Tessie) Zhao · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is about a story happening in an imaginary school of future movie stars—Bollywood Academy. Two girls, Bela and Monica, a talented dancer and a child star separately, are starlet rivals. Who will win? The talented outsider or the nepo baby insider? Though the Indian life in the book is quite unreal given that it is a country of severe poverty, the story is true in the entertainment industry all over the world—full of effort, honor, stress, laughters and tears.

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bela dreams of becoming a movie star in Bollywood, and hopes that her dance skills will win her a scholarship to the famous Bollywood Academy, where young students are trained as actors, dancers, and film crew. Her mother, a dance instructor, convinces her that she is good enough to enter the Dance Starz TV competition, and Bela submits an entry. When Bela dances, she feels supremely happy as if the entire world just falls away. But will her love for dance be enough to win the competition and the scholarship?

This was such a fun book! The plot is really interesting and I loved all the different characters. The best part of this book for me was learning more about the rich Indian culture, and seeing how Bela's sweet family interact and support each other. The writing is excellent and I love the world-building and all the details of the school!

I really loved Bela's character and her inner journey to find confidence in herself. She has a lot of doubts in the beginning, but she grows and begins to trust herself. She has a few good friends who encourage her, and gradually she learns that her abilities and skills have value. But most importantly, it is her good heart and her kindness that prove her worth both on and off the stage.

At first, I didn't like all the meanness in the rivalry plot line. The bullying and rude comments seemed really hurtful on both sides, but the ending made it better, and a valuable lesson was learned by all, so I liked it. I was glad to see character growth from a lot of the characters, and hope that continues through more of the series!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This frothy middle grade title gives readers a glimpse into the world of Bollywood, the Indian film industry. Twelve-year-old Bela Khanna takes advantage of her wild card entry to a dance competition to start on the road to stardom. Not only does she take first prize in the finals, but she wins a scholarship to the prestigious Bollywood Academy. But her dancing skills, looks, and charm may not be enough to secure a permanent position there especially as she catches the notice of Monica Kumar, whose father owns the studio. Although Monica is much better known than Bela, she resents Bela and her talent, especially when the gossip magazines highlight the differences between the two girls, one whose rise to fame could be attributed to nepotism and her family's position while the other one arrived at the Academy based on her dance skills. As Bela struggles to fit in and find her place, she is supported by new friends and allies, but she falters after a humiliating incident in which she thinks she has an offer for a Netflix series but there is no offer. Readers will love the descriptions of life behind and on the set for various shows while also appreciating Bela's growth and realization that she doesn't need to lower herself to pranks and cruelty in order to prosper. While I liked the story, the characters, and the drawings, Bela's path to success and acclaim seemed quite a stretch, and I doubted that this rise could have occurred so quickly. But then again, perhaps that's every aspiring young actor's dream, whether in Hollywood or Bollywood. Fans of the series will be eager for the next installment.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bela loves to dance – it’s definitely her happy place. In fact, she’d love to become a Bollywood star. When she learns that ‘Dance Starz’, an immensely popular reality TV show, is having a dance competition, she is all in. The prize is winning entrance to the famous Bollywood Academy. Bela wins, and is catapulted in the glitzy world of stars and stars-in-training.

This is a fun, immersive romp in India’s world of Bollywood movies and celebrity. Bela is even able to use her amazing dance skills to get parts in movies. It is fun, but there are difficult things about it, too. There is a movement to expose the rampant nepotism in the Indian movie industry, even as B.A. is filled with the children of movie stars. There is a corresponding mean girls problem – girls who deride “outsiders’ who don’t have any Bollywood cred. I enjoyed learning about the Bharatanatyam classical dance style, and getting a look at the Bollywood movie scene. Of course, the wonderful descriptions of food and famous places also added to the feel of really getting to know a part of Indian culture. At the front and back there are pages of black and white sketches, like social media images, that set the tone.

I felt that it strained belief that Bela rose so quickly to prominence in this immense industry. Some readers may have trouble with some of the Britishisms used in the text, such as ‘hoardings’ (billboards) and ‘revising’ (studying).

[Crystal Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Startlet Rivals is a fantastic book for middle-grade readers - my two children (8 and 10) absolutely loved it!
From the intricate description of the dance academy in Mumbai to the details of the lead characters, this book was honestly flawlessly written. I found myself gripped by Bela’s rollercoaster story throughout the book and I couldn’t wait to read the sequel, Melody Queen.
Growing up there was such little South Asian representation in media so I feel so thankful that my two girls can read a book they love so much about their heritage, their culture.
My eldest even told me she’s hoping they make it into a movie one day!

[Amarjit Chahal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book for my granddaughters and they both loved it.

We have always watched Bollywood films as a family and the girls were enchanted by being able to go behind the scenes for this series.

Highly recommended. It has nice descriptions of India, the movie business and important messages about kindness, rivalry, nepotism and more!

Love this series and can't wait for more.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay book. Tara was an annoying character.

[Severind Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one might've been a bit too young for me, which isn't normally something I say about middle grade. I tend to enjoy them all the same.

There were absolutely many things about this story that I liked. Bela was a likeable protagonist, with emotions, thoughts, fears, and behaviors that make the utmost sense for a 12 year old girl. I can see many other young readers relating to her for that reason. Her journey is inspiring, and while the road to confidence is often a struggle, Bela achieves a lot with this, and she makes it believable. Other young readers might find their own confidence through Bela, or feel compelled to reach for their dreams just a little bit more because of her success, and I love this book for that.

I also enjoyed the setting. I've always been fascinated by books set in India, and I really loved learning more about Bela's life and her culture, especially before all the glitz and glamor that came with her massive win on Dance Starz.

Most surprising to me was this books emphasis on nepotism in Bollywood. Being unfamiliar, I honestly had no idea that was a thing. But I suppose if it's anything like the west's Hollywood, then that makes plenty of sense. I'm not sure how much of that argument would appeal to children, but I liked how it brought this topic to my attention, and gave me, an adult, a little something more to be invested in and ponder.

Unfortunately, I think my main issues with the book have more to do with my being an adult reading a children's book. There is plenty of hurtful drama and bullying between Bela and Monica, and it was painful to read at times. Partly because I wanted to see Bela succeed, and sometimes kids can be so cruel. But also partly because as an adult, I can see where the lines should've been drawn, how certain situations could have maybe been avoided. Of course, these kids are in the Bollywood film industry, and I'm sure even if they were all adults, there would be plenty of drama. But seeing how things could have been avoided was a big thing for me.

Another thing was how quickly this book moved. Everything seemed to happen so fast. And honestly, I have no idea how accurate that is. Maybe things really do move that quickly in real life. But I had to heighten my suspension of disbelief just a little more, reminding myself that this is a story for kids and that it's meant to be fast paced and exciting. The dull parts, all the waiting that might've been had, wouldn’t have kept anyone's attention, least of all the targeted audience.

The ending also, admittedly, felt a little convenient. But I hope for the sake of younger readers that it teaches them a valuable lesson. That pointless rivalries, bullying, teasing, and arguing isn't okay. That we have to be accountable for our behaviors. That holding grudges can be just as harmful as well. There waa character growth, that much can't be denied. So even though it happened a little too conveniently for me, I think the story did exactly what it needed to so it could resolve the plot.