Vendor
	Mohrbooks Literary Agency Sebastian Ritscher
Categories
Children’s, Teenage & Educational

MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE

Nisha Sharma

MY SO-CALLED BOLLYWOOD LIFE by Nisha Sharma, a humorous, multi-cultural teen romance about Winnie Mehta, Bollywood film groupie who’s dumped by her boyfriend Raj via Facebook status as senior year begins.

Winnie Mehta knows what she wants and how to get it: run the Princeton Academy film club and chair the annual Princeton, NJ student film festival on the road to becoming her generation's Roger Ebert for Bollywood. For Winnie, movies aren't just entertainment, but a lens through which you can choose to see the world. It's all going according to plan until her boyfriend, Raj, dumps her--in a Facebook status!--just before the start of senior year, putting an end to their agreement to share club and festival leadership. When her dreams are threatened by the conniving ex, Winnie isn't afraid to get just as crafty. With the help of Raj's rivals, including the handsome and talented Dev Khanna, Winnie works to sabotage Raj's plans and reclaim festival chair. But as the fight gets dirtier, Winnie risks being so busy keeping her dreams that she forgets to live them. My So-Called Bollywood Life is a multicultural romance with wide crossover appeal. Set in one of the largest Indian diaspora communities in the US and in an arts high school prone to more drama and dance sequences than the Indian film industry, MSCBL evokes the spirited plotting and character sketches of cult film favorites like Mean Girls and Election, while introducing readers to some of the glossiest Bollywood classics--neon spandex unitards and all. A graduate of Muhlenberg College and Hofstra School of Law, Nisha Sharma is the national YA book columnist for Examiner.com. In the process of completing her MFA from Wilkes University, she leads workshops at national and regional publishing conferences. My So-Called Bollywood Life placed first for YA in the Connecticut Romance Writers' 2013 The Write Stuff contest. A vivid and natural storyteller, Sharma presents a charming and energetic portrayal of the bumpy trail towards adolescent self-actualization through a unique and complex protagonist, the warm joy of family and tradition, and staying-true-to-yourself romance.

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Book Published 2018-05-15 by Crown Books for Young Readers

Comments

Full of heart, culture and laughter! This sparkling story left me smiling for days.

The romance that blossoms between Winnie and Dev is sweet, if predictable, creating a satisfying story with a layer of dramatic intrigue offered through Winnie's genuine concern over whether her fate is predetermined or of her own design.

Charming, romantic, and super sweet. Contemporary fans will fall hard for Sharma's debut.

My So-Called Bollywood Life is An NPR Best Book of the Year! A RITA Award Winner for Best Young Adult Romance!

Those less familiar with the genre maybe a little overwhelmed by the movie details that sprinkle the text. But there's lots of big-picture elements to appreciate here: a strong, winsome heroine; a solid supporting cast, including family; and a romantic triangle that rivals any Bollywood plot. And, of course, for some readers, this will be just the ticket to Bollywood.

The book has already been optioned for film: Producer Susan Cartsonis (AQUAMARINE, BEASTLY,) has optioned the title for filmmakers Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda-Berges (BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM; ANGUS, THONGS AND PERFECT SNOGGING) to adapt. Cartsonis, Chadha, and Mayeda-Berges will produce together through their companies Storefront Pictures and Bend It Films. Chadha is currently working on the London West End stage musical adaptation of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM.

The perfect timepass for both the Bollywood-obsessed and filmi (melodrama) novices.

Bollywood fans will appreciate the high-drama tropes and self-referential jokes, and newcomers will be tempted to explore the genre for themselves. A delightful and humorous debut.

I could not put this book down until the very last page!