Rita Sharma

Mehboob Khan's 1957 epic family drama Mother India, starring movie legends Nargis, Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar, is a cornerstone of Indian cinema.

In her insightful study of this classic, Gayatri Chatterjee draws on new research in the Mehboob studio archive to outline the film's eventful production history, the ambitious vision of its director, and the performances of its stars. Rooted both in Hindu mythology and in the collective experience of a newly-independent nation-state on the brink of industrialisation and social change, this family melodrama inexorably towards tragedy and renewal. Chatterjee's careful analysis reflects the film's vibrancy and passion and illuminates its many aspects - performance styles, reception and reputation, mythological underpinnings, its relationship to India's post-Independence culture and politics, and its many references to the history of a country in transition.

This ghost story depicts a touching friendship that spans two different conflicts, cultures and countries. A lonely Muslim girl travels back to the time of the London Blitz and befriends a boy who helps her to overcome her problems at home.

In this delicious feast of Christmas short stories: Meet the man of your dreams in Italy. Get snowed-in in Scotland with an irascible but oh-so-attractive male author. See how a mix-up over a holiday booking can result in the happiest of Christmas Days. Join Katie Fforde and sample some of your favourite dishes and enjoy a few surprises, all collected here in one perfect story collection.