Book excerpt: This book explores the careers of three creative men whose artistic and technical work was essential to the success of leading films of the day in India. It tells the moving stories of three family members: Vasant Desai (1912 - 1975); Sadanand Desai (1916 - 1985); and Mangesh Desai (1923 - 1985). In addition to documenting the historic contributions of the Desai Trio to the Indian film industry, Nilu Gavankar provides details about their professional lives that highlight their multifaceted talents. The personal approach of this book makes two especially significant contributions to the historical understand of the history of North Indian film. First, it describes the contributions of three immensely important participants in the film industry. Second, it presents background information that sheds light on the conditions that facilitated the extraordinary upsurge of creative productivity among Indian filmmakers in the mid twentieth century. By Prof. Michael H. Hoffheimer University of Mississippi School of Law Oxford, Mississippi, USA