As editor of the most powerful film magazine of his time, Baburao Patel was loved and loathed, respected and reviled in equal measure. Known for his larger than life personality, his acerbic writing style, his brutal reviews and the wild popularity of his question and answers column, Baburao angered the powerful of the industry. They called him a blackmailer and worse. But for millions of readers of Filmindia spread across the world, he was a hero-they lapped up the magazine as soon as it hit the stands every month. In contrast to Baburao's rough and ready ways was Sushila Rani, whom he married after much wooing. She was not just younger by over 16 years, but also highly educated and refined. She was a fine exponent of classical Hindustani music and well versed in the arts. It looked like a complete mismatch. Yet, she moved in smoothly into his turbulent life and proved to be invaluable in steering the magazine to even greater heights. In the 1940s and '50s, Filmindia was a name to reckon with not just within the industry but also in public life. Baburao's growing interest in national politics and eventual foray into electoral politics gave the magazine a high profile. The story of these two fascinating characters and the magazine they published is the story of an India long gone. Through the pages of Filmindia one gets to see the emergence of not just the film industry and its iconic stars but also an India shedding off its colonial yoke and becoming an independent nation. From Devika Rani to Indira Gandhi and from Dilip Kumar to Pandit Nehru, they are all here in this remarkable story.