Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva review: A page-turner fashion bible!

Resham Sengar

Title: Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva; Author: Kareena Kapoor, Rochelle Pinto; Publisher: Shobaa De Books by Penguin Books India 2012; Pages: 269; Price: Rs 699 Have you ever wondered what it is to live the life of a diva or a top Bollywood actress? Do you aspire to be the belle of the ball you are invited to? Is pleasing your man and being the center of his attraction of supreme importance to you? If the answer to the above questions is in the affirmative, then the `Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva` written by Kareena Kapoor, has the best advice in its pretty pages. In her debut book, co-written by fashion journalist Rochelle Pinto, Kareena has doled out some really practical advice on fitness, beauty, fashion and relationships. The book is divided into four sections. The first section traces Kareena`s journey from a free spirited ‘chubby chica’, Bebo, to a Bollywood hottie we know her to be today. The actress writes at length about her middle-class upbringing, her acting dreams, her debut step towards filmdom, and how she gradually transformed herself into a top shot actress that she is today. She has enlisted a complete diet chart of hers and some tips for eating right, with utmost honesty. This is one section that everyone should look forward to reading if losing excess weight is what you are striving for. Kareena then moves forward to guide readers on how to ace her iconic on-screen looks like a pro. In this part of the book, she shares some of her golden rules of buying that right pair of denims, how to choose the right kind of denim for your body shape, the brands you can opt for, and denim faux pas that you should steer clear of. The rest of the pages of this section cover advice on choosing and stocking the right T-shirts, shirts, dresses, jackets and how to care for your clothes, how to dress right for your job, hand bag essentials, dressing-up for the red carpet or any special event, and even some wholesome advice on winter wear and Indo-ethnic dresses. And, if you are a bride-to-be, one of the bridesmaids or are gearing up for a wedding party, then fret not, as the book has some pages replete with A to Z guide on how to go about planning the wedding and other nitty-gritties. Since marriage is a serious affair, and for someone who is clueless from where to start the preparations, this is one chapter that would give you good direction. Being a frequent traveller, Kareena has packed on some pointers essential for a smart traveller. There are tips that the star has picked from her years of experience on the jaunt. The rest of the chapters of the book are dedicated to lingerie basics, shopping online like a smart cookie, and beauty care fundamentals. The last section is an ode to Saif and Kareena`s love saga. Additionally, there are some grooming tips for the men, gifting ideas and relationship strategies listed in good sense. This part could have been skipped; but since the chapter is a window to know the mysterious world of men in a better way, we are not really complaining. With its pros well in place, the book is not sans the glitches. Although this style diary is something rather novel in the Indian non-fiction book market, yet not all that is written in it worth writing home about. The book would make Kareena`s fans happy while hardcore fashionistas or those who regularly pore over the pages of fashion glossies might find the advice cringe-worthy. Kareena`s tone in the book is very diva like, and must say that at time it sounds like she is blowing her own trumpet by talking highly about her professional achievements etcetera. And yes, the continuous Manish Malhotra name dropping does get a bit too much. More than twice in the book, Kareena talks about Manish`s creations. Okay Bebo, we know how much you like MM, but that does not imply that you force us to draw back by singing his praises. Overall, the book could prove to be a collector`s item if you are not too familiar with fashion and dressing high-street. But more than the gyaan that Kareena has dished out in the book, it is the tid bits on her personal life, especially the parts where she talks at length about her romance with Saif Ali Khan that make for an interesting read. And by the bye, did we mention that it was Salman Khan who indulged little Bebo`s kiddie fantasies the most? Wanna know more such facts? You know what you have to do, right? Rating: 3/5