Yasser Usman

Yasser Usman was born in the 1980s in Delhi.{{Cite web |title=Yasser Usman |url=https://penguin.co.in/book_author/yasser-usman/ |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Penguin Random House India |language=en-US}} After finishing his schooling in several cities of Uttar Pradesh, he moved to Delhi to attend the University of Delhi and the Ramjas College, graduating with a Master of Science degree in environmental studies at the latter. He subsequently joined the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, training as a journalist for radio and television.{{cite web |url=http://www.yasserusman.com/more-about-yasser/ |title=More About Yasser |website=YasserUsman.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509062145/http://www.yasserusman.com/more-about-yasser/ |archive-date=9 May 2021 |url-status=live |date=2021 |last=Usman |first=Yasser |access-date=9 May 2021 }}

He started a career with the television company B.A.G. Films, and followed it by working for Channel 7; he produced a reality sports show titled Speedster, hosted the film review show Premier 7 and wrote-directed Raaz: Forensic Files Se, a television show on forensic science in India. After resigning from Channel 7, Usman worked on an investigative show, Benaqab, and served as the creative consultant for The Tony B Show, a talk show aired on Channel V in 2006.{{cite web |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/release/y2k6/sep/seprel38.htm |title=Star News launches 'Benaqab' |date=23 September 2006 |website=Indian Television |access-date=9 May 2021 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126165801/http://www.indiantelevision.com/release/y2k6/sep/seprel38.htm |url-status=live }} Usman joined Star News (later renamed ABP News) in 2007, in which he specialized in the non-fiction programming part; he directed several documentaries about sports and biographies of political figures and film personalities. In addition to working as a film critic and commentator, he hosted ABP News' digital show Cinema Uncut with Yasser Usman. In 2012, Usman won the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award for his contribution to film and television journalism.{{Cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ramnath-goenka-awards-the-storytellers/ |title=Ramnath Goenka Awards: The Storytellers |date=14 September 2014 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=27 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027161030/https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ramnath-goenka-awards-the-storytellers/ |url-status=live }} In 2016, the website Filmymonkey, on which he served as the founding editor, was launched.

In his stints with IBN7, Star News, ABP Network and CricketnMore, Yasser worked on implementing digital-first strategies. As the editorial in-charge and lead producer of 120+ large-scale television series, he won market-leading awards {{cite web | url=https://www.penguin.co.in/book_author/yasser-usman/ | title=Yasser Usman }} like the Ramnath Goenka Award for excellence in journalism, Red Ink Awards, News Television (NT) award (thrice), and the Indian Telly award.

In 2022, Usman joined CricketnMore.com, the award-winning multilingual sports website (Cricket, Football, Tennis, Badminton, Kabaddi, etc) as the Consulting Editor and Digital Content Strategist. Working towards product development, he launched many new digital shows and conceptualized content which contributed towards high viewership and digital success. He hosted a show Cricket Tales With Yasser Usman{{Cite web |date=2022-12-28 |title=Cricket Tales - Interesting Stories from The World of Cricket - video Dailymotion |url=https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8gp8do |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Dailymotion |language=en}} from London. The series covers interesting stories from the world of cricket.

In 2023, Usman started working as a Columnist{{Cite web |title=Khaleej Times - Search |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/search |access-date=2023-09-14 |website=Khaleej Times |language=en}} writing on cinema for Khaleej Times, UAE's longest-running English daily newspaper, published in Dubai.

In 2024, Usman began writing about [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn01zz163n6o Indian cinema] for the [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cdekxz2g630o BBC] and [https://www.bbc.com/hindi/articles/c628n10n0d8o BBC Hindi]. He also presented a special [https://www.bbc.com/hindi/articles/c2ln0gd8q85o video series] on Bollywood for [https://www.bbc.com/hindi/articles/cwyx0x17x92o BBC Hindi.] He is also currently serving as a consultant across the entertainment, sports, and news genres.

In 2014, Usman made his debut as an author with Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India's First Superstar, a Penguin Books biography about the actor and politician Rajesh Khanna. The writing started when he was in Mumbai to record a show for ABP News, at the same time he got to know about Khanna's death in 2012. Vijay Lokapally from The Hindu labelled it as an exception tribute to Khanna,{{Cite news |last=Lokapally |first=Vijay |author-link=Vijay Lokapally |date=12 December 2014 |title=A star only too human |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/a-star-only-too-human/article6686013.ece |url-status=live |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210201051026/https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/a-star-only-too-human/article6686013.ece |archive-date=1 February 2021}} but Gautam Chintamani of India Today observed that Usman did not detail much of his films.{{Cite news |last=Chintamani |first=Gautam |date=9 February 2015 |title=Superstar-crossed actor |work=India Today |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/books/story/20150209-rajesh-khanna-indias-superstar-loneliness-bollywood-817385-2015-01-29 |url-status=live |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301105127/https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/books/story/20150209-rajesh-khanna-indias-superstar-loneliness-bollywood-817385-2015-01-29 |archive-date=1 March 2021}} Following the publication, Usman said he received handwritten letters and emails from Khanna's fans, saying that they were surprised about Khanna's loneliness, motivating him to research other popular film stars' lives.{{Cite book |last=Usman |first=Yasser |title=Rekha: The Untold Story |title-link=Rekha: The Untold Story |date=29 August 2016 |publisher=Juggernaut Books |isbn=978-81-93284-18-6 |location=New Delhi, India}}^:ix{{Cite news |last=Kotnala |first=Stutee |date=11 September 2016 |title='Rekha was glamorous, wild she wanted marriage' |work=The Asian Age |url=https://www.asianage.com/books/rekha-was-glamorous-wild-she-wanted-marriage-763 |url-status=live |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814021447/https://www.asianage.com/books/rekha-was-glamorous-wild-she-wanted-marriage-763 |archive-date=14 August 2020}}

Usman's next book, Rekha: The Untold Story, is about the actress Rekha.{{cite web |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/book-review-yasser-usmans-rekha-untold-story/ |title=Book Review: Yasser Usman's Rekha – The Untold Story |last=Tuteja |first=Joginder |date=20 September 2016 |website=Bollywood Hungama |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-date=10 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170710002207/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/features/book-review-yasser-usmans-rekha-untold-story/ |url-status=live }} The second biography of the actress after Mohan Deep's Eurekha! (1999),{{Cite web |last=Ramnath |first=Nandini |date=8 September 2016 |title='Rekha was honest about everything and Bollywood tried to tame her': biographer Yasser Usman |url=https://scroll.in/reel/815942/rekha-was-honest-about-everything-and-bollywood-tried-to-tame-her-biographer-yasser-usman |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217084335/https://scroll.in/reel/815942/rekha-was-honest-about-everything-and-bollywood-tried-to-tame-her-biographer-yasser-usman |archive-date=17 December 2020 |access-date=23 June 2022 |website=Scroll.in}} Usman's one-year research for this work included collecting archives of magazine issues about Rekha and interviewing her contemporaries, around 40 to 50 people.^:x–xii{{cite news |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/rekha-the-untold-story-bollywood-yasser-usman-books-3021017/ |title=I wanted to make the reader think differently about Rekha, says Yasser Usman on his latest book |last=Majumdar |first=Anushree |date=9 September 2016 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=4 April 2021 |archive-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026093749/https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/rekha-the-untold-story-bollywood-yasser-usman-books-3021017/ |url-status=live }} The Asian Age{{'s}} Nayare Ali wrote it as "a book that anyone who is a fan or even fascinated by the star, would be tempted to read".{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Nayare |date=11 September 2016 |title=Rekha, the eternal fighter |work=The Asian Age |url=https://www.asianage.com/books/rekha-eternal-fighter-689 |url-status=live |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219024731/http://www.asianage.com/books/rekha-eternal-fighter-689 |archive-date=19 February 2020}} Rohini Nair of Firstpost saw the book reveals nothing "untold" about the actress, and felt Usman relied entirely on the existing sources.{{Cite news |last=Nair |first=Rohini |date=6 September 2016 |title=Rekha's biography claims to tell the enigmatic star's 'untold story': Does it? |work=Firstpost |url=https://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/rekhas-biography-claims-to-tell-the-enigmatic-stars-untold-story-does-it-2992356.html |url-status=live |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200922095302/https://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/rekhas-biography-claims-to-tell-the-enigmatic-stars-untold-story-does-it-2992356.html |archive-date=22 September 2020}} Sowmya Rajendran from The News Minute wrote positively of the book's prose, calling it "fast-paced and lucidly written with plenty of spice, making it a perfect airplane read".{{Cite news |last=Rajendran |first=Sowmya |date=11 September 2016 |title=Want to know how Bollywood treats its women? This book on actor Rekha's life is an eye-opener! |work=The News Minute |url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/want-know-how-bollywood-treats-its-women-book-actor-rekhas-life-eye-opener-49704 |url-status=live |access-date=10 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811040127/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/want-know-how-bollywood-treats-its-women-book-actor-rekhas-life-eye-opener-49704 |archive-date=11 August 2020}}

Usman's other two books: Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood's Bad Boy and Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story, also garnered a generally positive reception. Published in 2018, the former details the life of the actor Sanjay Dutt and is the last of his Untold trilogy, reflecting the use of the word "untold" in the title of Usman's first three books.{{Cite news |last=Usman |first=Yasser |date=25 March 2018 |title=A life not seen through rose-tinted glasses |work=The Asian Age |url=https://www.asianage.com/books/250318/a-life-not-seen-through-rose-tinted-glasses.html |url-status=live |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301105127/https://www.asianage.com/books/250318/a-life-not-seen-through-rose-tinted-glasses.html |archive-date=1 March 2021}} It was controversial after Dutt decried that the book was published without his authorisation.{{Cite news |last=Malik |first=Eekta |date=10 August 2018 |title='I am so tired of goody-goody hagiographies' |work=The Indian Express |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/sanjay-dutt-biography-biopic-yasser-usman-i-am-so-tired-of-goody-goody-hagiographies-5131903/ |url-status=live |access-date=28 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180605161135/http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/sanjay-dutt-biography-biopic-yasser-usman-i-am-so-tired-of-goody-goody-hagiographies-5131903/ |archive-date=5 June 2018}} Mint{{'s}} Sanjukta Sharma praised Usman's deep research and his neutral point of view,{{cite news |url=https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/MR8b4LKPQiyNFwkgJt625I/Do-we-need-to-retell-the-Bollywood-bad-boy-story.html |title=Do we need to retell the Bollywood bad boy story? |last=Sharma |first=Sanjukta |date=24 March 2018 |work=Mint |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616035154/https://www.livemint.com/Sundayapp/MR8b4LKPQiyNFwkgJt625I/Do-we-need-to-retell-the-Bollywood-bad-boy-story.html |url-status=live }} and Film Companion listed it as one of the "top seven books on cinema of the year".{{cite web |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/books/top-7-books-on-cinema-in-2018/ |title=Top 7 Books On Cinema In 2018 |last=Das |first=Aprita |date=19 December 2018 |website=Film Companion |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806153857/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/books/top-7-books-on-cinema-in-2018/ |url-status=live }}

Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story, released in 2021 by Simon & Schuster, describes the life of the filmmaker Guru Dutt. It was after watching Dutt's films at the 2004 Osian's Cinefan Festival of Asian and Arab Cinema when Usman was motivated to write about him. While researching for the book, Usman was met with the lack of free-domain archives of Dutt's interviews.{{Cite news |url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/wknd/interviews/guru-dutt-was-an-immensely-poor-communicator-in-real-life |title=Guru Dutt was an immensely poor communicator in real life |last=Bose |first=Sushmita |date=11 March 2021 |work=Khaleej Times |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-date=12 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412021849/https://www.khaleejtimes.com/wknd/interviews/guru-dutt-was-an-immensely-poor-communicator-in-real-life |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.asian-voice.com/Culture/Art/%E2%80%98Beyond-their-stardom,-the-stars-are-humans%E2%80%99 |title='Beyond their stardom, the stars are humans' |last=Saxena |first=Shefali |date=26 January 2021 |work=Asian Voice |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-date=12 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412083801/https://www.asian-voice.com/Culture/Art/%E2%80%98Beyond-their-stardom,-the-stars-are-humans%E2%80%99 |url-status=live }} Writing for The Hindu, Mini Anthikad Chhibber appreciated the book's remembrances by Dutt's sister, the artist Lalita Lajmi.{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/guru-dutt-an-unfinished-story-review-black-white-and-shades-of-grey/article34168235.ece |title='Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story' review: Black, white and shades of grey |last=Chhibber |first=Mini Anthikad |date=27 March 2021 |work=The Hindu |access-date=7 April 2021 |archive-date=11 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411062340/https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/guru-dutt-an-unfinished-story-review-black-white-and-shades-of-grey/article34168235.ece |url-status=live }} In his review for Business Standard, the reviewer Chintan Girish Modi wrote, "Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story is a moving account of a creative genius who was influenced by Hollywood melodrama, German expressionism, Bhakti poetry, and the Bauls of Bengal."{{Cite web |last=Modi |first=Chintan Girish |date=2021-01-15 |title=Guru Dutt, in sharp focus |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/beyond-business/guru-dutt-in-sharp-focus-121011501521_1.html |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=www.business-standard.com |language=en}} Sathya Saran of The New Indian Express, however, gave a scathing review.{{cite news |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2021/aug/08/guru-dutts-anunfinished-story-an-unsuccessful-attempt-2340985.html |title=Guru Dutt's 'An Unfinished Story': An unsuccessful attempt |date=8 August 2021 |work=The New Indian Express |last=Saran |first=Sathya |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=8 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210808174911/https://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/2021/aug/08/guru-dutts-anunfinished-story-an-unsuccessful-attempt-2340985.html |url-status=live }} The Hindustan Times featured the book in their "The Most Interesting Reads of the Week" listing,{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/ht-picks-the-most-interesting-reads-of-the-week/story-NQRbNopsTQVfwU6B7RH8aP.html |title=HT Picks: The most interesting reads of the week |date=8 January 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-date=29 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129105759/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/ht-picks-the-most-interesting-reads-of-the-week/story-NQRbNopsTQVfwU6B7RH8aP.html |url-status=live }} and The Telegraph included it in their year-end "Page Turners of 2021".{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/books/page-turners-of-2021-biography/cid/1845542 |title=Page Turners of 2021: Biography and Memoirs |date=31 December 2021 |work=The Telegraph |access-date=23 June 2022 |archive-date=19 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119091723/https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/books/page-turners-of-2021-biography/cid/1845542 |url-status=live }} Asian Voice (London) praised the book saying, "a mirror that reflects the hard-hitting realities of cinema ever since its inception. It is a narrative that shatters the myths, the rose-tinted glasses with which we as viewers look up to the film industry."{{Cite web |last=ABPL |title=Book Review: Guru Dutt An Unfinished Story... |url=https://www.asian-voice.com/Culture/Art/Book-Review-Guru-Dutt-An-Unfinished-Story |access-date=2023-01-02 |website=www.asian-voice.com |language=en-GB}}

Yasser Usman's first work of fiction [https://www.simonandschuster.co.in/authors/Yasser-Usman/182623328 As Dark As Blood], a thriller novel, was published in January 2025 by [https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/authors/Yasser-Usman/182623328 Simon & Schuster.] Usman created a central character of a Delhi cop, Inspector Roshan Rana, a seasoned officer in Delhi Police who has a reputation for catching psychopathic murderers. The book is described as {{Cite book |url=https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/As-Dark-as-Blood/Yasser-Usman/9788197949296 |title=As Dark as Blood |date=2025-01-24 |isbn=978-81-979492-9-6 |language=en}} "Gripping, atmospheric, and emotionally charged, As Dark as Blood is much more than a sharp crime thriller. Layered with intrigue and psychological depth it leaves you breathless until the last page."

Yasser Usman has been recognised by the media as one of India's most successful film biographers{{Cite web |date=3 July 2020 |title=On Nepotism and Casting 'Ouch' Moments |work=the lowdown |url=http://blog.juggernaut.in/bollywood-nepotism/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026071624/http://blog.juggernaut.in/bollywood-nepotism/ |archive-date=26 October 2020 |access-date=28 February 2021 |publisher=Juggernaut Books}} and gained a reputation for his writings that primarily focus on what is called the "dark side" of Bollywood. All of his books are unauthorised biographies; writing for The Telegraph in 2018, "However, 'unauthorised' doesn't mean 'irresponsible'. It only means I was going to have a harder time piecing together the narrative."{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/the-curious-life-of-an-unauthorised-bollywood-biographer/cid/1671484 |title=The curious life of an unauthorised Bollywood biographer |last=Usman |first=Yasser |date=11 October 2018 |access-date=7 April 2021 |work=The Telegraph |archive-date=12 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812012100/https://www.telegraphindia.com/culture/the-curious-life-of-an-unauthorised-bollywood-biographer/cid/1671484 |url-status=live }} This has once led him to controversy after his book on Sanjay Dutt was published when Dutt criticised Usman for not asking for his permission to write the book. Usman's books on Rajesh Khanna and Rekha were nominated for the Crossword Book Award in the biography category.{{Cite news |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/crossword-to-celebrate-indian-writing-with-14th-raymond-crossword-book-award |title=Crossword to celebrate Indian writing with 14th Raymond Crossword Book Award |last=Pimputkar |first=Sonali |date=29 November 2016 |work=The Free Press Journal |access-date=21 February 2022 |archive-date=6 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506110921/https://www.freepressjournal.in/cmcm/crossword-to-celebrate-indian-writing-with-14th-raymond-crossword-book-award |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/devdutt-pattanaik-sadhguru-shortlisted-for-crossword-book-award/story-NkYLxspcQfm15Lg7zwiyzO.html |title=Devdutt Pattanaik, Sadhguru shortlisted for Crossword Book Award |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=21 February 2022 |date=4 December 2017 |agency=Indo-Asian News Service |archive-date=21 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921044532/https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/devdutt-pattanaik-sadhguru-shortlisted-for-crossword-book-award/story-NkYLxspcQfm15Lg7zwiyzO.html |url-status=live }}

{{refbegin|35em}}

• {{cite book |last=Usman |first=Yasser |title=Rajesh Khanna: The Untold Story of India's First Superstar |date=5 December 2014 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=978-9-351-18875-9 }}
• {{cite book |last=Usman |first=Yasser |title=Rekha: The Untold Story |date=29 August 2016 |publisher=Juggernaut Books |isbn=978-81-93284-18-6 }}
• {{cite book |last=Usman |first=Yasser |title=Sanjay Dutt: The Crazy Untold Story of Bollywood's Bad Boy |date=13 March 2018 |publisher=Juggernaut Books |isbn=978-81-93284-18-6 }}
• {{cite book |last=Usman |first=Yasser |title=Guru Dutt: An Unfinished Story |date=7 January 2021 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |isbn=978-93-86797-89-6 }}

{{refend}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website|yasserusman.com}}

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Category:1980s births

Category:21st-century Indian biographers

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