Xmas In Bollywood Movies

The Christian community has remained largely marginalized in Bollywood movies. Of course, there were several eminently memorable Christian characters in the films gone by -- for instance, Lalita Pawar's Mrs D'Sa in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's "Anari" and, of course, Amitabh Bachchan's Anthony in Manmohan Desai's "Amar Akbar Anthony". But these Christian characters didn't really translate into genuine insights probing the psyche and workings of a community until Aparna Sen's "36 Chowringhee Lane" focused on the desolation of a Catholic spinster. The film's fabulous authentic detailing of the inner and outer lives of Jennifer Kapoor's character served to mirror the entire community's ethos with unparalleled integrity. Bengali filmmaker Anjan Dutta attempted to probe the community in "Bada Din" (where Shabana Azmi played a cantankerous Christian landlady), but with limited success. Similarly Josh is setup with a Hindu-Christian angle in two gangs fighting for their existence.

Initially, Christian characters in Bollywood have appeared in two broad types of roles:

Priest – Usually a solemn person hovering in the background usually presiding over marriages and the occasional confessional, his dialogues have a profusion of ‘my son’ and ‘Lord tumko shanti de’. Made famous by Sujit Kumar in a French beard, they have also been seen enough number of times as Principals of prestigious colleges. Nasirudeen Shah also has a very good role of a Christian priest in Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa. There are some very nice scenes between Shah Rukh Khan and Nasirudeen. This stereotype got smashed so badly with Vinod Pande’s Sins (in which Shiney Ahuja plays a psychopathic sex-crazed priest in love with a nurse) that Christians erupted in protests!

Drunkard – Generally seen in a street corner, slurring over dialogue and slobbering over life. Pran’s part in Majboor is probably the longest example of this character as he even got to sing a song – “Daaru ke bottle mein tum kaiku pani dalta hain / Phir na kehna Michael daaru pee kar danga karta hain.”
Otherwise they are restricted to borrowing money (Naseeruddin Shah in Ardh Satya) or giving tips to police (Om Prakash in Zanjeer).

The most important signpost of the Christian is a suitably bombastic name. Anthony Gonsalves is undoubtedly the most famous Christian name in India and even overshadows Vijay Verma occasionally. Actually, it is probably Amitabh’s only screen name, which came close to overwhelming his actual name. Post the stupendous success of Amar Akbar Anthony, people actually started calling AB Anthony-bhai on the streets! A story goes that a girl in coma was mumbling ‘Anthony-bhai’ in her unconscious state and AB went and met her after she came about. The second most popular name is probably Bobby Braganza, who spoke like an Indian teenager though her father (Prem Nath) managed to live up to every single stereotype of the filmi Christian!

There were very few successful attempts to look at the Christian community with anything more than a cursory curiosity. Hiren Nag's "Anhkiyon Ke Jharonkhon Se" and Bharathi Raja's "Lovers" tried to pin down a Hindu-Christian romance into a formulastic pattern. But now one notices a sudden resurgence of the Christian community in Hindi films. In quick succession we have Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Black" and Vinod Pande's "Sins" set entirely in the Christian community. And Bengali director Anjan Dutta, who had set his Hindi film "Bada Din" in the Anglo-Indian community, has completed his English "Bow Barrack" which is again set in the Christian community. In debutant director Sanjay Gupta's stylishly assembled "Karam", John Abraham's character John is again a Catholic. Another new release, "Socha Na Tha", is partly located in a Catholic home. Debutante Apoorva Jha, who plays Abhay Deol's fiancee, is Karen. And much of the humor stems from the Hindu hero mock-warning his Catholic girlfriend's parents about the pitfalls of cultural and religious conversion. Like the heroine's grandfather in Raj Kapoor's "Bobby" 30 years ago, the girl's father in "Socha Na Tha" spends most of his time drinking.

Parental opposition to teenybopper romance is more commonly based on affluence than religion in Hindi cinema. Saagar is a typical example, where the rich Hindu boy falls in love with the poor Christian girl but the grand-parental opposition invoked only the girl’s poor background and not her religion. Julie is probably the most famous film on the subject, but the social divide shown between a ‘cultured’ Hindu family and a ‘crass’ Christian family was rather exaggerated. And of course, because it was a Christian family, they sang their family song in English! Thank God for that cliché and we have Preeti Sagar’s wonderful ‘My Heart is Beating’.

Basically, all of the above devices are caricatures of real life people and mainstream Hindi cinema has never done too much to get any tinge of reality. Very few films have done it right. Prahaar is one of those films that have depicted Christians realistically – with their language, milieu and motivations clearly etched out. Madhuri Dixit gave a stellar performance as Shirley Pinto of Bandra village . Baaton Baaton Mein was set in an authentic Christian domain and that was part of the novelty of the film but there was nothing in the story that was exclusive to the community.

It is a good change that films and filmmakers have started looking at setting their films in the Christian community. Sanjay Bhansali who pegged two of his films, his debut-making venture "Khamoshi: The Musical" and now "Black" in the Christian community, feels the ambience afforded by such a setting renders itself effectively to cinema.

"The church, the organ music, candles and candle-lit interiors, the whole discipline and etiquette of the Christian community makes very aesthetic cinema," says Bhansali.

Indeed, a very good reason why more and more directors should follow suit, and we have the joy of watching Xmas in Bollywood Movies.

Spiritual Voices Of India

As the global community becomes increasingly capitalistic, the quest for spirituality grows in urgency. India, its people, its infrastructure, and indeed its very soil, encourage and breed spiritualism, allowing religions to thrive, flourish and prosper.

India is the cradle for spiritualism and religious growth from time immemorial. One will find all religions co-existing harmoniously and contributing to ones evolution since ages. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism have roots in India and have spread worldwide. Islam & Christianity have deep rooted influence on our lives under the influence of various dynasties and rulers of bygone eras. In the present day modern India, all the religions grow and exist harmoniously and contribute meaningfully towards the evolution of a mature society. This maturity, understanding, belief and practices has resulted in the composite growth of culture, history and architecture here. These practices are all too visible in the poetry, literature, publications, artwork, customs, paintings, jewelry, cuisine and mindset of people as well. The spiritualism and religion of India adds meaning to ones desire for peace, inner evolution and quest for excellence towards God and mankind.

The blessed land of gods and saints is seeing a new surge of spiritualism. The gurus market is catching up. In this fast paced life, people are turning to spirituality for solace. Foreigners too are flocking to the land of Buddha and Gandhi. Many foreigners associate India with yoga, tantra, meditation and spiritualism. If one talks of spiritual channels alone, the market is huge in India. Everybody is looking for redemption in this fast paced life in some form or other. The highly esteemed spiritual gurus and ashrams have become the need of the hour. Never before was spiritualism such a sought after industry in India. People are seeking divine intervention in all spheres of life today. Contemporary lifestyle and accelerated stress levels are inviting people to participate in yoga and meditation camps organized for over all health benefits. More and more people are drifting towards spiritualism and related studies. Spiritualism is the latest craze these days. Being spiritual is considered to be sophisticated and elite. It has become a fashion statement with people these days. Yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic healing have become a style quotient.

Anyone interested in the spirituality and mediation looks for a Guru or a teacher who can guide him in the right direction. The land of India is full of Gurus, spiritual as well as religious. These are some of the people who have promoted spirituality, meditation, love, peace, brotherhood, serving others and other such humanitarian values to people in India and the rest of the world in recent times:

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is the creator of the transcendental form of meditation, along with being the leader of the Transcendental Meditation Movement. He is one of the most renowned spiritual Gurus of India.

Chinmayananda
Swami Chinmayananda is counted amongst the most notable spiritual leaders in India. He was considered as an authority on the ancient Indian scriptures, especially the sacred Bhagwad Gita and the Upanishads.

Mata Amritanandamayi
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is one of the most loved and most respected spiritual leaders in India. Fondly known as Amma, she has only one aim in life, which is to provide people with her supreme guidance

Ramdev Baba
Baba Ramdev is a renowned Yoga teacher. Through the medium of television, he has taken the art of yoga to each and every household far and wide. He is the host of a program named 'Divya Yog' that airs on Aastha TV everyday

Sathya Sai Baba
A great spiritual leader, Sri Sathya Sai Baba preaches the path of spirituality to one and all. His main aim in life is to serve the mankind and provide them with proper guidance.

Osho Rajneesh
Osho was one of the most renowned as well as most controversial spiritual leaders of his times. During the 1970s and 1980s, he was known as Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.

Paramahansa Yogananda
Guru Paramahansa Yogananda was one of the distinguished yogis of India. He was the one responsible for taking the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga to the western countries.

Swami Muktananda
Disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda. Swami Muktananda was the founder of Siddha Yoga. In the 1970s, on behalf of his guru Bhagavan Nityananda, Muktananda brought the tradition of Siddha Yoga to the West, giving shaktipat initiation to thousands of spiritual seekers. He wrote a number of books on the subjects of Kundalini Shakti, Vedanta, and Kashmir Shaivism.

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a famous spiritual leader of India. His teachings are universal and focussed on something as ubiquitous as breath, away from any dogmatic beliefs. Already, he presides over a spiritual empire that’s spread over 140 countries and travels to nearly 40 countries each year. He has been welcomed into mosques, he has addressed churches and he has touched hearts.

Asaram Bapu
A self-realized Hindu spiritual guru, Bapu is also known as Sant Sri Asaramji Bapu. Traveling extensively in India and abroad, he preaches the message of Vedanta, Yoga, divine love, Bhakti (devotion), and Mukti (salvation) through his teachings and Satsangs.

Bharat Thakur
Bharat Thakur is one of the spiritual masters of India who have received international recognition. The founder of Artistic Yoga, he has numerous meditation workshops to his credit.

Bikram Choudhary
Bikram Choudhury, the founder of Bikram Yoga, is one of the most popular fitness gurus in Hollywood. He is also the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India.

BKS Iyengar
The full name of BKS Iyengar, one of the most renowned yoga gurus in the whole world, is Belur Krishnamachar Sundararaja Iyengar. Popularly known as Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar, he is man who founded the Iyengar Yoga.

Sri Aurobindo
Sri Aurobindo was one of the most talented as well as prolific spiritual leaders of India. Along with that, he was a brilliant writer, who published 68 volumes of sophisticated literary knowledge.

Deepak Chopra
A gift for oratory and flair for words, coupled with a thorough grounding in the Indian tradition has helped him reach where he has in USA. His success can be attributed to his single-minded focus on spreading ancient Vedantic wisdom in a contemporary idiom and style.

Sant Morari Bapu
Sant Morari Bapu was a child prodigy who started learning the great epic Ramayana at the early age of five from his grandfather. By the age of 12 he mastered the entire Ramacharit manas and was able to recite it by heart. He performed Ramayan recitals in many countries and such places as Manasarovar in the Himalayas.

Shree Maa
Shree Maa, a Hindu Mystic, teaches that every home is an ashram, a place of worship, every resident is a priest or priestess, and that all acts of life can be service to God and expressions of devotion. Life itself is worship. It was in the early eighties that Shree Maa, in communion with her guru Ramakrishna Patramahamsa, moved to America to share divine love and to teach the meaning of dharma.

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
The founder of Sahaja Yoga, she is worshipped as the incarnation of the Adi Shakti. In 1980 Nirmala Devi first toured Europe spreading Sahaja Yoga and in 1981 she toured Malaysia, Australia and North America. Until 2004, during her travels, Nirmala Srivastava gave numerous public lectures, pujas, and interviews to newspapers, television and radio.

Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev
An Indian yogi and mystic, he is the founder of Isha Foundation which administers yoga centers around the world, including India and the United States. Project GreenHands and initiative to plant 114 million saplings in Tamil Nadu State is spearheaded by Jaggi Vasudev. The project entered the Guinness Book of World Records for planting the maximum number of tree saplings on a single day. Vasudev was a key participant in the 2006 documentary film ONE: The Movie.



The list of such spiritual gurus keeps growing.

As India turns 60, an open invitation to shape a new global order is awaiting India’s affirmative response. One only has to go by reports of how the world is lapping up Indian spirituality to find that elusive magic formula for peace. The popularity abroad of the formula of yoga, pranayama and meditation confirms that paranoia about Indian spirituality is gradually giving way to a sense of appreciation and acceptance. The credit for this shift in the global perception must go to New Age gurus with mass followings who travel across the globe to articulate ancient Indian wisdom in simple and pragmatic style. Their approach makes spirituality looks more acceptable and appealing. The spiritual ambassadors have proved that spirituality transcends all barriers of race, creed, nationality and religion. The red carpet welcome Indian spiritual gurus are receiving proves that the global demand for Indian spirituality is picking up by the day, and more and more people across the world are attracted towards the spiritual voices of India.



















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Craziest Christmas Shopping Day

Yes, it is the craziest and it is right here in USA on what they call Black Friday, the Friday following Thanksgiving Day, which is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. Many retailers open extremely early, with most of the retailers typically opening at 5AM or even earlier. Some of the larger retailers open as early as midnight on the start of Black Friday in localized areas and remain open for 24 hours throughout the day until midnight the following Saturday. Upon opening, retailers offer door-buster deals to draw people to their stores. In many cities it is not uncommon to see shoppers lined up for hours before stores with big sales open. As soon as the store gates are opened, the shoppers often rush in and grab, as some stores have only a few of the big-draw items. On occasion, injuries and even fatalities are reported. A stampede of shoppers in a Valley Stream Wal-Mart on a Black Friday morning left one worker dead and at least three patrons injured after an impatient crowd broke down the store doors and trampled the seasonal employee, who was pushed to the ground by the 2,000-plus crowd just before 5 a.m. as management was preparing to open the store; a pregnant mother was hospitalized from injuries in the same human "stampede", resulting in a reported miscarriage; on that same day, two people in Palm Desert, California were shot and killed in a store during an argument.

The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in the 1960s in reference to the heavy traffic on that day. Store aisles are jammed. Escalators are nonstop. People are on a buying spree. Traffic cop tries to control a crowd of jaywalkers. The bus drivers and cab drivers call it 'Black Friday, as they think in terms of headaches it gives them. However, many merchants objected to the use of a negative term to refer to one of the most important shopping days in the year. By the early 1980s, an alternative theory began to be circulated: that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss for most of the year (January through November) and made their profit during the holiday season, beginning on the day after Thanksgiving. Black Friday, under this theory, is the beginning of the period where retailers would no longer have losses (the red) and instead take in the year's profits (the black).

Despite its historic popularity, many recommend staying away from Black Friday shopping. They fear that you may end up camping out in front of Best Buy on Black Friday, only to find the five rock-bottom-priced laptops advertised in the Thanksgiving newspaper were picked off by employees before the doors opened. They would also warn of health risks, including parking space standoffs, sleep deprivation, catching a cold, getting trampled, sticker shock, fighting in stores, muscle cramps, and more. Other reasons that can lead consumers astray: the deals are over-hyped, all deals go quickly and most of the in-store deals are now available on internet. They also try to follow the tips given by TV hosts that help them make it through the day more or less unscathed :

1. It's OK to do nothing. Many people shun most forms of shopping for the entire weekend, either because they can’t stand crowds or they’re turned off by the notion of people shopping from pre-dawn ‘til after dark.

2. You can always shop on the Internet. Stop and think of the myriad benefits: no crowds, no lines, many online retailers offer sales and special discounts on the Black Friday.

3. If you must brave the crowds, be prepared. Get the Thanksgiving Day newspaper in your area and flip through all of those ads. You might be surprised to notice how many of the ads are time-sensitive — as in, deeper discounts may apply if you shop before 10 or 11 a.m. or noon.

4. Be a savvy shopper. You can rise above the Friday fray by doing some homework in advance about products that really interest you – especially if they’re big-ticket items.

5. Distinguish between deals and duds. To ensure you’ll be getting an actual bargain rather than a ho-hum or too-high price, do your research to get a sense of how much items should cost.

6. Decide how early you’ll arrive, and plan accordingly. Can’t resist the urge to stand in line in the dark before your favorite store opens at 5 a.m.? Then remember to dress comfortably — warmly enough for the time you’ll spend outside.

7. Make friends with people in line. A spirit of camaraderie will not only make the long, dark wait more pleasant — it also could prove to be a godsend if you must give up your place in line so you can run to the bathroom. You could offer to hold a place in line for your newfound friend in return.

8.Pick the right shopping buddy. Unless you want to bicker and feel frustrated all day, think hard about who would get into the spirit of a shopping day like this.

9.Shop with a list. You’ll feel more in control and focused if you head out with a list of the people you’re shopping for, the gift ideas you have in mind for them and the target price range for each item.

10.Bring the ads you found. If you saw an advertised special that really impressed you, bring the ad along to avoid any disputes over how much an item is supposed to cost on Friday.


For some, the shopping frenzy that ensues on the Black Friday is an obnoxious and distasteful display of unrestrained consumption. For others, the day represents a fun annual tradition of bonding with like-minded friends and family members who love to hunt for bargains. Howsoever one may perceive it, no one can deny that Black Friday remains the craziest Christmas shopping day.

Melodious Voice Of India

From Kashmir to Kanya Kumari and Maharashtra to Meghalaya, we are a nation of music lovers who can drown all our differences of cast and creed, political and provincial, communal and cultural, and live together as one people, playing or listening to the same music. Whether it was the verse of sufis and saints, or the melody of Lata Mungeshkar or the folk-lore of Ila Arun, or Indi-pop of Daler Mehndi, music has been the biggest binding force for all times. Music is something that is essential to our living. Not something ornamental, not only something enjoyable, not only something exciting, but something essential as a unifying force in the terrible conflicts that we live in and to live daily with so many horrific events that happen. No speeches or sermons have ever been so effective to unify the nation in diversity as the musical masterpiece, “Mile sur mera tumhara”.

The birth of the Hindi film songs may be traced to the advent of India’s first ‘talkie’, Alam Ara, in 1931,which ushered in the era of singing stars. Their memory may have faded out of many a minds, and even their existance may not be known to the new generations, but what no one can take away is their contribution to Hindi cinema's melodious magic of the 30s and 40s.

K. L. Saigal: Recognized as the greatest singer-actor of the last century, the musical genius became the first to bring music to the masses with his God-gifted voice. His unforgettable melodies continue to enthrall millions of listeners and have become a part of our heritage. Saigal became an overnight super star with the release of the first Devdas in 1935, not so much for his histrionics as for his soulful singing of "Balam Aan Baso Mere Man Main" and "Dukh Ke Din Ab Bitat Nahin". Saigal, who started his career in Calcutta, became a house-hold name in all corners of the country. The entire nation was spellbound by the haunting melodies: "Main Kya Janu Kya Jadoo Hai", "So Jaa Raajkumari, So Jaa"(Zindagi), "Dunia Rang Rangili Baba", "Main Man Ki Baat Bataun"(Dharti Mata), "Karun Kya Aas Niras Bhai"(Dushman), "Babul Mera Nayahar Chhooto Jaye"(Street Singer), "Ek Bangla Bane Nyara", "Ek Raaja Ka Beta Leke"(Badi Behen), "Prem Nagar Mein Rahane Wala"(Chandidas), "Aye Katibe Taqdir Mujhe Itna Batade"(My Sister) and so on.

Surendra: Surendra became a part and parcel of Mehboob's Sagar Movietone, after his very first song, "Birha Ki Aag Lagi More Man Mein"(Deccan Queen) became an instant hit. When "Tumhi Ne Mujh Ko Prem Sikhaya"(Manmohan), from his second movie with Mehboob, became hugely popular with the masses, Surendra made his place for himself as a very talented singer-actor. Then followed Surendra's hit musicals, Jagirdar, Gramophone Singer, Jiwan Sathi, Alibaba, Aurat, Gharib, Jawani etc. Surendra's peak time of a popular singing star continued into the 40s when two of his movies became the greatest musicals of that time. "Bhartrihari", a mythological with music by Khemchandra Prakash, and Mehboob's alltime musical hit, "Anmol Ghadi", with music by the maestro Naushad. The duet from "Anmol Ghadi", "Aawaz De Kahan Hei" has immortalized both Surendra and Noorjehan as the most popular singing pair in movies.

Noorjehan: The musical diva of the 1940s, she was given the title of the Melody Queen much before Lata Mungeshkar came to be known by the same title. Starting the career in Lahore, she mesmerized the masses with her very first film Khandaan and the instant hit, "Tu Kaun Si Badli Mei Mere Chand Hei Aaja". Producers in Bombay raced to capture the prize catch, and soon the singing star conquered India's film capital with her vibrant voice. Hit followed hit: Dharti, Nauker, Nadaan, Dost, Badi Maa, Village Girl. With the Zeenat quawali, "Aanhien Na Bhari, Shikwe Na Kiye" she reached her peak popularity. Then followed her two greatest hits, Lal Haveli and Anmol Ghadi, both co-starring Surendra, with whom she delivered the all time hit duet, "Aawaz De Kahan Hai".

Suraiya: As Noorjehan was the queen of melody, Suraiya was the peoples' choice as the most popular singing star. She generated hysteria amongst the masses that no other singing star, not even Saigal, could generate. The young and the old, the man in the street or at work, they all enjoyed singing to Suraiya's tunes, so captivating and easy to copy. "O Door Janewale", "Woh Pas Rahen Ya Door Rahen", "O Likhnewale Ne Likh Di", "Bigdi Banane Wale", "Murliwale Murli Baja", "Tu Mera Chand Mein Teri Chandni" and many more were hummed in every nook and corner of the country. She retired from films after giving her greatest hit "Mirza Ghalib" and the great hits "Dile Nadan Tujhe Hua Kya Hei" and "Yeh Na Thi Hamari Kismat".

Khursheed: The first of the singing stars, she started her career in 1931, the year when India's first talkie film Alamara was released. She was the only singing actress in the 30s, who captivated the hearts of million with her melodious singing of the immortal songs: "Mohabbat Mei Sara Jahan Jal Raha Hei"(Shahashah Babar), Pahle Jo Mohabbat Mei Inkar Kiya Hota"(Pardesi), "Mori Ataria Hei Sooni"(Beti), "Ghir Ghir Aye Bidaria"(Shaadi), "Jo Ham Pe Guzarti Hei"(Mumtaz Mahal) and many more. Her best period came in the 40s when she was selected to play steller role with the legendary K.L.Saigal in Bhakt Surdas and Tansen. Matching her melodious voice to the one and only one, Saigal, she sang some of her greatest hits in these two movies: "Panchi Bawra Chand Se Preet Lagai", "Madhur Madhur Ga Re Manwa", "Chandni Raat Aur Tare Khile Hein", Ghata Ghanghor Ghor", "Mere Bachpan Ke Saathi" and "Barso Re".

It was in the 1940s that the playback singing was introduced. Whereas the earlier artistes acted and sang their songs on the screen, movies of this period introduced the custom of having actors who did not sing but had other singers do this for them. Many notable playback singers came to prominence in the 40s and thereafter. These playback singers, because of their immortal melodies, became legends in their lifetime.

Amirbai Karnataki: Famous as ‘Kannad Kokila’, her big success as playback singer came with the release of Bombay Talkies’ Kismet (1943). Her songs, ‘Ab Tere Siva Kaun Mera’, ‘Dheere Dheere Aa Re Badal’ and “Door Hato Ae Duniawalo’ became a rage. She reached her peak in 1940s through musical hits like Bharathari, Caarwan, Aamarpali, Shikari, Eight Days, Leela, Sindoor and many others. Mahatma Gandhi was an ardent fan of her song ‘Vaishnav Janto’, which he made a part of his daily prayer meetings.

Shamshad Begum: The legendary classical and playback singer, making her debut in AIR Lahore in 1937, captivated the hearts of listeners with the enchanting depth of her voice. Composer Ghulam Haider used her voice skillfully in some of his hits like Khazanchi (1941), Khandan (1942) andMehboob’s Humayun (1944). Most of her songs were memorable hits – ‘Dunia Mein Ghribon Ko Aaram Nahin Milta’ (Zamindar), Armano Ki Basti Mein Hum Aag Laga Baithe (Shirin Farhad), ‘Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon’ (Patanga), ‘Milte Hi Aankhen’ (Babul), Sayyan Dil Mein Aana Re’ (Bahar), ‘Boojh Mera Kya Naam Re’ (C.I.D.), ‘Kabhi Aar Kabhi Paar’ (Aar Paar) and many more all-time hits.

Geeta Dutt: When she was only 15, music director S. D. Burman offered her a solo in Do Bhai. The music of that film clicked in a big way. The biggest hit of the film was ‘Mera Sunder Sapna Beet Gaya’, sung by Geeta Roy. This gave Geeta loads of offers and she became the top most playback singer of the Hindi film industry. Her collaboration with composer S. D. Burman proved very fruitful for Geeta Roy, later famous as Geeta Dutt after her marriage to Guru Dutt. With Aar Paar, both composer O. P. Nayyar and the singer Geeta Dutt scaled new heights. ‘Babuji Dheere Chalna’ and ‘Yeh Lo Mein Hari Piya’ became super hits.

Lata Mangeshkar: The most famous name in the history of Hindi film music, Lata Mangeshkar has always been a unique combination of a God-gifted voice and an unbelievable ability to easily pick up and inherit whatever was taught to her by her father, Dinanath Mangeshkar, a reputed classical singer. The true efflorescence of Lata’s talent was witnessed in 1949 when she sang super hit songs in back to back three blockbusters: composers Naushad’s Andaz, Shanker-Jaikishan’s Barsaat and Khemchand Prakash’s Mahal. By 1950 the Lata wave had changed the industry. Her phenomenal success made Lata the most powerful woman in the Indian film industry.

Asha Bhosle: The most versatile singer of Hindi films, her real breakthrough year was 1957, when O. P. Nayyar used her voice to sing in Tumsa Nahin Dekha and Naya Daur, both movies turning blockbuster musicals. The following year Asha made it right to the top spot with hit songs in films like Howra Bridge, Chalti Ka Naam Gadhi and Lajwanti. The 1970s brought her close with R. D. Burman (whom she later married), who gave her a new hip and happening sound altogether – Caravan, Teesri Manzil, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and many more hit movies. 1980 proved a lucky and prosperous year for Asha as she rocked the show with evergreen ghazals of Umrao Jaan.

Manna Dey: A legendary singer whose singing career spanned over five decades, Manna Dey is a versatile genius. Manna Dey went on to record several unforgettable numbers: ‘Kaun Aaya Mere Man Ke Dware’, Tu Pyar Ka Sagar Hei’, ‘Upar Gagan Vishal’, ‘Yeh Ishq Ishq Hei Ishq’, Pyar Hua Ikrar Hua’, Ae Bhai Zara Dekh Ke chal’, ‘Aaja Sanam’, ‘Ae Meri Zohra Zabin and ‘Aye Mere Pyare Watan’. And who could forget the ‘Ek Chatur Naar’ duet with Kishore Kumar in Padosan? Manna Dey is a flawless singer who could sing any type of song.

Talat Mehmood: When melody ruled the roost in the Hindi film world, Talat remained the number one singer in the 1950s. He was totally identified with Dilip Kumar (Babul, Daag, Tarana, Footpath, Sangdil, Shikast), sang for Raj Kapoor (Ashiana, Anhonee), Dev Anand (Taxi Driver) and V. Shantaram (Parchain, Subah Ka Tara). This period also produced some of the most wonderful duets, pairing Talat with Lata Mungeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Geeta Dutt. Talat zoomed to the top with an enviable score of hits – ‘Ae Dil Mujhe Aisi Jagah Le Chal’(Arzoo), ‘Mera Jeevan Sathi Bichad Gaya (Babul), ‘Meri Yaad Mein Tum Na Aansoo Bahana’ (Anhonee), ‘Mein Pagal Mera Manua Pagal’ (Ashiana), ‘Ae Mere Dil Kahin Aur Chal’ (Daag), ‘Tera Khayal Dil Se’ (Do Raha), ‘Andhe Jahan Ke Andhe Raaste’ (Patita), ‘Jayen To Jayen Kahan’ (Taxi Driver), ‘Jalte Hein Jis Ke Liye’ (Sujata) and several more super hit songs.

Mukesh: The year was 1945 and Anil Biswas asked him to record the song ‘Dil Jalta Hai To Jalne De’ for the film Pehli Nazar. That song brought a still relatively unknown Mukesh to the altar of fame. A legend was born and in the coming decades his golden voice would be heard in songs from musical hits like Aag, Andaaz, Barsaat, Mela across the nation. In 1949 came another milestone in his life – his association with Raj Kapoor and Shanker-Jaikishan. The chart-bursting success of the music in films like Awaara and Shri 420 spread Mukesh’s popularity all the way to Russia where you could hear people singing ‘Awara Hoon’ and ‘Mera Joota Hei Japani’. Mukesh thereafter flourished right through the 1960s and mid 1970s with soulful hits like, ‘Main To Ik Khwab Hoon’ (Himalaya Ki God Mein), ‘Jeena Yahan Marna Yahan’ (Mera Naam Joker), ‘Maine Tere Liye Hi Saat Rang Ke Sapne Chune’ (Anand) and many more hits.

Mohammed Rafi: He made his mark with Naushad-composed ‘Tera Khilona Toota Balak’ in Anmol Ghadi (1946). Rafi’s first big hit was in Jugnu (1947) in which he sang the duet ‘Yahan Badla Wafa Ka Bewafai Ke Siva Kya Hai’ with Noorjehan. His career took off with the all-time hit ‘Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki’ (Dulari-1949). There was no looking back after that and Rafi ruled as the undisputed king of playback singing till the early 70s. The one who recognized and exploited his immense talent was Naushad. The duo worked together to give several super hits such as Baiju Bawra and Mere Mehboob, to name a few.

Kishore Kumar: It was S. D. Burman who made Kishore Kumar, the superstar singer of the 70s when he chose him to sing ‘Roop Tera Mastana’ for Rajesh Khanna in Aradhna. Earlier Sachinda had made Kishore the voice of Dev Anand in hit films Baazi, Paying Guest, Munimji, Guide, Teen Devian, and Jewel Theif. Another composer who placed implacable faith in Kishore Kumar was Sachnda’s son, R. D. Burman. Kishore’s ability to modulate his voice to suit the personality of the hero he sang for was what made him a star singer. He was as much the voice of dapper Dev Anand, the adorable Rajesh Khanna as well as the angry youngman Amitabh Bachchan.

Paying tribute to superstar playback singers cannot be complete without applauding other melodious voices of the Hindi cinema who at one time or the other sang immortal songs – Hemant Kumar, Bhupinder, Yesudas, C. H. Atma, G. M. Durrani, Bhappi Lehri, Zohrabai, Mubarak Begum, Raj Kumari, Uma Devi, Suman Kalyanpur, Sudha Malhotra and Sandhya Mukherjee. The present generation of playback singers is no less praiseworthy for their continuing contribution to the treasure of beautiful Bollywood melodies: Alka Yagnik, Kavita Krishnamurthy, Sunidhi Chouhan, Shreya Ghosal, Alisha Chenoi, Sadhna Sargam, Sonu Nigam, Udit Narayan, Kumar Shanu, Hariharan, Abhijeet, Balasubramanyam and Sukhwinder.

Lately the magic of Bollywood music has cast its spell crossing all boundaries and nationalities. In U.K., USA , Middle East and South Africa especially, some of the biggest chart-busters include Indi-pop and hit songs from Bollywood movies. Unimaginable at one time, some of the most successful movies from Hollywood, released in recent years, seem inspired by Bollywood musicals. Internet radio has changed daily life of Indians settled across seven seas, as they say. Their subjective experience is magically transformed--the space around them is light and incandescent, the air sings melodies you never imagined . . . you hear olden goldies as well as current hits. When the older songs come on, you're transported to another time and place in India that you thought you had lost in your memory forever. Other times, recent tunes from current Bollywood movies will sound, and you're spontaneously reconnected to your beloved country that you left behind long back. It makes life richer, full of sensory riches as the atmosphere vibrates with the melodious voice of India.

Exemplary Voice Of Indian-Americans

At a state dinner in India in March 2000, US President Bill Clinton said, "My country has been enriched by the contributions of more than a million Indian Americans.” This is, indeed, a long way from the days of early migration when the first trickle of Indians in search of economic opportunities came to California at the end of the nineteenth century. On April 5, 1899, four Punjabis who had worked in the British Royal Artillery in Hong Kong, landed in San Francisco and were allowed to stay in the US by the Immigration Service . The grant of permission gave the signal to others to follow those four pioneers. Indians mainly came to the US as laborers to build the country's railroad or work in farmlands, while facing prejudice, hostility and blatant discrimination against the people of Indian origin. Today, Indian-Americans are one of the fastest-growing and most successful immigrant groups in the United States. The 1.5 million Indian Americans in the US continue to top the US Census charts as the best-educated, highest-paid and top-placed community among the 38.1 million foreign-born population in the country. Indians have proliferated in this country in the fields of health care, information technology and engineering, with higher education levels and incomes than national averages. And recent years have brought Nobel Laureates, Indian heads of major U.S. companies — PepsiCo Inc.’s Indra Nooyi is among about a dozen current CEOs. They also are making their presence felt in politics – Bobby Jindal for example is a state Governor. Here are some of the best known Indians in the U.S., who have made it big in life due to sheer grit, determination and hard work:

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, (October 19, 1910 – August 21, 1995) was an Indian American astrophysicist. He was a Nobel laureate in physics along with William Alfred Fowler for their work in the theoretical structure and evolution of stars. He was the nephew of Indian Nobel Laureate Sir C. V. Raman. The NASA's premier X-ray observatory was named the Chandra X-ray Observatory in honor of the late Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar. The observatory was launched into space in July 1999.

Amartya Kumar Sen is an Indian Nobel laureate in Economics. He is known "for his contributions to welfare economics" for his work on famine, human development theory, welfare economics, the underlying mechanisms of poverty, gender inequality, and political liberalism.

Venkatraman "Venki" Ramakrishnan is a structural biologist at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. He received the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome".

Kalpana Chawla was an Indian-American scientist and a NASA astronaut. She was one of seven crewmembers killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Kalpana was assigned to technical positions in the astronaut office, her performance in which was recognized with a special award from her peers. She has been posthumously awarded: Congressional Space Medal of Honor, NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal and Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Sunita Williams is a United States Naval officer and a NASA astronaut. She was assigned to the International Space Station as a member of Expedition 14 and then joined Expedition 15. She holds the record of the longest spaceflight (195 days) for female space travelers.

Dalip Singh Saund (1899–1973) was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He served the 29th district of the state of California from January 3, 1957–January 3, 1963. He was the first Asian American, Indian American and Sikh member of the United States Congress.

Piyush "Bobby" Jindal is the Governor of Louisiana. Before Jindal's election as governor, he was a member of Congress for Louisiana's 1st congressional district, elected in 2004. Jindal was re-elected to the House in the 2006 election with 88 percent of the vote. He is the second Indian American elected to Congress.

Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji (1929– 2004), also known as Yogi Bhajan and Siri Singh Sahib, was a charismatic spiritual leader and successful entrepreneur who introduced Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism to the USA. He was the spiritual director of the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) Foundation, which today is one of the world's largest yoga-teaching bodies, and an outspoken defender of the holistic doctrine of Sikh Religion. The New York Times had a sardonic title to its obituary for Yogi Bhajan, "Boss of Worlds Capitalistic and Spiritual, Dies":


Deepak Chopra is an endocrinologist, lecturer, celebrity and author of books on spirituality and mind-body medicine. Chopra began his career as a medical doctor and later worked in mind-body medicine and Ayurveda. The June 1999 issue of Time magazine identified Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credited him as "the poet-prophet of alternative medicine."

Vivek Kundra is the Federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the United States of America. He served in Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty's cabinet as the Chief Technology Officer for the District and, before that, as Virginia's Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Technology in Governor Tim Kaine's cabinet.

Aneesh Chopra is the first Federal Chief Technology Officer of the United States (CTO). He previously served as Virginia’s fourth Secretary of Technology. Prior to his government service, Chopra was Managing Director for the Advisory Board Company, a health care think tank for hospitals and heath systems.

Arun Majumdar has been nominated to be the first director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E). This position has been dubbed Green Czar.

Amar Gopal Bose is the chairman and founder of Bose Corporation. An American electrical engineer of Indian and Anglo-American descent, he was listed on the 2007 Forbes 400 with a net worth of $1.8 billion.

Bharat Desai is a billionaire Indian American entrepreneur and founder of Syntel. He currently serves as Chairman of Syntel (NASDAQ: SYNT), a global provider of Information Technology and Knowledge Process Outsourcing services, headquartered in Troy, Michigan.

Kavitark Ram Shriram is the founding board member of Google and one of the first investors in Google. Kavitark Shriram ranked 583 at Forbes worlds list of billionaires 2007 and ranked 677 on 2008. He currently owns 3.4 million shares of Google.[4]

Vinod Khosla is a Indian-American venture capitalist. He is an influential personality in Silicon Valley. He was one of the co-founders of Sun Microsystems and became first CEO & Chairman of Sun Microsystems and then became a general partner of the venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers in 1986. In 2004 Khosla formed his own firm, Khosla Ventures.

Sabeer Bhatia is the co-founder of Hotmail and an entrepreneur. In less than six months, the website attracted over 1 million subscribers. As the interest in the web-based email provider increased, Microsoft eventually took notice and Hotmail was sold to Microsoft for a reported sum of $400 million.

Didar Singh Bains, a Sikh farmer from Punjab, came to America fifty years ago, with $8 in his pocket. Driving tractors and irrigating orchards for 75 cents an hour, he did the work of four men, and soon bought his first peach orchard. He bought another, then another, and by 1978, had become the largest peach grower and came to be known as the Peach King of California. By 1980, Bains owned 12,000 acres in California and Canada.

Indra Krishnamurthy Nooyi is the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PepsiCo, one of the world's leading food and beverage companies. Indra Nooyi has been named 2009 CEO of the Year by Global Supply Chain Leaders Group.

Vikram Pandit is the current CEO of Citigroup.

Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter, pianist, keyboardist, guitarist, and actress of Anglo-American and Bengali-Indian descent. She is the daughter of sitarist Ravi Shankar. Her career began with her 2002 debut album Come Away with Me, an adult contemporary vocal jazz album with a soul/folk/country tinge, that received five Grammy Awards. She has sold more than 16 million albums in the US and over 36 million records worldwide; altogether, she has sold more albums than any other female jazz artist during the 2000s.

Zubin Mehta was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, the son of Mehli and Tehmina Mehta. His father Mehli Mehta was a violinist and founding conductor of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. In 1978 Mehta became the Music Director and Principal Conductor of the New York Philharmonic. His conducting is also renowned as being flamboyant and forceful in performance.

Kalpen Suresh Modi, best-known by his stage name Kal Penn, is an Indian American film actor and politician who is serving as the Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement in the Barack Obama administration.

Manoj Nelliyattu Shyamalan , known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, is a two-time Academy Award-nominated Indian-American filmmaker and screenwriter. Shyamalan gained international recognition when he wrote and directed 1999's The Sixth Sense, which was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.

Ashok Amritraj, a Hollywood producer, is Chairman and CEO of Hyde Park Entertainment. He is also a former tennis player and has represented India on an international level. Amritraj has produced over 100 films, including, Jeans and hit hollywood films such as Antitrust, Walking Tall, and Bringing Down the House.

Mira Nair is an Indian film director and producer based in New York. She has won a number of awards, including a National Film Award and various international film festival awards, and was a nominee at the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTA Awards and Filmfare Awards.

Padma Parvati Lakshmi, is an Indian American cookbook author, actress, and model. She has been the host of the US reality television program Top Chef since season two. In 2009 she was nominated for an Emmy Award for hosting Top Chef along with Tom Colicchio.

Fareed Rafiq Zakaria is an Indian-American journalist and author. He is the host of CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS. Zakaria is a frequent commentator and author about issues related to international relations, trade and U.S. foreign policy.

Sanjay Gupta is an American neurosurgeon and media personality on health-related issues.He is best known as CNN's chief medical correspondent, hosting the network's weekend health program House Call with Dr. Sanjay Gupta and making frequent appearances on their American Morning, Larry King Live, and Anderson Cooper 360° programs. It was reported that Gupta was offered the position of Surgeon General in the Obama administration. In March 2009, Gupta withdrew his name from consideration for the post.

Jhumpa Lahiri is an Indian American author. Lahiri's debut short story collection, Interpreter of Maladies (1999), won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and her first novel, The Namesake (2003), was adapted into the popular film of the same name.

Vikram Seth is an Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, children's writer, biographer and memoirist. Seth has published five volumes of poetry.

Mohini Bhardwaj is a retired American gymnast who competed at the 1997 and 2001 World Championships and earned a team silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She is the first Indian-American gymnast, and the second Indian-American athlete overall, ever to medal at the Olympics.

Raj Bhavsar is an American artistic gymnast of Indian descent. He was a member of the 2001 and 2003 World Champion U.S. team. He earned a bronze medal as a member of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, becoming the third Indian-American ever to medal at the Olympics, after Mohini Bhardwaj and Alexi Grewal.

Dalip Singh Rana, better known by his ring name The Great Khali, is an Indian professional wrestler, actor, and former powerlifter who won Mr. India in 1995 and 1996. He is currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on its SmackDown brand. In WWE, Singh is a one-time World Heavyweight Champion, and has appeared in the films The Longest Yard (2005) and Get Smart (2008).

And we could keep counting the Indian achievers in USA, if only there were no compulsion on word count for this post.

Here are excerpts from Prime Minister's interview with Fareed Zakaria on CNN/GPS (Nov. 22, 2009) which need no further elaboration on the role of Indians in America:

ZAKARIA: When one travels around India these days and reads the newspapers, talks to people, you get a sense of a great deal of connection and interaction with the United States at every level -- at the level of business, at the level of universities. Is the relationship between Indian society and American society actually now stronger than that between the Indian government and the American government?

SINGH: Well, our relations at the people-to-people level are of great significance. The fact that there is a large community in the United States, people of Indian origin, the way they have flourished, the way they have contributed to the growth of the American economy, I think has changed the image of India. And I often say to our guests from abroad that these days, there is hardly a middle class family in India who doesn't have a son, a son-in-law, a brother or a sister, or a sister-in-law in the United States. I think that's a great incentive for our two countries to look to further development of our relationships.

To conclude, here are some facts that forcefully support the above observations on Indian Americans. More than a quarter of all immigrant-funded companies in the last 10 years in the United States were founded by Indian immigrants, a Duke University survey revealed. Indians have founded more engineering and technology companies in the United States in the past decade than immigrants from the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan and Japan combined. Together, this pool of immigrant-founded companies was responsible for generating more than $52 billion in 2005 sales and creating just under 450,000 jobs as of 2005. What is clear is that immigrants have become a significant driving force in the creation of new businesses and intellectual property in the United States – and that their contributions have increased over the past decade. This is what we can confidently call the Exemplary Voice of Indian-Americans.







































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Roaring Voice Of Bollywood

On March 14, 1931, the silent Indian cinema got its voice with the release of Alam Ara, the first 'talkie'. Spanning a wide range of decades, genres and style, Bollywood, as the Mumbai based Hindi cinema is now popularly called, in all its glory is a wonderful thing. Of the hundreds of great hits it has given, some have attained an aura of unparalleled respectability because, overtime, they continue to draw viewers in multitudes for weeks, months and even years. A major point of reference for Indian culture, Bollywood has shaped and expressed the changing scenarios of modern India. Of the numerous Bollywood moviemakers, some are eternally identifiable. Their image and hallmark style render them unforgettable. The early icons and a galaxy of great makers of the masterpiece movies and Bollywood blockbusters down the decades include:

V. Shantaram: He was one of the early film producers to realize the efficacy of the film medium as an instrument of social change and used it successfully to advocate humanism on one hand and expose bigotry and injustice on the other. Most of his movies are considered classics of Indian cinema: Amar Jyoti (1936), Dunia Na Mane (1937), Admi (1939), Padosi (1941), Shakuntala (1943), Dr. Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani (1946), Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (1955) and Do Aankhen Barah Haath (1957).

Mehboob Khan: Mehboob Khan, like many other filmmakers of his time, learnt his craft in the Theatre to become one of India's greatest filmmakers. The common motif in his movies usually was the oppressed poor pitted against the oppressive rich. Mehboob was a great lover of music and in all his movies he paid greatest attention to music: Manmohan (1936), Deccan Queen (1936), Jagirdar (1937), Alibaba (1940), Aurat (1940), Roti (1942), Anmol Ghadi (1946), Elan (1947) and Anokhi Ada (1949), Andaaz (1949), Aan (1952) and Mother India (1957).

Sohrab Modi: A stage actor of Parsee Stage, what attracted Modi was the historic genre. Minerva Movietone was famous for the triology- Pukar (1939), Sikander (1941) and Prithvi Vallabh (1943). Modi's other notable movies were Bharosa (1940), Parakh (1944), Jhansi Ki Rani (1953) and Mirza Ghalib (1954).

Raj Kapoor: Producer, director, actor, editor, Raj Kapoor was the greatest entertainer known to Indian films. At the age of 23, Raj Kapoor made his directorial debut with Aag (1948) and followed up with several super hit films: Barsaat (1949), Awara (1950), Boot Polish (1954), Shri 420 (1955), Jagte Raho (1956), Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1960), Sangam (1964), Mera Naam Joker (1970), Bobby (1973), Prem Rog (1982) and Ram Teri Ganga Maili Hai (1985).

B. R. Chopra: One of the most celebrated movie mavericks of the Indian celluloid scene in the golden era, B.R.Chopra created immortal classics like Afsana, Ek Hi Raasta, Naya Daur, Sadhna, Kanoon, Gumrah, Humraaz, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Insaaf Ka Tarazoo and Nikah.

Bimal Roy: One of the most successful directors of Hindi cinema, Bimal Roy was famous for his romantic-realist melodramas that took on important social issues while still being entertaining. The most awarded director of the golden era, Bimal Roy was awarded the first three Filmfare awards for Best Director over three consecutive years for Do Bigha Zamin (1953), Parineeta (1954) and Biraj Bahu (1955). He continued to win awards and acclaims for most of his films that followed: Devdas (1955), Madhumati (1958), Sujata (1959), Parakh (1960) and Bandini (1963).

Guru Dutt: Sensitive, poetic, magical, Guru Dutt’s directorial debut Baazi (1951) was not only a super hit but also a trend setter of the urban crime films that followed in the fifties. Aar Paar, released in 1954, established Guru Dutt as a director to reckon with. Followed some of his best work: Mr. And Mrs. 55 (1955), Pyaasa (1957), Kagaz Ke Phool (1959), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) and Chowdhvi Ka Chand.

Hrishikesh Mukherjee: Known for a number of classic hit films, Hrishida’s films were realistic and did not have crime, violence and vulgarity. Besides Anand, a masterpiece, Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s other famous films include Abhimaan, Guddi, Golmaal, Ashirwad, Bawarchi, Satyakam, Namak Haraam, Anari, Asli Naqli, Anupama, Mili, Chupke Chupke, Khubsoorat and Bemisal.

Yash Chopra: Writer, director and producer, Yash Chopra is regarded as one of the hippest and trendiest directors of Indian cinema. Highly acclaimed and awarded director-producer, Yash Chopra has the distinction of winning nine Filmfare awards for Best Director or Best Producer: Waqt (1965), Ittefaq (1969), Daag (1973), Deewar (1975), Lamhe (1991), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and Veer Zaara (2004). His other famous films include Trishul, Kabhi Kabhie, Joshila and Silsila.

Nasir Hussain: Famous for making hit formula movies, Nasir Hussain was one of the most successful filmmakers of the golden era of Hindi cinema. His hit movies include: Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957), Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Jab Pyar Kisi Se Hota Hai (1961), Phir Wahi Dil Laya Hoon (1963), Pyar Ka Mausam (1969), Caravan (1971), Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973) and Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin (1977).

Manmohan Desai: Renowned producer and director of Hindi films, Manmohan Desai’s string of hits with Amitabh Bachchan made him one of the most successful directors of the golden era. His innings with Amitabh included Amar Akbar Anthony, Suhaag, Naseeb, Desh Premi, Coolie, Mard and Ganga Jamuna Sarswati. 1977 was an exceptional year for him when four films were big blockbusters – Parvarish, Amar Akbar Anthony, Chacha Bhatija and Dharam Veer.

Prakash Mehra: He started in the late 1950s as a production controller. In 1973 he produced and directed Zanjeer. The movie was a super hit and established Amitabh Bachchan as a solo actor and started an association that spawned six more movies – Hera Pheri, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Lawaris, Namak Halal, Sharabi and Jadugar. The hero in Zanjeer typified the raw seething anger of the youth of time – the angry young man.

Manoj Kumar: The patriotic face of Indian cinema, Manoj Kumar established his identity as “Mr. Bharat” with his unforgettable flick Upkaar (1965). All the films he produced and directed always carried his trademark stamp of nationalism and patriotic ferver: Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Roti Kapda Aur Makan (1974) and Kranti (1981).

Mani Ratnam: The director who revolutionized Tamilnadu Cinema, Mani Ratnam became one of the most respected filmmakers of Bollywood after he went into making Hindi films. His films have substance as well as style: Roja (1992), Dil Se (1996) , Bombay (1995), Yuva (2004) and Guru (2007).

Ashutosh Gowariker: One of Bollywood's elite directors, in 2001 Ashutosh directed the period epic Lagaan. The film received critical acclaim and nomination for an Oscar Academy Award in U.S.A. for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2004, Ashutosh directed Swades starring Shah Rukh Khan. Swades received high critical acclaim. Jodha Akbar, a period epic starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai, released in 2008, has received much popular as well as critical acclaim and won many awards.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali: A highly acclaimed director, his debut film Khamoshi won several awards. and he emerged as a director to watch. His next movie, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, was a great success and won many awards. Devdas, his next film, was well received at Cannes, where it was premiered. Then came Black, his most praised film to date. Time Magazine (Europe) named the film as one of the Ten Best Movies of the year 2005.

Karan Johar: Karan Johar made his directorial debut in 1998 with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. The film was a major box office success and won eight Filmfare awards. His second directorial effort, the multi-starer family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001) was also a huge success. In 2005, his third film as director, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna was released, which again was a huge success, especially in the U.S. and U.K. His next production, Dostana (2008) was also a smash hit.

Ram Gopal Verma: RGV began his film career in Telgu Cinema. His first huge success in Bollywood started with the commercial blockbuster Rangeela, a stylish romantic drama with Amir Khan and Urmila Mantondkar. Verma followed up with the ground breaking gangster saga Satya, a violent crime epic set in Mumbai underworld, which won him award for the Best Film. Verma again showed his skill with the corporate crime masterpiece Company. The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike. His next big hits were Bhoot, Sarkar and Sarkar Raj.

Madhur Bhandarkar: Bhandarkar is always known for his socially relevant and hard hitting films. Chandni Bar (2001) was a critically acclaimed success and he won his first National Award for the film. It took Bhandarkar into the top league of filmmakers in Bollywood. This was followed by another critically acclaimed film Satta (2003). His next film Page 3 (2005) did very good business at the box office, was highly acclaimed by critics and won him another National Award. His films Corporate (2006) and Traffic Signal (2007) were also appreciated by the critics and audiences. His next film Fashion was also well applauded and won several awards.

For the most part, Bollywood blockbusters are pure entertainment, famous for their 'masala' – formulaic plot lines, exuberent musical and dance numbers and colorful costumes. However, apart from mere entertainers, Bollywood moviemasters have made many classic masterpieces that have the distinction of achieving awards and receiving recognition at international film festivals:

Amar Jyoti (1936): V. Shantaram's adventure classic has the distinction of being the first Indian film to be screened at the Venice Film Festival.

Sant Tukaram (1936): Directed by Vishnupant Govind Damle, the classic film on the life of Tukaram, Maharashtra's famous 17th century poet-saint, won the Special Remmendation Award at the Venice Film Festival.

Ram Rajya (1943): Vijay Bhatt's alltime greatest mythological is the first Indian film to have been premiered in USA at the prestigious Museum of Modern Art in New York. Cecil B Demelle, one of the greatest makers of historical and mythological movies (Ten Commandments, Sampson and Delilah) wrote a personal note to Bhatt after attending the premier, “Greetings from one director who is still trying to make good pictures to another director who will make great ones long after I am gone.”

Neecha Nagar (1946): The film directed by Chetan Anand and written by Khwaja Ahmed Abbas was the first Indian film to win the coveted Grand Prix Prize at the Cannes Film Festival (1946).

Do Bigha Zamin (1953): Bimal Roy's brilliantly directed film was the recipient of a Special Mention at Cannes (1954) and winner of the Special Progress Award at Karlovy.

Boot Polish (1954): This R. K. Films production won Special Mention at Cannes and its director, Prakash Arora, nominated for Golden Palm.

Jagte Raho (1956): A chillingly honest and stark Raj Kapoor film, Jagte Raho won Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (1957) Crystal Globe Award for its director, Sambu Mitra.

Do Aankhen Bareh Haath (1957): One of the finest movies ever made, V. Shantaram's DABH won Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival (1958) and Samuel Godwyn Award at the Golden Globe, USA (1959).

Mother India (1957): A gem from Mehboob Khan, Mother India was the first Indian film to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Film in 1958, missing the Oscar by a single vote.

Teesri Kasam (1966): A sensitive and poetic film produced by renowned lyricist Shailender, Teesri Kasam won nomination for Grand Prix at the Moscow Film Festival (1967).

Ankur (1974): Shyam Benegal's unforgettable debut in Hindi, Ankr was nominated for Golden Bear Award at the Berlin International Film Festival (1974).

Nishant (1975): Yet another brilliant film from Shyam Benegal, Nishant was nominated for Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival (1976).

Mrigaya (1976): Mrinal Sen's most artistically made movie, Mrigaya won nomination for the Golden Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival (1977).

Lagaan (2001): Ashutosh Gowarker's classic. set in India in 1893, Lagaan won Academy Award (USA) nomination for Oscar -Best Foreign Language Film.

Life in India would not be the same without the exuberance of cinema. Song and dance, comedy and melodrama, added to it the relevent messages – Indian films have them all and usually all together in one film. The recent trend in Bollywood, however, is that it works with one eye on the foreign markets. The sets have become more lavish, the costumes more extravagant, the chorus line more glamorous and locations far beyond one can dream of – from the white glaciers of Alaska to the blue waters of Bahamas. This has resulted in remarkable rise in revenues from roaring business abroad, especially in U.S.A., U.K., Australia and the United Arab Emirates. The box-office figures in the foreign market establish the fact that Bollywood films have finally carved a niche for themselves internationally, especially in the U.S. where they do more business than films from any other country. Besides, many big Hollywood studios want a share of the action in Bollywood's busting film industry. It sure adds to India's pride when, along with watcing progress in economic and several other spheres in India, the world is paying rapt attention to the widespread roaring voice of Bollywood.

Chacha Nehru's Inspiring Anecdotes

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, was born on November 14, 1889. As a tribute to this great man and his genuine love for children, his birthday is celebrated all over India as ' CHILDREN'S DAY' since 1954. A celebration of ‘childhood’, ‘innocence’, and ‘future’ is what Children’s Day is all about. His passion for the youngsters and his love for the little kids is the reason why his birthday was chosen as a day of celebration for the young ones. Chacha Nehru (Uncle Nehru), the children called him and his face glowed as he watched them, the future hope of India. Their continued faith in him was also a source of happiness to him and he responded with spontaneous affection. Time has not dimmed his appeal. Age has not made him distant. None of today's children have seen him in flesh and blood. Yet they know him. They know him as a friend of children. They know his love for children; and they reciprocate with an abiding love for their dear Chacha Nehru. He remains a friendly spirit, hovering around, befriending children, laughing with them, tossing roses and jasmines at them, dancing with them, whirling around, singing songs. This image is sustained by anecdotes, drawn from his life, anecdotes that bring out the fact that Nehru's love for children is immortal.

Strolling In The Garden!
He was taking a stroll along the path that ran around the trees and the shrubs of the open grounds in Teen Murti, the official residence of the Prime Minister. Then he heard the cry of a baby. Where did it come from? Nehru stopped, looked all around. His eyes focused on a baby of two months, howling at its top. Nehru went closer. Where was the mother? She was nowhere around. Nehru guessed that the baby's mother must be working on the grounds. She must be a member of the team of gardeners who worked at Teen Murti. She must have put the baby to sleep and gone to the work spot. More he went on with the guessing game, louder and louder became the cry of the baby. Nehru decided to play mother to the child. He walked close to where the child lay, bent, picked the baby in his arms and rocked it gently. The child's wails ebbed and petered off. A toothless smile lit up its lips. That was a smile that cheered Pandit Nehru. He played with the baby, tickled it, had fun time till the baby's mother, covered with dust and sweat ran in. She could not believe her eyes. Her beloved child was in Pandit Nehru's arms. And he was having fun time in its company. For the mother, it was her proudest moment ever. Her baby had been rocked and soothed by none else but the Prime Minister of India.

The Baloon Seller!
Pandit Nehru was on a tour of Tamil Nadu (then known as Madras). Large crowds lined the roads to have his darshan. Many children had climbed up the trees that lined the roads to get a glimpse of their beloved Chacha Nehru. Set behind the crowd was a balloon seller. The strings of the balloons were gathered in his hand, but the balloons, of all shapes and sizes provided a colorful panorama, a sort of drifting halo behind the crowd. On an impulse, Pandit Nehru instructed the motorcade to stop. He jumped out of the open jeep, signaled to the balloon seller to his side. The man came, hesitantly. Had he earned the wrath of the Prime Minister? What would happen to him now? He bowed, held his head bent. "Buy up all his balloons. Give them to the children," Nehru told his aide. The news was conveyed to the balloon seller. He could not believe his ears. He bowed again, ran back, distributing the balloons among the children. Nehru walked to a plump girl, happily watching the balloon in her hand soar far above her head, pinched her cheek gently and returned to the jeep. The children screamed happily, "Chacha Nehru, Chacha Nehru!”


Not The Occasion For Speech!
One hundred and thirty children of Balkanji-Bari, who had come to Delhi in response to an invitation by the Prime Minister, heartily enjoyed a reception given by him at the lawns of his residence, Teen Murti. Mr. Nehru who came to meet them in the evening after a strenuous four-hour meeting to select Congress candidates, was instantly refreshed seeing the little ones who sat in neat rows enjoying fruit drink and sweets. As soon as he appeared, they rose with joyous shouts of ``Chacha Nehru Zindabad.'' A representative of Balkanji-Bari requested Mr. Nehru to address the boys and girls, but the Prime Minister said, “you do not make speeches on occasions like these.'' Instead, he went round, and made each of his little visitors feel completely at home, patting, caressing, saying kind words, making pleasant simple conversation and cracking jokes. Some children asked Chacha Nehru if he remembered having met them at Santa Cruz airport three years earlier on his way to the U.S.A., and Nehru readily responded indeed he did. Nehru asked the children what they had seen in Delhi. The children mentioned the names of Red Fort, Juma Masjid, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, Qutub Minar and Jantar Mantar. When their host wanted to know what was the most wonderful thing they had seen in Delhi, back came their answer in a piped chorus, ``Chacha Nehru.''

Language Of Your Liking!
At the above Balkanji-Bari get together, a boy, extending autograph book, asked Chacha Nehru,
“Chachaji, can I have your autograph?”
Nehru obliged him. The boy looked at the autograph and pointed out to him,
“Chachaji, you have omitted to put the 'Tarik' (date).”
Nehru put the date also. The boy again said,
“Chachaji, you have not written any 'Sandesh' (message).”
Nehru smiled and wrote a small message. When the boy looked at the autograph book, he was surprised. Nehru had written his signatures in English, the date in Urdu and the message in Hindi. When the boy looked at Nehru questioningly, he, with a broad smile, said,
“My dear kid, you asked for my signatures in English, the date in Urdu and the message in Hindi, and you have them thus.”


In No Hurry!
As official of the International Cultural Forum, India, I had the pleasure of taking a group of children to Prime Minister Nehru's residence for his blessings before the children were to leave for a Summer Camp in the then Soviet Union. Mrs. Indra Gandhi, the PM's daughter, received and rushed us to Mr. Nehru's study for a hurried audience with him as per appointment. However, Mr. Nehru was in no hurry and asked Mrs. Gandhi to arrange for some snacks and soft drinks for us. In the meanwhile he made us feel at home by shifting from the sofa to the carpet to show us on the atlas the summer camp site along the beautiful Black Sea where the children would be spending the summer months. When the 15-minutes allotted time for our appointment was over, Mr. Nehru was still absorbed in giving the children orientation lessons for their participation in the international camp. Mrs. Gandhi had a hard time engaging Ministers and other important persons who were waiting for their turn to meet the Prime Minister as per their respective appointments. Indeed, it is beyond imagination how extraordinary we all felt when we came out after spending the most wonderful time of our life with one of the greatest world leaders, for full one hour.

This Beautiful World!
When the famous cartoonist Shankar started the international competitions for children, Nehru addressed a letter through Shankar's publication to children of the world. It brings out Nehru's abiding love for children:

Dear Children,

I like being with children and talking to them and, even more, playing with them. If you were with me, I would love to talk to you about this beautiful world of ours, about flowers, trees, birds, animals, stars, mountains, glaciers and all the other beautiful things that surround us in the world. We have all this beauty all around us and yet we, who are grown-ups, often forget about it and lose ourselves in our arguments or in our quarrels. We sit in our offices and imagine that we are doing very important work.

I hope you will be more sensible and open your eyes and ears to this beauty and life that surrounds you. Can you recognize the flowers by their names and the birds by their singing? How easy it is to make friends with them and with everything in nature, if you go to them affectionately and with friendship.

Grown-ups have a strange way of putting themselves in compartments and groups. They build barriers... of religion, caste, color, party, nation, province, language, customs and of rich and poor. Thus they live in prisons of their own making. Fortunately, children do not know much about these barriers, which separate. They play and work with each other and it is only when they grow up that they begin to learn about these barriers from their elders. I hope you will take a long time in growing up...

Jawaharlal Nehru
December 3, 1949

Chacha Nehru loved flowers as much as he loved children. In his most familiar photograph he is always wearing a red rose close to his heart. The story goes that he started to and eventually got accustomed to tucking the flower to his jacket when a little girl courageously came too close and tucked it on his jacket at a function. In fact, he often compared the two saying that children were like the buds in a garden who needed to be cared, nurtured and loved, as they were the future and foundation of a nation. Since the foundation of a strong future of the country lies in the hands of the children of today, they need to be shown a direction. What better way to show them the way than through Chacha Nehru's inspiring anecdotes.