Who are the most recognized Indian film directors globally?

 There are so many Indian Directors, whose work has gained name and fame Globally

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Shekhar Kapur: The acclaimed director has directed iconic films like Masoom, Mr India in Bollywood while he has directed films like Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age in Hollywood.

Ritesh Batra: He directed The Lunchbox starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur which won highly positive reviews form the audiences as well as the critics. He also directed Our Souls At Night starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in Hollywood.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra: He has directed films like Parinda and Eklavya: The Royal Guard in Bollywood while he directed Broken Horses in Hollywood.

Mira Nair- She directed Amelia in Hollywood and also directed the acclaimed film Salaam Bombay in Bollywood

Etc.

But Here i wanna talk about 1 Directors who changed Indian Cinema forever.

This Man proved that Indian Cinema can be more than just singing and dancing .

He introduced Realistic Cinema which gained western audience attention.

SATYAJIT RAY

Satyajit Ray was an Indian filmmaker, screenwriter, graphic artist, music composer and author, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th century. Ray was born in Calcutta into a Bengali Pandit family which was prominent in the field of arts and literature.

This Man not only played a major role in placing India on the global cinematic map but his works continue to inspire a number of acclaimed filmmakers even today.

10 reasons why Ray was Praised Globally —

1— Akira Kurosawa, one of the most inspirational and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, once said this about Satyajit Ray's films:

2— Oscar Winning Director Martin Scorsese said-

I‘m also a big fan of Satyajit Ray’s body of work. The few interactions I had with Ray are memories I treasure.

3— Ray also gave India its first detective series in the form of Feluda.

4— In the form of Apu, Satyajit Ray made the entire community root for an ordinary boy through the different stages of his life.

5— He also composed the music for all his films.

Some of his original music was even used by Wes Anderson in his film The Darjeeling Limited.

6— During a time when India was used to watching running-around-trees kind of romances, Ray had the courage to sensitively portray adultery and the problems in married life in the acclaimed Charulata.

7— In 1967, Ray wrote a script for a movie entitled "The Alien". Columbia Pictures was in talks to produce it. Peter Sellers and Marlon Brando were supposed to be up for the leading roles. However, Ray was surprised to find that the script he had cowritten had already been copyrighted and the fee appropriated. Brando dropped out of the project and, though an attempt was made to bring James Coburn in to replace him, Ray was disillusioned, had enough of Hollywood machinations and returned to Calcutta. Columbia was interested in reviving the project in the 1970s and 1980s but nothing came of it. When E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) was released in 1982, many saw striking similarities in the film to Ray's earlier script. Ray himself believed that Steven Spielberg's movie "would not have been possible without my script of 'The Alien' being available throughout America in mimeographed copies." Spielberg denied this by saying, "I was a kid in high school when this script was circulating in Hollywood".

9— These 5 Hollywood Directors who have been Inspired by Satyajit Ray-

• Martin Scorsese

The legendary filmmaker who has directed classics like Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Casino, The Departed etc is a huge fan of Satyajit Ray's work and often talks about how his films have inspired him. He also cherishes his interactions with him.

• Christopher Nolan

The Dark Knight filmmaker is one of those rare directors who with every film manages to impress both the critics as well as set the box-office on fire. During his recent visit to India, he said that Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali is extraordinary and one of the best films ever made. It made him want to work with Indian directors.

• Wes Anderson

His works bear a heavy influence from Satyajit Ray who he has often cited as his inspiration. The ending of his film The Darjeeling Limited pays homage to Ray's Apu Trilogy.

• Francis Ford Coppola

The legendary filmmaker who has directed The Godfather saga, often cited as the film of all time is a huge fan of Satyajit Ray's work and cites him as a major influence in his life.

• George Lucas

The creator of the Star Wars saga called Satyajit Ray an extraordinary filmmaker whose work had a profound influence on filmmakers across the world. He called for bringing his work to the attention of young filmmakers.

Few others-

10— The first Indian to win Oscar

Some of his quotes

Sad Fact- Still Many people are unaware of him and his work.

What is the name of the Hindi movie that featured the song "Neele Neele Ambar Par"? Who was the singer of that song?

 The above mentioned song is from the movie Kalaakar(1983). It was an official Hindi remake of Tamil hit film Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982).

Despite being a box-office dissapointment the film gave Bollywood one of its most immortal romantic songs.

Neele Neele Ambar Par is rendered by Kishore Kumar and composed by Kalyanji-Anandji. Kishore Kumar’s soft whispering vocals perfectly mimics the gentle breeze and the nocturnal setting of the track.

The soothing guitar solo is played by veteran musician Sunil Kaushik. Indeevar, who is the lyricist of the song has used rich metaphors comparing natural elements such as mountains, sea and blue sky to symbolise profound romantic longing and a desire for a soulmate. There is also a female version of the song which is rendered by Sadhana Sargam.

The film starred Manoj Kumar’s son Kunal Goswami and Sridevi. It was a failed debut for Kunal Goswami. During the pre-trial itself Manoj Kumar felt that the film will not connect with the audience and suggested to change some scenes. However his suggestion was not taken seriously and he did not want to bother the director.

The tragedy-romance film was a box-office failure but the song remains an iconic cultural touchstone in Indian Cinema.

Image(s) Courtesy: Google

Why did Shammi Kapoor do so many films with B. R. Chopra?

 Though B.R. Chopra was a big admirer of Shammi's unique talent and was persistent in his efforts to collaborate with him, they collabrated together for just one film.

Both of them started their respective careers in the early 50s but Shammi regained fame in the late 50s with, “Tumsa Nahi Dekha”.

Shammi gained a romantic image and was a part of “swinging 60s” while B.R. Chopra was working as a (producer/director) on films like Ek Hi Raasta, Naya Daur, Dhool Ka Phool, Dharamputra, Gumrah, Kanoon, Waqt, Humraaz, Ittefaq etc.

The film trajectories of the two were fundamentally different, representing two distinctive pillars of Indian cinema.

One being the exuberant, musical “rebel star” while the other a socially conscious “message filmmaker”. Still B.R. Chopra intended to cast the Kapoor family Prithviraj Kapoor along with (Raj, Shammi and Shashi) in Waqt but Bimal Roy advised not to do so.

According to him, the Kapoor brothers resembled each other too much, which would make it hard to believe they were separated brothers, ruining the plot's dramatic tension.

Later, Shammi transitioned to character roles due to physical changes and knee injury. This was the time when B.R. Chopra and Ravi Chopra collabrated with Shammi Kapoor for Zameer in which Shammi played a pivotal role. Interestingly, he was cast with Saira Banu (whom he had previously romanced in Junglee). He played the father of Saira Banu in the film. In fact, it was Shammi Kapoor’s first role as a character artist.

B.R. Chopra did not have a direct blood relation with the Kapoor family but his family was closely intertwined with them through the Punjabi film industry community in Mumbai. Still, at a professional level, Zameer was the only film where Shammi Kapoor and B.R. Chopra worked together.

Image(s) Courtesy: Google

What are the three best life hacks?

 Here are some important hacks I've learned throughout my life:

• Always carry a pen with you, especially when traveling (you know that sometimes you won't have another option).

• When you see an animal crossing the road, be sure to stop, look, and wait. There will probably be a few more animals following.

• Use your foot to stop your phone from falling if you drop it (never try this with the Nokia 3310, you could seriously injure yourself).

• When you get together with your family, discuss common scams and life hacks that you know about but they don't.

• If a guest or host asks you if you'd like to take some leftover food home, always say yes. It will likely make them very happy.
• Answer the door wearing a coat. If it's someone you like, you can say you just got home. If it's someone you don't like, you can say you were just leaving.

• If you're selling something on eBay, offer free shipping and add the shipping cost to the main price.
• When sending a long string of numbers to someone, break it into groups of three or four digits separated by spaces to make it more readable.

• If you solve a problem that you yourself posted on a forum, add the solution so that others can use it for the same problem.
• Don't take other people's business more seriously than they take it themselves.
• If someone is introducing you to a song you really like, don't talk during the song unless it's about the music itself or something urgent. That song might mean a lot to the other person, and talking in the middle of it shows that you think your ideas are more important than theirs.
• Pay attention to how your house smells when you return from a trip – it's how it smells to guests all the time, you've just gotten used to it.
• When offering your condolences to someone who is grieving, focus on the PERSON and avoid talking too much about who they lost.

Which monument is the second highest point in Paris after the Eiffel Tower?

This eyesore is called the Tour Maine Montparnasse and is about 2/3 as high as the Tour Eiffel.

While all buildings in the center of Paris are limited to six stories, this unassuming slab rises to 59 stories, on land formerly occupied by a train station. How was it possible that an urban planning regulation dating back to Emperor Napoleon III (1852-70) was so completely ignored?

During the time of its construction, 1969-75, Georges Pompidou was the French president. This man believed in modernity; he built the motorway on the right bank of the Seine, the museum that bears his name... and he had foreseen that new, wide roads would bisect Paris to ease car traffic... Fortunately, this project died when he himself passed away unexpectedly.

The modern train station that this tower replaced is the departure point for all trains to Bordeaux, Toulouse, and other destinations. A shopping arcade has been established on the ground floor. High above the clouds, a restaurant/café offers a magnificent view of Paris, including the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It is widely believed that this is the best place to admire Paris! And why? Because it's the only place from which you can see the city without being distracted by the ugly tower itself!

Why do people write their wish on a stone inside the Tirupati Temple?

(Lord Venkateswara's feet)

Devotees only put stones at Srivari Padalu (feet of Lord Sri Venkateswara) at Narayangiri hills.

They can’t write anything inside Tirupati temple.

Prayer : Many devotees put stones with a prayer at Srivari Padalu.

They believe , it is a way to reach Lord’s heart.

Devotion : Devotees climb nearly 300 steps with a silent prayer to reach Srivari Padalu.

They offer Tulsi Mala to Lord Srinivas and make a wish.

Facts : Devotees don’t scribble anything on walls of main Tirupati shrine.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams is strictly against any kind of vandalism.

Prayer : Sri Ganeshaya Namah Namo Narayanaya Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram Namo Parvatipataye Har Har Mahadev Jai Jai Jai Hanuman Gosai Kripa Karo Gurudev Ki Nai

Pic Credits : Google Images / Web

What are some interesting facts about Komodo dragons?

– After it was thought for a while that the world's largest lizard had toxic bacteria in its saliva to kill its prey, it has now been proven that the Komodo dragon produces its own venom, just like venomous snakes.

This poison causes a rapid drop in blood pressure, accelerates blood loss and hypothermia, and leaves the victim too weak to escape, let alone defend themselves.

According to this, no animal, no matter how large, dangerous, or insignificantly small, is protected from the potent venom of the Komodo dragon.

In addition to its potent venom, Komodo dragons possess 60 sharp, serrated teeth, each approximately 2.54 cm long. These teeth are perfectly suited for attacking and inflicting a severe bite. However, the Komodo dragon's bite force is relatively low compared to other predators (around 35 bar, compared to the lethal bite of a saltwater crocodile at approximately 255 bar). This lower bite force is compensated for by the venom during hunting.

– As mentioned previously, the Komodo dragon is the largest lizard in the world; some adult males can reach a length of 3 meters and a weight of 70–91 kg.

Nevertheless, the Komodo dragon hunts completely silently. It stealthily and inaudibly stalks its prey; the victim, therefore, has no idea that it is being pursued. As soon as it is close enough to its target and at precisely the right moment, the Komodo attacks, relying on blood loss through tissue damage.

As its prey nears death, the reptile tears off large chunks of flesh and swallows them whole. This is thanks to its flexible jaws and highly elastic stomach. Consequently, nothing is left behind; everything is consumed: horns, bones, skull...

Like snakes and most lizards, Komodo dragons possess a highly developed sense of smell, for which they use their long, forked tongue. The tongue picks up particles in the air, and these molecules are then analyzed by a special organ called Jacobson's organ via two indentations in the roof of the mouth. The information is then transmitted to the brain – just like in the world of snakes.

The Komodo dragon's keen sense of smell allows it to locate prey or carrion from over 9 km away. There was even a report of a Komodo dragon entering a house because it was attracted by the smell of a ranger's dirty socks and mistook them for rotting meat!

The Komodo dragon got its name from an old rumor that dragon-like creatures roamed and terrorized the Indonesian island of Komodo until the species was discovered in 1910. Called "Ora" by some locals, meaning "land crocodile," the Komodo is actually a monitor lizard and not a close relative of the crocodile.