What skills if any were taught to princess and queens during the times of Ramayana and Mahabharatha?

Draupadi

The Princess of Panchala known with her another name Draupadi (being daughter of Dhrupad) was born from Yajna fire and was a very intelligent, illustrious, hard working and wise lady of her time. When Satyabhama asked her how to make Krishna her only as she saw Pandavas being very respectful to her, she teaches her the qualities of why she was respected and loved by her husbands. She was a very hard working lady and a large part of administration and Antahpura was looked after by her and she was the one who helped her husbands manage such a big kingdom. Without her support, the Pandavas would have suffered difficulty in making Khandavprastha to Indraprastha. Even when she was grossly humiliated in Gambling place by Duryodhana, Dushasana and Karna, she first tried to save her honour and then she saved her husbands. Even Karna praised her quick thinking and intellect. She had not said Andheri Ka Putra Andha in original Mahabharata, neither she stopped Karna from participating in her Swayamvara. Both stories comes from later interpolations. These are not accepted as composed by Ved Vyas and were later added and therefore removed by scholars from their editons.

Draupadi was not a lady who would insult her guests, she was extremely wise and learned.

Kaikeyi

Kaikeyi was Princess of Kaikeya Kingdom and daughter of King Ashwapati. She was an excellent chariot driver and a horse rider. Maharishi Valmiki calls her Tejaswini (Brilliant). She had saved her husband Dashrath in war against demon Sambhar. Kaikeyi was taught many skills including war skills.

Kaushalya, first wife of Maharaja Dashrath was an administrator and many villages came under her. This fact was said by Laxman to Shri Ram when he was worrying how his mother would be able to live without him and having no one to protect her. Laxman said she is protecting and providing for people of many villages, she would be able to take care of herself. Also, Shri Ram hoped that Bharat would be caring for Kaushalya as Shri Ram never did anything to hurt Kaikeyi.

It can be inferred that Princesses were given proper education so that they could become good mothers, intelligent queens and also learnt warrior skills for self defence.

Kumudvati

Naga Princess Kumudvati, Chief Queen of Kusha had tremendous agency because she had wished to marry Kusha and even told her wish to her brother, Naga King Kumud. It shows that Princesses could easily express their desires to their families. Kusha was more than delighted to have gotten such an intensely passionate and devoted queen. Her personality is a little far fetched and can make feminists uneasy because her entire personality revolved around her husband and caring for their children. But that was her choice, this wasn't forced upon her. She was also a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva and Kusha had built Nageshwarnath Temple for her near Sarayu river.

Kusha's first wife Champika had birthed nine daughters but she had no sons. Yet, she enjoyed a very respectful place in his palace. Champika was a pillar for initiall reign of Kusha in Kushavati and gave him emotional stability from trauma of losing his mother. Despite having no sons, Champika was respected and enjoyed many privileges and Kumudvati's son Atithi respected her like his own mother.

Mata Sita

And of course who can forget Mata Sita who is epitome of strength and purity. She was foster daughter of Janaka and daughter in law of Dashrath and she never ever wavered from her loyalty towards her husband and always preferred her self respect and her own agency more than anyone else. She was an extremely morally strong lady, when Shri Ram acted to forsake her just so that she would be provoked to give test of purity, she took it to prove her love and also her the purity of her character. Later Shri Ram said that all this was done so that no one would question her, he himself had full faith in her and Ravana couldn't dare to touch her because she was protected by her own moral power. She was an extremely mentally strong lady. Yes, she did cry, she did feel fear but she surpassed that and always stood up for what's right.

The Queens like Tara, Mandodari, Sulakshana (Sulochana), Kunti, Gandhari were also very strong and wise ladies.

The Princesses of Ramayana and Mahabharata era were given proper education and they were taught many skills as Kaikeyi was a warrior, Draupadi was an administrator and she also looked after finance, Mandodari was Chief Queen of Ravana and she had her own contributions , Kumudvati was a homemaker but she enjoyed being so and raised Atithi so well that he was called jewel of Nagas and Raghuvansh.

Which movies best showcase Aishwarya Rai's acting skills and why are they significant?

 Aishwarya Rai has given commendable acting performances in the following films

Raincoat: Hands down the best film and Best performance of Aishwarya Rai, this is a rare art film done by Aishwarya Rai along with Ajay Devgan. Directed by National Award winning director Rituporno Ghosh this film is based on O Henry's The Gift of Magi. The film is poignant and emotional and is very well acted and directed.

Provoked: Directed by Jagmohan Mundra, this crossover film deals with domestic abuse and female retaliation. The film was better received overseas than India and Aishwarya delivers a good performance sans her glamorous roles.

Devdas: A touch melodramatic but Bhansali knows how to present her actresses with full glory. The film makes her look breathtakingly beautiful and she does justice to a role which is inconic in Indian literature and cinema.

Jodha Akbar: Historically not very accurate but again very well acted and directed by another award winning director Ashutosh Gowarikar. Aishwarya felt cheated when she lost out best Actress Filmfare to Priyanka Chopra for Fashion.

Guzarish : Even though I had mixed feelings about this film and parts of it were unengaging but the performances in the film were top notch especially Hrithik, Aishwarya and Aditya Roy Kapoor. The film was mature and slow burner but artistically compelling even if unrealised in its potential.

What celebrities have an unusual skill in an area unrelated to their fame?

 The athletes Shah Rukh Khan could've played hockey, cricket or soccer at a professional level

Akshay Kumar could've become a martial artist

John Abraham could've represented India in Football

Sunil Shetty could've played cricket professionally

Irrfan Khan was a very talented cricketer

Esha Deol was also a very talented football player

Deepika Padukone was a very talented badminton player

Randeep Hooda has represented India in equestrian sports

Charlie Sheen could've played Baseball professional

Dwayne Johnson did play American football professionally

Sean Connery caught the eye of Matt Busby and could've played for United

Antonio Banderas was a budding soccer player

So was Colin Farrell a budding soccer talent

Jason Statham was an Olympic level Diver

Even our very own Akshaye Khanna is a very avid squash player

A skill in the industry but unrelated to there actual discipline Arshad Warsi could've become a choreographer

Shahid Kapoor could've become a choreographer

Madhuri Dixit could've also been a choreographer

Salman Khan could've permanently shifted writing

Aamir Khan to direction

Priyanka Chopra could've become a full-time singer

Ajay Devgan could've become an action choreographer like his father

Ben Affleck could've permanently shifted to writing and direction

Matt Damon could've shifted to writing

Other fields Tom Cruise is a pilot also

Even our very own Shahid Kapoor can fly a plane

Tom Selleck was in the military

So was Nana Patekar

Nana Patekar could've been a great cook also

Even Jackie Shroff could've been a great cook

Nawazuddin Siddique was a practising chemist before movies beckoned

Ashok Kumar could've been a homeopath doctor as even practised

Manoj Kumar also similarly could've been a homeopathic medicine doctor

Feroz Khan due to amazing horseriding skills could've been a cavalier

Who are the actual top 10 strongest warriors in the Mahabharata based on skills?

 If we include all the warriors purely based on feats and skills. This time I will also include divine avatars on my list!

1) SHREE KRISHNA.

To quote a very simple statment from Harivamsha Purana chapter 97.

In that way, in Kunti’s presence, the lord Madhusudana played with the wielder of the Gandiva and defeated him. Purushottama defeated Drona, Drona’s son, Kripa, Karna, Bhimasena, Suyodhana and all their assembled followers. Desiring to accomplish what was agreeable to Babhru,”*' the lord, the wielder of the conch shell, chakra and sword abducted the daughter of the king of Souvira. For the sake of Venudari, Purushottama conquered the entire earth, with all its horses, chariots and elephants.

He defeated everyone on the list. Hence he's at the top position.

2 PRABHU BALARAMA.

Because he's BALARAMA. He's just as mighty as Shree Krishna and the only reason he's not on the top, is because Lord Shree Krishna has more feats.

3 PARSHURAMA.

He was still arguably stronger than all the warriors in Mahabharata except the Shree Krishna and maybe Balarama. Even in a weakened state, he stomped Prime Bhisma.

4 ) DRONACHARYA.

By the time,he fought in Kurukshetra War. He was in his late eighties. He still defeated Arjuna, Abhimanyu and several other warriors. Absolutely destroyed them several times. Without Divine warriors. Prime young Dronacharya would be on top of the list.

5) ARJUNA.

Usually claimed to be Mahabharata’s best warriors, if divine avatars are not included.

6) KARNA.

Karna usually had some inconsistencies, but over time his feats made him equal to Arjuna interms of prowess.

As stated by Brahmadeva and agreed upon by Indradeva.

“On seeing that Prajapati, the self-creating one, had arrived, the gods spoke to him. ‘O god! Let this struggle for victory between these two lions among men be pacified.’ Hearing this, Maghavan758 prostrated himself before the grandfather and said, ‘Let the entire universe not be destroyed because of Karna and Arjuna. O self-creating one! You had earlier said that Vijaya and the other one are identical. O illustrious one! I am bowing down before you.

Karna Parva Chapter 1213(63) critical edition Mahabharata.

He's in this position purely because of inconsistencies.

7) ASHVATHMA.

Behold the warrior with the most potential. But he's limited because of a simple reason.

As Bhisma explained.

Drona’s son is a great archer and is superior to all archers. He is colourful in the field of battle and is a maharatha who is firm in wielding weapons. O great king! When released from his bow, his arrows are like those of the wielder of the Gandiva himself and are linked together in one continuous line. But I cannot count this brave one in the list of supreme rathas, though this greatly famous one is capable of burning up the three worlds. He has accumulated anger and energy through austerities, while he dwelled in a hermitage. And since he was generous, Drona bestowed celestial weapons on him. O bull among the Bharata lineage! O supreme among kings! But he has a single great taint and because of that, I do not regard him as a ratha or an atiratha. He loves his own life too much. This brahmana always wishes for a long life. There is no one who is equal to him in either army. On a single chariot, he is capable of slaying even the army of the gods. Through the slapping of his arms, this handsome one can cause mountains to be shattered. The brave one has an infinite number of qualities. He is a striker and his radiance is terrible. He roams around and cannot be tolerated. He is like the god of death, with a staff in his hand. He is greatly intelligent and has the neck of a lion. He is like the angry fire that rages at the end of an era. O descendant of the Bharata lineage! He is capable of pacifying what is left of this war.

Ratha-Atiratha-Samkhya Parva chapter 827(164)

He loved his life a bit too much and hence failed to exert his true prowess. He would be above Arjuna and Karna if he truly tried.

8) PITAMAHA BHISMA!

Some of you might be wondering why I have put this legend in the 8th place.

Well because his feats pale in comparision to all others and obviously Shree Hari avatars. He lead the Kauravas for ten days, but never managed to defeat or surpass Arjuna.

Ashvathama and Karna at certain times proved their valour to be better than Arjuna. Drona outright defeated everyone and even gods were terrified of the Brahmana’s strength.

9) BHAGDATTA.

Super old veteran. But still rivalled Arjuna. Ofcourse with the Vaishnava astra, he would be much higher in the list. But without it, he's still comparable to Arjuna.

10) BHIMA.

He fought 3 Akshouhinis single handedly and defeated many major warriors.