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Lagaan
''Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India'' () is a 2001 Indian Hindi-language sports drama film written and directed by Ashutosh Gowariker. The film was produced by Aamir Khan, who stars alongside debutant Gracy Singh and British actors Rachel Shelley and Paul Blackthorne. Set in 1893, during the late Victorian period of India's colonial British Raj, the film follows the inhabitants of a village in Central India, who, burdened by high taxes and several years of drought, are challenged by an arrogant British Indian Army officer to a game of cricket as a wager to avoid paying the taxes they owe. The villagers face the arduous task of learning a game that is alien to them and play for a victory. Produced on a budget of , ''Lagaan'' was the most expensive Indian film at the time of its release. It faced multiple challenges during production: Khan was initially skeptical to star in a sports film, and later, prospective producers called for budget cuts and script modifications. Eventu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashutosh Gowariker
Ashutosh Gowariker (born 15 February 1964) is an Indian film director, actor, screenwriter and producer who works in Hindi cinema. He is known for directing films "set on a huge canvas while boasting of an opulent treatment". His is particularly known for '' Lagaan'' (2001), ''Swades'' (2004), ''Jodhaa Akbar'' (2008), and ''Mohenjo Daro'' (2016). His film '' Lagaan'' was nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category in 74th Academy Awards, which makes him a voting member of the Academy Awards. He returned to acting by playing the lead role in the critically acclaimed comedy drama ''Ventilator'' (2016). Early life Gowariker was born in a Marathi family to Ashok and Kishori Gowariker. His family hails from Kolhapur. He is married to Sunita (Deb Mukherjee's daughter from his first marriage) and they have two sons, Konark and Vishwang. Career Gowariker started his career as an actor, making his debut in 1984 in director Ketan Mehta's picture '' Holi''. On the Holi se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aamir Khan
Mohammed Aamir Hussain Khan (; born 14 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in Hindi films. Through his career spanning over 30 years, Khan has established himself as one of the most notable actors of Indian cinema. Khan is the recipient of numerous awards, including nine Filmfare Awards, four National Film Awards, and an AACTA Award, with one of his film productions also receiving an Academy Award nomination. He was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010, and received an honorary title from the Government of China in 2017. Khan first appeared on screen as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film '' Yaadon Ki Baaraat'' (1973). As an adult, his first feature film role was in ''Holi'' (1984). He began a full-time acting career with a leading role in '' Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' (1988). His performance in '' Raakh'' (1989) earned him a National Film Award in the Special Mention category ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
47th Filmfare Awards
The 47th Filmfare Awards were held on 16 February 2002 in Mumbai, India. '' Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' led the ceremony with 16 nominations, followed by '' Dil Chahta Hai'' with 13 nominations, and ''Lagaan'' and '' Gadar: Ek Prem Katha'' with 9 nominations each. ''Lagaan'' won 8 awards, including Best Film, Best Director (for Ashutosh Gowariker) and Best Actor (for Aamir Khan), thus becoming the most-awarded film at the ceremony. Aamir Khan received dual nominations for Best Actor for his performances in ''Dil Chahta Hai'' and ''Lagaan'', winning for the latter. Awards Main Awards Technical Awards Special awards Critics' awards Best Film '' Dil Chahta Hai'' Best Actor ''Amitabh Bachchan – Aks'' Best Actress ''Karisma Kapoor – Zubeidaa'' Big winners and nominees The following film received multiple nominations. * ''16 nominations:'' '' Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' * ''13 nominations:'' '' Dil Chahta Hai'' * ''9 nominations: Gadar: Ek Pre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gracy Singh
Gracy Singh (born 20 July 1980) is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi films. She is best known for her role in the films ''Lagaan'' and '' Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.'' ''Singh'' is also a trained Bharatnatyam and Odissi dancer. Career Born in Delhi, India, Singh began her career touring with the dance group "The Planets". Her first acting role was in the 1997 television soap, '' Amanat''. In 1999 she was seen in Bengali Film ''Sundori Bou. She'' then went on to star opposite Aamir Khan in Ashutosh Gowariker's epic sports-drama ''Lagaan'', where she played a village belle. She was nominated in this role for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, and won the Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female. Post ''Lagaan'', Singh appeared in a few successful films in Hindi and Telugu including '' Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.'' and '' Santosham''. She has also starred in Punjabi films such as ''Lakh Pardesi Hoye'' and a Malayalam film ''Loudspeaker'' directed by Jayaraj. In ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paul Blackthorne
Paul Blackthorne (born 5 March 1969) is an English actor. Although born in Shropshire, he spent his early childhood on UK military bases in Britain and Germany. Blackthorne broke into acting via television commercials in England. His breakthrough commercial in the UK came in the Grim Reaper commercial for Virgin Atlantic, which was hugely successful. Numerous radio commercials followed. Blackthorne's first film role was in the Academy award nominated Bollywood film ''Lagaan'', released in the year 2001. Since then, he has mostly appeared in American films and television shows. He had recurring roles in the American series '' ER'' and '' 24'', both in 2004, and has been a regular cast member in the series '' The Dresden Files'' (2007), in which he played the title character of Harry Dresden, as well as '' Lipstick Jungle'' (2008–09) and '' Arrow'' (2012–2018). Film Blackthorne's first film role was as Captain Andrew Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood film ''Lagaan' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Nitin Chandrakant Desai is a noted Indian art director and production designer of Indian cinema turned film and television producer, most known for his work in Marathi and Hindi Films, World Cultural Festival 2016 at Delhi and films like, ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'' (1999), ''Lagaan'' (2001), ''Devdas'' (2002), ''Jodhaa Akbar'' (2008) and ''Prem Ratan Dhan Payo'' (2015). During his career spanning twenty years, he has worked with directors like Ashutosh Gowarikar, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In 2002, he turned film producer with Chandrakant Productions' ''Desh Devi'', a devotional film on the Devi Mata of Kutch. He has won National Film Award for Best Art Direction four times, and Filmfare Best Art Direction Award three times. In 2005, he opened his ND Studios spread over at Karjat, Navi Mumbai, near Mumbai, which has since hosted movies like ''Jodha Akbar'', ''Traffic Signal'' as also Color's reality show '' Big Boss''. Early life and educat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Javed Akhtar
Javed Akhtar (born 17 January 1945) is an Indian poet, lyricist, screenwriter and political activist. Known for his work in Hindi cinema, he has won five National Film Awards, and received the Padma Shri in 1999 and the Padma Bhushan in 2007, two of India's highest civilian honours. Akhtar came to recognition in the duo Salim–Javed, and earned his breakthrough as a screenwriter with 1973's ''Zanjeer''. He went on to write the films ''Deewar'' and '' Sholay'', both released in 1975; they earned a cult following, and had a significant impact in popular culture. He later earned praise for his work as a lyricist, winning the National Film Award for Best Lyrics five times and the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist eight times. Akhtar notably campaigned for the Communist Party of India (CPI) and their candidate in the 2019 Indian general election, and was a member of parliament in Rajya Sabha. For his work, he received the Richard Dawkins Award in 2020. Early life Ja ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan (; born as Amitabh Shrivastav; 11 October 1942) is an Indian actor, film producer, television host, occasional playback singer and former politician known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential actors in the history of Indian cinema.* * * * * Referred to as the '' Shahenshah of Bollywood'' (in reference to his 1988 film '' Shahenshah''), ''Sadi ka Mahanayak'' (Hindi for, "Greatest actor of the century"), ''Star of the Millennium'', or ''Big B''.* * * During the 1970s1980s, he was the most dominant actor in the Indian movie scene; the French director François Truffaut called him a "one-man industry." Bachchan was born in 1942 in Allahabad to the Hindi poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and his wife, the social activist Teji Bachchan. He was educated at Sherwood College, Nainital, and Kirori Mal College, University of Delhi. His film career started in 1969 as a voice narrator in Mrinal Sen's film ''Bh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mother India
''Mother India'' is a 1957 Indian epic drama film, directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. A remake of Khan's earlier film '' Aurat'' (1940), it is the story of a poverty-stricken village woman named Radha (Nargis), who in the absence of her husband, struggles to raise her sons and survive against a cunning money-lender amidst many troubles. The title of the film was chosen to counter American author Katherine Mayo's 1927 polemical book '' Mother India'', which vilified Indian culture. ''Mother India'' metaphorically represents India as a nation in the aftermath of its independence in 1947, and alludes to a strong sense of Indian nationalism and nation-building. Allusions to Hindu mythology are abundant in the film, and its lead character has been seen as a metonymic representation of an Indian woman who reflects high moral values and the concept of what it means to be a mother to society through self-sacrifice. While some a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bhanu Athaiya
Bhanu Athaiya (née Rajopadhye; 28 April 192915 October 2020) was an Indian costume designer and painter. She was the only woman member of the Bombay Progressive Artists' Group and the first Indian to win an Academy Award. Alongside being Bollywood's most iconic costume designer, she had a historically important early career as an artist with contemporaries like M. F. Husain, F. N. Souza and Vasudeo S. Gaitonde. Two of Bhanu Rajopadhye's artworks were included in the 1953 Progressive Artists' Group show in Bombay. After her switch from art to cinema, Bhanu went on to become one of the leading creators of the aesthetic of a young India through her work on costumes for Bollywood films.She worked on over 100 films, with Indian filmmakers such as Guru Dutt, Yash Chopra, B.R. Chopra, Raj Kapoor, Vijay Anand, Raj Khosla, and Ashutosh Gowariker, notably in films like C.I.D. (1956), Pyaasa (1957), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Guide (1965), Amrapali (1966), Teesri Manzil (1966), S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Awadhi Language
Awadhi (; ), also known as Audhi (), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in northern India and Nepal. It is primarily spoken in the Awadh region of present-day Uttar Pradesh, India. The name ''Awadh'' is connected to Ayodhya, the ancient city, which is regarded as the homeland of the Hindu god Rama. See also, the Oudh state which was settled in North India during the Mughal rule. It was, along with Braj Bhasha, used widely as a literary vehicle before being displaced by Hindustani in the 19th century. Linguistically, Awadhi is a language at par with Hindustani. However, it is regarded by the state to be a dialect of the Central Indo-Aryan (Hindi) languages, and the area where Awadhi is spoken to be a part of the Hindi-language area owing to their cultural proximity. As a result, Modern Standard Hindi, rather than Awadhi, is used for school instructions as well as administrative and official purposes; and its literature falls within the scope of Hindi literature. Alter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rachel Shelley
Rachel Shelley (born 25 August 1969) is an English actress and model. She is best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series ''The L Word'' and Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic ''Lagaan''. Early life Rachel Irene Shelley was born on 25 August 1969 in Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom, and was brought up primarily in London. She is the youngest of four children, she has an older sister and two older brothers. Shelley spent three years in Malta as a child before attending school in Huntingdon. After graduating from the University of Sheffield with a B.A. Hons in English and Drama in 1992, she joined a local theatre company in Edinburgh and set up a community theatre company in Sheffield before moving to London to further her acting career. Career Shelley is perhaps best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series ''The L Word''. Other parts include Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Hindi film ''Lagaan'' in 2001, and the bea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
