NEIGHBOURS OF INDIA - 1

Q1. The National Sport of which of these countries is Archery?

A. Maldives

B. Bhutan

C. Nepal

Q2. Which revolutionary poet is regarded as the "National Poet of Bangladesh"?

A. Michael Madhusudan Dutt

B. Kazi Nazrul Islam

C. Jibanananda Das

Q3. Name this economist of Pakistan who was instrumental in devising HDI (Human Development Index), a popular index of measuring well-being of a Nation?

A. Sartaj Aziz

B. Mahbub-ul-Haq

C. Hafeez Pasha

Q4. Tu Youyou, the first female citizen of the People's Republic of China to receive a Nobel Prize in any category (2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine), won it for discovering the treatment against which disease thus saving millions of lives in South China, Southeast Asia, Africa and South America?

A. Yellow fever

B. Malaria

C. Plague

Q5. In which city of Sri Lanka, the Buddhist Temple housing the “relic of the tooth of the Buddha” is located?

A. Anuradhapura

B. Dambulla

C. Kandy

INDIAN CINEMA - 3 - ANSWERS

1. B. Manthan

“Manthan” is a 1976 Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal and is written jointly by him and Vijay Tendulkar starring Smita Patil, Girish Karnad, Naseeruddin Shah, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Mohan Agashe, Anant Nag, Amrish Puri and Sadhu Meher. It is set amidst the backdrop of the White Revolution of India (Milk Cooperative Movement) pioneered by Verghese Kurien. It demonstrated the power of "collective might" as it was entirely crowdfunded by 500,000 farmers who donated Rs. 2 each. Manthan is the first crowdfunded Indian film.

“Manthan” won the 1977 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi and National Film Award for Best Screenplay for Vijay Tendulkar and was also India's submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film for 1976.

The title song ("Mero Gaam Katha Parey Jaa, Dhudh ki Nadiya Wahe Jaa"  - a Gujarati folk song) was sung by Preeti Sagar (Music composed by Vanraj Bhatia), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer that year. The song was later used as the soundtrack for the television commercial for Amul.

2. C. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro

“Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro” is a 1983 Hindi comedy film directed by Kundan Shah and produced by NFDC. It is a dark satire on the rampant corruption in Indian politics, bureaucracy, news media and business and stars an ensemble cast including Naseeruddin Shah, Ravi Baswani, Om Puri, Pankaj Kapur, Satish Shah, Satish Kaushik, Bhakti Barve and Neena Gupta (a bunch of left leaning Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) graduates).

Kundan Shah was inspired by Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 English film “Blow-up” and adopted a popular plot in the film where “two photographers inadvertently capture the murder of a Bombay Municipal Commissioner with their cameras and later discover this when the images are enlarged”. In an obvious homage to Michelangelo Antonioni, the park in which the murder occurs is named "Antonioni Park" in the film.

(Ravi Baswani and Satish Kaushik in “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro”)

Kundan Shah won the 1984 Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro” while Ravi Baswani bagged the Filmfare Best Comedian Award. The names of the lead characters – Vinod Chopra (Naseeruddin Shah) and Sudhir Mishra (Ravi Baswani) – came from film directors Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Sudhir Mishra, who assisted Kundan Shah in the movie.

3. A. Haqeeqat

"Haqeeqat" is a 1964 Hindi war-film directed by Chetan Anand starring Dharmendra, Balraj Sahni, Priya Rajvansh (her debut film), Sanjay Khan and Vijay Anand. The movie was based on the 1962 Sino-Indian War and parts of the film were shot at in the inhospitable terrains of Ladakh, thus becoming the first Bollywood film to be shot there. It won the National Film Award for Second Best Feature Film in 1965.

Kaifi Azmi penned some of his best lyrics for this movie and Madan Mohan was in his elements as he composed the gems like - "Hoke Majbur Mujhe Usne Bhulaya Hoga", "Zara Si Aahat Hoti Hai" sung by Lata Mangeshkar and the masterpiece "Kar Chale Hum Fida Jaan-o-Tan Saathiyon" sung by Mohammed Rafi, a perennial favorite played on National Days.

In a befitting tribute to the gallant Indian soldiers in the Sino-Indian War of 1962, Kaifi Azam penned the following immortal lines: (Used in the song "Kar Chale Hum Fida" of the film)

“Saans Thamti Gayi; Nabz Jamti Gayi;

Phir Bhi Badhte Kadam Ko Naa Rukne Diya;

Kat Gaye Sar Humare To Kuchh Gham Nahin;

Sar Himalay Ka Humne Naa Jhukne Diya.”

4. C. Vidhu Vinod Chopra

“Murder at Monkey Hill” is 1976 Indian film written and directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The short film in Black-and-white was made by Vidhu Vinod Chopra as his final project while doing his diploma at FTII. Chopra, himself played the lead role with Anjali Paigankar while Dilip Dhawan.

The film won the National Film Award for Best Short Experimental Film and the Guru Dutt Memorial Award for Best Student Film.

5. B. Natir Puja

Natir Puja ("The dancing girl's worship", 1932) is the only film where Rabindranath Tagore is credited as director. This film is a recording of Tagore's 1927 dramatised version of his long poem, "Pujarini". This was an all-woman play he wrote on the request of his daughter-in-law, Pratima Devi, who wished to perform it on the poet’s 70th birthday.

(Tagore as Director with the cast & crew of ‘Natir Puja')

(A still from ‘Natir Puja')

Natir Puja’s dramatized version was first staged at Jorsanko Thakurbari in Kolkata in 1927. It was again staged at New Empire, Kolkata in celebration of the poet’s 70th birthday. An impressed BN Sircar, founder-proprietor of New Theatres, requested Tagore to direct a film version under the New Theatres banner. The New Theatres Studio played host to Tagore in 1931. He also played a role and assembled his acting cast from Shantiniketan. Nitin Bose was the cinematographer while Subodh Mitra edited it. They did not follow conventional rules, and the film was shot like a stage drama. The music of the film composed by Dinendranath Tagore, a grandson of the eldest brother of Rabindranath and also a noted Bengali musician and singer. The film was shot within four days.

INDIAN CINEMA - 3

This is the concluding part of the series on "Indian Cinema".

Q1. Which among of the following is India’s first crowd-funded film?

A. Upkar

B. Manthan

C. Main Azaad Hoon

Q2. Identify this iconic Bollywood movie from this still.

A. Hero Hiralal

B. Mirch Masala

C. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro

Q3. Identify this film from the still.

A. Haqeeqat

B. Hum Dono

C. Aakraman

Q4. Who among the following made his directorial debut with the black and white short film “Murder at Monkey Hill”, as his final project while doing his diploma at FTII?

A. Ketan Mehta

B. Prakash Jha

C. Vidhu Vinod Chopra



Q5. Which is the only film in which Rabindranath Tagore is credited as Director?

A. Kapalkundala

B. Natir Puja

C. Satya Pathe

INDIAN CINEMA - 2 - ANSWERS

1. B. Voice Narrator

Amitabh Bachchan made his film debut in 1969, as a voice narrator in Mrinal Sen's National Award-winning film “Bhuvan Shome”. His first acting role was as one of the seven protagonists in the film “Saat Hindustani”, directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and featuring Utpal Dutt, Anwar Ali, Madhu and Jalal Agha.

“Bhuvan Shome” is a 1969 film directed by Mrinal Sen (Sen’s first film in Hindi) based on a Bengali story by Balai Chand Mukhopadhyay. The cast included Utpal Dutt (Mr. Bhuvan Shome) and Suhasini Mulay (Gauri, a village girl) in her debut film. The film is considered a landmark in modern Indian cinema as it heralded a New Wave of Cinema in India. It was one of the earliest films to get funded by the “National Film Development Corporation of India” (NFDC). “Bhuvan Shome” bagged three major Awards at the National Film Awards in 1969 - Best Feature Film, Best Director - Mrinal Sen and Best Actor - Utpal Dutt.

(Amitabh Bachchan in ”Saat Hindustani”, extreme right)

“Saat Hindustani”, a 1969 Indian film, written and directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas, portrays the heroic story of seven Indians who attempt to liberate Goa from the Portuguese colonial rule. The film won two National Film Awards - Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration and National Film Award for Best Lyrics to Kaifi Azmi.

2. C. Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Adoor Gopalakrishnan (born - 3 July 1941) is an Indian film director, script writer and producer. and is regarded as one of the most notable filmmakers in India. With the release of his first feature film Swayamvaram (1972), Adoor pioneered the new wave in Malayalam cinema during the 1970s. In a career spanning over five decades, Adoor has made only 12 feature films to date. His films are made in the Malayalam language and often depict the society and culture of his native state Kerala. Nearly all of his films premiered at Venice, Cannes and Toronto International Film Festival. Along with Satyajit Ray and Mrinal Sen, Adoor is one of the most recognized Indian film directors in world cinema.

(A still from “Elippathayam – 1981”)

For his films, Adoor has won the National Film Award 16 times, next only to Ray and Sen. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1984 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2006. He received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2004 for his valuable contributions to Indian cinema.

(A still from “Anantaram - 1987”)

Some of his notable films are Swayamvaram (1972) - National Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress (Sharada) and Best Cinematographer, Elippathayam (1981) - National Awards for Best Feature Film in Malayalam, Mukhamukham (1984) - National Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, Anantaram (1987) - National Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay, Mathilukal (1990) - National Awards for Best Director and Best Actor (Mammootty), Vidheyan (1993) - National Awards for Best Director and Best Actor (Mammootty).

3. A. Byari

“Byari” is a 2011 Indian film in Beary (Byari) language written and directed by Suveeran. It is the first feature film to be made in this language. Byari won the National Film Award for “Best Feature Film” while Malayalam actress Mallika got a special mention from the National Film Award jury for her performance in the film.

Byari is a community concentrated mostly along the southwest coast of India, in Coastal Dakshina Kannada (a District in Karnataka) and some parts of North Kerala who speak “Byari”, a language made of Malayalam idioms with Tulu phonology and grammar. It is an ethnic Muslim society, having its own unique Traditions and distinct cultural identity. Byaris also incorporate the local Tulu culture and diverse traditions of the Moplahs of the Malabar Coast.

4. B. Virasat

“Virasat”, one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of 1997, was a remake of the Tamil film “Thevar Magan”. Virasat was directed by Priyadarshan with the original story by Kamal Haasan, produced by Mushir-Riaz starring Anil Kapoor, Tabu, Amrish Puri, Pooja Batra, Milind Gunaji and Govind Namdeo.

“Thevar Magan” (Son of Thevar) is a 1992 Indian Tamil film directed by Bharathan starring Sivaji Ganesan, Kamal Haasan, Revathi, Gautami, Nassar, Kaka Radhakrishnan, and Vadivelu. The film's soundtrack album and background score were composed by Ilaiyaraaja. The film's script was written by Kamal Haasan, who also produced the film along with his brother Chandrahasan under Raaj Kamal Films International. The film, inspired by the Hollywood classic “The Godfather” (directed by Francis Ford Coppola), was chosen as India’s Official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film for the 65th Academy Awards. 

5. C. Apur Sansar

“Apur Sansar” is a 1959 Bengali film written and directed by Satyajit Ray, widely regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. It is the third part of The Apu Trilogy, about the childhood and early adulthood of a young Bengali named “Apu” in the early twentieth century India. The film is based on the last two-thirds of the 1932 Bengali novel, “Aparajito”, by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. Released in 1959, “Apur Sansar” focuses on Apu's adult life and introduces the actors “Soumitra Chatterjee” and “Sharmila Tagore”, who would go on to appear in many subsequent Ray films. The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film and several international awards, including the “Sutherland Award for Best Original and Imaginative Film”. The film has been influential across the world and is frequently listed among the greatest films of all time.

(Satyajit Ray behind the lens)

(The Apu Trilogy)

The Apu Trilogy, [Consisting of Pather Panchali (1955), Aparajito (1956) and Apur Sansar (1959)] directed by Satyajit Ray, is based on two Bengali novels written by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay: Pather Panchali (1929) and Aparajito (1932). Produced on shoestring budget using an amateur cast and crew, the Triology went on to win many national and international awards, including three National Film Awards and seven awards from the Cannes, Berlin and Venice Film Festivals and has remained a milestone in Indian cinema.

INDIAN CINEMA - 2

This is the second part of the series on “Indian Cinema”

Q1. Before making his debut as an actor in "Saat Hindustani", Amitabh Bachchan had made his presence felt in Bollywood through the 1969 Mrinal Sen Classic "Bhuvan Shome" as a _____________________ .

A. Screenplay Writer

B. Voice Narrator

C. Playback Singer

Q2. Name this Dadasaheb Phalke Award winning Film Director who pioneered the new wave in Malayalam cinema.

A. G. Aravindan

B. John Abraham

C. Adoor Gopalakrishnan

Q3. This 2011 National Award winning Film had the same name as the language it was made in. Incidentally, it was the first film ever made in the language. Name it.

A. Byari

B. Irula

C. Ho

Q4. Which Bollywood film was a remake of Kamal Hasan's "Thevar Magan" (1982), which was itself inspired by Hollywood classic "The Godfather" (1972)?

A. Sarkar

B. Virasat

C. Agneepath

Q5. Identify this Satyajit Ray film from this iconic still.

A. Pather Panchali

B. Agantuk

C. Apur Sansar

INDIAN CINEMA - 1 - ANSWERS

1. A. Neecha Nagar

Neecha Nagar, a 1946 Hindi-Urdu film directed by Chetan Anand, written by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and Hayatullah Ansari and produced by Rashid Anwar, was a pioneering effort in social realism in Indian cinema. It starred Chetan Anand’s wife Uma Anand with Rafiq Ahmed, Kamini Kaushal, Rafi Peer and Zohra Sehgal.

Neecha Nagar became the first Indian film to gain recognition at the Cannes Film Festival, after it shared the “Grand Prix du Festival International du Film” (Later known as “Palme d'Or”) award at the first Cannes Film Festival in 1946. It's the only Indian film to be awarded a Palme d'Or till date.

Neecha Nagar was inspired by Russian writer Maxim Gorky’s “The Lower Depths”, one of his best known plays. Neecha Nagar was the debut film of actress Kamini Kaushal and Pandit Ravi Shankar as a music director.

2. B. Adi Shankara

Adi Shankaracharya is a 1983 Indian film in Sanskrit language directed by G. V. Iyer. The film depicts the life and times of 8th century Hindu philosopher, Adi Shankaracharya, who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta (Non-dualism) in Hindu philosophy. It was the first film in India to be made in Sanskrit. At the 31st National Film Awards in 1983, it won four awards, including Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography and Best Audiography.

Sarvadaman Banerjee (best known for playing Krishna in Ramanand Sagar's popular Television series "Krishna" in 1993) played the role of “Adi Shankaracharya”, while veteran actor Bharat Bhushan played Shankara's father.

M. Balamuralikrishna, veteran Carnatic vocalist, music composer scored the music for the film.

3. A. Yaadein

Yaadein, a 1964 black and white Hindi film directed and produced by Sunil Dutt also starring himself (the only other actor in the film is Nargis Dutt that too in a silhouette in the final scene), is the first Indian film in cinema that features only a single actor and hence has found an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records in the category “Fewest actors in a narrative film”.

Film narrative progresses through dialogues and background music composed by Vasant Desai, who also scored two songs sung by Lata Mangeshkar.

The film was a unique attempt since it was a soliloquy act (monologue) performed by Sunil Dutt, in the role of a worried loving husband, who is surprised to see his wife and children not at home one day as he returns from the work. Making his own assumptions, he starts imagining about the reason for their absence and in turn begins talking to himself about his own mistakes and regrets.

The film won the National Film Award for “Best Feature Film in Hindi” in 1964.

4. C. Kannada

The Kannada Film Industry is known as “Sandalwood”, one of the many film industries around the world to mimic the Hollywood-pattern (- wood) name. Karnataka, known for its sandalwood (Mysore Sandal) inspired the prefix “Sandal”.

5. A. Water

'Water' is a 2005 drama film, written and directed by Deepa Mehta, produced by her Canadian husband David Hamilton with screenplay by Anurag Kashyap. The film is the third and final installment of Mehta's Elements trilogy - preceded by Fire (1996) and Earth (1998). The film starring Seema Biswas, Lisa Ray, John Abraham, and Sarala Kariyawasam in pivotal roles and Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Waheeda Rehman, Raghuvir Yadav, and Vinay Pathak in supporting roles, is set in 1938 and explores the dark lives of widows at an ashram in Varanasi and covers controversial subjects such as misogyny and ostracism.

The Film’s songs were composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics by Sukhwinder Singh and Raqeeb Alam while the background score was composed by Mychael Danna (Canadian film score composer best known for his soundtrack for “Life of Pi”). The outstanding Cinematography of the film was done by Giles Nuttgens, who has worked with Deepa Mehta on several of her films.

The film premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was honoured with the Opening Night Gala and released in India on 9 March 2007 after several controversies.

Water was Canada's official entry for "Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film" in 2006.