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Ever since the centre has decided to intervene in the appointments at the Film and Television Institute of India (<keyword id="55490" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="FTII">FTII</keyword>) and the Central Board of Film Certification (<keyword id="238857" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="CBFC">CBFC</keyword>), it looks like the allegations of political bias that were faced last year would finally be controlled. 
 <keyword id="258297" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gajendra-Chauhan">Gajendra Chauhan</keyword>, the chairman of FTII, has not been given the chair of the head of the institute's Academic Council, made for taking important decisions. Not only this, the centre has also asked the newly appointed Censor Board revamp committee to work not from CBFC but either from Films Division or National Film Development Corporation (<keyword id="66984" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="NFDC">NFDC</keyword>) both of which are headquartered in Mumbai. 
 
Officials also said that the decision has been taken to ensure that the panel has adequate time and space to work on its report, and also that CBFC members, which have in the past been involved in controversies, are kept away from the processes. 
 There is a note on the website of NFDC, which explains the role of the revamp committee, headed by filmmaker <keyword id="29916" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shyam-Benegal">Shyam Benegal</keyword> and including filmmaker <keyword id="38943" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rakeysh-Omprakash-Mehra">Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra</keyword>, advertising professional <keyword id="6375200" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Piyush-Pandey">Piyush Pandey</keyword> and film critic <keyword id="15017" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bhawana-Somaaya">Bhawana Somaaya</keyword>. 
 
As of now, the panel is busy collecting inputs from artists in the film industry and NGOs on films. Benegal said that these inputs will be incorporated in the suggestions that would be presented to the government in the first week of March. 
 
<a href="http://www.banglamirror.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/gajendra-chauhan-759.jpg">Image source</a>

Government intervention in resolving Censor Board and FTII rows show positive results

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=rajyavardhan+rathore">Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore</a>, on Monday hit out at Congress party vice-president <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=rahul+gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</a> for giving political colour to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=FTII">FTII</a> strike. 
 
Scion of Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, Gandhi, had visited the FTII campus in Pune last week to express solidarity with students, who are agitating against appointment of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=gajendra+chauhan">Gajendra Chauhan</a> as FTII chief. 
 
While addressing protesting students at the prestigious institute, Gandhi assured them of help and also attacked the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=RSS">RSS</a> ideology. He alleged that RSS was systematically promoting "mediocrity" in various institutions. 
 
On Monday, Rathore said that despite meetings and discussions, few students just wanted to go on with the strike. 
 
"And with Rahul Gandhi's Pune visit it has become clear that the strike has taken a political colour or it is a political strike from the beginning," he said. 
 
The students, who held a protest at Jantar Mantar, have been agitating against Chauhan's appointment since June 12. 
 
Many <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=bollywood">Bollywood</a> veterans and actors have come out in support of students. Students say that Gajendra lacks "vision and artistic credentials" to merit the post. 
 
"Students come after the institution, first we will strengthen FTII. The government is open to discussion and students could come for meetings. It is not wise to give a political institution a political angle. And if the institution holds a strike in Delhi and Congress workers participate in it, this too is not wise," Rathore said. 
 
The MoS added that the government had adopted a liberal outlook towards the students and no strong action was taken against students yet considering they are “students”. 
 
Earlier this month, the students body had written to leaders from various political parties requesting them to intervene in the matter. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Will FTII strike soon turn into a political blame game?

In the past few days many celebrities have raised their voice against the appointment of TV actor <keyword id="258297" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Gajendra-Chauhan">Gajendra Chauhan</keyword> as the <keyword id="2898983" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="FTII-chairman">FTII chairman</keyword>. Now film-maker <keyword id="30014" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Vivek-Agnihotri">Vivek Agnihotri</keyword>, whose political satire ‘Buddha In A Traffic Jam’ recently won the Best Original Screenplay in a foreign language award at the Madrid International Film Festival, has extended full support to FTII students. Pointing towards the qualification of Chauhan, he told Business Insider (BI) that “one can’t give a chance to a raw pilot to fly a Dreamliner and an intern to do a bypass surgery on a patient.” The controversy is very far from over; the students of the prestigious <keyword id="129188" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Film-and-Television-Institute-of-India">Film and Television Institute of India</keyword> (FTII) have been agitating for over 30 days and have declared that they would continue to protest against <keyword id="14666" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="BJP">BJP</keyword> member Chauhan’s appointment as the new head of the governing council. 

	Agnihotri, who directed movies such as ‘Hate Story’, and ‘Chocolate’, ‘Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal’, told BI: “Chauhan is not qualified for this job. I don’t care what movies he has done or their quality. What matters is that he has no track record, views, and above all vision for cinema.”
 

	Chauhan, who played the role of 'Yudhishthir' in popular television serial "Mahabharata", on his part remained unfazed and said he should be given a chance and allowed to work.
 The film-maker, whose wife actor <keyword id="6158" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Pallavi-Joshi">Pallavi Joshi</keyword> has stepped down on July 6 from the <keyword id="2929545" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="FTII-Society">FTII Society</keyword> in an expression of solidarity with students, said: “Chauhan claims he has done over 70 serials. So what? Even a junior artist does over 1,000 films.” Chauhan is not suited for the job, he said. On being asked about the role of the <keyword id="384646" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Information-and-Broadcasting-Ministry">Information and Broadcasting Ministry</keyword> in the controversial appointment, Agnihotri said: “I think I&amp;B authorities underestimated the FTII. They thought it is just an institute with few hundred scholars somewhere in Pune. Who will bother? But it (the decision to appoint Chauhan) boomeranged on them.” 

	He further said the appointment has nothing to do with syllabus or any other administrative issues. “It is about prestige of the institute which, now, everyone unanimously believe will be hampered by Chauhan’s appointment.”
 

	Justifying the strike, he said FTII students are politically more active than engineering or MBA students. In Vivek Agnihotri’s view, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, the government should not hesitate to change the chairman.
 

	One such change will set the precedence for other institutes and bring the government under pressure, he said, adding: “There will be chaos. It is a complex situation and I am sure sooner or later our pragmatic PM will intervene and find a solution.”
 Agnihotri has worked in advertising agencies including Ogilvy &amp; Mather, JWT and has been a founder member of <keyword id="2947231" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="McCann-Erickson-in-India">McCann Erickson in India</keyword>. 
	(Image: Indiatimes)

Film-maker Vivek Agnihotri says, you can’t give ‘anyone’ a chance to run FTII

The FTII controversy is getting heated up as more and more Bollywood celebrities are coming forward and debating on the issue, whether <keyword id="258297" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Gajendra-Chauhan">Gajendra Chauhan</keyword> possesses the skill to lead the prestigious institute. Apart from film-makers Kundan Shah, Aziz Mirza and Vivek Agnihotri, here are six other Bollywood celebrities who have voiced their strong reservations against Chauhan’s appointment as the <keyword id="2949645" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="FTII-chief">FTII chief</keyword>. Take a look! 
	 

	 
	 
	<keyword id="6357861" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="ranbir-kapoor">Ranbir Kapoor</keyword>: The actor backed <keyword id="129188" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Film-and-Television-Institute-of-India">Film and Television Institute of India</keyword> (FTII) students, who are protesting against Chauhan’s appointment. In a video posted on <keyword id="10879" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="YouTube">YouTube</keyword> by the FTII student body, Ranbir said that "students want to look up to someone with a body of work they can aspire to". The Bombay Velvet actor said that "the appointment of the new chairman has gone against their wishes". "Don't think what the students are asking is illogical, don't think they are asking for the moon. They are just asking for correct faculty, correct syllabus," said the 32-year-old actor. He won two consecutive Filmfare Best Actor awards for Rockstar in 2011 and Barfi in 2012. 
	 
	 
	 
	Rajkummar Rao: The National Award-winning actor has also criticised Chauhan’s appointment as the chairman, saying the premier institute needs to be in “safe hands”. The 30-year-old actor has said students need a better chief than Chauhan. The FTII alumnus said on <keyword id="6354616" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword>: “#FTII needs to be in safe hands. Students need somebody who they can trust and look up to. It is their future which is at stake here.” Rao was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for the 2013 biographical film Shahid. 
	 
	

	 
	<keyword id="6357910" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Rishi-Kapoor">Rishi Kapoor</keyword>: The Bollywood actor has advised Chauhan to resign. He selected microblogging site Twitter to be his mouthpiece after his son, actor Ranbir Kapooor extended support to FTII students who are protesting against Chauhan’s appointment. Rishi Kapoor, who got the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, said: “Advice. After all the protests and controversy, Gajendra Chauhan, the FTII chairman should voluntarily retire. Will do good to the students.” He added: “If they (students) don’t want you, they don’t want you. By pushing for the chairmanship is getting you nowhere. Let self pride play a role and retire!” 
	 
	 
	 
	<keyword id="6533" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Anupam-Kher">Anupam Kher</keyword>: The veteran actor has said that FTII needs a “much qualified” person than Chauhan as its chief. The former chairman of <keyword id="388113" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Central-Board-of-Film-Certification">Central Board of Film Certification</keyword> (CBFC) and <keyword id="146563" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="National-School-of-Drama">National School of Drama</keyword> (NSD) also supported the idea of converting the government institute into an autonomous body. Known for his versatility, Kher said that FTII represents a certain art form and requires a person who is supposed to know all forms of cinema. He said that Chauhan is neither qualified as producer or director nor actor to lead FTII. Kher was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2004 for his contribution to Indian cinema. 
	 
	 
	 
	<keyword id="6359106" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nawazuddin-Siddiqui">Nawazuddin Siddiqui</keyword>: He extended support to FTII students, saying the post of chairman demands a creative person. Siddiqui told India Today: "This post demands creativity. There are people who are far more efficient. There are many options and people with such background must come forward…I am not saying that the person appointed on post has a bad background." He strongly objected the idea of privatising FTII as everyone cannot afford the fee charged by a private insitute. He received the Special Jury Award at the 60th National Film Awards 2012, for his work in films, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Dekh Indian Circus and Talaash. 
	 
	 
	 
	<keyword id="66055" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Raj-Babbar">Raj Babbar</keyword>: The veteran actor also raised his voice against Chauhan’s appointment as FTII head. He told NDTV that one cannot appoint a chaprasi (office attendant) as school principal just because he can devote a lot of time for the institute. However, the actor clarified that it was not a comment on Chauhan's abilities. The <keyword id="1575" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Congress">Congress</keyword> spokesperson, targeting the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry, said it is actually wrong to target Chauhan due to fault of the people who have appointed him as the chairman. 
	 
	(Image: ​Vipin Vaghmare and Indiatimes)

6 celebrities who joined the chorus against FTII Chairman Gajendra Chauhan’s removal

<keyword id="1156313" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="The-Film-and-Television-Institute-of-India">The Film and Television Institute of India</keyword> (<keyword id="55490" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="FTII">FTII</keyword>) controversy took an ugly turn today. Its students and alumni, who arrived in Delhi to meet officials of the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry, were taken into custody for protesting outside it. After more than 20 days of agitation against the appointment of <keyword id="54" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="TV-actor">TV actor</keyword> <keyword id="258297" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Gajendra-Chauhan">Gajendra Chauhan</keyword> as the new chairman of the institute, the students came here. The <keyword id="6359715" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="protest">protest</keyword> was supported by students of <keyword id="6360099" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Delhi-University">Delhi University</keyword>, <keyword id="58265" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru-University">Jawaharlal Nehru University</keyword> (JNU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). 

	The FTII students have been boycotting classes, abandoning academic work in protest against Chauhan, who according to them does not have “vision and knowledge” to lead the premiere institution of film-making. 
 

	Nakul Singh Sahani, an independent film-maker and FTII alumnus, said: “The students were holding a peaceful protest outside the ministry at Shastri Bhawan when they were dragged by police and arrested. We came here to arrive at a conclusion and want a fresh selection of a chairman and some governing council members of the institute. We also want a transparent system where we could know how these appointments were done.”
 <keyword id="2933028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Cinematographer-Saurabh-Vishwakarma">Cinematographer Saurabh Vishwakarma</keyword>, who passed out from FTII in 2004, said: “It is a prestigious institution and the post of the chairman is not one that can be offered to anyone. If a person has achieved eminence in his field and his work has been recognized, then it adds to his credentials. Such person can be appointed as is its head.” 

	Sahani passed out from the Pune-based institute in 2006. He said: “Chauhan has zero credential to be the chairman. The TV actor was appointed as he is associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and not because of his depth of knowledge.”
 

	Moreover, there are some members in the FTII governing council who have been selected due to their closeness to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), he said, asking “do they have any idea about film-making, script writing or can they teach students or plan their syllabus and conduct workshops”.
 “Chauhan doesn’t have the required experience to run the top most institute of film-making, which enjoys certain credibility in India and abroad. How will he lead the institution,” asked Aditi Sharma, film-maker and owner of <keyword id="2933027" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Apple-Box-Films">Apple Box Films</keyword>. 

	She said: "There were eminent people in the field of cinema before Chauhan who occupied this prestigious post. The legacy has to be maintained and respected.”
 The post has been previously held by National award-winning film-maker <keyword id="29916" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Shyam-Benegal">Shyam Benegal</keyword>, veteran actor Vinod Khanna, Kannada writer U R Ananthamurthy, film director <keyword id="222175" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Saeed-Akhtar-Mirza">Saeed Akhtar Mirza</keyword>, among others. 

	This type of political interference is not new to institutions of higher learning in India, Sharma said, adding IITs and IIMs are also its victims. 
 

	Thousands of students sit for the test and compete to get an entry in FTII, said Himanshu Prajapati, second year student of film direction. “People like Chauhan will destroy the credibility of the institute,” he said. 
	 
	(Image: Saurabh Vishwakarma official FB page)

FTII row: students arrested in Delhi for protesting against Gajendra Chauhan’s appointment

People who know what acting is know that it is not only a profession that brings with it money and fame. In fact, those are mere perks for a person who gives his heart and soul to performing arts. Though it is true that acting can not be taught as this is skill that comes from within, there are many courses available in a number of acting institutes in India that help you polish this skill and learn the intricacies involved. 
 
Following is a list of acting schools from where you can enrol in acting courses and get a degree or diploma in performing arts. 
 
National School of Drama, New Delhi 
 
National School of Drama, or NSD as it is fondly called, is the Mecca of acting in India. An autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, this school has produced some of the best acting talents of the country including Pankaj Kapoor, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, and Irrfan. It provides a three-year full-time diploma course in dramatic arts, following which you can pursue your career in theatre or films. The requirement for admission in this course is a graduation degree in any subject and participation in at least 6 theatre productions. A preliminary test/audition is conducted at five centres, Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Guwahati. 
 
Film And Television Institute of India, Pune 
 
If NSD is the Mecca of actors, FTII is no less. Known to be the origin place of some of the best talents of industry, this autonomous organization under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting offers a two-year post graduate diploma in acting, and has produced actors like Jaya Bachchan, John Abraham, Rajkumar Rao, Shabana Azmi and the late Smita Patil. The prerequisite for joining this prestigious course is a Bachelors Degree in any discipline from a recognised university, followed by a screening by a team of selectors. 
 
Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida 
 
AAFT is another institute that provides graduate, post graduate and diploma courses in acting. Alma mater of Arjun Kapoor, this upcoming acting school has seen some of the best minds in the industry paying a celebrity visit and guest lectures. Founded by Sandeep Marwah who is closely related to the family of Anil Kapoor, this media school has seen some established film and TV actors as its alumni. 
 
The <keyword id="22547" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Barry-John">Barry John</keyword> Acting Studio 
 
Known for training Shah Rukh Khan in acting, Barry John is accredited for training many young talents in his acting studio. Varun Dhawan, Sushant Singh Rajpoot, Dia Mirza, Freida Pinto, Lillete Dubey, Manoj Bajpai and Richa Chadda are some other prominent names to have featured in the alumni list of this studio. Having branches in Delhi and Mumbai, it offers part time and full time courses in acting for anyone above 18 years of age. 
 
<keyword id="6534" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Actor-Prepares">Actor Prepares</keyword> 
 
Who better than a national award-winning actor to teach you the minutiae of acting? Padma Shri Anupam Kher runs this one-of-a-kind acting school in Mumbai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and London. Ali Zafar, Preity Zinta, Manish Paul, Ruslan Mumtaz and Kunal Kapoor are some of his alumni to have made it big in the show biz. Offering part-time courses and diploma courses as well as customised workshops and children workshops, Actor Prepares is the only acting school to be founded by an actor who is professionally active in acting and theatre. 
 
Image courtesy: Thinkstock

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Institutes In India
Where You Can Learn Acting

Mumbai filmmaker <keyword id="4410429" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="payal-kapadia" source="Orion">Payal Kapadia</keyword> has recently graced our news after winning the ‘Grand Prix’ — the second-most prestigious award at the 77th <keyword id="6366702" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cannes" source="Orion">Cannes</keyword> International <keyword id="1666" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="film-festival" source="Orion">Film Festival</keyword>. This award was won by an international co-produced film called ‘All We Imagine As Light’, a 115-minute-long drama written and directed by Kapadia herself. While the win has directed much discourse towards the current state of Indian cinema, it also spurred another surprising detour towards a controversial avenue after the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) decided to congratulate Kapadia on her well-deserved win. Here’s the entire tea. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How did it start?" comment="subhead" text="How did it start?">How did it start?</cmsannotation> The story goes back all the way to 2015, while Kapadia was still a student at FTII — India’s oldest and most premiere film board that is also under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. With a legacy of appointing many prestigious filmmakers as its president, such as the legendary Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal, the institute settled on the decision to appoint Gajendra Chauhan as its next chairman. Many FTII students protested the move as felt betrayed by this appointment. They claimed that Chauhan had not played any significant part in Indian entertainment industry, with him acting as Yudhishthira in the 1980s Mahabharat being his most prominent role. They claimed that Chauhan lacked the expertise and credentials to assume such a pivotal role at the esteemed institution, with some even even painting the move as a political ploy to saffronise yet another of India’s major institutions. The students feared that this appointment would hinder the artistic freedom and creative liberty that was erstwhile celebrated at the campus. In response to the nomination, a Kapadia-led group of students allegedly organised a 139-day mass protest that involved boycotting classes, even trapping the then-Director Prashant Pathrabe in his office until more clarification was provided. To say that this revolt was not taken lightly would be an understatement. After the office confrontation, the police were called to stifle the protest and 35 students were charged with various crimes, of which Kapadia and few other students faced the strictest charges. Academic “disciplinary action” was carried out after the arrests of Kapadia and four other protesters – a case still unresolved by the Indian courts. This involved depriving Kapadia and several other students of a scholarship and the chance to participate in foreign exchange programs, in addition to vacating them from their hostels. Many of these students were also demonised by Chauhan supporters, branding them as ‘anti-nationals’ and the like. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="FTII softens stance" comment="subhead" text="FTII softens stance">FTII softens stance</cmsannotation> While the charges still remain unwavered, Payal Kapadia refused to allow these harrowing circumstances to hinder her artistic productivity. Channelling the dissent around her, Kapadia made a documentary titled ‘A Night of Knowing Nothing’, a 2021 documentary about a university student writing letters to her estranged lover in the backdrop of the FTII student protests. This film premiered at Cannes, the Toronto International Film Festival and the Busan International Film Festival the same year. The docu-film was subsequently awarded prestigious awards at many of these events. However, this was hardly Kapadia’s first brush with international fame. In 2017, ‘Afternoon Clouds’, a 13-minute-long film about a 60-year-old Mumbai widow and her Nepali domestic help, was selected for screening at the Cannes International Festival. Recognising this, FTII issued a letter of support, offering to cover Kapadia’s travel expenses to the prestigious film festival. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="FTII faces backlash for congratulating Payal" comment="subhead" text="FTII faces backlash for congratulating Payal">FTII faces backlash for congratulating Payal</cmsannotation> After Kapadia’s historic win at Cannes this year — an award that made her the first Indian filmmaker to win the Grand Prix — the FTII congratulated the alumna on X, a move criticised by many. The post read: “It is a moment of pride for FTII as its Alumni create history at Cannes. As we witness a phenomenal year for Indian Cinema at 77th <keyword id="6362016" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cannes-film-festival" source="Orion">Cannes Film Festival</keyword>, FTII cherishes the glorious achievements of its Alumni at this Mega International Stage of Cinema.” <div type="twitter" handle="FTIIOfficial" handlename="FTIIOfficial" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1794623468195270913"></div> Since their official statement, many prominent celebrities have called the FTII out on their hypocrisy. These personalities deemed that the institute was trying to claim credit for Kapadia’s international success, despite its behaviour towards her and other dissenters in the past. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ali Fazal, other personalities react to FTII celebration" comment="subhead" text="Ali Fazal, other personalities react to FTII celebration"><keyword id="486750" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ali-fazal" source="Orion">Ali Fazal</keyword>, other personalities react to FTII celebration</cmsannotation> Ali Fazal, known for his role in 3 Idiots, also criticised FTII for celebrating Payal Kapadia's Cannes win. The actor responded to the FTII congratulatory post with the caption ‘Uhhh… please don’t. Just don’t’. <div type="twitter" handle="alifazal9" handlename="alifazal9" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1794659194446172374"></div> In addition, sound designer Resul Pookutty, who won an <keyword id="21112" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oscar" source="Orion">Oscar</keyword> for Slumdog Millionaire, also called out the FTII for celebrating Payal's win. On Facebook, the personality explained that Kapadia's win at Cannes highlighted a significant gap in the Indian film industry's support for independent filmmakers. While the Government of India's annual delegations to Cannes predominantly feature familiar faces from the mainstream industry, Kapadia's success underscores the importance of recognising and supporting passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, Pookutty asserted. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="PM Modi congratulates Payal, Shashi Tharoor reacts" comment="subhead" text="PM Modi congratulates Payal, Shashi Tharoor reacts"><keyword id="2238662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pm-modi" source="Orion">PM Modi</keyword> congratulates Payal, <keyword id="42749" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shashi-tharoor" source="Orion">Shashi Tharoor</keyword> reacts</cmsannotation> Soon after Kapadia’s win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took to X to congratulate the filmmaker. He writes: “India is proud of Payal Kapadia for her historic feat of winning the Grand Prix at the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her work ‘All We Imagine as Light’.” <div type="twitter" handle="narendramodi" handlename="narendramodi" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1794670131009790207"></div> The PM also highlighted Kapadia’s background as an alumnus of FTII, explaining that her new prestigious accolade will continue to inspire a new generation of Indian filmmakers. However, many have pointed out that Kapadiy’s earlier four-month-long institutional struggles arose from the Government’s decision to appoint Chauhan as the FTII chairman. Chauhan is also a noted BJP leader, belonging to the same ruling party as PM Modi. Some netizens also responded to the post urging that the party make Chauhan apologise to the filmmaker. In a separate post, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdraw all cases against Kapadia and the other FTII students who protested the appointment of the institute’s chairperson in 2015. Sharing a post from Resul Pookutty, which alleged that Payal would have to attend a court hearing regarding the FTII incident soon after returning from Cannes, Tharoor reprimanded the Prime Minister for his hypocrisy in applauding her success. <div type="twitter" handle="ShashiTharoor" handlename="ShashiTharoor" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1795284408532103215"></div> We’ve all dealt with terrible authority figures. Unfortunately for the newest pride of Indian cinema, her adversary ended up being the institution and government itself. However, Payal’s ardent ferocity helped the filmmaker overcome systemic obstacles that would topple most. While Kapadia has expressed gratitude towards FTII for helping fund earlier movies, it remains to be seen how court hearing will unfold further for the talented director.

How did Payal Kapadia’s historic win at Cannes lead to a showdown between Shashi Tharoor and PM Modi? Here’s the complete timeline

Veteran <keyword id="143" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bollywood" source="Orion">Bollywood</keyword> actor-writer-director <keyword id="2218" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="satish-kaushik" source="Orion">Satish Kaushik</keyword> - remembered as 'Calendar' in the film "Mr. <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>" - passed away at 67 late on Wednesday. His friend and another legendary actor <keyword id="6533" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="anupam-kher" source="Orion">Anupam Kher</keyword> shared the news in a tweet early Thursday. Born in Haryana, <keyword id="2220" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="kaushik" source="Orion">Kaushik</keyword> was an alumnus of the NSD and the FTII, and started his film career in the early 1980s. He penned the dialogues for the 1983 classic "Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron", which acquired a cult following over the years. He is known for his comic roles as 'Calendar' in "Mr. India", "Pappu Pager" in "Deewana Mastana" among many others. Kaushik also gave sterling performances in other films like "Ram Lakhan" and "Saajan Chale Sasural". He directed Sridevi's film, "Roop Ki Rani, Choron Ka Raja" and later "Prem", both disasters, but he got his big hit with "Hum Aapke Dil Me Rehte Hain" and also "Tere Sang", among many others. Many Bollywood personalities have paid tributes to the multifaceted artiste after learning about the news of his demise. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/adani-group-sbi-sbi-life-among-stocks-to-watch/articleshow/98506578.cms">Sensex, Nifty50 to open on a weak note amid Powell’s hawkish commentary: Adani group, SBI, SBI Life among stocks to watch</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/ranbir-kapoor-continues-to-chase-romance-on-screen/articleshow/98475504.cms">In an industry where action sells, Ranbir Kapoor continues to chase romance on-screen</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/incredible-success-can-come-from-doing-something-you-love-with-your-whole-heart-masoom-minawala/articleshow/98475211.cms">‘Incredible success can come from doing something you love with your whole heart’</a>

Actor, writer and director Satish Kaushik passes away at 67

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday announced a Rs 3,980.77 crore outlay for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the 2022-23 fiscal, a decrease of Rs 90 crore from last year. The allocation to the government's autonomous body Prasar Bharati has been reduced to Rs 2,555.29 crore from Rs 2,640.11 crore allotted to it in the last fiscal. Among other autonomous bodies, the budget for only the Press Council of India was increased from Rs 20 crore in the last fiscal to Rs 27 crore this time. The Films and Television Institute of India (FTII), Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Children's Film Society of India and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute saw reductions in their budget allocation. For the IIMC, the government has earmarked Rs 52 crore, down from Rs 65 crore allocated for 2021-22. The FTII's budget was reduced from Rs 58.48 crore last year to Rs 55.39 crore this year. In the budget, the allocation for broadcasting under the social services head has gone down from Rs 2,921.11 crore to Rs 2,839.29 crore. There was also a reduction in the budget for 'information and publicity' from Rs 971.26 crore to Rs 942.04 crore. 'Information and publicity' covers establishment expenditure of media units in the country like the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, Press Information Bureau, Publications Division, New Media Wing, Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), Films Division, National Film Archive of India, Electronic Media Monitoring Centre and others. Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur hailed the budget as "beneficial", saying it was a blueprint to fulfil hopes and aspirations of a new India in the 100th year of its Independence. PTI AG IJT IJT

Budget: Rs 3,980 crore allocated for Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

<ul><li>The stand-in finance minister <keyword id="6355222" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="piyush-goyal">Piyush Goyal</keyword> took time in the middle of his speech to praise a recent blockbuster, <keyword id="71431" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uri">Uri</keyword>. </li><li> “Single window clearance for ease of shooting films, available only to foreigners, is now going to be made available to Indian filmmakers as well,” Goyal said. </li><li>Modi government’s affair with Bollywood is a recent phenomenon. </li></ul>Budget 2019 had, possibly, the maximum reference to Indian showbiz of all the finance bills presented in the country’s history. To start with, the stand-in finance minister Piyush Goyal took time in the middle of his speech to praise a recent blockbuster, Uri, which glorified the Narendra Modi government’s decision to conduct ‘surgical strikes’ into Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. He then went on to solicit Bollywood’s love with a change in rule, which should not have been there in the first place. “Single window clearance for ease of shooting films, available only to foreigners, is now going to be made available to Indian filmmakers as well,” Goyal said. And that was not all. He also said that “regulatory provisions will rely more 14 on self-declaration. We will also introduce anti-camcording provisions in the Cinematograph Act to control the menace of piracy.” Goyal also highlighted how the government pushed for a lower tax on cinema tickets through the GST (goods and services tax) Council. Let’s look at how the relationship has evolved in the last four and a half years. It’s showtime Modi government’s affair with Bollywood is a recent phenomenon. In fact, in the first three years of the regime, the government’s relationship with the film industry was rather tenuous. One of the government’s appointees, the former chairman of the film certification board, the CBFC, Pahlaj Nihalani was a big thorn in the flesh for the country’s film industry. He infamously took the moral high ground and censored multiple films, most famously Anurag Kashyap’s Udta Punjab. Even after the Bombay High Court <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/bollywood/story/udta-punjab-latest-dveelopment-cbfc-bombay-high-court-verdict-censor-board-13840-2016-06-13">struck down</a> the CBFC demand for cuts in the film, Nihalani <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/06/14/pahlaj-nihalani_n_10451088.html">said</a> , “the door for films with obscene and vulgar content.” Despite the fans’ anger and the industry’s anguish, he remained the chief of the ‘censor board’, as CBFC is colloquially known in India, for 2 years, while <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bP-l_JY2Vng">he intermittently flattered the </a>government and the prime minister. Not just the working professionals in Bollywood, the government faced a severe backlash from the students of cinema too. In 2017, Gajendra Chauhan’s appointment as the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), triggered <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-problem-with-gajendra-chauhan/">a huge uproar</a>. Students <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ftii-students-call-off-hunger-strike-to-attend-classes-wont-engage-with-govt/">went on a protest</a>, that even turned violent for a bit, saying Chauhan was qualified to lead a reputed institution like the FTII. The students, who alleged that Chauhan’s appointment was a political move and not based on merit, found vindication when Chauhan <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/india/im-a-bjp-soldier-will-do-whatever-is-assigned-gajendra-chauhan-4553227/">said</a>, “I am a BJP soldier and I will do whatever is assigned any duty assigned to me.” However, things turned for the better in 2018. Firstly, the new CBFC chief, the accomplished writer and lyricist Prasoon Joshi, has cannily handled the two divergent groups-- the government and the film industry. Secondly, some members of the film industry also served the government well. Two films released towards the end of 2018 were just what prime minister wanted, months before seeking re-election. The first film, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/accidental-prime-minister-is-at-the-epicenter-of-a-massive-political-controversy-in-india-just-with-its-trailer-launch/articleshow/67286606.cms">The Accidental Prime Minister</a>, was based on a revelatory book about all the corruption scandals of the previous government led by the Congress. It was the country’s first biopic made on a living prime minister, and showed the Manmohan Singh administration in poor light, and deservedly so, as many would argue. However, that government was voted out in 2014. The other movie of 2018, which helped the cause of the Narendra Modi government, was the slick story of border conflict, Uri. <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/budget-2019-piyush-goyal-all-praise-for-uri-in-parliament-says-the-josh-was-unmatched/articleshow/67789368.cms">The movie was a hit</a>,and it allowed the government to revive nationalistic sentiments that are directly proportional to the amount of hate for Pakistan. A little gratitude for pliable filmmakers was probably in order. Who knows, others may fall in line too. See also : <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/budget-2019-live-updates/liveblog/67784324.cms">Budget 2019 Highlights and News Live: Proposal: no tax on income up to ₹5 lakhs</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/explainer-the-modi-governments-pension-scheme-for-informal-workers/articleshow/67790926.cms">Explained: The Modi government’s pension scheme for informal workers</a>

Modi government’s new found love for Indian Cinema

<ul><li>According to a report from Orb Media, the younger generation prefers to take to the streets rather than wait for political parties to implement change. </li><li>Between corruption, lack of accessibility, legacy political parties and increase in incidences of injustice, the youth feels <keyword id="143197" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="demonstrations">demonstrations</keyword> and <keyword id="6354896" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="protests">protests</keyword> are more effective ways of bringing about change. </li><li>That being said, as the younger generation gets more proactive about informal avenues, the elder generation prefer to keep to the systems in place.</li></ul>It’s not that the youth isn’t invested in <keyword id="6358883" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="politics">politics</keyword>, it’s just that they aren’t satisfied with the formal avenues of political engagement according to a <a href="https://orbmedia.org/stories/generation-activist/">new report</a> by Orb Media. Their analysis states that the younger generation prefers to take to the streets rather than wait on politicians for a change in society. That being said, the older portions of the population prefer to avoid protests altogether. The under-40s that fall in-between, are 17% more likely to engage in demonstrations than the generation before them. Not only is there a divide present, but it’s also getting wider. Even in <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword>, there has been an increase in the protests and demonstrations over the past couple of years. It’s not surprising that the youth want to be heard because they feel like their vote doesn’t matter. In the sea of corruption and regressive societal structures, sometimes protesting isn’t just a preference but a last resort. Diving into the divide Call it rebellion or lack of accessibility, but numbers show that young adults prefer to be anti-establishment. It’s not uncommon to hear the debate of voting for the ‘lesser evil’, which is why they seem to prefer opposing the system altogether as their own way of taking a stand. The <keyword id="43677" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Voter-turnout">voter turnout</keyword> of the youth has always been relatively low but their favour lies with <keyword id="6354914" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="democracy">democracy</keyword>. And, even though the younger generation isn’t as enthusiastic about volunteer or party participation, it doesn’t mean they aren’t a part of the political process. According to the report, the younger generation cares but just prefers other modes of influence like demonstrations on the street or digital campaigns. Trouble on the inside Young or old, a common perception is that mainstream politics is morally compromised. And quite honestly, that may not be too far from the truth. Éven PM Modi’s demonetisation exercise to wipe black money from the Indian Economy seems to have failed in the backdrop of India being the 81st least corrupt nation.Not that the ranking was much better under the Congress regime. But then again, according to the report even though corruption is a fact that dictates youth mindset, there was no correlation between the corruption perceptions index and preference for activism. No-entry There’s a trend, in India especially, of top-down legacy formats applied in political parties. The Gandhi legacy is the most prominent in India and the Congress Party has been repeatedly called out on it. Activists, on the other hand, function along horizontal networks. And when it comes to election process, the average age of Members of Parliament (MPs) in India is 56 years which is in sharp contrast to India’s average age of 24. Even globally, only 2% of world’s political leaders are under 30 years of age. If new voices aren’t able to enter the fray, and the disparity is evident, then they will obviously look for alternatives. Last resort Having to take to streets to voice your opinion isn’t always about preference, sometimes it’s the only option after all other avenues have been exhausted. The system is slow. With the amount of red tape and bureaucratic processes in the way, change is hardly ever instantaneous without public pressure giving it a push. Instances like the Nibhaya Movement in 2012, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) agitation in 2015 or even the post-Jallikattu Protests in 2017 reflect instance where the law has either been incapable or outmatched when dealing with controversial situations. While survey took 128 countries in consideration and collected data from nearly a million people, India in particular, has seen an increase in violent incidents of late. While some blame the current political party, it could just be that the country is struggling to stay ahead of the rapidly changing society and its needs.

Millennials prefer other modes of influence over formal politics

<keyword id="6356850" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Udta-Punjab">Udta Punjab</keyword>, an upcoming Bollywood movie on drug issue in the northern state of India, has become a debatable topic whether artists and movie directors have right to freedom of expression or not. 
 The Indian <keyword id="62146" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Censor-Board">censor board</keyword>, Central Board of Film Certification, has demanded 89 cuts in the movie and has asked the movie to be released with an ‘A’ certification. 
 
Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani has come under the limelight, who even asked the filmmakers to drop the word ‘Punjab’ from the movie’s title. 
 However, director of the movie <keyword id="7929" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anurag-Kashyap">Anurag Kashyap</keyword> has refused to make the cuts, saying when the movie is already getting an ‘A’ certificate, why there is a need to make cuts and drop the state’s name. 
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		It's my fight Vs a dictatorial man sitting there operating like an oligarch in his constituency of censor board, that's my North Korea
	— Anurag Kashyap (@anuragkashyap72) <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72/status/740069384325058560">June 7, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
Now, the producers of the movie, which is slated to release on June 17, have moved the Bombay High Court and a decision is pending on the same. The Bollywood fraternity has also come in support of the movie, demanding Nihalani’s resignation, who even alleged that Kashyap had taken money from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for showing Punjab in bad light. 
 
Amidst the tussle between Udta Punjab makers and the censor board, the moviegoers say the issue is serious and people should decide what to watch and what not to. 
 
The entire episode of censorship has become a joke as twitterati are mocking Nihalai and supporting the film fraternity. 
 
Here’s what they have to say: 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Deep insight: If CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalani were to judge some of FTII head Gajendra Chauhan's movies, he would order dozens of cuts
	— Madhavan Narayanan (@madversity) <a href="https://twitter.com/madversity/status/740497121430933505">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Pahlaj Nihalani deserves a statue at Tussaud's. Only that the wax should be poured on him.
	— The Cult of Bajirao (@bizzarebhide) <a href="https://twitter.com/bizzarebhide/status/740490978377797633">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Pahlaj Nihalani had a problem with kissing scenes in Spectre. It's a wonder the man has children.
	— lindsay pereira (@lindsaypereira) <a href="https://twitter.com/lindsaypereira/status/740487954498347008">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		The only thing that needs to be banned is Pahlaj Nihalani from CBFC. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UdtaPunjab?src=hash">#UdtaPunjab</a>
	— Ragnar (@PshycoPaaji) <a href="https://twitter.com/PshycoPaaji/status/736447958116245506">May 28, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Sad to see director like anurag kashyap getting in tussle with censorship and Punjab government.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UdtaKejriFundsUdtaPunjab?src=hash">#UdtaKejriFundsUdtaPunjab</a>
	— Dippak ✍ (@DippakMehrotra) <a href="https://twitter.com/DippakMehrotra/status/740509281401765888">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Pahlaj Nihalani is Kejriwal 2.0!
	— @BH! (@gunjanabhishek_) <a href="https://twitter.com/gunjanabhishek_/status/740514982501093376">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		A question that will haunt 31% of Indian electorates for a few days at least - “Who appointed this gem Pahlaj Nihalani as CBFC Chairman？”
	— Nitin Chavan (@a20nitin) <a href="https://twitter.com/a20nitin/status/740513570710945793">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Kashyap like a child being denied a toy: Nihalani 
		And Pahlaj Nihalani is acting as if he's the Father of <a href="https://twitter.com/anuragkashyap72">@anuragkashyap72</a>
	— Munim Aslam (@iammunimaslam) <a href="https://twitter.com/iammunimaslam/status/740513280121180160">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
	
		Just when we thought Pahlaj Nihalani can't get any Lower, he proved us wrong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PaidTrendAgainstUdtaPunjab?src=hash">#PaidTrendAgainstUdtaPunjab</a> <a href="https://t.co/v7ABEdx1Y9">pic.twitter.com/v7ABEdx1Y9</a>
	— Sandip Pawar (@SachinistSandy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SachinistSandy/status/740512520201342977">June 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

#UdtaPunjab’s censorship is a national joke now. This is what people are saying

Happy Birthday to legendary <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Bollywood+">Bollywood</a> mega star <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Amitabh+Bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</a>! He turned 73 on Sunday. <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword> India brings you 73 facts about the actor who has done approximately 200 films till date and counting. 
 
1. He was named Inquilaab. However, at the suggestion of fellow poet Sumitranandan Pant, Harivansh Rai changed his name to Amitabh. 
 
2. Although his surname was Shrivastava, his father had adopted the pen name Bachchan. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Amitabh+Bachchan">Big B</a> stuck to it. 
 
3. He is the tallest top star in Hindi cinema. His height is 74 inches or 1.88 m. 
 
4. Every filmmaker Bachchan approached thought he was too tall to be cast in a film. 
 
5. He studied from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Kirori+Mal+College%2C+Delhi+University">Kirori Mal College, Delhi University</a>. 
 
6. He holds double master degree in arts. 
 
7. He was very keen to join the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+Air+Force">Indian Air Force</a>, but couldn’t. 
 
8. His first job was with Shaw Wallace. 
 
9. He later worked as a freight broker for the shipping firm Bird and Co. 
 
10. His first car was a second-hand Fiat. 
 
11. He was rejected by the All India Radio after an audition test. 
 
12. He had spent a few nights on a bench in Mumbai’s Marine Drive. 
 
13. He made his debut in 1969 as a voice narrator in Mrinal Sen's ‘Bhuvan Shome’. 
 
14. He was also a voice narrator for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/10-Indians-who-received-Asias-coveted-Ramon-Magsaysay-Award/articleshow/48280773.cms">Satyajit Ray</a>’s ‘Shatranj Ke Khiladi’ in 1977. 
 
15. He made his acting debut with ‘Saat Hindustani’, his only black and white film. 
 
16. Bachchan received Rs. 1,000 for his debut film. 
 
17. Comedian Mehmood offered him to stay in his own house during his struggling days. 
 
18. The superstar has given 12 consecutive flops before his first big hit ‘Zanjeer’. 
 
19. ‘Zanjeer’ changed his life for good. 
 
20. He chose his screen name to be Vijay for over 20 flicks. 
 
21. He met his wife Jaya for the first time at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Film-maker-Vivek-Agnihotri-says-you-cant-give-anyone-a-chance-to-run-FTII/articleshow/48051158.cms">FTII, Pune</a>. 
 
22. He married Jaya Bhaduri in 1973, the year when their film ‘Zanjeer’ released. 
 
23. Their film ‘Abhimaan’ was released only a month after their marriage and became a hit. 
 
24. Hrishikesh Mukherjee played the role of a mentor for both of them. 
 25. <keyword id="18536" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="sunil-dutt">Sunil Dutt</keyword> signed him for a film only because he got a letter of introduction from late PM Indira Gandhi. 
 
26. During his struggling period, he was introduced to director Prakash Mehra by Kalyanji-Anandji. 
 
27. Bachchan has also worked as a playback singer, film producer and television presenter. 
 
28. He entered politics in support of long-time family friend Rajiv Gandhi. 
 
29. He won Allahabad seat of 8th <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Lok+Sabha+">Lok Sabha</a> by 68.2% votes. 
 
30. Amitabh-Jaya is the only real-life couple to have starred on-screen for 30 years from ‘Ek Nazar’ to ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’. 
 
31. Sholay, in which he played the role of ‘Jai’, released in 1975, becoming the highest grossing film of all time in India. 
 
32. In 1999, BBC India declared it the ‘Film of the Millennium’. 
 
33. He was diagnosed with ‘Myasthenia gravis’ after he suffered a near fatal intestinal injury during the making of ‘Coolie’. 
 34. He has played more double roles than any other actor in <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword>. 
 
35. He is the most-nominated actors for popular film awards. 
 
36. His last film where actress Nirupa Roy played the role of his mother was ‘Lal Baadshah’. 
 
37. A 15-year press ban against Bachchan was imposed during his peak acting years by Stardust. 
 
38. Bachchan later claimed to have banned the press from entering his sets till late 1989. 
 39. He set up <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> Corporation, Ltd. (ABCL) in 1996. 
 40. ABCL was the main sponsor of the 1996 <keyword id="145" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Miss-World">Miss World</keyword> beauty pageant in Bangalore, but lost millions. 
 
41. He was one of the judges for the 1995 Miss World beauty pageant. 
 
42. ABCL’s operations collapsed in 1997. 
 
43. The Bombay HC restrained him from selling off his bungalow 'Prateeksha' in 1999 to pay off his loans. 
 
44. He debuted in Malayalam film in 2010 directed by Major Ravi and co-starring Mohanlal. 
 
45. In 2013, he made his Hollywood debut in ‘The Great Gatsby’ opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. 
 
46. He was awarded with <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Padma+Shri%2C+Padma+Bhushan+and+Padma+Vibhushan">Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan</a> for his contributions to arts. 
 
47. The French government honoured him with its highest civilian honour Knight of the Legion of Honour. 
 
48. French director François Truffaut called him a "one-man industry". 
 
49. He started being called Big B in late 90s after his second comeback with ‘Mrityudaata’. 
 
50. Dr. Harvanshrai Bachchan had penned the song ‘Rang Barse’ for ‘Silsila’ and some lyrics for ‘Alaap’ and so is the poetry in ‘Agneepath’. 
 
51. He is a vegetarian and a teetotaler. 
 
52. He is the first Asian actor to have a wax model displayed at Madame Tussauds' in London. 
 
53. Amitabh Bachchan is ambidextrous. 
 
54. He was honoured with the 'Actor of the Century' award in 2001 at an Alexandria Film Festival in Egypt. 
 
55. Has been known to suffer from asthma. 
 
56. He shocked the unit of ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala’ by recording 23 scenes in 5 hours in 2006. 
 
57. It is said both his bungalows – Jalsa and Pratiksha - put together would be worth Rs. 160 crore. 
 
58. He likes collecting pens. The actor has a collection of over thousand pens. 
 59. He owns 11 cars, including one <keyword id="6415837" type="CITY" weightage="40" keywordseo="Lexus">Lexus</keyword>, two BMWs and three Mercedes. 
 
60. His favourite is the Lexus, which is bulletproof. 
 
61. In 2012, Amitabh Bachchan was given the due honour to carry the Olympic torch during the last leg of its relay in London's Southwark. 
 
62. In 2000, Bachchan hosted the first season of ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC)’, a big hit. 
 
63. Bachchan lent his voice as a narrator for ‘Lagaan’ released in 2001. 
 
64. He doesn’t like the word Bollywood, the word being used to describe the Hindi film industry. 
 65. In 2013, he bought a 10% stake in <keyword id="6436290" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="just-dial">Just Dial</keyword>. 
 
66. He holds 3.4% equity in Stampede Capital, a financial technology firm specializing in cloud computing. 
 
67. The Bachchan family bought shares worth $252,000 in Meridian Tech, a consulting company in U.S. 
 
68. Several books have been written about Bachchan such as Amitabh Bachchan: the Legend was published; To be or not to be: Amitabh Bachchan; AB: The Legend; Amitabh Bachchan: Ek Jeevit Kimvadanti etc. 
 
69. Bachchan himself wrote a book in 2002: ‘Soul Curry for you and me – An Empowering Philosophy That Can Enrich Your Life’. 
 
70. He allowed the use of his likeness for the comic book character Supremo in a series titled ‘The Adventures of Amitabh Bachchan’. 
 
71. In 2014, Australian La Trobe University named a Scholarship after Bachchan. 
 
72. He was named ‘hottest vegetarian’ by PETA India in 2012. 
 
73. Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan is by far the most followed Indian actor on <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Twitter">Twitter</a> with 17.2 million followers. 
 
 
(Image: Reuters)

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