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Just on the outskirts of the old city limits of the megapolis of Kolkata stands the semi-urban hamlet of Boral, where a young art director with the advertisement agency D J Keymer shot his classic debut film '<keyword id="106892" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="pather-panchali" source="Orion">Pather Panchali</keyword>' (Song of the Road), some 70 years ago, to metamorphose into the celebrated movie maestro Satyajit <keyword id="6561" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ray" source="Orion">Ray</keyword>. Ray or Manick-da as his close associates called him, whose 102nd birthday is being celebrated Tuesday with aplomb across the globe, chose the village as it "was only four miles from the city limits and this meant that we could make daily trips" as also because with his shoe-string budget to shoot the movie, he could hardly afford on-location shoots in faraway rural idles. "He used to come to this field between our house and the ancient twin Shiva temple and stand for hours under a tree staring and chewing a handkerchief. "My father asked him what was he really doing. Ray told him that this was his way of composing shots in his head," said <keyword id="5748880" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="tushar-kanti-ghosh" source="Orion">Tushar Kanti Ghosh</keyword>, 80, a scion of the <keyword id="701424" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="zamindar" source="Orion">Zamindar</keyword> family which used to own most of the land in this village turned part of the city at one time, adding with a wrinkled grin: "He told dad he wasted around a dozen handkerchiefs a day thinking about shots!" Ghosh met Ray at age eight, and played a small part as a student at the village school in 'Pather Panchali', shot over from 1952 to 1955. "He (Ray) asked my father if he could borrow some young boys for the movie ... I had two small parts in the film and naturally at that age I was thrilled," chuckled the octogenarian, who along with other fellow villagers never realised that their non-descript village would be thrust into international fame once the movie was released and showcased at Cannes as India's official entry. Opposite the pond where Ray had shot some of his scenes for 'Pather Panchali' lives Abhishek Paul, 31, a young artist who said he heard stories of the film's shooting from his grandmother. "The entire village was agog with excitement through the period the movie was shot ... today we feel a kind of pride that he chose our 'para' (locality)," said Paul. A small bust of Satyajit Ray stands at the turn of the road from the house he had rented for the shooting. Locals have garlanded it and put-up festoons to celebrate the renowned filmmaker's birth anniversary Tuesday. Satyajit Ray cast mostly amateur actors in his movie for which he raised money by pawning his wife's jewellery and taking a subsidy sanctioned by the then chief minister of West Bengal Late Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, a fellow Brahmo Samaji. New York's Museum of Modern Art too chipped in with some support after noted American film director John Huston saw some of Ray's unfinished raw reels and declared it as the work of a "great filmmaker". "His first movie marked him out as being born into a different league ... 'Pather Panchali' was a far more realistic and yet stunningly beautiful presentation of rural India's life than we had ever seen before ... it touched the heart, not just the other senses," said <keyword id="466542" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shoma-a-chatterji" source="Orion">Shoma A Chatterji</keyword>, veteran film critic and author of books on Satyajit Ray. No script was ever written for the movie as Ray believed the novel written by noted Bengali writer Bibhuti Bhushan Bandyopadhyay was far too lucidly written to require a script. Instead, "Satyajit Ray drew a storyboard for the entire movie - picturising every scene that he shot with the dialogues scribbled on the margins in a strong, neat hand ... this was typically Ray, a very meticulous director who planned every single shot long before executing it," explained Chatterji. The music for the movie was composed by the famous sitarist Ravi Shankar and was considered an epochal score by the film fraternity, but Chatterji said the two geniuses had their intellectual differences and "in later films, Ray started composing his own music". After initial hesitation, the movie which depicts a family's struggle to live in their rural ancestral village as the hero - a child named Apu - grows up, did surprisingly well with both the critics and in the box office. Times of India in a piece in 1956 said: "It is banal to compare it with any other Indian picture...Pather Panchali is pure cinema. There is no trace of theatre in it." In Cannes, his debut film was nominated for the Palme d'Or for the best film and won the Prix du document humain (best human document). Part of Ray's 'Apu Trilogy, Boral's debut on the big screen remains one of the most influential movies that the world has seen. Twenty years after it was released, another film maestro Akira Kurosawa said the movie continues "to stir up deep passions." However, the village itself no longer stirs any great artistic passions. The forest patches and farmland have been gobbled up by an ever-hungry city as the megapolis's realtors built middle-class 'dream' high-rises. The fields of 'Kash' flowers or kans grass which at one time ran parallel to the single line railway track where 'Pather Panchali's' main characters - Apu and Durga - ran around, have been replaced by more railway tracks and ugly warehouses while the plaintive whistle of the steam engine has given way to brash honking by diesel locomotives. "But some things still remain the same ... everyone still loves a good story and someday another Ray will discover another Boral to produce yet another compelling movie," said Ghosh. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/7-out-of-10-indians-are-unable-to-identify-ai-voice-call-scams-and-half-fall-for-scams-with-monetary-losses/articleshow/99924644.cms">7 out of 10 Indians are unable to identify AI voice call scams, and half fall for scams with monetary losses</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/several-twitter-users-logged-out-from-desktop-accounts-globally/articleshow/99925101.cms">Several Twitter users logged out from desktop accounts globally</a>

The urban hamlet where Satyajit Ray met 'Pather Panchali'

Legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's feature <keyword id="106892" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="pather-panchali" source="Orion">Pather Panchali</keyword> has been declared the best Indian film of all time by the <keyword id="2866617" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="international-federation-of-film-critics" source="Orion">International Federation of Film Critics</keyword> (FIPRESCI). The 1955 film has received the number one slot in the top ten films in the history of Indian cinema list, which was declared after a poll conducted by the India chapter of FIPRESCI. As per a press release issued by FIPRESCI-India, the poll was conducted in secret and involved 30 members. Based on Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay's 1929 Bengali novel of the same name, "Pather Panchali" was Ray's directorial debut. It starred Subir Banerjee, Kanu Banerjee, Karuna Banerjee, Uma Dasgupta, Pinaki Sengupta and Chunibala Devi. This list also features Ritwik Ghatak's 1960 drama Meghe Dhaka Tara (Bengali), Mrinal Sen's 1969 drama Bhuvan Shome (<keyword id="6357660" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="hindi" source="Orion">Hindi</keyword>), Adoor Gopalakrishnan's 1981 drama Elippathayam (Malayalam), Girish Kasaravalli's 1977 film Ghatashraddha (Kannada), MS Sathyu's 1973 movie Garm Hava (Hindi), Ray's 1964 film Charulata (Bengali), Shyam Benegal's 1974 film Ankur (Hindi), Guru Dutt's 1954 film Pyaasa (Hindi) and 1975 blockbuster <keyword id="6407374" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sholay" source="Orion">Sholay</keyword> (Hindi), directed by Ramesh Sippy. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/spend-your-money-on-sweets-says-sc-as-it-turns-down-plea-against-firecracker-ban/articleshow/94987642.cms">Spend your money on sweets says SC as it turns down plea against firecracker ban</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/satya-nadella-hits-refresh-from-hyderabad-to-microsoft-ceo-and-to-padma-awardee/articleshow/94987053.cms">Satya Nadella hits refresh – from Hyderabad to Microsoft CEO and to Padma awardee</a>

Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali declared best Indian film of all time by International Federation of Film Critics

The living legend of Kathak, <keyword id="5143" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="birju-maharaj" source="Orion">Birju Maharaj</keyword>, who had been diagnosed with kidney disease a few days ago and put on dialysis, died at his home here late on Sunday. He was 83. <keyword id="10032023" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="maharaj-ji" source="Orion">Maharaj ji</keyword>, as he was popularly known, was said to be playing with his grandsons when his health unexpectedly deteriorated, requiring him to be rushed to the hospital, where he died of a heart attack. A recipient of the country's second highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan, Maharaj ji was also a lifelong Kathak guru as well as a talented Hindustani classical singer and percussionist. He will be remembered by cinema buffs for the two period dance sequences in <keyword id="14969" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="satyajit-ray" source="Orion">Satyajit Ray</keyword>'s historical drama 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi' (for which he sang as well) and for the 'Kaahe Chhed Mohe' track picturised on Madhuri Dixit in the 2002 version of 'Devdas'. Maharaj ji won the National Award for choreographing 'Unnai Kaanadhu Naan' in the Kamal Haasan multi-lingual megahit 'Vishwaroopam' and the Filmfare Awards for the Bajirao Mastani number 'Mohe Rang Do Laal'. Adnan Sami, one of the first artistes to pay his tributes to the doyen of Kathak, said in a tweet: "Extremely saddened by the news about the passing away of Legendary Kathak Dancer <keyword id="12966839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pandit-birju" source="Orion">Pandit Birju</keyword> Maharaj ji. We have lost an unparalleled institution in the field of the performing arts. He has influenced many generations through his genius. May he rest in peace." Another early tribute came from Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who tweeted: "Pandit Birju ji Maharaj was a doyen of India's art and culture. He popularised the Lucknow gharana of Kathak dance form around the world. ... His passing away is a monumental loss to the world of performing arts." Birju Maharaj was the son of the exponent of the Lucknow gharana, Jagannath Maharaj, better known as Acchan Maharaj, whom he lost when he was just nine. His uncles were the renowned Shambhu Maharaj and Lacchu Maharaj. He taught at the Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra and the Sangeet Natak Akademi <keyword id="1547242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kathak-kendra" source="Orion">Kathak Kendra</keyword>, both in Delhi, from where he retired as director in 1998. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/budget/news/even-after-the-lic-ipo-indian-government-may-be-well-short-of-its-divestment-target/articleshow/88938799.cms">Even after the LIC IPO, Indian government may be well short of its divestment target ⁠— for a third year in a row</a>

Kathak's living legend Pandit Birju Maharaj dies at 83

He was the alt superstar of Bangla cinema in its glory years, the affable Bhadralok icon who crafted a towering stature ironically banking on down-to-earth, believable characters that represented middle-class Bengal. The brand of stardom was in stark contrast to the other shining luminary of contemporary cinema in the state -- Uttam Kumar -- whose position as Mahanayak in the Bengali psyche was primarily cemented in idol worship and mass hysteria. Soumitra Chattopadhyay -- Chatterjee to anglicised India -- answers to the term ‘phenomenon' as absolutely as few actors do, for the sheer ease with which he defied the cliches of image. His stardom was sensational, and yet born out of realism. He was the mascot of the peerless <keyword id="14969" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satyajit-Ray">Satyajit Ray</keyword>'s oeuvre, having worked with the maestro in 14 films, and yet he scored with the same assuredness in works of contemporary commercial powerhouses as Ajoy Kar and Tarun Mazumdar. He is the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2012) and Padma Bhushan (2004) recipient who was also honoured with the Legion d'Honneur (2018) in France for his contribution to world cinema. Importantly, Soumitra Chattopadhyay's greatness as a screen icon will survive the test of time in Bengali pop lore because he had something for everyone. For, he was not just Satyajit Ray's Apu. Beyond such a nuanced portrayal, he could also simply become Ray's Feluda and reach out to every audience, eight to 80. It took a Ray to bring to life Soumitra's greatness, and yet the account of their first meeting is a well-known story in Bengal. Ray was looking for his adult Apu in "Apur Sansar", final part of the Apu trilogy that started with "Pather Panchali". A friend introduced Soumitra to the master filmmaker who promptly declared the budding actor looked too old to be Apu, a college student according to his script. Soumitra would eventually bag the role opposite Sharmila Tagore, of course, and the rest is history. Soumitra's cinematic fate is overwhelmingly dictated by the great cinema of Satyajit Ray, so much so the maestro's filmography through his most important phase outlines the actor's career graph. Soumitra made his debut with "Apur Sansar" (1959) and, over the next three decades, would work in Ray projects as "Devi" (1960), "Teen Kanya" (1961), "Abhijan" (1962), "Charulata" (1964), "Kapurush O Mahapurush" (1965), "Aranyer Din Ratri" (1969), "Ashani Sanket" (1973), "Sonar Kella" (1974), "Joy Baba Felunath" (1978), "Hirak Rajar Deshe" (1980), "Ghare Baire" (1984), "Ganashatru" (1989) and "Shakha Proshakha" (1990). It was a filmography that Ray, one of the world's greatest filmmakers ever, shared with his chosen on-screen emissary. But if Ray worked with Soumitra 14 times, almost every major filmmaker the actor collaborated with also tended to repeat him. If anything, beyond underlining his credential as an artiste that fact stands a testimony to his professionalism and disposition as a human being. Consider a few other diversely prolific filmmakers beyond Ray who worked with Soumitra, and you get the picture. Mrinal Sen, another global icon of Bangla cinema of the era, directed Soumitra for the first time in "Punascha" (1961), and then again returned to collaborate with the actor in "Pratinidhi" (1964), "Akash Kusum" (1965), and "Mahaprithibi" (1991). The iconic Tapan Sinha directed him in projects as "Kshudhita Pashan" (1960), "Jhinder Bandi" (1961), "Atanka" (1984) and "Antardhan" (1992). Mainstream titans of his era loved working with the affable Soumitra, too. Asit Sen directed him in "Swayambara" (1961) and Swaralipi (1961), while Ajoy Kar made "Otol Joler Ahoban" (1962), "Saat Pake Baandha" (1963), "Barnali" (1963), "Kaanch Kata Heere" (1965) and "Parineeta" (1969). Tarun Mazumdar directed the actor over the years in "Ektuku Baasha" (1965), "Sansar Simante" (1975), "Ganadevata" (1978), "Agomon" (1988) and "Path O Prasad" (1991). Most of his directors have often spoken about the insatiable passion he had for his craft. It was something that ensured he would stay busy as ever till his last days, essaying character roles with the same enthusiasm with which he executed starring roles in his heydays. His 300-plus film career probably can be explained by his highly adaptable quality as an actor. He was at home working with new-age Bengali filmmakers as Atanu Ghosh ("Mayurakshi"), Suman Ghosh ("Podokkhep", "Peace Haven", "Dwando", "Basu Paribar"), Partha Chakraborty ("Samantaral") and Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee ("Posto"). He did move outside Bengal into Bollywood domain twice. In 1986, he acted opposite Roopa Ganguly in the Hindi short film "Nirupama", based on Tagore's story "Dena Paona". He also had a role in the 2002 release, "Hindustani Sipahi", based on Utpal Dutt's renowned Bangla play "Pherari Fauj". These though were temporary departures. For most parts, his staggering career is based on his Bengali filmography. It is a body of work that has given him recognition beyond the National Award as Best Actor ("Podokkhep"). He also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1998. Although his greatness lies in his body of work before the camera, Soumitra did try his hand at filmmaking, too. His directorial effort "Stree Ki Patra", a telefilm based on Rabindranath Tagore's "Streer Patra" released in 1986. The film starred Roopa Ganguly and Usha Ganguly. That the legacy of Bangla cinema's Grand Old Man was established in his lifetime is obvious from the number of GenNow actors who have followed in his footsteps. Young talents in the Bengali film industry of today such as Parambrata Chattopadhyay and Abir Chatterjee have fashioned their careers in the lines of Soumitra, seeking stardom without losing connect with Bengali middle-class realities. These are actors who have carved a niche in what is today known as the multiplex cinema circuit, catering content-driven entertainment of refinement, removed from the cliches of kitsch. It is something Soumitra relished doing all those decades ago.

Soumitra Chatterjee – the journey from being Satyajit Ray’s Apu to one of India’s finest actors

<keyword id="6354925" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kolkata">Kolkata</keyword>’s <keyword id="9408" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Park-Street">Park Street</keyword> has a legacy. It has a lot of firsts to its credit. Long back author Jaydeep Mazumder had written, India’s first department store- Hall &amp; <keyword id="16745" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anderson">Anderson</keyword>, music café, first ice cream parlour- Magnolia, first soda fountain, the first restaurants offering live entertainment – all had one address in India, Park Street. 
 Who can forget the year-end carnival that has a reputation all over the globe? It’s not just a street. Officially it may have been christened <keyword id="579289" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mother-Teresa-Sarani">Mother Teresa Sarani</keyword>, but it’s a happening place for the elitists of the country. It has seen the vintage 70s and 80s. Who would have known the singer performing live at <keyword id="424155" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Trincas">Trincas</keyword> then would end up being the famous <keyword id="7376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Usha-Uthup">Usha Uthup</keyword> now? Of Cabarets, jazz clubs and pubs, Park Street’s prominence has invited famed Bengali ‘bhodroloks’ (gentlemen). That sometimes ranged from Soumitra Chatterjee, Barun Chanda, <keyword id="14969" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Satyajit-Ray">Satyajit Ray</keyword>, Anjan Dutta to writer Mani Shankar Mukherjee, <keyword id="23798" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="amitav-ghosh">Amitav Ghosh</keyword> and musician <keyword id="932811" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nandan-Bagchi">Nandan Bagchi</keyword>. 
 And then this happened. Independent India’s first nightclub, Mocambo at Park Street doesn’t let a marketing professional enter with her driver, where she thought would be the best place to dine on her final evening in the city. She wasn’t just brazenly denied entry with the driver, but a reason as silly as the driver not wearing the proper outfit (read extravagant clothes) and was seen eating jhal muri, was given to justify its actions. At a time when the Chief Minister of the state has decided to call ‘telebhaja’ (fried snacks) an industry in the State and seeking foreign investments to expand the same, denying someone entry to the posh restaurant on this pretext is abominable for a place whose Chicken Sicillienes was quite a favourite with <keyword id="6360386" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jawaharlal-Nehru">Jawaharlal Nehru</keyword>. 
 
Mind you, the rage is taking place on social media, a place more powerful than all presidents of the world put together. While the management of the place said they have the right to admission reserved, people rightly pointed out that cannot be based on someone’s appearance. We got in touch with <keyword id="2481483" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikrant-Batra">Vikrant Batra</keyword>, owner of <keyword id="3389204" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cafe-Delhi-Heights">Cafe Delhi Heights</keyword>, a leading chain of restaurants in the capital to understand the right properly. "’Right to admission reserved’ is a very critical term not only for the hospitality industry but also for any public place in general. It is very important to filter your crowd on the basis of the kind of experience you want to give to your customers. It relates to both safety as well as the concept behind your restaurant. Having said that it should not be exercised to discriminate people on the basis of their caste, colour, creed or their economic strata,” <keyword id="233052" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Batra">Batra</keyword> told <keyword id="824043" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Insider">Business Insider</keyword>. 
 
Same view was expressed by the spokesperson of Radisson Blue MBD,Noida, who said, “Speaking from a purely legal viewpoint any hotel has a right to restrict admission to anyone as long as this is not a discriminatory action i.e. due to race, caste , religion.” 
 
Definitely, for a place like Mocambo that boasts of a dance floor reinforced with Belgian glass, and having flown down an Italian chef to design its menu with a German architect designing the interior, we could have expected some Indian hospitality to add to the feel. 
 And even if the admission stays reserved, “One cannot rule out the thumb rule of our industry - Customer is the king. All we need to do is make them feel like one,” says <keyword id="3647825" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sudhir-ahuja">Sudhir Ahuja</keyword> of <keyword id="3647830" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bakstage-kolkata">Bakstage Kolkata</keyword>, a well-known pub in Sector V, <keyword id="6360091" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Salt-lake">Salt Lake</keyword>.

Kolkata Mocambo consequence: Do restaurants have the right to reject
guests on silly pretexts?

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)

73 things you must know about Amitabh Bachchan

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Whistleblower+">Whistleblower</a> bureaucrat <keyword id="1885007" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sanjeev-Chaturvedi">Sanjeev Chaturvedi</keyword> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=human+rights+activist+">human rights activist</a> <keyword id="280021" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Anshu-Gupta">Anshu Gupta</keyword> are among five people from <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=Indian+Institute+of+Technology-Bombay+">India</a>, Myanmar, Laos and the <keyword id="3750" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Philippines">Philippines</keyword> who will receive Asia’s coveted <keyword id="270398" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Ramon-Magsaysay">Ramon Magsaysay</keyword> Award this year. 
 Chaturvedi, who was removed from the post of <keyword id="84569" type="POSITION" weightage="60" keywordseo="chief-vigilance-officer">Chief Vigilance Officer</keyword> at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=AIIMS">AIIMS</a> in August 2014, was recognised for “his exemplary integrity, courage and tenacity in uncompromisingly exposing and painstakingly investigating <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=corruption+">corruption</a> in public office…”, while Anshu Gupta, founder of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=NGO">NGO</a> Goonj, will be facilitated for “his creative vision in transforming the culture of giving in India, his enterprising <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=leadership+">leadership</a> in treating cloth as a sustainable development resource for the poor…” 
 
But they are not the only recipient of the premier prize. We bring you 10 Indians who are conferred with the Asia's highest honour. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes/ RMA Foundation/YouTube/gurumavin.com)

10 Indians who received Asia’s coveted Ramon Magsaysay Award

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended his best wishes to the <keyword id="35239" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Film-Festival-of-India" source="Orion">International Film Festival of India</keyword> (IFFI) ahead of its 53rd edition. The renowned festival, which is set to be held in Goa from November 20 through November 28 will showcase the best of cinema in addition to panel discussions and performances by actors of different film industries of India. It will also confer the Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award upon acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura. Talking to his Twitter, PM Modi shared a long note saying he feels extremely heartened about the upcoming edition of the film festival which is jointly organised by the Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting and Government of Goa. He further mentioned: "For over a century now, cinema has captured the imagination of people the world over. Cinema reflects the social dynamics of our times as well as shapes it." Films have a unique ability to transcend barriers and establish an emotional connection with the audience. Movies entertain, educate or even inspire people through their powerful storytelling. Their efficacy in becoming a vehicle of social transformation is truly unparalleled. India is blessed with a rich and diverse culture, an amalgamation of tradition with the modern." He shared that India's history and its arts of telling stories in different forms and languages is something that makes the country culturally rich. "The history and art of storytelling in various Indian languages ranging from prose, poetry, music, dance, plays, dramas to cinema, enables us to celebrate our vibrant socio-cultural landscape," he continued. Calling IFFI India's biggest film festival, he said that it has a diplomatic importance as well given that our films connect with delegates and societies of different nations on a subconscious level, "<keyword id="15560686" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IFFI-and-Indian-cinema" source="Orion">IFFI and Indian cinema</keyword> have carved out a niche for themselves on the global stage. Films in different Indian languages are reaching out to a larger international audience and are being increasingly appreciated across the world. As the biggest film festival of India, IFFI promotes an invigorating synergy between delegates from different nations and societies, united by cinema." "I am sure that the interactions within this mini-world congregating at Goa will facilitate deeper understanding and new learnings in the world of art. With its beautiful nature and vibrant culture, Goa provides the perfect backdrop to host the IFFI. I am sure that Goa will spur the creative imagination of the participants, inspiring them to come up with new ideas to help cinema expand its outreach to an ever-growing audience," he added. He concluded his letter by extending his best wishes to everyone: "Best wishes to everyone associated with the Film Festival. May the 53rd edition of IFFI be a resounding success." SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/draft-data-protection-bill-proposes-six-types-of-penalties/articleshow/95604456.cms">Draft Data Protection Bill proposes six types of penalties</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/valentino-opens-its-new-boutique-in-new-delhi/articleshow/95604605.cms">Valentino opens its new boutique in New Delhi</a>

PM Modi: IFFI and Indian cinema have carved out a niche for themselves on global stage

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

By Aditi Khanna London, May 15 () The London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) has taken its Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition online as part of a hybrid solution for the annual festival as cinemas remain closed during the coronavirus lockdown.LIFF, backed by the British Film Institute (BFI) and Bagri Foundation, will showcase its nine award-winning short films that reflect the focus and ethos of Ray's filmmaking passion online from this week.The films, created for the competition in memory of the iconic Indian filmmaker, will mark the launch of the online version of the festival for viewing at home at loveliffathome.com."On the 99th birth anniversary month of the world's most loved Indian director Satyajit Ray, it seems almost a tryst with destiny to be able to show, for the first time, all the winners together of the renowned Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition, that the Ray family kindly supported because the films must enshrine Ray's empathetic vision of humanity," said Cary Rajinder Sawhney, Executive and Programming Director of the festival."Several of these younger filmmakers, talent spotted by the festival, have gone onto very great things. Given the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival's championing of torch bearing and rare independent films and emerging filmmakers it seems right for us to launch our new online platform with these bright cinematic gems," he said.As the coronavirus lockdown continues in the UK, the festival is being supported by an Audience Award from BFI, using the UK's National Lottery funds, and the Bagri Foundation to develop a new part-digital and part cinema-based model strategy, which will be rolled out this year and into the future. The festival team said that South Asian filmmakers have already rallied to support this online initiative, which is helping LIFF offer the festival for free for a limited time.Ben Luxford, Head of BFI Audiences, said: "We are delighted to support LIFF's ambitious plans to present the festival online and, by doing so, ensure that this year's programme of South Asian cinema reaches an even wider audience, starting with a unique opportunity to see the winners of the Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition over the last nine years."Alka Bagri, Trustee of the Bagri Foundation, added: "These films display a realist quality that provides a rare glimpse into the private lives of those longing for love, dealing with family struggles or just surviving day to day. We are thrilled to support this endeavour."Working with New Zealand's Shift 72, a new UK geo-blocked platform has opened with the past Satyajit Ray competition winners, including films by Indian directors Neeraj Ghaywan and Shubashish Bhutiani. This will be followed up with a host of feature films being launched over the coming weeks and months. AK RUPRUP

COVID-19: London Indian Film Festival takes short film competition online

New Delhi, Apr 22 () Scientists at the CSIR's Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology have come up with a low-cost coronavirus test that will not require any expensive machines for detection of the pathogen.Named after 'Feluda', the detective character in legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray's stories, the test has been developed by Debojyoti Chakraborty and Souvik Maiti as a simpler way of detecting SARS-coV2 presence in clinical samples, IGIB Director Anurag Agarwal said.CSIR is a department under the Union Ministry of Science and Technology.It starts the same way as a normal real time reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), which is extraction of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and its conversion to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), Agarwal said. It then differs by using a specifically designed PCR reaction to amplify a part of the viral nucleic acid sequence. Then a highly specific CRISPR, FnCAS9, developed at IGIB, binds to that sequence, he added. Using the innovative chemistry on a paper strip, the CRISPR complex, bound to that specific sequence, can be visualised as a positive band - like one sees in simple pregnancy tests.The total time required for the test is less than one hour.In the RT-PCR tests, the RNA is converted to DNA by using specific primers and probes, with fluorescent reporters, to amplify and detect viral nucleic acid presence. It requires expensive Real Time PCR machines which are available at specialised sites. "If successfully commercialised, which depends upon all its components being available at scale and the commercial product being successfully validated by regulatory agencies, it would allow the test to be done in local path-labs that do not have expensive real time PCR machines, but simple cheap thermo-blocks used for conventional PCR," Agarwal said.When asked why the test was named after Feluda, Agarwal said the researchers at MIT and University of California, Berkeley also use CRSIPR, but different technologies. They have named the tests as 'Detector' and 'Sherlock', so Feluda was an Indian version, he added. PR TDSTDS

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