Wednesday, April 30, 2014

8 little known facts about Dadasaheb Phalke

On his 144th birth anniversary, we tell you some unexplored facts about the film-making legend
1. Popularly known as Dadsaheb Phalke, the legend’s real name is Dhundiraj Govind Phalke. 


2. While pursuing his dreams at Sir J.J. School of Art, Bombay in 1885, he acquired a variety of interests and even became adept at magic. He also experimented with a variety of special effects. His usage of mythological themes and trick photography delighted his audience. He also met the German magician Carl Hertz, one of the 40 magicians employed by the Lumiere Brothers.


3. A life-turning moment for Phalke was when he watched the silent film, 'The Life of Christ' by Ferdinand Zecca and envisioned Indian Gods on the screen, finally making his first short film was 'Growth of a Pea Plant' in 1910.


4. While Dadasaheb was making his first movie, he put out advertisements seeking handsome actors for the lead role. Surprisingly, these advertisements brought so much amateur and inadequate talent, that Dadasaheb Phalke was forced to add a line saying, "ugly faces need not apply."


5. Dadasaheb's entire family took part in the making of Raja Harishchandra. His wife handled the costumes of the actors, the posters and production of the film and provided the whole crew with food and water. His son too, played a major role of Harishchandra’s son in the film. 


6. A well-known early story is that Phalke's immersion in intense viewing and experimentation led to ill health and temporary blindness. There is a metaphorical aspect to the loss and recovery of sight in a man who declared that he would bring images of revered Indian deities to the screen, just as Christ's image had been presented in the West.


7. He went to Germany to get introduced to new and upcoming technologies. There he bought his first movie camera, but nobody knows what happened to it afterwards.


8. His last silent movie Setubandhan was released in 1932 and later released with dubbing.  His career was capsized by the introduction of sound in films. During 1936-38, he produced his last film Gangavataran before retiring to Nashik, where he died on 16 February 1944.

Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib

‪‎Aaloo‬ Gobhi Paratha

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Zubin Mehta's Birthday

Ustad Alla Rakha's 95th Birthday

Monday, April 28, 2014

Hide & Seek

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Zohra Sehgal

Feroz Khan

Stairs to Samrat Yantra

Qila Mubarak, Bathinda

Fried Idli

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Ramanathaswamy Temple

Entrance of the Malla Raja's kingdom, Bishnupur

Friday, April 25, 2014

Kerala

India is One

Thursday, April 24, 2014

Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar

Chana Masala

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Basundi

Malshej Ghat, Maharashtra, India

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Happy Earth Day

Sunday, April 20, 2014

Junagarh Fort

Bhubaneswar, India

Have a Happy Easter

Saturday, April 19, 2014

Gir National Park

April 19, 1975

Santacruz-Chembur Link Road

Friday, April 18, 2014

Lotus Temple

61st National Film Awards For 2013

FEATURE FILMS


S.No.Name of AwardName of Film
1BEST FEATURE FILMShip of Theseus
(English-Hindi)
2INDIRA GANDHI AWARD FOR BEST DEBUT FILM OF A DIRECTORFandry (Marathi)
3BEST POPULAR FILM PROVIDING WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENTBhaag Milkha Bhaag (Hindi)
4NARGIS DUTT AWARD FOR BEST FEATURE FILM ON NATIONAL INTEGRATIONThalaimuraigal(Tamil)
5BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUESTuhya Dharma Koncha (Marathi)
6BEST FILM ON ENVIRONMENT CONSERVATION/ PRESERVATION Perariyathavar (Malayalam)
7BEST CHILDREN’S FILMKaphal (Hindi)
8BEST DIRECTIONShahid (Hindi)
(Hansal Mehta)
9BEST ACTORShahid (Hindi)
(Raj Kumar) &
Perariyathavar (Malayalam)
(Suraj Venjaramoodu)
10BEST ACTRESSLiar’s Dice (Hindi)
(Geetanjali Thapa)
11BEST SUPPORTING ACTORJolly LLB (Hindi) (Saurabh Shukla)
12BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESSAstu (Marathi)(Amruta Subhash) &
Ship of Theseus (English-Hindi)(Aida El-Kashef)
13BEST CHILD ARTISTFandry (Marathi)(Somnath Avghade)
&
Thanga Meengal (Tamil)(Sadhana)
14BEST MALE PLAYBACK SINGER JJaatishwar (Bengali)(Rupankar For the song E Tumi Kemon Tumi)
15BEST FEMALE PLAYBACK SINGERTuhya Dharma Koncha (Marathi) B(Bela Shende For the song Khura Khura)
16BEST CINEMATOGRAPHYLiar’s Dice (Hindi)(Rajeev Ravi)
17BEST SCREENPLAY
i) Screenplay Writer (Original) :
ii) Screenplay Writer (Adapted) :
iii) Dialogues :

December I (Kannada)(P. Sheshadri)
Prakruti (Kannada)(Panchakshari )
Astu (Marathi)( Sumitra Bhave)
18BEST AUDIOGRAPHY
i) Location Sound Recordist
ii) Sound Design
iii) Re-recordist of the final mixed track

Madras Café (Hindi)(Nihar Ranjan Samal)
Madras Café (Hindi)(Bishwadeep)
Swapaanam (Malayalam) (D Yuvaraj)
19BEST EDITINGVallinam (Tamil) (V.J. Sabu Joseph)
20BEST PRODUCTION DESIGNMiss Lovely (Hindi)(Ashim Ahluwalia, Tabsheer Zutshi, Parichit Paralkar)
21BEST COSTUME DESIGNERJaatishwar (Bengali) (Sabarni Das)
22BEST MAKE-UP ARTISTJaatishwar (Bengali) (Vikram Gaikwad for the make-up of the actor Prasenjit)
23BEST MUSIC DIRECTION
i) Songs
ii) Background Score

Jaatishwar (Bengali)(Kabir Suman)
Na Bangaaru Talli (Telugu)(Shantanu Moitra)
24BEST LYRICSThanga Meengal (Tamil) (Na. Muthukumar for the lyric Ananda Yaazhai)
25SPECIAL JURY AWARDYellow (Marathi) & Miss Lovely (Hindi)
26BEST SPECIAL EFFECTSJal (Hindi)
27BEST CHOREOGRAPHYBhaag Milkha Bhaag (Hindi) (Ganesh Acharya for Maston ka Jhund)
BEST FEATURE FILM IN EACH OF THE LANGUAGE SPECIFIED IN THE SCHEDULE VIII OF THE CONSTITUTION
28BEST ASSAMESE FILMAjeyo
29BEST BENGALI FILMBakita Byaktigato
30BEST HINDI FILMJolly LLB
31BEST KANNADA FILMDecember 1
32BEST KONKANI FILM BBaga Beach
33BEST MALAYALAM FILMNorth 24 Kaadham
34BEST MARATHI FILMAajcha Diwas Majha
35BEST TAMIL FILMThanga Meengal
36BEST TELUGU FILM Na Bangaaru Talli
37BEST ENGLISH FILMThe Coffin Maker
38BEST KHASI FILMRI
39BEST SHERDUKPEN FILMThe Crossing Bridges
40SPECIAL MENTIONYellow (Marathi) (Gauri Gadgil, Sanjana Rai)
Na Bangaaru Talli (Telugu) (Anjali Patil)


NON-FEATURE FILMS


S.No.Name of AwardName of Film
1BEST NON FEATURE FILMRangbhoomi (Hindi)
2BEST DEBUT FILM OF A DIRECTORKanyaka (Malayalam)
3BEST BIOGRAPHICAL/ HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTIONThe Last Adieu (English)
4BEST ARTS /CULTURAL FILMShared
a. The Lost Behrupiya (Hindi)
b. O Friend, This Waiting ! (English, Telugu)
5BEST SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY FILMThe Pad Piper (English)
6BEST PROMOTIONAL FILMShared
a. Chasing The Rainbow (English)
b. Kush (Hindi)
7BEST ENVIRONMENT FILM INCLUDING AGRICULTUREForesting Life (Hindi, Assamese)
8BEST FILM ON SOCIAL ISSUESGulabi Gang (Hindi, Bundelkhandi)
9BEST EDUCATIONAL FILMThe Quantum Indians (English)
10BEST INVESTIGATIVE FILMKatiyabaaz (Hindi,Urdu,English)
11SPECIAL JURY AWARDShared
a. Ananthamurthy – Not A Biography…But A Hypothesis (English)
b. Tamaash (Kashmiri)
12BEST SHORT FICTION FILMMandrake ! Mandrake ! (Hindi)
13BEST FILM ON FAMILY VALUESHeyro Party (Bengali)
14BEST DIRECTIONChidiya Udh (No Dialogue)
Director: Pranjal Dua
15BEST CINEMATOGRAPHYMandrake ! Mandrake ! (Hindi)
Cameraman : Kavin Jagtiani
16BEST AUDIOGRAPHYChidiya Udh (No Dialogue)
(Gautam Nair)
17BEST EDITINGGulabi Gang (Hindi, Bundelkhandi)
(Arjun Gourisaria)
18BEST MUSIC DIRECTIONYugadrashta (Assamese)
(Anurag Saikia )
19. BEST NARRATION/ VOICE OVERKankee O Saapo (Odia)
(Lipika Singh Darai)
20SPECIAL MENTIONa. Accsex (English, Hindi)
b. Candles In The Wind (Punjabi, Hindi)
c. Dharmam (Tamil)
d. At the Cross Roads : Nondon Bagchi Life and Living (English, Bengali)


Best Book on Cinema


Title of the BookAuthorPublisher
Cinema Ga Cinema (Telugu) NandagopalPraga India, Hyderabad


Best Film Critic


Name of Critic : Alaka Sahani (English)

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Vivekananda Rock Memorial

Lamayuru Monastery

Lok Sabha Poll Phase 5

Missi Roti

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

IPL 7: Mumbai Indians take on Kolkata Knight Riders

Nagaur Fort

Unexplored Beaches in India



The vivid topography of India is a true blessing from God. It introduces us to the boundless beauty of nature and gives us an opportunity to explore its vividness. This vividness makes India a home to a large number of beaches which have acquired a popular name owing to their mesmeric beauty and celestial environment. But due to the popularity of these places, a huge crowd is often seen to be hanging out here, thereby causing a hindrance in peace and solitude. So today, I am going to bring to you five not-so-popular but heavenly beaches in India that have not been explored by the majority of people till now! If you are looking for an isolated place that would rejuvenate your mind and body, this one’s for you!

1.     St. Mary’s Island, Udupi, Karnataka
6 kilometers into the Arabian Sea, lies a little island full of crystallized basalt rock found only at a few places in the world. It is a palm-fringed island with divine beauty that urges you to stay there forever.
2.     Radhanagar Beach, Havelock
Known for their turquoise blue waters, the Andamans is a glistening paradise of white sand. The impeccable beauty of this place is simply out of the world and has not been explored by the tourism sector.
3.     Benaulim Beach, Goa
Located at a distance of 7 kilometers from Margao in South-Goa, Benaulim is a very quiet and peaceful beach in the state. Not many know about this secret heaven in Goa that attracts you because of an extremely serene environment.
4.     Rishikonda Beach, Andhra Pradesh
The gorgeous golden sand is the prime attraction of this beach, which lies 8 kilometers from Vishakhapatnam. It is an ideal destination for swimmers and water-skiers.
5.     Tarkarli, Maharashtra
6 kilometers from Malvan, Tarkarli Beach has a long stretch of sandy land embellished with crystal clear water. The tall “shuru” trees, the wonderful sailboats and the tiny hamlets make the beach look absolutely breathtaking.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Mehrangarh Fort

Supreme Court recognizes transgenders as 'third gender'

Mohabbat Maqbara Palace

Mysore Palace

Monday, April 14, 2014

Happy Festivals

Ambedkar Jayanti

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Be Updated

Gulzar selected for Dadasaheb Phalke award

The Elephant

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Lok Sabha Poll Phase 4

India Tops Global Remittances

Jaswant Thada, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, India

Konkan Coast, Maharashtra, India

Friday, April 11, 2014

Lok Sabha Poll Phase 3

April 11 Birthday of Jyotirao Phule, Kasturba Gandhi, Jamini Roy and K. L. Saigal.

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Lok Sabha Poll Phase 2

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay Death Anniversary

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Mangal Pandey Death Anniversary

The Asian Awards

Indian Independence Movement

Five Most Exotic Destinations for a Dream Wedding in India

“A great marriage isn’t something that just happens; it’s something that must be created.”

-Fawn Weaver

Marriage is a montage that strings together the little moments of love, that create your love story! For each one of us, our wedding is the most auspicious time of our lives that should be cherished whole-heartedly. Love or arranged, every one has their own secret imagination of how they would want their wedding to be like. It is the “dream wedding” that unfurls their emotions. Perhaps, which is why people are willing to spend large chunks of money to make their wedding super-exclusive and memorable.

Indian weddings are by far the most elaborate weddings in the world. Plenteous functions, ever-lasting exchange of gifts, lavish expenditure on everything and a long queue of relatives and friends ready to glamorize your wedding with their kind presence. Today, the modernization of technology gives us a plethora of ideas and opportunities to design our wedding in our own personal way. Destination Wedding is the latest trend that tops the list of idea to realize your dream wedding.

India is graciously blessed with some of the most exotic locations that can beautifully augment your wedding. Depending upon your taste and preference, you can choose from an array of themes and locations. And the best thing about these locations is that it won’t even lay heavily on your pocket if arrange everything smartly. So, for those who are eligible or those who already taken, here is a list of the five most exotic and unique wedding ideas for you to choose from and make your wedding the most memorable time of your life!

1.The Beach Wedding

A beach wedding in Goa is one of the most sought after ideas when it comes to weddings. Vowing to be together for your lifetime needs a mind full of love and peace. What better than an exotic beach to fill your heart with these emotions? Goa makes for the quintessential dream wedding destination that bewitches your heart with the zing of your future. The Leela Resorts, located at a secluded place at Morbor beach, offers the best ambiance to tie the knot. The other places to enjoy a beach wedding are Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Maharashtra.

2.The Royal Wedding

Who doesn’t want to be treated as the princess whose charm captivates the heart of anyone who looks at her? It is dream and fantasy of every girl to see her prince charming arrive on a white horse and take her away away from the world. As clichéd as it may sound, this sweet dream actually comes true when you choose a royal wedding destination for yourself. The royal weddings arranged at the palaces of Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur have witnessed the grand weddings of not only the Indian but also the foreign love birds. The entire surrounding glows with the richness and glory of the wedding, specially at the Umaid Bhawan in Jodhpur. The Taj Falaknuma in Hyderabad is another royal destination to look out for.

3. The Extravagant Wedding

For those who lurch for classy, high-profile and posh weddings, Delhi is your destination! Located at the southern end of the city , Sainik Farms are known for hosting the most expensive and modish weddings of the big-leagues of the town. A wedding at this lavish destination is a splurge of a lifetime. The ambiance is as sheek and stylish as each one present at the venue. This 50 year old location still floats as a dream in the heart of every delhite.

4.The Taj Wedding

Imagine taking your vows in the divine presence of the epitome of love, the Taj Mahal in Agra. Marrying in the vicinity of Taj is considered to be one of the most romantic things to do in your life. This unique idea of a destination wedding has been in vogue from quite a time now. The ambiance here is very fresh and floral, amidst a lavishly furnished garden overlooking the enduring monument of love. The beauty and elegance of Taj automatically palliates your relationship with unbound love and purity.

5.The Cruise Wedding

Blue sky above and beneath, a gorgeously embellished private ship and a picturesque view, what else do do need to make your wedding as ethereal as the heaven itself! Marriage is a divine voyage that two individuals embark on for their lifetime. So why not begin this journey from a ship of love as the symbol of inception? A Cruise Wedding is the best option when it comes to an unusual idea for destination wedding. Though it is not possible to carry out the complex rituals of an Indian Wedding at the dock, wherein the burning of fire is required, one can always get through with them on the beach and then set off on the ship. Goa and Mumbai offer plenty of options for the cruise wedding.

A special wedding is a dream and desire of all! It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and every effort to make it eternally memorable is worth putting in!

Tuesday, April 8 Ram Navami

India election begins

Monday, April 7, 2014

Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar

Mount Abu

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Pledge To Vote

Hill Station in Kerala

Saturday, April 5, 2014

IPL 2014 Season 7 Match Schedule

Below is the schedule for the first 20 matches which will take place in UAE.

IPL 2014 Phase 1 Schedule


MatchDateTime(IST)Venue
Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders16/04/201420:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers Bangalore17/04/201420:00Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab18/04/201416:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals18/04/201420:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians19/04/201416:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils19/04/201420:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab20/04/201420:00Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils21/04/201420:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Kings XI Punjab v Sunrisers Hyderabad22/04/201420:00Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings23/04/201420:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders24/04/201420:00Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Delhi Daredevils25/04/201416:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians25/04/201420:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore26/04/201416:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders26/04/201420:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians27/04/201416:00Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings27/04/201420:00Sharjah Cricket Stadium, Sharjah
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kings XI Punjab28/04/201420:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai
Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals29/04/201420:00Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad30/04/201420:00Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai



IPL 2014 Phase 2 Schedule


MatchDateTime (IST)Venue
Chennai Supers Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders02/05/1420.00 ISTRanchi
Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab03/05/1416.00 ISTMumbai
Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals03/05/1420.00 ISTDelhi
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad04/05/1420.00 ISTBangalore
Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders05/05/1416.00 ISTAhmedabad
Delhi Daredevils vs Chennai Super Kings05/05/1420.00 ISTDelhi
Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore06/05/1420.00 ISTMumbai
Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders07/05/1416.00 ISTDelhi
Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings07/05/1420.00 ISTCuttack
Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad08/05/1420.00 ISTAhmedabad
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab09/05/1420.00 ISTBangalore
Delhi Daredevils vs Sunrisers Hyderabad10/05/1416.00 ISTDelhi
Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings10/05/1420.00 ISTMumbai
Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders11/05/1416.00 ISTCuttack
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals11/05/1420.00 ISTBangalore
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians12/05/1420.00 ISTHyderabad
Chennai Supers Kings vs Rajasthan Royals13/05/1416.00 ISTRanchi
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Daredevils13/05/1420.00 ISTBangalore
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab14/05/1416.00 ISTHyderabad
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians14/05/1420.00 ISTKolkata
Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils15/05/1420.00 ISTAhmedabad
Chennai Supers Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore18/05/1416.00 ISTChennai
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders18/05/1420.00 ISTHyderabad
Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians19/05/1416.00 ISTAhmedabad
Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab19/05/1420.00 ISTDelhi
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore20.5.1416.00 ISTHyderabad
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Supers Kings20/05/1420.00 ISTKolkata
Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians21/05/1420.00 ISTMohali
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore22/05/1416.00 ISTKolkata
Chennai Supers Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad22/05/1420.00 ISTChennai
Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils23/05/1416.00 ISTMumbai
Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals23/05/1420.00 ISTMohali
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Supers Kings24/05/1416.00 ISTBangalore
Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad24/05/1420.00 ISTKolkata
Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils25/05/1416.00 ISTMohali
Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals25/05/1420.00 ISTMumbai
TBD vs TBD27/05/1420.00 ISTChennai
TBD vs TBD28/05/1420.00 ISTChennai
TBD vs TBD30/05/1420.00 ISTMumbai
TBD vs TBD01/06/1420.00 ISTMumbai

India won by 6 wkts

Pranab Mukherjee lauds satellite launch

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Happy Birthday Midhun Jith

The Lion Safari Zoo

The Historic Rock Fort Temple in Trichy

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Padma Awards - the nation honours its achievers