A well rounded quiz about Bollywood – the Indian Hindi Cinema. Enjoy:
Aishvarya and Madhuri in Devdas
Other Similar Quizzes:
Bollywood Quiz 7: Evergreen playback singers of Bollywood! The quiz is on the all-time popular playback singers of Bollywood!
Bollywood Quiz I:Know your Bollywood?:A Bollywood quiz about old movies of yesteryears!
Bollywood Quiz – Kishore Kumar, the legend : A fan of Kishore Kumar? – Test your knowledge about this great singer!
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Anna Hazare has become a very popular Indian figure – home and abroad. Media is already comparing him to Gandhi. Until recently, very few people had heard of him.
How well do you know this man! Well, know it for yourself. Here is the quiz on this mysterious man:
Quiz 10:
Please go to How well you Know Anna Hazare? – A Quiz! to view the quiz
There are many more quiz on this site including the ones on Bollywood; here are some of the links:
Other Quizzes:
The Indian and Pakistani Mangoes in USA!!
In Indian continent, mango is the king of the fruits! Chausa, Dasheri, Kesar, Langra, Haapoos and so on – there is no shortage of the different flavors and mouth-watering varieties as you move from one part of the country to another. This ‘fruit of the gods’ is taken for granted in Indian, Pakistani and many neighboring cuisines.
From king of fruits to just an average fruit – mango is just another fruit in the western countries. As you step outside the Indian continent, you can still find mangoes if you look for them. In USA, mangoes are sold in many fruit shops and grocery stores. However, these are not the mangoes that grow in the Indian orchards; these are not the same mangoes as the ones you once tasted on the roadside stalls in India. Yes, these are mangoes, but not your Chausa, Dasheri or Langra.
The most of the mangoes sold in US and Canada are the locally grown fruits or the ones shipped from Mexico. Many of these local mangoes leave much to be desired. They don’t taste the same as the ones from India, unless you have never had Indian mangoes, or perhaps you forgot the taste of the years. The Indian mangoes are much sweeter, mush more richer and much more… umm… let’s just say ‘tastier’. There are some things that you cannot really describe. You won’t know the difference unless you try them for yourself. Continue reading
United States welcomes prospective Indian students
US Embassy Press release; July 28, 2011, New Delhi
“The United States is proud of its record of welcoming foreign students, and in particular the numerous Indian students who enrich America’s academic communities. The number of Indian students who have applied for visas to study in the United States increased by 20% over the same period last year. This increase is an indication of the dynamism of the Indo-U.S. partnership and the strong people-to-people ties between the two nations. It also reflects the desire of high quality Indian students to pursue a world-class education in the U.S.
Prospective students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the free resources offered by the U.S. government and fully research the academic options available to them. The Embassy is to provide accurate, free information that allows students and their families to research schools and to protect themselves from visa fraud rings. All legitimate students have a fair chance to study in the U.S.
As always, the U.S. government urges all prospective students to fully research their chosen educational institutes and have a firm grasp of what is and is not permitted under a student visa. In particular, all students must be aware that any of the following will result in an immediate violation of status:
Violating the terms of a visa can result in deportation, arrest and even a bar on future travel to the United States. If any educational advisor or academic organization suggests that such actions are permissible under a student visa, we strongly recommend students contact the Embassy immediately in order to prevent committing visa fraud. It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that he or she is in accordance with the law. Continue reading
“I am incomplete without Mohammad Rafi. I used to often go for the recoding of my song, which was sung by Mohammad Rafi, only because I used to like telling him how I would perform on this song on screen so that he can sing it that way. Even he liked my involvement” Shammi Kapoor
This is an understatement that Mohammed Rafi has left a lasting and permanent impression on the Indian music. In fact, Rafi and Indian film music are inseparable.
Just try to imagine the soulful and broken-heart songs from Guru Dutt without the playback voice of Rafi; or try imagining Dev Anand’s movies without Rafi’s songs – ranging from romantic to sad. Shammi Kapoor’s jumping-jack and light hearted dance numbers are impossible without Rafi. It is inconceivable to think of Indian movies of 50s, 60s and 70s without Rafi’s melodies.
When it comes to the Indian Music, Rafi was a true genius. From classical to folk, from sad to romantic, from religious to dancing tunes – he was able to sing every genre with equal control. For every mood, for every occasion, you can always find memorable numbers from Rafi. The man could sing anything, and in any range of octaves.
“Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho”(1960, Chaudhvin Ka Chand)
“Chahunga Main Tujhe” (1964, Dosti)
“Baharo Phool Barsao” (1966, Suraj)
“Dil Ke Jharoke Mein” (1968, Brahmachari)
“Kya Hua Tera Wada” (1977, Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin)
“Maine Poocha Chand Se” (1980, Abdullah)
“Yeh Jo Chilman Hai” (1971, Mehboob Ki Mehandi)
“Khilona Jaan Kar” (1970, Khilona)
“Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki” (1949, Dulari) Continue reading
Sometimes, the answer is right under your nose. Sometimes, actually most of the times, it is better to eliminate the middleman and go straight to source. This post is intended to lead the horse to the water; drink or not, is up to the horse!
Non Resident Indians, the NRIs – home or abroad – always have so many questions about the rules and regulations that apply to them. Quite often, they start by calling some lawyers – the lawyers that are always bombarding the NRIs with their monotone commercial during Indian TV shows – the middlemen!!
If you visit the Nation Portal of India website and go to the Indian Diaspora section, you can most likely find the answer to most of your questions – right there, under your nose!
The questions like:
# Can NRIs and PIOs open an account with Indian banks?
# Is registration of NRI marriages compulsory in India?
# What is the fee for applying for PIO card and OCI card?
# Is there a limit to the number of investments for acquiring commercial properties in India?
# How can an NRI or PIO adopt a child in India?
# What is meant by OCB?
# What are the investment options for NRIs in India?
To introduce you to the website directly, rather than cutting and pasting the answers here – you know, horse and water – use the direct links below for accessing the related info! Pick your own dish – all you can eat, for free!! Continue reading
Human relations are complicated by nature; there is always something deeper, something more than meet the eye. Inter-racial relation are even more complex, even though they have been around for ages.
A previous article discussed Why white women find desi or Indian guys less attractive?. Now, ask the guys from India about White woman. No matter what these white women think about the Indian guys, the desi dudes hold no grudge against them. In fact, it is quite the opposite.
So, why is it that Indian guys find white women more attractive? There is no simple answer; at least nobody admits that it is so black and white – or should be say ‘brown and white’!
1. Fair skin attraction – First thing first, it is a culture thing that Indians prefer fair skin, especially on a woman. Many attribute this to Bollywood where almost all the leading actresses have milky complexion, but fair skin preference goes way back, even before black-and-white flicks took over India cinema. Many of the matrimonial advertisements often include ‘fair skin’ mention or requirement. The white women win hands down, if you just go by the skin color. So, this is good first impression, to start with! The fair skin criteria goes beyond the Bollywood actresses, and is common among all India cultures – home or abroad.
2. Stronger sense of independence – Compared to an Indian woman raised in an Indian society, a white woman from West is much more independent and self-reliant. In western culture (Western, as in Europe and America, not as in cowboys), the women have much more say in their personal decision-making compared to India society where families dominate and control women’s upbringings.
3. Less family control - This is more of a continuation of previous point. The indian women are often controlled by the family in many important aspects of their life, including selecting a life-partner. So, the family interference is much more in the case of Indian women, and this is a turn-off for many guys – even by desi standard! Continue reading
Best English Movies based on India or with Indian Themes
There are so many English movies that come out of India every year. Some equally beautiful movies based on Indian culture originate from other parts of the globe. Here are 20 best stand-outs:
1 Gandhi (1982): This Internationally acclaimed movie needs no introduction. The film stars Ben Kingsley as Gandhi, a brilliant actor by any measure. Amongst much recognition home and abroad, the film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, winning eight Academy Awards in total.
2. City of Joy (1992): The social drama is based on the life of a farmer who moves to Kolkata with his family and finds out that life is nothing but simple in the city. Patrick Swayze, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi and Art Malik lead the brilliant cast. This is one of best movies that use talents from India and Hollywood.
3. Monsoon Wedding (2001): Directed by Mira Nair, this is romance, comedy and drama – all together – depicting the lives of NRIs and the NRI weddings. An extravagant Punjabi wedding and the family traditions are beautifully depicted throughout this movie. Naseeruddin Shah’s acting is solid once more, and plays a father who is organizing an enormous, chaotic, and very expensive wedding that involves NRI families and joint families coming together from different parts of the world.
4. A Passage to India (1984): This classic is one of the most memorable English film based on the Indo-British relationship and their impacts on the day-to-day life during English Rule in India. Written and directed by David Lean, the screenplay is based on the 1924 novel by E.M. Forster. The acting, the direction and the beautifully landscaped scenes equally contribute to this masterpiece. The film has won various awards included Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. The brilliant acting comes from Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft and James Fox in the key roles.
5.Being Cyrus (2006): This is one of the best Indian films in English. It is a psychological drama revolving around a dysfunctional family. The brilliant acting is led by Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia; the well told story is narrated by none other but Saif Ali Khan in the role of Cyrus Mistry.
6. Bride and Prejudice (2004): This is a Bollywood style adaptation of the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen. It is filmed primarily in English, with some Hindi and Punjabi dialogue. The lead cast of Aishwarya Rai, Martin Henderson, Nadira Babbar, Anupam Kher and Naveen Andrews plays well in the desi adaptation of an old classic story from west. The wedding and party scenes, the complicated feelings of love, the dance numbers and culture depiction….are all nicely integrated
7. East is East (1999): This is a very comic and funny movie with a dark side of an NRI story based out of England. Om Puri delivers one of the best acting of a conflicted father with double standards. Married to a white woman, the father forces his kids to live the traditional and strict desi lifestyle. The children, born and grown up in UK, see themselves as British and reject their father’s rules on dress, food, religion and arranged marriage.
8. Bend it like Beckham (2002): Starring Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley, the title comes from the soccer player David Beckham’s skill at scoring from free kicks by “bending” (curving) the ball past a wall of defenders. It is a beautiful depiction of a Punjabi family’s life in England. The film explores the lives of Indians abroad and how NRIs ‘bend’ the social and traditional rules to adapt to the local culture. It has a lively music, with a touch of folk genre.
9. Parzania (2007): Translated – Heaven and hell on earth, this is an Indian drama film catering to the extreme human emotions. It is a terrific story of the struggles of a family after they lose their 10 year old son during the racial riot. The film featured Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika in the lead roles. This low budget drama has lovely acting and beautiful direction. Continue reading
For decades, this has been a common practice; it is a part of Indian thinking. Parents in India marry their beloved son or daughter to NRIs visiting from Western counties, with the hope and wish that he or she will settle abroad, and perhaps more importantly, help them migrate as well. While India is enjoying the financial boom, the common man still looks up to the other countries as the ultimate salvation for their offspring.
Yes, arranged marriage is still very common in India, and especially when it comes to marrying abroad. With very little knowledge about a ‘funny dressed’ visitor from the west, people are willing to bond their son or daughter overnight, before someone else steals their opportunity – the opportunity of a golden ticket to go abroad.
Marriage is supposed to be a sacred bond, based on mutual love and respect. However, NRI marriages are fundamentally based on greed. It is the greed that results into lifelong headaches for many couples, if not heartaches.
Everyone knows that the arranged marriage is no walk in the park, especially the arranged marriages where a couple knows very little about each-other. What follows in a typical NRI marriage is surprises, compromises and then more compromises. There are lucky couples who can adapt quicker and understand each other mush faster. And then again, there are probably more couples who find it hard to adjust, where ego comes into play more than love. What follows thereafter is a life-long misery, constant conflicts and endless arguments on daily basis.
Indian society, even modern Indian society, looks down on divorce. Many families don’t even consider the option of separation. And once you have kids in the mix, it is even more difficult to separate, both sides sacrificing for the sake of the kids.
The situation is especially difficult for the women who marry a man abroad. The women are more eager to adapt, more willing to sacrifice. Very often, the women go beyond the call of duty to satisfy their spouses in the new land. They often have very few relatives abroad to fall back on, they lack the family support, the support of their own blood. Women are less confrontational by nature to start with, and it works against them. Continue reading
Useful Websites for NRIs and Indians Living Abroad
This article is a summary of online information and useful sites related to NRIs and overseas living. Some of this is general information sites that are useful links for NRIs and Indians living abroad.
Most the sites mentioned are government sponsored or official links in USA, Canada and India; similar information can be easily searched for other countries.
Here is a compilation of all the related online links:
Indian Diaspora and NRIs – General info:
NRIs Investments in India and NRI Banking in India:
R2I – Information for NRIs returning to India:
Immigration and Visa information:
Jobs and career related links:
The pardesi songs – Best Bollywood songs with NRIs and Indians abroad theme!
This article is dedicated to all the pardesi souls (foreigners) and NRIs around the world.
The ‘pardesi songs’ in this list focus on the situations and the emotions of Indians living abroad. Being away from motherland, being separated from the loved ones left behind, starting a new life in a new country and the distance itself….a mixture of emotions come into the picture. There are lots of patriotic songs and good ones too. However, the ones included here are more related to the unique situations of living overseas, rather than regular patriotic songs. Here are some of the best Bollywood songs that many NRIs and Indians living abroad can relate to:
1. Chithi Aayee hai (Movie: Naam): One of the best songs that directly connects to all the feelings of Indians who have migrated from India, but still miss their motherland. Beautiful lyrics tell a touching story of an average immigrant.
Tune paisa bahut kamaya
Es paise ne des chhudaya….
Pankaj Udhas’s melodious voice adds to the appeal of this evergreen and super-hit song.
2. Bharat ka rehne walaa hoon (Movie: Purab Aur Pachhim): ‘Hai Preet Jahan Ki Reet Sada / Jab Zero Diya Mere Bharat Ne’ is one of the most memorable song that highlights the virtues of India and the Indian culture, especially for those who live overseas. This number has ideal settings – featured in England with crowd including Indians, hippies and English audience. Mahendra Kapoor’s voice and Manoj Kumar’ acting is a winning combination.
3. Ye dooriyan (Movie: Love Aaj Kal) : The song filmed on Deepika Dadukone and Saif Ali Khan is all about the ‘distance’ from loved ones. Anyone living abroad can relate to this song, a number with great composition and brilliant lyrics.
Aa raha paas, ya door mein ja raha
Janu na mein hoon kahan pe…
It has a natural flow, and is a hybrid of modern folk and classical gazal – a lovely song by any standard.
4. Yeh Jo des hai tera (Movie: Swades): This is one of the most melodious songs from A. R. Rahman. The lyrics and the scenes bring out the emotions of being Indian and being away from home. With SRK in the lead and beautiful filming, the song highlights all the nostalgic feelings often experienced by Indian diaspora.
5. No life without wife (Movie: Bride & Prejudice): Yes, this is not one of those emotional or sad songs, for a change. However, this cleverly performed dance number sums up the feelings and the irony of the situation that NRIs and their spouses go through. The refreshing song has the ever-pretty Aishwarya Rai in the lead. It is a befitting satire on the NRI marriages.
Lonely Mr Kholi from Los Angeles
Came to Punjab on one bent knee
He had a Green Card, new house, big cash
Still made a wish with every fallen lash
…….
Poor Mr Kholi
He has no life without wife… Continue reading
Many call this a strange or bold move form NBC, but it is more of a commonsense if you think about it – controversial shows get the attention from public and media alike. Thursday’s prime-time lineup from NBC includes ‘Outsourced’ – a comic satire on Indian culture through the eyes of American and Western office managers. Nothing original, but different!
The show in itself is hilarious, if you take it with a grain of salt. The Indian way of thinking, the Indian traditions, the office habits of local workers and how we perceive Americans – all on display in half an hour weekly comedy that is lighthearted and fun to watch.
The premise of ‘Outsourced’ is based on an an Indian call center in Mumbai selling American novelties. According to NBC, the Outsourced revolves around “the all-American company Mid America Novelties whose call center has suddenly been outsourced to India and a manager, played by Ben Rappaport, is being transferred to India to run the operation…”
The weekly sitcom touches on a variety of social and cultural Indian issues including arranged marriage, a young woman working in the call center to support her parents, how Indians view the American women, the Indian Accent and the fake American accent….
The half an hour sitcom, actually about 20 minutes in total if you take out the commercials in between, has very natural and down to earth style of exposing the cultural differences. The show may not have the same appeal to some the Indian audience, especially those who are not intimate with American lifestyle. For example, there are dialogues like:
“…I never imagined that I will be taking to beautiful women from exotic places like Fresno and Des Moines…!” Manmeet says in one episode, who is always fascinated with American girls and spends more time flirting over the phone than selling the novelties. If you live in US, you know that there is not a whole lot exotic about Fresno or Des Moines, actually quite the opposite. So, you need first-hand American knowledge to understand some of the humor. Continue reading
Light is the source of life. Light is the foundation of this universe. Without the warmth of sun, this galaxy would be frozen and lifeless. The light is the origin of everything living.
A seed needs light to burst out of ground and grow into a giant tree. A newborn needs light for the life support. A frozen and still pond waits all winter for the touch of the spring, for the warm sun-rays, to melt back into fluid water, water that supports life for all creatures – on earth or under water.
The light is what makes us see. Without light we are missing the most important sense of sight, a sensory input to our brain. It is hard to imagine a universe without the ability to see. Long live the light that makes it happen.
There is no such thing as dark; it is just absence of light – absence of a necessity. That is why in many cultures around the globe including in India, light is always compared to knowledge, and darkness to ignorance.
Light is something we should celebrate every day. Light is the blessing we often ignore and overlook. Today on the auspicious day Diwali, let’s celebrate light. After all, it is a festival of light – a festival that signifies knowledge, warmth and life. Continue reading
The legality of unconventional relationships in India
The Supreme Court of India recently ruled on the often unspoken topic of unmarried relationships. The court touches on some the legal aspects of non-conventional relations including one-night-stand, a man’s ‘keep’ and live-in-relationship. This sort of relations and living arrangements have always been considered a taboo in the Indian society - home or abroad. Perhaps, not so much these days!
In India, a country where marriage is a part of the religious guidelines, society as a whole has always looked down on couples living outside the marital boundaries. Even the supreme body of Indian legal system did not forget to remind us of the good old morality:
“In feudal society, sexual relationship between man and woman outside marriage was totally taboo and regarded with disgust and horror as depicted in Leo Tolstoy’s novel ‘Anna Karenina’, Gustave Flaubert’s novel ‘Madame Bobary’ and the novels of the great Bengali writer Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay….”
“However, Indian society is changing and this change has been reflected and recognized by Parliament by enacting the Protection of Woman from Domestic Violence Act, 2005,” the Indian Supreme Court bench said in the ruling. Continue reading
Future of India in the international and global sports competitions
Indian is a country with population of 1.2 billion people;second largest in the world. Home or abroad, the Indians are known for their hard work and perseverance. And yet, when it come to the sports, India does not have much to show in the international arena. India has never been a top contender in the global sports competitions.
Yes, cricket is big; the country is crazed about the game. There are about ten competitive cricket playing nations in the world, and India is often often among the top ten! 
Beyond cricket, India does not really have much world presence in the sports and athletic competitions.
In the Olympics games, for example, India has miserably failed to deliver any world class performance. At one time, India used to rein supreme in the field hockey, but not anymore. The most medal that India has ever won in the Olympics are 3, in 2008 Olympics in Beijing. That is quite a dismal performance for a country of the size of India!
There have been numerous explanations for India’s lack of sports at the international level. Poverty, malnutrition, neglected infrastructure, lack of funding and equipment, political corruption and the predominance of cricket…..so many factors combined together have been blamed in the past.
However, it is worth noting that India is not the same country it used to be a few decades back. India, as a nation, has made a lots of headway; it has taken some giant steps in the right direction. The economy is booming and the influence of western culture including the western sports is everywhere. Could it be that the current prosperity may lead to a more competitive India at the international platform? It is quite possible. In fact, it seems that India may be on the right track for the first time. Continue reading