Look up insight in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Insight is the understanding of a specific cause and effect in a specific context. Insight can be used with several related meanings of insight

• a piece of information
• the act or result of understanding the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively in Greek called noesis
• an introspection
• the power of acute observation and deduction, penetration, discernment, perception called intellection or noesis
• an understanding of cause and effect based on identification of relationships and behaviors within a model, context, or scenario (see artificial intelligence)

An insight that manifests itself suddenly, such as understanding how to solve a difficult problem, is sometimes called by the German word Aha-Erlebnis. The term was coined by the German psychologist and theoretical linguist Karl Bühler. It is also known as an epiphany.

In psychology[link]

Representation of the Duncker Candle Problem.^[1]

In psychology, insight occurs when a solution to a problem presents itself quickly and without warning.^[2] The phenomenon had its beginnings with Gestalt Psychology, in the early part of the 19th century, during the search for an alternative to associationism and the associationistic view on learning.^[3] Some proposed potential mechanisms for insight include: suddenly seeing the problem in a new way, connecting the problem to another relevant problem/solution pair, releasing past experiences blocking the solution presentation, or seeing the bigger, coherent picture of a problem.^[3]

Methods[link]

Solution to the Nine Dot problem.^[4]

Generally, methodological approaches to the study of insight in the laboratory involve presenting participants with problems and puzzles that cannot be solved in a conventional or logical manner.^[3] Problems of insight commonly fall into three types.^[3]

Breaking Functional Fixedness[link]

Example of an RAT problem.

The first type of problem forces participants to use objects in a way they are not accustomed to (thus, breaking their functional fixedness), like the “Duncker candle problem”.^[3] In the “Duncker candle problem”, individuals are given matches and a box of tacks and asked to find a way to attach a candle to the wall to light the room.^[1] The solution requires the participants to empty the box of tacks, set the candle inside the box, tack the box to the wall, and light the candle with the matches.

Using Spatial Ability[link]

The second type of insight problem requires spatial ability to solve, like the “Nine-dot Problem”.^[3] The famous “Nine-dot problem” requires participants to draw four lines, through nine dots, without picking their pencil up.^[4]

Using Verbal Ability[link]

The third, and final, type of problem requires verbal ability to solve, like the Remote Associates Test.^[3] In the RAT, individuals must think of a word that connects three, seemingly unrelated, words.^[5] RAT are often used in experiments, because they can be solved both with and without insight.^[6]

Specific Results[link]

Insight versus Non-insight Problems[link]

Two clusters of problems, those solvable by insight and those not requiring insight to solve, have been observed.^[7] An individual’s cognitive flexibility, fluency, and vocabulary ability are predictive of performance on insight problems, but not on non-insight problems.^[7] In contrast, fluid intelligence is mildly predictive of performance on non-insight problems, but not on insight problems.^[7]

Emotion[link]

People in a better mood are more likely to solve problems by insight.^[8] Research demonstrated that self-reported positive affect of participants uniquely increased insight before and during the solving of a problem, as indicated by differing brain activity patterns.^[8] Interestingly, people experiencing anxiety showed the opposite effect, and solved less problems by insight.^[8]

Incubation[link]

Using a geometric and spatial insight problem, it was found that providing participants with breaks improved their performance as compared to participants who did not receive a break.^[9] However, the length of incubation between problems did not matter. Thus, participants' performance on insight problems improved just as much with a short break (four minutes) as it did with a long break (12 minutes).^[9]

Sleep[link]

Research has shown sleep to help produce insight.^[10] Individuals were initially trained on insight problems. Following training, one group was tested on the insight problems after sleeping for eight hours at night, one group was tested after staying awake all night, and one group was tested after staying awake all day. Those that slept performed twice as well on the insight problems than those who stayed awake.^[10]

In the Brain[link]

Differences in brain activation in the left and right hemisphere seem to be indicative of insight versus non-insight solutions.^[11] Using RAT’s that were either presented to the left or right visual field, it was shown that participants having solved the problem with insight were more likely to have been shown the RAT on the left visual field, indicating right hemisphere processing. This provides evidence that the right hemisphere plays a unique role in insight.^[11]

fMRI and EEG scans of participants completing RAT's demonstrated unique brain activity corresponding to problems solved by insight.^[6] For one, there is high EEG activity in the alpha- and gamma-band about 300 milliseconds before participants indicated a solution to insight problems, but not to non-insight problems.^[6] Additionally, problems solved by insight corresponded to increased activity in the temporal lobes and mid-frontal cortex, while more activity in the posterior cortex corresponded to non-insight problems.^[6] The data suggests there is something different occurring in the brain when solving insight versus non-insight problems that happens right before the solving of the problem.

Group Insight[link]

It was found that groups typically perform better on insight problems (in the form of rebus puzzles with either helpful or unhelpful clues) than individuals.^[12]

Example of a rebus puzzle. Answer: man overboard.

Additionally, while incubation improves insight performance for individuals, it improves insight performance for groups even more.^[12] Thus, after a 15-minute break, individual performance improved for the rebus puzzles with unhelpful clues, and group performance improved for rebus puzzles with both unhelpful and helpful clues.^[12]

Individual Differences[link]

Personality and gender, as they relate to performance on insight problems, was studied using a variety of insight problems.^[13] It was found that participants who ranked lower on emotionality and higher on openness to experience performed better on insight problems.^[13] Interestingly, men outperformed women on insight problems, and women outperformed men on non-insight problems.^[13]

Higher intelligence (higher IQ) has also been found to be associated with better performance on insight problems.^[3] However, those of lower intelligence benefit more than those of higher intelligence from being provided with cues and hints for insight problems.^[3]

Metacognition[link]

Individuals are poorer at predicting their own metacognition for insight problems, than for non-insight problems.^[14] Individuals were asked to indicate how “hot” or “cold” to a solution they felt. Generally, they were able to predict this fairly well for non-insight problems, but not for insight problems.^[14] This provides evidence for the suddenness involved during insight.

In Naturalistic Settings[link]

Recently, insight was studied in a non-laboratory setting.^[15] Accounts of insight that have been reported in the media, such as in interviews, etc., were examined and coded. It was found that insights that occur in the field are typically reported to be associated with a sudden “change in understanding” and with “seeing connections and contradictions” in the problem.^[15] Interestingly, it was also found that insight in nature differed from insight in the laboratory. For example, insight in nature was often rather gradual, not sudden, and incubation was not as important.^[15]

In Animals[link]

Studies with apes have provided evidence of insight in animals.^[16] Apes were presented with an insight problem that required the use of objects in new and original ways, in order to win a prize (usually, some kind of food). It was observed that the animals would continuously fail to get the food, and this process occurred for quite some time; however, rather suddenly, they would purposefully use the object in the way needed to get the food, as if the realization had occurred out of nowhere.^[16] Experimenters regarded the behavior as something resembling insight in apes.^[16]

Theories[link]

There are a number of theories representing insight; at present, no one theory dominates interpretation.^[3]

Dual Process Theory[link]

According to the dual process theory, there are two systems used to solve problems.^[13] The first involves logical and analytical thought processes based on reason, while the second involves intuitive and automatic processes based on experience.^[13] Research has demonstrated that insight probably involves both processes; however, the second process is more influential.^[13]

Three-Process Theory[link]

According to the three-process theory, intelligence plays a large role in insight.^[17] Specifically, insight involves three different processes (selective encoding, combination, and comparison), which require intelligence to apply to problems.^[17] Selective encoding is the process of focusing attention on ideas relevant to a solution, while ignoring features that are irrelevant.^[17] Selective combination is the process of combining the information previously deemed relevant.^[17] Finally, selective comparison is the use of past experience with problems and solutions that are applicable to the current problem and solution.^[17]

Four-Stage Model[link]

According to the four-stage model of insight, there are four stages to problem solving.^[18] First, the individual prepares to solve a problem.^[18] Second, the individual incubates on the problem, which encompasses trial-and-error, etc.^[18] Third, the insight occurs, and the solution is illuminated.^[18] Finally, the verification of the solution to the problem is experienced.^[18] Since this model was proposed, other similar models have been explored that contain two or three similar stages.^[3]

In psychiatry[link]

In psychology and psychiatry, insight can mean the ability to recognize one's own mental illness.^[19] This form of insight has multiple dimensions, such as recognizing the need for treatment, and recognizing consequences of one's behavior as stemming from an illness.^[20] A person with very poor recognition or acknowledgment is referred to as having "poor insight" or "lack of insight." The most extreme form is Anosognosia, which is the total absence of insight into one's own mental illness. Many mental illnesses are associated with varying levels of insight. For example, people with obsessive compulsive disorder and various phobias tend to have relatively good insight that they have a problem and that their thoughts and/or actions are unreasonable, yet are compelled to carry out the thoughts and actions regardless.^[21] Patients with Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia and various psychotic conditions tend to have very poor awareness that anything is wrong with them.^[22]

"Insight" can also refer to other matters in psychology. Problem solving behavior requiring insight is the subject of insight phenomenology.

An insight is the derivation of a rule which links cause with effect. The mind is a model of the universe built up from insights.

Thoughts of the mind fall into two categories:

1. Analysis of past experience with the purpose of gaining insight for use within this model at a later date
2. Simulations of future scenarios using existing insights in the mind model in order to predict outcomes

A mature mind has assimilated many insights and understands cause and effect. When insight is not subordinate to a validation discipline like the 'scientific method', fallacious thinking can result in a confused mind.

Intuition, which is often described in the popular literature as an alternative thought process, is merely another manifestation of insight.^[23] In this process, multiple bits of seemingly unrelated data are linked together and a hypothesis or plan of action is generated. Usually this process is generated in a novel situation. Such a circumstance links data which had previously seemed unrelated.^[24] The categories and analytical process, however, are not distinct from any other form of insight. The only difference is the degree of novelty of the stimulus.^{[citation needed]}

In religion[link]

The Pali word for "insight" is "vipassana", which has been adopted as the name of a kind of Buddhist meditation.

In business[link]

Nigel Bradley points out a recent development in the world of business. There has been the emergence of new departments in corporations which carry the word “Insight” in their titles. We have “Customer Insight Departments”, Insight Management Unit, Consumer Insight and so on. This extends to the job titles of executives working in those areas. One reason for this development was a realisation that the emphasis of results from individual research projects needed to be shifted to a wider understanding of the dynamics operating in the full market place. Another reason was the impact of information technology. Progress in technology gave way to the availability of masses of information found in databases. The advantages of Insight Management are numerous. By making use of all existing information, there is less need to consult customers, thereby minimising unnecessary contact and costs.^[25]

In marketing[link]

Pat Conroy,^{[citation needed]} points out that an insight is a statement based on a deep understanding of your target consumers' attitudes and beliefs, which connect at an emotional level with your consumer, provoking a clear response (This brand understands me! That is exactly how I feel! — even if they've never thought about it quite like that) which, when leveraged, has the power to change consumer behavior. Insights must affect a change in consumer behavior that benefits your brand, leading to the achievement of the marketing objective.^{[citation needed]}

Insights can be based on:

1. Real or perceived weakness to be exploited in competitive product performance or value
2. Attitudinal or perceived barrier in the minds of consumers, regarding your brand
3. Untapped or compelling belief or practice

Insights are most effective when they are/do one of the following:

1. Unexpected
2. Create a disequilibrium
3. Change momentum
4. Exploited via a benefit or point of difference that your brand can deliver

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Bradley, Nigel, (2007), Marketing Research: Tools and Techniques, Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-928196-1
• Lehrer, Jonah, Annals of Science: "The Eureka Hunt: Why do good ideas come to us when they do?". — The New Yorker. (c/o Massachusetts Institute of Technology), July 28, 2008. (Adobe Acrobat *PDF document)

Hans Rosling
Rosling at the 2012 Time 100 gala
Born	(1948-07-27) July 27, 1948 (age 63)
Institutions	Karolinska Institute
Alma mater	Uppsala University, St. John's Medical College
Known for	Gapminder Foundation and Trendalyzer

Hans Rosling (born 27 July 1948^[1] in Uppsala, Sweden) is a Swedish medical doctor, academic, statistician and public speaker. He is Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institute^[2] and co-founder and chairman of the Gapminder Foundation, which developed the Trendalyzer software system.

Study and career[link]

From 1967 to 1974 Rosling studied statistics and medicine at Uppsala University, and in 1972 he studied public health at St. John's Medical College, Bangalore. He became a licenced physician in 1976 and from 1979 to 1981 he served as District Medical Officer in Nacala in northern Mozambique.

On 21 August 1981, Rosling discovered an outbreak of konzo, a paralytic disease,^[3][4] and the investigations that followed earned him a Ph.D. degree at Uppsala University in 1986. He spent two decades studying outbreaks of this disease in remote rural areas across Africa and supervised more than ten Ph.D. students^{[citation needed]}. Outbreaks occur among hunger-stricken rural populations in Africa where a diet dominated by insufficiently processed cassava results in simultaneous malnutrition and high dietary cyanide intake.^[4]

Rosling's research has also focused on other links between economic development, agriculture, poverty and health^[5] in Africa, Asia and Latin America. He has been health adviser to WHO, UNICEF and several aid agencies. In 1993 he was one of the initiators of Médecins Sans Frontières in Sweden. At Karolinska Institutet he was head of the Division of International Health (IHCAR) from 2001 to 2007. As chairman of Karolinska International Research and Training Committee (1998–2004) he started health research collaborations with universities in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. He started new courses on Global Health and co-authored a textbook on Global Health that promotes a fact-based world view.

Rosling presented the television documentary The Joy of Stats, which was broadcast in the United Kingdom by BBC Four in December 2010.^[6]

Gapminder[link]

Rosling co-founded the Gapminder Foundation together with his son Ola Rosling and daughter-in-law Anna Rosling Rönnlund. Gapminder developed the Trendalyzer software that converts international statistics into moving, interactive graphics. His lectures using Gapminder graphics to visualise world development have won awards.^[7] The interactive animations are freely available from the Foundation's website. On 16 March 2007 Google acquired the Trendalyzer software with the intention to scale it up and make it freely available for public statistics. In 2008 Google made available a Motion Chart Google Gadget and in 2009 the Public Data Explorer.^[8]

Rosling is also a sword swallower, as demonstrated in the final moments of his second talk at the TED conference.^[9] In 2009 he was listed as one of 100 leading global thinkers by Foreign Policy Magazine,^[10] and in 2011 as one of 100 most creative people in business by the Fast Company Magazine.^[11] In 2011 he was elected member of the Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

Awards[link]

Hans Rosling at the Swedish pavilion of Expo 2010 in Shanghai

• 2007 – Statistician of the Year Award from the Swedish Association for Statistics
• 2007 – Jubilee Prize from the Swedish Medical Society
• 2007 – Knowledge Prize from the National Encyclopaedia of Sweden
• 2008 – Speaker of the Year from the Swedish Event Academy
• 2008 – The Big Debate Award from Dagens Medicine
• 2009 – Georg and Greta Borgstrom Award from the Swedish Royal Academy of Agriculture and Forestry
• 2010 – Illis Quorum, Highest Award conferred by the Government of Sweden
• 2010 – The Grand Prize from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
• 2010 – Gold Medal from Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
• 2010 – World Technology Award in Design together with Ola Rosling & Anna Rosling Rönnlund
• 2010 – The Gannon Award for the Continued Pursuit of Human Advancement (US)^[12]
• 2011 - Grierson 2011 Award for the Best British Science Documentary, presenter in "The Joy of Stats"
• 2012 - Time 100 most influential people list

Selected publications[link]

• Thorson, A.; Ragnarsson, A.; Rosling, H.; Ekström, A. (2010). "Male circumcision reduces HIV transmission. The risk of transmission from woman to man is halved". Lakartidningen 107 (46): 2881–2883. PMID 21197783.  edit
• Hanson, S.; Thorson, A.; Rosling, H.; Örtendahl, C.; Hanson, C.; Killewo, J.; Ekström, A. M. (2009). Husereau, Don. ed. "Estimating the Capacity for ART Provision in Tanzania with the Use of Data on Staff Productivity and Patient Losses". PLoS ONE 4 (4): e5294. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0005294. PMC 2667213. PMID 19381270. //www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=2667213.  edit
• Von Schreeb, J.; Riddez, L.; Samnegård, H.; Rosling, H. (2008). "Foreign field hospitals in the recent sudden-onset disasters in Iran, Haiti, Indonesia, and Pakistan". Prehospital and disaster medicine : the official journal of the National Association of EMS Physicians and the World Association for Emergency and Disaster Medicine in association with the Acute Care Foundation 23 (2): 144–151; discussion 151–3. PMID 18557294.  edit
• Schell, C. O.; Reilly, M.; Rosling, H.; Peterson, S.; Ekström, A. M. (2007). "Socioeconomic determinants of infant mortality: A worldwide study of 152 low-, middle-, and high-income countries". Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 35 (3): 288–297. DOI:10.1080/14034940600979171. PMID 17530551.  edit
• Von Schreeb, J.; Rosling, H.; Garfield, R. (2007). "Mortality in Iraq". The Lancet 369 (9556): 101. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60058-0. PMID 17223462.  edit
• Elrayah, H.; Eltom, M.; Bedri, A.; Belal, A.; Rosling, H.; Ostenson, C. (2005). "Economic burden on families of childhood type 1 diabetes in urban Sudan". Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 70 (2): 159–165. DOI:10.1016/j.diabres.2005.03.034. PMID 15919129.  edit
• Thanh, H. T. T.; Jiang, G. X.; Van, T. N.; Minh, D. P. T.; Rosling, H.; Wasserman, D. (2005). "Attempted suicide in Hanoi, Vietnam". Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 40 (1): 64–71. DOI:10.1007/s00127-005-0849-6. PMID 15624077.  edit
• Rosling, H. (2004). "New map of world health is needed. North and South is changed to healthy and ill and West to rich and poor". Lakartidningen 101 (3): 198–201. PMID 14763091.  edit

References[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Hans Rosling

External links[link]

• Hans Rosling on Twitter
• Hans Rosling shows the best stats you've ever seen at the 2006 TED Conference in Monterey, CA highlighting novel ways of presenting global statistics.
• Hans Rosling's new insights on poverty, from TED2007, featuring a surprise ending. (video)
• Video of Hans Rosling speech at the OECD World Forum in Istanbul
• Hans Rosling's blog
• Ola Rosling giving a Gapminder presentation at Google (video)
• Motion Chart Google Gadget
• Hans Rosling: Global health expert; data visionary profile on TED.com

Jill Bolte Taylor
Jill Bolte Taylor speaking at TED on February 27, 2008
Born	1959 Louisville, Kentucky
Residence	Bloomington, Indiana
Alma mater	Terre Haute South Vigo High School, B.A. Indiana University, Ph.D. Indiana State University, Postdoctoral studies at Harvard Medical School (Depts of Psychiatry and Neuroscience)
Known for	Work in neuroanatomy

Jill Bolte Taylor (born 1959 in Louisville, Kentucky) is a neuroanatomist brain scientist who specializes in the postmortem investigation of the human brain. She is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine and is the national spokesperson for the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center. Her own personal experience with a massive stroke, experienced in 1996 at age 37, and her subsequent eight-year recovery, has informed her work as a scientist and speaker. For this work, in May 2008 she was named to Time Magazine's 2008 Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world.^[1] "My Stroke of Insight" received the top "Books for a Better Life" Book Award in the Science category from the New York City Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on February 23, 2009 in New York City.^[2]

Stroke of Insight[link]

On December 10, 1996, Taylor woke up to discover that she was experiencing a stroke. The cause proved to be bleeding from an abnormal congenital connection between an artery and a vein in her brain, an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Three weeks later, on December 27, 1996, she underwent major brain surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to remove a golf ball-sized clot that was placing pressure on the language centers in the left hemisphere of her brain.

Taylor's February 2008 TED Conference talk^[3] about her memory of the stroke^[4] became an Internet sensation, resulting in widespread attention and interest around the world. It became the second most viewed TED talk around the world. ^[5]

Book[link]

Following her experience with stroke, Taylor wrote the best-selling book : My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey,^[6] about her recovery from the stroke and the insights she has gained into the workings of her brain. Subsequently, Taylor appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show on October 21, 2008.^[7] In her later commencement address at Duke University on May 10, 2009, Oprah Winfrey quoted Taylor's assertion that, "You are responsible for the energy that you bring" in encouraging the students to assume this same responsibility in their future lives.^[8] Taylor was the first guest featured on Oprah's Soul Series^[9] webcast on Oprah.com and Satellite radio show.

After Taylor's representative, transmedia agent and attorney Ellen Stiefler, conducted an auction for worldwide publishing rights to "My Stroke of Insight," Penguin books paid an "eye-popping seven figures" ^[10] and it was published in hardcover in May 2008, debuting near the top of the New York Times Non-Fiction Hardcover Bestseller list. "My Stroke of Insight" spent 17 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller Lists, reaching number 4 ^[11]. My Stroke of Insight is also available in paperback, large print, audio book, and kindle editions.

Movie[link]

My Stroke of Insight is being transformed into a major feature film: "Sony Pictures Entertainment and Imagine Entertainment have teamed on My Stroke of Insight, brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor's memoir about her journey back from a debilitating stroke. Ron Howard has signed on to the direct the film, and he wants Jodie Foster as his star. But Foster isn't formally attached at this point. Semi Chellas is writing the script and Howard and his Imagine partner Brian Grazer are producing. The author, whose book was published last year by Plume, and Ellen Stiefler will be executive producers."^[12]

Ballet[link]

Cedar Lake Ballet Company made a ballet about My Stroke of Insight called "Orbo Novo." "The piece's title, Orbo Novo, is drawn from a 1493 reference to North America by Spanish historian Pietro Martire d'Anghiera. But the "new world" that Cherkaoui is exploring is current theories about the brain, and the text that the 17 dancers speak during the first moments of the 75-minute work comes from My Stroke of Insight, neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor's uncanny recollection of her stroke. The choreography is based on the ramifications of a single resonant idea: the duality between rationality (the left brain) and instinctive, sensual responses (the right brain); between control and the lack of it; between balance and instability, solitude and society." ^[13] "Thus were the dancers speaking Taylor's words (“My spirit soared free like a great whale gliding through the sea of silent euphoria”), while they physically embodied brain waves and misfiring synapses, with a nod, perhaps, to the double helix: rubbery splayed limbs; über-arched backs; ever-rippling torsos." ^[14] “‘Orbo Novo’ is a humorous and insightful take on (Taylor’s) story,” said dancer Jubal Battisti. “It has a lot to do with the hemispheres of the brain switching between left and right and what that reveals.” ^[15]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor Homepage
• Jill Bolte Taylor at TED
• Jill Bolte Taylor on Oprah's Soul Series
• NPR radio interview
• In a Single Stroke: The Metamorphosis of Jill Bolte Taylor. O, The Oprah Magazine, October 2002
• Chicago Public Media radio interview

Pawan Kalyan
Born	Konidala Kalyan Babu (1971-09-02) 2 September 1971 (age 40)[1][2] Bapatla, Andhra Pradesh, India [3]
Residence	Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
Other names	Pawan Kalyan, Power Star[4][5]
Occupation	Actor, Director, Screenwriter, Action Choreographer, Choreography, Playback Singer, Producer
Years active	1996 – present
Spouse	Renu Desai (2009 – present)[6]
Children	Akira Nandan Aadhya
Parents	Venkat Rao Konidala Anjana Devi Konidala
Relatives	Chiranjeevi Konidala (brother) Nagendra Babu Konidala (brother) Ram Charan Teja Konidala (nephew) Arjun Allu (2nd nephew) Aravind Allu (brother-in-law) Rama Lingaiah Allu (father-in-law of brother)

Pawan Kalyan (Telugu: పవన్ కళ్యాణ్; born Konidala Kalyan Babu on 2 September 1971)^[2] is an Indian film actor, director, screenwriter and action choreographer in Telugu cinema. He is the brother of Indian actor Chiranjeevi. He made his acting debut in 1996 with Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi.

In 1998, he was starred in Tholi Prema which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Telugu for that Year. He is known for his works in other blockbusters like Gokulamlo Seetha, Suswagatham, Thammudu, Badri, Kushi, Jalsa and Gabbar Singh ^[7]

Personal life[link]

Born to Konidela Venkata Rao and Anjana Devi,^[8] Pawan Kalyan is the younger brother of Chiranjeevi and Nagendra Babu.^[9] After his divorce from Nandini,^[10] Pawan Kalyan married Renu Desai on 28 January 2009. She co-starred with him in the films Badri and Johnny^[10] and has worked as costume designer for most of his films. The couple have two children, a son named Akira Nandan born in 2004 and a girl named Aadhya born in 2010. Akira was named after Pawan Kalyan's favorite director Akira Kurosawa.

Kalyan is trained in martial arts.^{[11][12][13][14]} He holds a black belt in karate^[15] and has displayed his skills in several of his films. He publicly performed his martial arts skills at several auditoriums.^[16] He was awarded the title "Pawan", symbolizing Hanuman. From then, Kalyan Babu became popular as Pawan Kalyan.^[17][18][19]

His brother-in-law Allu Aravind is an Indian film producer. Ram Charan Teja Konidala and Allu Arjun are other actors from the family. Pawan Kalyan is a vegetarian. He is highly influenced by Che Guevara, Jiddu Krishnamurti and Swami Vivekananda's philosophy.^[20]

Career[link]

Pawan Kalyan entered the Telugu movie industry with Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi (1996) as Kalyan Babu in which he performed martial arts action sequences. His second movie was Gokulamlo Seetha (1997), which is a remake of the 1996 Tamil film Gokulathil Seethai. He also starred in Suswagatham, which is also a remake of a Tamil film Love Today (1997).

In 1998, Tholi Prema released and received 6 Nandi Awards and National Award for the Best Feature Film (Telugu).^[21] After Tholi Prema, Pawan acted in Thammudu (1999) playing the role of a kickboxer. Pawan In 2000, he featured in Puri Jagannadh's first directorial venture Badri. Pawan acted in Kushi (2001) directed by S. J. Surya.

After the release of Kushi, Pawan Kalyan took a long gap of two years in his film career. He went to Japan for a brief period to learn a martial art called Aikido. He learnt this stunt to use in his first directorial venture Johnny. His next releases were Gudumba Shankar, Balu ABCDEFG, Bangaram and Annavaram

In 2008, Jalsa directed by Trivikram Srinivas released. His subsequent release Puli arrived on 10 September. The audio sales reached a total of 1.6 lakhs of CDs in the first three days, which is an all-time record in Telugu film history.^{[22][relevant? – discuss]}

Pawan Kalyan first release of 2011 was Theenmaar directed by Jayanth C. Paranjee in which he portrayed the two contrasting characters of present and yesteryear generations. Following this, Pawan Kalyan appeared in a Vishnuvardhan's gangster film Panjaa.This film is now set to release in Tamil.^[23] In September 2011, Pawan began shooting for the movie Gabbar Singh. The movie is being directed by Harish Shankar and produced by Bandla Ganesh. The movie is a remake of the Hindi film Dabangg.^[24] In 2012, Pawan is slated to work in Puri Jagannadh's Cameraman Ganga Tho Rambabu. The film is being produced by D. V. V. Danayya and filming is set to begin in May 2012.^{[25] [26]}

A social networking community on his name in the popular social networking website orkut is the second most active community in india. After orkut 'India' community, orkut 'Power Star Pawan Kalyan' community takes second place in Top 10 orkut National communities.^[27][28]

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

Action Choreographer[link]

Playback singing[link]

Choreography/Songs Visualization[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Pawan Kalyan at the Internet Movie Database