In the fictional universe of Star Wars, Hoth is the sixth planet of a remote system of the same name. It is a terrestrial planet blanketed by snow and ice. Many meteorites from a nearby asteroid belt pelt the planet's surface, making temporary craters in the planet's ever-moving snow drifts. Hoth has three moons, all uninhabited. Its native creatures include the wampa and the tauntaun.

In The Empire Strikes Back, the scenes featuring Hoth were shot at Finse and the Hardangerjøkulen glacier in Norway.^[1]

Planet overview[link]

The Rebel Alliance moved to Hoth after their victory in the Battle of Yavin. However, an Imperial probe droid discovered their base, then self-destructed. The Rebels immediately began preparations to leave, but Darth Vader's Death Squadron, the 501st legion of the Imperial Army, Blizzard Force, arrived in time to intercept them, forcing the Rebels into a skirmish to cover their escape. Although the Empire won the Battle of Hoth by destroying the Rebel base and capturing many Rebel personnel and equipment, the Rebels didn't attempt a full-scale defense, but rather worked to stall the Empire's forces long enough to stage an effective evacuation, and to allow the deletion of compromising information about the whereabouts of the Rebel Fleet. Since the Rebels did evacuate vital leadership, personnel, and equipment, the Empire failed to do more than stall the Rebels' plans, and the Rebel Fleet remained elusive.

The action on Hoth features prominently in the opening of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and is one of the Star Wars series' most memorable sequences.

Hoth is an example of the science-fictional stereotype of a planet that has only one climatic zone. However, some Expanded Universe sources show that under-ice caves containing large lichen fields exist on the planet, on which Tauntauns feed.

Echo Base[link]

Echo Base is the Rebel Alliance base established after the Alliance evacuation of Yavin IV. The base, which was featured in the opening sequence of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, is composed of a series of tunnels and caverns cut from the icy mountainside of the planet Hoth.

Echo Base was not designed with the means to repel an Imperial assault, but instead relied on its shield generator and its hidden location on a desolate planet in an unoccupied system to protect it from the Empire. Because of this most of its equipment and machinery were able to be taken apart and evacuated at a moment's notice, if the base was discovered.

When the Empire's probe droids found the base, the Rebels fought a holding action to give the transports enough time to evacuate. They used the base's planetary defense shield to prevent an Imperial orbital bombardment, and then used small airspeeders modified for the cold climate of Hoth, called Snowspeeders, and a small contingent of soldiers, to slow the advance of the Empire's AT-AT walkers. This holding action allowed the Rebels time to use Echo Base's Planet Defender Ion Cannon to open holes in the Imperial blockade, allowing many transports and their X-wing escorts to escape.

Echo Base suffered a series of attacks by the shaggy and carnivorous wampas soon after Commander Skywalker's encounter with one of the creatures. This is not shown in Empire Strikes Back, but was described in the accompanying novelization.

Expanded Universe[link]

Echo Base is also featured in the video game Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. In the game, the player's character, Jaden, is sent on a mission to Echo Base in order to find out information about the Cult of Ragnos. The player ends up finding the Base occupied by the Imperial Remnant.

Dash Rendar lands his snowspeeder in Echo Base soon after the Battle of Hoth to escape on his ship, the Outrider, in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. He fights snowtroopers, probots, an AT-ST, and wampas on the way to his ship.

In Darksaber, Luke returns to Hoth with his lover, Callista. They find that Echo Base is now occupied by wampa-pelt hunters who have found their prey too much to handle. Luke and Callista try to help them but instead see the entire group killed.

In the queue for Star Tours, Echo Base is advertised as a tourist attraction. Visitors can explore the ruins of the Rebel base. It is there that visitors can ski the "most incredible slopes in the galaxy" or "ride a tauntaun". In the attraction's successor, Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, guests can travel to Hoth during one of the randomized ride sequences.

Reception[link]

In 2009, GameInformer ranked the top ten video game adaptations of the Battle of Hoth, ranking Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire's first.^[2]

References[link]

• Kevin J. Anderson, Darksaber (1995). ISBN 0-553-57611-9

External links[link]

• Information on film location Hoth
• Hoth in the Star Wars Databank
• Hoth on Wookieepedia: a Star Wars Wiki
• A scientific investigation into the planet Hoth
• Star Wars Databank entry
• Echo Base on Wookieepedia: a Star Wars Wiki

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This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (January 2008)

Kunal Ganjawala (Hindi: कुणाल गांजावाला) is popularly known as Bollywood playback singer who contributed to the Kannada film industry as well. Kunal began his career by singing jingles. He came to limelight with the song "Bheege Honth Tere" from the film Murder in 2004. It was his first biggest hit. The song earned him Zee Cine Award as Best Playback Singer in 2005.

Career[link]

Kunal entered the film industry in 2002 with film Ab Ke Baras. Within a short four years, he has established himself as one of the top singers in Bollywood (Indian Hindi film industry).

Along with Hindi songs, Kunal entered Kannada film industry in 2005. His very first song in Kannada, 'Neene Neene' composed by music director R P Patnaik in the movie Akash starring Kannada's super star Puneet Rajkumar and southern Star Ramya under Kannada matinee idol Padmabhushan, Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Dr.Rajkumar's home banner 'Vajreshwari Combines' itself was a chart buster song of the year. But Kunal's big break in South India, was in the year 2006 from the Kannada blockbuster film Mungaru Male that created a sensation and several records. ^[1][2][3] His song Onde Ondu Sari composed by music director Mano Murthy became the biggest hit of the year creating many records. The songs not only created records of highest sales and downloads, but the film too set a national record on December 29, 2007 of having completed 1 whole year at the PVR Cinemas, Bengaluru. This was the first time in the history of any multiplexes in the international level that a film has had a one whole year run at the box office where films keep changing every week ^[4][5][6]. Kunal did not look back from then. Popular singer Sonu Nigam who is extremely famous in South India for his hundreds of Kannada songs, recently composed a theme song for the Karnataka Bulldozer's team in the Celebrity Cricket League and the song was penned by the popular singer Sowmya Raoh and was sung by Kunal Ganjawala, Sonu Nigam and Sowmya Raoh together ^[7]. He has sung nearly 450 Kannada Songs till date and he continues to deliver hit songs and is still the singing sensation of Karnataka.

As a child, Kunal never thought of becoming singer. He didn't know until college that he could sing. Since then he started singing at every college festivals and won many intra- and inter-college competitions.

Kunal Ganjawala graduated from St. Peter's School, Mazagaon. Kunal wanted to be either a chartered accountant or an actor. Kunal admits that it was his parents' support which made him possible to become a singer. Kunal's sister is a Bharat Natyam exponent, while his father plays the harmonica. With his parents' support he took singing seriously and started believing that he can become a singer.

Later Kunal learned music from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan under the guidance of Sudhindra Bhaumick. Kunal's first singing assignment was a Ranjit Barot's jingle. Ranjit was impressed by Kunal's voice and called him to back one of his jingles. The jingle was "Doodh Doodh" for the Operation Flood ad. Kunal feels lucky that he is one of the singers to whom Ranjit Barot is a mentor. Kunal admitted that he was taken seriously by other music directors because he was working with Barot.

His first break in Bollywood was Ab Ke Baras in 2002. Although the song didn't mark him as a prominent singer, he got many offers in queue. Then after he sung in many movies like Saathiya (2002), Indian Babu (2003), Paisa Vasool (2004), Khakee (2004), Rudraksh (2004), Dhoom (2004) and Meenaxi (2004). But his breakthrough hit "Bheege Hont" from the film Murder won the 2005 Zee Cine Award Best Playback Singer - Male and IIFA Best Male Playback Award.

He has participated in Sa Re Ga Ma, an Indian singing talent competition on Zee TV (now Sa Re Ga Ma Pa) when it was hosted by Sonu Nigam. He was a judge on Amul Star Voice of India, another singing competition on Star TV, together with Shreya Ghoshal and Pritam.

Since then Kunal worked for many music directors like Anu Malik, Pritam, Himesh Reshammiya, Ismail Darbar, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Anand Raaj Anand, Roop Kumar Rathod, Daboo Malik, and Sanjeev-Darshan. Kunal recently sung for Sanjay Lila Bhansali's Saawariya. His numbers from the films Maashah Alaah and Pari are running top on the chart.

Other than Hindi, he sings in the Kannada, Tamil, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Telugu, Sindhi languages.

His song "Oh my love" from Bengali movie Amanush Jeet Ganguli and "Channa Ve Ghar aa jaa" from a Punjabi album Channa Ve by DJ Anit was also a success.

In 2007, he participated in a concert tour in North America, called The Incredibles, also featuring Asha Bhosle, Sonu Nigam and Kailash Kher.

On 3 April 2010 he performed at RECSTACY, the annual cultural event of NIT-DURGAPUR. On 26 November 2010 he performed at SDM UTSAV, the mega fest event of SDMCET

Personal life[link]

In 2005, he married fellow singer Gayatri Iyer. They performed the title track for STAR One's Antakshari together.^[8]

Kunal Ganjawala is lovingly called Kunal Cocainewala by his fans and fellow singers.

He is a staunch devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.^[9]

Filmography[link]

The IMDb includes almost all language songs which Ganjawala sang.

• Kunal Ganjawala at the Internet Movie Database

[edit] Hindi

• "Humdum suniyo re" - Saathiya
• "Bheege Hont" - Murder
• "Kyaa Kool Hai Hum" - Title Song
• "Akkad Te Bakkad te" - Tango Charlie
• "Chodo na Mujhe" - Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula
• "Dil Keh Raha Hai" - Kyon Ki
• "Love You My Angel" - Pyare Mohan
• "Dil Na Diya" - Krrish
• "Udh Jaana Bro" - Jaan-E-Mann
• "Har manzar" - Baabul
• "Gonna Fall in Love" - Taarzan
• "Bebasi Dard Ka Aalam" - Baabul
• "Salaam-E-Ishq" - Title Song
• "Dupatta Tera Nau Rang Da" - Partner
• "Kaal Dhamaal" - Kaal
• "Masha-Allah", "Jaan-E-Jaan" and "Pari" - Saawariya
• "Salaam Namaste" and "What's Going On" - Salaam Namaste
• "Yaar Ko Maine" -Sheesha
• "Main Hoon Romeo" and "Apni Dum Bhi Oonchi Ho" - Roadside Romeo
• "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" - Jumbo
• "Channa Ve Ghar Aa Jaa"
• "Raat Ke Dhai Baje" - Kaminey
• "Kata Kata" - Raavan
• "Nana Chi Taang" - Khatta Meetha
• "Tere Pyaar Mein" - Isi Life Mein
• "Sau Gram Zindagi" - Guzarish
• "Beshuba" and "Jadugari" - Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji
• "Ruk Ke Jaana" - Aashiqui.in
• "Tumse Yun Milenge" - Ankahee ^{[disambiguation needed ]}
• "Tauba Tauba" - Kaal
• "Because I Love You" - Anthony Kaun Hai?
• "Maula" - Singham
• "Manzil Meri Kya Hai" - pune tc
• "So Jaoon Main" - Woh Lamhe

[edit] Bengali

• "Amai Ador Kor" - Khokababu (2011)
• "Jani Na" - Faande Poriya Boga Kaande Re (2011)
• "Mone Alo Melo Hawa" - Kolkata The Metro Life (2011)
• "Monbebagi" - Paglu (2011)
• "Marbo Noye Morbo" - Fighter (2011)
• "Sedin Dekha Hoye Chilo" - Sedin Dekha Hoye Chilo (2010)
• "Oh Yaara Ve" and "It's Only Pyaar" - Dui Prithibi (2010)
• "Oh My Love" - Amanush (2010)
• "Shabba Rabba Reeba Ru", "Ekta Bindaas Para" and "Le Chakka" - Le Chakka (2010)
• "Mon Je Kore Uru Uru" - Mon Je Kore Uru Uru (2010)
• "Prem Amar", "Uru Uru Swapne", "Kon Bhule Tumi", "Tumi Chara Aaj Eka" and "Sob Rong Muche" - Prem Amar (2009)
• "Vande Mataram" - Minister Fatakesto (2007)

[edit] Marathi

• Varyavarti Gandh Pasarla - (Sawarkhed..Ek Gaon)
• Dena Paisa Dena - (Uladhaal)
• bayago bayago - (Ringa Ringa)
• Aaicha Gho - (Zabardast)

[edit] Kannada

[edit] Telugu

• 2010 - Simha - "Janaki"
• 2009 - Taj Mahal - "Etu Chusina"
• 2009 - Arya 2 - "Karige Loga"
• 2009 - Adurs - "Neethone"
• 2009 - Ganesh - "Raja Kumari"
• 2006 - Pokiri - "Jagadame"
• 2005 - Balu abcdefg - "Hyderabadi Ladka"
• 2004 - Nani - "Spiderman"
• 2008 - Ready - "Tu Tu Tu"

[edit] Tamil

• 'Maa ganga' - Naan Kadavul-Ilayaraja
• 'Spider Man'New ^{[disambiguation needed ]} - A.R.Rahman
• 'Please Sir' - Boys - A.R.Rahman
• 'Maaro Maaro' - Boys - A.R.Rahman
• 'Kattikko Rappa Rappa' - Thimiru - Yuvan Shankar Raja

Self[link]

• Ankahee (2006) (uncredited) .... Himself (singing "Tumse Yun Milenge")

References[link]

• Radio FM
• Kunal Ganjawala launches Rajashri's Pop Album "Boondein"
• "The Hindu" (February 4, 2009)
• List of Kunal Ganjawala's songs
• Kunal at SaReGaMaPa - Live Performance

External links[link]

• Kunal Ganjawala at the Internet Movie Database
• Kunal Ganjawal's Profile at Pipl.com