Amrit (Sanskrit: अमृत; IAST: amṛta) is a Sanskrit word that literally means "immortality", and is often referred to in texts as nectar. The word's earliest occurrence is in the Rigveda where it is one of several synonyms of soma, the drink which confers immortality upon the gods. It is related etymologically to the Greek ambrosia^[1], and it carries the same meaning. It has various significances in different Dharmic Traditions. "Amrit" is also a common Hindu first name for men; the feminine is "Amritā".

Hinduism[link]

Amrit ("Nectar of the Goddess") is repeatedly referred to as the drink of the gods, which grants them immortality.

Amrit features in the "ocean-churning" (Sanskrit: Samudra manthan) legend. It describes how the gods, because of a curse from the sage Durvasa, begin to lose their immortality. Assisted by their mortal enemies the asuras, they churn the ocean and create (among other wonderful things) amrit, the nectar of immortality.

In yogic philosophy (see yoga, Hindu philosophy) amrit is a fluid that can flow from the pituitary gland down the throat in deep states of meditation. It is considered quite a boon: some yogic texts say that one drop is enough to conquer death and achieve immortality.

Amrit is sometimes said to miraculously form on/flow from statues of Hindu gods. The substance so formed is consumed by worshippers and is alleged to be sweet tasting and not at all similar to honey or sugar water.

Sikhism[link]

Amrit (Punjabi: ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ) is the name of the holy water used in the baptism ceremony (known as Amrit Sanskar or Amrit Chhakhna by the Sikhs). This ceremony is observed to initiate the Sikhs into the Khalsa brotherhood. The ceremony requires the drinking of the Amrit. This water is created by mixing a number of soluble ingredients, including sugar, and is then rolled with a khanda (a type of knife) with the accompaniment of scriptural recitation of five sacred Banis (chants). This Amrit is also referred to God's name as a nectar which is obtained through Guru's word, as in the following example of page 119 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Chanting God's name during Amrit Sanskar or Amrit Chakna uplifts a persons' physical and spiritual consciousness to a state of immortality.

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ अम्रित सबदु अम्रित हरि बाणी ॥ Amriṯ sabaḏ amriṯ har baṇī. The Shabad is Amrit; the Lord's Bani is Amrit.

ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥ सतिगुरि सेविऐ रिदै समाणी ॥ Saṯgur sevi▫ai riḏai samāṇī. Serving the True Guru, it permeates the heart.

ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਤਾ ਪੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਸਭ ਭੁਖ ਲਹਿ ਜਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੮॥੧੫॥੧੬॥ नानक अम्रित नामु सदा सुखदाता पी अम्रितु सभ भुख लहि जावणिआ ॥८॥१५॥१६॥ Nānak amriṯ nām saḏā sukẖ▫ḏāṯa pī amriṯ sabẖ bẖukẖ lėh jāvaṇi▫ā. ||8||15||16|| O Nanak, the Ambrosial Naam is forever the Giver of peace; drinking in this Amrit, all hunger is satisfied. ||8||15||16||

Buddhism[link]

Amrit (Tibetan: bDud.rTsi, pronounced "dutsi"), also plays a significant role in Vajrayana Buddhism as a sacramental drink which is consumed at the beginning of all important rituals (e.g. abhisheka, ganachakra, Homa). In the Tibetan tradition, bDud.rTsi is made during drubchens - lengthy ceremonies involving many high lamas. It usually takes the form of small, dark-brown grains that are taken with water, or dissolved in very weak solutions of alcohol, and is said to improve physical and spiritual well-being.^[2] While the original (6th-7th centuries)

A Vajrayana text called Dri.Med. Zhal.Ph'reng ("the immaculate crystal garland") describes the origin of amrit in a version of the Hindu "ocean-churning" legend re-told in Buddhist terms. In this Vajrayana version, the monster Rahu steals the amrit and is blasted by Vajrapani's thunderbolt. As Rahu has already drunk the amrit he cannot die but his blood, dripping onto the surface of this earth, causes all kinds of medicinal plants to grow. At the behest of all the Buddhas, Vajrapani reassembles Rahu who eventually becomes a protector of Buddhism (according to the Tibetan "Nyingma" tradition).

Chinese Buddhism describes Amrit (Chinese: 甘露 gān lù) as blessed water, food, or other consumable objects often produced through merits of chanting mantras.

See also[link]

Look up Amrita in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Ambrosia
• Amritanandamayi
• Panchamruta
• Soma
• All pages beginning with "Amrit", for other pages using the name "Amrit" or "Amrita"

References[link]

• Dallapiccola, Anna L. Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend. ISBN 0-500-51088-1

External links[link]

• Ayurvedic Rasayana - Amrit
• Immortal Boons of Amrit and Five Kakars
• Depictions in stone at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom (Cambodia) of how the gods dredged amrit from the bottom of the ocean
• http://earthrites.org/magazine_article_crowley.htm
• http://www.20kweb.com/etymology_dictionary_A/origin_of_the_word_ambrosia.htm

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. (May 2010)

Yui Makino 牧野 由依
Yui Makino at Japan Expo 2009, Paris
Background information
Also known as	Yui-chan, Yucchi, Maki-Maki
Born	(1986-01-19) January 19, 1986 (age 26)[1]
Origin	Tokyo, Japan
Genres	J-pop, Classical
Occupations	Seiyū Singer, Pianist, lyricist, composer
Instruments	Piano, Keyboard, Vocals, guitar
Years active	2005–present
Labels	Victor Entertainment (2005 - 2008) Epic Records (2009 - current) BGB Company
Website	http://www.bgbcom.com/makino-yui

Yui Makino (牧野由依, Makino Yui^?) is a Japanese voice actor, actress, singer and pianist.^[1] She is best known for her work in the anime Tsubasa Chronicle and Aria. She can speak basic English.^{[citation needed]} She also participated voicing the character Sister in a short-anime movie Bavel no Hon when she was only 10. She was a child actor.

Because of her signature childish and girlish voice, she often voices cheerful, innocent, sweet girls. But, she also tend to voice kuudere girls.

Musical history[link]

Makino took up piano at the age of four. Her talent for playing piano was discovered by the film director Shunji Iwai when she was seven years old and from the age of 8 to 17, she played piano solos for three of his films: Love Letter, All About Lily Chou-Chou and Hana and Alice. She graduated from Tokyo College of Musicas piano major with the top score in her senior year.

She made her debut as a singer in 2005 with “Omna Magni”, produced by Yoko Kanno. It was used as the ending theme song for the anime Sousei no Aquarion. In the April of the same year, she also debuted as a seiyū, starring as heroine Sakura in Tsubasa Chronicle and recording several songs for its soundtrack. She released “Amrita”, the ending song for the Tsubasa Chronicle film, as well as “Undine”, the opening theme for the TV Tokyo anime Aria the Animation, coupled with its inserted song “Symphony”.^{[1][citation needed]} It achieved #25 on the Oricon chart.

On 2006, Makino released two songs from another TV Tokyo anime, Aria the Natural, the theme song “Euphoria” and insert song “Amefuribana”. They were released on one product and achieved #18 on the Oricon chart. She released her debut album, Tenkyū no Ongaku on 6 December 2006.

In 2007, she was invited to represent Japan at the Japan-China cultural exchange event. She also released two singles for the programmes Sketchbook ~full color's~ and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.

On 23 January 2008, Makino released her seventh single, “Spirale” as the opening theme of Aria the Origination. Coupled with the anime’s insert song, “Yokogao”, the single reached #20 on the Oricon chart. She also performed her first solo concert at the Fuchuno Mori Geijutsu Gekijo Wien Hall in Tokyo, where she sang and played the piano accompaniment for each song. She released her eponymous second album, Makino Yui in March 2008. It reached #22 on the Oricon chart. She graduated from Tokyo College of Music as a piano major in the same month.

Overseas Guest Appearances[link]

• 2007: Japan Ambassador, Beijing (Japan-China Cultural Exchange)
• July 2009: Performance at Japan Expo, France
• September 2009: Guest of Honor, New York Anime Festival, USA
• 26 December 2009: Guest Artiste, Musical Concert in EOY at Drama Centre @ National Library, Singapore
• 16 January 2010: Guest Artiste, at Korea
• 19 June 2010: Concert, in Rome, Italy
• 21 June 2010: Ongaku no Hi in France, as guest
• November 2011: Anime Festival at Shanghai

Notable roles[link]

TV anime[link]

2005

• Tsubasa Chronicle as Sakura^[1]

2006

• Aria The Natural as Akane in episode 26
• Welcome to the NHK! as Misaki Nakahara^[1]
• Spider Riders: Oracle of Heroes as Girl in episode 7
• Coron-chan as Byobā
• Zegapain as Jen May-Yu^[1]
• Tsubasa Chronicle (second season) as Sakura

2007

• Kaze no Stigma as Lapis Suirei/Cui Ling
• Bokurano as Aiko Tokosumi
• Sketchbook as Hazuki Torikai

2009

• Asu no Yoichi! as Tsubasa Tsubame
• Sora Kake Girl as Honoka Kawai
• Taishō Yakyū Musume as Kyouko Sakurami
• NEEDLESS as Mio

2010

• Nodame Cantabile: Finale as Namuri Rima (Episode 4)
• Angel Beats! as Yusa

2011

• C as Hanabi Ikuta
• Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai. as Aki
• UN-GO as Umezawa Yumeno

OVA and ONA[link]

• Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations as Sakura
• Hōkago no Pleiades as Hikaru
• Hoshi no Umi no Amuri as Amuri
• Tsubasa Shunraiki as Sakura
• xxxHOLiC Shunmuki as Sakura

Anime films[link]

• Tsubasa Chronicle: Torikago no Kuni no Himegimi as Sakura
• Top wo Nerae 2! & Top wo Nerae! Gattai Gekijō-ban!! as Akaitakami

Video Games[link]

• Arc Rise Fantasia as Ryfia
• Which Witch? as Yuugi Saki
• Tsubasa Chronicle as Sakura
• Pachinko Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo!! as Honoka Kawai

Drama CDs[link]

• Welcome to the NHK! as Misaki Nakahara
• Wagamama Sentai Bloom Heart as Tougaiji Yuri a.k.a. White Lily
• Zegapain as Jen May-Yu
• Tsubasa Chronicle as Sakura

Live Stage[link]

• High Color (2009) as Seiki Tomoyo

Radio[link]

• Yui to Mika no Puri Suite!-Tsubasa Chronicle radio, hosted by Yui Makino and Mika Kikuchi as host
• Sketchbook Radio-Sketchbook radio, hosted by Kana Hanazawa, Asuka Nakase and Yui Makino as host
• Puri Suite RETURNS!-Tsubasa Chronicle (second season) radio, hosted by Miyu Irino, Yui Makino, Mika Kikuchi, Tetsu Inada and Daisuke Namikawa as host
• Sore Kake Radio & TV-Sora Kake Girl radio, hosted by MAKO as guest in several episodes
• ArcRise LADY RADIO HOUR-Arc Rise Fantasia radio, hosted by Yui Makino and Emiri Katō as host.
• Which Witch? Sora no Gakko Host Club?-Which Witch? radio, hosted by Asumi Kana and Aki Toyosaki as guest and host replacing Aki in two episodes.
• Makino Yui no Daimondorobicchi-Makino's own radio.
• Makino Yui no Fuwa Fuwa Radio-Makino's own radio, for Fuwa Fuwa single promo.

Discography[link]

Singles[link]

Albums[link]

Awards[link]

She was nominated for "best young seiyuu" for her outstanding portrayal of Misaki Nakahara from Welcome to the N.H.K.

Trivia[link]

• Called Yucchi by her fans. The nickname Maki-Maki was given by Masumi Asano.
• Close with fellow seiyuus such as Inoue Marina, Katou Emiri, Fujita Saki and Fukuhara Kaori. They often having sleepovers.
• Admires Ohara Sayaka, stated when Ohara asked why she (and Mika Kikuchi) called her 'Sayaka-san' (with the honorific -san). She answered that it's because she admired her.
• Participate in Shunji Iwai's concert at China as pianist.
• She plays piano for Shoujo Byou's album, Zankyou Legion.
• She did the chorus of Hatsune Miku's song, Kyou Mou Ichinichi Daisuki Deshita, produced by pal@pop.
• Learn French when she was in high school, and a little Italian when she's in college.

Other[link]

Anime soundtracks

• Omna Magni

Notes: This song was used as an ending theme song in Genesis of Aquarion.

• Sousei no Aquarion

Notes: This soing was used as the intro theme song in Genesis of Aquarion.

• Yume no Tsubasa (ユメノツバサ^?)

Notes: She sang this song together with fellow seiyū, Miyu Irino who voices Syaoran. The song was used as an ending theme song in the 3rd Drama CD of Tsubasa Chronicle.

• Tsuki no Shijima (つきのしじま^?)

Notes: This song was used as an insert song in episode 50 in Tsubasa Chronicle.

• Dark Side ni Tsuitekite

Notes: This song was used as an insert song in Welcome to the N.H.K.

• Synchronicity

Notes: This song is the opening theme song for Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations

• Tenshi no Hashigo ~crepuscular rays~

Notes: This song is the ending theme for Arc Rise Fantasia

• Imaginal Song

Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia.

• Jouka no Hikari (Light Of Purification)

Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia

• Ryfia no Negai (Ryfia's Wish)

Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia

• Ten no Namida (Heaven's Tears)

Notes: This song is one of Ryphia's songs with her vocalizing in Arc Rise Fantasia

Anime character songs

• Towa no Omoi

Notes: Found on the first Tsubasa Chronicle Drama & Character Album.

• Yacchaouyo!

Notes: This song was released on the first character song album for the OVA Amuri in Star Ocean.

• Umidorika -Amuri Ver.-

Notes: This song was released on the first character song album for the OVA Amuri in Star Ocean.

• Moroi Mirai Kirai (I Hate Fragile Future)'

Notes: This song was released on the third character song album of Sora wo Kakeru Shoujo.

• Wakakusa iro no Kleiner Vogel (Light Green-colored Little Bird)

Notes: This song was released on the second character song album of Which Witch?

References[link]

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Nakagami, Yoshikatsu; Yoshida, Moichi; Onitsuka, Kanako; Nishimoto, Keiko. "Voice Actress Spotlight: Yui Makino". Newtype USA. 5 (12) pp. 110–111. December 2006. ISSN 1541-4817.
2. ^ [1] HMV. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
3. ^ (Japanese) [2] Shiseido Elixir White CM page. Retrieved March 24, 2011.

• Katoh, Hidekazu; Ban, Yukiko; Kojima, Makiko; Kamo, Ayumi. "Tsubasa - Reservoir Chronicle". Newtype USA. 6 (5) pp. 26–33. May 2007. ISSN 1541-4817. Comments by Yui Makino on page 33.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Yui Makino

• Official web site at B.G.B. Company (Japanese)
• Official blog (Japanese)
• Official site at Victor Entertainment (Japanese)
• Yui Makino's Musical Concert & Guest Appearance at EOY, Singapore
• Yui Makino's interview on Kochipan (in French)
• Yui Makino's interview on MATA-WEB (in French)
• Interview in Rome
• Yui Makino discography at MusicBrainz

Amrita Pritam
Born	Amrita Kaur (1919-08-31)August 31, 1919 Gujranwala, Punjab
Died	October 31, 2005(2005-10-31) (aged 86) Delhi, India
Occupation	Novelist, poet, essayist
Nationality	Indian
Period	1936-2004
Genres	poetry, prose, autobiography
Subjects	partition of India, women, dream
Literary movement	Romantic-Progressivism
Notable work(s)	Pinjar (novel) Aj Akhan Waris Shah Nu (poem) Suneray (poem)

Amrita Pritam (Punjabi: ਅਮ੍ਰਿਤਾ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ, امریتا پریتم) (August 31, 1919 – October 31, 2005) was a Punjabi writer and poet, considered the first prominent woman Punjabi poet, novelist, and essayist, and the leading 20th-century poet of the Punjabi language, who is equally loved on both the sides of the India-Pakistan border, with a career spanning over six decades, she produced over 100 books, of poetry, fiction, biographies, essays, a collection of Punjabi folk songs and an autobiography that were translated into several Indian and foreign languages.^[1][2]

She is most remembered for her poignant poem, Aj Aakhaan Waris Shah Nu (Today I invoke Waris Shah - "Ode to Waris Shah"), an elegy to the 18th-century Punjabi poet, an expression of her anguish over massacres during the partition of India. As a novelist her most noted work was Pinjar (The Skeleton) (1950), in which she created her memorable character, Puro, an epitome of violence against women, loss of humanity and ultimate surrender to existential fate; the novel was made into an award-winning film, Pinjar in 2003.^[3][4]

When the former British India was partitioned into the independent states of India and Pakistan in 1947, she migrated from Lahore, to India, though she remained equally popular in Pakistan throughout her life, as compared to her contemporaries like Mohan Singh and Shiv Kumar Batalvi.

Known as the most important voice for the women in Punjabi literature, in 1956, she became the first woman to win the Sahitya Akademi Award for her magnum opus, a long poem, Sunehe (Messages),^[5] later she received the Bhartiya Jnanpith, one of India's highest literary awards, in 1982 for Kagaz Te Canvas (The Paper and the Canvas). The Padma Shri came her way in 1969 and finally, Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, in 2004, and in the same year she was honoured with India's highest literary award, given by the Sahitya Akademi (India's Academy of Letters), the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship given to the "immortals of literature" for lifetime achievement.^[6]

Biography[link]

Formative Years[link]

Amrita Pritam was born in 1919 in Gujranwala, Punjab, in present-day Pakistan,^[1] the only child of a school teacher, a poet and a scholar of Braj Bhasha, Kartar Singh Hitkari, who also edited a literary journal.^[7][8] Besides this, he was a pracharak – a preacher of the Sikh faith.^[9] Amrita's mother died when she was eleven. Soon after, she and her father moved to Lahore, where she lived till her migration to India in 1947. Confronting adult responsibilities, and besieged by loneliness following her mother's death, she began to write at an early age. Her first anthology of poems, Amrit Lehran (Immortal Waves) was published in 1936, at age sixteen, the year she married Pritam Singh, an editor to whom she was engaged in early childhood, and changed her name to Amrita Pritam.^[10] Half a dozen collections of poems were to follow in as many years between 1936 and 1943.

Though she began her journey as romantic poet, soon she shifted gears,^[5] and became part of the Progressive Writers' Movement and its effect was seen in her collection, Lok Peed (People's Anguish) (1944), which openly criticized the war-torn economy, after the Bengal famine of 1943. She was also involved in social work to certain extent and participated in such activities wholeheartedly, after Independence when social activist Guru Radha Kishan took the initiative to bring the first Janta Library in Delhi, which was inaugurated by Balraj Sahni and Aruna Asaf Ali, she contributed to the occasion accordingly. This study centre cum library is still running at Clock Tower, Delhi. She also worked at Lahore Radio Station for while, before the partition of India^[11]

Renowned theatre person and the director of the immortal partition movie 'Garam Hava', MS Sathyu paid a theatrical tribute to her through the rare theatrical performance'Ek Thee Amrita'. Culled from her many writings this rare biographical docu-drama is produced by K K Kohli of Impresario Asia. Written by Danish Iqbal, who had earlier penned 'Sahir', this Play has memorable performances by well known actors like Lovleen Thadani, Mangat Ram, Vijay Nagyal, Kedar Sharma, and others.

Partition[link]

Some one million Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs died from communal violence that followed the partition of India in 1947, and left Amrita Pritam a Punjabi refugee at age 28, when she left Lahore and moved to New Delhi. Subsequently in 1948, while she was pregnant with her son, and travelling from Dehradun to Delhi, she expressed anguish on a piece of paper^[12] as the poem, "Ajj akhaan Waris Shah nu" (I ask Waris Shah Today); this poem was to later immortalize her and become the most poignant reminder of the horrors of Partition.^[13] The poem addressed to the Sufi poet Waris Shah, author of the tragic saga of Heer and Ranjah and with whom she shares her birth place,^[14] the Punjabi national epic:

<poem> ਅੱਜ ਆਖਾਂ ਵਾਰਸ ਸ਼ਾਹ ਨੂੰ ਕਿਤੋਂ ਕਬਰਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਬੋਲ। ਤੇ ਅੱਜ ਕਿਤਾਬੇ ਇਸ਼ਕ ਦਾ ਕੋਈ ਅਗਲਾ ਵਰਕਾ ਫੋਲ। ਇਕ ਰੋਈ ਸੀ ਧੀ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਤੂ ਲਿਖ ਲਿਖ ਮਾਰੇ ਵੈਣ ਅਜ ਲੱਖਾਂ ਧੀਆਂ ਰੌਂਦੀਆਂ ਤੈਨੂ ਵਾਰਸਸ਼ਾਹ ਨੂੰ ਕਹਿਣ: ਵੇ ਦਰਦਮੰਦਾਂ ਦਿਆ ਦਰਦੀਆ ਉੱਠ ਤੱਕ ਆਪਣਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ। ਅਜ ਬੇਲੇ ਲਾਸ਼ਾਂ ਵਿਛੀਆਂ ਤੇ ਲਹੂ ਦੀ ਭਰੀ ਚਨਾਬ ^[15] </poem>

Aj aakhan Waris Shah nun kiton kabraan vichchon bol, Te aj kitab-e-ishq daa koi agla varka phol..

Ik roi si dhi Punjab di tun likh likh maare vaen, Aj lakhaan dhian rondian tainun Waris Shah nun kehn..

Uth dardmandaan dia dardia uth takk apna Punjab, Aj bele lashaan bichhiaan te lahu di bhari Chenab..

Kise ne panjaan paaniyan wich ditti zehar ralla, Te unna paaniya dhar ton ditta pani laa..

Iss zarkhe zamin de loon loon phuteya zehar, Gith gith chadiyan laliyan foot foot chadeya zehar..

Aj aakhan Waris Shah nun, kiton kabraan vichchon bol, Te aj kitab-e-ishq daa koi agla varka phol..

Weho walissi waah fer wan wan waggi jaa, Unne har ik wans di wanjhali ditti naag bana..

Naagaan keelle log muuh,bas fer dang hi dang, Pallo palli punjab de neele pai gye aang..

Galeyon tutte geet fer, trakleyon tutti tand, Tarinjneyon tutiyan saheliyan, chrekhre kookar band..

Sane sej de bediyan,luddan ditiyan rod, Sane daliyan peengh ajj, peeplan ditti tod..

Jitthe vajdi si kook pyar di, oh vanjali gayi guwach, Ranjhe de sab veer ajj bhul gye usdi jaach..

Dharti te lau vaseya, kabran paiyyan chon, Preet diyan sehzadiyan ajj vich mazaaraan ron..

Ajj sabbe kaidon ban gaye, husan ishq de chor, Ajj kithon le aaiye labh ke waris shah ik hor..

Aj aakhan Waris Shah nun, kiton kabraan vichchon bol, Te aj kitab-e-ishq daa koi agla varka phol..

Today, I call Waris Shah, “Speak from your grave” And turn, today, the book of love’s next affectionate page Once, a daughter of Punjab cried and you wrote a wailing saga Today, a million daughters, cry to you, Waris Shah Rise! O’ narrator of the grieving; rise! look at your Punjab Today, fields are lined with corpses, and blood fills the Chenab^[16][17]

Amrita Pritam worked until 1961 in the Punjabi service of All India Radio, Delhi. After her divorce in 1960, her work became more clearly feminist. Many of her stories and poems drew on the unhappy experience of her marriage. A number of her works have been translated into English, French, Danish, Japanese and other languages from Punjabi and Urdu, including her autobiographical works Black Rose and Revenue Stamp (Raseedi Tikkat in Punjabi).

The first of Amrita Pritam's books to be filmed was Dharti Sagar te Sippiyan, as ‘Kadambar’ (1965), followed by ‘Unah Di Kahani’, as Daaku (Dacoit, 1976), directed by Basu Bhattacharya.^[18] Her novel Pinjar (The Skeleton, 1970) was made into an award winning Hindi movie by Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, because of its humanism: "Amritaji has portrayed the suffering of people of both the countries." Pinjar was shot in a border region of Rajasthan and in Punjab.

She edited “Nagmani”, a monthly literary magazine in Punjabi for several years, which she ran together with Imroz, for 33 years; though after Partition she wrote prolifically in Hindi as well.^[19][20] Later in life, she turned to Osho and wrote introductions for several books of Osho, including Ek Onkar Satnam,^[21] and also started writing on spiritual themes and dreams, producing works like Kaal Chetna (Time Consciousness) and Agyat Ka Nimantran (Call of the Unknown).^[22] She had also published autobiographies, titled, Kala Gulab (Black Rose) (1968), Rasidi Ticket (The Revenue Stamp) (1976), and Aksharon kay Saayee (Shadows of Words).^[7][23]

English Translation of (Ajj Akhan Waris Shah nu)[link]

I say to Waris Shah today, speak from your grave And add a new page to your book of love

Once one daughter of Punjab wept, and you wrote your long saga; Today thousands weep, calling to you Waris Shah:

Arise, o friend of the afflicted; arise and see the state of Punjab, Corpses strewn on fields, and the Chenaab flowing with much blood.

Someone filled the five rivers with poison, And this same water now irrigates our soil.

Where was lost the flute, where the songs of love sounded? And all Ranjha's brothers forgotten to play the flute.

Blood has rained on the soil, graves are oozing with blood, The princesses of love cry their hearts out in the graveyards.

Today all the Quaido'ns have become the thieves of love and beauty, Where can we find another one like Waris Shah?

Waris Shah! I say to you, speak from your grave And add a new page to your book of love.

Acclaim[link]

Amrita is the first recipient of Punjab Rattan Award conferred upon her by Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh. She is first woman recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1956 for Sunehey (Messages), Amrita Pritam received the Bhartiya Jnanpith Award, India's highest literary award, in 1982 for Kagaj te Canvas (Paper and Canvas). ^[24] She received the Padma Shri (1969) and Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, and Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, India's highest literary award, also in 2004. She received D.Litt. honorary degrees, from many universities including, Delhi University (1973), Jabalpur University (1973) and Vishwa Bharati (1987)^[25]

She also received International Vaptsarov Award from the Republic of Bulgaria (1979) and Degree of Officer dens, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Officier) by the French Government (1987).^[19] She was nominated as a member of Rajya Sabha 1986-92. Towards the end of her life, she was awarded by Pakistan's Punjabi Academy, to which she had remarked, Bade dino baad mere maike ko meri yaad aayi.. (My motherland has remembered me after a long time); and also Punjabi poets of Pakistan, sent her a chaddar, from the tombs of Waris Shah, and fellow Sufi mystic poets Bulle Shah and Sultan Bahu.^[1]

Personal life[link]

In 1935, Amrita married Pritam Singh, son of a leading hosiery merchant of Lahore's Anarkali bazaar. In 1960, Amrita Pritam left her husband. She is also said to have an unrequited affection for poet Sahir Ludhianvi.^[26] The story of this love is depicted in her autobiography, Rasidi Ticket. When another woman, singer Sudha Malhotra came into the life of Sahir, Amrita found solace in the companionship of the renowned artist and writer Imroz. She spent the last forty years of her life with Imroz, who also designed most of her book covers and made her the subject of his several paintings. Their life together is also the subject of a book, Amrita Imroz: A Love Story.^[27][28]

She died in her sleep on 31 October 2005 at the age of 86 in New Delhi, after a long illness. She is survived by her partner Imroz, daughter Kandlla, son Navraj, daughter-in-law Alka, and her grandchildren, Taurus, Noor, Aman, Shilpi, Hardeep and Gagandeep.

Works[link]

In her career spanning over six decades, she penned 28 novels, 18 anthologies of prose, five short stories and 16 miscellaneous prose volumes.

• Doctor Dev
• Kore Kagaz, Unchas Din
• Sagar aur Seepian
• Rang ka Patta
• Dilli ki Galiyan
• Terahwan Suraj
• Yaatri
• Jilavatan (1968)

Autobiography[link]

• Rasidi Ticket (1976)
• Shadows of Words (2004)

Short stories[link]

• Kahaniyan jo Kahaniyan Nahi
• Kahaniyon ke Angan mein
• Stench of Kerosene

Poetry anthologies[link]

• Amrit Lehran (Immortal Waves)(1936)
• Jiunda Jiwan (The Exuberant Life) (1939)
• Trel Dhote Phul (1942)
• O Gitan Valia (1942)
• Badlam De Laali (1943)
• Sanjh de laali (1943)
• Lok Peera (The People's Anguish) (1944)
• Pathar Geetey (The Pebbles) (1946)
• Punjabi Di Aawaaz (1952)
• Sunehray (Messages) (1955) - Sahitya Akademi Award
• Ashoka Cheti (1957)
• Kasturi (1957)
• Nagmani (1964)
• Ik Si Anita (1964)
• Chak Nambar Chatti (1964)
• Uninja Din (49 Days) (1979)
• Kagaz Te Kanvas (1981)- Bhartiya Jnanpith
• Chuni Huyee Kavitayen

Literary Journal[link]

• Nagmani, poetry monthly.

Legacy[link]

In 2007, an audio album titled, 'Amrita recited by Gulzar' was released by noted lyricist Gulzar, with poems of Amrita Pritam recited by him,^[29][30] a film on her life is also on the anvil.^[31]

Further reading[link]

• Amrita Work in Shahmukhi http://www.apnaorg.com/poetry/amirta/
• Uma Trilok, Amrita Imroz: A Love Story, Penguin India (2006) ISBN 0-14-310044-0
• Indra Gupta, India’s 50 Most Illustrious Women ISBN 81-88086-19-3
• Indian Fiction in English Translation - Chapt 4: Comments on Amrita Pritam's Magnum Opus: The Skeleton (Jagdev Singh), by Shubha Tiwari. Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2005. ISBN 81-269-0450-X. Page 28-35
• Studies in Punjabi Poetry. Chapt. 9- Amrita Pritam: The Poetry of Protest, by Darshan Singh Maini. Vikas Pub., 1979. ISBN 0-7069-0709-4. Page 109.
• 1st chapter of Revenue Stamp by Amrita Pritam
• "The Cellar" by Amrita Pritam
• “Sahiban in Exile” by Amrita Pritam
• "The Weed" by Amrita Pritam
• "Wild Flower" by Amrita Pritam
• Main Tenu Phir Milangi, (I will meet you yet again) Translation

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amrita Pritam

• Amrita Pritam and her Works at South Asian Women's Network (Sawnet)
• Amrita Pritam 1919-2005-a tribute by Raza Rumi
• Poems by Amrita Pritam at Kavitayan (Archived 2009-10-25)

Video links

• Aj Waris Shah Nu, Amrita Pritam's most important poem, recited by Gulzar
• Amrita Pritam's poem Main Tainu Pir Milangi recited by Gulzar

Simi Garewal (born 17 October 1947 ) is an Indian actress. She is known for her work in Do Badan, Saathi, Mera Naam Joker, Siddhartha and Karz.

Early life[link]

Simi Garewal was born in Delhi. Her father, J S Garewal served in the army rising to the rank of brigadier. Simi grew up in England and studied at Newland House School with her sister Amrita.^[1]

Film and television career[link]

After spending much of her childhood in England, Garewal returned to India while a teenager. It was her felicity with the English language that induced the makers of the English-language film Tarzan Goes to India to offer her a role. A gangly 15-year-old at the time, Garewal made her debut alongside Feroz Khan in this film in 1962.^[2] Her performance here was good enough for her to receive many more film offers, and during the 1960s and '70s, she worked in several notable Indian films, working with leading directors such as Raj Kapoor in Mera Naam Joker (1970), Satyajit Ray in Aranyer Din Ratri (Days and Nights in the Forest), Mrinal Sen in Padatik (The Guerilla Fighter) and Raj Khosla in Do Badan. She also starred opposite Shashi Kapoor in Columbia Pictures' Siddhartha, an English-language movie based on the novel by Herman Hesse. Garewal did a semi-nude scene in this film which caused some controversy in India.^[3] Later, in the mid-1970s, she made an appearance in the popular film Kabhi Kabhie (1976), made by her brother-in-law Yash Chopra, and had a starring role in Chalte Chalte (1976).^[4] Another notable role she played was as a vamp in Karz (1980). She also starred in the BBC docu-drama Maharajas (1987), based on the book by Charles Allen.

In the early 1980s, her attention turned to writing and direction. She formed her own production company, Siga Arts International. She hosted, produced and directed a TV series for Doordarshan called It's a Woman's World (1983). She also made a documentary for Channel 4 in the UK called Living Legend Raj Kapoor (1984). This was followed by a 3-part documentary on Rajiv Gandhi titled India's Rajiv. She also wrote and directed a Hindi feature film Rukhsat and produced television commercials, for which she won the 1st Prize from the 1988 Paters Award in Australia.

Garewal also anchored the talk show Rendezvous with Simi Garewal.^[5]

She usually wears her signature white clothes on TV shows and at award ceremonies, and is popularly known as "The Lady in White".^[6] Garewal recently appeared on Say Shava Shava 2008 as a host and judge.^[7] After the Mumbai terrorist attacks of November 2008, Simi Garewal caused a storm of criticism in India and abroad by publicly calling for the Indian government to "carpet-bomb" the terrorist camps of its neighbour, Pakistan.

She has recently returned on Television with her new talk show India's Most Desirable on Star Plus which would interview Bollywood actors, business & media icons and Indian cricketers about their "ideal and desirable beaus".^[8]

Personal life[link]

In the early 1980s, Simi Garewal had a year long affair with Salman Taseer a renowned Pakistani businessman and later Governor of Punjab, Pakistan.^[9] Simi Garewal was married to Ravi Mohan, but her marriage was short and she is now divorced.^[10]

Popularity[link]

Simi Garewal is a popular TV host and has acted in few Bollywood movies. In 1972, for her nude scene in Siddhartha with actor Shashi Kapoor, the movie couldn't be released in India due to censorship and created controversy^[11][12]

Selected filmography[link]

• India's Most Desirable (May 2011) .... As the show host
• Rukhsat (1988) .... Radha Talwar
• Love and God (1986) (as Simi Garewal) .... Ghazala
• Haathkadi (1982) .... Pammi Mittal
• Teri Meri Kahani (1982) (TV) .... Meena Sastry/Seema
• Biwi O Biwi (1981) .... Nisha
• Professor Pyarelal (1981) .... Rita
• Insaf Ka Tarazu (1980 film) (as Simi) .... Lady Lawyer
• Karz (1980) .... Kamini Verma
• The Burning Train (1980) .... School-teacher
• Ahsaas (1979) .... Asha Choudhry
• Abhi To Jee Lein (1977) .... Miss Mahajan (Lecturer)
• Kabhi Kabhie - Love Is Life (1976) .... Shobha Kapoor
• Chalte Chalte (1976) .... Geeta
• Naach Uthe Sansaar (1976) .... Somu
• Haath Ki Safai (1974) .... Roma S. Kumar
• Namak Haraam (1973) .... Manisha
• Padatik (1973) .... Woman Who Shelters Activist
• Siddhartha (1972) .... Kamala
• Anokhi Pehchan (1972)
• Seema (1971 film)
• Do Boon Pani (1971) .... Gauri
• Andaz (1971) .... Mona
• Aranyer Din Ratri (1970) .... Duli
• Mera Naam Joker (1970) .... Mary
• Ek Raat (1968)
• Saathi (1968 film) (as Simi) .... Rajni
• Aadmi (1968) (as Simmi) .... Aarti
• Do Badan (1966) (as Simmi) .... Dr. Anjali
• Johar-Mehmood in Goa (1965) (as Simmi) .... Simmi
• Teen Deviyan (1965) (as Simi) .... Simi/Radha Rani
• Tarzan Goes to India (1962) (as Simi) .... Princess Kamara
• Son of India (1962) .... Lalita
• Raaz Ki Baat (1962) .... Kamal

Writer/Director:

• Rendezvous with Simi Garewal (1997) TV series .... Presenter (140 episodes)
• India's Rajiv (1991) 3 part TV documentary series
• Living Legend Raj Kapoor (1985) documentary on Raj Kapoor for Channel Four television, U.K.
• Rukhsat (1988)

Self:

• Naseeb (1981) (as Simi) .... Herself

Awards and nominations[link]

• 1966–Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in Do Badan
• 1968–Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her role in Saathi
• 1980–Filmfare Nomination as Best Supporting Actress for her role in Karz
• 1999–Screen Awards for Best Talk Show & Best Anchor
• 2001–RAPA Award for Best Anchor & Talk show
• 2003–Indian Television Academy Award for Best Anchor
• 2003–Rotary Award for Vocational Excellence in Media & Television
• 2004–Indian Filmgoers Association Award Best Talk Show

References[link]

• Kesavan, Mukul. "The Mumbai tragedy and the English language news media", The Telegraph, 4 December 2008.

External links[link]

• Simi Garewal: the icon of style
• Bollywood501 portrait
• Simi Garewal at the Internet Movie Database

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Saif Ali Khan
Khan at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Born	(1970-08-16) 16 August 1970 (age 41) New Delhi, India
Occupation	Actor, Producer
Years active	1992–present
Spouse	Amrita Singh (m. 1991–2004) «start: (1991)–end+1: (2005)»"Marriage: Amrita Singh to Saif Ali Khan" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Saif_Ali_Khan) (divorced)
Partner	Kareena Kapoor (2007-present)
Children	2

Saif Ali Khan (pronounced [ˈsɛːf əˈli ˈxaːn]; born 16 August 1970) is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the cricket player and last titular Nawab of Pataudi, late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore, a great-grandniece of poet Rabindranath Tagore.^[1]

Having made his acting debut in 1992 with Parampara, Khan had his first success with the 1994 films Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi. After going through several years of decline throughout the 1990s, he rose into prominence with his performance in Dil Chahta Hai (2001), which marked his professional turning point.^[2] His work in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, and he was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Hum Tum (2004).

Khan subsequently had further mainstream success with films like Salaam Namaste (2005) and Race (2008) and starred in critically acclaimed projects such as Parineeta (2005), Being Cyrus and Omkara (2006).^[3] In 2009, Khan branched out into film production with his company Illuminati Films' first film Love Aaj Kal, which became a box-office success. These accomplishments have established him as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema.^[4] He was awarded the Padma Shri civilian award by the Government of India in 2010.^[5]

Khan was married to actress Amrita Singh from 1991 to 2004, having two children together. His sister, Soha Ali Khan, is also a film actress.

Life[link]

Saif Ali Khan has Muslim ancestry through Nawabs of Pataudi lineage from his father's side and Hindu Bengali Tagore ancestry from his mother's side.^[6][7] His paternal grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, was the Nawab of Pataudi as well as an accomplished cricketer who played for England and then for India as the captain of the team.^[7] His paternal grandmother was Sajida Sultan, Begum of Bhopal and his great-uncle was Pakistani general Nawabzada Sher Ali Khan Pataudi. His father was Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, a former captain of the Indian cricket team and the ninth Nawab of Pataudi until the abolition of titles by India in 1971.^[6][7] Following the death of his father, Saif Ali Khan was proclaimed the Nawab of Pataudi by villagers of Pataudi State in deference to tradition, although the title carries no official or legal significance.^[8]

Khan has two sisters Saba Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan. Khan's mother is Sharmila Tagore, a Bengali Indian film actress and a member of Bengal's Tagore family. She is also the head of the Indian film censorship board^[9] and the grand-niece of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.^[1] Tagore converted to Islam from Hinduism after her marriage to Khan's father, and changed her name to Begum Ayesha Sultana.^[7] Khan spent his childhood in a Muslim atmosphere, reading the Quran, with his grandmother being the centre of his religious education. Khan says that "Religion played a major role in my upbringing."^[6] Khan also states that his family is "cool or rather massively open–minded about religious matters." For example, he acknowledges that his daughter is born into a Muslim family, however he states that he will not decide her religion for her.^[6]

Initially Khan studied at the Lawrence School Sanawar^[10] and later attended Lockers Park School in Hertfordshire. He followed in his father's footsteps by attending Winchester College, an independent school for boys in the UK. Khan can speak his native languages of Hindi and Bengali fluently, as well as English.^[11]

Acting career[link]

Early work, until 2000[link]

In 1993, he won the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Aashiq Awara. His breakthrough role came in 1994 with Yeh Dillagi starring opposite Akshay Kumar and Kajol which was his first major hit.^[12] Khan went on to star in many films but they failed at the box office. He only had success with multi-starrer hits like Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Imtihaan (1995),^[13] Kachche Dhaage (1999) and Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United (1999).^[14] After some box office failures he had a hit with the film Kya Kehna (2000).^[15]

Turning point, 2001-03[link]

His acting career, more or less, went through a relative slump until 2001, when he was cast in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning Dil Chahta Hai, co-starring Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna.^[16] Depicting the contemporary routine life of Indian affluent youth, it is set in modern-day urban Mumbai and focuses on a major period of transition in the lives of three young friends. Despite receiving a positive critical reception, it was only a moderate box office success in India;^[17] it performed well in the big cities but failed in the rural areas, which was attributed by critics to the urban-oriented lifestyle depicted in the movie.^[18] He received much acclaim for his role as Sameer with critic Taran Adarsh calling it his career-best performance.^[19]

He has since had many box office successes, starting with Nikhil Advani's drama Kal Ho Na Ho (2003), co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The film, set in New York, starred Saif as Rohit, Zinta's best friend, who later realises that he loves her.^[20] The film was the second top-grossing film of the year, and Khan's performance was praised by critics. He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, as well as other awards in that category in other award ceremonies.

Solo success and critical acclaim, 2004–08[link]

To date, Khan's films have often featured him as the supporting cast, though following the success of Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, producers began signing him on for the main lead.^[21] In early 2004, Khan was approached by Sriram Raghavan to star as the globe-trotting bachelor, Karan Singh Rathod, in his directorial debut, Ek Hasina Thi. The film tells the story of a young woman (played by Urmila Matondkar) who meets with Khan's character, and is subsequently arrested for having links with the underworld. When Khan was initially offered the project, he was unable to do it due to his busy schedule.^[21] However, when the director approached him several months later, he agreed to do the film.^[21] Upon release, the film was critically embraced, with Khan's performing earning praise. The Deccan Herald reported, "From suave loverboy to self-serving skunk, he (Khan) moves with such brilliance that he leaves you breathless [...] He holds his own in a movie that is completely Urmila's."^[22] For his performance, Khan received nominations at the Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies.

He followed it with the leading role in Kunal Kohli's romantic comedy Hum Tum. Featured opposite Rani Mukerji, the film follows the encounters of the two main characters until they, after several years and various meetings, become friends and finally fall in love. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films, with a domestic box office of 210 million (US$4.19 million).^[23] Khan played the role of Karan Kapoor, a young cartoonist and womaniser whose relationship with Rhea Prakash (played by Mukerji) changes his perception of women and life. Rediff.com wrote about his performance: "Saif reprises his urbane self from Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, peppering it with occasional fits of introspection and angst, and marking himself as an actor whose time has come."^[24] He won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role and was conferred the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor in 2005 among much controversy.^[25] It marked the beginning of his work with Yash Raj Films, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.

In 2005, Khan appeared in two movies. His first release was Pradeep Sarkar's Parineeta (2005), an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1914 Bengali novella by the same name.^[26] Prior to being cast, the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra was initially reluctant in casting Khan as the male protagonist because he felt that "I could not manage it".^[27] After much deliberation, Chopra was persuaded by Sarkar who felt that Khan was perfect for the role.^[28] The film garnered critical acclaim upon release and Khan's portrayal of Shekhar Rai earned him nominations for Best Actor at a number of award ceremonies. Derek Elley from Variety wrote, "Khan, who has gradually been developing away from light comedy, again shows smarts as a substantial actor."^[26] His next release was Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama Salaam Namaste opposite Preity Zinta. Produced by Yash Raj Films, it was the first Indian feature to be filmed entirely in Australia and went on to become the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production outside of India, earning 570 million (US$11.37 million) internationally.^[29] Khan played the role of the egotistic, laid-back chef, Nikhil Arora. According to Khalid Mohamed, "Salaam Namaste is unthinkable without Saif Ali Khan. He rescues several untidily written scenes with his neat wit and that flustered 'how-did-I-get-into-this-soup?' facial expression."^[30]

He next played the protagonist in the English language art film, Being Cyrus (2006), co-starring alongside Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia. Directed by debutant Homi Adajania, the psychological drama revolves around a dysfunctional Parsi family with who Khan's character moves into. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Khan was particularly praised.^[31] Later in the year, he portrayed the character of Iago in Omkara, the Indian adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh.^[32] The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival.^[32][33] Omkara was embraced by critics and Khan went on to receive major acclaim earning the awards for Best Actor in a Negative Role at the Filmfare, Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies; his performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare.^[34] Variety described his performance as "powerhouse" and further wrote, "It is Khan's movie through and through, in a performance of rugged, contained malevolence which trades on his previous screen persona as a likable best friend as well as his stint as the manipulative outsider in Being Cyrus. It is smart casting, superbly realized."^[35]

In 2007, Khan collaborated once again with producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra in the epic drama Eklavya: The Royal Guard, alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Sharmila Tagore and Vidya Balan. Set in the state of Rajasthan during the early years of Indian independence, the movie revolves around a jealous and ungrateful ruler who will not let his wife die in peace because she is uttering the name of Eklavya. Although the film did not succeed at the box office,^[36] it was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars. The Full Hyderabad described Khan's performance of Harshwardhan as "sombre and understated," played with a "brooding and contemplative sensibility."^[37] He next appeared in the action comedy Nehlle Pe Dehlla, a production that had been delayed since 2001.^[38] The film garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns.^[39] Khan's role was small, and was not well received.^[39] His final release of the year was the family drama, Ta Ra Rum Pum. Directed by Siddharth Anand, it went on to become an economic success at the box office, earning 646 million (US$12.89 million) internationally.^[29]

Khan received further success in 2008, starring in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Race with an ensemble cast including Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy. The feature was loosely adapted from the 1998 American film Goodbye Lover, and became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning 617 million (US$12.31 million)^[40] and grossed over 200 million (US$3.99 million) abroad.^[41] Critic Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN wrote, "Of the cast, Saif Ali Khan stands out as the chap with the least dialogue but the one who makes the best impression."^[42] This was followed by three projects produced by Yash Raj Films: Tashan, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and Roadside Romeo, all of which were not successful.^[40]