- published: 12 Mar 2016
- views: 24968
Yangon (Burmese: ရန်ကုန်, MLCTS rankun mrui, pronounced: [jàɴɡòʊɴ mjo̰]; also known as Rangoon, literally: "End of Strife") is a former capital of Myanmar (Burma) and the capital of Yangon Region. It also served as the Capital in Exile of Azad Hind. Yangon is the country's largest city with a population of over five million, and is the most important commercial centre, although the military government officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw in March 2006.
Although Yangon's infrastructure is undeveloped compared to those of other major cities in south-east Asia, it has the largest number of colonial buildings in the region today. While many high-rise residential and commercial buildings have been constructed or renovated throughout downtown and Greater Yangon in the past two decades, most satellite towns that ring the city continue to be deeply impoverished.
Yangon (ရန်ကုန်) is a combination of the two words yan (ရန်) and koun (ကုန်), which mean "enemies" and "run out of" respectively. It is also translated as "End of Strife". "Rangoon" most likely comes from the British imitation of the pronunciation of "Yangon" in the Arakanese language, which is [rɔ̀ɴɡʊ́ɴ].
Saif Ali Khan (pronounced [ˈsɛːf əˈli ˈxaːn]; born Sajid Ali Khan on 16 August 1970) is an Indian film actor and producer. Khan has established himself as one of the most popular actors of Indian cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including a National Film Award and six Filmfare Awards, and was honoured by the Government of India with the Padma Shri in 2010.
Ali Khan is the son of the former Indian cricketer Mansoor Ali Khan and the actress Sharmila Tagore. He made his acting debut in 1992 with Yash Chopra's Parampara and later starred in the 1994 films Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi. After going through several years of decline throughout the 1990s, Khan rose to prominence with his performance in Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai (2001). 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's other films include Salaam Namaste (2005) and Race (2008). He also starred in critically acclaimed films such as Parineeta (2005), Being Cyrus and Omkara (2006). In 2009, Khan branched out into film production with his company Illuminati Films, whose first release was Love Aaj Kal.
Laura is trying to pick up the pieces of her life after the murder of her husband and son, and goes on vacation with her sister to Burma. After losing her passport at a political rally, she is left on her own for a few days, during which time she falls in with students fighting for democracy. She and their leader, U Aung Ko, travel through Burma, whilst witnessing many bloody acts of repression by the dictatorship, in an attempt to escape to Thailand. Based on a true story.
Keywords: army-deserter, bloody-body-of-child, border-crossing, buddhist, buddhist-monastery, buddhist-monk, buddhist-temple, bullet-wound, burma, car-trouble
[On whether men and women are equal]::Laura Bowman: Did you say completely equal?::U Aung Ko: Oh, yes! A woman can even become a Buddha; but for that she must first come back as a man.::Laura Bowman: Ah, there's always a catch.
U Aung Ko: We will need to make an offering.::Laura Bowman: What kind of offering?::U Aung Ko: That would depend on how much good karma you want for your next life.::Laura Bowman: Hmm, I can't plan that far ahead.::U Aung Ko: Then some fresh fruit from the market will do.
[last lines]::Doctor: Who the hell are you?::Laura Bowman: I'm a doctor, do you need any help?::Doctor: Are you kiddin', how long can you stay?::Laura Bowman: As long as it takes.
U Aung Ko: We are taught that suffering is one promise that life always keeps. So that when happiness comes we know it is a gift, and it is ours only for a brief time.
[first lines]::Laura Bowman: The trip was Andy's idea. It was easier to say yes than argue. Always that way with my sister. She meant well. Touch of the exotic east would get me away from all the things that reminded me of what happened. But it didn't. Where ever I looked, I saw only the moment when my life ended.
Laura Bowman: Isn't that illegal?::U Aung Ko: In Burma, everything is illegal.
U Aung Ko: [about her dead husband and son] They are shadows as we are shadows, briefly walking the earth and soon gone.