Pinga

In Inuit mythology, Pinga ("the one who is [up on] high") was a goddess of the hunt, fertility and medicine. She was also the psychopomp, bringing souls of the newly dead to Adlivun, the underworld.

Bajirao Mastani

Bajirao Mastani is a 2015 Indian epic historical romance film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who also composed the music score of the film. It is jointly produced by Bhaansali and Eros International. The film stars Ranveer Singh as Bajirao I and Deepika Padukone as Mastani, with Priyanka Chopra playing Rao's first wife Kashibai. Tanvi Azmi, Vaibbhav Tatwawdi and Milind Soman appear in supporting roles. Based on the Marathi novel Raau by Nagnath S. Inamdar, the film narrates the story of the Maratha Peshwa Bajirao (1700-1740 AD) and his second wife Mastani.

The film was in development for 15 years, Bhansali wanted to make the film after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. However, several times, the production was delayed due to the changing cast. Principal photography started in mid 2014, after the casting of principle roles were finalised. The film was released on 18 December 2015 to positive reviews from critics, who praised the direction, cinematography, production design, costumes, music and performances, particularly of Chopra, and Singh.

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra (pronounced [prɪˈjaːŋkaː ˈtʃoːpɽaː]; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian film actress, singer, producer and philanthropist, and the winner of the Miss World pageant of 2000. Through her film career, she has become one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses and one of the most popular and high-profile celebrities in India. Chopra has been cited by various media outlets as the world's sexiest Asian woman, as well as one of the most fashionable Indian celebrities. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including a National Film Award, and five Filmfare Awards, and was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award, by the Government of India in 2016.

Although Chopra initially aspired to study engineering or psychiatry, she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry, which came as a result of her pageant wins, making her acting debut in the Tamil film Thamizhan in 2002. The following year, she starred in The Hero, her first Hindi film release, and followed it with the box-office hits Andaaz and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. She later earned wide critical praise for her breakout role in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz. By 2006, Chopra had established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema with leading roles in the highly successful films Krrish and Don. The 2008 drama Fashion marked a turning point in her career, earning her critical acclaim as well as the National Film Award for Best Actress and the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She subsequently gained recognition for her versatility in portraying a range of unconventional characters in films such as Kaminey (2009), What's Your Raashee? (2009), 7 Khoon Maaf (2011), Barfi! (2012), Mary Kom (2014), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and Bajirao Mastani (2015), all of which garnered her wide critical acclaim and several accolades. In 2015, she began starring as Alex Parrish on the ABC drama Quantico, becoming the first South Asian woman to headline an American network series.

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone (pronounced [d̪iːpɪkaː pəɖʊkoːɳ]; born 5 January 1986) is an Indian film actress and model. One of the most popular and highest-paid Indian celebrities, she has established a career in Hindi films, and is the recipient of several awards, including three Filmfare Awards.

Padukone, the daughter of the badminton player Prakash Padukone, was born in Copenhagen and raised in Bangalore. As a teenager she played badminton in national level championships, but left her career in sport to become a fashion model. She soon received offers for film roles, and made her acting debut in 2006 as the titular character of the Kannada film Aishwarya. Padukone then played dual roles in her first Bollywood release—the 2007 blockbuster Om Shanti Om—and won a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Padukone received praise for portraying the lead female roles in the romance Love Aaj Kal (2009) and the drama Lafangey Parindey (2010), but her performances in the romance Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) and the comedy Housefull (2010) met with negative reviews.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, and music director. He is an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India. Bhansali has adopted the middle name "Leela" as a tribute to his mother, Leela Bhansali. He is the founder of a production house, Bhansali Productions.

Career

Bhansali began his career as an assistant to Vidhu Vinod Chopra and was involved in the making of Parinda, 1942: A Love Story and Kareeb. However, they had a fall out when Bhansali refused to direct Kareeb. He made his directorial debut with Khamoshi: The Musical, the commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed narration of a daughter's struggle to communicate with her deaf mute parents. His second film was a triangular love story, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan, and Ajay Devgan which established his individualistic stamp for visual splendor and creating auras of celebration and festivity. It was a great success and won numerous awards.