people-from-west-bengal

"I feel filmmaking is a process, where you have to start on a clean slate with every new film, forgetting the past ones. I find happiness in all sorts of situations and try to keep away from controversies. We are all here to work and make a difference, isn’t it?"

"I don't get happiness out of others' defeats. I cherish and enjoy my own victory. I am not an athlete with a number on my back, nor am I a telephone number. And how many times do I need to prove myself."

"I avoid late-night parties, drinking and loud music, as I don't enjoy these gatherings. I maintain a certain amount of discipline in life. Moreover, I find these parties very monotonous and feel like an alien at these dos. Then there are time issues. But to tell the truth, I'd rather spend time with my family when I'm not working than attend parties."

"We are still so accustomed to that old life that my father haggles over a few rupees. I do too. We have fulfilled our desires and aspirations, but our mentality is still stuck there."

"The stars and makers of Bengali films fight with the films in other languages to earn the respect they deserve. But in the South, the audience does that fight on behalf of the makers."

"Look, everyone tries to do a good job. But if someone acts well, at least it can be said that so-and-so did a good job. That's why an actor survives in the industry. If a film is a hit but the actor lacks talent, that actor won't be able to last long."

"The laity must be the engine of dialogue, as the link between government, political parties and other religious groups. Giving them more power can only benefit the nation. In order to implement the dialogue I have in mind we have to teach lay Catholics the concepts of openness and identity. Everyone should be open to other faiths, and be ready to respect their neighbours. At the same time, we must not forget to share our identity, without fear."

"We want our presence in Nepal to be creative. Apostolic creativity is a gift of the Holy Spirit. We want to give a contribution to the Nepalese society and we do it primarily through education and social works, which we have been carrying out for more than 20 years."

"Iswar Chandra Gupta, for whom Bankim had great respect, reacted sharply against the Sepoy Mutiny and wrote in his Sanghad Prahhakar that among those evil- minded people who were the main enemies of the Govern¬ ment, the Muslims were in the majority. He complained that though the Muslims had been given equal rights to sit with the Hindus in the same class rooms of schools established by the Government yet they had not been able to develop a sense of loyalty to the Crown. The editorial comments of Iswar Gupta’s Samhad Prahhakar give us a picture of the Hindu orthodox intelligentsia’s reaction to the Sepoy Mutiny. Though it may be conceded that the Mutiny was not a revolt for national emancipation and that if it had succeeded, it would have put the clock of India’s progress back, it should be noticed that the ortho^ dox Hindu literati reacted adversely to the Mutiny not because it was a retrograde step taken by the mutineers but because, if it succeeded, it would have put the Muslims back in power as, according to Iswar Gupta, the Muslims were in the majority among the mutineers. On the 20th June, 1857 Sambad Prahhakar wrote that “under the Mus¬ lim rule we did not get any freedom to practice religion, there was always tyrannical rule.” After this it wrote about the British rule."

"In the region of the Absolute we know there are three different energies working, one of which is His ecstatic energy by which bliss is conferred on us, and He is found to be inebriated with the ecstatic explorations. The very Absolute indulges Himself in the ecstatic mood and He is delighted; and when we find that He is delighted, we, being more or less part and parcel of the transaction, get a share as well, we being not the mind but the soul proper. When He is delighted, we necessarily get the advantage of that delightful temper of the Absolute. When He is surcharged with all beatific phases, we are also endowed with a part as per our own eligibility; as per our affinity for serving Him, we enjoy a part. Here where we are passing through a non-absolute region, our enjoyment is nothing but depriving Him of His enjoyment. We should take proper care not to carry our defective ideas there. The passionate desires of this mundane world should not be carried to the Absolute region."

"We should seek for the Fountain-head of all knowledge. If we do not do so we find ourselves poorly supplied. Our capacity for retention of knowledge also leaves us when we choose to be conversant with local, temporary, apparent truths. The symbolical deceptive Knowledge is presented when we neglect to seek the connecting thread of all knowledge. A time comes when our physical equipment parts with all its seeming possessions."

"Try to rectify yourself rather than blaspheming the nature or activities of others. That is my instruction."

"Of all the occupations the best one is to attend to the service of the Absolute."

"We should trace the Fountain-Head, the Real Cause from Whom all these have emanated, not being content with the agnosticism that prevails more or less at present."

"The fullest development of the idea about Godship is in Shri Krishna. He reveals Himself to His devotees of different competences in three Forms. All these three are perfect conceptions, not like the partial one of Paramatma and the incomplete one of Brahman. These three perfect conceptions are full, fuller and fullest. These three are revealed in Dwaraka, Mathura and Vrindavana. At Dwaraka Krishna's manifestation is full, at Mathura it is fuller and in Braja (including Vrindavana) it is the fullest."

"Titles or awards are not the mark of your success. They are the beginning of a life-long sadhana. Learning should never stop. Discipline of riyaz is a must if you are serious about pursuing an art."

"If music is what can be called my strategy, then every singer should be trying that."

"Everything has a time; it’s not necessary that everyone gets a break at the age of 16. There are so many renowned actors and singers who have got their break much later in life. Don’t hurry and let the music remain pure."

"You do not want to hear your voice in every song, as it gets monotonous. So, it’s important to have the right kind of balance."

"Music completely overpowers me. Love it when I can experience it with my live audience."

"I want to keep working 24*7. When I am not singing, I go into deep introspection mode and start asking myself, why I am not getting much songs. I feel even working 24*7 every day is less for me."

"I love to travel and read books but it's cooking that has a healing effect on me. Whenever I am not well I cook something nice and the aroma of the food works wonders for me."

"I believe, entertainment has its pros and cons. It is important, but too much involvement of kids can deter them from achieving their key goals."

"I don't believe in pretending to be someone else. I'm what I actually am in real life. For instance, like any normal girl, I fight with my mother. I mean, it is just fine. In fact, I fight daily with my mother."

"I am not the kind of person who fights. You will not see me fighting with anyone. It's like if I like someone and the other two judges don't agree with my judgement, I may cry, but I won't walk away from the sets or anything like that."

"I do not like sweets. But if I have to choose one, it has to be rasmalai."

"Reading the newspaper or watching the news in the morning. I don’t like starting my day on a bad note."

"When people address me as Shreyaji, I tell them, ek G Ghoshal ka to banta hai, lekin (G for Ghoshal is alright, but) please don’t call me Shreyaji!."

"Today kids are more advanced, smarter. When we came in reality show we were untrained in terms of facing television. That time TV was just starting out. We were nervous and shy. Today`s kids have seen it all."

"It's not a new thing but maybe people have started noticing me more now. It's a good change for me and everyone else. I have always enjoyed dressing up but I don't do it as often as I would want to, because it's time consuming. But now, especially when I have to go for fancy promotional visits, I try to enjoy the process of letting the make-up and hair people do their job."

"I have always wanted to get married since I was 20. I am a very romantic person and have fallen in love plenty of times. I adore people and get smitten by some people and have made my mistakes. I like men who have their own voice, are opinionated but are not rude. I don't like very serious people as I believe that there must be a fun element to life."

"I believe without a struggle there is no fun. If everything comes easily to you then there is no sense of satisfaction at having achieved something."

"I still get heartbreak fan mail. I think fans who send them are in denial. They are unable to accept that I am married now. And, yes, I enjoy it (laughs)."

"Shreya Ghoshal has such a stunning voice."

"Shreya Ghoshal is an asset to the music industry."

"With her "Issshhhhhh..." in 'Bairi Piya' song from Devdas, Shreya Ghoshal, the Bengali beauty became the singing sensation of India."

"She doesn’t like corrections. She would rather do it again than leave it to the machine."

"The best quality about her is that the expressions come perfectly along with mannerisms. If there'll be best all-time singers, Shreya will surely be included in that. She is very special to me"."

"I am an easy going person. I don't sing for money or fame. I was brought up in an environment where I was taught to love and respect music, not consider it a business."

"She is lovely as always."

"I take that as a compliment but I’m nowhere close to Shreya Ghoshal."

"Shreya is one of the most beautiful things to have happened to Music."

"Sorry sad to hear abt Bhupen Hazarika Ji. Another legend lost. His voice and songs will be alive in our hearts forever. Rest in peace."

"Zindagi kaisi hai paheli, Puchho na kaise, ek chatur naar, aao twist karein, aaja sanam madhur.. Such versatility and command over all genres. Rest in peace Manna Dey saab.. You and your voice are immortal.. Your songs will continue to inspire millions forever."

"He is an encyclopedia of good music. He creates magic. He is humble and genius. He is a dedicated, passionate person and believes in perfection. So all those who work with him, including the actors, believe in giving their best. He gets the best out of everyone."

"I am fortunate to have worked with him and to have known him for so many years, and with no hesitation, I can say that there is absolutely no one with that passion for music and of course, films. He is an encyclopaedia of Indian music. So when we are in the studio, I just follow him like a student. He is as brilliant a composer as he is a director-producer."

"Dipa Karmakar You are an inspiration. Keep working hard, keep making us proud. It's hard being an athlete in India, yet you did it all."

"Working with Gulzar uncle is a dream for anyone who is sensitive towards music and literature, and I am one of them. Although I've had his affection in the professional relationship that we shared, being part of an album that is so close to his heart is a privilege."

"She is one of the most versatile and accomplished singers of the past decade and the current Bollywood scene."

"I always feel that I must do something new, at least for my fans."