Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju just made history by becoming the youngest ever World Chess Champion at the age of just 18. Gukesh defeated China’s Ding Liren, a grandmaster and the defending champion, at the World Championship in Singapore on 12 December. Previously the youngest champion was Garry Kasparov, who was 22 when he won. Gukesh … Continue reading “Youngest Chess Champ”
Monkey Man is a new departure for Slumdog Millionaire star Dev Patel: he co-wrote, directed and stars in the film inspired by Indian mythology and reality, which plays homage to the action movies he adores. The title and the film are inspired by the Hindu monkey-faced demigod Hanuman. The film does share themes with both … Continue reading “Monkey Man: Indian Mythology Meets Action Movie”
Everyone has at least heard of Bollywood but how many of us really know how huge and culturally-loaded this industry is? This is what this A2+-B1 article explores! You and your students will get to understand how powerful Bollywood is and how it hinges on both tradition and modernity to appeal to its audience. As … Continue reading “Celebrating Bollywood”
Hollywood is often used as a synonym for the cinema industry but Bollywood in India actually releases more films. The Indian film industry makes 2000 films every year, about three times as many as Hollywood. Cinema came very early to India. The Lumière Brothers’ pioneering films were shown soon after their European release in 1896. … Continue reading “Bollywood Superstars”
This resource will introduce students to an aspect of Indian culture: the festival of Holi, when participants throw brightly coloured powders and water to welcome the arrival of spring. Pupils will watch a video, listen to a short extract of a podcast and read an article to help them find out how Indians celebrate this … Continue reading “Holi: Festival of Colours”
Like all museums in England, Tate Britain is closed to the public for lockdown. But it’s still celebrating art, and the Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, in a stunning artwork displayed on the OUTSIDE of the building. This year’s Winter Commission for the London museum is by Chila Kumari Burman. The 63-year-old artist’s works draws … Continue reading “Celebrating Diwali with a Light Installation at Tate Britain”