The Sahara ( '''', ) is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, it is delimited by the Sahel, a belt of semi-arid tropical savanna that composes the northern region of central and western Sub-Saharan Africa.

Some of the sand dunes can reach in height. The name comes from the Arabic word for desert: (صَحراء), "ṣaḥrā´" (; ).

Overview

The Sahara's boundaries are the Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Atlas Mountains and the Mediterranean Sea on the north, the Red Sea and Egypt on the east, and the Sudan and the valley of the Niger River on the south. The Sahara is divided into western Sahara, the central Ahaggar Mountains, the Tibesti Mountains, the Air Mountains (a region of desert mountains and high plateaus), Ténéré desert and the Libyan desert (the most arid region). The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi () in the Tibesti Mountains in northern Chad.

The Sahara is the largest desert on the African continent. The southern border of the Sahara is marked by a band of semiarid savanna called the Sahel; south of the Sahel lies the lusher Sudan and the Congo River Basin. Most of the Sahara consists of rocky hamada; ergs (large sand dunes) form only a minor part.

People lived on the edge of the desert thousands of years ago since the last ice age. The Sahara was then a much wetter place than it is today. Over 30,000 petroglyphs of river animals such as crocodiles survive, with half found in the Tassili n'Ajjer in southeast Algeria. Fossils of dinosaurs, including ''Afrovenator'', ''Jobaria'' and ''Ouranosaurus'', have also been found here.

The modern Sahara, though, is not lush in vegetation, except in the Nile Valley, at a few oases, and in the northern highlands, where Mediterranean plants such as the olive tree are found to grow. The region has been this way since about 4200 years ago. Then, due to a climate change,the savannah changed into the sandy desert as we know it now. Dominant ethnicities in the Sahara are various Berber groups including Tuareg tribes, various Arabized Berber groups such as the Hassaniya-speaking Maure (Moors, also known as Sahrawis), including Toubou, Nubians, Zaghawa, Kanuri, Hausa, Songhai, and Fula/Fulani (; ). Important cities located in the Sahara include Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania; Tamanrasset, Ouargla, Bechar, Hassi Messaoud, Ghardaia, and El Oued in Algeria; Timbuktu in Mali; Agadez in Niger; Ghat in Libya; and Faya-Largeau in Chad.

Geography

The Sahara covers large parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and Tunisia. It is one of three distinct physiographic provinces of the African massive physiographic division.

The desert landforms of the Sahara are shaped by wind or by occasional rains and include sand dunes and dune fields or sand seas (''erg''), stone plateaus (''hamada''), gravel plains (''reg''), dry valleys, and salt flats (''shatt'' or ''chott''). Unusual landforms include the Richat Structure in Mauritania.

Several deeply dissected mountains and mountain ranges, many volcanic, rise from the desert, including the Aïr Mountains, Ahaggar Mountains, Saharan Atlas, Tibesti Mountains, Adrar des Iforas, and the Red Sea hills. The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi, a shield volcano in the Tibesti range of northern Chad.

Most of the rivers and streams in the Sahara are seasonal or intermittent, the chief exception being the Nile River, which crosses the desert from its origins in central Africa to empty into the Mediterranean. Underground aquifers sometimes reach the surface, forming oases, including the Bahariya, Ghardaïa, Timimoun, Kufrah, and Siwah.

The central part of the Sahara is hyper-arid, with little vegetation. The northern and southern reaches of the desert, along with the highlands, have areas of sparse grassland and desert shrub, with trees and taller shrubs in wadis where moisture collects.

To the north, the Sahara reaches to the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt and portions of Libya, but in Cyrenaica and the Magreb, the Sahara borders Mediterranean forest, woodland, and scrub ecoregions of northern Africa, which have a Mediterranean climate characterized by a winter rainy season. According to the botanical criteria of Frank White and geographer Robert Capot-Rey, the northern limit of the Sahara corresponds to the northern limit of Date Palm cultivation and the southern limit of Esparto, a grass typical of the Mediterranean climate portion of the Maghreb and Iberia. The northern limit also corresponds to the isohyet of annual precipitation.

To the south, the Sahara is bounded by the Sahel, a belt of dry tropical savanna with a summer rainy season that extends across Africa from east to west. The southern limit of the Sahara is indicated botanically by the southern limit of ''Cornulaca monacantha'' (a drought-tolerant member of the Chenopodiaceae), or northern limit of ''Cenchrus biflorus'', a grass typical of the Sahel. According to climatic criteria, the southern limit of the Sahara corresponds to the isohyet of annual precipitation (this is a long-term average, since precipitation varies annually).

Climate

The climate of the Sahara has undergone enormous variation between wet and dry over the last few hundred thousand years. During the last glacial period, the Sahara was even bigger than it is today, extending south beyond its current boundaries. The end of the glacial period brought more rain to the Sahara, from about 8000 BC to 6000 BC, perhaps because of low pressure areas over the collapsing ice sheets to the north.

Once the ice sheets were gone, the northern Sahara dried out. In the southern Sahara though, the drying trend was soon counteracted by the monsoon, which brought rain further north than it does today. The monsoon season is caused by heating of air over the land during summer. The hot air rises and pulls in cool, wet air from the ocean, which causes rain. Thus, though it seems counterintuitive, the Sahara was wetter when it received more insolation in the summer. This was caused by a stronger tilt in Earth's axis of orbit than today, and perihelion occurred at the end of July around 7000 BC.

By around 4200 BC, the monsoon retreated south to approximately where it is today, leading to the gradual desertification of the Sahara. The Sahara is now as dry as it was about 13,000 years ago. These conditions are responsible for what has been called the Sahara pump theory.

The Sahara has one of the harshest climates in the world. The prevailing north-easterly wind often causes sand storms and dust devils. When this wind reaches the Mediterranean, it is known as sirocco and often reaches hurricane speeds in North Africa and southern Europe. Half of the Sahara receives less than of rain per year, and the rest receives up to per year. The rainfall happens very rarely, but when it does it is usually torrential when it occurs after long dry periods.

The southern boundary of the Sahara, as measured by rainfall, was observed to both advance and retreat between 1980 and 1990. As a result of drought in the Sahel, the southern boundary moved south overall during that period.

Recent signals indicate that the Sahara and surrounding regions are greening because of increased rainfall. Satellite imaging shows extensive regreening of the Sahel between 1982 and 2002, and in both Eastern and Western Sahara a more than 20 year long trend of increased grazing areas and flourishing trees and shrubs has been observed by climate scientist Stefan Kröpelin.

Snow and ice

On February 18, 1979, snow fell in several places in southern Algeria, including a half-hour snowstorm that stopped traffic in Ghardaïa, and was reported as being "for the first time in living memory". The snow was gone within hours. Several Saharan mountain ranges, however, receive snow on a more regular basis. Although relative humidity is low in the arid environment, the absolute humidity is sufficiently high for moisture to condense when driven up a mountain range. In winter, temperatures drop low enough on the Tahat summit to cause snow on average every three years; the Tibesti Mountains receive snow on peaks over once every seven years on average.

Ecoregions

The Sahara comprises several distinct ecoregions, and with their variations in temperature, rainfall, elevation, and soil, they harbor distinct communities of plants and animals.

The Atlantic coastal desert occupies a narrow strip along the Atlantic coast, where fog generated offshore by the cool Canary Current provides sufficient moisture to sustain a variety of lichens, succulents, and shrubs. It covers 39,900 square kilometers (15,400 square miles) in Western Sahara and Mauritania.

The North Saharan steppe and woodlands lies along the northern desert, next to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregions of the northern Maghreb and Cyrenaica. Winter rains sustain shrublands and dry woodlands that form a transition between the Mediterranean climate regions to the north and the hyper-arid Sahara proper to the south. It covers 1,675,300 square kilometers (646,800 square miles) in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.

The Sahara desert ecoregion covers the hyper-arid central portion of the Sahara where rainfall is minimal and sporadic. Vegetation is rare, and this ecoregion consists mostly of sand dunes (''erg, chech, raoui''), stone plateaus (''hamadas''), gravel plains (''reg''), dry valleys (''wadis''), and salt flats. It covers 4,639,900 square km (1,791,500 square miles) of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Sudan.

The South Saharan steppe and woodlands ecoregion occupies a narrow band running east and west between the hyper-arid Sahara and the Sahel savannas to the south. Movements of the equatorial Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) bring summer rains during July and August which average but vary greatly from year to year. These rains sustain summer pastures of grasses and herbs, with dry woodlands and shrublands along seasonal watercourses. The ecoregion covers 1,101,700 km² (425,400 mi²) in Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Sudan.

In the West Saharan montane xeric woodlands, several volcanic highlands provide a cooler, moister environment that supports Saharo-Mediterranean woodlands and shrublands. The ecoregion covers 258,100 km² (99,700 mi²), mostly in the Tassili n'Ajjer of Algeria, with smaller enclaves in the Aïr of Niger, the Dhar Adrar of Mauritania, and the Adrar des Iforas of Mali and Algeria.

The Tibesti-Jebel Uweinat montane xeric woodlands ecoregion consists of the Tibesti and Jebel Uweinat highlands. Higher and more regular rainfall and cooler temperatures support woodlands and shrublands of palms, acacias, myrtle, oleander, tamarix, and several rare and endemic plants. The ecoregion covers 82,200 km² (31,700 mi²) in the Tibesti of Chad and Libya, and Jebel Uweinat on the border of Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.

The Saharan halophytics is an area of seasonally flooded saline depressions which is home to halophytic, or salt-adapted, plant communities. The Saharan halophytics cover 54,000 km² (20,800 mi²), including the Qattara and Siwa depressions in northern Egypt, the Tunisian salt lakes of central Tunisia, Chott Melghir in Algeria, and smaller areas of Algeria, Mauritania, and Western Sahara.

The Tanezrouft is one of the harshest regions on Earth and the driest in the Sahara, with no vegetation and very little life. It is situated along the borders of Algeria, Niger and Mali, west of the Hoggar mountains.

Flora and fauna

Dromedary camels and goats are the domesticated animals most commonly found in the Sahara. Because of its qualities of endurance and speed, the dromedary is the favorite animal used by nomads.

The deathstalker scorpion can be long. Its venom contains large amounts of agitoxin and scyllatoxin and is very dangerous; however, a sting from this scorpion rarely kills a healthy adult.

Several species of fox live in the Sahara, including the fennec fox, pale fox and Rüppell's fox. The addax, a large white antelope, can go nearly a year in the desert without drinking. The dorcas gazelle is a north African gazelle that can also go for a long time without water.

The Saharan cheetah (Northwest African Cheetah) lives in Algeria, Togo, Niger, Mali, Benin, and Burkina Faso. There remain less than 250 mature cheetahs which are very cautious, fleeing any human presence. The cheetah avoids the sun from April to October. It then seeks the shelter of shrubs such as balanites and acacias. They are unusually pale.

Other animals include the monitor lizards, hyrax, Sand vipers, and small populations of African Wild Dog, in perhaps only 14 countries. and ostrich. There exist other animals in the Sahara (birds in particular) such as African Silverbill and Black-throated Firefinch among others. There are also small desert crocodiles in Mauritania and the Ennedi Plateau of Chad.

The central Sahara is estimated to include five hundred species of plants, which is extremely low considering the huge extent of the area. Plants such as acacia trees, palms, succulents, spiny shrubs, and grasses have adapted to the arid conditions, by growing lower to avoid water loss by strong winds, by storing water in their thick stems to use it in dry periods, by having long roots that travel horizontally to reach the maximum area of water and to find any surface moisture and by having small thick leaves or needles to prevent water loss by evapo-transpiration. Plant leaves may dry out totally and then recover.

Human activities are more likely to affect the habitat in areas of permanent water (oases) or where water comes close to the surface. Here, the local pressure on natural resources can be intense. The remaining populations of large mammals have been greatly reduced by hunting for food and recreation. In recent years development projects have started in the deserts of Algeria and Tunisia using irrigated water pumped from underground aquifers. These schemes often lead to soil degradation and salinization.

History

Berbers

The Berber people occupied (and still occupy) much of the Sahara. The Garamantes Berbers built a prosperous empire in the heart of the desert. The Tuareg nomads continue, to present day, to inhabit and move across wide Sahara surfaces.

Egyptians

By 6000 BC predynastic Egyptians in the southwestern corner of Egypt were herding cattle and constructing large buildings. Subsistence in organized and permanent settlements in predynastic Egypt by the middle of the 6th millennium BC centered predominantly on cereal and animal agriculture: cattle, goats, pigs and sheep. Metal objects replaced prior ones of stone. Tanning of animal skins, pottery and weaving were commonplace in this era also. There are indications of seasonal or only temporary occupation of the Al Fayyum in the 6th millennium BC, with food activities centering on fishing, hunting and food-gathering. Stone arrowheads, knives and scrapers from the era are commonly found. Burial items included pottery, jewelry, farming and hunting equipment, and assorted foods including dried meat and fruit. Burial in desert environments appears to enhance Egyptian preservation rites, and dead were buried facing due west. By 3400 BC, the Sahara was as dry as it is today, and it became a largely impenetrable barrier to humans, with only scattered settlements around the oases but little trade or commerce through the desert. The one major exception was the Nile Valley. The Nile, however, was impassable at several cataracts, making trade and contact by boat difficult.

Nubians

During the Neolithic, before the onset of desertification, around 9500 BC the central Sudan had been a rich environment supporting a large population ranging across what is now barren desert, like the Wadi el-Qa'ab. By the 5th millennium BC, the peoples who inhabited what is now called Nubia, were full participants in the "agricultural revolution," living a settled lifestyle with domesticated plants and animals. Saharan rock art of cattle and herdsmen suggests the presence of a cattle cult like those found in Sudan and other pastoral societies in Africa today. Megaliths found at Nabta Playa are overt examples of probably the world's first known Archaeoastronomy devices, predating Stonehenge by some 1,000 years. This complexity, as observed at Nabta Playa, and as expressed by different levels of authority within the society there, likely formed the basis for the structure of both the Neolithic society at Nabta and the Old Kingdom of Egypt.

Phoenicians

The people of Phoenicia, who flourished between 1200-800 BC, created a confederation of kingdoms across the entire Sahara to Egypt. They generally settled along the Mediterranean coast, as well as the Sahara, among the people of Ancient Libya, who were the ancestors of people who speak Berber languages in North Africa and the Sahara today, including the Tuareg of the central Sahara.

The Phoenician alphabet seems to have been adopted by the ancient Libyans of north Africa, and Tifinagh is still used today by Berber-speaking Tuareg camel herders of the central Sahara.

Sometime between 633 BC and 530 BC, Hanno the Navigator either established or reinforced Phoenician colonies in Western Sahara, but all ancient remains have vanished with virtually no trace.

Greeks

By 500 BC, Greeks arrived to the desert. Greek traders spread along the eastern coast of the desert, establishing trading colonies along the Red Sea coast. The Carthaginians explored the Atlantic coast of the desert, but the turbulence of the waters and the lack of markets caused a lack of presence further south than modern Morocco. Centralized states thus surrounded the desert on the north and east; it remained outside the control of these states. Raids from the nomadic Berber people of the desert were a constant concern of those living on the edge of the desert.

Urban civilization

An urban civilization, the Garamantes, arose around 500 BC in the heart of the Sahara, in a valley that is now called the Wadi al-Ajal in Fazzan, Libya. The Garamantes achieved this development by digging tunnels far into the mountains flanking the valley to tap fossil water and bring it to their fields. The Garamantes grew populous and strong, conquering their neighbors and capturing many slaves (which were put to work extending the tunnels). The ancient Greeks and the Romans knew of the Garamantes and regarded them as uncivilized nomads. However, they traded with the Garamantes, and a Roman bath has been found in the Garamantes capital of Garama. Archaeologists have found eight major towns and many other important settlements in the Garamantes territory. The Garamantes civilization eventually collapsed after they had depleted available water in the aquifers and could no longer sustain the effort to extend the tunnels further into the mountains.

Trans-Saharan trade

Following the Islamic conquest of North Africa in the mid-seventh to early eighth centuries, trade across the desert intensified. The kingdoms of the Sahel, especially the Ghana Empire and the Mali Empire, grew rich and powerful exporting gold and salt to North Africa. The emirates along the Mediterranean Sea sent south manufactured goods and horses. From the Sahara itself, salt was exported. This process turned the scattered oasis communities into trading centres and brought them under the control of the empires on the edge of the desert. A significant slave trade crossed the desert. It has been estimated that from the 10th to the 19th century some 6,000 to 7,000 slaves were transported north each year. This trade persisted for several centuries until the development in Europe of the caravel allowed ships, first from Portugal but soon from all Western Europe, to sail around the desert and gather the resources from the source in Guinea. The Sahara was rapidly marginalized.

European imperialism

At the beginning of the 19th century, most of the northern Sahara, including most of present-day Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt, was part of the Ottoman Empire. The Sahel and southern Sahara were home to several independent states.

European colonialism in the Sahara began in the 19th century. France conquered Algeria from the Ottomans in 1830, and French rule spread south from Algeria and eastwards from Senegal into the upper Niger to include present-day Algeria, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco (1912), Niger, and Tunisia (1881).

Egypt, under Muhammad Ali and his successors, conquered Nubia in 1820–22, founded Khartoum in 1823, and conquered Darfur in 1874. Egypt, including the Sudan, became a British protectorate in 1882. Egypt and Britain lost control of the Sudan from 1882 to 1898 as a result of the Mahdist War. After its capture by British troops in 1898, the Sudan became a Anglo-Egyptian condominium.

Spain captured present-day Western Sahara after 1874. In 1912, Italy captured Libya from the Ottomans. To promote the Roman Catholic religion in the desert, the Pope in 1868 appointed a delegate Apostolic of the Sahara and the Sudan; later in the 19th century his jurisdiction was reorganized into the Vicariate Apostolic of Sahara.

Modern times

Egypt became independent of Britain in 1936, although the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 allowed Britain to keep troops in Egypt and maintained the British-Egyptian condominium in the Sudan. British military forces were withdrawn in 1954.

Most of the Saharan states achieved independence after World War II: Libya in 1951, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia in 1956, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger in 1960, and Algeria in 1962. Spain withdrew from Western Sahara in 1975, and it was partitioned between Mauritania and Morocco. Mauritania withdrew in 1979, but Morocco continues to hold the territory.

In the modern era several mines and communities have developed to utilize the desert's natural resources. These include large deposits of oil and natural gas in Algeria and Libya and large deposits of phosphates in Morocco and Western Sahara.

A number of Trans-African highways have been proposed across the Sahara, including the Cairo-Dakar Highway along the Atlantic coast, the Trans-Sahara Highway from Algiers on the Mediterranean to Kano in Nigeria, the Tripoli-Cape Town Highway from Tripoli in Libya to Ndjamena in Chad, and the Cairo-Cape Town Highway which follows the Nile. Each of these highways is partially complete, with significant gaps and unpaved sections.

People and languages

Arabic is the most widely spoken language in the Sahara, from the Atlantic to the Red Sea. Berber people are found from western Egypt to Morocco, including the Tuareg pastoralists of the central Sahara. The Beja live in the Red Sea Hills of southeastern Egypt and eastern Sudan. The Arabic, Berber, and Beja languages are part of the Afro-Asiatic language family.

See also

List of deserts by area

Arid Lands Information Network

Sahara Conservation Fund

Saharan explorers

Green Sahara

Communities

Azaouad

Iler

Notes

References

Michael Brett and Elizabeth Frentess. ''The Berbers''. Blackwell Publishers, 1996.

Charles-Andre Julien. ''History of North Africa: From the Arab Conquest to 1830''. Praeger, 1970.

Abdallah Laroui. ''The History of the Maghrib: An Interpretive Essay''. Princeton, 1977.

Hugh Kennedy. ''Muslim Spain and Portugal: A Political History of al-Andalus''. Longman, 1996.

Richard W. Bulliet. ''The Camel and the Wheel''. Harvard University Press, 1975. Republished with a new preface Columbia University Press, 1990.

External links

hydrology and planned usage of the aquifers">About Sahara subsurface hydrology and planned usage of the aquifers

Tassili and Ahaggar National Parks

Category:Deserts Category:Palearctic Category:Deserts and xeric shrublands Category:Arabic words and phrases Category:Geography of the Arab League Category:Physiographic provinces Category:Geography of Africa

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name	Rani Mukerji
birth name	Rani Mukherjee
birth date	March 21, 1978
birth place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
years active	1997–present
occupation	Film actress
other names	Rani Mukherji Rani Mukerjee }}

Rani Mukerji (; born Rani Mukherjee on 21 March 1978) is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi movies.

Making her acting debut with ''Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat'' (1997), Mukerji had her first commercial success with Karan Johar's romance ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998), her biggest commercial success so far, and won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in the film. She later starred in several films, most of which fared below expectations, but in 2002 she re-invented her image with the critically acclaimed drama ''Saathiya'', for which she received numerous awards and nominations.

In 2004, her performances in the hit ''Hum Tum'' and the critically acclaimed ''Yuva'' earned her the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actress awards at the 50th Filmfare Awards, making her the first actress to win two major awards in the same year. She later received unanimous praise for her portrayal of a blind, deaf and mute woman in ''Black'' (2005), for which she garnered numerous major awards. Mukerji has since established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema.

Early life and background

Mukerji comes from a film-oriented family of Bengali origin. Her father Ram Mukherjee is a retired director and one of the founders of Filmalaya Studios while her mother Krishna was a playback singer. Her brother Raja Mukherjee is a film producer, now turned director. Her maternal aunt, Debashree Roy, is a national award-winning Bengali film actress and her cousin, Kajol, is a popular Bollywood actress and another cousin, Ayan Mukerji is the writer and director of ''Wake Up Sid''.

Mukerji is a trained Odissi dancer, and began learning the dance in the tenth grade. Mukerji studied at ''Maneckji Cooper High School'' in Juhu, and later enrolled at Mithibai College in Mumbai.

Acting career

Prior work and breakthrough, 1997-2002

After doing a short cameo appearance for the first time in her father's Bengali film ''Biyer Phool'' (1992), Mukerji made her acting debut five years later, as the protagonist of ''Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat'' (1997). Her performance as a rape victim in the film was well received, but the film failed to do well commercially. Nevertheless, she received a Special Jury recognition at the Star Screen Awards. However, when the film failed at the box office, she returned to college to complete her education.

Mukerji had a successful comeback in 1998 with ''Ghulam'', opposite Aamir Khan; the film did well at the box office. The song ''Aati Kya Khandala'' made Mukerji popular among the masses, earning her the nickname of ''Khandala Girl''. Karan Johar's directorial debut, ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'', co-starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, followed for her that year. The movie was a blockbuster, and she received her first Filmfare Award in the ''Best Supporting Actress'' category.

She followed her career by signing on several projects. Unfortunately, most of them did not do well at the box office. Although ''Badal'' was one of the highest grossing films of 2000, she still did not succeed to establish her status in the industry at that point of time. Among other films of that period, Kamal Haasan's ''Hey Ram'' was a critical success.

In 2001, Mukerji starred in Abbas Mustan's romantic drama ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', co-starring Salman Khan and Preity Zinta. The film was released after a one-year delay, and was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth. Mukerji's role was that of Priya Malhotra, a woman who is unable to conceive after a miscarriage, thus hires a surrogate mother. Rediff.com wrote, "Rani Mukherji is handicapped with a role that doesn't give her much scope besides weeping and sobbing. To her credit, she manages to hold her own even while playing a stereotypical sacrificing ''bhartiya nari''."

In 2002, Mukerji played the lead role in Kunal Kohli's romance ''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!'', co-starring alongside Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. Although the movie did not do well in India, it generated great business overseas, and marked her entry into India's biggest production house: Yash Raj Films. Later that year, Mukerji starred in Shaad Ali's critically acclaimed ''Saathiya'' opposite Vivek Oberoi. Essaying the role of Suhani Sharma, a medical student who deals with the tensions and discontent of being married at a young age, she won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, and among several other nominations, received her first Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare. Manish Gajjar from ''BBC'' noted, "...Rani Mukerjee...plays the character of a middle class girl with great conviction."

Success, 2003-06

Mukerji's first 2003 release was Aziz Mirza's drama ''Chalte Chalte'' opposite Shahrukh Khan. The film saw her play a similar role to that of ''Saathiya'', and she received her second nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award. Among another three releases that year, Mukerji starred in ''Chori Chori'', where she portrayed her first comic role. Although the film did not do well at the box office, Mukerji's comic timing was praised.

In 2004, her performance as a Bengali housewife in Mani Ratnam's ''Yuva'' won Mukerji her second Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Though the film failed to do well, her performance was critically acclaimed with one critic writing, "the role demanded an actress of substance and Rani more than lives up to the expectations". She followed through by playing the leading role in the romantic comedy ''Hum Tum'', which became one of the biggest hits of the year. The film, based on the 1989 film ''When Harry Met Sally...'', was directed by Kunal Kohli. Mukerji's portrayal of Rhea Sharma, a woman of today's generation, won her several awards, including her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. ''BBC''wrote about her performance," Rani is fast becoming one of the more dependable and versatile actresses of her generation."

Her last release of the year was Yash Chopra's love saga ''Veer-Zaara'', co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The film, which emerged as the top grossing movie of the year in India and abroad, tells the love story of an Indian officer, Veer Pratap Singh, played by Khan, and a Pakistani woman, Zaara, played by Zinta. Mukerji played the supporting role of Saamiya Siddiqui, a Pakistani lawyer who takes it upon herself to find the truth about Veer Pratap Singh.

In 2005, Mukerji starred in four high-profile films: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ''Black'', Shaad Ali's ''Bunty Aur Babli'', Amol Palekar's ''Paheli'' and Ketan Mehta's ''The Rising''. She was primarily noted for her performance in ''Black''. When Bhansali first came to Mukerji with the offer, she turned it down and stated that she was not confident enough to play a deaf-blind girl. Once the director put faith in her, she agreed to do it and intensely studied sign language with professionals at the ''Helen Keller Institute'' in Mumbai. Mukerji received much critical acclaim for her performance and collected numerous trophies in the category of ''Best Actress'' at various award ceremonies. ''IndiaFM'' noted, "There's no denying that Rani delivers her best performance to date. With no dialogues in her lap, the actress conveys through expressions solely and what a terrific impact she makes. Here's a performance that should act as a reference guide for all aspiring actors". Her next release, ''Bunty Aur Babli'', surfaced as one of the biggest hits of the year. The film, though successful at the box office, opened to mixed reviews, and so did Mukerji's performance, with one critic writing, "Rani has done a great job most of the time, though she does tend to go a little over the top in the crying scenes. Nevertheless, Mukerji received ''Best Actress'' nominations from the IIFA Awards and Filmfare Awards.

Mukerji was offered the lead role in Mira Nair's Hollywood film, ''The Namesake'' (2007) but owing to clashing dates with ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', she could not commit to the project. Her first release in 2006 was Karan Johar's drama ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', which consisted of a multi-starrer that included Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Kirron Kher. The film opened to mixed reviews but emerged as the most successful movie ever overseas. The film tells the story of two unhappily married couples in New York, which results in an extramarital affair. Mukerji played the role of Maya Talwar, a woman layered with self-doubt and question about the relationship between her and her husband, played by Abhishek Bachchan; her performance was well received. Rajeev Masand from ''CNN-IBN'' concluded, "Rani looks a million bucks and she dives under the skin of her character to make that part one that we will remember for a long time." She received several nominations for ''Best Actress'', and won her third IIFA Best Actress Award for the third consecutive year. Mukerji's next release was B.R. Chopra's ''Baabul''. The movie did not do well at the box office in India, though proved to be a hit overseas. Her role as a widow met with mixed reviews.

Recent work, 2007-present

Mukerji's first 2007 release, ''Ta Ra Rum Pum'', where she played a pianist turned housewife and a mother for the first time on celluloid, was a semi hit. Her performance was generally well received, with one critic noting, "Rani enacts the role of the mother/wife proficiently." Her last two releases of the year, Pradeep Sarkar's drama ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag'' where she played the role of a woman who is forced to take up prostitution due to family problems and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ''Saawariya'' where she again essayed the role of a prostitute, were critical and commercial failures in India.

Mukerji's role in Kunal Kohli's ''Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic'', which released on 27 June 2008, received positive reviews from critics; however, the film failed to do well at the box office. Her following release, ''Dil Bole Hadippa'' (2009) was selected to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. The project under-performed at the box office and Mukerji's portrayal of a feisty Punjabi village girl who dreams of playing first class cricket was generally well-received by critics. She next starred in UTV Motion Pictures' ''No One Killed Jessica'' (2011), a film based on the Jessica Lal murder case. Upon release, Mukerji's acting received mixed reviews. Anupama Chopra of ''NDTV'' wrote, "For me, the fatal, false note in ''No One Killed Jessica'' is Meera, the fictionalised tough-talking reporter played by Rani Mukherjee. The character is written superficially and Rani’s portrayal of her is equally banal. It’s all about externals. She argues a lot and proudly labels herself a bitch but her hair stays perfectly in place and in the end, she even gets to do a super-hero-like slow motion walk."

Personal life

Mukerji changed the English transliteration of her surname from Mukherjee to Mukerji several years ago. At the time, it was reported that she did this for numerological reasons. In 2006, Mukerji stated that numerology was not a concern; her name had been put down as Mukerji on her passport, and she wanted to be consistent.

Mukerji has three homes in Mumbai, including her childhood home. She bought a bungalow in Juhu for herself and her parents in mid-2005. The house went through a two year renovation with the interiors done by Twinkle Khanna and Sussanne Roshan.

Controversies

In June 2005, Mukerji was widely criticized following the publication of an interview with British newspaper ''Desi Xpress''. Mukerji was asked to name her idol and she replied, "Adolf Hitler". However, in an interview with ''Times Now'' a year later, she denied ever mentioning Hitler's name.

In November 2006, Mukerji was shooting for the film ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag'' in Varanasi when avid fans crowded the set. Security personnel beat the crowd back. A media storm followed as various groups insisted that Mukerji should have stopped the security guards. Mukerji later issued an apology.

Other work

In March 2004, Mukerji visited the sandy dunes of Rajasthan to boost the morale of the jawans. It was for a show where entertainers and stars visit Indian troops in far-flung regions to encourage them along with the NDTV team.

In February 2005, Mukerji performed at the ''HELP! Telethon Concert'' to help raise money for the victims of Tsunami in company with other Bollywood stars.

She was highly involved in the ''Temptations 2005'' show in New Delhi. The actress helped to raise funds for the National Centre For Promotional of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), a leading disabled rights' group.

Mukerji donated her prize money, her half-share of 50 lakh rupees from her 2007 appearance on ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' with Preity Zinta, to the Holy Family Hospital. She said that this institution looks after children with heart problems.

Mukerji is a stage performer and has participated in two world tours. Her first world tour was in the year 1999 with Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna and Twinkle Khanna. It was called the ''Magnificent Five''. Five years later, ''Temptations 2004'' came along. It was the most successful Bollywood concert in its time. Mukerji performed alongside Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra in nineteen stage shows across the globe.

In 2005, Mukerji was a guest of honour at a state dinner to greet General Pervez Musharraf in company of the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh. Mukerji was the only Bollywood actress on the elite guest list.

She appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, as part of a performance showcasing Indian culture, on behalf of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In the media

Rani Mukerji occupied the top slot of Filmfare's 'Top Ten Bollywood Actresses' list for two years in a row (2004–2005). She was also placed number one on Rediff's 'Top Bollywood Female Stars' Rankings for three consecutive years (2004–2006), while in 2007, she was ranked at number five. In February 2006, ''Filmfare Magazine'' placed her eighth amongst the "Ten Most Powerful Names of Bollywood", an achievement she repeated from the previous year, where she was ranked at number ten, the only woman on the list. In 2007, she was ranked at number five. On Women's International Day 2007, Mukerji came in fourth position on the ''All-Time Best Bollywood Actresses Ever'' listing.

She was placed at number #36 by UK magazine ''Eastern Eye'' as one of "Asia's Sexiest Women" (Sept/2006). Mukerji is frequently featured in various lists by Rediff.com, among them, ''Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses'', ''Bollywood's Best Dressed Women'' and ''Women of Many Faces''.

Mukerji has made four appearances in Karan Johar's talk show ''Koffee with Karan''. She appeared with Kareena Kapoor, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, Madhuri Dixit as a surprise guest and with Vidya Balan promoting their film ''No One Killed Jessica'' (2011) Rani made her entry in to the small screen with the dance reality show ''Dance Premier League'' in 2009.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Other notes |- | 1997 || ''Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat'' || Mala || |- | 1998 || ''Ghulam'' || Alisha || |- | 1998 || ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' || Tina Malhotra || Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 1998 || ''Mehndi'' || Pooja || |- | 1999 || ''Mann'' || || Special appearance in the song ''Kaali Naagin Ke'' |- | 1999 || ''Hello Brother'' || Rani || |- | 2000 || ''Badal'' || Rani || |- | 2000 || ''Hey Ram'' || Aparna Ram || |- | 2000 || ''Hadh Kar Di Aapne'' || Anjali Khanna || |- | 2000 || ''Bichhoo'' || Kiran Bali || |- | 2000 || ''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega'' || Pooja Oberoi || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2000 || ''Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye'' || Priya Sharma || |- | 2001 || ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'' || Priya Malhotra || |- | 2001 || ''Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai'' || Pooja Shrivastav || |- | 2001 || ''Nayak: The Real Hero'' || Manjari || |- | 2001 || ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' || Naina Kapoor/Cameo || |- | 2002 || ''Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai'' || Payal Khuranna || |- | 2002 || ''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!'' || Pooja Sahani || |- | 2002 || ''Saathiya'' || Dr. Suhani Sharma/Sehgal || Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2002 || ''Chalo Ishq Ladaaye'' || Sapna || |- | 2003 || ''Chalte Chalte'' || Priya Chopra || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2003 || ''Chori Chori'' || Khushi Malhotra || |- | 2003 || ''Calcutta Mail'' || Reema/Bulbul || |- | 2003 || ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' || || Special appearance in the song ''Mahi Ve'' |- | 2003 || ''LOC Kargil'' || Hema || |- | 2004 || ''Yuva'' || Sashi Biswas || Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2004 || ''Hum Tum'' || Rhea Prakash || Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2004 || ''Veer-Zaara'' || Saamiya Siddiqui || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2005 || ''Black'' || Michelle McNally || Filmfare Award for Best Actress Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance |- | 2005 || ''Bunty Aur Babli'' || Vimmi Saluja (Babli) || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2005 || ''Paheli'' || Lachchi Bhanwarlal || |- | 2005 || ''Mangal Pandey: The Rising'' || Heera || |- | 2006 || ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' || Maya Talwar || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2006 || ''Baabul'' || Malvika "Milli" Talwar/Kapoor || |- | 2007 || ''Ta Ra Rum Pum'' || Radhika Shekar Rai Banerjee (Shona) || |- | 2007 || ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag'' || Vibhavari Sahay (Badki)/ Natasha || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2007 || ''Saawariya'' || Gulabji || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2007 || ''Om Shanti Om'' || Herself || Special appearance in the song ''Deewangi Deewangi'' |- | 2008 || ''Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic'' || Geeta || |- | 2008 || ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' || Herself || Special appearance in the song ''Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte'' |- | 2009 || ''Luck by Chance'' || Herself || |- | 2009 || ''Dil Bole Hadippa!'' || Veera Kaur/Veer Pratap Singh || |- | 2011 || ''No One Killed Jessica'' || Meera Gaity || |- | 2012 || ''Reema Kagti's Untitled Project'' || || Filming |- | 2012 || ''Koochie Koochie Hota Hain'' || Tina || Post-production |}

See also

List of Indian film actresses

List of Bengali actresses

References

External links

Category:1978 births Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Bengali actors Category:Bengali people Category:Living people Category:People from Kolkata Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Indian Hindus Category:Hindi film actors Category:Mithibai College alumni

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Shafqat Amanat Ali (Urdu: شفقت امانت علی) is a Pakistani classical singer belonging to Patiala Gharana lineage. He is the youngest brother of the late Asad Amanat Ali Khan. He was the lead vocalist of the Pakistani rock band Fuzön. He was awarded the President's Pride of Performance civil award on August 14, 2007.

Early life and background

Shafqat Amanat Ali was born in Lahore to Ustad Amanat Ali Khan, on 26th february 1965 making him the seventh generation of Patiala Gharana. He received his bachelor's degree from Government College University, Lahore (now known as GC University). He received the role of honor from the Music Society of Government College University, Lahore, which is led by Tariq Farani son of UM Saleem Shah.

He started learning classical music at age four, his grandmother being his first teacher. His main influences in music come from his father and his uncle Bade Fateh Ali Khan.

Career

''Aankhon Ke Saagar'', ''Khamaj'' and ''Ankhiyan'' are some of his most popular works. He sang the song "Phir Wohi Raastey" and "Allah megh de" for a Pakistani film named ''Ramchand Pakistani''.

Shafqat was introduced to bollywood by Shankar Mahadevan.One morning while driving to his studio,he heard Shafqat's hit song aankhon ke sagar on FM. He immediately called the radio jockey who was his friend and got shafqat's contact number. Shafqat sang "Mitwa" composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy for the movie ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''. The song was listed in the top charts in India, helping propel Shafqat into stardom. He was the voice behind the critically acclaimed song ''Yeh Honsla'' [sic] in the Bollywood film Dor. He also sang background for the films ''Hello'', ''Mumbai Cuttings'' , ''Aashayen'',Red Swastik. His songs - 'Mora Saiyan' and 'Tere Bina' are also featured in Nagesh Kukunoor's Hyderabad Blues 2. Fuzon was the first band to release their debut album Saagar concurrently in both Pakistan and India

After leaving the band Fuzon in 2006, Shafqat is concentrating on his solo career. Based on Folk and sufi works the album Tabeer was commissioned and released by Music Today the world over in mid September 2008. However, the rating of this album remained average.

The album was released by Fire records in Pakistan in September 2008 as their Mega Eid release. The entire album has been recorded, mixed and mastered in Pakistan by Shani (Zeeshan) at "Couple of good studios". All songs except ''Naina'' and ''Tu hi tu hai'' have been composed by Shafqat.

The first video of the premier song of the album, "Kairheyan De Naal", is was aired on all channels in India and Pakistan. He has fondly been nick-named the Rock star Ustad by Saleem Merchant of the Saleem- Suleman duo. Recently, Shafqat sang a song "Tere Naina" for the Bollywood film ''My Name Is Khan''. The song has been composed by the trio Shankar-Ehsaan Loy and written by Naranjan Iyengar. His most recent song is ''Bin Tere'' from the movie ''I Hate Luv Storys'' Composed and Written by Vishal and Shekhar. Shafqat Amanat Ali has also sung the song Shukriya Zindagi from film Aashayein starring John Abraham.He also lent his voice for song Tum mile(rock version) in movie Tum mile starring Emran Hashmi and Soha Ali Khan.

He released his second solo album called Kyun Dooriyan in 2010. It also included a couple of songs namely Kaga Ja and Naal Naal which he had written during his time with Fuzon.

His vocals in the song ''Bin Tere'' from the movie I Hate Luv Storys fetched him a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer for the year 2011. His album"Kyun Dooriyan" was nominated for best album in "Indipop" category in "Mirchi Music award" 2011. He has also lent his voice for the 2011 song "Kyun Mein Jagoon" in Askhay Kumar starrer film Patiala House. He also sung the song pakhija in the sufi rock album "Arrk". He along with shruti pathak recorded the first song for Coke Studio @MTV(an indian version of the famous coke studio).Recently he sung the song "Jaane Kyon(sufi version)" for the movie "Always Kabhi Kabhi".

References

The influence of his father and his musical family is quite evident in the selection of poetry that he uses to put across his message.

External links

Shafqat Amanat Ali's artist profil on Danka

Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan's Album Tabeer

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Pakistani musicians Category:Pakistani Muslims Category:Pakistani Shi'a Muslims Category:Pakistani singers Category:Punjabi people Category:Coke Studio artists

name	Dia Mirza
birthname	Dia Handrich
birth date	December 09, 1981
othername	Diya Mirza Diya Dee
occupation	Actress, model, Film Producer
yearsactive	2001-present
parents	Frank Handrich Deepa Mirza
spouse	Pushpendra Chaudhary
birth place	Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India
residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
website	}}

Dia Mirza Handrich (,}}) nicknamed ''Dee'' and more popularly known as Dia Mirza, (born on December 9, 1981) is a Indian model and actress who appears in Bollywood films. She was a second runner up at Femina Miss India, 2000 and was subsequently sent to Miss Asia Pacific, 2000, where she won. She completed the hat-trick of India winning international pageants in the year 2000 (Lara Dutta won the Miss Universe title and Priyanka Chopra won the Miss World title in the same year) when she won the Miss Asia Pacific title on 3 December 2000 in Manila, Philippines, also making her the first Indian contestant to win this title in 29 years. The actress along with her boyfriend Sahil Sangha and good friend Zayed Khan has started her own production house, Born Free Entertainment, and is making the first film Love Breakups Zindagi under the banner.

Personal life and education

Dia Mirza was born in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. Her father, Frank Handrich, was a German graphic and industrial fair designer, architect, artist and interior designer from Munich and her mother, Deepa is a Bengali Indian who is an interior designer, landscaper and currently does social work as a volunteer to help alcoholics and addicts. They separated when she was six years old. Her father died when she was nine and her mother remarried Ahmed Mirza, who died in 2004. She adopted her stepfather's surname Mirza and has recently adopted the last name of her birth-father and became Dia Mirza Handrich. When living in Khairatabad, Hyderabad district, she attended Vidyaranya High School for Boys And Girls, a school based on the teachings of Jiddu Krishnamurti, and later Nasr School, in Khairtabad. She attended Stanley Junior College and completed her graduation in Bachelors of Arts from Andhra Pradesh Open University, Hyderabad.

Career

Mirza started working at the age of 16 years while continuing her college education. She worked as a marketing executive in a multi-media firm called Dr. Neeraj’s Multi media studio. She simultaneously modeled for the print and television advertisement campaigns of various brands such as Walls, Lipton, Emami etc. Mirza wanted to complete her graduation in Arts by correspondence, but decided to postpone it as it was becoming difficult to juggle between the Miss Asia Pacific competition, modeling assignments, traveling and training. She is proficient in Telugu, Bengali, Hindi, Urdu, and English.

Film career

Mirza made her cinematic debut with ''Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein'' opposite R. Madhavan. Though, the film was not a box office success, but she received a nomination for 'Best Female Debut' at the Zee Cine Awards.

In 2005, Mirza appeared in ''Parineeta'', a Vidhu Vinod Chopra production. She also starred in the music video, ''Kajara Mohabbat Wala'' alongside Sonu Nigam from his album ''Kajara Nite''. The album contained multiple remixes, but was mainly advertised with the title song, sung by Sonu Nigam and Alisha Chinai.

She also appeared in the films ''Dus'' and ''Fight Club''. She was the only female actor among the six key characters in the film, ''Acid Factory'' in which she played a femme fatale who is also a gangster.

Community Services

Mirza has been involved with Cancer Patients Aid Association, Spastics Society of India, and has worked extensively with government of Andhra Pradesh to spread HIV awareness, prevention of female foeticide, PETA, CRY and most recently the NDTV Greenathon – an effort to find tangible solutions against pollution and book, ''"Deke Dheko"'' by Radio Mirchi (a campaign initiated to collect books for underprivileged children). Her other hobbies include writing, reading, painting, pottery, horse riding and theater. She has written several articles for The Hindustan Times and various other publications as a guest writer. She is on the board of the Coca Cola foundation that works towards development in rural India. She recently adopted 2 cheetah cubs at the Prince of Wales zoological park in Lucknow.

Controversies

Mirza and fellow-actor Aamir Khan publicly expressed support for the Narmada Bachao Andolan, a group protesting the building of a dam. This aroused the ire of political activists from the Bharatiya Janata Party, who led a protest march against the actress.

Filmography

|| || Filming |- | ''Alibaug'' || || Filming |}

References

External links

Dia Mirza Unofficial Fan Site

Category:1981 births Category:Bengali actors Category:Bengali people Category:Femina Miss India winners Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian female models Category:Indian people of German descent Category:Living people Category:New York University alumni Category:People from Hyderabad, India Category:People from Mumbai Category:Indian film producers Category:Indian Hindus

bn:দিয়া মির্জা de:Diya Mirza es:Dia Mirza fr:Diya Mirza gv:Dia Mirza hi:दिया मिर्ज़ा it:Diya Mirza jv:Dia Mirza ml:ദിയ മിർസ mr:दिया मिर्झा ja:ディア・ミルザ pa:ਦੀਆ ਮਿਰਜ਼ਾ pl:Dia Mirza ru:Диа Мирза fi:Dia Mirza sv:Dia Mirza ta:தியா மிர்சா zh-yue:黛勿莎