Chennai and Notting Hill (film): Difference between pages

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{{Infobox Film
{{Chennai_infobox}}
| name = Notting Hill
'''Chennai''' <!-- The following text is in Standard Unicode. If it renders incorrectly on your computer, you may need to upgrade your browser and/or OS -->(''&#2970;&#3014;&#2985;&#3021;&#2985;&#3016;'' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]), formerly known as '''Madras''', is a [[city]] on the [[east]] [[coast]] of [[South India|Southern India]]. Situated on the shores of the [[Bay of Bengal]], this [[capital]] of the state of [[Tamil Nadu]] is India's fourth largest metropolitan city and one of the [[List of metropolitan areas by population|35 largest]] [[metropolitan area]]s in the world, with a metropolitan population of about 7.45 million in [[2005]] <sup>[http://www.citypopulation.de/World.html]</sup>. Its name was officially changed to Chennai in [[1996]], but the older name [[Madras]] is still widely used. The city is a large commercial and industrial centre in India, and is known for its cultural heritage.
| image = NottingHillRobertsGrant.jpg
__TOC__
| caption = The film's poster.
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| producer = [[Duncan Kenworthy]]
| director = [[Roger Michell]]
| writer = [[Richard Curtis]]
| starring = [[Julia Roberts]]<br>[[Hugh Grant]]<br>[[Rhys Ifans]]<br>[[Emma Chambers]]<br>[[Tim McInnerny]]<br>[[Gina McKee]]<br>[[Hugh Bonneville]]
| music = [[Trevor Jones (composer)|Trevor Jones]]
| cinematography = Michael Coulter
| editing = Nick Moore
| distributor = [[Music Corporation of America|MCA]]-[[Universal Studios|Universal]]<br />[[PolyGram Filmed Entertainment]]
| released = {{flagicon|UK}} [[May 21]], [[1999]]</br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[May 28]], [[1999]]
| runtime = 124 min.
| budget = $42 million
| gross = $116 million
| language = [[English language|English]]
| website = http://www.notting-hill.com/
| imdb_id = 0125439
| amg_id = 1:179536
}}
'''''Notting Hill''''' is a [[1999 in film|1999]] [[romantic comedy film]] set in the [[Notting Hill]] district of [[London]], [[England]], [[United Kingdom|United Kingdom]], that was released on [[May 21]] [[1999]]. The [[screenplay]] was written by [[Richard Curtis]] who had previously written ''[[Four Weddings and a Funeral]]''. It was produced by [[Duncan Kenworthy]], and directed by [[Roger Michell]]. The film stars [[Julia Roberts]], [[Hugh Grant]], [[Rhys Ifans]], [[Emma Chambers]], [[Tim McInnerny]], [[Gina McKee]] and [[Hugh Bonneville]].
 
Bookshop owner William Thacker's world begins to turn upside down after the world's most famous actress, Anna Scott, visits his store. Later, Will knocks his orange juice into Anna as she passes him in the street. After she gets changed at his house, Anna surprises Will with a kiss. The pair then begin a relationship, but encounter numerous problems on the way.
==Geography==
[[Image:Chennai.satmap.annotated.jpg|thumb|250px|Chennai is situated on a flat [[coastal plain]], as can be seen in this [[Landsat 7]] map.]]
Chennai is located at {{coor d|13.04|N|80.17|E|}}, on the [[Coromandel Coast]] in South India, at the north-eastern tip of Tamil Nadu state. It has a long shoreline with the [[Bay of Bengal]] on the east, the ___location of the 13 [[kilometer|km]]-long [[Marina Beach]], and a large artificial harbour servicing sea-lines to [[Southeast Asia]] and the [[Pacific Ocean]].
 
The film was well received by critics, and charted well at the box office, becoming the highest grossing British film yet released. The film won a [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]], and both won and was nominated for several others.
The land on which Chennai is built is flat [[coastal plain]]. The average elevation is 6 [[meter]]s above sea-level. Two rivers pass through Chennai, the [[Cooum]] (or ''Koovam'') in the central part and the [[Adyar]] River in the southern part. Both rivers are placid, and meander slowly on their way east to the Bay of Bengal. The [[estuary]] of the Adyar River, whose [[ecology]] is protected, is the natural habitat of several species of birds and animals. Two small waterways exist in addition to the rivers. The [[Buckingham Canal]] runs parallel to the coast, about 3-5 [[kilometer|km]] inland. It connects the two rivers to each other and extends farther in both directions, up to [[Guntur]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]] in the north and just beyond [[Sadras]] in the south. The ''Otteri Nullah'' is an east-west stream that runs through north Chennai and meets the Buckingham Canal at [[Basin Bridge]]. Rowing takes place to some extent on the Adyar River, but there is no boat traffic on the other waterways. The Canal has not been navigable within city limits since about [[1975]] due to extensive silting, which is also a problem with the two rivers. The Adyar and the southern stretch of the canal were fully desilted in [[2004]]. The Cooum has not been desilted due to its narrowness and several illegal hutments along its banks.
 
==Plot==
Several lakes of varying size are located on the western fringes of the city. [[Red Hills]] and [[Sholavaram]] lakes in the north-west supply most of the city's [[water supply|water]]. [[Chembarambakkam]] Lake (the source of the Adyar River) located 40 [[kilometer|km]] west of the city, is another water source.
[[Image:Notting_Hill.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Will and Anna together on a date.]]
William Thacker is the owner of an [[independent bookstore]] which specializes in [[travel writing]] in [[Notting Hill, London, England|Notting Hill]]. Witty, cultivated and handsome, he has not been coping well with his divorce and is currently sharing his house with an eccentric [[Wales|Welsh]] wannabe artist named Spike. One day, Thacker encounters world famous [[Hollywood]] actress Anna Scott during her trip to London, when she enters his shop to purchase a book. Shortly thereafter, the pair accidentally collide in the street, causing William to spill his orange juice on the both of them. He offers his house, which is just across the road, as a place for Anna to get changed. She accepts and they repair to his abode. Having got changed, Anna surprises Will with a kiss. She makes sure that Will does not tell anyone about it, and leaves.
 
Days later, Will asks Spike if he has any messages. Spike has trouble writing down, or remembering any messages left for Will, but does recall "Some American girl called Anna" calling a few days previous. Anna is staying at the Ritz, under a pseudonym, and asks Will to come and visit her. When he arrives, Anna's room has become the centre for a press day and as a result, Will is mistaken for a member of the press. He has to interview every single cast member of Anna's new film ''Helix'', even though he has not seen the film himself. Will does get to talk to Anna, and invites her to his sister Honey's birthday party.
[[Climate|Climatically]], Chennai lies on the [[thermal equator]], which makes it hot and humid most of the year. The highest temperatures are attained in late [[May]] and early [[June]], usually about 38° [[Celsius|C]] (100.4° [[Fahrenheit|F]]), though it usually exceeds 40° C (104° F) for a few days most years. The coldest time of the year is early [[January]] when temperatures are about 24° C (75.2° F), though temperatures below 18° C (64.4° F) have been recorded. The average annual [[rainfall]] is about [[1 E0 m|1300 mm]] (47.2 [[inch]]es). The city gets most of its [[season]]al rainfall from the north-east [[monsoon]] winds, from late [[September]] to mid [[November]]. [[Cyclone]]s in the Bay of Bengal also contribute significantly, exceeding the regular monsoon rainfall in some years.
 
There, at Max and Bella's house, Anna feels at home with Will's circle of friends, putting up a good case for the "last brownie". The pair go on several dates, to the cinema and to a restaurant. Anna invites Will back to her hotel room, only to find that her American boyfriend, although Anna asserts that they have broken up, but Will has to leave anyway. Some time later, Anna arrives on Will's doorstep, hoping for a place to stay. Some degrading images of her have been leaked to the press and she needs to hide out. The pair bound once again, with Will helping Anna learn lines for her new film. That night, the pair sleep together for the first time. In the morning, Will is stunned to see a throng of reporters at their doorstep, it seems that careless talk by Spike down at the pub the previous night had alerted the media to Anna's whereabouts. She leaves in a hurry, and William decides once and for all to forget her.
Extreme temperatures: 15.8° C & 44.1° C [http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1111]
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Later, Anna returns to England to make another film. She invites Will to the set of the film, he listens to the sound recording whilst Anna is busy filming. He overhears her telling her co-star that Will is "just some guy", and leaves. The next day, Anna comes to the bookshop once again, hoping to resume their love affair, but William turns her down. Will consults his friends on his decision, leading him to realize that he has just made the biggest mistake of his life. He and his friends search for Anna, racing across London in Max's car. They reach Anna's press conference before she leaves for the [[United States]], and Will successfully persuades her to stay in England with him. Anna and Will get married, with the film concluding with a shot of Will and a pregnant Anna sitting on a park bench in Notting Hill.
===City Layout===
The urban area of Chennai is divided into Chennai City and the Chennai Metropolitan area which encompasses Chennai City and the surrounding areas of [[Kanchipuram]] and [[Thiruvallur]] districts. Chennai city covers and area of 174 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]]. The metropolitan area covers 1,177 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]]. The metropolitan area is expanding very rapidly. Chennai city can be divided into four major parts namely North Chennai, Central Chennai, South Chennai and West Chennai. The major parts are subdivided into various localities.
A bulk of the heavy industries is located in North Chennai and its suburbs. Central Chennai is the commercial heart of the city. South Chennai previously a dominated by predominantly residential localities is also turning commercial with most of the [[new economy]] companies located here. West Chennai comprises of large residential areas as well as small industry clusters. The metropolitan region of Chennai covers numerous suburbs located in the two districts surrounding the city. The suburban areas that are most rapidly expanding are located mostly in the South, South West and the West of the city. Expansion in the Northern suburbs has reached a plateau. Most of the [[Information Technology]] companies are located in the Southern suburbs. The South Western, Western and Northern suburbs are industrial areas. The satellite towns surrounding Chennai include the famous tourist spot [[Mahabalipuram]] to the south, [[Chengalpet]] to the south west, [[Kanchipuram]], [[Sriperumbudur]] and [[Arakkonam]] to the west.
 
==Cast and characters==
==History==
*'''[[Julia Roberts]]''' as '''Anna Scott''': A world famous film star. She meets Will whilst filming in Notting Hill, when she comes into his book shop.
{{main|History of Chennai}}
*'''[[Hugh Grant]]''' as '''William Thacker''': Owner of a travel book shop in Notting Hill, who has recently divorced his wife. He meets Anna Scott when she comes in looking for a book.
*'''[[Rhys Ifans]]''' as '''Spike''': Will's strange Welsh flatmate, who dreams of being an artist. He is described by Will as "the stupidest person in the world".
*'''[[Emma Chambers]]''' as '''Honey Thacker''': Will's ditzy younger sister, she is a huge fan of Anna Scott.
*'''[[Tim McInnerny]]''' as '''Max''': Will's best friend, who Will often stays with. He and Bella host Honey's birthday party.
*'''[[Gina McKee]]''' as '''Bella''': Max's wheelchair bound wife.
*'''[[Hugh Bonneville]]''' as '''Bernie''': A failing stockbroker and a friend of Will. He fails to realise who Anna Scott is upon first meeting her.
*'''[[James Dreyfus]]''' as '''Martin''': Harry's assistant at his bookshop.
*'''Richard McCabe''' as '''Tony''': A failing restaurateur, whose restaurant the group often attend.
*'''[[Dylan Moran]]''' as '''Rufus''': A thief who attempts to steal from Will's bookshop. Despite being caught on the CCTV he professes his innocence, and conceals the stolen book in his underpants.
 
[[Alec Baldwin]] makes an uncredited appearance as Anna's American boyfriend.<ref name=variety>{{cite web|url=http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117907270.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-19|date=[[1999-04-30]]|author=Elley, Derek|publisher=Variety}}</ref> [[Sanjeev Bhaskar]] has a cameo role as one of the loud and offensive men in the restaurant Anna and Will attend.<ref name=bfi>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/features/ultimatefilm/chart/details.php?ranking=95&cc=on|title=95: NOTTING HILL|accessdate=2007-05-19|publisher=British Film Institute}}</ref> A young [[Mischa Barton]] makes a brief appearance as the [[child actor]] whom William interviews for ''Horse & Hound'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/you/article.html?in_article_id=449705&in_page_id=1908|title=Mischa Barton: Little Miss Sunshine|accessdate=2007-05-19|date=[[2007-05-12]]|author=Gordon, Jane|publisher=The Mail on Sunday}}</ref>
[[Image:Chennai.kapaleeswar2.jpg|thumb|The [[Kapaleeshwarar temple]] in [[Mylapore]] was built by the [[Pallava]] kings in the [[7th century]]]]
The region currently occupied by Chennai has served as an important administrative,military, and economic center from as far back as the [[1st century]]. The [[apostle]] [[Thomas (apostle)|St. Thomas]] is believed to have preached there between the years [[52]] and [[70]]. The region was ruled by several [[South India]]n [[kingdom]]s, most notably the [[Pallava]]s, the [[Chola]]s, the [[Pandya]]s and finally the [[Vijaynagar]] empire.
 
==Production==
[[Europe]]an settlers arrived in [[16th century]], and the region got its initial character as a city when merchants of the [[British East India Company]] selected a fishing hamlet called Madraspatnam as a site for settlement in [[1639]]. Some believe that the British favoured the name "Madraspatnam" while the locals called it "Chennaipatnam", but this hypothesis is disputed. The [[England|British]] strengthened their position in the region in several steps until the end of the [[18th century]], following which Madras became an important English [[navy|naval base]] and the administrative centre of the growing British dominions in southern India. When the British eventually gained control over most of southern India, they integrated the region into the [[Madras Presidency]] and Madras became its capital. During the [[First World War]], Madras was bombarded by Emden, a German ship. It remained the only Indian city that was attacked during the Great War. After [[Indian independence|independence]] in [[1947]], the city became the capital of [[Madras State]], renamed Tamil Nadu in [[1956]].
===Development===
Richard Curtis spoke at length as to how he originally came up the idea for the film.
{{cquotetxt|When I was lying sleepless at nights I would sometimes wonder what it would be like if I just turned up at my friends' house, where I used to have dinner once a week, with the most famous person at that time, be it [[Madonna]] or whomever. It all sprang from there. How would my friends react? Who would try and be cool? How would you get through dinner? What would they say to you afterwards? That was the starting point, the idea of a very normal person going out with an unbelievably famous person and how that impinges on their lives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=Behind-the-Scenes|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref>}}
 
''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' director [[Mike Newell (director)|Mike Newell]] was approached for the film, but rejected it to work on ''[[Pushing Tin]]'' instead. He did later admit that in commercial terms he had made the wrong decision, but did not regret it.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://efilmcritic.com/feature.php?feature=78|title=The man who told Notting Hill to 'sod off'|accessdate=2007-05-21|author=Chris Parry|publisher=eFilm Critic}}</ref> The film's producer Duncan Kenworthy then turned to Roger Michell, stating that "Finding someone as good as Roger, was just like finding the right actor to play each role. Roger shone out."<ref name=production>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=About the Production|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref>
In [[1996]], the state government renamed the city from "Madras" to "Chennai". According to most accounts, this was in accordance with the names "Madraspatnam" and "Chennaipatnam", but this hypothesis is disputed.
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==Government=Casting===
Julia Roberts was the production team's "one and only" choice for the role of Anna, although Michell and Kentworthy did not expect her to accept the part. She did however take the role, with her agent citing it as "the best romantic comedy she had ever read".<ref name=production/> Roberts herself commented that after reading the script she decided she was "going to have to do this".<ref name=dreamteam>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=A Romantic Comedy Dream Team|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref> The decision to cast Hugh Grant as Will was unanimous, as together Grant and Curtis had a "writer/actor marriage made in heaven". Michell stated that "Hugh does Richard better than anyone else, and Richard writes Hugh better than anyone else", and that Grant is "one of the only actors who can speak Richard's lines perfectly".<ref name=production/> The casting of Hugh Bonneville, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee, Emma Chambers and Rhys Ifans as Will's group of friends was "rather like assembling a family". Michell explained that "When you are casting a cabal of friends, you have to cast a balance of qualities, of types and of sensibilities. They were the jigsaw that had to be put together all in one go, and I think we've got a very good variety of people who can realistically still live in the same world."<ref name=production/>
[[Image:Chennai_corp.jpg|thumb|Ripon Building, which houses the [[Chennai Corporation]], was completed in [[1913]]. It is named after former [[viceroy]] [[Lord Ripon]].]]
The [[executive]] and [[legislative]] wings of the government of Tamil Nadu are housed in the [[Secretariat]] Buildings, part of the [[Fort St George]] campus. The Chennai [[High Court]] is the highest [[judicial]] authority in the state.
 
===Filming===
Chennai has three [[Parliament]]ary [[constituency|constituencies]] - Chennai North, Chennai Central and Chennai South. The current [[Member of Parliament|MP]]s are [[C Kuppusami]], [[Dayanidhi Maran]] (Minister of Communications and Information Technology) and [[TR Baalu]] (Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways) respectively.
Curtis chose the setting of Notting Hill for the film as he lived there and knew the area well, stating "Notting Hill is a melting pot and the perfect place to set a film".<ref name=___location>{{cite web|url=http://www.notting-hill.com/behindscenes/index.html|title=Notting Hill, the place, the movie ___location|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=Notting Hill.com}}</ref> This left the producers with a challenge of having to film in a heavily populated area. Kenworthy noted "Early on, we toyed with the idea of building a huge exterior set. That way we would have more control, because we were worried about having Roberts and Grant on public streets where we could get thousands of onlookers." In the end they decided to take the risk anyway and film in the actual streets.<ref name=___location/> Michell was worried "that Hugh and Julia were going to turn up on the first day of shooting on Portobello Road, and there would be gridlock and we would be surrounded by thousands of people and paparazzi photographers who would prevent us from shooting". The ___location team, and security forces prevented this, as well as preventing problems the presence of a film crew may have caused the residents of Notting Hill, who Michell believes were "genuinely excited" about the film.<ref name=___location/> The film's ___location manager Sue Quinn described her job of finding suitable locations and getting permission to film there as "a mammoth task". She said
{{cquotetxt|The major problem we encountered was the size of our film unit. We couldn't just go in and shoot and come out. We were everywhere. Filming on the London streets has to be done in such a way that it comes up to health and safety standards. There is no such thing as a road closure. We were very lucky in the fact that we had 100% cooperation from the police and the Council. They looked favorably on what we were trying to do and how it would promote the area.<ref name=___location/>}}
Quinn and the rest of her ___location team had to send letters to thousands of people in the area, promising that they would donate to each person's favourite charity, resulting in over two hundred different charities receiving money from the film project.<ref name=___location/>
 
The film's production designer was [[Stuart Craig]] who was pleased for the chance to do a contempory film, stating on the film "we're dealing with streets with thousands of people, market traders, shop owners and residents which makes it really complex".<ref name=___location/> Filming began on [[April 17]] [[1998]], in both West London and at [[Shepperton Studios]].<ref name=production/> Will's bookshop was situated on [[Portobello Road]], which was one of the main areas in which filming took place. Other places within Notting Hill where filming took place included Westbourne Park Road, [[Golborne Road]], [[Landsdowne Road]] and the Coronet Cinema.<ref name=___location/> After filming for a period of six weeks in Notting Hill, filming moved to the [[Ritz Hotel]], where filming had to take place at night, the [[Savoy Hotel]], the Nobu Restaurant, the [[Zen Garden]] and [[Kenwood House]].<ref name=___location/> One the film's final scenes takes place at a film premiere, which presented difficulties for the production team. Michell wanted to film the scene in [[Leicester Square]], but the request was declined due to huge problems that fans attending a [[Leonardo DiCaprio]] premiere had caused the police. Through a health and safety act, the production received permission to film and constructed the scene in just twenty-four hours.<ref name=___location/> Interior scenes were the last scenes to be filmed, with them taking place at Shepperton Studios.<ref name=___location/>
As with the rest of Tamil Nadu, each Parliamentary constituency is divided into six State Legislature constituencies. Chennai is therefore represented in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly by 18 [[Member of Legislative Assembly|MLA]]s. The 18 constituencies are Royapuram, Harbour, Radhakrishnan Nagar, Perambur, Tiruvotriyur and Villivakkam (all in Chennai North); Park Town, Purasawalkam, Egmore, Anna Nagar, Thousand Lights and Chepauk (all in Chennai Central); and T Nagar, Triplicane, Mylapore, Saidapet, Alandur and Tambaram (all in Chennai South).
 
The film features the [[1950 in art|1950]] [[Marc Chagall]] painting ''[[La Mariée]]''. In the story, Anna sees a print of the painting in William's home, and later gives him what is presumably the original. According to director Michell in an article in ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', the painting was chosen because screenwriter Curtis was a fan of Chagall's work, and because ''La Mariée'' "depicts a yearning for something that's lost." Producers had a reproduction made for use in the film, but had to first get permission from the painting's owners as well as clearance from the British [[Design and Artists Copyright Society]]. Finally, according to producer Kenworthy, "we had to agree to destroy it. They were concerned that if our fake was too good, it might float around the market and create problems." The article also noted that "some experts say the real canvas could be worth between $500,000 and $1 million."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,273720,00.html|title=Flashes|date=[[1999-06-11]]|accessdate=2007-05-20|author=Joe Dziemianowicz; Clarissa Cruz|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref>
Chennai city is governed by the [[Chennai Corporation|Corporation of Chennai]], which consists of a [[Mayor]] (directly elected by the city residents) and 155 Councillors representing the 155 Wards (each directly elected by the residents of that Ward), one of whom is elected by the other Councillors as a Deputy Mayor. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor preside over about 10 Standing Committees. (Executive hierarchy: [http://www.chennaicorporation.com/images/execut_chart.gif] Administrative hierarchy: [http://www.chennaicorporation.com/images/admin_chart.gif])
 
===Music===
The metropolitan region of Chennai covers many suburbs that are part of Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts. The larger suburbs are goverened by town municipalities while the smaller ones are governed by town councils called [[panchayats]]. These suburbs are also represented in the state legislature and national parliament by MLA's and MP's of Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts.
Music for the film was composed by ''Four Wedding and a Funeral'' composer Trevor Jones.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/notting_hill.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-23|publisher=Filmtracks.com}}</ref> Several additional songs written by other artists appeared on the film's soundtrack. These include [[Elvis Costello]]'s [[cover version|cover]] of the [[Charles Aznavour]] song "[[She (Charles Aznavour song)|She]]", as well as [[Ronan Keating]]'s specially recorded cover version of "[[When You Say Nothing at All]]", the song reached number one in the British charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/whenyousaynothingatall.shtml|title='When You Say Nothing at All'|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=BBC}}</ref> Originally, Charles Aznavour's version of the song was used in the film, but American test screening audiences could not understand it. Costello was then brought in by Richard Curtis to record a cover version of the song.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/395140.stm|title=Elvis alive and well in Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-23|author=Darryl Chamberlain|date=[[1999-07-20]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>
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==EconomyReception==
===Critical reaction===
[[Image:chennai_tidelprk.jpg|thumb|200px|[[Tidel Park]] in Chennai hosts a number of [[Information technology|IT]] companies.]]
The film was meet with generally positive reviews, scoring an 85% "Cream of the Crop" rating at [[Rotten Tomatoes]].<ref name=rt>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/notting_hill/|title=Notting Hill (1999)|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]}}</ref> "Variety's Derek Elley said that "It's slick, it's gawky, it's 10 minutes too long, and it's certainly not "''Four Weddings and a Funeral'' Part 2" in either construction or overall tone", giving it an overall positive review.<ref name=variety/> Cranky Critic called it "Bloody damned good", as well as saying that it was "A perfect date flick."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.crankycritic.com/archive99/nottinghill.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-19|publisher=Cranky Critic}}</ref> Nitrate said that "''Notting Hill'' is whimsical and light, fresh and quirky", with "endearing moments and memorable characters".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nitrateonline.com/1999/rnottinghill.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-19|author=Savada, Elias|date=[[1999-05-28]]|publisher=Nitrate}}</ref> In his review of the film's DVD John J. Puccio noted that "The movie is a fairy tale, and writer Richard Curtis knows how much the public loves a fairy tale", calling it "a sweet film".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/notting-hill/739/2|title=Notting Hill <nowiki>[Ultimate Edition]</nowiki>|accessdate=2007-05-20|author=John J. Puccio|publisher=DVD Town.com}}</ref> Desson Howe of the [[Washington Post]] gave the film a very positive review, praising Rhys Ifans peformance as Spike.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/movies/reviews/nottinghillhowe.htm?movieslede=y|title='Notting Hill': Easy to Love|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-28]]|author=Desson Howe|publisher=[[Washington Post]]}}</ref> James Sanford gave ''Notting Hill'' three and a half stars, saying that "Curtis' dialogue may be much snappier than his sometimes dawdling plot, but the first hour of "Notting Hill" is so beguiling and consistently funny it seems churlish to complain that the rest is merely good."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interbridge.com/jamessanford/1999/notting.html|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-21|author=James Sanford|publisher=Kalamazoo Gazette}}</ref> Sue Pierman of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated that "''Notting Hill'' is clever, funny, romantic - and oh, yes, reminiscent of ''Four Weddings and a Funeral''", but that the film "is so satisfying, it doesn't pay to nitpick."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www2.jsonline.com/enter/movies/reviews/may99/m.nott28052799.asp|title='Notting Hill' is perfect romantic fit for Roberts, Grant|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-27]]|author=Sue Pierman|publisher=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] praised the film, saying "the movie is bright, the dialogue has wit and intelligence, and Roberts and Grant are very easy to like."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19990528/REVIEWS/905280301/1023|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-28]]|author=Roger Ebert|publisher=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> Kenneth Turan gave a good review, concluding that "the film's romantic core is impervious to problems".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie990527-6,0,7251334.story|title=Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-28]]|author=Kenneth Turan|publisher=Calender Live}}</ref> [[CNN]] reviewer Paul Clinton said that ''Notting Hill'' "stands alone as another funny and heartwarming story about love against all odds".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/Movies/9905/27/review.notting.hill/|title=Review: Julia, Hugh a perfect match for 'Notting Hill'|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[1999-05-27]]|author=Paul Clinton|publisher=CNN}}</ref>
 
Widgett Walls of Needcoffee.com gave the film "three and a half cups of coffee", stating that "the humor of the film saves it from a completely trite and unsatisfying (nay, shall I say enraging) ending", but criticised the film's soundtrack.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.needcoffee.com/html/reviews/nhill.html|title=Notting Hill (1999)|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=Needcoffee.com|author=Widgett Walls}}</ref> Dennis Schwartz gave the film a bad review with a grade of "C-" citing "this film was pure and unadulterated balderdash".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sover.net/~ozus/nottinghill.htm|title=NOTTING HILL|accessdate=2007-05-21|date=[[2000-11-29]]|author=Dennis Schwartz|publisher=Ozus' World Movie Reviews}}</ref>
Founded as a trading outpost by the [[British East India Company]] in the early [[17th century]], Chennai is today a large industrial and commercial centre in India. The largest centres of trade and commerce in Chennai are [[Parry's Corner]] and [[T.Nagar]], named after [[Thomas Parry]], who set up the [[EID Parry]] company, and [[Sir P. Thyagarayar]], the founder of what later became the [[Justice Party]] respectively.
 
''Notting Hill'' was placed 95th on the [[British Film Institute]]'s "list of the all-time top 100 films", the results of the list were based on estimates of each film's British cinema admission level.<ref name=bfi/>
Chennai has a very diversified industrial base. It is the base for over 40% of India's automotive industry. Most of the automotive [[original equipment manufacturer|OEM]]s in India are based in Chennai, mainly in the Ambattur-Padi industrial zone. Several automotive-related companies such as [[TVS, India|TVS]], [[Ashok Leyland]], [[Royal Enfield]], [[Hyundai]], [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], [[Mitsubishi]], [[TI Cycles]] and [[MRF]] have manufacturing plants in and around Chennai. The [[Heavy Vehicles Factory]], [[Avadi]] produces military vehicles, including India's [[main battle tank]] ''[[Arjun]]''.
 
===Box office performance===
Other major heavy industries present in the city are textiles and chemicals, located mainly in the northeast and northwest industrial zones. The leather industry is located mostly in the southwest of the city. So many tanneries were once located there in a tight cluster that the ground water changed colour due to [[chromium]] in the effluents. The locality (which was subsequently cleaned up) is now known as [[Chromepet]].
The film had its world premiere at the [[Odeon]], Leicester Square on [[April 27]] [[1999]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/329426.stm|title=Notting Hill premieres in Leicester Square|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[1999-04-27]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The premiere received media attention in the British tabloid press, as Julia Roberts attended sporting unshaven arm pits.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/series/field/stories/mclaren02.html|title=Letter from Notting Hill|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[2002-12-20]]|author=Leah McLaren|publisher=Globe and Mail}}</ref> ''Notting Hill'' charted well at the box office, earning $116,089,678 as its overall domestic gross, with a worldwide gross of $363,889,678, losing out to ''[[Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace]]''.<ref name=boxoffice>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=nottinghill.htm|title=NOTTING HILL|accessdate=2007-05-20|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> It totaled $27.7 million over its opening weekend, breaking American box office records,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/358820.stm|title=Notting Hill has The Force|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[1999-06-02]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> and making it the biggest ever opening for a romantic comedy film at that point, beating previous record holder ''[[My Best Friend's Wedding]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1046&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-06-02]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> ''Notting Hill'' made another $15 million the following week,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1048&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-06-07]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> but then began to lose out.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1053&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-06-21]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> One month after its release, ''Notting Hill'' lost its record for highest grossing opening weekend for a romantic comedy film to ''[[Runaway Bride (1999 film)|Runaway Bride]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=1065&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office|accessdate=2007-05-20|date=[[1999-08-03]]|author=Brandon Gray|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> It was the sixteenth highest grossing film of 1999,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1999&p=.htm|title=1999 DOMESTIC GROSSES|accessdate=2007-05-20|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> and as of May 2007 is the 104th highest grossing film of all time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/?pagenum=2&p=.htm|title=WORLDWIDE GROSSES|accessdate=2007-05-20|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]}}</ref> At the time, it had become the highest grossing British film of all time.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/431153.stm|title=Notting Hill breaks film record|accessdate=2007-05-23|date=[[1999-08-26]]|publisher=BBC News}}</ref>
 
===Awards===
Chennai's [[service sector]] was traditionally dominated by [[finance]] and [[banking]] especially because several multinational banks had their headquarters or IT systems supported out of Chennai. Since the late [[1990s]], [[software]] development and [[business process outsourcing]] have become very important and Chennai is now an important hub for software and IT companies. The ''[[information technology|IT Corridor]]'' in the southeast of the city houses several technology parks. The largest of these is [[Tidel Park]], built by [[TIDCO]], a Government initiative. Several organizations have their software development and BPO centres in Chennai. The city is also an important center for other service industries like [[advertising]] and [[medical services]].
''Notting Hill'' won the Audience Award for Most Popular Film at the [[British Academy of Film and Television Arts|BAFTA]]s in 2000,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0855372.html|title=2000 British Academy of Film and Television Awards|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=infoplease.com}}</ref> and was nominated in the categories of The Alexander Korda Award for Outstanding British Film of the year, and Best Performance by an Actor in a supporting role for Rhys Ifans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/662167.stm|title=Bafta nominations in full|accessdate=2007-05-22|date=2000-03-01|publisher=BBC News}}</ref> The film also won Best Comedy Film at the [[British Comedy Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishcomedyawards.com/pastwinners99.html|title=The Past Winners 1999|accessdate=2007-05-22|publisher=British Comedy Awards}}</ref> The film's soundtrack won Best Soundtrack at the [[Brit Awards]], beating ''[[Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/entertainment/2000/brit_awards/625884.stm|title=Brits 2000: The winners|accessdate=2007-05-22|date=[[2000-03-03]]|pblisher=BBC News}}</ref> The film won Best British Film, Best British Director for Roger Michell, and Best British Actor for Hugh Grant at the [[Empire Awards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/news/library/soft/blwh-022000.htm|title=What are they doing?|date=2000-02-20|accessdate=2007-05-21|publisher=British Theatre Guide}}</ref>
The film received three nominations at the [[Golden Globes]], in the categories Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical, Best Motion Picture Actor - Comedy/Musical for [[Hugh Grant]], and Best Motion Picture Actress - Comedy/Musical for [[Julia Roberts]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thegoldenglobes.com/welcome.html?movie/notting_hill.html|title=Notting Hill|publisher=TheGoldenGlobes.com|accessdate=2007-05-22}}</ref>
 
==References==
==Communications and Media==
{{Reflist|2}}
Being a major commercial and business centre in India, Chennai has a well-developed communication and media infrastructure. The city is covered by a large network of [[optical fiber]] cables. The city's [[telephone]] service is met by four [[landline]] companies (BSNL, TataIndicom, Reliance and Airtel) and six [[mobile phone]] companies (BSNL, Hutch, Skycell, Airtel, TataIndicom and Reliance). Most of the phone companies also offer [[broadband]] Internet access. The city is the key point of connectivity between Indian and [[South East Asia]]n optical fibre networks. <!-- HOW MANY ISPs ARE THERE IN THE CITY? -->
 
[[Doordarshan]] runs two [[terrestrial television]] channels and two [[satellite television]] channels from its Chennai centre. The city has two [[amplitude modulation|AM]] and four [[frequency modulation|FM]] [[radio station]]s, operated by [[All India Radio]] and private broadcasters.
 
Chennai has about six [[print media]] groups that publish about eight major newspapers and magazines. The major Tamil dailies include the [[Dina Thanthi]], [[Dina Mani]], [[Dina Malar]] and [[Malai Malar]]. The major English dailies are [[The Hindu]], [[The New Indian Express]], [[The Deccan Chronicle]] and an evening daily, [[The News Today]]. Besides these major newspapers, there a number of neighbourhood newspapers that cater to particular localities in the city and metropolitan area. Magazines published from Chennai include [[Ananda Vikatan]], [[Junior Vikatan]], [[Kumudham]], [[Kalki]], [[Frontline]] and [[Sportstar]].
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==Demographics==
 
[[Image:Chennai.ranganathanst.jpg|thumb|Ranganathan Street in [[T.Nagar]] is usually packed with [[pedestrian]] shoppers. Powered vehicles are forbidden on this street.]]
 
The residents of Chennai are called ''Chennaiites''. [[As of 2000]], Chennai city had a population of 4.2 million, while the total metropolitan population was 6.7 million. The estimated metropolitan population in [[2005]] is 7.45 million <sup>[http://www.citypopulation.de/World.html]</sup>. The [[population density]] in the city is 24,418 per [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]], while the overall population density is 6,351 per [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]]. The [[sex ratio]] in the city is about 948 females for every 1000 males, slightly higher than the national average of 934 <sup>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/in.html]</sup>. The average literacy rate is 80.14% <sup>[http://www.tn.gov.in/schooleducation/statistics/table7and8.htm]</sup>, much higher than the national average of 59.5% <sup>[http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/in.html]</sup>. About 25% of the city's population is classified as living in slum conditions <sup>[http://www.tn.gov.in/economy/eco-oct2001-12.htm]</sup>.
 
The majority of the people in Chennai are [[Tamil people|Tamilians]] and speak their mother tongue, [[Tamil language|Tamil]]. [[English language|English]] is widely spoken, and is used almost exclusively in business and education. The [[Tamil language|Tamil]] spoken in Chennai uses English words very liberally, so much so that it is often called ''[[Madras bashai]]'' ("Madras language"). The remaining speak languages like [[Telugu]], [[Malayalam]] and other [[Indian languages]].
 
Historically, Madras under the British used to be the capital of the [[Madras Presidency]], which covered most of the area now occupied by the modern states of [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Karnataka]], [[Kerala]] and [[Tamil Nadu]], excluding the princely states enjoying British patronage. Madras thus inherited a mix of languages and dialects, most of which have changed with time. [[Marwari]] moneylenders and businessmen from northern India (mainly from [[Gujarat]] and [[Rajasthan]]) settled in and around north Chennai in the [[1950s]], many of them in the locality of ''Sowcarpet'', which is a polyglot mix of ''sahukar'' ([[Hindi]] for "moneylender") and ''pettai'' (Tamil for "neighbourhood"). Chennai has become progressively more cosmopolitan. More recently, the growth of the IT and business services industries has also attracted people from other states and countries.
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==Culture==
[[Image:Chennai.carnatic.concert.jpg|thumb|A [[Carnatic music]] concert during the annual [[Music Season]].]]
Chennai is a major cultural hub for Tamil and South Indian culture and tradition. Due to its cosmopolitan nature, it is also home to people from other cultures as well.
 
Every [[December]], Chennai has its five week-long ''[[Music Season]]'', which has been described as one of the world's largest cultural events <sup>[http://www.hindu.com/2005/02/03/stories/2005020301281000.htm]</sup>. The Music Season encompasses performances (''kutcheries'') of the traditional [[Carnatic]] music by hundreds of artists in and around the city.
 
Chennai is also known for a classical Indian dance form called [[Bharatanatyam]], which is also the official dance of Tamil Nadu. An important cultural centre for Bharatanatyam is [[Kalakshetra]] ([[Sanskrit]] for "place of the arts"), located on the beach in the south of the city. Founded in [[1936]] by [[Rukmini Devi Arundale]] after an encounter with [[Anna Pavlova]], Kalakshetra is a cultural hotspot with thousands of students from many countries learning the "Kalakshetra style" of Bharatanatyam, in addition to music, painting and other fine arts.
[[Image:Saarang.2005.orangestreet.jpg|thumb|[[Matmatah]] performing at ''[[Saarang]]'' [[2005]].]]
The theatre scene in Chennai is quite vibrant with a number of plays in Tamil being performed throughout the year. English theatre is also quite popular. Most of the plays are commercial and encompass comedy and serious drama.
School and College cultural festivals (locally called ''[[culfest]]s'') play an important role by providing platforms for the city's children and youth to indulge in art and culture. Many college culfests in the city attract participants from around the country. Some of the larger culfests in the city are ''[[Saarang]] ([[IIT Madras]])'', ''[[Deep Woods]] ([[Madras Christian College]])'' and ''[[Down Sterling]]'' ([[Loyola College, Chennai | Loyola]]). Western [[rock show]]s are a regular feature, both as stand-alone events and as part of college culfests. The annual ''June Rock Out'', organized by the [[Unwind Center]] is attended by rock bands from around the country. Chennai has a number of local rock bands, most notably ''[[Moksha (band)|Moksha]]'' and ''[[The LBG]]''.
 
Chennai is the base for the large [[Tamil language]] movie industry, nicknamed ''[[Kollywood]]'' after the locality of Kodambakkam where most of the movie studios are located. The industry makes about 300 Tamil movies a year, and dominates the music scene in the city with [[film soundtrack]]s. The Tamil film music industry has led to the ubiquity of the ''[[Madras bashai#Cultural references|gaana]]'' genre.
 
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==Cuisine==
[[Image:Indian filter coffee in Dabarah.jpg|thumb|[[Indian filter coffee|Filter coffee]] is a morning ritual for many Chennaiites]]
Chennai is known for traditional Tamil cuisine. The staple food of most of the population is [[rice]]. This is usually steamed and served with about two to six accompanying items. Typically the items are [[sambar (dish)|sambar]], dry [[curry]], [[rasam]], [[kootu]] and ''thayir'' (curd) or ''moru'' (whey or buttermilk). Lighter meals usually include one or more of [[pongal]], [[dosa]], [[idli]] or [[vada]], and are often served for [[breakfast]] or as an evening snack. Many meals are chased by a hot [[Indian filter coffee|filter coffee]], the signature beverage of the city. Another popular beverage is strongly brewed tea found in the thousands of small [[Tea stall|tea kadai]]s found across the city.
 
Other cuisines are also popular in Chennai. Indian (which includes a diverse range of cuisines from other states of India), European [[Continental]], and [[Chinese cuisine]] have been around for a long time, and [[Mexican]], [[Italian]], [[Thai]], [[Korean]] and [[Mediterranean]] cuisine have become popular in the past few years, especially with the rise in the expatriate population in the city. A growing trend is fusing traditional Tamil cuisine with elements from other cuisines from around India and the world. This results in both spicier versions of foreign dishes (such as ''Szechuan Chicken Masala'') and remixed versions of traditional Tamil dishes (such as ''Cheese Mushroom Uthappam''), increasing the diversity of city cuisine.
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==Architecture and urban planning==
[[Image:Musee madras.jpg|thumb|The Government [[Museum]] in [[Egmore]] is a good example of [[Indo-Saracenic]] [[architecture]]. Designed by [[Henry Irwin]], it was completed in [[1896]].]]
Chennai has a very heterogeneous mix of [[architecture|architectural]] styles, from ancient [[temple]]s built by the [[Pallava]]s through the [[British Raj|colonial era]] to features of [[20th century]] [[urban planning]]. Chennai has a colonial core in the port area, surrounded by progressively newer areas as one travels away from the port, punctuated with old [[temple]]s, [[church]]es and [[mosque]]s.
 
The colonial legacy of Chennai is apparent in the vicinity of the Chennai port. South of the port is [[Fort St George]]. The stretch between the Fort and the port is occupied mostly by the [[High Court]] buildings and several clubs, some of which have existed from the British era. A little south of the Fort, across the [[Cooum River]] is the Chepauk [[cricket]] [[stadium]], another British staple, dating from [[1916]]. North and west of the port is Georgetown, where [[dockyard]] workers and other manual labourers used to live. Georgetown is now a bustling commercial centre, but its architecture is significantly different from areas closer to the Fort, with narrower roads and tightly packed buildings.
 
Some residential areas like Tiruvallikeni ([[Triplicane]]) and Mayilapur ([[Mylapore]]) have several houses dating from the early [[20th century]], especially those far removed from arterial roads. Many of them were built in the traditional Tamil style, with four wings surrounding a square [[courtyard]], and tiled sloping roofs. In sharp contrast, the apartment buildings along the larger roads in the same areas were built in [[1990]] or later.
 
Many other old buildings are still fully functional and host government, business or educational establishments. For instance, the General Hospital moved to its current ___location in [[1772]] (it opened to Indians in [[1842]]), the Presidency College was built in [[1840]], the Royapuram Station dates from [[1856]], the [[Chennai Central]] Station dates from [[1873]], the High Court was completed in [[1892]], the Ripon Building (which houses [[Chennai Corporation]] and the mayoral offices) dates from [[1913]], and the [[Southern Railway (India)|Southern Railway]] Headquarters was built in [[1922]]. Many of the colonial era buildings are designed in the [[Indo-Saracenic]] style.
 
Roads and localities have undergone significant change in the late [[20th century]]. Many areas along the western stretch of the city were [[urban planning|planned development]] efforts, such as Ashok Nagar, KK Nagar and Anna Nagar. Several areas south of the Adyar River, including [[Kotturpuram]], [[Besant Nagar]] and [[Adyar]] itself, have been developed only since the mid [[1960s]]. Characteristic features of all these localities are their unusually wide roads and [[Cartesian coordinate system|Cartesian grid]] layouts. Many of these places were remote [[suburb]]s when they were first developed.
 
Current urban development efforts are concentrated along the southern and western suburbs, largely seeking to benefit from the growing ''[[information technology|IT]] corridor'' in the southeast and the new ring roads in the west. The extent of the city's [[urban sprawl]] is indicated by the fact that the area administered by Chennai Corporation is 174 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]] <sup>[http://www.chennaicorporation.com/general_stats.htm]</sup>, while the total urbanized area is estimated to be over 1100 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]] <sup>[http://www.gisdevelopment.net/application/Utility/transport/utilitytr0001.htm]</sup>.
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==Transport==
{{main|Transport in Chennai}}
[[Image:Chennai.cmbt1.jpg|thumb|The CMBT in Koyambedu is the terminus for all intercity [[bus]] services from Chennai. It is the largest bus station in [[South Asia]].]]
[[Image:Chennai central.jpg|thumb|[[Chennai Central]], built in [[1873]] and remodeled in [[1900]], has been the city's main [[railway]] station since [[1907]], taking over from [[Royapuram]].]]
<!-- UNTAGGED IMAGE. PLEASE UNCOMMENT THIS ONLY IF IT IS A FREE-USE IMAGE [[Image:chennai.suburban.jpg|thumb|A suburban train in Chennai]] -->
 
 
Chennai's economic development has been closely tied to its status as a major transportation hub. The city is well connected by road, rail and air and is a major port.
 
Chennai is a hub from which five major highways radiate outward towards [[Kolkata]], [[Bangalore]], [[Tiruchirapalli|Trichy]], [[Tiruvallur]], and [[Pondicherry]]. The [[Central Mofussil Bus Terminus]] (CMBT), which serves as the terminus for all intercity buses from Chennai, is the largest bus station in South Asia. Intercity bus services are run by 7 government owned transport corporations that run busses to all cities and towns of Tamil Nadu and border towns of neighbouring states. The State Express Transport Corporation runs express busses to major cities and towns in Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring states of [[Pondicherry]], [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Karnataka]] and [[Kerala]]. The city is also served by transport corporations of neighbouring states. There are also plenty of private bus companies that run buses out of Chennai.
 
[[Chennai International Airport]] serves as the city's airport for both domestic and international flights, and is one of the most important gateways into the country, and especially southern India. The city is connected to major hubs in [[South East Asia]], the [[Middle East]], [[Europe]] and [[North America]] through over 15 international carriers. The city is also well connected to all other major cities in India through many domestic and domestic budget carriers. The airport is also the second busiest cargo terminus in the country.
 
Chennai is a major maritime hub. The city is served by two major ports namely the Chennai Port which is one of the largest artificial ports and the Ennore Port. The Chennai port is India's second busiest container hub. It also handles general cargo, automobiles etc. The Ennore port handles more of cargo like coal, ore and other 'Dusty' cargo. A smaller harbour at Royapuram is used by local fishing boats and trawlers.
 
The city is well connected by rail to the rest of India. There are two main railway terminals, [[Central Station]] which is the city's largest railway stations with trains to all the major cities and towns in India, and [[Egmore Station]], which serves destinations mainly within Tamil Nadu.
 
Intracity transport is accomplished through a system of roads, and trains. Although the road network is extensive, main arterial roads are often in gridlock during rush hour. The [[Metropolitan Transport Corporation]] (MTC, sometimes referred to as PTC) runs an extensive intracity bus system, which is generally efficient, though the buses themselves can get very crowded at times. The bus service consists of 2773 buses on 375 routes, and moves an estimated 4.2 million passengers daily<sup>[http://www.tn.gov.in/transport/routes/routes_mtc.htm]</sup>.Besides the MTC services, Mini bus services are present in the suburbs of the Chennai metropolitan area. In addition to buses, metered private [[taxis]] on call (''Call Taxis''), fixed rate tourist taxis, and [[auto rickshaw]]s are widely available for hire within the metropolitan area.
[[Vans]] which are run like bus services and popularly called Maxi Cabs also ply on many routes in the city. [[Motorcycles]], [[mopeds]], and [[scooters]], are used primarily for their [[fuel efficiency]], maneuverability, and ease of parking despite an ever increasing number of [[cars]] on the roads.
 
The intracity train network consistes of three rail sectors namely Chennai Central - Arakkonam, Chennai Central - Sulurpettai and Royapuram - Chengalpet. Suburban trains ply on these lines at regular intervals. Chennai also has an elevated [[MRTS]] suburban train system, which is interlinked with the remaining rail network and is currently being expanded.
 
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==Natural resources==
===Beaches===
[[Image:Dcp01618.jpg|thumb|Facing north on [[Elliot's Beach]] in [[Besant Nagar]].]] <!-- THE NEXT IMAGE IS UNTAGGED. DO NOT USE TILL TAGGED AS FREE IMAGE [[Image:chennai.marinasouth.jpg|thumb|An aerial view of south [[Marina Beach]].]] -->
 
The [[Marina beach|Marina]] is the country's longest (and among the longest in the world) beach, and its 13-[[kilometer|km]] length is often subdivided into more manageable units. The northern part of the beach (immediately south of the Cooum River) is called the ''Marina beach'', and is followed by the ''San Thome beach'', which lies north of the Adyar river estuary. Located on
Marina Beach is a famous statue of Gandhi, India's freedom fighter.
 
 
South of the Adyar, the first section is called ''[[Elliot's beach]]'' or ''Besant Nagar beach'', and is followed by the ''Tiruvanmiyur beach'', the ''Kottivakkam beach'', and the ''Neelangarai beach''. The beach is visited by most people in the late afternoon and evening, when the sea breeze effect is at its strongest. It is also favoured by joggers at dawn and by couples at night.
 
=== Flora and fauna ===
The [[Guindy National Park]] in the south of the city is the country's smallest [[National parks of India|National Park]], with an area of 2.76 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]]. This is also a rare National Park that is located completely inside a large city. It hosts a variety of endangered deer (mostly [[chital]] and [[black buck]])), snakes (pythons, boas, cobras, kraits, vipers) and other endangered animals ([[tortoise]]s, [[turtle]]s) <sup>[http://www.tamilnaduscientists.com/SnakePark/snakepark5.html]</sup>. The adjoining [[Indian Institute of Technology, Madras|IIT]] campus also holds many deer, non-poisonous snakes and monkeys. This park plays a vital role in cleaning the city's atmosphere, and is several degrees cooler than the city in summer.
 
The ''[[Arignar Anna Zoological Park]]'' (better known as ''[[Vandalur Zoo]]'') is located southwest of the city and covers an area of 5.1 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]]. The Zoo was formerly located in the city under the name "Madras Zoo", and was the oldest zoo in the country (established [[1854]] <sup>[http://www.cza.nic.in/history.html]</sup>). It was moved to its current suburban ___location in [[1980]]. It has about eighty species on display, and includes a lion safari and two aviaries.
 
The southern stretches of the beach, from Tiruvanmiyur to Neelangarai, are favoured by the endangered [[Olive Ridley turtle]]s to lay their eggs every winter, as are other beaches in Tamil Nadu and [[Orissa]]. At that time, many conservation volunteers work on the beach during the night to protect the eggs or to remove them to a hatchery. Hatchlings are usually released to the sea in March or April.
 
South of the city, along the East Coast Road, is located the Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, which hosts several fresh-water and salt-water [[crocodile]]s, [[alligator]]s, [[gharial]]s, and also [[turtle]]s and snakes. It is considered an important institute for [[herpetology|herpetological]] research, and performs services such as snake [[venom]] extraction for preparing antidotes.
 
 
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==Education==
[[Image:Iitm.maingate.logo.jpg|thumb|The main entrance of [[IIT Madras]], showing its logo and its motto.]]
Chennai is the ___location of several colleges and universities in a wide variety of disciplines. The [[IIT Madras|Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras]] ([[1959]]), is located in the south of the city and is well-known for its engineering program. Located nearby is the main campus of [[Anna University]] ([[1978]]), which formed from a merger of the [[College of Engineering, Guindy]] ([[1794]]), the [[Madras Institute of Technology]] ([[1949]]), the [[Alagappa College of Technology]] ([[1944]]), and the [[School of Architecture and Planning]] ([[1957]]). Almost all colleges in Tamil Nadu that offer programs in engineering, [[technology]] and [[architecture]] are affiliated to Anna University. The remaining colleges are autonomous [[Deemed universiities]].
 
The [[University of Madras]] ([[1857]]), which has three campuses in the city, offers a range of programs in [[liberal arts]], [[science]] and [[commerce]]. In addition, a large majority of city colleges are affiliated to the University of Madras, and collectively offer programs in [[medicine]], [[law]], science, and commerce. Some such older institutions are the [[Presidency College (Chennai)|Presidency College]] ([[1840]]) and the [[Madras Medical College]] ([[1850]]), both of which affiliated themselves to the University of Madras on its formation. Other autonomous educational establishments include [[Loyola College]] ([[1925]]), the [[NIFT|National Institute of Fashion Technology]] ([[1995]]) and the [[Madras School of Social Work]] ([[1952]]). The [[Connemara Public Library]] in Chennai is one of the four National Depository libraries.
 
[[School]]s in Chennai may either be run privately, or by the Tamil Nadu [[Government]], or be run privately with financial aid from the Government. The medium of education in private schools is English. Government run scools offer both English and Tamil medium education. Private schools are usually affiliated to the [[CBSE]] or to the Tamil Nadu State Board. A few schools are affiliated to the [[ICSE]] and a handful follow the [[Montessori]] system. There are a few schools that offer education in the [[International Baccalaureate]] system and the American system. Children in Chennai, join school at about age 3, and study through 2 years of [[kindergarten]] and 12 years of school, with one board exam in Class 10 and one in Class 12. Many who want to take up professional studies, follow their Class 12 board exam with one or more [[college]] entrance examinations of their choice. Common choices include the IIT-[[JEE]] and the [[TNPCEE]]. Academic pressure is a characteristic feature of the system.
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==Sports==
[[Image:Chennai.MAC.gif|thumb|The M A Chidambaram [[Cricket]] stadium, popularly called the MAC]]
[[Image:Chennai_nehrustd.jpg|thumb| The [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] soccer and athletic stadium .]]
[[Cricket]] is the most popular sport in Chennai. The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium (formerly known as Madras Cricket Club ground or Chepauk Stadium) in Chepauk was built in [[1916]]. It seats 50,000 and is home to the Tamil Nadu cricket team. The [[Indian cricket team]] won its first ever [[test cricket|test victory]] here in [[1952]] against [[English cricket team|England]]. This stadium is noted for its appreciative crowd, which often surprises visiting teams with its good sportsmanlike behaviour <sup>[http://usa.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/GROUNDS/IND/CHENNAI/MA_CHIDAMBARAM_STADIUM_00291/]</sup>. The [[Chemplast Cricket Ground]] in the [[IIT Madras]] campus is another important cricket venue. It seats a small number of spectators, being surrounded by forest on three sides, and has been described by [[Sachin Tendulkar]] as "the most scenic in India".
 
The Egmore Stadium for [[field hockey]] seats 4,000 spectators and has an Astroturf field. The modern [[Tennis]] Stadium in Nungambakkam seats 7,000 spectators and has 6 synthetic surface courts. This stadium hosts India's only [[Association of Tennis Professionals|ATP]] event, the Chennai Open every January. The [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] Stadium in Periamet seats 40,000 and hosts [[soccer]], [[athletics|athletic]] and [[volleyball]] competitions. The Aquatic Complex in Velachery seats 4,000. The city also has a good squash court. All these facilities were built in [[1995]], when Chennai hosted the [[South Asian Federation]] Games.
 
The Guindy Race Course for [[Horse racing]] was set up in [[1777]]. [[Motor racing]] events are held at the Sriperumpudur (''Thirupperumputhur'') track for cars, and the Sholavaram track for motorcycles. The Madras Boat Club was set up in [[1867]]. Rowing on the Adyar River is a popular sport and pastime. Most of the rowing is done near the Kotturpuram bridge. The city has three 18-hole golf courses: the Cosmopolitan Club has a golf course in Nandanam, on the banks of the Adyar River; the Gymkhana Club golf course is located within the central section of the Guindy Race Course; and the nearby Guindy Links. All three clubs were established between the [[1870s]] and [[1880s]]. Golfing in Chennai is usually done between September and February, when the ground is moist.
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==Present problems==
[[As of 2005]], [[overpopulation]] is the single largest problem facing Chennai. This manifests itself in four main secondary effects:
*[[Urban sprawl]]
*[[Pollution]]
*Large [[slum]] population
*Strained [[infrastructure]], especially a shortage of [[potable water]]
 
The city's population has grown from [http://www.sampatti.com/news/urban3.shtml 1.54 million] in [[1951]] to [http://www.chennaicorporation.com/general_stats.htm 4.2 million] in [[2001]]. The population of the metro area is expected to grow from about 6 million in [[2001]] to about [http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/hud2004-05-8.htm 9.5 million] by [[2011]]. Due to structural and legal constraints in the city, tall buildings are not generally favoured, especially if they are residential buildings. Most residential buildings in the city are four stories or shorter. This has caused the city to spread outwards by a large extent. The area administered by the Chennai Corporation is about 172 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]]<sup>[http://www.chennaicorporation.com/general_stats.htm]</sup>, which is a small fraction of the total 1177 [[square kilometer|km&sup2;]] currently urbanized.<sup>[http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/hud2004-05-8.htm]</sup>
 
Consequently, the average commute distance and number of vehicles on the streets have both increased, the latter factor also being aided by the city's strong economic growth. [[Air pollution]] is considerable due to a large number of [[two-stroke engine]]s used in [[auto rickshaw]]s and [[moped]]s, and [[diesel]] fuel used by [[bus]]es and [[truck]]s. It is more unpleasant in combination with the high temperatures and humidity. The Cooum and the Adyar rivers are both heavily polluted. The Cooum in particular has been severely polluted with sewage from slums on its banks, effluents from some business establishments, and plastic bags. The Adyar, which is much less affected, is desilted and cleaned periodically.
 
[[As of 2001]], about [http://www.tn.gov.in/economy/eco-oct2001-12.htm 25%] of the city's population were classified as living in [[slum]] conditions. The overall literacy rate is about [http://www.tn.gov.in/schooleducation/statistics/table7and8.htm 80%]. Nearly all the illiterate people in Chennai also live in slum conditions.
 
The large population has strained some of the city's urban [[infrastructure]]. While most agencies have been able to cope, the city's [[water supply]] in particular has proved inadequate for its population, and an over-reliance on annual [[monsoon]] rains to replenish the [[reservoir]]s has compounded problems. There had been some attempts to pipe in water from other sources, such as the [[Veeranam]], a water-rich place in Tamil Nadu, or from the [[Krishna River]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]. The [[Veeranam Project]] has proved unsuccessful so far, in part due to mismanagement of project funds and in part due to the nature of state politics <sup>[http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2110/stories/20040521004009700.htm]</sup>. The Veeranam project [http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IET20050423232332&Page=T&Title=Southern+News+-+Tamil+Nadu&Topic=0 has been axed] 24 Apr 2005. Water from the Krishna is occasionally pumped to the city, but has become infeasible due to political squabbles between Tamil Nadu, [[Andhra Pradesh]] and [[Karnataka]] over sharing river water. A large part of the city now buys water commercially from tankers, and [[rainwater harvesting]] has become an essential practice. Selling water has become a lucrative industry, and has attracted several [[entrepreneur]]s.
 
In [[December 2004]], about 200 people in Chennai were killed by a [[2004 Indian Ocean earthquake|tsunami in the Indian Ocean]]. Most of the casualties were fishermen and unlucky early morning joggers. The city was otherwise not significantly affected.
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==External links==
{{wikiquotepar|Notting Hill}}
{{commons|Chennai}}
*[http://www.notting-hill.com/ ''Notting Hill''] official site
*[http://www.chennai.tn.nic.in/ Official government website of Chennai District.] -
*{{imdb title|id=0125439|title=Notting Hill}}
*[http://www.chennaicorporation.com/ Official website of the Corporation of Chennai]
*{{rotten-tomatoes|id=notting_hill|title=Notting Hill}}
*[http://www.chennaicorporation.com/madras_history.htm History of Madras]
*{{metacritic film|id=nottinghill|title=Notting Hill}}
*[http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/mpcl13.htm Archive of historian S. Muthiah's articles on Chennai, published in ''The Hindu'']
*{{mojo title|id=nottinghill|title=Notting Hill}}
*[http://groups.msn.com/krishnaswamiIyerfamily/realsingarachennai.msnw Vintage pictures of Madras]
*[http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/43279.html Current weather in Chennai]
*[http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Madras Chennai travel guide at Wikitravel]
*[http://www.imsc.ernet.in/Madras/madras-guide.html Moving around in Chennai]
*[http://www.citypopulation.de/World.html Th. Brinkhoff: The Principal Agglomerations of the World], [[2005]]-[[January 30|01-30]]
 
==Further reading==
*S. Muthiah, C.L.D. Gupta: ''Queen of the Coromandel'' ([[ISBN]]: 8186982973)
*Richard Plunkett, Teresa Cannon, Peter Davis, Paul Greenway, Paul Harding: ''Lonely Planet South India'' ([[ISBN]]: 1864501618)
 
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