title: Atlantic Records

text: In late 1961 singer Solomon Burke arrived at Jerry Wexler's office unannounced. Wexler was a fan of Burke's and had long wanted to sign him so when Burke told Wexler his contract with his former label had expired Wexler replied: "You're home. I'm signing you today". The first song Wexler produced with Burke was "Just Out of Reach", which became a big hit in September 1961. The soul/country & western crossover predated Ray Charles' similar venture by more than 6 months. Burke became a consistent big seller through the mid-1960s and scored hits on Atlantic into 1968. In 1962 folk music was booming and the label came very close to signing Peter, Paul & Mary; although Wexler and Ertegun pursued them vigorously the deal fell through at the last minute and they later discovered music publisher Artie Mogull had introduced their manager Albert Grossman to Warner Bros. executive Herman Starr, who had made the trio an irresistible offer that gave them complete creative control over the recording and packaging of their music.


title: Atlantic Records

text: The mid-1960s British Invasion led Atlantic to change its British distributor. Decca had refused access to its British acts, who usually appeared in the US on the London subsidiary. In 1966 Atlantic signed a licensing deal with Polydor which included the band Cream, whose debut album was released by Atco in 1966. In 1967 the group traveled to Atlantic's studio in New York City to record "Disraeli Gears" with Tom Dowd; it became a Top 5 LP in both the US and the UK, with the single "Sunshine of Your Love" reaching No. 5 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. Wexler dismissed developments in pop music, dubbing the musicians "the rockoids". But Atlantic profited from moving into rock music in the 1970s when it signed Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, and Yes.


title: Atlantic Records

text: Despite the huge success Atlantic was enjoying with its own artists and through its deal with Stax, by 1967 Jerry Wexler was seriously concerned about the disintegration of the old order of independent record companies and, fearing for the label's future, he began agitating for it to be sold to a larger company. Label President Ahmet Ertegun still had no desire to sell, but the balance of power had changed since the abortive takeover attempt of 1962; Atlantic's original investor Dr Vahdi Sabit and minority stockholder Miriam Bienstock had both been bought out in September 1964 and the other remaining partner, Nesuhi Ertegun, was eventually convinced to side with Wexler. Since they jointly held more stock, Ahmet was obliged to agree to the sale.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In October 1967 Atlantic was sold to Warner Bros.-Seven Arts for US$17.5 million, although all the partners later agreed that it was a poor deal that greatly undervalued Atlantic's true worth. Initially, Atlantic and Atco operated entirely separately from the group's other labels, Warner Bros. Records and Reprise Records, and management did not interfere with the music division, since the ailing movie division was losing money, while the Warner recording division was booming – by mid-1968 Warner's recording and publishing interests were generating 74% of the group's total profits.


title: Atlantic Records

text: The sale of Atlantic Records activated a clause in the distribution agreement with Stax Records calling for renegotiation of the distribution deal and at this point, the Stax partners discovered that the deal gave Atlantic ownership of all the Stax recordings Atlantic distributed. The new Warner owners refused to relinquish ownership of the Stax masters, so the distribution deal ended in May 1968. Atlantic continues to hold the rights to Stax recordings it distributed in the 1960s.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In the wake of the takeover, Jerry Wexler's influence in the company rapidly diminished; by his own admission, he and Ertegun had run Atlantic as "utmost despots" but in the new corporate structure, he found himself unwilling to accept the delegation of responsibility that his executive role dictated. He was also alienated from the "rockoid" white acts that were quickly becoming the label's most profitable commodities and dispirited by the rapidly waning fortunes of the black acts he had championed, such as Ben E. King and Solomon Burke. Wexler ultimately decided to leave New York and move to Florida. Following his departure, Ertegun—who had previously taken little interest in Atlantic's business affairs—took decisive control of the label and quickly became a major force in the expanding Warner music group.


title: Atlantic Records

text: During 1968 Atlantic established a new subsidiary label, Cotillion Records. The label was originally formed as an outlet for blues and deep Southern soul; its first single, Otis Clay's version of "She's About A Mover", was an R&B hit. Cotillion's catalog quickly expanded to include progressive rock, folk-rock, gospel, jazz and comedy. In 1976, the label started focusing on disco and R&B. Among its acts were the post-Curtis Mayfield Impressions, Slave, Brook Benton, Jean Knight, Mass Production, Sister Sledge, The Velvet Underground, Stacy Lattisaw, Lou Donaldson, Mylon LeFevre, Stevie Woods, Johnny Gill, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Garland Green, The Dynamics, The Fabulous Counts, and The Fatback Band. Cotillion was also responsible for launching the career of Luther Vandross, who recorded for the label as part of the trio Luther. Cotillion also released the triple-albums soundtrack of the Woodstock festival film in 1970. From 1970 it also distributed Embryo Records, founded by jazz flautist Herbie Mann after his earlier Atlantic contract had expired.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In addition to establishing Cotillion, Atlantic began expanding its own roster to include rock, soul/rock, progressive rock, British bands and singer songwriters. Two female artists were personally signed by Wexler, with album releases in 1969, Dusty Springfield ("Dusty in Memphis") and Lotti Golden ("Motor-Cycle"), although Golden also had a close working relationship with Ertegun, who was instrumental in her signing with the label. By 1969, the Atlantic 8000 series (1968–72) consisted of R&B, rock, soul/rock and psychedelic acts. Other releases that year include albums by Aretha Franklin ("Soul '69"), Led Zeppelin ("Led Zeppelin"), Don Covay ("House of Blue Lights"), Boz Scaggs ("Boz Scaggs"), Roberta Flack ("First Take"), Wilson Pickett ("Hey Jude"), Mott the Hoople ("Mott the Hoople"), and Black Pearl ("Black Pearl").


title: Atlantic Records

text: In 1969 Warner Bros.-Seven Arts was taken over by the Kinney National Company, and in the early 1970s the group was rebadged as Warner Communications. After buying Elektra Records and its sister label Nonesuch Records in 1970, Kinney combined the operations of all of its record labels under a new holding company, WEA, and also known as Warner Music Group. WEA was also used as a label for distributing the company's artists outside North America. In January 1970, Ahmet Ertegun was successful in his executive battle against Warner Bros. Records President Mike Maitland to keep Atlantic Records autonomous and as a result, Maitland was fired by Kinney president Steve Ross. Ertegun recommended Mo Ostin to succeed Maitland as Warner Bros. Records president. With Ertegun's power at Warners now secure, Atlantic was able to maintain autonomy through the parent company reorganizations and continue to do their own marketing, while WEA handled distribution.


title: Atlantic Records

text: Some acts on the Atlantic roster in this period were British (including Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Yes, Bad Company and Phil Collins) and this was largely due to Ertegun. According to Greenberg, Ertegun had long seen the UK as a source of untapped talent. At his urging, Greenberg visited the UK six or seven times every year in search of acts to sign to the label.


title: Atlantic Records

text: For much of its early history, Jerry Wexler had been managers of the label, while Ertegun had concentrated on A&R and had less interest in the business side. But that changed after the sale to Warner. Although Ertegun had been forced into accepting the sale, he turned the situation to his advantage. He gained executive control of the label and influenced the Warner group. By contrast, Wexler was disenchanted by Atlantic's move into rock; he left in 1975. Wexler's protégé Jerry L. Greenberg replaced him and played a role in Atlantic's success during the 1970s.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In seven years, Greenberg went from personal assistant to president of the label. Wexler had hired Greenberg and acted as his mentor, teaching him the daily operations of the record business. From Ertegun he learned how to treat musicians.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In 1968 Peter Grant flew to New York with tapes of the debut album by British rock band Led Zeppelin. Ertegun and Wexler knew of the group's leader, Jimmy Page, through The Yardbirds, and their favorable opinion was reinforced by Dusty Springfield, who recommended Atlantic sign the band. Atlantic signed the band to an exclusive five-year contract, one of the "most substantial" in the label's history Zeppelin recorded for Atlantic from 1968 to 1973. After the contract expired, they founded their label Swan Song and signed a distribution deal with Atlantic after being turned down by other labels.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In 1969 Stephen Stills was still signed to Atlantic under the contract dating from his time with Buffalo Springfield. His agent David Geffen went to Wexler to ask for Stills to be released from his Atlantic contract because Geffen wanted Stills' new group to sign with Columbia. Wexler lost his temper and threw Geffen out of his office, but Geffen called Ahmet Ertegun the next day, and Ertegun persuaded Geffen to convince Clive Davis at Columbia to let Atlantic sign Crosby, Stills & Nash.


title: Atlantic Records

text: The trio was formed following a chance meeting between members of three leading 1960s pop groups – Stephen Stills, David Crosby of The Byrds and Graham Nash of The Hollies. Stills and Crosby had been friends since the early 1960s; Nash had first met Crosby in the mid-1960s when The Byrds toured the UK, and he renewed the friendship when The Hollies toured the US in mid-1968. By this time creative tensions within The Hollies were coming to a head, and Nash had already decided to leave the group. Fate intervened during the Hollies US tour, when Nash reunited with Crosby and met Stephen Stills (ex-Buffalo Springfield) at a party at the Los Angeles home of Cass Elliott in July 1968. After Crosby and Stills sang Stills' new composition "You Don't Have To Cry" that evening, Nash asked them to repeat it, and chimed in with an impromptu third harmony part. The trio's unique vocal chemistry was instantly apparent, so when Nash quit the Hollies in August 1968 and relocated to Los Angeles, the three immediately formed a trio, Crosby, Stills & Nash. After surprisingly failing their audition for Apple Records, thanks to Ertegun's intervention and intense negotiations with David Geffen, who represented Crosby and Nash, as well as Stills, they ultimately signed with Atlantic, who gave them virtually complete freedom to record their first album. The signing was complicated by the fact that Nash was still under contract to Epic Records (The Hollies' US distributor), but Ertegun used his diplomatic prowess to overcome this by arranging a 'swap' – he released former Buffalo Springfield member Richie Furay from his Atlantic contract, allowing Furay's new group Poco to sign to Epic, and in exchange Columbia Records (the parent company of Epic) allowed Nash to sign to Atlantic. In the event, Ertegun and Atlantic were the clear winners. Poco achieved moderate success for Epic, but Crosby, Stills & Nash's self-titled debut album (released in May 1969) became a huge and enduring hit, reaching #6 on the "Billboard" album chart, spawning two US Top 40 singles, becoming a multi-platinum seller and eventually earning a place in the "Rolling Stone" list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.


title: Atlantic Records

text: Hot on the heels of the huge success of CSNY and Led Zeppelin, British band Yes rapidly established themselves as one of the leading groups in the burgeoning progressive rock genre, and their success also played a significant part in establishing the primacy of the long-playing album as the major sales format for rock music in the 1970s. After several lineup changes during 1969–70, the band settled into its "classic" incarnation, with guitarist Steve Howe and keyboard player Rick Wakeman, who both joined during 1971. Although the extended length of much of their material made it somewhat difficult to promote the band with single releases, their live prowess gained them an avid following and their albums were hugely successful – their third LP "The Yes Album" (1971), which featured the debut of new guitarist Steve Howe, became their first big hit, reaching #4 in the UK and just scraping onto the chart in the US at #40. From this point, and notwithstanding the impact of the punk/new wave movement in the late 1970s, the band enjoyed an extraordinary run of success—beginning with their fourth album "Fragile", each of the eleven albums they released between 1971 and 1991 (including the lavishly packaged live triple-album "Yessongs") made the Top 20 in the US and the UK, and the double-LP "Tales of Topographic Oceans" (1973) and "Going For The One" (1977) both reached #1 in the UK.


title: Atlantic Records

text: Much of Atlantic's renewed success as a rock label in the late 1970s can be attributed to the efforts of renowned A&R manager John Kalodner. In 1974 the former photographer, record store manager and music critic joined Atlantic's New York publicity department. In 1975 Kalodner moved to the A&R department, rose rapidly through the ranks, and in 1976 he was promoted to become Atlantic's first West Coast director of A&R. Over the next four years he was instrumental in signing a string of major acts including Foreigner, AC/DC, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins. Kalodner built his reputation by signing acts that other labels had turned down, and perhaps the most significant example of his achievements in this area was his championing of the Anglo-American band Foreigner.


title: Atlantic Records

text: The group was the brainchild of expatriate British musicians Mick Jones (ex Spooky Tooth) and Ian McDonald, one of the founding members of King Crimson. The demo tapes of the songs that eventually became their debut album (including the song "Feels Like The First Time") were famously rejected by almost every major label, including Atlantic – although their tenacious manager Bud Prager later revealed that, in retaliation for a previous bad deal, he deliberately didn't approach CBS ("They had screwed me out of a lot of money, so I figured I would screw them out of Foreigner. The band was never even offered to them.") Prager persisted with Atlantic, even though their A&R department and label President Jerry Greenberg repeatedly rejected Foreigner; it was Kalodner's dogged belief in the group (and a live audition) that finally convinced Greenberg to allow Kalodner to sign them and take them on as his personal project. Even then, Kalodner was turned down by twenty-six producers before he found someone willing to take on the project. Despite all the resistance, Kalodner's belief in Foreigner was totally vindicated by the group's massive success – their 1976 debut single "Feels Like The First Time" reached #4 on the Billboard singles chart, their self-titled debut album sold more than 4 million copies, and the subsequent singles from the album kept the group in the US charts continuously for more than a year. In the years that followed, Foreigner became one of Atlantic's biggest successes, and one of the biggest-selling groups in history, scoring a string of international hits and selling more than 80 million albums worldwide, including 37.5 million albums in the US alone.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In 1978, Atlantic finally broke the leading UK progressive group Genesis as a major act in the US. Ahmet Ertegun had first seen them perform in the Midwest on one of their early American tours, and it was on this occasion that he also became an ardent fan of their drummer/vocalist, Phil Collins. Jerry Greenberg signed the group to Atlantic in the US in 1973 on Ertegun's advice, but although they were very successful in Europe, Genesis remained at best a "cult" act in America for most of the Seventies. In the meantime, original lead singer Peter Gabriel had left the group in 1975, followed in 1977 by lead guitarist Steve Hackett, reducing the group to a three-piece. Ertegun was directly involved in the recording of the band's 1978 album "...And Then There Were Three...", personally remixing the album's projected first single "Follow You, Follow Me". Although the group didn't use this version, it guided them in their subsequent production. Collins later commented, "We didn't use his version, but we knew what he was getting at. He saw something more in there that wasn't coming out before." The released version of "Follow You, Follow Me" gave Genesis their first hit single in the US, the album became their first American gold record, and the experience resulted in Ertegun and Collins becoming close friends.


title: Atlantic Records

text: By 1979 Genesis drummer/singer Phil Collins was considering branching out into a solo career. Reacting to the acrimonious breakup of his first marriage, he had begun writing and recording new songs at home, which were considerably different from the material he had been recording with Genesis. Although many in the industry reportedly discouraged him from going solo, Collins was strongly supported by Ertegun, who encouraged him to record an album after hearing the R&B-flavoured demo tapes Collins had recorded in his garage. Ertegun also insisted on changes to the song that became Collins' debut single. After hearing the song's sparsely-arranged opening section, Ertegun said: "Where's the backbeat, man? The kids won't know where it is – you've got to put extra drums on it." Collins replied "The drums come later," to which Ertegun retorted "By that time the kids will have switched over to another radio station." Acceding to Ertegun's demand, Collins took the unusual step of overdubbing extra drums on the finished master tape, and he later commented, "He (Ertegun) was quite right."


title: Atlantic Records

text: Although his close friendship with Ertegun helped Collins launch his solo career, the fact that he eventually signed to Atlantic in the US was apparently as much by luck as by design. By early 1980, when Collins was recording his solo album, the record industry was suffering greatly from the impact of the worldwide economic recession, and many labels were beginning to cull their rosters and drop acts that weren't providing major returns. At this same time, Genesis' contract with Atlantic was up for renewal, and Collins was yet to sign as a solo artist. As part of the negotiations, Collins and his bandmates wanted their own 'vanity' label, Duke Records, but according to Kalodner, and despite Ertegun's personal interest, the group's demands, and their relatively modest performance in the US made Atlantic executives ambivalent about the deal. Kalodner was overseeing the recording of Collins' solo album while Atlantic were vacillating about signing the band and Collins, but it was at this point that Kalodner was abruptly dismissed from Atlantic, although he was almost immediately recruited to head the A&R division at the newly formed Geffen Records. Angered by his unceremonious ejection from Atlantic, he alerted Geffen to Collins' availability, but to his chagrin, neither Geffen nor any other US label showed interest; He then alerted Virgin Records boss Richard Branson, who immediately contacted Collins' manager Tony Stratton Smith and signed Collins to Virgin in the UK as a solo act.


title: Atlantic Records

text: Although Ertegun subsequently disputed Kalodner's account of the Genesis/Collins contract saga, he agreed that the loss of Gabriel was a big mistake, and his regret about his handling of the matter was only compounded by Gabriel's subsequent success with Geffen. Much of this was due to Kalodner, who later admitted that, as soon as Gabriel was dropped from Atlantic, he realized he had made a mistake. In order to make amends to Gabriel, he alerted both CBS and Geffen to the fact that Gabriel was available, and after a bidding war, Gabriel signed with Geffen. They released his fourth solo album (a.k.a. "Security") in 1982 to wide acclaim, and Gabriel scored a minor US hit with the single "Shock The Monkey". Atlantic's regret was undoubtedly heightened when Gabriel achieved huge international success with his fifth album "So" (1986), which reached #1 in the UK and #2 in the US and sold more than 5 million copies in the US. The irony was further compounded by the fact that Gabriel scored a US #1 hit with the R&B-influenced single "Sledgehammer", which featured the legendary Memphis Horns, and which Gabriel later described as "my chance to sing like Otis Redding."


title: Atlantic Records

text: Atlantic suffered a catastrophic loss in the early morning of February 8, 1978, when a fire destroyed most of its tape archive, which had been stored in a non-air-conditioned warehouse in Long Branch, New Jersey. The four-story warehouse, located at 199 Broadway, was the former location of Vogel's Department Store, before it closed down in March 1975. The building was purchased less than a week earlier and had been scheduled to reopen as a Nadler's Furniture Center, in an effort to revitalize the downtown area.


title: Atlantic Records

text: The building was owned by the family of Sheldon Vogel, the chief financial officer of Atlantic at the time. He had recommended moving the company's multitracks and unreleased recordings to the building after Ertegun had complained about the aforementioned tapes taking up too much space in the company's Manhattan offices in New York.


title: Atlantic Records

text: Although master tapes of the material in Atlantic's released back catalog survived due to being stored in New York, the fire destroyed or damaged an estimated 5,000–6,000 reels of tape, including virtually all of the company's unreleased master tapes, alternative takes, rehearsal tapes and session multi-tracks recorded between 1948 and 1969. Atlantic was one of the first labels to record in stereo; many of the tapes that were lost were stereo 'alternates' recorded in the late 1940s and 1950s (which Atlantic routinely taped simultaneously with the mono versions until the 1960s) as well as almost all of the 8-track multitrack masters recorded by Tom Dowd in the 1950s and 1960s. According to "Billboard" journalist Bill Holland, news of the fire was kept quiet, and one Atlantic staffer who spoke to Holland reported that he did not find out about it until a year later. Reissue producers and archivists subsequently located some tapes that were at first presumed 'lost', but which had survived because they had evidently been removed from the New Jersey archive years earlier and not returned. During the compilation of the Rhino-Atlantic John Coltrane boxed set, producer Joel Dorn located supposedly destroyed outtakes from Coltrane's seminal 1959 album "Giant Steps", plus other tapes including Bobby Darin's original Atco demo of "Dream Lover" (with Fred Neil playing guitar). Atlantic archivists have since rediscovered other 'lost' material including unreleased masters, alternative takes and rehearsal tapes by Ray Charles, Van "Piano Man" Walls, Ornette Coleman, Lennie Tristano and Lee Konitz.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In May 1988, the label held a 40th Anniversary concert, broadcast on HBO. This concert, which was almost 13 hours in length, featured performances by a large number of their artists and included reunions of some rock legends like Led Zeppelin and Crosby, Stills, and Nash (being David Crosby's first full band performance since being released from prison).


title: Atlantic Records

text: Time Warner sold Warner Music Group to a group of investors for $2.6 billion in late 2003. The deal closed in early 2004, consolidating Elektra Records and Atlantic into one label operated in the eastern United States.


title: Atlantic Records

text: In 2006, the label denied "Weird Al" Yankovic permission to release "You're Pitiful", a parody of James Blunt's "You're Beautiful", despite Blunt's approval. Atlantic said it was too early in Blunt's career, and it did not want him to be a one-hit wonder. Although Yankovic could have made the parody anyway, claiming Fair Use, his record label, Volcano Entertainment, thought it best not to "go to war" with Atlantic. The parody was released online for free on June 7. He later recorded two more parodies, "White & Nerdy", and "Do I Creep You Out", both released September 26 to replace it. He wore T-shirts reading "Atlantic Records sucks" while performing live and, in the music video for "White & Nerdy", he defaces Atlantic's article on Wikipedia, replacing the page with "YOU SUCK!" in large type (which spawned copycat vandalism).


title: Atlantic Records

text: In 2007, the label celebrated its 60th anniversary with the May 2 PBS broadcast of the "American Masters" documentary "Atlantic Records: The House that Ahmet Built" and the simultaneous Starbucks CD release of "Atlantic 60th Anniversary: R&B Classics Chosen By Ahmet Ertegun".


title: Atlantic Records

text: That year also saw Atlantic reach a milestone for major record labels. According to the "International Herald Tribune", "More than half of its music sales in the United States are now from digital products like downloads on iTunes and ring tones for cellphones", doing so "without seeing as steep of a decline in compact disc sales as the rest of the industry."


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraja III (IAST: Pṛthvī-rāja; reign. – 1192 CE), popularly known as Prithviraj Chauhan or Rai Pithora, was a king from the Chauhan (Chahamana) dynasty who ruled the territory of Sapadalaksha, with his capital at Ajmer in present-day Rajasthan. Ascending the throne as a minor in 1177 CE, Prithviraj inherited a kingdom which stretched from Thanesar in the north to Jahazpur (Mewar) in the south, which he aimed to expand by military actions against neighbouring kingdoms, most notably defeating the Chandelas.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj led a coalition of several Rajput kings and defeated the Ghurid army led by Muhammad Ghori near Taraori in 1191 AD. However, in 1192 CE, Ghori returned with an army of Turkish mounted archers and defeated the Rajput army on the same battlefield. Prithviraj fled the battlefield, but was captured near Sirsa and executed. His defeat at Tarain is seen as a landmark event in the Islamic conquest of India, and has been described in several semi-legendary accounts, most notably the "Prithviraj Raso".


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The extant inscriptions from Prithviraj's reign are few in number and were not issued by the king himself. Much of the information about him comes from the medieval legendary chronicles. Besides the Muslim accounts of Battles of Tarain, he has been mentioned in several medieval "kavyas" (epic poems) by Hindu and Jain authors. These include "Prithviraja Vijaya", "Hammira Mahakavya" and "Prithviraj Raso". These texts contain eulogistic descriptions, and are, therefore, not entirely reliable. "Prithviraja Vijaya" is the only surviving literary text from the reign of Prithviraj. "Prithviraj Raso", which popularized Prithviraj as a great king, is purported to be written by his court poet Chand Bardai. However, it contains many exaggerated accounts, much of which is not useful for the purposes of history.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Other chronicles and texts that mention Prithviraj include "Prabandha-Chintamani", "Prabandha Kosha" and "Prithviraja Prabandha". These were composed centuries after his death, and contain exaggerations and anachronistic anecdotes. Prithviraj has also been mentioned in "Kharatara-Gachchha-Pattavali", a Sanskrit text containing biographies of the Kharatara Jain monks. While the work was completed in 1336 CE, the part that mentions Prithviraj was written around 1250 CE. The "Alha-Khanda" (or "Alha Raso") of the Chandela poet Jaganika also provides an exaggerated account of Prithviraj's war against the Chandelas.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Some other Indian texts also mention Prithviraj but do not provide much information of historical value. For example, the Sanskrit poem anthology "Sharngadhara-paddhati" (1363) contains a verse praising him, and the "Kanhadade Prabandha" (1455) mentions him as an earlier incarnation of the Jalore Chahamana king Viramade.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj was born to the Chahamana king Someshvara and queen Karpuradevi (a Kalachuri princess). Both Prithviraj and his younger brother Hariraja were born in Gujarat, where their father Someshvara was brought up at the Chaulukya court by his maternal relatives. According to "Prithviraja Vijaya", Prithviraj was born on the 12th day of the Jyeshtha month. The text does not mention the year of his birth, but provides some of the astrological planetary positions at the time of his birth, calling them auspicious. Based on these positions and assuming certain other planetary positions, Dasharatha Sharma calculated the year of Prithviraj's birth as 1166 CE (1223 VS).


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The medieval biographies of Prithviraj suggest that he was educated well. The "Prithviraja Vijaya" states that he mastered 6 languages; the "Prithviraj Raso" claims that he learned 14 languages, which appears to be an exaggeration. The "Raso" goes on to claim that he became well-versed in a number of subjects, including history, mathematics, medicine, military, painting, philosophy (mimamsa), and theology. Both the texts state that he was particularly proficient in archery.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj moved from Gujarat to Ajmer, when his father Someshvara was crowned the Chahamana king after the death of Prithviraja II. Someshvara died in 1177 CE (1234 VS), when Prithviraj was around 11 years old. The last inscription from Someshvara's reign and the first inscription from Prithviraj's reign are both dated to this year. Prithviraj, who was a minor at the time, ascended the throne with his mother as the regent. The "Hammira Mahakavya" claims that Someshvara himself installed Prithviraj on the throne, and then retired to the forest. However, this is doubtful.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: During his early years as the king, Prithviraj's mother managed the administration, assisted by a regency council.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Kadambavasa served as the chief minister of the kingdom during this period. He is also known as Kaimasa, Kaimash or Kaimbasa in the folk legends, which describe him as an able administrator and soldier devoted to the young king. "Prithviraja Vijaya" states that he was responsible for all the military victories during the early years of Prithviraj's reign. According to two different legends, Kadambavasa was later killed by Prithviraj. The "Prithviraja-Raso" claims that Prithviraj killed the minister after finding him in the apartment of the king's favourite concubine Karnati. "Prithviraja-Prabandha" claims that a man named Pratapa-Simha conspired against the minister, and convinced Prithviraj that the minister was responsible for the repeated Muslim invasions. Both these claims appear to be historically inaccurate, as the much more historically reliable "Prithviraja Vijaya" does not mention any such incident.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Bhuvanaikamalla, the paternal uncle of Prithviraj's mother, was another important minister during this time. According to "Prithviraja Vijaya", he was a valiant general who served Prithviraj as Garuda serves Vishnu. The text also states that he was "proficient in the art of subduing "nāga"s". According to the 15th-century historian Jonaraja, "naga" here refers to elephants. However, Har Bilas Sarda interpreted Naga as the name of a tribe, and theorized that Bhuvanaikamalla defeated this tribe.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: According to historian Dasharatha Sharma, Prithviraj assumed actual control of the administration in 1180 CE (1237 VS).


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The first military achievement of Prithviraj was his suppression of a revolt by his cousin Nagarjuna, and recapture of Gudapura (IAST: Guḍapura; possibly modern Gurgaon). Nagarjuna was a son of Prithviraj's uncle Vigraharaja IV, and the struggle for the Chahamana throne had led to a rivalry between the two branches of the family.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: According to "Prithviraja Vijaya", Nagarjuna rebelled against Prithviraj's authority and occupied the fort of Gudapura. Prithviraj besieged Gudapura with a large army comprising infantry, camels, elephants and horses. Nagarjuna fled the fort, but Devabhata (possibly his general) continued to offer resistance. Ultimately, Prithviraj's army emerged victorious, and captured the wife, mother, and followers of Nagarjuna. According to "Prithviraja Vijaya", a garland made of the defeated soldiers' heads was hung across the Ajmer fort gate.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Two verses of "Kharatara-Gachchha-Pattavali" mention the victory of Prithviraj over the Bhadanakas, while describing a debate between two Jain monks. This victory can be dated to sometime before 1182 CE, when the said debate took place. According to Cynthia Talbot, the Bhadanakas were an obscure dynasty who controlled the area around Bayana. According to Dasharatha Sharma, the Bhadanaka territory comprised the area around present-day Bhiwani, Rewari and Alwar.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The 1182–83 CE (1239 VS) Madanpur inscriptions from Prithviraj's reign claim that he "laid to waste" Jejakabhukti (present-day Bundelkhand), which was ruled by the Chandela king Paramardi. Prithviraj's invasion of the Chandela territory is also described in the later folk legends, such as "Prithviraj Raso", "Paramal Raso", and "Alha-Raso". Other texts such as "Sarangadhara Paddhati" and "Prabandha Chintamani" also mention Prithviraj's attack on Paramardi. The "Kharatara-Gachchha-Pattavali" mentions that Prithviraj had embarked upon a "digvijaya" (conquest of all the regions). This appears to be a reference to the start of Prithviraj's march to Jejakabhukti.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The legendary account of Prithviraj's campaign against the Chandelas goes like this: Prithviraj was returning to Delhi after marrying the daughter of Padamsen, when his contingent was attacked by the "Turkic" forces (Ghurids). His army repulsed the attacks but suffered serious casualties in the process. Amid this chaos, the Chahamana soldiers lost their way and unknowingly encamped in the Chandela capital Mahoba. They killed the Chandela royal gardener for objecting to their presence, which led to a skirmish between the two sides. The Chandela king Paramardi asked his general Udal to attack Prithviraj's camp, but Udal advised against this move. Paramardi's brother-in-law Mahil Parihar ruled modern-day Orai; he harboured ill-will against Paramardi and instigated the king to go ahead with the attack. Prithviraj defeated Udal's contingent and then left for Delhi. Subsequently, unhappy with Mahil's scheming, Udal and his brother Alha left the Chandela court. They started serving Jaichand, the Gahadavala ruler of Kannauj. Mahil then secretly informed Prithviraj that Chandela kingdom had become weak in absence of its strongest generals. Prithviraj invaded the Chandela kingdom and besieged Sirsagarh, which was held by Udal's cousin Malkhan. After failing to win over Malkhan through peaceful methods and losing eight generals, Prithviraj captured the fort. The Chandelas then appealed for a truce, and used this time to recall Alha and Udal from Kannauj. In support of the Chandelas, Jaichand dispatched an army led by his best generals, including two of his own sons. The combined Chandela-Gahadavala army attacked Prithviraj's camp, but was defeated. After his victory, Prithviraj sacked Mahoba. He then dispatched his general Chavand Rai to Kalinjar Fort to capture Paramardi. According to the various legends, Paramardi either died or retired shortly after the attack. Prithviraj returned to Delhi after appointing Pajjun Rai as the governor of Mahoba. Later, Paramardi's son recaptured Mahoba.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The exact historicity of this legendary narrative is debatable. The Madanpur inscriptions establish that Prithviraj sacked Mahoba, but historical evidence suggests that his occupation of Chandela territory is either a fabrication by the bards, or did not last long. It is known that Paramardi did not die or retire immediately after the Chauhan victory; in fact, he continued ruling as a sovereign nearly a decade after Prithviraj's death. Cynthia Talbot asserts that Prithviraj only raided Jejakabhukti, and Paramardi regained control of his kingdom soon after his departure from Mahoba. Talbot continues that Prithviraj was not able to annex the Chandela territory to his kingdom. Conversely, according to R.B. Singh, it is probable that some part of Chandela territory was annexed by Chahmanas albeit for a short time.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The "Kharatara-Gachchha-Pattavali" mentions a peace treaty between Prithviraj, and Bhima II, the Chaulukya (Solanki) king of Gujarat. This implies that the two kings were previously at war. This war can be dated to sometime before 1187 CE (1244 VS). The Veraval inscription states that Bhima's prime minister Jagaddeva Pratihara was "the moon to the lotus-like queens of Prithviraja" (a reference to the belief that the moon-rise causes a day-blooming lotus to close its petals). Since Bhima was a minor at the time, it appears that Jagaddeva led the campaign on the Chaulukya side.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The historically unreliable "Prithviraj Raso" provides some details about the Chahamana-Chaulukya struggle. According to it, both Prithviraj and Bhima wanted to marry Ichchhini, the Paramara princess of Abu. Prithviraj's marriage to her led to a rivalry between the two kings. Historian G. H. Ojha dismisses this legend as fiction, because it states that Ichchhini was a daughter of Salakha, while Dharavarsha was the Paramara ruler of Abu at the time. Historian R. B. Singh, on the other hand, believes that Salakha was the head of another Paramara branch at Abu. The "Raso" also mentions that Prithviraj's uncle Kanhadeva had killed seven sons of Bhima's uncle Sarangadeva. To avenge these murders, Bhima invaded the Chahamana kingdom and killed Prithviraj's father Someshvara, capturing Nagor in the process. Prithviraj re-captured Nagor, and defeated and killed Bhima. This is known to be historically false, as the reign of Bhima II lasted nearly half a century after Prithviraj's death. Similarly, historical evidence suggests Bhima II was a child at the time of Someshvara's death, and therefore, could not have killed him.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Despite these discrepancies, there is some evidence of a battle between the Chahamanas and the Chaulukyas at Nagor. Two inscriptions found at Charlu village near Bikaner commemorate the death of Mohil soldiers at the battle of Nagor in 1184 CE (1241 VS). The Mohils are a branch of the Chauhans (the Chahamanas), and it is possible the inscriptions refer to the battle described in "Prithviraj Raso".


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Sometime before 1187 CE, Jagaddeva Pratihara signed a peace treaty with Prithviraj. According to "Kharatara-Gachchha-Pattavali", a chief named Abhayada once sought Jagaddeva's permission to attack and rob the wealthy visitors from Sapadalaksha country (the Chahamana territory). In response, Jagaddeva told Abhayada that he had concluded a treaty with Prithviraj with much difficulty. Jaggadeva then threatened to have Abhayada sewn in a donkey's belly if he harassed the people of Sapadalaksha. Historian Dasharatha Sharma theorizes that the Chahamana-Chaulukya conflict ended with some advantage for Prithviraj, as Jagaddeva appears to have been very anxious to preserve the treaty. According to historian R.C. Majumdar and Satish Chandra his long drawn out struggle against Gujarat was unsuccessful and he suffered a reverse against Bhima. Thus, Prithviraj concluded a treaty by 1187 AD.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The area around Mount Abu was ruled by the Chandravati Paramara ruler Dharavarsha, who was a Chaulukya feudatory. "Partha-Parakrama-Vyayoga", a text written by his younger brother Prahaladana, describes Prithviraj's night attack on Abu. This attack, according to the text, was a failure for the Chahamanas. It probably happened during the Gujarat campaign of Prithviraj.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The Gahadavala kingdom, centered around Kannauj and headed by another powerful king Jayachandra, was located to the east of the Chahamana kingdom. According to a legend mentioned in "Prithviraj Raso", Prithviraj eloped with Jayachandra's daughter Samyogita, leading to a rivalry between the two kings.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The legend goes like this: King Jaichand (Jayachandra) of Kannauj decided to conduct a Rajasuya ceremony to proclaim his supremacy. Prithviraj refused to participate in this ceremony, and thus, refused to acknowledge Jaichand as the supreme king. Jaichand's daughter Samyogita fell in love with Prithviraj after hearing about his heroic exploits, and declared that she would marry only him. Jaichand arranged a swayamvara (husband-selection) ceremony for his daughter, but did not invite Prithviraj. Nevertheless, Prithviraj marched to Kannauj with a hundred warriors and eloped with Samyogita. Two-thirds of his warriors sacrificed their life in fight against the Gahadavala army, allowing him to escape to Delhi with Samyogita. In Delhi, Prithviraj became infatuated with his new wife, and started spending most of his time with her. He started ignoring the state affairs, which ultimately led to his defeat against Muhammad of Ghor.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: This legend is also mentioned in Abu'l-Fazl's "Ain-i-Akbari" and Chandrashekhara's "Surjana-Charita" (which names the Gahadavala princess as "Kantimati"). "Prithviraja Vijaya" mentions that Prithviraj fell in love with the incarnation of an apsara Tilottama, although he had never seen this woman and was already married to other women. According to historian Dasharatha Sharma, this is probably a reference to Samyogita. However, this legend is not mentioned in other historical sources such as "Prithviraja-Prabandha", "Prabandha-Chintamani", "Prabandha-Kosha" and "Hammira-Mahakavya". The Gahadavala records are also silent about this event, including the supposed Rajasuya performance by Jayachandra.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: According to Dasharatha Sharma and R. B. Singh, there might be some historical truth in this legend, as it is mentioned in three different sources. All three sources place the event sometime before Prithviraj's final confrontation with Muhammad of Ghor in 1192 CE.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The "Prithviraj Raso" mentions that Prithviraj defeated Nahar Rai of Mandovara and the Mughal chief Mudgala Rai, but these stories appear to be pure fiction. No historical records suggest existence of these persons.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The construction of the now-ruined Qila Rai Pithora fort in Delhi is attributed to Prithviraj. According to "Prithviraj Raso", Delhi's ruler Anangpal Tomar gave the city to his son-in-law Prithviraj, and was defeated when he wanted it back. This is historically inaccurate, as Delhi was annexed to the Chahamana territory by Prithviraj's uncle Vigraharaja IV. In addition, historical evidence suggests that Anangpal Tomar died before the birth of Prithviraj. The claim about his daughter's marriage to Prithviraj appears to have been concocted at a later date.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj's predecessors had faced multiple raids from the Muslim dynasties that had captured the north-western areas of the Indian subcontinent by the 12th century. By the late 12th century, the Ghazna-based Ghurid dynasty controlled the territory to the west of the Chahamana kingdom. While Prithviraj was still a child, in 1175 CE, the Ghurid ruler Muhammad of Ghor crossed the Indus River and captured Multan. In 1178 CE, he invaded Gujarat, which was ruled by the Chaulukyas (Solankis). During its march to Gujarat, the Ghurid army appears to have passed through the western frontier of the Chahamana kingdom, as evident by the destruction of several temples and sacking of the Bhati-ruled Lodhruva. The "Prithviraja Vijaya" mentions that the activities of the Ghurid army were like Rahu to the Chahamana kingdom (in Hindu mythology, Rahu swallows the Sun, causing a solar eclipse). However, it does not mention any military engagement between the two kingdoms. On its way to Gujarat, the Ghurid army besieged the Naddula (Nadol) fort, which was controlled by the Chahamanas of Naddula. Prithviraj's chief minister Kadambavasa advised him not to offer any assistance to the rivals of the Ghurids, and to stay away from this conflict. The Chahamanas did not immediately face a Ghurid invasion, because the Chaulukyas of Gujarat defeated Muhammad at the Battle of Kasahrada in 1178 CE, forcing the Ghurids to retreat.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Over the next few years, Muhammad of Ghor consolidated his power in the territory to the west of the Chahamanas, conquering Peshawar, Sindh, and Punjab. He shifted his base from Ghazna to Punjab, and made attempts to expand his empire eastwards, which brought him into conflict with Prithviraj.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: "Prithviraja Vijaya" mentions that Muhammad of Ghor sent an ambassador to Prithviraj, but does not provide any details. Hasan Nizami's "Taj-ul-Maasir" (13th century CE) states that Muhammad sent his chief judge "Qiwam-ul Mulk" Ruknud Din Hamza to Prithviraj's court. The envoy tried to convince Prithviraj to "abandon belligerence and pursue the path of rectitude", but was unsuccessful. As a result, Muhammad decided to wage a war against Prithviraj.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The medieval Muslim writers mention only one or two battles between the two rulers. The "Tabaqat-i Nasiri" and "Tarikh-i-Firishta" mention the two Battles of Tarain. "Jami-ul-Hikaya" and "Taj-ul-Maasir" mention only the second battle of Tarain, in which Prithviraj was defeated. However, the Hindu and Jain writers state that Prithviraj defeated Muhammad multiple times before being killed:


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: While these accounts seem to exaggerate the number, it is possible that more than two engagements took place between the Ghurids and the Chahamanas during Prithviraj's reign. The early victories mentioned by the Hindu and Jain writers probably refer to Prithviraj's successful repulsion of raids by Ghurid generals.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: During 1190–1191 CE, Muhammad of Ghor invaded the Chahamana territory, and captured Tabarhindah or Tabar-e-Hind (identified with Bathinda). He placed it under the charge of Zia-ud-din, the Qazi of Tulak, supported by 1200 horsemen. When Prithviraj learned about this, marched towards Tabarhindah with his feudatories, including Govindaraja of Delhi. According to the 16th-century Muslim historian Firishta, his force comprised 200,000 horses and 3,000 elephants.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Muhammad's original plan was to return to his base after conquering Tabarhindah, but when he heard about Prithviraj's march, he decided to put up a fight. He set out with an army, and encountered Prithviraj's forces at Tarain. In the ensuing battle, Prithviraj's army decisively defeated the Ghurids. Muhammad of Ghor was injured and forced to retreat.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj did not pursue the retreating Ghurid army, not wanting to invade hostile territory or misjudge Ghori's ambition. He only besieged the Ghurid garrison at Tabarhindah, which surrendered after 13 months of siege.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj seems to have treated the first battle of Tarain as merely a frontier fight. This view is strengthened by the fact that he made little preparations for any future clash with Muhammad of Ghor. According to "Prithviraj Raso", during the period preceding his final confrontation with the Ghurids, he neglected the affairs of the state and spent time in merry-making.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Meanwhile, Muhammad of Ghor returned to Ghazna, and made preparations to avenge his defeat. According to "Tabaqat-i Nasiri", he gathered a well-equipped army of 120,000 select Afghan, Tajik and Turkic horsemen over the next few months. He then marched towards the Chahamana kingdom via Multan and Lahore, aided by Vijayaraja of Jammu.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj had been left without any allies as a result of his wars against the neighbouring Hindu kings. Nevertheless, he managed to gather a large army to counter the Ghurids. Prithviraj successfully marshaled a sizeable army composed of over 100 Rajput rulers, mainly War elephants, cavalrymen and foot soldiers. The 16th century Muslim historian Firishta estimated the strength of Prithviraj's army as 300,000 horses and 3,000 elephants, in addition to a large infantry. This is most likely a gross exaggeration, aimed at emphasizing the scale of the Ghurid victory. Prithviraj wrote a letter to Muhammad of Ghor, promising him no harm if he decided to return to his own country. Muhammad insisted that he needed time to confer his Ghazna-based brother Ghiyath al-Din. According to Firishta, he agreed to a truce until he received an answer from his brother. However, he planned an attack against the Chahamanas.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: According to "Jawami ul-Hikayat", Muhammad assigned a few men to keep the fires in his camp burning at night, while he marched off in another direction with the rest of his army. This gave the Chahamanas an impression that the Ghurid army was still encamped, observing the truce. After reaching several miles away, Muhammad formed four divisions, with 10,000 archers each. He kept the rest of his army in reserve. He ordered the four divisions to launch an attack on the Chahamana camp, and then pretend a retreat.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: At dawn, the four divisions of the Ghurid army attacked the Chahamana camp, while Prithviraj was still asleep. After a brief fight, the Ghurid divisions pretended to retreat in accordance with Muhammad's strategy. Prithviraj was thus lured into chasing them, and by the afternoon, the Chahamana army was exhausted as a result of this pursuit. At this point, Muhammad led his reserve force and attacked the Chahamanas, decisively defeating them. According to "Taj-ul-Maasir", Prithviraj's camp lost 100,000 men (including Govindaraja of Delhi) in this debacle. Prithviraj himself tried to escape on a horse, but was pursued and caught near the Sarasvati fort (possibly modern Sirsa). Subsequently, Muhammad of Ghor captured Ajmer after killing several thousand defenders, enslaved many more, and destroyed the city's temples.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: "Prabandha Chintamani" by the 14th-century Jain scholar Merutunga states that Prithviraj cut off the ears of one of his ministers, who guided the Ghurid invaders to his camp as revenge. Prithviraj was in deep sleep after a day of religious fasting, and therefore, was easily captured.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: "Hammira Mahakavya" by the 15th-century Jain scholar Nayachandra Suri states that after his initial defeat, the Ghurid king raised a fresh army with the support of a neighboring king, and marched to Delhi. Before the battle, he bribed Prithviraj's master of horses and musicians with gold coins. The master of horses had trained Prithviraj's horse to prance to drumbeats. The Ghurids attacked the Chahamana camp just before dawn, when Prithviraj was sleeping. Prithviraj tried to escape on his horse, but his musicians sounded the drums. The horse started prancing, and the invaders easily captured Prithviraj.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: According to another Jain text, "Prithviraja Prabandha", Prithviraj's minister Kaimbasa and his spear-bearer Pratapasimha were not on good terms. Kaimbasa once complained to king against Pratapasimha, who convinced the king that Kaimbasa was aiding the Ghurids. An angry Prithviraj attempted to kill Kaimbasa with an arrow one night, but ended up killing another man. When his bard Chand Baliddika admonished him, the king dismissed both the bard and the minister. At the time of Ghurid invasion of Delhi, Prithviraj had been sleeping for ten days. When the Ghurids came close, his sister woke him up: Prithviraj tried to flee on a horse, but Kaimbasa helped the Ghurids capture him by telling them about a certain sound that caused his horse to prance.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Most medieval sources state that Prithviraj was taken to the Chahamana capital Ajmer, where Muhammad planned to reinstate him as a Ghurid vassal. Sometime later, Prithviraj rebelled against Muhammad, and was killed for treason. This is corroborated by numismatic evidence: some 'horse-and-bullman'-style coins bearing names of both Prithviraj and "Muhammad bin Sam" were issued from the Delhi mint, although another possibility is that the Ghurids initially used Chahamana-style coinage to ensure greater acceptance of their own coinage in the former Chahamana territory. After Prithviraj's death, Muhammad installed the Chahamana prince Govindaraja on the throne of Ajmer, which further supports this theory.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The 13th-century Persian historian Minhaj-i-Siraj states that Prithviraj was "sent to hell" after being captured. The 16th-century historian Firishta also supports this account. According to historian Satish Chandra, Minhaj's account suggests that Prithviraj was executed immediately after his defeat, but R. B. Singh believes that no such conclusion can be drawn from Minhaj's writings. "Viruddha-Vidhi Vidhvansa" by the Hindu writer Lakshmidhara is the only source that claims that Prithviraj was killed on the battlefield.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The "Prithviraj Raso" claims that Prithviraj was taken to Ghazna as a prisoner, and blinded. On hearing this, the poet Chand Bardai traveled to Ghazna and tricked Muhammad of Ghor into watching an archery performance by the blind Prithviraj. During this performance, Prithviraj shot the arrow in the direction of Muhammad's voice and killed him. Shortly after, Prithviraj and Chand Bardai killed each other. This is a fictional narrative, not supported by historical evidence: Muhammad of Ghor continued to rule for more than a decade after Prithviraj's death.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: After Prithviraj's death, the Ghurids appointed his son Govindaraja on the throne of Ajmer as their vassal. In 1192 CE, Prithviraj's younger brother Hariraja dethroned Govindaraja, and recaptured a part of his ancestral kingdom. Govindaraja moved to Ranastambhapura (modern Ranthambore), where he established a new Chahamana branch of vassal rulers. Hariraja was later defeated by the Ghurid general Qutb al-Din Aibak.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj had a dedicated ministry for pandits (scholars) and poets, which was under the charge of Padmanabha. His court had a number of poets and scholars, including:


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: "Kharatara-Gachchha-Pattavali" mentions a debate that took place between the Jain monks Jinapati Suri and Padmaprabha at Naranayana (modern Narena near Ajmer). Prithviraj had encamped there at the time. Jinapati was later invited to Ajmer by a rich Jain merchant. There, Prithviraj issued him a "jaya-patra" (certificate of victory).


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: <mapframe text="Find-spots of inscriptions from Prithviraj's reign, in present-day India" width="400" height="400" zoom="5" longitude="74.84" latitude="25.98">


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: According to historian R. B. Singh, at its height, Prithviraj's empire extended from Sutlej river in the west to the Betwa river in the east, and from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the foot of Mount Abu in the south. Thus, it included parts of present-day Rajasthan, Uttrakhand, southern Punjab, northern Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and western Uttar Pradesh.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: However, according to archeologist Rima Hooja and historian R.C. Majumdar, Prithviraj inherited a kingdom that only stretched till modern day Hissar and Sirhind (Bathinda) on north west, and till Delhi in North. His territories were bounded on southern frontier by Guhilas of Mewar along with Chauhans of Nadol, on the eastern border by kingdoms of Bayana, Kachchhapaghatas of Gwalior and Gahadavalas of Varnasi and on north-west frontier by empire of the Ghaznavids. Majumdar further asserts that the military campaigns of Prithviraj on his neighbours do not resulted in any annexation of territory.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Only seven inscriptions dated to Prithviraj's reign are available; none of these were issued by the king himself:


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The late medieval (14th and 15th centuries) Sanskrit stories about Prithviraj, present him as an unsuccessful king who was memorable only for his defeat against a foreign king. "Prabandha-Chintamani" and "Prithviraja-Prabandha", written by Jain authors, portray him as an inept and unworthy king who was responsible for his own downfall, and whose mistreatment of his devout subordinates turned them into traitors. In contrast, the "Hammira Mahakavya", also written by a Jain author, presents him as a brave man whose subordinates turned against him out of pure greed. The "Hammira Mahakavya", which was probably intended to please a Chauhan lord, retains the elements of the Jain tradition that occur in the two "Prabandha" texts, but also attempts to glorify Prithviraj who was an ancestor of the text's hero Hammira.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: "Prithviraj Raso", a legendary text patronized largely by the Rajput courts, portrays Prithviraj as a great hero. Over time, Prithviraj came to be portrayed as a patriotic Hindu warrior who fought against Muslim enemies. He is remembered as a king whose reign separated the two major epochs of Indian history. The convention of portraying Prithviraj as a Hindu king defeated as part of the Islamic conquest of India appears to have started with Hasan Nizami's "Tajul-Ma'asir" (early 13th century). Nizami presents his narrative as a description of "war with enemies of the faith" and of how "the Islamic way of life was established in the land of the Hindus." "Tajul-Ma'asir" as well as the later text "Tabaqat-i Nasiri" (c. 1260) present the Ghurid victory over Prithviraj as an important milestone leading to the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: The 16th century legends describe him as the ruler of India's political centre Delhi (rather than Ajmer, which was his actual capital). For example, Abul Fazl's "Ain-i-Akbari" does not associate the Chahamana dynasty with Ajmer at all. Prithviraj's association with Delhi in these legends further strengthened his status as a symbol of pre-Islamic Indian power.


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Prithviraj has been described as "the last Hindu emperor" in eulogies. This designation is inaccurate, as several stronger Hindu rulers flourished in South India after him, and even some contemporary Hindu rulers in northern India were at least as powerful as him. Nevertheless, the 19th-century British officer James Tod repeatedly used this term to describe Prithviraj in his "Annals and Antiquities of Rajast'han". Tod was influenced by the medieval Persian language Muslim accounts, which present Prithviraj as a major ruler and portray his defeat as a major milestone in the Islamic conquest of India. After Tod, several narratives continued to describe Prithviraj as "the last Hindu emperor". For example, the inscriptions at the Ajmer memorial ("smarak") to Prithviraj also honour him as "the last Hindu emperor".


title: Prithviraj Chauhan

text: Memorials dedicated to Prithviraj have been constructed in Ajmer and Delhi. A number of Indian films and television series have been made on his life. These include: "Prithviraj Chouhan" (1924), "Prithviraj Sanyogita" (1929) by Narayanrao D. Sarpotdar, "Prithviraj" (1931) by R. N. Vaidya, "Prithviraj Sanyogita" (1933), "Prithviraj Samyogita" (1946) by Najam Naqvi, "Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan" (1959) by Harsukh Jagneshwar Bhatt, Rani Samyuktha starring M.G. Ramachandran, "Samrat Prithviraj" (2022) by Chandraprakash Dwivedi; and the Hindi television serials "Main Dilli Hoon" (1998–1999) and "Dharti Ka Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan" (2006–2009). The Indian animated film "Veer Yodha Prithviraj Chauhan" (2008) was released by Rakesh Prasad. Prithviraj was also one of the first historical figures to be covered in "Amar Chitra Katha" (No. 25). Many of these modern retellings depict Prithviraj as a flawless hero, and emphasize a message of Hindu national unity.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: The Bourne franchise consists of action-thriller installments based on the character Jason Bourne, created by author Robert Ludlum. The franchise includes five films and a spin-off prequel/sequel television series. The overall plot centers around Jason Bourne, a CIA assassin suffering from dissociative amnesia, portrayed by Matt Damon.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: All three of Ludlum's novels were adapted for the screen, featuring Matt Damon as the title character in each. Doug Liman directed "The Bourne Identity" (2002) and Paul Greengrass directed "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004), "The Bourne Ultimatum" (2007), and "Jason Bourne" (2016). Tony Gilroy co-wrote each film except for "Jason Bourne" and directed "The Bourne Legacy" (2012).


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Damon chose not to return for the fourth film, "The Bourne Legacy", which introduces a new main character, Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner), a Department of Defense operative who runs for his life because of Bourne's actions in "Ultimatum". The character of Jason Bourne does not appear in "Legacy", but mention of his name and pictures of Damon as Bourne are shown throughout the film. Damon returned for the fifth installment, "Jason Bourne".


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: The "Bourne" series has received generally positive critical reception and grossed over billion. Unlike many contemporary action series, it is distinguished by its use of real stunt work, in contrast to the growing use of computer-generated imagery in action scenes.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: A man is found floating in the Mediterranean Sea with two gunshot wounds in his back and a device with the number of a Swiss safe deposit box embedded in his hip. He remembers nothing about his life before. Upon reaching shore, the man assumes the name Jason Bourne after finding a passport under that name in the safe deposit box, along with other alien passports, large amounts of assorted currencies, and a gun. He subsequently attempts to discover his true identity while countering attempts on his life by CIA assassins, eventually realizing that he is one such assassin who failed to complete his most recent mission. Bourne breaks his connections to the CIA and unites with Marie Kreutz (Franka Potente), a woman who helped him learn about his most recent actions prior to his memory loss. Bourne's conflict with the CIA reaches a climax when he takes the fight to their doorstep.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Some two years after learning that he is a trained assassin and breaking his connections with the CIA, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) is framed for a crime to cover up the true perpetrator. An attempt on his life by Kirill (Karl Urban), a member of the Russian secret service, results in Marie's (Franka Potente) death in India. Bourne, thinking that the CIA is hunting him again, proceeds to hunt those responsible for her death and his forgotten past. Bourne discovers that Ward Abbott (Brian Cox), one of the men who oversaw the program which trained Bourne to be an assassin (Operation Treadstone), had stolen millions of dollars from the CIA. Abbott had planned to frame Bourne for the theft, followed by assassinating Bourne in India. Bourne exposes Abbott to Pamela Landy (Joan Allen), the CIA officer in charge of finding Bourne. Abbott kills himself. Bourne goes to Moscow where he is identified, resulting in a long car chase through Moscow. At the end of the chase, Kirill dies. Bourne is in Moscow to find the daughter of a Russian couple killed in his first mission. He lets her know (in person) that, despite what she had been led to believe for a long time, one of her parents did not kill the other and then commit suicide, but that they were actually both murdered. Bourne then goes back into hiding.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: After six weeks of disconnection from his job, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) learns that a British journalist (Paddy Considine) has been investigating his past and contacts him to find out who his source is. Bourne is subsequently targeted by Operation Blackbriar, an upgraded Operation Treadstone, which also has taken note of the investigation. Believing that Bourne is a threat and is seeking revenge, Blackbriar's director Noah Vosen (David Strathairn) begins a new hunt for Bourne. Bourne manages to take classified documents proving that Blackbriar has targeted U.S. citizens; he is aided by Pamela Landy, who disagreed with Vosen from the beginning and does not support Blackbriar's existence, and former Treadstone logistics technician Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles). She may have had romantic feelings for Bourne before his final mission and resultant amnesia. Bourne finally comes face to face with the person who oversaw his behavior modification as the first Treadstone operative some years earlier, memories of which resurface. Those responsible for Treadstone and Blackbriar are exposed, and Bourne goes underground.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner) is a member of Operation Outcome, a United States Department of Defense black ops program which enhances the physical and mental abilities of field operatives through pills referred to as "chems". Cross, deployed to Alaska for a training assignment, traverses rugged terrain to reach a cabin operated by an exiled Outcome operative. Meanwhile, Jason Bourne has exposed the Blackbriar and Treadstone programs in public, leading the FBI and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to investigate those involved. Retired Air Force Colonel Eric Byer (Edward Norton), who is responsible for overseeing the Beta program from which the CIA's Treadstone and Blackbriar were developed, decides to end Outcome and kill its agents. Cross manages to survive several attempts on his life and seeks a way to get more chems, as his supply runs out. Cross eventually comes upon Dr. Marta Shearing (Rachel Weisz), his last link to gain more chems. He discovers she has no pills but that his physical enhancements can be "viraled-out" and can become genetically permanent, so he would no longer need physical chems. He, in turn, reveals to her that without the help of the mental chem enhancements, he possesses a well-below average IQ. To avoid this mental regression, and the operatives hunting them, the two travel to a factory in Manila and with Shearing's help, Cross initiates and survives the potentially fatal process of viraling-out of his dependency on the remaining mental-enhancing pills. Cross and Shearing, now fugitives, evade the Manila police as well as an operative from the new LARX program. The film ends showing they successfully escape from the Philippines as passengers on an old trading ship.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), whom Bourne sent into hiding in "The Bourne Ultimatum", gains access to sensitive CIA files. She contacts Bourne to share information about his past, including how he was recruited for Operation Treadstone and his father's role in that operation. Bourne learns that his father, Richard Webb (Gregg Henry), designed Operation Treadstone and was assassinated by the CIA because he did not want his son to enter the program and become a killer. CIA director Robert Dewey (Tommy Lee Jones) hunts down Parsons and Bourne using a foreign asset (Vincent Cassel) and the technical skills of CIA Cyber Ops Division head Heather Lee (Alicia Vikander), while Bourne plans to avenge his father's death. Bourne first tries to make the man who recruited him into the CIA confirm his understanding of his father's death. He then plans to avenge himself against Dewey. Meanwhile, Lee wants to bring Bourne back into the CIA's special operations and Dewey allows her to believe she has his support even though he plans to eliminate Bourne.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: There is a subplot involving Operation Iron Hand, a surveillance program that will have secret access to a giant social media service called Deep Dream. In the past the CIA and Deep Dream have had a contract to work together, but Aaron Kalloor (Riz Ahmed), its founder and CEO, wants to end this cooperation. When Dewey refuses to allow any such change, Kalloor plans to reveal his relationship with the CIA and its plans to violate the privacy expectations of Deep Dream's millions of users. Dewey plans to assassinate Kalloor before his planned revelations.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: In November 2016, producer Frank Marshall acknowledged that Universal Pictures is optimistic regarding a "Jason Bourne" sequel. In the same interview, he reported that a follow-up installment to "The Bourne Legacy" is unlikely although the studio has not ruled it out. In March 2017, franchise star Matt Damon cast doubt upon a sequel stating that the audience "might be done" with the character.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: By October 2019, Ben Smith—who has served as a producer on the franchise—confirmed that a film is currently in development. Though he would not detail the plot, nor the studio's plans, he confirmed that the sequel will tie into the "Treadstone" television series.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: In April 2018, USA Network ordered a pilot for a series titled "Treadstone", which written by Tim Kring. The series explores the origins of the Treadstone program and its sleeper agents associated with the agency. By August of the same year, it was announced "Treadstone" will bypass the pilot stage in favor of a straight-to-series commitment from the network. In October 2019, producer Ben Smith confirmed that the television series has ties to the films, with the show having connection to a future "Bourne" movie. The series aired for one season before being cancelled in May 2020.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Director Doug Liman stated that he had been a fan of "The Bourne Identity" by Robert Ludlum since he read it in high school. Near the end of production of Liman's previous film "Swingers", Liman decided to develop a film adaptation of the novel. After more than two years of securing rights to the book from Warner Brothers and a further year of screenplay development with screenwriter Tony Gilroy, the film went through two years of production. Liman approached a wide range of actors for the role of Bourne, including Russell Crowe and Sylvester Stallone, before he eventually cast Matt Damon. Liman found that Damon understood and appreciated that, though "The Bourne Identity" would have its share of action, the focus was primarily on character and plot. Production was difficult, with screenplay rewrites occurring throughout the entire filming and Liman constantly arguing with Universal's executives. "The Bourne Identity" was released in June 2002.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Universal confirmed at a media conference in Los Angeles, California, that they have plans to release more "Bourne" films, despite "Legacy" being given mixed reviews by critics. In a December 2012 interview, Matt Damon revealed that he and Paul Greengrass are interested in returning for the next film. On November 8, 2013, "Deadline" reported that the fifth installment in the franchise will feature Renner's Cross, with Justin Lin directing. Andrew Baldwin was attached for the film's screenplay writing. On September 15, 2014, it was announced that Damon and Greengrass will indeed return for the next "Bourne" film, taking the release date, with Renner returning as Cross in a separate film, at a later date. In November 2014, Damon confirmed that he and Greengrass would return with a script from themselves and film editor Christopher Rouse. On May 23, 2015, "Deadline" reported that Alicia Vikander is in talks to star with Damon in the fifth film. In June 2015, "Variety" reported that Stiles will reprise her role as Nicky Parsons and Viggo Mortensen is in talks to appear in the film as an assassin who's tracking down Bourne. "Deadline" reported that Vikander is confirmed to appear in the film. On July 28, 2015, Tommy Lee Jones was cast in a role in the fifth film. On September 1, 2015, "Variety" reported that French actor Vincent Cassel is cast as the film's villain.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Producer Frank Marshall confirmed principal photography for the new film had commenced on September 8, 2015. The film itself was released in the UK on July 27, 2016 and in the U.S. on July 29, 2016.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: The films have been noted for their "well placed", "understated" and "tastefully done" product placement of a "diverse" range of brands, which in the case of the third film, earned the producers tens of millions of dollars. "The Bourne Identity" features brands such as "The Guardian" newspaper, BT Tower in London and Tag Heuer watches. "The Bourne Supremacy" features mobile phones made by Sony Ericsson. "The Bourne Ultimatum" features a total of 54 brands including "The Guardian" and BT for the second time; mobile phones made by Motorola, Nokia and Carphone Warehouse, most prominently the RAZR 2 and SLVR, as Motorola was a major sponsor and had a movie tie-in customized phone; cars made by BMW, Ford, Mercedes, and Volkswagen, most prominently the Volkswagen Touareg 2, as Volkswagen provided $25 million in funding; and technology products such as CTX computer monitors, Norton AntiVirus and the Google web search engine.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: The scores of the first three films of the series were written by English composer John Powell, with James Newton Howard scoring the fourth film, "The Bourne Legacy".


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: Powell was not the original choice as composer for "The Bourne Identity"—a score for the film had already been composed by Carter Burwell and recorded by an orchestra, when director Doug Liman contacted Powell to provide an alternative soundtrack as he was dissatisfied with the music. Partly for budgetary reasons, Powell scaled down the orchestral score to a mostly electronic soundtrack with strings overlaid to give it a "cinematic feel".


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: The "Bourne" series has received both critical and commercial success. "Ultimatum" won three Academy Awards: Best Film Editing, Sound and Best Sound Editing. Both "Supremacy" and "Ultimatum" won the Empire Award for Best Film.


title: Bourne (franchise)

text: A theme park attraction based on the "Bourne" films, "The Bourne Stuntacular", opened at Universal Studios Florida in 2020. Julia Stiles reprises her role from the film series during the filmed portions of the attraction.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 romantic action comedy film co-written, produced, and directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series "Scott Pilgrim" by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It stars Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, a slacker musician who is trying to win a competition to get a record deal while also battling the seven evil exes of his newest girlfriend Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: A film adaptation of the comics was proposed following the release of the first volume, and Wright was attached to the project early. Filming began in March 2009 in Toronto and wrapped that August. The film premiered after a panel discussion at the San Diego Comic-Con International on July 22, 2010, and received a wide release in North America on August 13. It was re-released for its 10th anniversary in the United Kingdom on August 21, 2020, and the United States on April 30, 2021.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: The film uses famous features of its Toronto setting and matches the style of video game and comic book imagery. It used real musical artists, including Beck and Metric, as a basis for each fictional group in the battle of the bands plot, with some of the actors also performing. A combination of digital and physical methods were used to create the extensive visual effects.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: It was a box-office bomb that failed to recoup its $85 million production budget. However, the film received positive reviews from critics, who noted its visual style and humor, and it eventually garnered a cult following. "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" has made several top ten lists and received over 70 awards and nominations. It was shortlisted for the Best Visual Effects category at the 83rd Academy Awards. In scholarly analysis, it has been widely discussed as a transmedia narrative.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: In Toronto, 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim is a bassist for his unsuccessful indie garage band Sex Bob-Omb. He is dating Knives Chau, a 17-year-old high-school student, much to the disapproval of his friends in the band, his roommate Wallace Wells, and his younger sister Stacey Pilgrim. Scott meets an American Amazon delivery girl, Ramona Flowers, after having first seen her in a dream. He loses interest in Knives, but does not break up with her before pursuing Ramona. When Sex Bob-Omb plays in a battle of the bands sponsored by record executive Gideon Graves, Scott is attacked by Ramona's ex-boyfriend Matthew Patel. Scott defeats Patel and learns that, in order to date Ramona, he must defeat her remaining six evil exes.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Scott finally breaks up with Knives, who blames Ramona and swears to win him back. Meanwhile, Scott proceeds to get attacked by, and defeats, the next three of Ramona's exes: Hollywood actor and skateboarder Lucas Lee, super-powered vegan Todd Ingram, and lesbian ninja Roxy Richter, while also confronting his own ex, pop star Envy Adams. However, Scott grows frustrated during the process, and after an outburst regarding Ramona's dating history, she breaks up with him.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: At the next battle of the bands, Sex Bob-Omb defeats Ramona's fifth and sixth evil exes, twins Kyle and Ken Katayanagi, earning Scott an extra life. Despite this, Ramona appears to get back with her seventh evil ex, Gideon. Sex Bob-Omb accepts Gideon's record deal, except for Scott, who quits the band in protest. Gideon invites Scott to his venue, the Chaos Theater, where Sex Bob-Omb is playing. Resolving to win Ramona back, Scott challenges Gideon to a fight for her affection, earning the "Power of Love" sword. Knives interrupts the battle, attacking Ramona, and Scott is forced to reveal that he cheated on both of them. Gideon kills Scott and Ramona visits him in limbo to reveal that Gideon has implanted her with a mind control device.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Scott uses his 1-up to come back to life and re-enters the Chaos Theater. He makes peace with his friends and challenges Gideon again, this time for himself, gaining the "Power of Self-Respect" sword. After apologizing to Ramona and Knives for cheating on them, and accepting his own faults, Scott joins forces with Knives and they defeat Gideon. Now free from his control, Ramona prepares to leave. Knives accepts that her relationship with Scott is over and, at her encouragement, he leaves with Ramona to "try again".


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" was an international co-production between several companies: Marc Platt Productions (United States), Big Talk Films (United Kingdom), Closed On Mondays Entertainment (United States), and Dentsu (Japan).


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: After artist Bryan Lee O'Malley completed the first volume of "Scott Pilgrim", his publisher Oni Press contacted producer Marc Platt to propose a film adaptation. O'Malley originally had mixed feelings about a film adaptation, stating that he "expected them to turn it into a full-on action comedy with some actor that [he] hated", though he also "didn't even care", admitting: "I was a starving artist, and I was like, 'Please, just give me some money.'" Universal Studios contracted director Edgar Wright, who had just finished the 2004-released "Shaun of the Dead" and agreed to adapt the "Scott Pilgrim" comics. Wright had first become interested in making the film when given a pre-release copy of the first graphic novel during the "Shaun of the Dead" press tour, later saying that "everything that [he] found interesting about the book, and why it felt fresh and unique, was irresistible to adapt." In May 2005, the studio signed Michael Bacall to co-write the screenplay.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Wright cited Mario Bava's 1968 film "" (another adaptation of a comic series) as an influence on his approach to "Scott Pilgrim", stating that he took an "Italian influence, a sense of completely unbridled imagination. They don't make any attempt to make it look realistic. Mario Bava's composition and staging has a real try-anything attitude." Other influences on the screenwriters include musical films like "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls", "Dig!", and particularly "Phantom of the Paradise". The film also takes on elements of style from the graphic novels, including the use of comic book text-as-graphic (e.g. sound effect onomatopoeia), which is described by Wright and O'Malley as "merely the internal perspective of how Scott understands himself and the world". It has been described as both a video game and a comic book film.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Bacall said that he wanted to write the "Scott Pilgrim" film because he felt strongly about its story and empathized with its characters. Wright said that O'Malley was "very involved" with the script of the film from the start, contributing lines and adding polish. Due to the long development, several lines from various scripts written by Wright and Bacall were used in later "Scott Pilgrim" comics. The screenplay's second draft, which O'Malley said "became the main draft for the film", was submitted right at midnight on the night the Writers' Strike was supposed to begin in October 2007. No material from "Scott Pilgrim's Finest Hour", the sixth "Scott Pilgrim" volume, appeared in the film, as the comic was not complete at the time of the film's production; O'Malley contributed suggestions for the film's ending and gave the producers his notes for the sixth volume, but stated that the film's ending was "their ending". Some ideas for the film's ending were cut before production, including that Scott would turn out to be a serial killer who fantasized the gaming aspects and that Gideon would turn into a Transformers-style robot.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Casting of the principal characters began in June 2008. Test shoots began in July 2008, with Wright saying that there was a year of preparation before shooting began. He also stopped working on his "Ant-Man" screenplay for two years during the production of "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World". By 2009, casting had been completed and the film was titled "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World". The cast spent two months in fight training together before filming, with Brad Allan and Peng Zhang of the Jackie Chan Stunt Team; Michael Cera said that he "got kicked in the throat during the training" and "expected it to be excruciating, but it didn’t hurt at all, which was really confusing." Principal photography began in March 2009 in Toronto, and wrapped as scheduled in August.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: In the film's original ending, written before the release of the final "Scott Pilgrim" book, Scott gets back together with Knives. O'Malley objected to the first ending because he felt it would dilute Knives's character. After the final book in the series, in which Scott and Ramona get back together, was released, and with divided audience reaction to the film's original ending, a new ending was filmed to match the books, with Scott and Ramona getting back together. O'Malley helped write the new ending and Wright called Knives' actress Ellen Wong beforehand, thinking she might be disappointed at the change but finding that she liked the idea. The final ending was shot three months before the film was released; Wright says that it is his "preferred ending". The film was given a production budget of $85–90 million, an amount offset by tax rebates that resulted in a final cost of around $60 million. Universal fronted $60 million of the pre-rebate budget. O'Malley's commentary track was recorded on August 14, 2010, one day after the film's theatrical release.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: One of the producers, Miles Dale, said that the film is "the biggest movie ever identifiably set in Toronto." The film features notable Toronto locations Casa Loma, St. Michael's College School, Sonic Boom, the Toronto Public Library Wychwood Library, a Goodwill location on St. Clair West, a Second Cup, a Pizza Pizza, Lee's Palace, and Artscape Wychwood Barns. The production planned to set the film in Toronto because, in Dale's words, "the books are super-specific in their local details" and director Wright wanted to use the imagery from the books, so Universal Studios had no plans to alter the setting. Dale stated that "Bathurst Street is practically the cerebral cortex of Scott Pilgrim". David Fleischer of "Torontoist" wrote that though films set in New York City show off all the major landmarks, "Scott Pilgrim revels in the simplicity" of everyday locations that are still identifiably Toronto, like the Bathurst/Bloor intersection and a single Pizza Pizza restaurant.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Director Wright, who lived in the city for a year before making the film, said that "as a British filmmaker making [his] first film outside the UK, [he] wouldn't want anyone to give [him] demerits for getting the location wrong", sticking to the real Toronto and "shooting even the most banal of locations" in the comic. Wright said that the first thing he did when he arrived in Toronto was to tour all of the locations with O'Malley, saying that this gave him a "kind of touch down at the real locations [that] just made everything feel right", though O'Malley could not remember the exact spots of some and so they drove around using his comic reference photos to find them. The production was allowed to film in Second Cup and Pizza Pizza locations, with Wright saying that using them instead of Starbucks "just felt right" because "it means something to Canadian audiences and people in international audiences just think [they] made [Pizza Pizza] up [them]selves. It sounds like a cute movie brand".


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Wright said that he took pride in having been able to record the original Lee's Palace mural before it was taken down; he also had the old bar reconstructed on a set for interior scenes, which was positively received when the bands consulting for the film visited. Wright suggested that "they wanted it preserved as a museum piece". Another reconstruction was the Rock It club, which no longer existed, with the interior built on a sound stage. The Sonic Boom store had been changed from how it appeared in the comics, but allowed its interior to be restored to the previous look for filming. The backgrounds were also changed for the film: many landscapes were simplified in post-production to emulate the drawing style in the comics, including removing many trees from the scenes shot at Hillcrest Park and Turner Road.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Casa Loma has served as a movie set for many different productions, and so appearing in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" as itself being a movie set was described as "very trippy". The scene at Casa Loma also shows the CN Tower and Baldwin Steps, with Don McKellar (who played the director in the scene) reporting that "people were going crazy" at opening night in Toronto when it played. The Casa Loma fight is in the original comic book, but the moment when Scott Pilgrim is pushed through a matte painting generic cityscape to reveal the CN Tower was only added for the film. In his chapter, '"Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together": The Cultural Crossovers of Bryan Lee O'Malley', Mark Berninger calls this reveal "an ironic reference to the specific filmic location" and says that it is "entirely in line with O'Malley's use of metafictional commentary to stress transnational hybridity precisely by highlighting Canadian identity".


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Casting took place between 2008 and 2010, involving director Wright and casting directors Jennifer Euston, Allison Jones, and Robin D. Cook. Cera was cast in March 2008 and Winstead in May. By the end of 2008, Whitman, Wong, and Kendrick were cast; in January 2009, Routh, Evans, and Larson were announced together, with Webber, Pill, Simmons, and Bhabha added around the same time. Extras casting in Toronto began in February 2009. Though based on a graphic novel about a musician, experts and reviewers consider the film to be a comic book adaptation and a superhero film, and in the years after its release commenters noted that the film features an all-star cast of the biggest actors in comic book and superhero films, with CBR's Noah Dominguez saying that ""Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" may have the best of comic book movie actors, ever". Patrick O'Donnell of "NME" wrote that "notable actors [having starred] in comic book adaptations before and after their roles in "Scott Pilgrim" [injects] a meta quality to the film's already genre-busting style".


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Director Wright felt confident with his casting in the film, saying that "like with "Hot Fuzz" [when they] had great people in every single tiny part, it's the same with this. What's great with this is that there's people [like] Michael [Cera] and Jason [Schwartzman], and [...] people who are up and coming, like Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza and Brie Larson, and then there's complete unknowns as well". "Collider" noted that the less-known actors fit their roles well, with Wright confirming that they did not have much pressure to find a lot of big names, adding that "Universal never really gave [him] any problems about casting bigger people, because in a way Michael [Cera] has starred in two $100 million-plus movies, and also a lot of the other people, though they're not the biggest names, people certainly know who they are." He also noted that while some of the actors were more famous when they auditioned, like Schwartzman and Evans, others became more well-known over the time the film was in development, saying that "Anna Kendrick did her first audition for it before she shot the first "Twilight". And Aubrey Plaza got the part in "Scott Pilgrim" before she did "Funny People" or "Parks and Recreation", which is crazy. It shows you how long this film has taken to get made."


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: The casting decisions were all run by O'Malley during a casting session with Wright; O'Malley was not in the room but was shown all of the tapes. Wright said that he planned on casting Cera while he was writing "Hot Fuzz", after watching episodes of "Arrested Development", also saying that he needed an actor that "audiences will still follow even when the character is being a bit of an ass." Cera said he was equally excited to work with Wright, "because [he] was a big fan of his". He committed to working out for fight scenes for a year in preparation, earning him the on-set nickname "push-up king" because of how muscular he became. Wright explained that though Cera is a talented musician, they were not particularly looking for people who could already play instruments, with the cast members who could not subsequently learning for the film. Like Cera, Wright already had in mind Mary Elizabeth Winstead as his choice for Ramona Flowers, thinking of her for the part two years before filming had started because "she has a very sunny disposition as a person, so it was interesting to get her to play a version of herself that was broken inside. She's great in the film because she causes a lot of chaos but remains supernaturally grounded". In 2020, Wright and Winstead explained how she had been his first choice after he saw her in "Death Proof" and because she has big eyes that reflected the graphic novel. Wright said that Universal had suggested Seth Rogen for the role of Scott, as his recent film "Knocked Up" had been successful, but Wright could not see anyone but Cera in the role.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Ellen Wong, a little-known Toronto actress, auditioned for the part of Knives Chau three times. On her second audition, Wright learned that Wong has a green belt in taekwondo, and says he found himself intrigued by this "sweet-faced young lady being a secret badass". In the 2020 retrospective by "Entertainment Weekly", Wong said she did not think she would even be considered for the role because she is Asian, while Chris Evans said that he was approached by Wright about a role in the film and felt that "it was a no-brainer [because he] was such a big fan of" the director, taking the role of Lucas Lee. Other actors considered for Lucas were Evans' future Marvel Cinematic Universe co-star Sebastian Stan and "Twilight"s Robert Pattinson. The actors playing Lucas's stunt doubles are the actual stunt doubles for Evans. Aubrey Plaza, who has a supporting role as Julie Powers, said that "there's a lot of weird, perfectly casted people", citing Michael Cera and Alison Pill as particularly matching their characters. Other candidates for Pill's role of Kim were Betty Gilpin, Zoe Kazan, and Rooney Mara. As well as Plaza, other members of the cast and crew expressed similar sentiments: Kieran Culkin explained that he was sent a script to audition without a character name, but when he saw the description of Wallace he knew the role was for him, and Wright said that the audition of then-18-year-old Brie Larson "blew everybody else away", adding: "[executive producer] Jared [LeBoff] and I both said afterward, 'We've got to cast her'."


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Wright says one thing he is particularly happy with is that this film, unlike many comedies including his own, has "a lot of funny women in it", recalling a particular scene he dubbed "the funny lady relay race", because it "starts with Anna Kendrick, then switches to Aubrey Plaza, then switches to Mary [Elizabeth Winstead], then switches to Brie Larson, and it's just Michael [Cera] being attacked from all sides from all the different women in the film." In June 2013, O'Malley, who is of Korean and white Canadian parentage, stated that he regretted the fact that the film's cast was predominantly white, and that there were not enough roles for minorities.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: The film is not only physically set in Toronto, but also, according to Allan Weiss, culturally and temporally located within "the Annex and Wychwood neighbourhoods [of Toronto] during the David Miller era", the time and place of a very specific music scene that the film "embed[s] [itself] into [...] not only via Scott's fictional band[,] but also by the appearance of such clubs as the now defunct Rockit[, and] the film's indie rock soundtrack"; Weiss asserts that the film "marks the mythologizing of the cool Annex scene, the transformation of Toronto indie rock [...] into the stuff of adventure", as "nearly all of the major events [...] are connected in some way to this music scene."


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: The soundtrack features contributions by Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, Beck, Metric, Broken Social Scene, Cornelius, Dan the Automator, Kid Koala, and David Campbell. O'Malley had written up playlists for each of the comics in the back of the books, introducing Wright to other Canadian bands during development. Building on this, Wright said that the production "tried to [...] find a real band for each of the fictional bands, because usually in music films you have one composer who does everything". Wright and Godrich met with and scouted bands to write for the film for two years. Godrich scored the film, his first film score. Before he became involved with the film, early scripts had the running joke that "you never heard the bands [...] You heard the intro, and then it would cut to the next scene, and somebody would be going, 'Oh my God, that's the best song ever.' That was a joke for a long time", according to Wright.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Webber, Pill, and Simmons, as the members of Sex Bob-omb all had to learn to play their respective instruments and spent time rehearsing as a band with Cera (who already played bass) before filming began. Chris Murphy of the band Sloan was the guitar coach for the actors in the film. The actors also sing on the film's soundtrack. Beck wrote and composed the music played by Sex Bob-omb in the film. The songs took two days to write and record, with Beck saying that "it needed to be underthought, [...] they had to be funny, but [he] also wanted them to sound raw, like demos." Brian LeBarton plays drums and bass for the band on the film's score and soundtrack. Two unreleased songs can also be heard in the teaser trailer.


title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

text: Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene wrote all the songs for Crash and the Boys. The tracks were sung by Erik Knudsen, who plays Crash in the film. Drew stated the reason behind this was that "[he] knew that [Knudsen] didn't need to be a singer to pull [it] off" because the songs were "so quick and punk and fast" and "it needed to be the character's voice."