Question map
A recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the biography of
Explanation
The Man Who Knew Infinity is a 2015 British biographical drama film about the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, based on the 1991 book of the same name by Robert Kanigel.[1] This directly confirms that the film is based on the life of S. Ramanujan, making option A the correct answer.
The other options can be ruled out as they refer to different renowned Indian scientists: S. Chandrasekhar was an astrophysicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983; S. N. Bose was a physicist known for his work on quantum mechanics and the Bose-Einstein statistics; and C. V. Raman was a physicist who won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1930 for his work on light scattering. While all were eminent scientists, none of them are the subject of this particular biographical film.
Sources- [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Knew_Infinity
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a classic intersection of 'Pop Culture' and 'Indian Scientific Heritage'. While technically a Current Affairs question due to the 2015/2016 movie release, it rewards general awareness of Indian icons. If a major international film is made about an Indian legend, it becomes high-priority for Prelims.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Explicitly states the film is about the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
- Directly links the film to the 1991 book of the same name by Robert Kanigel (a biography).
- Names Robert Kanigel’s 1991 biography of Ramanujan as the source for the movie adaptation.
- Confirms the film was adapted from the biography of Srinivasa Ramanujan.
Gives a named, dated Indian scientist (Meghnad Saha, 1893–1956) showing that prominent Indian scientists/mathematicians of the late 19th/early 20th century have well-documented lives and can be subjects of biographical works.
A student could use the pattern that 20th-century Indian mathematicians/physicists have biographies and cross-check modern-era names (late 1800s/early 1900s) as likely subjects for a contemporary film.
Mentions Bhāskara II and places him about 800 years ago, illustrating that many famous Indian mathematicians are from widely different historical periods.
A student could use the timeline contrast to eliminate very-ancient mathematicians when considering a modern film about a mathematician with a title referencing 'infinity' (which often links to modern mathematical topics).
Names Āryabhaṭa as a famous ancient Indian mathematician/astronomer, giving an example of a well-known historical figure in Indian mathematics.
A student could compile the list of named mathematicians in these snippets and then, using external basic facts (eras, known biographies), narrow which of these are likely subjects of a modern film.
Lists multiple classical Indian mathematicians (Āryabhaṭa, Varāhamihira) and notes their works became foundations for further advances—showing which names are repeatedly cited in curricula and likely recognized.
A student could take the recurring prominent names from textbooks and then check which of those have 19th–20th century biographies suitable for a cinematic biopic.
Mentions Al-Beruni as a mathematician/historian who connected India to the wider world, demonstrating that historical mathematicians from varying backgrounds are documented.
A student could use this example to remember that the subject could be either a medieval or modern figure and should verify era and biography when matching the film title to a person.
- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. The movie was a major topic in 2015-16 newspapers. If you missed this, you were ignoring the 'Personalities in News' section.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: GS-3 Science & Technology (Achievements of Indians in S&T) + Current Affairs (Cinema/Culture).
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Map the options to their fame: S. Chandrasekhar (Chandrasekhar Limit, Black Holes); S.N. Bose (Bosons, Bose-Einstein Statistics); C.V. Raman (Raman Effect, Scattering of Light); Ramanujan (Number Theory, Partition Function, Mock Theta Functions).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not ignore the 'Entertainment' or 'Books' section of current affairs if it involves historical figures. Biopics serve as a revision trigger for the biography of the person involved.
The references list major Indian mathematicians (Āryabhaṭa, Varāhamihira, Bhāskara II) and note their treatises and contributions—useful when identifying which mathematician a biographical work might concern.
High-yield for history and science portions: questions often ask about notable Indian scholars, their major works, and periods. Mastering a shortlist of prominent mathematicians and their contributions helps quickly eliminate options in MCQs and frame answers in mains. Prepare by making a tabular summary (name, period, major work, key contribution) and revising periodically.
- Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: Earth, Moon, and the Sun > FASCINATING FACTS > p. 175
- Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: Heat Transfer in Nature > KNOW A SCIENTIST > p. 99
- Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 10: Light: Mirrors and Lenses > Our scientific heritage > p. 169
Several references mention Aryabhata, his Aryabhatiya, and his explanation of Earth's rotation—examples of how a mathematician's signature idea defines their biographical identity.
Frequently tested topic in prelims and mains under ancient science and technology. Knowing signature theories (e.g., Aryabhata on Earth's rotation, zero, decimal system links) allows concise answers and contextual analysis in essays and history of science questions. Study primary claims, chronology, and textual references.
- Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 12: Earth, Moon, and the Sun > FASCINATING FACTS > p. 175
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > Mathematics and Astronomy > p. 100
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science-Class VII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 7: The Gupta Era: An Age of Tireless Creativity > New Ideas and Wonders: The Classical Age > p. 158
Reference on Al-Bīrūnī notes translation and transmission (Euclid, Aryabhata) showing how biographies and histories often highlight cross-cultural links.
Useful for questions on cultural exchange, Indo-Islamic scientific links, and historiography. UPSC often asks about knowledge transmission; mastering examples (translations, travellers/scholars) helps craft balanced mains answers and supports map-based or source-based interpretations. Revise key intermediaries and translated works.
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks > Mahmud's Military Raids > p. 138
The 'Hardy-Ramanujan Number' is 1729. It is the smallest number expressible as the sum of two cubes in two different ways (1³ + 12³ and 9³ + 10³). This is a likely future specific question.
Look at the title keywords: 'Infinity'. C.V. Raman, S. Chandrasekhar, and S.N. Bose were primarily Physicists dealing with the physical universe (Light, Stars, Particles). Ramanujan was a Pure Mathematician dealing with abstract concepts like Number Theory and Infinite Series. 'Infinity' maps logically to the Mathematician, not the Physicists.
Use Ramanujan in GS-4 (Ethics) or Essay as an example of 'Intuition vs. Formal Rationality'. He attributed his theorems to the goddess Namagiri Thayar, challenging the western notion that science is purely atheistic or methodological.