Interview with @shirazikira 27.07.2025
Thank you very much @shirazikira that i can interview you for the forum!!! 🙏🙏 I will ask 20 questions and if there is a question that you dont like it is not a problem of course and i can change it!!! 😛 Here are the first 5️⃣ questions!! ⬇️⬇️
⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ PART I
1: I first wanted to ask about your name!! Is that also your first name and does it have a special meaning? Do you have any funny nicknames that your friends gave you? 😛
Haha, thanks for asking! Yes, Kira is my first name, and it actually has a beautiful meaning, it means 'the ray of sun.' 🌞 I really love that, because I like to think it reflects a bit of brightness or warmth in my personality (at least on good days, rather than cloudy! 😄).
My full name is Kira Shirazi. Shirazi is more of a family or cultural name, and sometimes people think it's part of my first name, but it’s actually my surname. Many people here, mentioned me as "Shira" from my user name, but I never offend it, I just enjoy talking with them as "Shira". 😃
As for nicknames… My friends can get really creative and started calling me Jack.. and I imitate by saying - "Captain Jack Sparrow".. 😃 During my college time, my face is quite similar to captain jack sparrow character and I tried to imitate that.. 😛. My parents used to call me "Kiku", there is no meaning of it, but I loved it. My one of the close friends had given these names - "Kira - the curious" (because, I am always curious to know anything.. I mean everything), "Kira - the calendar" (because, I like history so I remembered events with the date, also I keep remember any special event of my life too.)
2: How long have you been a member of PPG? What do you like the most? And what kind of forums do you like? Do you have any tips for @Etienne to make PPG better?
I've been a member of PPG for around 2 months now, and I must say, it's been a really refreshing experience!
What I like the most is the diversity, people from all over the world connecting through genuine curiosity and kindness. Most of the people are from Europe region, and I thought they don't like Indians, but I did not get such thing to feel.
As for forums, I usually enjoy the ones where people talk about languages, cultures and philosophy. I liked this forum https://penpal-gate.net/forum/13-anything-and-everything/11121-who-am-i, but this forum is little bit inactive. I would like the forum where everybody can share their travel experience. But I could not find such forum, suggest me if you have. I want to add my experience there. I always enjoy game forums - Place name and Special name.. LoL. I am also fond of movie and music, so I also participate those forums often.
I’m actually a technical person by background, so I naturally notice how websites function under the hood too. I am already in communication with @Etienne regarding improving PPG in my region, also I will share some ideas to implement on the portal, that improve user experience.
3: It says on your profile that you are from Mumbai. Did you always live there and what do you think of your homecity? And if we come to visit in Mumbai what are the nicest things to see or do first?
Yes, I’m from Mumbai, I am here for my job. My home city is Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. So technically, I’m a Gujarati living in the city of dreams.
Mumbai is fast-paced, crowded, and never really sleeps. Billionaires of the country are living in Mumbai, as well as the world's biggest slum area i.e. Dharavi is also part of Mumbai, where the movie Slumdog Millionaire filmed. What I admire most is its energy and diversity. You’ll find people from every corner of India (and beyond), all hustling together in their own way.
If you ever visit Mumbai, I’d definitely recommend starting with:
1. Local markets like Chor Bazaar and Crawford Market.
2. Bandra, for trendy cafe, street view and sea views.
3. Sanjay Gandhi National Park, that have full forest with caves, also have some wild animals like leopard.
4. Gateway of India & Elephanta
5. Marine Drive - beach to watch sunset.
And of course, don’t miss trying Vada Pav, Pav Bhaji, and a hot cutting Chai (Tea) from a roadside stall! 😛
It’s quite different from Ahmedabad — which is more relaxed, with a rich cultural vibe and some amazing food of its own. If you want to visit Ahmedabad, I will be your personal guide. 😃
4: If you become the leader of the UN or your country: what are the first things that you would do?
Actually, that’s a big responsibility!
If I ever became the leader of the UN or my country, I think my first focus would be on 3Es.
Education, Environment, and Ethics.
Being an Indian, I deeply believe in the ancient idea of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', which means 'the world is one family.' I think if more global leaders truly embraced that idea — beyond just speeches — we could solve many conflicts and cooperate better on global challenges.
5: Do you prefer Bollywood movies from India or other Asian movies or series or other kind of movies on for example Netflix? And which Bollywood movie or series should everybody see and why?
I always enjoy watching movies — it doesn’t matter if it’s Bollywood, Hollywood, Korean, Chinese, or anything in between. I’m really open to all kinds of cinema, and I watch across all genres, romance, thriller, horror, drama, comedy, fantasy, Sci-fi, etc. It all just depends on my mood that day. 😄
Being an Indian, I definitely have a soft spot for Bollywood movies. The emotions, the music, the vibrant storytelling, it’s something that stays with you. But I also really admire Indian regional cinema like Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, and Gujarati films. Regional movies often bring such raw, rooted, and authentic storytelling that feels closer to everyday life, yet just as cinematic. I also really appreciate the depth and subtlety you often find in Korean or Japanese dramas, and the scale and polish of Hollywood productions.
Bollywood Movie or series -
1. Andhadhun - it's clever, darkly funny, and full of unpredictable twists.
2. Taare Zameen Par - It’s a deeply emotional story about a young boy with dyslexia and how one teacher changes his life. It speaks to how important it is to understand children instead of just pushing them to perform , something we can all relate to in some way.
3. Asur - It’s a crime thriller that combines modern-day forensic science with ancient Indian mythology. if you like a mix of mythology, crime, psychology, and suspense, you’ll probably enjoy this one!
4. Dil Chahta Hai - It’s a timeless story about friendship, love, growing up, and how relationships evolve as we move through life.
5. Kal Ho Na Ho - It means Tomorrow May Never Come. It’s one of those rare movies that makes you laugh, cry, and reflect - all in one sitting.
6. Kahaani - It’s a smart, gripping film with a strong female lead — and trust me, it keeps you guessing till the very end. Perfect for fans of mystery, psychological thrillers, and slow-burn suspense.
There are many more suggestions on movies to watch, but this time I am listing these only. Contact me if anyone really interested in Indian movies. 😉
Thank you very much Kira- that i could ask the questions of the first part!!! I learned from you that i should say in your first language Gujarati આભાર તમારો to say thank you (Aabhar Tamaro)! And you also speak Hindi and in that case you say धन्यवाद (Dhanyavad)!! 😊😊 Later i will add some pictures which i think are maybe nice for this first part of your interview. 🙂 And if anybody wants to also ask a question or post a comment about the interview you can do that below. Thank you very much!! 🙏🙏
More interviews of PPG members are on this page: overview of interviews
