Stars Profile

Why I Love Preity Zinta

2010-09-01T20:13:00.005+05:30

Note: The views expressed in this article are those solely of the writer of this opinion piece and do not reflect the views and opinions of the BollySpice.com team as a whole.

Bubbly, bold and beautiful; mix these three charming qualities together and you get the ever loving Preity Zinta. Even though this Shimlaite is trying to lose the bubbly tag, we can all agree that the tag is branded on her because of her high-spirited and cheerful attitude but surely there is more to Preity. Described by many as the only man in the Bollywood film industry, Preity Zinta started off her career with Mani Ratnam’s Dil Se co-starring Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. I still clearly remember the summer of 1998 when I saw Dil Se for the first time. It was at a family friend’s house and the movie was playing in the background and being an avid SRK fan at the time, I was glued to the television screen. The movie itself did not captivate me much, at the time, due to its mature subject matter but nevertheless, I sat through it all especially after Preity’s entrance. Preity’s presence in the movie brightened up the screen instantly and this is the very quality of the actress that I simply adore. Preity’s exuberant charm is exactly what the movie needed to balance out the serious undertone of the narrative. The same year Preity took home the Filmfare Best Newcomer Award for her work in Dil Se, as she rightly deserved.

After having a dream debut with artists like Mani Ratnam and Shahrukh Khan, there was no looking back for the pretty actress. Following her first break, Preity managed to work with the best of the best in the industry and along with it delivered some great performances every year since then. Preity’s choice in films showed diversity and allowed her to depict various different characters from a young single mother in Kya Kehna to a headstrong Muslim journalist in Mission Kashmir to a prostitute in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke. Recently her depiction of an angry young woman in Kal Ho Na Ho bagged the actress her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. Preity's choice in movies has been both appreciated and criticized as they have always brought up controversial issues. Movies like Kya Kehna brought the issue of pre-marital pregnancy in front of a greater audience and described a woman’s perspective into a situation where they are the first to be blamed. In Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna she portrayed a strong, working parent and wife whose husband ventures into an extra-marital affair. In Salaam Namaste they tackled the issue of a live-in relationship. By being associated with movies with such touchy and debatable issues, Preity wishes to play a part, no matter how big or small, in educating and giving awareness to the audiences of the reality that we live in today. Preity Zinta is not your average actress who entered Bollywood for the love of acting, or for fame and money but she is an actress with a mission to empower the women of the 21st century in whatever way and whichever she can. Preity has been quoted in various interviews about her interest in doing strong woman orientated roles that does not degrade the female gender instead shows respect for them and this has been an ongoing factor she keeps in mind while selecting a script. This is yet another wonderful quality that makes me appreciate her even more. It is nice to know that there are actresses in this industry, such as Preity, who wants to do more in her movies than just dancing around in their bare minimums.

Moving now from the professional front to the personal side of Preity Zinta, and the woman impresses even more. A daughter who is making her parents proud, a sister who is supporting her siblings every step of the way and friend who offers a helping hand when needed, Preity Zinta does it all with ease even while balancing a successful career. One note of criticism that I always hear about Preity and one that annoys me to bits is that she is a talkative and opinionated woman (and that apparently is a bad thing nowadays). Preity is known to voice her honest opinion regarding current issues the world is facing and for this she is put down every step of the way. Mahatma Gandhi once said that you should “be the change you want to see in the world” and I think this perfectly fits Preity’s case. Just because she is playing her part in this change for a better world, she is criticized and this could either be because she is a woman or because she is an actress. No matter how much we tell ourselves otherwise, gender roles play a great part in our society till date. Many people in our community do not appreciate an outspoken woman because they are stereotyped to be quiet and shy people. Preity on the other hand is just the opposite; she does not tolerate any kind of misbehaviour against her. The lawsuit against the entertainment newspaper Mid-Day is the perfect example; it has been quite sometime since she has been fighting this case but regardless of the long, strenuous battle, Preity has not given up. Preity is also well-known for her part as a social worker as she has worked with underprivileged children, supported organizations such as Shiksha and been an active part of the Godfrey Philips Award Projects among various other things. I think it becomes quite difficult for an actress to take part in all these amazing social causes because there comes a point when the media is bound to question their intentions regarding their associations with charitable organizations. It becomes a question of whether they do it for fame, publicity, money, etc. The media is known to twists anything around just to get their juicy gossip for the day but I think this crosses a certain limit. They are actors/actresses by profession and they are given money to act on screen not in real life and I think it is extremely disrespectful to just assume they are putting up a façade just because of their profession. Having experienced all this and much more, Preity Zinta seems less than bothered and this shows the strength of the woman.

Watch out for this inspiring woman this year as she stars in the recently released Shaad Ali’s Jhoom Barabar Jhoom co-starring Abhishek Bachchan, Lara Dutta and Bobby Deol. Upcoming projects includes Samir Karnik’s Mera Bharat Mahaan co-starring Salman Khan, Jahnu Barua’s Har Pall co-starring Shiney Ahuja, Rituparno Ghosh’s The Last Lear and a very special appearance in Farah Khan’s Om Shanti Om starring Shah Rukh Khan. Surely we will be seeing a lot of this talented actress in the near future so watch out for the ever so charismatic Preity Zinta as she is here to stay!

Spotlight: Juhi Chawla

2010-09-01T20:13:00.002+05:30

"It's not about small or big budget movies anymore; it's my role that makes my film big or small for me." ~ Juhi Chawla

Juhi Chawla is one of Bollywood's brightest stars and has appeared in films along with all the top actors of Bollywood. Whether her roles are big or small, Juhi steals the light and the scene and always makes an impression in every role she portrays. Juhi is back better than ever, and with the release of Bhoothnath we thought we would publish once again our spotlight on this incredible actress.

She was born in 1967 in Ludhiana, Punjab to Dr. S. and Mona Chawla. She graduated from Sydenham College in Mumbai with a Bachelor's degree in Commerce. She began modeling and became one of India's top models. Then in 1984 she was crowned "Miss India".

The next path for Chawla was Bollywood and she made her debut in the film Sultanat in 1986. Her second film was the super-hit Kannada film Premaloka.

Then came the movie and the role that established her in the firmament as a Bollywood star: Rashmi in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) co-starring Aamir Khan. This film, directed by Mansoor Khan, went on to create box-office history and the jodi of Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla was proclaimed as the hottest romantic pair on the silver screen.

She went on to make several other movies that did not catch on, including Tum Mere Ho and Love Love Love, also with Aamir Khan. Chawla acted in many other films including a guest appearance in Chandni, and her portrayal of her character in Aaina with Jackie Shroff was critically acclaimed. Many, many roles followed and several were very well received.

Chawla was known for playing the cute, innocent, bubbly girl but her role in Lootere in 1993 established her as a sexy and glamorous star. She was not keen on doing the role, especially the dance on the beach in just a plain white shirt. But her friends convinced her to take the role and with this film she was now labeled as "hot"!

Chawla continued her road to superstardom with the hits Bol Radha Bol with Rishi Kapoor, Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman which co-starred Shah Rukh Khan, and of course the excellent Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke with Aamir Khan. For her role as Vaijanti Iyer in the latter she won the Filmfare Best Actress Award.

Her next film Darr was for Yash Raj Films and signing for that production company is said to be a badge of honor - you have made it. The film was a huge success and now Chawla was considered in the same league as Madhuri Dixit and Sri Devi. Darr reunited her with Shah Rukh Khan and they were hailed as outstanding romantic leads.

Shah Rukh Khan and Chawla went on to star in several more hits like Yes Boss and Duplicate. For Duplicate in 1999 she was awarded the Bollywood Movie Award - Most Sensational Actress.

The partnership between SRK and Chawla developed off screen as well when they formed a production company along with Aziz Mizra called Dreamz Unlimited, to make the kind of films they wanted. Their first production was Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, which pulled mediocre receipts at the box office, and their second film Asoka fared about as well. But they hit high notes in 2003 with Chalte Chalte starring SRK and Rani Mukherji.

After Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and several other releases Chawla took a break from acting. She fell in love with and married millionaire Jai Mehta. The two welcomed a daughter Jhanvi and a son Arjun.

Coming back to the screen she made a huge splash with her supporting role in Deewarein in 2003. For this role she was honored with the Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Next was a role in Jhankaar Beats in which she showed her acting range, A reviewer said, "Juhi Chawla shows her charm. She is fantastic. Her expressions and timing as Shanti are just perfect." In My Brother Nikhil (2005) she won immense critical praise; in fact Taran Adarsh said that her performance was one of the finest in her career.

She played a supporting but important role in Paheli and her quiet and beautiful portrayal showed her immense acting talent.

Smaller budget films that she feels have a special quality have attracted Chawla's attention in recent years. In an interview for India Glitz she said," I am around for so many years now. Why do I have to establish myself any further! I am not doing the films that today's heroines are doing. Then why do I have to worry about the commercial angle…I am doing films that I like…They may not be mainstream…. But they are interesting…"

In 2006 her films included Bas Ek Pal and Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waaris. This year she was seen in Nikhil Advani's Salaam-E-Ishq playing opposite Anil Kapoor and she was given very good reviews for her role.

At the helm of Swami was choreographer-turned director Ganesh Acharya. After hearing the script narrated, Chawla was in tears. She said, "I was very surprised that the film that he wants to make has simplicity, emotions, reality and a very touching end. After hearing the story I had tears in my eyes."

About her role in Swami Chawla said, ""It's not about small or big budget movies anymore; it's my role that makes my film big or small for me. That's the reason I love Radha's character in Ganesh Acharya's Swami. It's the simplicity of the script that made me take it up." This role has won her critical praise as well as audience appreciation.

Juhi was seen in Krazzy 4 just last month and tomorrow her new film Bhoothnath is releasing. Bhoothnath stars Amitabh Bachchan, child artist Aman Siddiqui and Shah Rukh Khan. Juhi has even leant her lovely voice to the song 'Chalo Jaane Do'. Amitabh is also heard on the track and Juhi said, "I didn’t get to record this song with him. But I am possibly the only actress who can, in life, say that I have not only shared screen space with Mr Amitabh Bachchan but also sang with him."

Also in the pipeline is a special appearance in Kismet Konnection, which star Vidya Balan and Shahid Kapoor.

A few interesting facts:

She was formerly India's top model and now has been doing movies for more than 20 years; no model has lasted as long as she has in the Indian film industry.

She did not win the Ms. Universe competition but she was given the "The Best Costumes" award.

Favorite Movie: Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak

Chawla been studying classical singing for 5 years and has even sung at an awards function when she was hosting the event with Karan Johar. It is reported that she may sing a song in Ravi Chopra's Bhootnath. Abhay Chopra said, "Although nothing is fixed as yet, there is a very good possibility that Juhi may sing in the film." She loves singing so much she wants her daughter to become a classical singer. (Filmfare, Nov 2001)

The actress has pledged to donate her eyes. While visiting Dhamecha Eye Hospital at Porbandar she was asked to lend her support to an eye donation camp, which was also carrying out free cataract operations. Her support to the camp got 40,000 pledges for eye donations in three months. Speaking about this she said, "This time when I went, they made a special occasion out of it. While there, I pledged to donate my eyes. They do such wonderful work that my deed seems like a drop in the ocean. But if every such deed helps to light up someone's life, then why not?"

This immensely respected and beloved actress's career has spanned over 20 years has included over 81 films. Many of her performances have been critically applauded and appreciated at the box-office. She has done starring roles as well as secondary characters and she always is so natural on screen, bringing grace and beauty no matter what her character is or does. Whether doing big banner productions or art house films this enduring star always entertains the audience and we hope that she continues for another 20 years!

Why I love Vivek Oberoi

2010-09-01T20:12:00.002+05:30

Note: The views expressed in this article do not reflect the views of BollySpice.com's staff or owners. They are solely the views of the writer of this opinion piece.

‘Who is your favourite actor?’ is a question I am asked innumerable times. I turn around and reply with a big smile on my face, ‘Vivek Oberoi!’ Some people are amused, some are shocked, some agree and some don’t, but that’s a different story. Not like it matters to me, right?

Vivek’s been a favourite of mine since September 2002 to be exact. I still remember watching him on ‘Jeena Isi ka Naam hai’ when his father, Suresh Oberoi, was the host of the show. I completely fell head over heels in love with Vivek ‘the person’ that day! He seemed so down to earth, kind and humble. Someone you can relate to. I mean, I had heard of him being a great actor, (Mind you, I hadn’t watched Company nor Road which were his only two releases at that time) and being touted as the most promising newcomer after a long span of time. I wasn’t bothered at all though. Then, as I was channel surfing that night, I came across him on the show, and the rest as they say, is history.

Saathiya was the first film I watched of his and that’s when I started loving Vivek ‘the actor’. I thought he was brilliant for a newcomer. Obviously, after that I ended up watching Company and Road (He was amazing) and his subsequent films as well. Some good, some bad, but enough has been written about that by the media.

Now as we all know, Vivek hasn’t exactly had a huge hit since Saathiya and has become the media’s favourite whipping boy. In the beginning, it was very irritating… all the negative publicity and opinions. Now, it doesn’t bother me in the least bit. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I do, however, feel that a large section of the press has been unfair to him in writing him off. Sure, Vivek hasn’t done the best movies, he’s made some pretty bad choices, he’s gone through a very low phase in his career, but doesn’t everyone go through it at some point of time? Every actor goes through ups and downs; it’s just part of the game. Hrithik Roshan went through it, Abhishek Bachchan has been through it, and even the powerful Khan’s have been through it! Compared to them, Vivek is still a newbie. However, as I always say, what doesn’t break you only makes you stronger and I’m sure in some way or the other, every unfavourable article, and every inch of criticism he’s got has made Vivek stronger and work that much harder.

It’s very easy to go around bashing an actor when they're on a low, but let me tell you its not easy out there, its a tough life...they go out and work really hard on a film, they put their blood and sweat into it and then the film is judged by this party of people who have nothing to do with the film emotionally. It’s the common man who judges it...he either likes the movie or he doesn’t. It’s fair and every actor, including Vivek, is forced to accept it whether they like it or not. People do tend to forget that actors are human beings too, they also have emotions, they might not be able to show it but that’s just the way it is...just because they don't show it doesn’t mean they don't have feelings, it doesn't mean you go ahead and rip him apart. What has Vivek done to the media personally? I think it’s completely unfair and very wrong to bash him and take potshots at him time and again! Give him a break for heaven sake! Vivek's certainly one of the most gifted actors out there, he's a powerhouse of talent; he's proved it before and will continue to do so!

Now that I’ve vented, lets get back to why I love (no wait, ADORE) Vivek! Yes, I adore him as an actor and I really admire the fact that he didn’t debut as the typical ‘chocolate boy’ hero, dancing and running around trees. He dared to do something different by playing the role of a gangster, Chandrakant Nagre (better known as Chandu) in Company. And that is exactly what makes Vivek Oberoi unique and special. He is a man who will stand by his convictions and do what he strongly believes in, and he believed in Chandu’s character. Company fetched him several ‘Most Promising Newcomer’ and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ awards too. Truly well deserved I must say!

I love his work, be it in Company, Saathiya, Yuva, Home Delivery, Omkara…he shows his versatility with each character he plays and I don’t think many actors out there have the kind of range that he does. That doesn’t mean I haven’t disliked him in some films like Kyun! Ho Gaya Na and Pyare Mohan, but since this article is about why I love Vivek, I’d rather stick to loving him!

Another reason why I look up to him is because of the charity work he does. Oh yeah, he has been criticized and called publicity-hungry even for a noble cause like this but it won’t stop him, he won’t go by what others do or say. Honestly speaking, how many celebrities have the courage go to a tsunami-hit village and help out the people there? It’s a little something called hope, and apart from helping the perished people resume their daily lifestyle by providing them with bare necessities, Vivek gave these people hope and faith, and I think that’s one of the biggest things one can give to someone when they are down and out. He was once asked about how he would feel if there is a headline that says ‘Vivek Oberoi: The Next Superstar!’ and he turned around and said ‘Vivek Oberoi builds cancer hospital for the poor and needy. Builds free school and home for underprivileged children. Now those are headlines I dream about!’ He is one of those people who is so compassionate about disadvantaged women and children that he will go to any extent to make life comfortable for them and that is one quality I really admire about Vivek! He never creates drama about his social work, he never calls up the media to tell them to cover his every move, it’s the media that follows him. Fair enough, he is a public figure after all, but then again, it’s unfortunate that they choose to bash him even when it comes to his charity work. Oh well, things will change soon.

Today, Vivek may be the most misunderstood guy around, but for people who know him, for people who have interacted with him, even for a few minutes, know that he is real, has a genuine personality and is someone who has no airs about himself. When he does something, he does it from the heart. When he speaks about something close to his heart, he speaks with so much passion that it’s inspiring. It’s touching.
Critics and enemies can say what they want, they can all him publicity-hungry, they can beat his name to the ground, but in the end, only his true fans and admirers know how great he is. There’s no one else like him and there never will be. He is one of a kind.

I’m eagerly awaiting his upcoming releases especially Shootout at Lokhandwala where once again, he plays a dreaded gangster named Maya Dolas. Life appears to have come full circle for Vivek, having debuted with a similar kind of role, and it seems like things are finally looking up for him! Hopefully, we will see him do many more good films with amazing performances! I wish him all the best.

I have been saying this for a long time now and I will say it again…once Vivek bounces back up it’s going to be a good slap to all the bad mouths out there. Oh my God, I cannot wait!

A Rising Star: Rajpal Yadav

2010-09-01T20:11:00.005+05:30

The new Mr. Funnyman has arrived. From his villainous debut in ‘Jungle’ to the short husband in ‘Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh’ to his latest success ‘Phir Hera Pheri’, Rajpal Yadav always delivers a first-rate performance. Even if the movies fail to click at the box office, Yadav’s work is continually appreciated.

We have seen Rajpal Yadav’s radiant pieces in ‘Darna Mana Hai’ and ‘Darna Zaroori Hai’ as well as a fine performance in ‘Love in Japan.’ Recently, Yadav has received countless accolades for his head-storming act in ‘Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh’ proving he is capable of a variety of roles. Audiences have even preferred Rajpal Yadav over the legendary entertainer Paresh Rawal in one of his current sensations ‘Chup Chup Ke’

So what’s next for our bright star?

After the flop of the Manish Malhotra insipired ‘Ladies Tailor,’ our Prince of Comedy is trying once again with Sangeeth Sivan’s ‘Apna Sapna Money Money.’ Alongside Yadav audiences will see Ritesh Deshmukh, Celina Jaitley, Sunil Shetty, Koena Mitra, Riya Sen, and Jackie Sheroff.

In addition to the madness, he is working on lead roles in as many as three films, which include RGV’s ‘Hello Hum Lallan Bol Rahe Hain,’ and two other untitled projects.

But of course this cannot be the end of it. Rumor has it; Yadav is even doing a Hollywood flick! The Hollywood film has been said to be finalized with actor Michael Caine.

Watch out for this rising star, not only is he grabbing in major projects, but he has also started charging a great 25 lakhs per film. Yadav is in demand! We wish him all the best.

Spotlight on Ruslaan Mumtaz

2010-09-01T20:11:00.002+05:30

Ruslaan Mumtaz. Does the name sound unfamiliar to you? Well don't be freaked, we didn't expect you all to know of this name and personality.

Indian cinema once again extends its welcoming arms to a fresh talent and face. With the recent release Mera Pehla Pehla Pyar, Ruslaan Mumtaz, son of actress Anjana Mumtaz (plays Shilpa's mother in Dhadkan), takes his first steps into the world of Indian cinema.

Only a few months into the industry and this young talent is making headlines everywhere. The works of Anupam Kher's acting school and Shamaik Davar's Dancing Academy have worked wonders in creating a fantastic performer.

With a light hearted college romantic movie titled Mera Pehla Pehla Pyar (MP3), that is entertaining audiences across the globe, Ruslaan has certainly made a special place for himself. One only has to talk to acclaimed actor and director, Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik respectively, to get clarifications.

Anupam Kher was in a dilemna when casting his next venture. However, after seeing Ruslaan's confidence level and performance in his debut movie, he decided that Ruslaan's acting and dancing abilities were just what he was looking for in an actor for the role he had in mind. Mr. Kher has even gone ahead to say that Ruslaan is certainly his proudest product out of his acting school. Now with both Anupam Kher and Satish Kaushik's projects tucked away, Ruslaan is busier than ever before.

One might assume with his perfect portrayal of a 17 year old in MP3, that he is indeed a 17 year old, but they would be deeply mistaken. Ruslaan is actually 24, however the portrayal of a 17 year old was not tough for him as he related with much of the character's dilemmas.

"Many of the scenes in my debut film seem to be straight out of my own life when I was 17. I was involved with a girl for several years. I didn't run away to Paris to meet my girlfriend like my character in MP3. But I did lie to my parents and ran away to meet my girlfriend in Mahabaleshwar once," Ruslaan told IANS.

Sadly the real life college love story of Ruslaan wasn't as successful as his onscreen character Rohan's. Ruslaan's love story didn't have a happy ending. However with a career that is brighter than ever now, Ruslaan has no time to dwell on the past.

Currently the rising star is busy shooting for his second movie and reading a vast amount of scripts and on verge of signing quite a few as well.

One would have assumed that having a parent in the industry and attending the academy of Shamaik Davar, whose reputation exceeds him, would have been huge assets for Ruslaan. Ruslaan, himself, claims that he always thought that his dream of becoming a star would be quite easily fulfilled through these two connections however that wasn't the case. The struggle Ruslaan faced in order to get a reputable debut was no less than any other wanna-be actor's. Ruslaan was chosen for the role out of 8000 - 9000 youngsters who auditioned for director Robby Grewal in some of the biggest metros in India. The struggle to get recognized was tougher than ever, since Robby Grewal was searching anywhere and everywhere. He even offered anyone interested in acting to simply walk in and audition! Now that is a hard task to stand out in a crowd of 8000 to 9000 young talents!

However, at the end of the day, he got here and most importantly has made an impression that is bigger than he could have dreamed of. Not only on his lady fans, but also his leading lady co-stars!

One hears that Sheena Shahbadi, who is the teenager co-starring with Ruslaan in his second movie Tere Sang, is absolutely head over heels for the young lad.

A close source of the Tere Sang unit enclosed to OneIndia, “Sheena is a young girl and it's not uncommon for a girl of her age to have a crush on a good looking guy. Ruslaan obviously enjoyed all the attention. They ate together, had loads of fun and whenever possible, spent time with each other in their rooms. But she tried to keep this fondness a secret, probably because her mother was mostly around. On the last day of the shoot in Dalhousie, they got lost together in the wilderness and we had to keep waiting for them to can a few shots. That day Satishji also got very irritated," says a close source from the unit.”

But wait there is more! Sheena's crush didn't end on the sets. One hears that she was extremely jealous of Hazel (leading lady of MP3).

Ruslaan is yet to comment on the impression he has left on the ladies, however a young boy like himself could have hardly minded all the attention! After all a crush is hardly harmful! And who can blame Sheena!

Newspapers and Bollywood Portals have gone so far ahead to title him as a possible threat to the current young heartthrob of Indian Cinema, Shahid Kapoor. After all since Ishq Vishk, no other young male has left a big impression on makers and audiences through a college romance flick!

For now, audiences are eagerly waiting to see more of this talent to officially crown him a threat to Shahid or someone of his kind! And to do so, make sure you all catch Ruslaan in the upcoming Satish Kaushik directed Tere Sang and Anupam Kher's untitled venture.

Why I Love Salman Khan

2010-09-01T20:10:00.006+05:30

Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, Biwi No.1, Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, No Entry and Tere Naam. What do these great movies have in common? They all star the amazingly popular, the surprisingly talented, and the disgustedly good looking Salman Khan.

While the heartthrob of millions may not have a line of awards on his mantelpiece, or belong to the any ‘filmi camps', he still makes girls sigh at the sight of him and makes guys sign up for year long gym memberships. Hrithik Roshan and John Abraham may proudly parade around in their no-shirt-low-jeans look but Salman was the original bare-chested hunk of Indian Cinema.

Labelled a megastar from an early point in his career, Salman Khan has astonishingly maintained that status through the last decade. Whether it's was “O O Jaane Jaana” or “Just Chill Chill”, he kept everyone is sync with their hips and feet, moving to his trademark catchy numbers.

While the average celebrity is challenged by box-office failures, divorces and relationship rumours, Salman has been thrown head over heels in relationship dramas, encountered hefty legal battles, suffered the wraith of media, and has been shunned by a good portion of the film fraternity. Despite all the chaos, the man emerges as a legend. The demand for his reign on the silver screen remains intact, his fan base has neither shaken nor stirred. How is this possible? It is a mystery.

But enough about the rough and victorious journey of our broad-shouldered muscle-man and let's focus on what new magic he will be casting on the world of entertainment. After the high concentration of romantic comedies such as Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Jaan-e-maan, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, and No Entry, Salman is returning in this month's most anticipated release, David Dhawan's Partner, where his co-stars are the rib-tickling Govinda, the luscious Lara Dutta and his supposed real life partner, Katrina Kaif. That's not the only spell he has up his sleeve. While Aamir Khan is geared for his Hindi remake of Tamil blockbuster Gajini, Salman Khan is to play the lead in the Hindi remake of the immensely successful Telugu action-drama Pokiri. If this was not enough to raise the blood pressure of Salman fans, he will be starring in a Hollywood project titled Marigold opposite the sexy Ali Larter of TV's no.1 sci-fi drama, "Heroes". He also has a string of special appearances lined up, including one in Sanjay Leela Bansali's eagerly awaited Saawariya.

Ladies and Gentleman, the Salman Khan space shuttle has had a ferocious blast-off, blinding everyone in the light of his brilliance, choking the critics in the raging fire of his talent and deafening everyone with the words, ‘East or West…Salman is the best!' What is his destination? Into the hearts of the audience and to the top of the world.

Spotlight on Govinda

2010-09-01T20:10:00.003+05:30

"I believe in miracles. That I'm a successful actor is the biggest of them all." ~ Govinda

Govinda is one of Bollywood's most enduring stars. He can do both comedy and drama, is considered one of the best dancers in Bollywood, and presents a naturalness on screen that contributes to brilliant performances. His career has had it ups and downs, but with his new film Partner set to release on Friday, we thought we would turn the spotlight on this great actor: everyone is falling for Chi-Chi all over again!

Govind Arun Ahuja was born in Virar, Maharashtra, India. While growing up in the chawls of Mumbai, he used to go the movies: "The filmy bug bit me then and I wished to enter films. There was a theatre right opposite my house and I saw two shows everyday." At the young age of 15 he would go to Rajshri Studios to try and get a part in a movie but he was rejected because he was so young. He then had a brilliant idea of making a film reel that showed photographs of him as well as scenes of him dancing and delivering lines. It was an innovative idea to get himself noticed and seen as a talented actor. This is a standard practice nowadays but then it was something never done before.

It is difficult to enter Bollywood without having a "godfather" or the backing of the big banners in the industry. Govinda had to struggle to be accepted by the industry. He eventually made his debut in the film Ilzaam in 1986. The film was a success and his career was off and running. It was Govinda’s time to shine. He went on to be moderately successful in the following years and gave some hits, such as Love 86, Khudgarz, and Hatya. (The latter was directed by his brother Kirti Kumar.) It was at this time that he put forward his tremendous dancing ability and he was considered a rival of Mithun Chakraborty at the time!

In 1989 he worked for the first time with director David Dhawan in the action film Taaqatwar. This would be the beginning of a successful partnership that would last through many films. He worked with Dhawan again in Shola Aur Shabnam and Aankhen. These films were not only successful but they also showed Govinda's talent in comic roles. They had super hits including Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Hero No. 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Jodi No. 1 (2000).

Govinda also had hits at the box office with: Khuddar, Karz Chukana Hai, Jaan Se Pyara, Aadmni Khilona Hai, Hero No.1, Dulhe Raja, Bade Mian Chotte Mian, and Kyon Kii...Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta.

To date he has made over 120 Hindi films, working with many of the luminaries in the industry such as Amitabh Bachachan, Anil Kappor, Juhi Chlawa, Hema Malini, Neelam, Karishma Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rani Mukerhjee and Anil Kapoor to name just a few.

In 2000 Govinda portrayed a negative role for the first time in the movie Shikari. His performance was critically acclaimed, but the movie did not do well at the box office.

After this, his career seemed to be on a downslide and he was not as popular with the theater going audiences. He made a few more films but then in 2003 he decided to go a different direction in life. He ran for and won a parliamentary seat for Mumbai. He had success and some controversy as an MP but he is very proud of the work he was able to accomplish. He is still working hard on many issues that he feels are very important including; making the railway system in India better and next will turn his focus to education.

But once an actor always an actor, and after a 3 year hiatus Govinda was ready to enter Bollywood again. His first film back was Bhagam Bang, he was very well received in the role of Babla.

His second film on the comeback road was the multi-starrer Salaam-E-Ishq and about that film he said, "I got to play a purely romantic character only in my 126th film, Salaam-e-Ishq. Since people loved me in it, I will continue doing more such roles."

He is ecstatic to be an actor again and is making the most of his second inning. He calls Partner his "proper comeback film", again teaming up with director Dhawan. The film also stars Salman Khan, and he gets to romance Katrina Kaif with love advice from Salman Khan's character. Salman said of working with Govinda,"I would look at his film posters and say that if I could achieve even half of what he has, I will be successful. And I can't believe my luck today, I'm working with my favorite actor". Govinda said, "Apart from being a fantastic actor, Salman is a great human being. We belong to the same school of acting. In Partner, we bring our 20-year experience in Bollywood."

Partner is said to be a hysterical comedy and the team of Salman and Govinda a great match up! This film is set to make Chi-Chi a huge star once again.

Interesting facts:

A little known fact is that Govinda began taking classes from the veteran choreographer Saroj Khan, who was impressed enough to ask him to teach at the dance academy.

One of his most memorable moments is "The day I bought my mother a saree from my first pay-packet, the day I bought her a flat and the day she predicted that I'd be a star within a year."

Philosophy of Life: Worship your mother and respect your father and guru.

He once commented that if he was a burglar he would want to steal "people's hearts".

He was also asked what role he would "give his eyes and teeth for" and responded "No role can be worth that much. Who would want to see a blind and toothless Govinda."

He had a narrow escape from death on January 5, 1994. While traveling to a studio for the shooting of Khuddar (1994) his car hit another car, resulting in injuries to his head. After treatment, he worked on the film until midnight.

Govinda was a playback singer on several movies including Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Dulaara (1994), Aankhen (1993) Shola Aur Shabnam (1992).

His awards and nominations include:

* 1997 - Special Filmfare award for Saajan Chale Sasural 1998 Lux Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Dulhe Raja
* 1998 - Special Videocon Screen award from Jury for overall performance
* 1999 - Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
* 1999 - Filmfare Best Comedian Award, Haseena Maan Jaayegi
* 2000 - Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Haseena Maan Jaayegi
* 2001-Nominated for Screen Weekly Awards Best Performance in a Negative Role for Shikari. Also nominated at the Filmfare awards of that year for Best Comedian for Kunwara (2000) and Best Villian in Shikari (2000)
* 2002-Nominated at Filmfare Awards for Best Comedian for both Jodi No. 1 and Kyo Kii…Main Jhuth Nahin Bolta (2001). He also won the Popular Award at that years Filmfare for Performance in a Comic role - Jodi No. 1
* 2003- Nominated for Best performance in a Comic Role for Akhiyon Se Goli Maare (2002)
* 2007 - "Excellent Comic Actor" Award at the Star Gold Comedy Honors

Govinda will always be a popular and loved actor because of his rags to riches story and the fact that he has had to work hard for his success. He is a one man entertainment show, he can do it all: dance, drama, comedy and looks like he enjoys every minute he spends on screen. We applaud him for the roles of the past, look forward to seeing Partner and for all the performances he will give us in the future. We are under the magical spell of Chi-Chi again!

Spotlight on Akshaye Khanna

2010-09-01T20:10:00.000+05:30

"I may be wrong but I think talent is in-born. Then there are those who work hard and become good actors with time and experience. I think I've got what it takes to be a decent actor. Plus, I work hard. But please, I'm not a brilliant actor or anything. I pass muster."~Akshaye Khanna

Akshaye Khanna is one of Bollywood's most well-known and talented actors. He has an aura about him that literally jumps off the screen. Whether in just a special appearance or as a leading man, your eye is always drawn to him, and not only because he has a brooding sensuality. We thought with his new release Gandhi, My Father opening on Friday we would shine the spotlight on this amazing star.

Akshaye Khanna was born in Mumbai in 1975 and comes from an acting family. He is the son of Bollywood star of yesteryear Vinod Khanna, and his brother Rahul is an actor, too. He went to school at Bombay International and then at Lovedale School in Ooty. Even at school he already had the acting bug, performing in many of the school's plays.

Once Khanna left school, he decided to follow the dream he always had of being an actor. "I thought I could contribute, I could make a mark. I thought I could be good at what I do. And, most of all, I thought I would enjoy it. Being part of the film family, I had a little bit of experience about how the film industry functions. I knew the life, the profession, what it would be like. I liked it. I did not train much. A little bit of dance, fight, acting, just to get the feel of it, but nothing serious. With some people training would have helped but as far as my case goes I don't think any amount of training will make me a better actor. Acting is not something you can teach. It's life. When you are acting you are creating or recreating life. You have to have a flair for it and then that flair can be cultivated. But that will be mostly done by yourself. It's an individual kind of cultivation. It's internal, not external. I am my best trainer. You have to keep watching yourself and improving."

His debut role at the age of 22 was as Abhay in Himalayputra. For the film, which was produced by his father, he won the 1998 Screen Weekly Most Promising Newcomer - Male Award. Unfortunately the movie did not do well at the box office. About facing the camera for that first shot Khanna said, "It was great. Life began. I was always quite confident that I could do the job."

Next came a defining role for Khanna in J.P Dutta's Border. To Khanna, playing this role was an emotional experience: "The role of Sgt. Dharamveer Singh in Border was far more powerful than any other role I have ever played." In an article about the star one reporter wrote, "With a stunning characterization of a sensitive soldier who is left dying on the border of Longewala, audiences would have this scene burned into their souls long after the film's run ended in theatres." For this film he was nominated for and won many awards including: Lux Zee Cine Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Filmfare Award for Best Newcomer Award. The film was a box-office success and firmly established Khanna as one of the finest actors in Bollywood.

After that success he was in several more movies including Doli Sajake Rakhna and Kudrat. They did not do so well, but in his next film Aa Ab Laut Chalen audiences loved him as Rohan Khanna. About his roles in these films, whether hit or flop, he said, "Being Vinod Khanna's son was enough to pile on the pressure. It was obvious that people were going to draw comparisons between me and my dad and I couldn't let them down. It is important to me to choose the right people to work with and, most importantly my role. All the films I've done so far, I've chosen on the basis of all these factors put together."

He got rave reviews for his performance in Subhash Ghai's Taal; one stated "Akshaye demonstrates that he is one of the most sincere actors on the Hindi screen." The film also starring Aishwarya Rai and Anil Kapoor was a hit with audiences.

The year 2001 saw Akshaye in another tour de force role as Siddharth Sinha in Farhan Akhtar's Dil Chahta Hai. He was nominated at several awards ceremonies including the Zee Cine Award and the International Film Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His outstanding performance won him the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor and a special Jury Award for Best Supporting Actor at the Screen Weekly Awards. He won critical acclaim as well with one review saying, "Akshaye Khanna stuns with another subtle and mature performance, and all one can ask is why he does not do more films. (If one had to single out a character and performance that makes the movie the best, Khanna's is it.)"

In 2002, he got to play "bad guy" Karan Malhotra in Humraaz. All applauded his performance and it earned him a nomination for Best Villain at the FilmFare awards and he won the IIFA's award for Best Villain. Also that year he was in Deewangee and he received a nomination for the Screen Weekly Award as Best Actor.

Throughout his career, Akshaye has played an array of characters including the romantic hero, dramatic roles and comedy. His comedic talents were brought out in Hungama (2003) and Hulchul (2004) and they both were very well received.

He had leading roles in Shaadi Se Pehle, 36 China Town and Aap Ki Khatir in 2006, but they did not do as well as expected at the box office. Earlier this year his performance stood out in Nikhil Advani's multi-starrer, Salaam-e-Ishq but that film also failed to charm audiences. Then he had Naqaab, just about a month back, directed by the well-known duo Abbas-Mustan. Taran Adarsh said about Akshaye's performance, "Naqaab belongs to Akshaye, who delivers yet another powerful performance. He's splendid, the real scene stealer, the soul of the enterprise." Even though Akshaye delivered a great performance in the film, it failed to set fire in the box office as well.

All this may change this coming Friday though. The highly anticipated film Gandhi, My Father will be hitting screens then. In this groundbreaking role, Khanna plays Gandhi's eldest son Harilal and presents the story of their relationship. Producer Anil Kapoor praises the actor saying, "He is born to play this role. You have to see it to believe it, the kind of work he has done." If word is to be believed, then we can expect to see one of the best performances of the year out of Akshaye Khanna in this film. It is all set to be a landmark film for him, and everyone is anticipating it greatly, since there is so much hype surrounding it. Akshaye's fortunes are definitely looking good with the release of this film.

Also in the pipeline are the films Race, Shortcut and a special appearance in the Madhuri Dixit comeback film Aaja Nachley.

Some interesting facts:

Nickname: Akshoo

Once was in a commercial for Godrej Cinethol.

In Bhai Bhai he was an uncredited dancer in the song 'Tera Naam Loonga'

He once said in an interview, "I want to be the editor of Filmfare magazine."

He is Bollywood's 'shatranj ke khilari' (player of chess). He loves chess so much that on both the sets of Naqaab and Race he was playing chess with the cast and crew.

For Aap Ki Khatir he is listed as a playback singer.

In his brother's film Bollywood/Hollywood (2002) he made a guest appearance as himself.

In Naqaab, he and Urvashi Shrama dance the Salsa, an extremely sensual dance: there needs to be chemistry and a comfort level between the dancers. Raju Khan choreographed the dance sequence and said that it was not difficult for him to train Khanna to get the steps right.

For his fans he has this message, "The most difficult thing to do in life is to do what your heart tells you. Be yourself, and do things the way you want to, always go where your heart leads you!"

We have to disagree with Akshaye Khanna when he says he is not a brilliant actor, because he is truly one of the most talented actors in Bollywood. His screen charisma is outstanding but he also is very natural so you do not think he is acting and that is a very hard thing to pull off. He is adored by fans (including this reporter) because of his talent, his mystery and his good looks. Since he is always striving to do more, learn more and be better at his craft we can only imagine that we have just seen the beginnings of excellence in this star.

Reflecting on his decision to become an actor Khanna says, "And now when I think about it, it's the best decision I made. All I ever want to do is to act. A lot of people spend an entire lifetime in professions they don't really want to be in. At least I don't have such grief."

We whole-heartedly applaud this fine actor and cannot wait to see his new movies and the ones in the years to come!

Remembering Divya Bharti

2010-09-01T20:09:00.005+05:30

The 90s begin like any other decade, promising to bring lots of surprises. One of them was Divya Bharti. Who can forget that beautiful girl singing "Saat Samundar" when she made her debut in Bollywood world? I was only a little girl but I can still remember, running to the nearest TV whenever the song was on and mesmerized by her. I wasn’t the only one. The song was from her debut Hindi movie, Vishwatma.The movie didn’t do well in the box office but Divya got noticed for her talents. At that time, everyone predicted a bright future for this nearly 17 year old actress and they were nearly right but nobody could have imagined how her career would come to a sudden end.

Divya was born Divya Om Prakash Bharti on February 25th, 1974 to Meeta and Om Parkash Bharti in Mumbai. According to tabloids reports, Divya had a traumatic childhood. Om Parkash left his parents house, his wife, and children to marry Meeta, Divya's mother. But Om Parkash's first wife didnt leave Divya and her family alone. She would curse and rave them and maybe that is the reason, Divya's parents were constantly fighting and were so busy with themselves that they had no time for Divya. Her father was an alcoholic while her mother used to be too busy with her kitty parties. Divya felt unloved and unwanted and maybe because of that matured beyond her age. When she was 10, she decided to become economically independent and walk out of her parents' house. She hated school and her only other alternative was films. Her father, unsuccessful stage artist himself, pushed Divya to fulfill his dream and make her out to be the golden goose. In a March 92 issue of Stardust, Divya firmly denied the allegations and said with "teary eyes" that she is not ashamed of anything in her life especially her past but she wish she could avoid talking about it because "it is too personal and private".

Divya first got her chance when in 9th grade, director Kriti Kumar met her around 1988 in a Mumbai Video Library and approached her to play the lead role opposite Govinda in "Radha Ka Sangam" but was later dropped. But later on, the famed Telugu film director, Mr. D. Rama Naidu, approached for his movie "Bobbili Raja" which went to become a super hit and broke all previous records in the Telugu film industry. People started to compare her with the biggest star of the time, Sridevi. Soon after more hits followed with Assembly Rowdy, Dharma Kshetrain, Rowdy Alludu which all went to become hits in the Telugu and Tamil film industries. The popularity of Divya in the South made Bollywood finally notice her and Rajiv Rai signed her for Vishwatma. Even though the movie was a flop, nobody can forget the song "Saat Samandar". Her talents were noticed by everyone and soon after Dewaana with newcomer Shahrukh Khah, and Shola Aur Shabnam with Govinda followed and went on to become super hits and has signed 14 other movies. By then Divya also became a tabloid's darling and was not only famous for her talents but also for her mood swings and childish behavior well forgetting that she was only 18. Her outspoken personality gotten taloids with reports about how she had problems with from Aamir Khan, Hema Malini, J.P Dutta, to Farah Khan. How she misbehaved on the sets and was never on time and how she had drinking problems also graced the tabloids pages. In one of her last interviews she explained her drinking problem by saying she only drinks on some occasion and has no problem whatsoever with it.

Not only was her professional life was on a rise, but so was her personal life. In May of 1992, she secretly got married to film director Sajid Nadiadwala. The marriage was kept a secret to protect her ever rising career. But that did not stop the tabloids from linking her with every co-star she worked with and calling her a "man-eater" which to she answered that if she was indeed a man eater, where are all the bones? She openly accepted the fact that she did indeed have a relationship with Sajid but denied the marriage allegations. In one of her last interview for Stardust in March of 1993, she said there will be a big announcement the following January relating to Sajid and her relationship. The announcement will never come.

Vishwatma, Dewaana and SAS were not her only movies in 92, 7 other movies: Geet, Dil Ka Kya Kasoor, Dil Hi To Hai, Dil Aashna Hai, Dushman Zamaana, Jaan Se Pyara and Balwan also followed making her the youngest successful star in Bollywood and earning her the Outstanding Face Of The Year at the end of 92. More hits followed her in 93 with Kshatriya and Andha Insaaf. Everyone was convinced she was going to be the biggest star in Bollywood but nobody had any idea what the fate will bring.

On April 7th, 1993, a 19 year old girl, dressed up in a bridal suit was surrounded by hundreds of people in a Mumbai suburb. But instead of being taken to her future home, she was taken to a cemetery to get buried. The girl was the ever successful, Divya Bharti. Her tragic end came on April 5th, 1993, when around midnight, she fell from her husband's 5th floor building ending her ever growing successful career and most importantly her life. The circumstances behind her death were considered suspicious by the media with some saying she was pushed to her death, some saying she committed suicide and some saying she was heavily drunk and slipped. However, despite an investigation, police found nothing. To this day her death remains a mystery.

Her body was only released on the day of her funeral to taken to her father's house who after hearing of his daughter sudden death, suffered from a mild heart attack and only released from the hospital on the day of her funeral. Her husband, Sajid also fainted and was taken to the hospital and was only released on the day of her funeral and after lightening the pyre, was overwhelmed by emotion and once again collasped. Around 500 people included her funeral with the likes of Anil Kapoor, Amrish Puri, Raj Babbar, Yash Chopra, Jimmy Nirula, Sudhakar Bokade, Mukesh Duggal, Raza Murad, Vikas Anand, Ram Mohan, Javed Khan, Raj Kanwar, Nitin Manmohan, Pehlaj Nehlani, Hema Malini, Karisma Kapoor, Sangeeta Bijlani, Sridevi, Manisha Koirala and Asha Parekh, offered condolences to the bereaved family members at their residence. They were not the only one, the Mumbai streets were filled with fans of the young actress coming from all over India trying to get one last glimpse of the beautiful actress. Despite being only 6, I remember her last photographs of her in a bridal suit in front page of a newspaper.

After her death, her final two movies, Rang and Shatranj were released and dedicated to her memory. Movies like Mohra and Ladla were left unfinished and she was later replaced by Raveena Tandon and Sridevi. After showing clips of Divya in Ladla and comparing to Sridevi, many people felt that she did a much better job. Unfortunatly it was not meant to be. If still alive today, she would have 32 and without any doubts one of the biggest name in Bollywood along with Madhuri, Sridevi, and Kajol. These days, not many people know her but those who still remember her, consider her to be one of the best actresses to ever set foot in Bollywood.

Why I Love Shahrukh

2010-09-01T20:09:00.002+05:30

Bollywood’s Baadshah; Shahrukh Khan is famous for a numerous amount of achievements, all of which any actor should be proud of. Shahrukh Khan started at the bottom and is now right at the top; what a tough journey for Shahrukh Khan it’s been.

Shahrukh began his career when he starred in numerous television shows including Circus, Fauji and In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones. He made his debut Bollywood film in 1992 with Deewana in which he starred alongside Divya Bharti and Rishi Kapoor. Deewana turned out to be a hit at the box office which helped launch his career in Bollywood. He also won the Filmfare Best Debut Award for the film in 1993. This achievement was then followed by his award winning performance as a murderer in Baazigar and box office hit as an obsessed lover in Darr.

As Shahrukh’s career moved on, 1995 proved to be a historical year for him, in which he starred in my forever favorite film, Adtiya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge which turned out to be a box-office success; The move is now running for its 12th year in Mumbai Theatres; raking in over 12 billion rupees. It seemed as if Shahrukh only knew his way up the ladder soon after he gave us an outstanding performances in Yash Chopra’s; Dil To Pagal Hai and Subhash Ghai’s; Pardes. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai won Shahrukh him his third Best Actor award at Filmfare. 2000 turned out to be a spectacular year for Shahrukh with Mohabbatein and Josh doing well at the box office. That same year, Shahrukh partnered with Juhi Chawla to produce a production company known as Dreamz Unlimited. However their first production, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani did not do all that well at the box office; nevertheless they soon made up for the loss as Shahrukh released his second production Asoka in 2001. In 2002, Shahrukh became well known for his phenomenal role in Sanjay Leela Bansali’s Devdas, followed by Chalte Chalte and Kal Ho Na Ho in 2003.

Even though I have seen the majority of the above films, Shahrukh really became my main focus in 2004 in which he began his second production company, Red Chillies Entertainment, which was the banner for director Farah Khan’s debut Main Hoon Na, in which Shahrukh played an army officer in the search of his step brother. Shahrukh then became well known for his Punjabi character Veer who sacrificed years of his life for his Pakistani love in Veer Zaara, which won Shahrukh numerous awards. Shahrukh then tackled the poverty in India as he transformed himself into Mohan Bhargav in Ashutosh Gowariker’s; Swades. 2005 was a quiet year for Shahrukh with only one release, Paheli from Red Chillies Entertainment in which he played a double role.

2006 brought along what I thought of as Bollywood’s most controversial film, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. KANK touched upon a subject I felt only the bravest of directors in Bollywood could dare speak out on; extramarital affairs. Shahrukh played the role of Dev, who is a professional football player whose career is cut short after an accident. Even though he is married with a son, happiness isn’t something Dev is aware of until he meets Maya. For me, KANK brought the reality check many Indians of today needed. However not everyone shared the same thoughts and feelings as me. KANK seemed to be one of Shahrukh’s most questioned roles in which he had to defend himself and the movie in numerous amount of ways, including starring on NDTV’s We The People. KANK is definitely one of my favorite all time Shahrukh Khan films. In the same year he brought us a remake of the hit Don, and much to Amitabh Bachchan’s disappointment, Don proved to be a worldwide success.

Shahrukh for me has worked in a wide-range of movies, although many people would disagree. Even though Shahrukh is well known for his romantic hero films, he has managed to wow the crowds at certain points in his career playing various roles.

A major part of me being a Shahrukh Khan fan is his much loved on screen chemistry with Bollywood Actress Kajol Devgan. For me their chemistry is greater than any other couple seen on screen today; starring alongside each other in Karan Arjun, Baazigar, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, DDLJ and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Stupid as it sounds, when I was younger I actually used to think they were married in reality. Their chemistry is sizzling on screen and off. They share a great friendship and I know Shahrukh has great respect for her as a co-star. They are favored by many Bollywood lovers and we await their next movie.

Other than movies, Shahrukh has become popular amongst our TV channels as a host of the third series of Kaun Banega Crorepati. A program I never clapped eyes on until he took over in 2007. As well as becoming a Branding King endorsing products such as Pepsi, Compaq, Tag Heuer, Airtel, Santro, ICICI, Sunfeast and Lux. Lux brought along another controversy for Shahrukh, as he was bashed and questioned about his sexuality when he dared to star in a feminine bathing ad, bringing out his metro-sexual side. I, for one, was very proud that Shahrukh looked past the sexist views of today and realized that guys do take baths and use soap.

He has achieved numeral recognitions such as his waxwork in Madame Tussauds, Rajiv Ghandi award for Excellence in the Field of Entertainment, Padma Shri Award, and Best India Citizen Award. Then again he deserves it.

As well as a great actor, Shahrukh is frequently mentioned for being a great papa. With two adorable kids, who wouldn’t be? He dotes on them, spoils them and always has time for them even with his hectic schedule. 9 year old Aryaan and 7 year old Suhana are really the light of Shahrukh’s life. Lets not forget his wife Gauri as well. Unlike most actors, Shahrukh is settled. Alongside his wife and kids, Shahrukh also looks after his older sister known as Lala Rukh making him what I call the perfect family man.

With upcoming films, Chak De India and Om Shanti Om, I await to see what else is to come Shahrukh’s way.

Aishwarya Rai Spotlight

2010-09-01T20:07:00.005+05:30

Bollywood can be well described as “survival of the fittest.” It’s a tough industry to maintain your grasp in and you have to be very lucky to get to the top, and then maintain your position. It also helps if you have a mix of talent, looks, and the very important “it” factor. One person who fits the bill in all these categories is none other than Aishwarya Rai. She is, without a doubt, the most talked about and most known Bollywood actor globally. In honor of the major success she has achieved in her career and the release of her new film Jodhaa Akbar, we would like to do a retrospective of the rise of the career of lady Ash.

Aishwarya Rai was born on November 1, 1973 in Mangalore, India, but moved to Mumbai shortly afterwards. Being brought up in the big city, her dreams were also big. Although she wanted to become an architect during her school days, her dreams quickly shifted into modeling. That is exactly the path she ended up choosing as she started doing many ads. All these ads were followed up with a run for the Miss India title, in which she was the runner up. As a result, she competed for the Miss World crown in 1994 at the age of 21. She ended up winning the competition, which opened many doors for her at such a young age. She decided to shift from modeling to acting hoping her newfound fame would get her places in the movie industry. People had never witnessed somebody with the beauty she possessed. That is why she started getting the title “the most beautiful woman in the world.” That was the reason she was able to cash in on acting as a backbone of her career. No one, at that time, thought that she would become one of the biggest names in Indian cinema whose talents would match her phenomenal looks.

Aishwarya started her acting career in 1997 in the South Indian film, Iruvar. The movie received great critical acclaim and Aishwarya was appreciated for her performance. Her first Bollywood film was Aur Pyar Ho Gaya, which did not do well. Her Bollywood career started off in a slow note, so she appeared in another South Indian movie. Jeans ended up being yet another success for Aishwarya in South Indian films, but she knew that Bollywood was calling for her presence. Her whole career would change with the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. She gave a wonderful performance that resulted in her winning awards for the film in all major award function. The film was also a big hit and won many awards. 1999 had to definitely be the year of Aishwarya Rai because other than HDDCS, she also starred in Taal that year. She gave a very solemn and understated performance in this film, which went on to become a big hit. She was nominated for best actress for the film, but went on to lose to herself for HDDCS.

In the year 2000, she starred in yet another South Indian film called Kandukondain Kandukondian. Once again, she was appreciated for her efforts as she always received applause for her South Indian films. As for her Bollywood films in the same year, she starred in Josh, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, Dhai Akshar Prem Ke, and a special appearance in Mohabbatein. HDAPH ended up doing well and Ash received a best actress nomination for her performance. She also bagged a best supporting actress nomination for her special appearance in Mohabbatein. 2001 was a relatively quiet year for her as she only starred in Albela, which bombed badly. 2002, on the other hand, was a big year for her as she starred in the huge film, Devdas. The film won a record 10 Filmfare Awards, including a best actress award for Aishwarya. This is the film that officially put Aishwarya on the map and a force to be reckoned with. She also starred in the forgettable Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin and the unforgettable ‘Ishq Kamina’ item number in the film Shakti, which set body temperatures rising.

The highlight for her in 2003 had to be her Bengali film, Chokher Bali. It was something totally different from anything she had done in the past and she received much praise for her performance in the film. The film also received critical acclaim. Along with this film, she also starred in Kuch Naa Kaho and Dil Ke Rishta that year. Unfortunately, both these films flopped.

2004 was a memorable year for her in that she starred in her first English language film, Bride and Prejudice. It got the West to notice her and also helped her form a niche in Hollywood. The film did well overseas, which was an indication that Hollywood was definitely ready for the Bollywood beauty. That year, she also starred in the flop Kyun Ho Gaya Na, the critically and commercially successful Khakee, and the wonderful Raincoat, in which she perhaps gave the best performance of her career. She received a best actress nomination for the film. The one film she did in 2005, Shabd, was a damp squib, but that did not mean the attention was away from her. Her item number in Bunty Aur Babli, Kajre Re, alongside future husband and father-in-law, Abhishek and Amitabh Bachchan, was bigger than anything else she had done in her career. The song and video became a rage across the nation. Nobody will ever forget that Ash was the catalyst to the mother of all item numbers.

She started off 2006 with yet another English language film, The Mistress of Spices. This one, though, did not match the success of B&P and was a big failure. But it did not deter her from continuing to attempt more English language films in the future. She then starred in the remake of Umrao Jaan, which was supposed to be her career defining role. Although she was appreciated for her efforts, the movie was not taken well at all and flopped badly. But she ended the year with a bang that made everyone forget about the failures she endured earlier in the year. Her role in Dhoom 2 was the boldest of her career. Everyone gave her much credit for her complete makeover. The movie became the biggest hit of the year and Aishwarya was nominated for best actress for her performance.

2007 may be the most favorite year of her life, not for anything professionally, but rather personally. This is the year when she finally tied the knot to Abhishek Bachchan. Ever since then, I don’t recall ever seeing her without a smile on her face. She has been on top of the world since then. But her professional career wasn’t looking too shabby either. She starred alongside her husband in the film Guru, which received much praise and was also a big box office hit. Aishwarya was highly appreciated for her performance and has been nominated for best actress at this year’s awards. After this, she starred in two English language films, starting with Provoked. The movie did not do well, but Aishwarya’s performance was looked at as highly commendable. Then she starred in the extremely forgettable The Last Legion, in which she might have been the lone bright spot. All in all, 2007 was a pretty exciting year for Lady Rai.

Besides her movies, she has other highlights to her credit as well. In 2003, she became a part of the Cannes jury and has attended every festival since then. She is also an ambassador for the brand, L’Oreal, for which she also makes appearances at Cannes. A huge highlight for her career was gracing the cover of Time magazine and being named one of the most influential people in the world. Then in 2004, she became the first Indian female to receive a wax statue at the famed Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in London and recently the statue was shifted to the New York museum for a brief period of time. As she became better known in the West in 2005, she made appearances in shows such as the “Oprah Winfrey Show,” “Late Night with David Letterman,” and “60 Minutes.” More and more people are getting to know her outside of India now and it has become very beneficial to her career.

Although Aishwarya has faced many controversies and problems in her career, she has always maintained her dignity and has held her head high. She has had her ups and downs, but still has managed to stay at the top for all these years. Like I said at the outset, Bollywood is the survival of the fittest, and Ash has proven that she has what it takes to maintain a grasp in this industry. Aishwarya is not just beauty, but also brains. If she wasn’t, then there is no way she would have been able to market her the way she has and become such a global icon. The girl is very intelligent and talented and it has helped her achieve the success she has received throughout her career.

2008 looks to be yet another landmark year for Aishwarya. She has finished shooting for her biggest Hollywood film to date, Pink Panther 2. She has signed on to Sriram Raghavan’s (Ek Hasina Thi, Johnny Gaddaar) next which she will start shooting shortly. Also just recently, she has signed onto star opposite South Indian megastar Rajnikanth in the film Robot. It is her first South Indian film in 8 years. She will be starring alongside her husband and father-in-law, the Bachchan Boys, for the first time in Sarkar Raj, which is expected to release in May. Last, but certainly not least, this Friday she will star in Jodhaa Akbar, which is slated to be the biggest film of her career. All this is just an indication that Aishwarya is not ready to give up her spot at the top of the mountain just yet. As a matter of fact, it seems as if she is trying to get sole possession of the apex. We, here at Bollyspice, would like to wish Aishwarya the best in her career and hope she get all the success she truly deserves in everything she does!

Spotlight: Esha Deol

2010-09-01T20:07:00.002+05:30

"As far as I am concerned, I pick those characters that I feel I will enjoy playing and do justice to. Never say never, is what I believe, so I grab any role that gives me a chance to perform well." ~ Esha Deol

Esha Deol is one of Bollywood's rising stars who has a distinct quality about her that shines through whenever she is on screen. This talented actress has portrayed many different roles in her short 5 years in the industry and we eagerly anticipate her newest film Darling, that opens in theaters this Friday. With this film, she is ready to live up to everyone's expectations of her, and so to shed a little more light on who she is we thought we would put her in the Spotlight.

Esha, whose name is derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "divine beloved", comes from a very filmi family. She is the daughter of two of Bollywood's best-known stars of the yesteryears: Dharmendra and the stunning Hema Malini. It's been said that she got her beauty from her mother and her acting talent from her father. She also has a younger sister named Ahana and her stepbrothers Sunny and Bobby Deol are also quite famous in their own right in Bollywood.

In school Esha was very athletic, and while attending Jamnabai Narsee School she excelled as a football player. She continued her education at the prestigious Oxford University, getting her Bachelor's Degree in Computer Technology and going on to graduate with a Master's Degree in Media Arts.

Coming from a family filled with heroes and heroines, it was natural that her real desire was to go into films: in fact ever since she was a child she had the acting bug. Her mother had alwasy been supportive of her decision. Says Esha in a recent interview, "My mother was always chilled about all this. She completely supports my decision. Her only advice is that I should put my 100 per cent in whatever I try and I should be the best in whatever I do. I wanted to act but did not get the opportunity. One day, my mom suddenly asked me if I wanted to act. I immediately agreed and that is how it all started." However, her father was initally against it, "Yes, Papa was reluctant earlier but, now, he is adjusting to it. He obviously wishes me well and keeps advising me to be careful. Both my parents tell me to do what I want, but to give it my best shot."

To prepare for her new career, "I took lessons in Hindi diction from Veena Mehta. I enrolled at Kishore Namit Kapoor's Acting Academy for three months. At the end of that, I felt more confident about myself," she said in an interview.

Her debut film was Boney Kapoor's Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe in 2002. Co-starring Jaya Bachchan and Aaftab Shivdasani, it was a love story that also explored the relationship between mother and daughter. Sadly it did not do well at the box-office but Esha had a made a mark and was awarded the Filmfare Best Debut award along with several other awards.

She was also shooting at the same time for Na Tum Jaano Na Hum opposite Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan. In fact, her actual first scene in front of the camera was for this movie. When asked what it was like facing the camera for the first time Esha said, "I was to shoot for a small song sequence. A huge posse of people was waiting to watch me. I was very nervous. I gave my first shot with Hrithik -- it was okayed on the first take. Everyone clapped loudly and I felt a lot better."

In the next year she starred in Kyaa Dil Ne Kahaa, Kucch To Hai, Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, LOC Kargil, and Yuva. For being part of the LOC Kargil cast she was given a national award. Esha speaks Tamil fluently and so in 2004 she had the honor of being cast in a Mani Rantman Tamil film, Aayitha Ezhuthu.

Then came the film and the role that had everyone sit up and take notice: Sheena in Dhoom. For this performance she was nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Her mother said, "Dhoom turned her career around. The clothes and styling were a bit alarming though. But we had been properly warned by Aditya Chopra. He had said, 'Forget that she's Hema Malini's daughter and forget she has to look like Hema Malini. But I never insisted on Esha looking and behaving like me. I want Esha to be completely different from me." Dhoom was a huge hit and her career was flying.

She had several hits in the next year including Kaal, No Entry, which was the biggest grossing film of 2005, and Dus. She was also seen in Main Aisa Hi Hoon, and though only a secondary character she presented so much feeling and depth that her performance is one that everyone remembers.

She also portrayed roles in Shaadi No 1 in 2005, and in 2006 was seen in Pyare Mohan, starring Vivek Oberoi, Fardeen Khan, and Amrita Rao. In addition,in the film Ankahee (2006), Esha showed off her versatility as an actress by portraying a negative character and even recieved a 'Best Actor in a Negative Role' nomination for that performance from the 'Star Screen Awards'.

In 2007, Just Married and Cash didn't set the box office on fire, in fact you could say they crashed and burned. However, Esha says you live and learn from your flops. "The first two or three days after a film flops are really painful for the actors. Then we decide not to do anything similar again. I'm now much conscious about selecting my films. Besides reading the script carefully, I also check out who the director is. I'm going to work with filmmakers like Ramuji only. However, at times even good movies fail to do well at the box-office."

Speaking of Ramujii, aka Ram Gopal Varma the illustrious filmmaker, he is the director of her next release Darling which opens on the 7th of September. In the film "I play an unsatisfied soul who returns as a ghost to finish the unfinished," she said. The film also stars Fardeen Khan and Ishaa Koppikar. According to Varma, "... Darling is of a different genre. It is a horror comedy, which makes you laugh. It begins as a romantic comedy then becomes a murder mystery and then turns into a horror film. It is a highly emotional, relationship story where the basic premise starts with comedy."

Varma was very impressed with Esha's performance and said, "Esha's character in the film has been treated with intensity. She is a good actress who has not been utilized fully." With this interesting premise, great cast, and celebrated director, it is sure to be the hit this actress needs to become one of Bollywood's established stars.

Next in the pipeline is Dus Kahaniyan which releases in October of this year, and she has also signed a film with Tusshar Kapoor and Suniel Shetty called One Two Three. She will also be seen in a love story by Mahesh Bhatt titled Jannat that is just about to go on the floor, and on hold is a film with Milind Soman and Shilpa Shetty titled Kahin Aag Na Lag Jaaye.

Esha has come a long way since her debut film and as she learns more about her craft and grows as a person she will fully come into her own as an actress. She is beautiful on screen and in her work you can see the brilliance she has inside. We can only wait and watch to see how great her performances will be in the future. We look forward to watching her in many more films!

Fun Facts:

Esha, like her mother is a classically trained dancer. She is an accomplished dancer in the Odissi style and they have performed dance concerts together. Her sister also trained in Odissi and Hema is an expert in the Bharatanatyam style as well. Funny thing is, Esha has never played a dancer in a film.

She is the granddaughter of Jaya Chakraborty.

Her favorite film starring her parents is Sholay.

Her favorite Perfume is Estee Lauder's Pleasure.

Kajol and Julia Roberts are her favorite actresses.

When she first started in the film industry she said that Sylvester Stallone was her favorite Hollywood actor. In Bollywood it was Shah Rukh Khan.

She has several tattoos and says she is very fond of getting them. She has one on her left bosom that is a scorpion, which she got while visiting London several years ago. She also has a large tattoo of Gayatri Mantra on her back. She knows the mantra by heart.

Esha works outs at the Barbarian Power Gym, which is owned by her 'Rakhi brother' Satya.

For Cash she performed a lot of stunts and said, "This film has all kinds of action -- there is action on the road, in water, in air, in the mountains, chases, fights, everything. The best part is I got to train at a motor training school where I learnt to spin the wheel, take a 180 degree turn. I have always loved taking to the road at full speed and this role fulfilled my need for speed."

During the shooting for Darling things got really confusing because whenever the director he called either Ishaa or Esha, both of them would turn. He got so frustrated that he gave them each a nickname Ishaa was IK and Esha was ED. From then on it was smooth filming.

Personal Quotes:

"An actress is all about acting, revealing is not even in the job!"

"Face your fears and live your dreams."

Spotlight: Rani Mukerji

2010-09-01T20:06:00.003+05:30

"According to me acting should be done from the heart. You have to feel every given emotion and perform with ease and sincerity." -Rani Mukerji

Rani Mukerji, one of Bollywood's finest artists, has won the praise of critics and the love of fans all over the world for her sincere portrayal of her roles. She has played opposite some of the industry's greatest male actors and has given some truly amazing performances. Rani gives her all in her roles and is accomplished in comedy as well as drama. She has received numerous awards for her incredible acting and is also regarded by many as the best actress in Bollywood! With the release of Laaga Chunari Mein Daag this Friday, we thought we would shine our spotlight on this beautiful and accomplished actress.

Rani hails from a 'filmi' family. Her father was a director and helped establish the Filmalya studios, her mother was a playback singer, her brother is a producer/director, and perhaps you may have heard of her cousin... Kajol? Despite her filmi background, Rani once said, "I never thought I had any talent to be in films so it never occurred to me that I could be an actor."

Her path to stardom began at the age of 14 with a cameo in one of her father's films, Biyar Phool (1992). Four years later, she truly embarked on her journey to being the star she is now. Her first starring role was in Raja ki Aayegi Baraat in 1996. The film did not do well at the box office but Rani's performance was praised and she even won a Screen Weekly award for Best Fresh Talent. She was truly bitten by the acting bug at this point, and decided that from then on she was going to put her heart and soul into all her roles.

Even though her debut film did not do well her acting talent certainly shined through, and 2 years later she was signed to star opposite Aamir Khan in the crime drama, Ghulam. This film managed to do well at the box office and she was on her way up the ladder of success.

Her next film, the super hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, firmly established her as a star in the making and her role earned her critical acclaim and audience appreciation as well as Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare awards. One interesting thing to note is that Rani's voice was dubbed for that film. She said, "When Karan wanted my voice to be dubbed for Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, I really thought that it [my voice] was bad and very husky and rough, but slowly I worked to improve my diction, and am now quite comfortable with it." Her voice is now one of her trademarks, recognizable as soon as the first words are uttered even if only in a voice over.

Rani has been in over 30 films during her illustrious career and it would take pages to look back at each of her roles (besides, my editor would kill me) so here are a few highlights:

Hey Ram! (2000) - Rani was ecstatic at the chance to work with director Kamal Hassan, whose level of excellence if widely recognized in the industry. She said, "Kamal Hassan re-invented the actress in me after the 'Hey Ram' experience." Though not a commercial success, the film was India's official entry to the Academy Awards that year.

Mujhse Dosti Karoge in 2002 starred Rani opposite the hunky Hrithik Roshan. Sadly, the film was not a success in India, but it did do well in other markets especially in England. Taran Adarsh said in his review, "MUJHSE DOSTI KAROGE clearly belongs to Rani Mukherji, [sic] who has the meatiest role comparatively. The actress is superb in a role that fits her like a glove." This is the film that made me a huge Rani fan, and is also one of my favorite movies.

After a string of flops, the film that revitalized Ranis' career was Saathiya (2002). Rani once said in an interview, "Yash Chopra and Aditya signed me for Saathiya at a time when my career wasn't getting anywhere. If they hadn't come forward I'd not have moved forward. It's entirely up to the directors to bring out your abilities..." Starring opposite Rani was the great young actor Vivek Oberoi and the film went on to be a critical and commercial success. It was one of the highestgrossing films of the year and Rani was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actress Award and won the Filmfare Critics' Award for her portrayal as Dr. Suhani Sharma.

Chalte Chalte(2003)- This film co-starring Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Aziz Mizra, was a hit at the box-office. Rani commented on the film, “"Mikanos was heavenly, so picture perfect! Aziz Uncle is the kindest director possible. And working with Shah Rukh was fabulous. He was like a teacher. Spurring me on, scolding me... he was fantastic, despite being in so much pain."(Shah Rukh was recovering from spinal surgery.) For her role, Rani was nominated for several Best Actress Awards including Filmfare, ZeeCine, ScreenWeekly and the prestigious IIFA. Critic Taran Adarsh noted, "Rani Mukherji proved her mettle as an actress of caliber in Saathiya and in Chalte Chalte, she takes a step forward. She slips into the character with amazing ease, proving that she's a reservoir of talent. Looks-wise too, Rani has never looked as gorgeous as in this flick." The film was screened at the Casablanca International Film Festival and Rani says of that experience: "Fifty thousand people on the beach watching Chalte Chalte with me, then asking me questions about the songs and dances, the idiom and language of expression was incredible. I don't think I'll ever forget my experience in Casablanca."

Yuva (2004)- A Mani Ratnam-directed drama in which she plays wife to Abhishek Bachchan's crime boss character. Critics gave the film two thumbs down but gave Rani's performance two thumbs up. One critic said, "The role demanded an actress of substance and Rani more than lives up to the expectations." The film went on to be a hit with audiences and won several Filmfare awards including one for Rani as Best Supporting Actress.

Veer-Zaara(2004) - A Yash Chopra epic starring Rani, Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The film was a blockbuster hit and the highest grossing film of 2004. Though the film's story was not centered around her character per se, she made her presence known and was wonderful in her portrayal of Shah Rukh Khan's lawyer. Critic Taran Adarsh said, "Rani Mukerji is a scene-stealer. The actress takes giant strides with this role, relying completely on her expressions to do her job." Rani was nominated for Filmfare's Best Supporting Actress Award, and she won the IIFA award for the same role.

Black (2005)- A tour de force performance in which she got so deep into her character of a deaf and blind woman that you could barely recognize the gorgeous star of so many movies. Her first reaction was to say no to the role because she felt she did not have enough knowledge to portray such a multi-layered and difficult character. But Sanjay Leela Bhansali had complete faith in her, and so she began her preparation. She studied at the Helen Keller Institute in Mumbai for many months to get completely comfortable with sign language. About this masterpiece of a film Rani said, "When I heard the script I was bowled over by the layers in it. Black is a kind of film that comes once in a lifetime." Adding, "A lot of films are well made. But Black teaches us a very important lesson of life. I think we artistes tend to take faculties like hearing and seeing for granted. But what about someone who doesn't have these basic functions?"

Rani was amazing as Michelle and all lauded her performance. One critic said, "There's no denying that Rani delivers her best performance to date. With no dialogues in her lap, the actress conveys through expressions solely and what a terrific impact she makes. Here's a performance that should act as a reference guide for all aspiring actors." This is one of the many rave reviews she got and the depth of her performance and the film itself, which co-starred Amitabh Bachchan, astounded audiences. Her performance was also celebrated by the receipt of several best actress awards including the IIFA, Filmfare, Screen Weekly and Zee Cine awards!

Other notable films include: Chori Chori (2003) with Ajay Devgan (my personal favorite!), Hum Tum (2004) opposite Saif Ali Khan, for which she won the Filmfare Best Actress Award, Bunty Aur Babli (2005), a huge hit with Abhishek Bachchan and Paheli (2005) costarring SRK, which was India's entry to the Oscars that year.

With this Friday's release of Laaga Chunari Mein Daag we will see Rani in many different avatars. The story (not usually seen in Hindi films) is that of an eldest daughter who has to become a call girl in order to support her family. Recently Rani spoke about the upcoming film and why she chose to do the role: "I think the beauty of the script is that it talks about a strong female character in a slightly unconventional way. The very fact that the script talks about the eldest daughter trying to be the son of the house is something that lot of girls will relate to because every elder daughter is kind of pressurized to be the son of the house. It's got shades of grey and that's what has interested me and the fact that she is not ashamed about what she has done. It's something that she has kind of accepted and goes with it and she is not apologetic about it." From watching the promos we can see that this will be another power packed and brilliant performance of Rani's. We are eager to see how the story unfolds and the gamut of emotions that she must portray in this difficult role.

After Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, her next appearance on the big screen will be in her role in the highly anticipated Saawariya, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and she has also started work in Kunal Kohil's next opposite Saif Ali Khan.

Some fun facts:
Rani has won well over 60 awards, 6 of those Filmfare awards, which ties the record set by Nutan Behl for the most wins by any actress. She is also one of the few actresses who have won two major awards within the same year, which she has done several times.

Her favorite sport is sleeping.

She said in a chat online "As a child I always wanted to grow up and become famous and independent."

Her screen idols are Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan.

After her 2007 appearance on "Kaun Banega Crorepati?" with Preity Zinta she donated her prize money, Rs. 250,000, to the Holy Family Hospital. The hospital takes care of children with heart problems. She has also contributed to and worked for many other worthy causes.

Rani is a trained Odissi dancer, and began learning the style when she was 15.

She once said, "I'd rather have a room full of cuddly teddy bears than a diamond necklace in a safe deposit locker."

As of 2006, her films have made well over Rs. 5 billion at the box office.

Her favorite film is Titanic and her favorite song comes from that film, 'My Heart Will Go On'.

When asked which were her favorite roles she said "all of them!" but when pressed she answered laughingly, "Alright, it's just that I don't want to hurt anybody. But if I had to list them, Alisha in Ghulam of course, then Tina of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, and my character of the bindaas girl in Bichchoo; then there's Suhaani of Saathiya, who is a lot like me in real life, and now Priya of Chalte Chalte!"

Rani topped Filmfare's 'Top Ten Bollywood Actresses' List for the last three years. Also for the third year in a row she was number one on Rediff's 'Top Bollywood Female Stars'.

She has also toured the world in several Bollywood musical extravaganzas. First in 1999, with the Magnificent Five, Rani, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna and Twinkle Khanna put on an amazing show. In 2004, she was a part of the hugely popular Temptations 2004, which included performances by Rani along with Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra. The showcase had an amazing 19 performances with stops all over the world.

"One should not go on the length of the role, but whether the role has substance. That should be on the priority list. Quality and not quantity."

From Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Mujhse Dosti Karoge, from Bunty Aur Babli to Black, this petite young woman has won the hearts of many with her brilliant acting, beautiful looks, and sexy voice. As she said, "I am here to act, entertain and make good films. Today I am looking for banners and costars who have the same goal as me --- to work towards making a good film with dedication."

We look forward to seeing Laaga Chunari Mein Daag on Friday and for many more dazzling performances from this great actress. Who knows what she shall achieve next! Aage aage dekho, hota hai kya! (Wait and Watch!)

Hrithik Roshan Spotlight

2010-09-01T20:06:00.000+05:30

“For an actor it is just encoded in his DNA. His instincts feel charged with the idea of a great drama or the ideal of creating these magical, inspiring moments convincingly. It's translating something close to him on screen to inspire millions.” ~ Hrithik Roshan

Hrithik Roshan is one of THE Superstars of Bollywood. Not only is he gorgeous, but he is also very talented as an actor, so much so that he makes every performance memorable. His debut film created a sensation, and he has gone on to do even better work in his later films. Hrithik gets so into the skin of his characters that you forget you are watching Hrithik the star and instead you see Rohit, or Raj, or Karan or Mr. A’s many avatars. Of course you can’t talk about Hrithik without talking about dance and again he is brilliant. As you probably can tell I am a huge fan but I will try not to gush or go on too much as we focus on the career of this incredible actor.

Hrithik Roshan aka Duggu was born on January 10th, 1974 to Rakesh and Pinky Roshan. He comes from a very filmi family - his father Rakesh was an actor and is now one of the biggest producer/directors in Bollywood. Both of his grandfathers were in the industry and his Uncle is music director Rajesh Roshan. He also has a sister Sunaina, who is following in Papa Roshan’s footsteps as a producer. With that legacy it was natural that he would go into the family business.

Growing up and in school Hrithik says that he got away with a lot because he was so cute. “I was always the pet of my teachers in school probably because I was considered to be very cute. Because of my innocent looks I usually got away with a lot of mischief. I was spoilt and pampered by everyone. All I had to do was sport a lost-boy look and I would have things my way. At home too, if I wasn't given something I wanted, I would simply sit with a long face till I got it.”

With a father for an actor and being “so cute”, Hrithik got his start in films early. In Aasha he was an extra in a dance sequence at just six years old. He also had small roles in Aap Ke Deewane and Bhagwan Dada, which both starred his father. “I first acted in a film called Aap Ke Deewane, which was Dad's movie. I had a bit part in a song, got paid three hundred bucks, and bought balloons with it! As a kid, I loved balloons!"

Hrithik got his Bachelor’s degree in Business Communication at Sydneham College and he was also working as an assistant for his father, who had now moved into directing and producing. A jack-of-all-trades, Hrithik swept floors, carried bags, served tea, and also worked as an assistant director. Most notably he assisted his father on the films Karan Arjun (1995) and Koyla (1997). He said in an interview that working as an assistant prepared him for his work as an actor, “ Even while I was assisting my father, I'd keep observing the actors, how they acquitted themselves before the camera. But I was also inspired by the process of film direction. I love trying out different camera angles and framing shots. I'd continuously come up with suggestions, which, fortunately, Dad always incorporated. At one point, I seriously considered direction. But finally I gave in to my desire to be in front of the camera, at least to begin with. Acting fascinates me. I remember, during Koyla, I'd come home and act out Shah Rukh's scenes in front of the mirror.”

He was learning everything he could about the film industry and knew that acting was his calling: “Yes, acting was always there at the back of my mind. So when my parents asked me what I wanted to do in life, I said without hesitating that I wanted to act. Obviously they were concerned. They didn't think it was the right career for me. I don't blame them. This is an insecure profession, after all. My mother had seen my father struggle for many years and she didn't want me to go through it. So Dad suggested that I take up a more stable profession. And out of regard for their feelings, I decided to go to the United States. I was already assisting my dad then and after talking it over with him I gave my SATs and applied for a three-year course in special effects. I got the admission and was all set to leave the country, when I realized that I was running away. Running away from what I wanted to be. So I just tore my admission papers and told Dad I was staying back. ‘You went through the struggle, which is why you're enjoying the rewards which follow every struggle. So even I want to struggle if I have to. I'm willing to work hard. I don't want you to worry about me, I'll take care of myself.' He understood and let me do what I wanted to. Next, I started training in acting with Kishore Namit Kapoor. It was the beginning of my struggle.”

In 1999, Papa Roshan began working on his next film, Kaho Na Pyaar Hai and Hrithik was involved in the development of the script. As they worked on it, Hrithik said several times to his dad that he did not feel an established star would work as Rohit/Raj. To his surprise, his Dad agreed and said to him “ ‘Look, I'm casting you in the film.'” “I was stunned. I just excused myself and went to my room. He followed me and asked me point blank if I was ready for it. I told him I needed three months to train myself. I wanted to be prepared. He gave me five months.”

About his first shot he said, “How can I forget it? It's very special to me. It was a long shot. There were no dialogues but it involved a lot of comic timing. The shot was of me waking up in the morning to the alarm bell and trying to switch it off. But if just doesn't go off. And to top it, I had this huge blanket covering me, I was to do the whole comic number before finally switching off the alarm clock. The shot was okayed in the very first take, and I realized that I was on my way!”

The film released in 2000 and created the mass hysteria known as Hrithkmania. It was the biggest grosser of the year and Duggu went on to win not only the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award but also the Filmfare Best Actor Award. One review said, “One must say Rakesh Roshan knew what he was doing when he cast Hrithik as the lead. The boy is good. The ease and style, with which he dances, emotes, fights, makes one forget this is his debut film. He’s had to essay two different characters, and he’s done justice to both.”

After this unprecedented response to a debut film Hrithik was well on his way and he had many offers for roles. His next performance was in Khalid Mohamed’s Fiza and it was a completely different role than Rohit/Raj in Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. Director Mohamed said of him, "He understood the finer nuances of the role and added much to the character. He is one of the best among the present generation of actors." The film, also starring Jaya Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor, was a critical success though not a box-office success. Taran Adarsh in his review praised Hrithik saying, “The mainstay of the film is undoubtedly Hrithik Roshan. His body language, his diction, his expressions, his overall persona deserves great praise. With this film, Hrithik proves that there is more to him than just being a fashionable rage, a Mills & Boon lover-boy and a sex symbol. His talent comes to the fore in several scenes, especially those with Karisma. All said and done, the show belongs to Hrithik, who saves Fiza to a major extent. A brilliant performance undoubtedly!” For his performance as Amaan Ikramullah, Hrithik was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award.

Next was Mission Kashmir and his performance as Altaf Khan stood out and was praised by critics and audience alike. The film was the third highest grossing film of that year. Of his performance one critic said, "Hrithik once again cuts a splendid performance as a youngster sucked in the vortex of terrorism. He is portrayed as anti-government in the early part of the film-- a bold role to play for even a seasoned actor, leave alone a budding superstar."

In 2001, he appeared in two films by two of the biggest directors in Bollywood. The first was Yaadein directed by Subash Ghai and co-starring Kareena Kapoor. The film did not do well at the box office but Hrithik’s performance was applauded. The second film was the lavish Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Karan Johar’s second directorial venture. For his role as Rohan Raichand, Hrithik as nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. The film was a big hit in India and an even bigger hit overseas.

2002 saw the release of Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, Na Tum Jaano Na Hum and Mujhse Dosti Karoge. Sadly, none of these films set the box office on fire, but both Na Tum Jaano Na Hum and Mujhse Dosti Karoge are two of my favorite Duggu films.

Mujhse Dosti Karoge also starred Rani Mukerji and Kareena Kapoor. Hrithik in an interview said of the film, “ What I liked about Mujhse Dosti Karoge was that it came from a completely honest source. I have worked with the best of directors and I can say that Kunal surprised me with his clarity of thought. An actor feels very comfortable when he can trust a director's instincts. In this case I could leave myself completely in the director's hand and be more adventurous in my performance. In Mujhse ... I have definitely gone beyond my self-imposed restrictions. The dialogues are so beautifully written and the scenes so amazing that I couldn't help doing something extra in every scene. A lot of times we changed the flow of the scenes and treated them differently. So though there was room for change, the script remained our touchstone.”

Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon was released in 2003 and did not do so well. But, with his next film, Hrithik would show his excellence in his craft and regain his box office magic. Koi Mil Gaya, directed by Papa Roshan, was groundbreaking in its story and in Hrithik’s performance. Hrithik portrays a man who has the intellect of a six year old until he meets Jadoo, an extra terrestrial. One critic raving about his performance said, “ Koi Mil Gaya undoubtedly belongs to Hrithik Roshan who seems to have got under the very skin of his character. The conviction with which he plays the mentally challenged boy in the first half is surely worth praising. Not only does the actor deliberately distort his facial expressions while speaking his dialogues, he also brings about a garbling accent in his voice. And then he transforms into a superhuman (in the second half) with quicksilver ease.” On a personal note I remember that about half way through the film all of a sudden I realized wait a minute, that’s Hrithik?? I actually had to go look at the credits because I did not recognize him. He had become the character of a six year old in an adult’s body so convincingly that I could not believe it was the same person I had seen in his other movies. His performance in that movie firmly established in my mind that he is one of the finest actors I have seen ever. The film was a blockbuster and the biggest grosser of the 2003. Hrithik was honored with both the Filmfare Best Actor Award & Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.

In 2004, he again took on a role completely different from his last film. In Lakshya, Hrithik portrayed Karan Shergill, a character who goes from a man with no purpose to a man with a Lakshya (an aim). His complete change from the beginning of the movie to the climax, even the way he changed how he held his body was so incredible that you almost forget he is the same actor. “Lakshya belongs to Hrithik Roshan undoubtedly. A performance like this comes once in a while and can compete with the best from across the Atlantic. The ease with which Hrithik slips into the character is amazing and the outcome is spellbinding. If he is lovable as the aimless youngster, he is admirable as the officer,” said one critic. Though the film was not a hit, he was again nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award.

About these two roles Hrithik said, “Lakshya is my most subtle performance. Koi... Mil Gaya was an in-your-face performance.”

Hrithik went on a two year break, but during that time he was preparing to bring a role never before seen in Hindi cinema, that of a superhero. The 2006 film Krrish was a sequel to Koi Mil Gaya and in the film Hrithik portrayed 3 different avatars, young innocent Krrish, then the masked Krrish, the superhero who performed mind boggling stunts; he also portrayed an older Rohit Mehra from KMG. He was outstanding in all three. Audiences went mad over the innovative film and it was a blockbuster, smashing box office records. His performance was of course lauded by all and Taran Adarsh wrote, “To state that Hrithik is the soul of Krrish would be an understatement. If the actor walked away with all noteworthy awards in Koi... Mil Gaya, it's going to be an encore with Krrish. You cannot imagine any other actor enacting the role of a gifted child with aplomb. If his mask and robe look is splendid, watch his make up, gait and mannerisms as the aged father and you'd agree, he's one of the finest talents on the Indian screen today. Krrish is yet another ground-breaking film in his dazzling repertoire!"

After the success of Krrish everyone was waiting to see what he would do next, and what he did next blew everyone away. In Dhoom 2, Hrithik became Aryan aka Mr. A, a mastermind criminal. His portrayal of a bad guy is one of the coolest ever seen on film and for each avatar Mr. A took on Hrithik portrayed them with amazing skill and ease. About his role Hrithik said, “I've played the good guy long enough. Now it's time for me to get seriously evil. I always wanted to play a cool villain. And since the bad guy in Dhoom 2 is multi-dimensional, playing this nightmarish guy is a dream come true” Hritikrules.com said of his performance, “And if he rescued the world from miscreants in Krrish, in Dhoom 2 he proved his versatility by playing the silver screen's most dashing and enthralling thief. As Mr. A, Hrithik oozed confidence and style, thrilling women and men, young and old alike with his stylishly planned heists, mesmerizing charisma and a body sculpted to sexy perfection! The entire movie-watching world buzzed with the unanimous opinion - that Dhoom 2 was fantastic because Hrithik Roshan was fantastic. Hrithik's effect on movie goers was like a intoxicating drug, making us go back again and again to enjoy the rush one more time!” The box-office was set on fire with Dhoom 2: it was the highest grossing film of that year and even surpassed Krrish. For his role as Mr. A, Hrithik won his third Filmfare Best Actor Award.

In all his films, Hrithik also showed his talent for dance. His skill in his numbers is exceptional. He can do all styles and, though he has had no formal training, looks like he has studied from birth. Some notable numbers are ‘Ek Pal Ka Jeena’ in Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, 'Main Aisa Kyon Hoon' in Lakshya which is one of the most spectacularly choreographed songs by Prabhu Deva, and though only a small part of the song, Hrithik’s dance section in 'Aye Dil-Dil Ki Duniya Mein' from Yaadein was one of his best, outstanding! In Dhoom 2 he showed his breathtaking talent in all the songs, especially in 'Dhoom Machale', which showed his proficiency in all aspects of dance. One could say he was the perfect dancer: excellent technique, joy in his dancing, and of course looking good while doing it does not hurt!

February 15th will see the release of Jodhaa Akbar, an epic film set in the Mughul era. It took over 2 years to bring this period film to life because of the massive scope of the sets, the costumes and the battle scenes (even one with an elephant) and is a film not seen in Bollywood before. Hrithik portrays Akbar and about the role he says, “I am a very shy person. Akbar was a commander. That gave me immense driving force. I read a lot about Akbar. I wanted the character to be my interpretation derived from what’s available. I wanted it to come within me. So I put myself in his shoes, his surrounding keeping in mind his lineage and upbringing. The film certainly explores the love-relationship of a couple, who got married some hundreds of years ago. But the basics of a successful relationship are no different than now. Akbar is somebody who is very identifiable. At least that’s the way I’ve portrayed him. We have shot the film when Akbar is breaking out of his shell and how this love-story stimulates that. Jalal-Jodha are very real and identifiable.”

We will finally see Hrithik’s Akbar come to life this Friday and I am sure it will be a performance that will firmly establish him in the Bollywood firmament.

Fun Facts and Quotes:
According to Hrithik, “I have an unusual name, Hrithik refers to the purity of the soul that is attained by all those who perform havan. It has a spiritual connotation.”

He married his true love Suzanne Khan on December 20th, 2000. They have one son Hrehaan and are expecting another baby due in May.

Lata Mangeshkar said, "I believe Hrithik Roshan eats, lives and breathes his work. Who sirf apne kaam ke baarey mein sochta hai. There are so many good artistes who haven't had a successive run of hits. Does that make them any less as artists? To hound him for his failures is not right. I've become a big fan of Hrithik. But when he meets me with so much affection and respect in public, I'm unable to express my appreciation for him."

On Valentine's Day in 2000, Duggu received an unbelievable 30,000 marriage proposals.

We might soon see him in a directors hat. In a recent interview he said, “And very soon I am planning to wield the megaphone. I have always wanted to be behind the camera and not in front of it. Yet no regrets! I think I am more prepared and experienced now to do full justice to my passion of directing a movie all on my own.”

He says he is terrible with money and leaves it up to Suzanne and his parents.

He also says he has a terrible memory and cannot remember names or faces.

At 21, he was diagnosed with scoliosis, a curvature of the back. Doctors told him he would never be able to dance, act or do any of the action scenes.

Once said, "Every once a week, I get up and feel that I cannot act any more. I just get very unsure of myself. But, once I give my first shot, I'm back on track. Insecurity isn't bad, it makes me work harder."

Says he makes the best Spanish Omelets but will not divulge his secret recipe.

Had crushes on Gabrielle Anwar and on Jessica Rabbit. “I had a huge crush on her (Gabrielle) for ever so long. Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988). I thought she was really hot!"

His favorite song is "Stand By Me" by Benny King. He said the song “is about Suzanne and me; it's very special to both of us, actually."

Hrithik is an avid photographer and likes to document his daily life. In fact recently when asked if everyone was safe from a fire, what is the one thing he would go back and get? He said he would save his pictures.

His debut film was almost Shekhar Kapur’s Ta Ra Rum Pum Pum. However, Kapur got the call to go to Hollywood and the film was never made.

“I am the person I am today primarily due to the fine example set by both my parents.”

His favorite Hindi films are Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Sholay; Hollywood films are Pretty Woman and When Harry Met Sally.

Believes that, “Film acting is work, appreciation and stardom are merely its by-products.”

“To just have a vision to have his [an actor] cinema rise higher and go beyond the ordinary. It's the ambition, passion, the human instinct to strive and realize your ultimate potential. That's what I feel and most actors who are ambitious in this regard feel.” This quote defines his body of work, and we hope Hrithik continues to challenge himself and do roles that are deep and complex. One can only imagine where an actor with such an amazing caliber can go from here! I know I will be waiting and watching and running to the theater for each new release.

Spotlight: Saif Ali Khan

2010-09-01T20:05:00.003+05:30

“Acting is not always about success and failure. I get satisfaction at the end of a hard day's work. But the ultimate satisfaction is when the audience appreciates it.” ~ Saif Ali Khan

With his piercing eyes, good looks and dynamic screen presence, Saif Ali Khan is one of Bollywood’s most enduring and finest actors. In dramatic roles he has an intensity about him that exudes off the screen, he excels in both comedy and in romantic roles and he is the one every girl would love to be in love with. His career has had its share of eclectic performances and in the last few years he has taken on roles that have ultimately proven what an incredible actor he truly is stepping away from chocolate-boy-hero image. With the release of Race this Friday we thought we would shine the spotlight on one of Bollywood’s best actors.

In 1970, Mansoor Ali Khan Nawab of Pataudi and former captain of the Indian cricket team and Sharmila Tagore, a Bengali film actress welcomed to the world their son Saif Ali Khan. The family also had two girls Soha and Saba. He grew up in Bhopal and Patudi and attended Lawrence School, Sanawar. He was then sent to Lockers Park Prep School in England and for his college days attended Winchester College, like his father.

Coming from a performing arts and sporty family, it was natural that Saif follow in the footsteps of one of his parents, making acting his calling. In 1992, he almost got his first break, his debut film was to be Bekhudi, directed by Rahul Rawail, starring opposite Kajol. However, it seems that he was let go by the director and the film went on without him.

In 1993, Saif appeared in two films, Parampara and Aashiq Awara. While both films were released in May of 1993, Aashiq Awara is considered his debut film. Aashiq Awara was directed by Umesh Mehra and Saif co-starred with Mamta Kulkarni, Mohnish Bahl and his mother Sharmila Tagore. For his role as Jimmy/Rakesh Rampal, Saif was awarded the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award, and his career was up and running.

The year 1994 saw his first major hit with Yeh Dillagi. Produced by Yash Raj, the film co-starred Kajol and Akshay Kumar. In this charming film, along the same story line as the Hollywood classic Sabrina, Saif played the young rich playboy, a character he would portray many times in the future. It was breakthrough role for him and and many filmgoers until this day remember his performance in the song ‘Ole Ole’! Junior Nawab then went on to star in Main Khiladi Tu Anari for which he was nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor category. The film did exceptionally well at the box office.

Over the next several years he starred in many films, sadly though, many did not set the box office on fire. In an interview in 1997 regarding his flops, Saif said “One does get affected by these things but I don't really beat myself up if a film doesn't do well. I know that a hit or a flop makes a world of difference in the film industry but can anyone guarantee a hit out here? All one can do is see to it that one chooses good projects and execute it to the best of their abilities. Beyond that... I've been seeing the rushes of my future films and I'm pretty happy with them. So as long as I keep getting better it's okay. But I have a long way to go before I'm really satisfied with a film that I've done. The problem is that the number of chances you get out here are directly proportionate to the number of hits you give. But I'm fairly optimistic because the quality of films that I have in hand are much better than the ones I had last year. I made some wrong decisions in the past. Hits and flops are part of everybody's career. You should do your best and learn from them.”

Things started to turn around in 1999. He starred in Kachche Dhaage as Dhananjay Pandit ‘Jai’ and again was Nominated for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. Additionally in 1999, he was in the hit film Hum Saath Saath Hain along with Salman Khan, Karisma Kapoor, Sonali Bendre, Mohnish Behl and Tabu. Saif proclaimed his happiness regarding the project, “But I am happy and privileged that I got the part and I hope I've done justice to it. And the film is amazing in itself. Everyone has done a great job.”

2000 was also a good year for Saif. He starred in Kya Kehna opposite Preity Zinta and the film - with a rather bold topic of pre-marital pregnancy - was a surprise hit.

Also in 2000, he began work on the film that would show that he was becoming one of Bollywood’s best actors. That film, Dil Chata Hai, released in 2001 and became a tremendous hit. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, the film also starred Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna. About making the film Saif said, “Yeah. I've never had so much fun making a film. The cast was perfect. Aamir and Akshaye are exceptional actors. It was a learning experience. They're both eccentric in their own way. The atmosphere on the sets was so cool -- we all vibed well. We are all in the same age group so there was some hilarious event almost every day.”

Saif’s performance as Sameer was lauded by all and he won the Filmfare Best Comedian Award. One reviewer said of his performance, “Yet it is Saif Ali Khan who is the surprise packet of the film. Dil Chahta Hai sees the actor's finest performance yet - he is spot on with his sense of comic timing and is equally at ease in the more dramatic moments of the film. It is a remarkable performance coming from totally unexpected quarters.” Saif also won the Screen Weekly Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Zee Cine Awards Popular Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Though not a hit, 2002’s Na Tum Jaano Na Hum co-starring Hrithik Roshan and Esha Deol is one of my favorite Saif performances. He was wonderful in his role as Akshay, playing the comedic as well as dramatic scenes with skill.

2003 brought Saif’s next huge hit, Kal Ho Na Ho. The film also starred Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta and was marked by power packed performances by all three. About his portrayal of Rohit one reviewer said, “This is easily Saif’s best performance since Dil Chahta Hai. No one can play such a role with such ease, it’s almost uncanny. Only Saif can portray a character that is quite comical for the most part but always has a place for love in his heart.” Saif was nominated for many awards for Kal Ho Na Ho . He won not only the Filmfare Best Support Actor Award but also the Moto Look of the Year, the Star Screen Awards for Best Supporting Actor and the IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor.

2004 was to be another banner year for the star and a year were he portrayed two totally different characters. For Ek Hasina Thi, Saif put on the villain avatar for the first time and was brilliant in his performance as Karan Singh Rathod. “One has never seen Saif Ali Khan in such an avatar. Khan matches Matondkar scene for scene with his villainous act, spewing venom in the latter half of the film. Khan has never been so captivating on screen before, mastering the art of looking slimily disgusting and appealing at the same time. Truly an award-worthy turn for him after a strong supporting turn in Karan Johar’s Kal Ho Naa Ho,” said one review.

On the entire opposite spectrum Saif again filled the romantic lead in the wonderful Hum Tum co-starring Rani Mukerji. It follows the path of two people and their meetings over many years until they finally fall in love a’ la Harry Met Sally. Saif is brilliant in his role as Karan and he and Rani play off each other beautifully. Many believe his role as Karan was tailor-made for him and really showed off his acting abilities. “In terms of performances, Saif reprises his urbane self from DCH and KHNH, peppering it with occasional fits of introspection and angst, and marking himself as an actor whose time has come” said on review. Rani said of her co-star, “Saif is highly professional. Beneath all the comic exterior, there is a person who takes his career seriously. Hum Tum is not an out and out comedy, there are many serious situations, and Saif is really good in these.” Saif won the National Award for Best Actor and the Filmfare Best Comedian Award for Hum Tum.

Next came the role that showcased the next level of this young actor’s potential. The film was Parineeta. Directed by Pradeep Sarkar and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, it co-starred newcomer Vidya Balan. “I am doing Parineeta to prove myself as an actor. If I only do Hum Tum kind of roles, it is not good for me as an actor. Those types of roles are bread and butter for me, but I also need to do different things as an actor,” he said. Adding, “It is an interesting type of acting. After all, acting is just expression; sometimes, even an eye movement can be acting. That is what the Parineeta school of acting is all about.”

Every review praised Saif for his sensitive handling of a very complex character. “Saif's willingness to undermine his heroism-- he is palpably jealous and insanely insecure, a picture of stubborn rage-- elevates his performance. It's the best in his career so far,” said one review. While another praised him saying, “Saif Ali Khan deserves no less praise for his sensitive, underplayed performance. The character Shekhar that he plays is a very complex man – he is passionate, possessive, jealous, pampered, egoistic, father-dominated, musically inclined and more. And Saif captures it all with finesse.” The film was hit not only in India but overseas as well. Saif was nominated for a Best Actor award at the Filmfare awards that year. This performance is one of my favorite of all of Saif’s films he is just outstanding.

While his career was on a high, he continued starring in big banner films. His film Salaam Namaste released in 2005 with co-star was Preity Zinta and the two lit up the screen in the offbeat romance. Saif explained, “ Well, the film is a romantic comedy. It's about two Indians who have left their houses to make a life on their own, and how they meet and how they tackle their own relationships and problems and overcome them without the help of their families. The film is directed by debutante Siddharth Anand. Preity Zinta is my co-star and the film also stars Arshad Warsi and John Abraham. It's a great film and the audience will love it.” Salaam Namaste was shot entirely in Australia and was one of the biggest hits of 2005.

Continuing on his path of taking challenging roles he then appeared in the English film, Being Cyrus. The art film was a big departure role for the actor and his performance was appreciated.

However in 2006, his role as Langda Tyagi in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Omkara became the role that firmly established Saif as one of the finest actors in Bollywood. Saif not only transformed himself physically, so much so that if this was the first movie you ever saw of him you would never believe he was the same actor from Yeh Dillagi, he also transformed himself as an actor. He got into the skin of Langda and it is one of the most outstanding performances ever seen in a Bollywood film.

Regarding the role of Langda, Saif said, “It required homework to get into a different language and body language. Everything I did so far and came naturally to me, was Westernised. With a little bit of preparation and with Vishal’s help and the whole atmosphere he creates, and also with the help of a cast that completely believes in the project, it was easy to find the truth about my duplicitous character. In another interview he said, “Getting my hair cut and preparing for the role in Omkara really appealed to the actor in me. I actually felt like a real actor. It was absorbing and rewarding. But a role like Omkara doesn't happen every day.”

The reviews for Saif’s Langda were all raves: “Saif Ali Khan is the soul of Omkara. Langda Tyagi weaves every character into a web of emotional entrapment all in the name of revenge and Khan’s portrayal is impeccable. Every aspect of his characterisation - the look, limp, and language oozes evil. Be it in English or Hindi, Iago (the name of Saif’s character in Othello) is immensely difficult to underplay, but Khan does so with amazing ease. His comfort with villainy is most impressive. This is a performance that will be hard to beat this year!” Taran Adarsh said in his review, “OMKARA is embellished with great performances, but the one who steals the show is, without a shred of doubt, Saif Ali Khan, who plays the evil Langda Tyagi brilliantly. His looks, his mannerisms, his body language, his overall behavioral pattern takes you by complete surprise. The actor deserves distinction marks for portraying the role with such realism that you start hating him after a point. Sure, the actor deserves the highest award for this role!” For his transformation to Langda Saif was honored with many awards for the Best Actor in a Negative Vole including Filmfare, Star Screen and Zee Cine Awards.

Again 2007 had Saif taking on two eclectic characters and both were very far from Langda. Eklavya: The Royal Guard, was his first release of the year and this film also had mother and son appearing together in a film. Though Eklavya: The Royal Guard was not well received at the box office, it was India’s entry to the Oscars. His second release was Siddharth Anand’s Tara Rum Pum where we saw him once again team up with co-star Rani Mukerji. The film was average hit at the box office and Saif’s performance was yet again appreciated.

This Friday will see the release of yet another Saif avatar in the film Race. Directed by Abbas Mustan, the film boasts an all-star cast along with Saif including Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Sameera Reddy and Anil Kapoor. Saif plays a very cool businessman and as he says, “He is the good guy but can be a little bit dangerous.” He performed a lot of dangerous stunts for the role and it is said that his daughter had to double check the safety cables before he could perform the action sequences.

Next to release is Tashan which opens on April 25th, co-starring Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar. He is working on Kuanl Kohil’s next with Rani and in the pipeline is Rensil D’Silva first as a director with Kareena Kapoor and Vivek Oberoi and Farhan Akhtar’s Voice from the Sky with Priyanka Chopra. We will also hear but not see Saif in the animated film Roadside Romeo which is scheduled to release in October of this year.

Looking over his body of work and seeing how he has grown as an actor one cannot wait to see what this mesmerizing actor has in store for us. He can be funny, he can be serious, he can be scary and he can be romantic. We look forward to many more new avatars and surprising performances from one of our favorite actors.

Fun Facts:
Nickname: Chote Nawab. He comes from a royal family and his father is the Nawab of Pataudi so he is called the Little Prince.

He along with Rani Mukerji and Aishwarya Rai performed at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.

To help raise funds to support victims of the Indian Ocean Earthquake, Saif performed and the Help! Telethon concert in 2005.

In 2004 he was part of the Temptations World tour and appeared with Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra. 2006 saw him on tour again with the Heat Concert along with Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.

He is a musician as well as actor. He is a classically trained pianist and can also play a mean rock guitar. He has performed with the rock band Parikrama in several concerts.

He married Amrita Singh in October 1991 and they have two children Sarah and Ibrahim. They divorced in 2004.

Currently dating Kareena Kapoor.

Turns-ons: "Ajanta-Ellora sculptures as well as humility in people who are successful."

Turns-offs: "Pretentious people trapped by the transient things in life."

Favorite Drink: "I’ve been brainwashed by TV. It’s only Coca Cola for me."

Favorite Book: "Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead. It’s the only book I’ve read more than twice."

His secret ambition is “Though it’s not so secret, not many are aware that I yearn to be a successful movie star.”

Terrified of: "Premature aging, paralysis death…losing my family…being poor and unhappy. Actually I make a brave attempt not to be afraid because fear intensifies when you try to drive it away. If you accept it, it dissolves."

Once answered that on a blind date he would go out with: “Any playboy centre spread in last 75 years. Ideally, Raquel Welch or Ursula Andress.”

Regret: “And I sometimes wish I had taken up the role of Salman Khan in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.”

He is listed as a Playback Singer for Hum Saath Saath Hain.

Revealed in an interview that Parineeta might have been set in modern times: “That's true, we did a trial of Parineeta where the film was created in modern settings; among the scenes that were shot was the song 'Piyu Bole'. But I along with everyone else were convinced that it wasn't working out. The soul was somewhere lost. Parineeta comes alive only when it is told from its age. So sixties it had to be!”

It has also been reported that originally Saif was offered the role of Girish but he fought for and won the role of Shekhar.

Once said, “I operate on instinct. I need to be excited about a project. One can't predict what will run and what won't, so the best way to go about it is to do films that you yourself would enjoy watching.

If you're getting off on it, giving it your all, then people will enjoy watching it. You should work in films you want to. I look at it this way. If I was a member of the audience and if I liked Saif, I would be, like, okay, I want to go and see his film because I think he's going to do something different. So it's my responsibility to live up to that expectation.”

Spotlight: Kajol

2010-09-01T20:05:00.000+05:30

Kajol Mukherjee (Devgan) is someone who has always managed to win the hearts of both critics and millions of fans around the world; she is often regarded as a Bollywood legend. Throughout her commendable career, she has proven herself worthy of this honor, with numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films under her belt. Her forte lies in challenging roles, which motivate and bring out the best in her; moreover, she will never accept a role that she has portrayed on screen before. With her husband, Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut, U Me Aur Hum, starring the real and reel-life couple set to release, we take the time to see why Kajol truly is one of the best Bollywood has to offer.

Born on the 5th of August 1975 to film producer Shomu Mukherjee and award-winning actress Tanuja, Kajol belongs to a well-known and reputable family with a long history in the film industry. Her younger sister Tanisha and cousin Rani Mukherjee are also well-known film actresses. She comes from a Bengali-Marathi background; her mother being Marathi and her father being Bengali. On February 24, 1999, she married one of Bollywood’s most talented actors, Ajay Devgan; she had been dating him since 1994. The wedding was a quiet ceremony with only close friends and family invited. Four years later, in April, she gave birth to Nysa, her daughter.

Educated in Panchgani’s St. Josephs Convent, Kajol was an average student but one who took a shine to English Literature. Soon, Bollywood beckoned and she left school to enter the film industry in 1992 at the age of sixteen. She debuted in Bekhudi; while the movie failed to impress at the box office, Kajol was noticed for her outstanding performance, setting the stage for a long and illustrious career ahead.

Kajol’s first hit came in 1993 when she worked alongside Shah Rukh Khan for the first time in Baazigar. A year later, she earned her first nomination for the Best Actress award at Filmfare, for her first Yash Raj film titled Yeh Dillagi , co-starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. She also won a Bengal Film Journalists' Association Best Actress award for Udhaar Ki Zindagi that year.

1995 proved to be an even more successful year for Kajol, as she starred alongside Shah Rukh for two major hits. Rakesh Roshan’s commercial hit Karan Arjun and Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. These movies firmly established the undeniably sizzling chemistry that she shared with Shah Rukh Khan and the latter movie earned her her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress that year. Furthermore, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has proven to be one of the biggest Hindi cinema releases of all time: 650 weeks and still running. Ten years after its release, one reviewer said, “Aditya, who made his directorial debut with DDLJ, wisely picked Kajol to play Simran, the real-as-life actress bringing warmth and credulity to the initially prudish and reluctant Simran. Not to mention the on-screen chemistry that has become the stuff of legend.”

The year of 1996 wasn’t as successful as the previous years, with the release of Bambai Ka Babu alongside Saif Ali Khan, which crashed at the box office. Undaunted, Kajol went on to become the first actress to win the Filmfare Best Villian Award in 1997, with the smash hit Gupt: The Hidden Truth, co-starring Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala. Of her perfomance one review said, “Kajol, on the other hand, is given her opportunity to stun us in more scenes than Manisha and she delivers brilliantly. Wowza!”

Kajol also released her first Tamil movie Minsaara Kanavu that year, bagging Kajol her first Best Actress Award at the Filmfare Awards South. She was also paired with her future husband Ajay Devgan, in the successful film Ishq. However, with every up there’s a down and her next release that year, Hamesha saw box office failure.

In 1998, Kajol’s career rose again to new heights as she starred in four successful movies: Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Dushman, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and Karan Johar’s directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is one of Kajol’s most beloved performances and she was praised for her role as Anjali, “Kajol has a lot of work ahead of her. What do I mean? She needs to start clearing her bookshelves as the awards are about to start pouring in. She is simply brilliant as the gawky, outspoken tomboy who transforms herself into the demure, sexy siren,“ said one review. Her performance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai won her, her second Filmfare Best Actress award. That year Kajol also played a double role in Dushman and for that role she won her first Star Screen Best Actress Award.

The year 1999 was a memorable one for both Kajol and her fans as she married Ajay Devgan. She also released two movies that year: Dil Kya Kare and Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, which lead Kajol to win yet another Best Actress Filmfare award. Following that was Raju Chacha starring her and her husband, in the year 2000.

In 2001, Kajol was seen in Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi where she played a double role again. Her second movie with director Karan Johar, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham also released that year and went on to become a huge success. The movie won her, her third Filmfare Best Actress Award and her second Star Screen Best Actress Award. This is another role that if one thinks about Kajol’s body of work, her turn as Anjali Sharma Raichand will always be remembered. The critics agreed and one wrote, “On to the female cast, Kajol is the winner here folks. Those that said Johar gives his best to Kajol couldn’t be closer to the truth (Even if this is only their second collaboration). Her Punjabi accent is commendable, not perfect, but awesome nonetheless. It’s her well balanced act between comedy and emotion that strikes at the viewer, and more so, it’s the lingering memory of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai that one can’t relinquish that makes us enjoy her awesome performance even more (probably because her last two releases were duds). Not only does she look awesome she is the highlight of the film and thankfully, she’s all over it! I only hope this isn’t her last film, clearly we would be the only one losing out if it is.”

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was Kajol’s last movie before she took a break from acting to give birth to her daughter Nysa in 2003. Her well-deserved break was extended as she took time out to spend with her daughter and her family. ‘My daughter Nysa and Ajay are my top priority in life. However much I may be busy with work, I always find out time for my daughter. I drop her to school everyday. Ajay, Nysa and I always have dinner together. Our lives are incomplete without her. Ajay dotes on her and just a look from her is enough to melt him. She is very naughty and we try to fulfill almost every wish of hers. But she also gets the stick when she becomes stubborn. Right now, my priority is to give her a nice upbringing.’

To the delight of her fans, she made her much awaited comeback in the year 2006 alongside Aamir Khan in Kunal Kholi’s Fanaa winning her, her fourth Filmfare Best Actress Award. ‘Kajol has given an unmatchable and scintillating performance and she has shown why she is still the best in the trade’ declared Kunal Kholi on Kajol’s performance in Fanaa." The huge successes of this film and her earlier films have proven that she is not only talented but one of the most popular actresses in Bollywood today.

As well as the numerous awards noted above, Kajol has also won Aashirwad Awards Best Actress Award, Bollywood Awards Best Actress Award, Sansui Viewers' Choice Awards Best Actress Award, 5th Annual Rajiv Gandhi Award and Radio Sargam Bollywood Best Actress Award. She truly is a powerhouse of talent. Furthermore, whilst juggling family life with her illustrious career, Kajol is also the brand ambassador, for popular brands such as Whirlpool, along with her husband Ajay.

It is an indisputable fact that Kajol shares a very popular on-screen relationship with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. It’s difficult to discuss Kajol’s career without noting the undeniable chemistry that she shares with him on-screen. They created some of Bollywood’s most memorable love stories together and their pairing has a large fan following of its own. With their last film being in 2001, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, fans just can’t get enough of this on-screen pair and eagerly hope and wait for their next film together.

With undeniable talent, beauty and charisma, it’s no small wonder that this award-winning actress is a super hit in Bollywood with a large fan following. There remains no doubt that she belongs on the same pedestal as other legendary actresses of the Bollywood film industry. Here at BollySpice, we can’t wait to see what she has in store for us in U Me Aur Hum and are sure that the magic of Kajol will once again spellbind us all.

Fun Facts:

Kajol considers her behavior early in her career to be rather childish but feels that over time, she has overcome this and grown more mature.

For Kajol and Ajay’s honeymoon, they visited Europe, Egypt and Australia.

Kajol was the original choice for Rani’s role in Chalte Chalte but due to the fact she was planning a family, she couldn’t take part in the film.

Favourite actors: “None in particular. I like to watch films basically. I love old Hollywood classics like Gone With The Wind, Casablanca et al. I like different actors for the different characters they have enacted in certain films.”

Favourite actress : Tanuja [her mother] and Tanisha [her sister]

Favourite books: “Hugh Prather’s Note To Myself. I’m avid reader and I love to science fiction and horror novels”

Favourite food: “ I’m a food freak. I will eat anything at time. I love Bengali sweets. If I’m working I eat light just spaghetti salad with olives.”

Favourite music: “I like to listen to old Hindi film songs. They have a certain innocence about them.”

Favourite color: White

Favourite vacation spot: Europe

Favourite perfume: Cool Waters

Stars Take on Kajol:

“Kajol is a fantastic actor and a complete natural. I don't think there is any difference in Kajol whether the camera is on or off. From Kajol, I've learnt how not to take yourself too seriously and to do the shot as naturally as possible, because it's not rocket science." - Saif Ali Khan

“Kajol has been my idol and I really look up to her.”- Kareena Kapoor

"Well, Kajol's a lovely lady! She's a pleasure to work with and I really enjoy her company! She has the ability to make someone feel so important...she herself is really cheerful and she makes others around her feel cheerful too. I don't believe I've ever seen her cry...except in front of the camera of course! I believe she has the potential to go so far. She is such an inspiration to everyone around her.....including me!"- Shah Rukh Khan

''There is something about Kajol. Every time you see her, you cannot stop to admire her. She has got such a tremendous screen presence. She give to her every character such fantastic lives. There is something about her that makes you love her. She’s got a lively presence in herself. For example, I was recently watching the promos of ‘U Me Aur Hum’. There was something about the film. I just wanted to go and see it,'' - Katrina Kaif

“I like Kajol because of her vivaciousness and energy. She has such tremendous energy levels. She can hold the audiences' eyes.” - Dia Mirza

Spotlight: Ajay Devgan

2010-09-01T20:04:00.002+05:30

"Honestly speaking, I've got my share of adulation. People have appreciated my work. I only want to do better work. That's the focus of my life." ~ Ajay Devgan

When you think of Ajay Devgan’s characters, you perhaps think of brooding intense roles aka “dark angry young man,” but this incredible actor excels at all genres of film. He has romanced some of the biggest stars, has had mad, hysterical capers with many others, and has stunned audiences with his dramatic roles: truly a stand out among the many actors in Bollywood. With the release of his directorial debut U Me Aur Hum, which he also stars in with wife Kajol, we though we should shed some light over the distinguished career of this gifted thespian.

Ajay was born in Delhi to Veeru and Veena Devgan. Ajay grew up around films since his father Veeru was in the film industry as an action/stunt coordinator and was considered one of the best in his field. Ajay would often attend shoots with his dad and, even at a young age, was involved in the process of making films. In fact, it has been said that at the age of 10, he was editing his father’s sequences. Ajay attended Silver Beach High School in Juhu and graduated from Mithibai College.

His first foray into the film industry, besides helping his father, was directing short films. Directing interested him, but the role of an actor was calling him and he started to land parts in films. Ajay said, "I assisted my father in his directorial ventures several times and both of us knew that I have the flame in me to develop an idea and give it a shape. But then, I became an actor and didn't get the time to direct."

His debut film was Kuku Kohli’s Phool Aur Kaante in 1992. Being the son of an excellent stunt coordinator, it isn’t surprising that his first film should have a stunt never seen before. No one will ever forget when Ajay came riding into the scene, standing on TWO motorcycles! The film was a big hit with audiences and for his role, he won the Filmfare Best Debut Award.

After this outstanding introduction, the actor went on to star in many films over the next several years; he was portrayed as an action hero in many of them. He performed many dangerous stunts for the films and he was known for his dramatic and sometimes violent movies. He had much success during this time, but if I were to go through every film Ajay has done since his outstanding debut, you would be reading until I write my next spotlight and my editor would likely have a fit. So in order for you to continue on with your life (and she to stay calm) I will just write about some of the highlights of his past 10 years.

Many of Ajay’s early films were darker in nature, but he broke the mold when he starred in 1997’s Ishq. The film also starred Aamir Khan, Juhi Chalwa and it was the first time he starred opposite Kajol. This out-and-out romantic comedy showed Ajay in a new light and his chemistry with Kajol was there for all to see. He proved with this film that he could play a romantic character and audiences loved the new Ajay.

His romantic hero streak continued with Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha in 1998. The film, again co-starring Kajol, was one of the biggest hits of that year and the chemistry between the two exudes from the screen. Of course, there had to be an amazing stunt. In one sequence, Ajay is seen riding on top of a car that is racing toward a moving train. When the car and train collide, he jumps and lands on the train, waving bye-bye to Inspector Khan. It has the same story as the Hollywood film French Kiss, and to me, it has many scenes that are even better than the (fantastic) original. They managed to take a wonderful story and make it even better. This is one of my favorite Ajay movies.

One of Ajay’s best performances was in Mahesh Bhatt's Zakhm, which released in 1998. The film was critically acclaimed and his performance was singled out. Nominated in the Best Actor category at the Filmfare awards that year, he won several awards, including Star Screen Award for Best Actor and the prestigious Silver Lotus National Film Award for Best Actor. The film also won the 1999 Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.

1999’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam established Ajay as an actor who could bring emotional depth to a romantic role. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s brilliant film co-starred Aishwarya Rai and Salman Khan. Even though he made his entrance later in the film, Ajay’s presence made an indelible mark and his performance is the one you remember the most. One review said, “Ajay Devgan excels in a role of a serious, introvert as he has often with such roles.” While another praised him saying, “I think out of Ajay Devgan, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai, that Ajay had the best performance amongst them. He could be venerable and lovable to his wife; he could play hurt and angry. The character of Vanraj could have easily looked like a simple fool but Ajay manages to combine the venerability of Vanraj but also insert strength and dignity in the character where he doesn’t look like a total idiot for what he does.” For this he was nominated as Best Actor at the Filmfare awards.

Lajja (2001) starred Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Mahima Chaudhry, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor with Ajay in a supporting but very important role. The film did fairly well at the box office and critics were very appreciative of all of the performances, especially Ajay. For his wonderful turn as Bulwa, he was nominated as the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at both the Filmfare and Zee Cine Awards.

2002 was an outstanding year for the actor: it was a year that saw three of his career defining performances. One was in Rajkumar Santoshi’s Legend of Bhagat Singh. About that role, he said, “I was nervous in the sense that there was a constant lurking fear that we shouldn’t wrong a leader whom history had wronged already. Bhagat Singh was an extraordinary character and this is apparent in the small and big things he accomplished. He fasted for 83 days and inspired his colleagues to do the same. When we had to shoot the starvation scenes, my colleagues had not eaten for three days to get into the mood, as a result on the day of the shooting, they were breaking down!

I didn’t even attempt to starve. I told you I am not a method actor. I have to feel hunger not become hungry. But let me tell you playing heroes like Bhagat Singh isn’t easy. I felt inadequate all the time because it’s when projecting their strength one realizes that one hasn’t accomplished even a fraction of what they strived for his countrymen.”

About his portrayal of Bhagat Singh, Taran Adarsh wrote, “Ajay Devgan has lived the role. To state that he is excellent would be an understatement. His performance is bound to win admiration from cinegoers everywhere, besides fetching awards.” Ajay was nominated at the Screen Weekly Awards for Best Performance by an Actor and won his second Silver Lotus Award at the National Film Awards for Best Actor and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.

His second masterful characterization was in the film Company, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. When asked how he prepares for any role, he said in an interview in 2003, “ This may sound strange but the only way I can prepare for a role is to switch off. I have to be completely blank and absorb the character like a sponge. It is a silent process for me. If the director is competent, he can trust me to give a competent performance. If not, I have to rely on my instinct. All actors talk about instinct but there has to be a method of delivering the expression too. There is and the rhythm differs from performer to performer. For me, I’m anxiety ridden for the first few shots. Then gradually, as the scenes progress, unconsciously one hits on the right chord. The trick is to recognize the signal.”

Adding that the signal while shooting Company was, “For Company, we began shooting with my introductory scene with Vivek Oberoi, where I ask him Kitna lega? That’s my first meeting with the young boy and I knew that I had to convey my superiority through body language. Ramuji had insisted that Malik’s character would under no provocation get aggressive. He had explained that the character would talk less and listen more… He reads people’s faces and makes decision. I remembered that and this comes through in my performance particularly the scene where Antara Mali pleads me for Vivek’s life.”

His performance as Malik was lauded, and one critic wrote, “Devgan has finally found a role worthy of his intense talent. Not since Zakhm and Thakshak has he been given a role that puts his dark and brooding tendencies to full use. One wonders why he produces films like Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha where he plays candy floss roles when he can give such hard hitting performances. Company might just grab him his second National Award -- he certainly deserves it for his excellent performance. Ajay Devgan’s role in Company suits him perfectly. He looks dashing and deadly playing the underworld don.” Though he did not win a National Award that year, Ajay was nominated for a Filmfare Best Actor Award and earned his second Star Screen Award for Best Actor.

Ajay also appeared in Deewangee in 2002, playing a role that earned the Filmfare Best Villain Award. He remarked, “The role was so fascinating. I had never been offered an evil character like this earlier and I just could not say no. The interesting bit was after I said ‘yes’; no hero was willing to do the positive role. Four leading men were signed and backed out of the project after saying yes. Ultimately Akshaye Khanna said ‘yes’ and he was perfect for the part.” He also won the Star Screen and Zee Cine award for Best Actor in a villainous role. (Well, would YOU want to play opposite an “evil” Ajay?!)

About Bhoot (2003), Ajay said, “Bhoot is my first supernatural thriller. And performing in it was real difficult. Bhoot is a horror film and will shock the audiences. They will be really afraid. People think that the film is a remake of some Hollywood film but it's not. It's as original as it gets. Ramu has come up with a great story, which is very attention-grabbing, very unusual. As far as my experience with the supernatural phenomenon, I don't have any. I don't really believe in ghosts. Nana Patekar plays a cop and he's too good. Urmila who plays my wife is real good, too.”

He was also seen in Gangaajal in 2003 and director Prakash Jha said about him, “Ajay is an amazing human being. It’s a privilege to direct a first rate actor of his stature. This is our second film together after Dil Kya Kare and we enjoy working together.” He was once again nominated for Best Actor at the Filmfare, Screen Weekly and Zee Cine Awards for his role as Amit Kumar.

I have to mention Chori Chori, which also released in 2003. This is one of my all time favorite movies ever in any “wood,” be it Holly or Bolly. Ajay is so sensitive and is first-rate in this film and his chemistry with Rani Mukerji is just perfect. I have watched this one over and over and over again.

2004 was another banner year for the actor and he took on some rich characters. In Khakee, he portrayed Yashwant Angre and was nominated for the Filmfare Best Villain Award and the Screen Weekly award for Best Actor in a Negative role. This will go down as one of the most underrated performances of Ajay’s career as he was truly menacing in the film and grabbed your attention every time he was on the screen. This is saying a lot, considering that he had big time co-stars such as Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Aishwarya Rai sharing screen space with him! That year also saw Ajay in two more superb performances though the films did not do well at the box office. Yuva, which had an all-star cast including Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Esha Deol and Om Puri, and Raincoat that had Aishwarya Rai as Ajay’s co-star. About the two films Ajay said, “The sad part is when a good film like Yuva doesn’t do well. But what can you do? You pick up the threads and move on. It's all a part of the game. But given a choice, I'll still certainly do a film like Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat again, regardless of its box office performance.”

In 2005 Ajay appeared in 8 films including Insan, Blackmail, Zameer, Tango Charlie, Kaal (for which he was nominated for the Filmfare Best Villain Award), Main Aisa Hi Hoon, Shikhar, and Apaharan. About the latter he said, "I'm just finishing Prakash Jha's Apaharan and it has turned out to be even more hard hitting than his Gangaajal. I'm very, very happy. Prakashji is in his element.” Taran Adarsh said of his performance in the film, “His transformation from a simpleton to a criminal is amongst the high points of his performance.”

Ajay, in 2006, portrayed roles completely opposite each other and in two completely different genres. Golmaal: Fun Unlimited was an out and out comedy and he was great in his role as Gopal. One review mentioned his performance saying, “Ajay enacts the big bully part with gusto. The actor has worked not only on his looks and physique, but also on portraying the character differently.”
It must be noted that one scene certainly stood out and that was his entrance where he once again rode in standing on two motorcycles. This scene was done in honor of his debut film and it definitely brought back nostalgic memories.

However 2006 also had him playing the epitome of the angry young man character in Vishal Bharadwaj’s adaptation of Othello, titled Omkara. Ajay portrayed the title character and he was absolutely outstanding - the role seemed tailor made for him. Noted critic Taran Adarsh was nothing but praise for him and said, “ Ajay makes a stirring and powerful interpretation of a man haunted by uncertainty about his lover's faithfulness. The serious look that Ajay carries suits him to a T. Of course, Ajay is exceptional in the film and looks every inch the character he portrays.” Our own reviewer, Razeen Shameem, who gave the film 4 stars said of his performance, “Ajay Devgan (Omkara - Othello) has played roles like this effortlessly in the past, so it was expected that he would do a great job. As usual, Ajay knocks one out of the park again. He was at his best yet again. There is no one who could do justice to the role of mafia leader Omkara the way Ajay did. The man deserves some respect. I never quite understood why his name doesn’t come up when people talk about the best in Bollywood. It’s the Khans and that’s it. It is not fair to a man of Ajay’s caliber. He deserves better. Hopefully this film will open some of those closed eyes.” Ajay was nominated for the Star Screen Award Best Actor, Bollywood Movie Award - Best Actor and the IIFA Best Actor Award among many others.

2007 was not such a good year for his films, but 2008 saw him critically acclaimed in his two releases: the comedy Sunday and the drama Halla Bol.

On Friday, his highly anticipated debut film as a director will be released. He not only directed the film, he also stars in the film and the cast also includes Kajol, Divya Dutta, Karan Khanna, Isha Sharwani,and Sumit Raghavan. About U Me Aur Hum, Ajay said, “I had a thought which I felt was beautiful and I worked on the script. I found it positive and relevant in today's life. I have tried to put forth those beautiful thoughts through humour, emotions and drama. I thought that if it is my thought, then I might be the best person to visualise and portray it.” Adding, “It is a story about being positive and falling in love. No problem in life is big and there is always a solution. And the problems would gradually give way to happiness and laughter.” Next in the pipeline is a return to his role as Gopal in Gomaal Returns.

“I agree I’ve been getting some terrific roles. I guess I’m lucky. I just hear scripts, and go ahead and do what I believe in. I don’t regret making mistakes. I learn from my mistakes. I never see any role as a risk.” Throughout his career, Ajay has portrayed a range of roles that not only keep him interested as an actor but also entertain the audience. His ability to shine in every type of character is quite amazing and he has only gotten better as the years have gone by. He is truly one of the finest actors in Bollywood and it will be interesting to see what brilliant performances he will bring us in the coming years. We look forward to seeing each and every one!

Fun Facts:

His name is really Vishal Veeru Devgan.

He and Kajol dated for five years before they got married on February 24, 1999. The happy couple has one daughter, Nysa Mukherjee-Devgan, who was born on April 20, 2003.

The Devgans won Rs. 1 crore on the TV show, Kaun Banega Karorpati 2005, they were the first Bollywood pair to do so.

Favorite actor: Mr. Bachchan.

Once dated Karisma Kapoor.

1995 nominated for Filmfare Best Actor for his role as Jay Bakshi in Naajayaz.

Originally neither Santoshi nor Varma saw Ajay as their Bhagat or Malik; they wanted to use newcomers but then changed their minds.

He is the master prankster of Bollywood and on every film pulls at least one prank on his co-stars! “I have my share (of) fun. If you take life or your work too seriously then you won’t be able to enjoy it.”

Though he is a prankster, he is also very much an introvert.

He is the brand ambassador for an organization that is working towards educating 1 million children called Round Table India.

He is a car enthusiast.

He directed the Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha song video.

On a chat he was asked: “Which do you think has been your best performance?” And he answered: “I hope it is yet to come.” At the same chat he was asked what is his favorite hobby? “Right now spending time with my daughter”.

Though he loves acting, directing is his passion.

In 1997, when asked how many injuries he had gotten performing dangerous stunts he said, “Well, it's a bit difficult to pinpoint how many, my ankle has been broken twice, my hip bone, all my ribs, practically every bone in my body has been broken."

Once said, “As a performer, I would like to present every colour in my life, everything that I could do as an actor.”

Spotlight: Abhishek Bachchan

2010-09-01T20:03:00.002+05:30

“Waking up in the morning and going to work gives me such a kick. I always wanted to become an actor and it's like I'm living my dream."
~ Abhishek Bachchan

An actor not only has to portray a character when he speaks, he also has to be that character in the stillness and act only with his body and his eyes, and Abhishek Bachchan is one of those actors. He can look into the camera and without saying a word; you know what he’s feeling. After only eight years in the film industry, he has shown his talent in all genres of film, including drama, action, comedy, and, of course, romance. With that mischievous smile, he has made many hearts flutter (heroines and fans alike), and has only gotten better looking with time. This Friday, we will see him reprise one of his best performances, that of Shankar Nagre (a character first seen in Sarkar) in the new film Sarkar Raj. With the release of Sarkar Raj, we thought we would shine the spotlight on some of the highlights of Abhishek’s career.

As you may know, Abhishek Bachchan was born into a very filmi family. His parents are two of the best-known and well-respected superstars in Bollywood: Jaya and Amitabh Bachchan. At first, following in his parents footsteps was not in his plan: he went to the University of Boston to get a degree in Business. Acting, however, was in his blood, and half way through his degree, he returned to Mumbai to try his luck in the industry.

His debut film Refugee (2000) was directed by J.P. Dutta, and though the film was not a box office bonanza, the young actor won awards for the Most Promising Newcomer at both the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) and the Screen Weekly awards. In his review Taran Adarsh wrote, “On a scale of 10, Abhishek's performance deserves 7 marks, dialogue delivery 8 and overall personality 9. There is certain awkwardness in the boy that is so likable [sic]. He may not be possessing great looks or a physique which would be the envy of all the heroes, but the youngster has all it takes to emerge a competent actor in times to come. Even in his debut-making film, Abhishek comes across as a fine actor and lives up to his family name.” Praise, indeed!

His career had begun, but sadly the box-office was not kind to him over the next several years. From 2000 - 2003, he starred in many movies but none brought him success. Abhishek began to get discouraged: “And there was a point of time where I actually questioned myself. I remember going up to my dad and saying, ‘Do you think I made a mistake?’ He said, ‘I haven't brought you up to give in. So keep acting, do as many films as you can, do not sit at home because if you sit at home, it's just going to fester. Get out there and work and if that means, you know, falling down every time a movie releases, fair enough.’ So that's just what I did, I just dived into my work; I did multiple films at the same time. I mean, there were days when I was shooting three films on the same day, doing three shifts a day, shooting 76 hours straight. You just dive into your work and go out there and try and learn on the job and improve.”

Amitabh’s advice certainly worked, because in 2004, Abhishek showed that he could really act, and not only in one film, but in four. His breakthrough performance was in Mani Ratman’s Yuva. With a star-studded cast of Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor and Esha Deol, Abhishek’s turn as Lallan Singh was singled out. Abhishek said, “I play Lallan Singh who belongs to the streets of Kolkata. He is a very interesting and complex kind of person. It was enjoyable to portray this character.” Adding, “The whole film was creatively very satisfying. There is no particular day that I can remember. The entire making [of Yuva] is memorable for me.” Subhash K. Jha said in his review, “But the film belongs to Abhishek. As the impetuous hit man who loves his wife to death, Abhishek's eyes and smile rattle us with their sincerity. His Lallan is obnoxious and violent, and yet never anything but a child of an obnoxious and violent social order. This film marks the coming of age for the actor.” The film was a moderate success, but for his role as Lallan, Abhishek was showered with awards. He won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Aspara, Filmfare, IIFA, Screen Weekly, and Bollywood Awards. Zee Cine nominated him in the category of Best Performance in a Villainous Role, and he took home the trophy for that at the Bollywood Awards. He and co-star Rani Mukerji were nominated for a special award at the Screen Weekly awards as Jodi No. 1, and Stardust named him Star of the Year.

His next film would again prove his acting chops. Phir Milenge starred Shilpa Shetty and Salman Khan and was directed by Revathy. The Hollywood film Philadelphia, inspired the script with Abhishek playing the lawyer, and he was praised for his work: “Abhishek Bachchan as her well-meaning but forever-flurried lawyer provides unexpected strength, power and energy to the plot. For those who thought he was a revelation in the recent Yuva, this performance is further antidote to cynicism. Abhishek's eyes and smile have always been the window to his soul. It took a woman director of Revathy's sensitivity to realize his true potential.” Abhi won the Zee Cine Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the film.

He was on a roll, but with Dhoom he would finally achieve huge box-office success. Dhoom, co-starring Uday Chopra, John Abraham, Esha Deol and Rimi Sen, was an action-packed film that thrilled audiences. Abhishek recalled what happened when he heard Dhoom was a hit: “I remember I was in Canada filming for a movie called Dus and the movie Dhoom was releasing on the 27th of August. And I got back on the 27th early morning, and at 2 o'clock Adi had called us to the house, and in his house I finally asked him, I say I can't take this, tell me, how's the film done? And he said, ‘Congratulations, you have your first hit’. And I think I went out into his garden and started screaming and shouting and I was jumping up and down for about a half an hour. I couldn't believe it, I was in shock. And then I remember calling my sister and telling her that you know, it's a hit. And I was just so overcome by emotion because at that point of time, you know, after 17 films, you have no self confidence left. Suddenly, somebody comes and tells you, yeah, it's a hit, it's a huge hit. You're very overcome with emotion, because you don't expect it, because at that point, you're ready to accept it as a failure, because that's what you're attuned to. So yeah, it was very emotional for me.”

Also in 2004 was Ram Gopal Verma’s film Naach. It was in this film I first noticed what an amazing actor he is. (I had not yet seen Yuva). The last scene when he tells her he can’t live without her is BRILLIANT! Subtle and so powerful at the same time.

2004 was a good year but 2005 was a banner one that firmly established him as a bone-fide star! In fact, for all his incredible work, in 2005, Abhishek won the Entertainer of the Year at the CNN-IBN Awards.

Co-starring with Papa Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli, Abhishek got to put on his comedic avatar, and boy, did he shine! The film was a Bonnie-and-Clyde-with-hearts-of-gold comedy that has disguises, cons, music, a cool, neck-cracking cop, one of the best item numbers ever done, and, of course, love. Rani said she felt they share great chemistry, and that “I've watched his growth as an actor. And I feel very proud of where he has come. We're very similar in our working style. Then we had Shaad to direct us in Bunty Aur Babli. It was a great team.” The film was a hit and critics yet again admired his performance: “Abhishek Bachchan is wonderful. The actor is getting better with every release. He handles the light moments with the same sincerity with which he handles the emotional ones.” He was nominated for Best Actor at the Filmfare and Zee Cine Awards, and he and Rani were given the Screen Weekly Jodi No. 1 statue. He also took home the Best Actor in a Comic Role trophy at the Star Screen Awards.

Abhishek said about 2005, “The highlight was getting to work with dad. And the success of Bunty Aur Babli was icing on the cake. Sarkar will hopefully take me further.” It did, and his role as Shankar Nagre in Sarkar is considered to be one of his best. Directed by Ram Gopal Verma, it also starred Amitabh Bachchan. RGV actually said that Abhishek was better than Big B in the film, to which Abhishek replied, “Ramu saying I'm better than dad has got to be the biggest joke of the century. You have to see dad in Sarkar to know how outstanding he is.” He got rave reviews for his portrayal with one review saying, “ A challenging role indeed and Abhishek shines through it. The simmering anger that resonates through his facial expressions and his blood-shot eyes is too credible.” While another said, “Abhishek's delicately balanced facial expressions, his projection of the characters’ fierce unquestioning loyalty towards his father's politics, is done with such rare care and sensitivity that you cease to look at the actor. The son is all you see. Varma makes sure that the characters, big or small, emerge out of the actors in a pyramid of power-play and familial bonding. The delicately drawn relationship between father and son never needs underscoring. There is an unstated lyricism between the Bachchans, a bonding we've never seen before, and never shall see again.” Like Yuva, the star was honored with many awards including the Best Supporting Actor from Filmfare, IIFA, and Zee Cine.

Dus was another action film that boasted an all-star cast, including Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Zayed Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Esha Deol, Dia Mirza, Raima Sen, and Pankaj Kapur. Taran Adarsh said, “Abhishek Bachchan, who is now a rock star after the super-success of Bunty Aur Babli and the positive opening of Sarkar that is steadily marching towards another successful outing for the father-son jodi. Yuva, Dhoom, Phir Milenge, BAB, Sarkar and now Dus - the world couldn't have been a better place for a star called Abhishek Bachchan who is slowly stopped being called 'Chota B' after managing to create an identity of his own.”

He also wowed his fans with Bluffmaster. Directed by childhood friend Rohan Sippy, the film according to Abhi: “It's a contemporary, refreshing and fun film meant for all age groups. It's about a con man, his life and relationships. I'd call it a comedy full of surprises. You don't know what to expect next. It keeps you guessing and that is among its strong points.” Abhishek again put on the con artist avatar but for this role he had to take it in a different vein than BAB, “ Roy is a good talker and knows how to find his way out of any untoward situation. Isn't that a formidable trait to have? The character has been very interestingly written and etched. It is quite complex as well. It's the first of a kind for me.” Co-star Priyanka Chopra said, “Abhishek is a fantastic actor. He knows exactly what to do and how the film will turn out. When he was acting, I realised how intelligent he is as an actor.”

In 2006, Abhishek played a betrayed husband, a role in a classic period film, and reprised his role from Dhoom - quite the myriad of characters. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was directed by Karan Johar and, along with Abhishek, the film starred 5 of the biggest names in Bollywood; Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Kirron Kher. His performance was astounding and was again singled out even among the stellar cast. Preity said, “Abhishek is going to shock you. His expressions, his interpretation of his character have to be seen to be believed. I truly believe Abhishek is the star of tomorrow.” When asked what his favorite scene was, he answered, “Well, I have not seen the entire film so I don’t know about other actors’ scenes, but from the scenes that I have seen and I have been a part of, there is a scene between Rani and me wherein we meet after a long period of time where we try to put our past demons to rest and I think that’s a wonderfully written scene. It is one of Karan’s best written scenes, very touching and honest. It must have taken lots of guts for Karan to write this scene. It is very close to his heart and now it has become very close to my heart, too. I just loved the honesty of the emotions and the simplicity and the innocence of the scene, though it was a tough scene to perform.” That scene and his magnificent acting where he finds out about the affair was one of the main reasons he won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at Filmfare, Global Indian Film and Stardust Awards.

Umrao Jaan, with Aishwarya Rai, was a remake of the 1981 version that starred Rekha and Farooq Shaikh. The film was set in 1850 India, and it was challenge to go from modern day to a period film. “It’s only after I did my first period film Umrao Jaan that I realised how modern we tend to be in our everyday conduct as individuals. I had to try and forget my natural body language and demeanor and re-acclimatise myself. That was a challenge. Then again, when you’ve a director like J.P Dutta saab, he guides you through any complexity.” The film, however, was not a success critically or commercially.

Also in 2006: Dhoom 2. With a new bad guy played by Hrithik Roshan and the addition of Aishwarya’s “are you like checking me out” Sunehri, Dhoom 2 was another modern stylish cop-chasing-robber film. Abhishek: “ One of the plus points of doing a sequel is you already know the character. I play the same character. Then there’s an equation already built with the crew. So, you automatically get into the groove. The exciting part is to build a new mood in the given parameters. We can’t serve the same thing to the audience. It’s a new cast and a new plot. Hopefully, it will be much better and bigger than the first Dhoom.” It was and went on to be one the highest grossing films of 2006.

However, the best was yet to come, and in 2007, Abhishek took the role of a lifetime and made it into something extraordinary. In an interview, he talked about Guru saying, “Guru is a film, which has been very demanding, very complex, but a film that has been very rewarding eventually. I don't think actors work for vanity; I think we work to enact an interesting character. We do what the character demands from us. We don't go with a certain thinking, at least I never think that, 'my God, I shouldn't put on weight' or 'I shouldn't look old' or any such other conceptions because I think that the audience won't like it. The audience comes in to watch a film, to see the performance and to get entertained. So you have to do whatever needs to be done in order to achieve that. In a film like Guru, the physical aspect of the way he looked is very important to the narrative of the story. Hence you do what it takes.” He certainly did become Gurukant Desai and every review was a rave! Taran Adarsh: “Mani's choice of the protagonist -- Abhishek Bachchan -- is equally worthy. You ought to be enormously talented to understand the nuances of the character and Abhishek deserves the highest praise for reliving a complex role. You smile when he smiles, you cry when he cries, you relive every single emotion that the character experiences. Only goes to show that the actor involves you at every step with a stupendous performance.” Another wrote, “And full credit goes to Abhishek Bachchan who has given the best performance of his career so far. His Guru is full of energy, vivacity and optimism. What’s commendable is the conviction with which Abhi gets into the skin of his character. His bulky frame moves with a swagger, his penetrating gaze reflects his shrewd business acumen and yet there is a vulnerable side to Guru that shines through now and then. Abhi’s performance is particularly excellent in the second half, when his business begins to sink and he is paralyzed. His monologue in the courtroom (with his lip twitched and his one arm incapacitated) makes him truly deserving of an award. The actor not just surprises you, he shocks you with his extraordinary performance.”

2007 also saw him in Jhoom Barbar Jhoom and a special appearance in both Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Om Shanti Om. I have to mention how great he was in his priceless scene from Om Shanti Om when was nominated for a Filmfare award for Dhoom 5! Hysterical!

Friday, we will see him again as Shankar Nagre. Sarkar Raj stars Amitabh yet again, and is the first film with Aishwarya after their marriage last year. Director Ram Gopal Verma has nothing but praise for the actor’s performance, “There were a few vital close-ups of Abhishek that I wanted to add to the film, so before anyone jumps to the conclusion that I re-shot my film, let me quickly clear the air. I think Abhishek excels in silent close-ups. Not too many actors of his generation know how to hold silences on camera. I made him do that in Naach. And I just thought a few tight close-ups would add to the drama in Sarkar Raj." He went on to say that this performance would rival the original and that of Guru. “I wouldn't even compare the two performances on any level except that intensity that Abhishek brings to both the roles. Abhishek and Aishwarya in Sarkar Raj will be very different from Guru. And if you ask me, he has gone far beyond what he did in Sarkar.”

Abhishek once said, “I would like to believe all my films are different from each other. I have not consciously gone out to see whether I should experiment with this film or not. I just got the films I did. I agreed to do those films because the script or the director inspired me. I have never looked into details. I never felt 'Oh, this is a safe script' or 'That is a risky script'. I never thought about it that way before accepting a film.” From his incredible body of work, you can see that he has been inspired and has given us some wonderful funny, dramatic and romantic characters. We applaud the work he has done in his short career and are sure he is only going to get better. We can’t wait to see him in Sarkar Raj and then in his upcoming films, including the 3 D’s Dostana, Drona, Dilli 6, plus Mani Ratnam’s next with wife Aishwarya, and hopefully in two new rumored projects with Big B, R. Balakrishnan’s Pa and Ram Madhvani’s Talisman.

Fun Facts:

His name is really Abhishek Amitabh Srivastav. His grandfather Harivansh Rai Srivastav, who was a very famous Hindu and Urdu poet, used the pen name of Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Amitabh also used Bachchan for his stage name and so Abhishek did as well.

His sister Shweta has two children, and he once said in response to a quiz: “My Heart Skips A Beat With Every Time: I See My Niece Navya Naveli And My Nephew Agastya.”

He was engaged to Karisma Kapoor, but they broke it off after just 3 months.

Abhishek married Aishwarya Rai on April 20th, 2007, in what many called the Bollywood Wedding of the Century.

Rohan Sippy revealed that: “A dream birthday gift for Abhishek would be an iPod with all of the world's music in it. Every song ever. But in the size of a Nano.”

He missed the call from Mani Ratnam about the role in Yuva because he did not recognize the phone number. His friend Shaad Ali called him, explained, and set up a meeting between the two, and the rest is history.

Naach also had an interesting casting story. “Though the movie came my way very strangely. Ramu saw Sooraj Barjatiya's Main Prem ki Deewani Hoon and Mani Ratnam's Yuva and then he called me saying that he wants to make a love story with me. So I went on the sets without knowing anything about the film.”

When asked, “What gives you sleepless nights?”, he answered, “Tough scenes. They play on my mind all night.”

He was a playback singer for Bluffmaster and Dhoom. He also lent his voice to the song ‘Hollywood Meets Bollywood’. The track appears on Wyclef Jean’s album Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs of an Immigrant.

He is left-handed.

According to Abhi, “Love is unconditional, lust is temporary, when a man loves a woman she's in big trouble and I get turned on by a good movie and a beautiful woman by my side”.

He hates to electronically chat because he can’t type.

Once a lady came up to him and said, "That's a really cute ass." He said, “I almost fainted. I thought she was not talking to me and I turned and looked around.”

Philosophy of Life: Whatever you do, do it from the heart.

He can speak English, Hindi, and French.

Dream Role: Agneepath.

As a child, he had dyslexia, a learning disability.

His message to his fans: “There is just one message always – Thank you for all your love and your belief. And all I can do is to try and repay them, but that is not possible, because we are truly very indebted to the audience. The only thing that I can do, is to try and entertain the audience and keep acting, if you'll allow me, and say thank you for all the support that you have extended towards me.”

Spotlight: Amitabh Bachchan

2010-09-01T20:02:00.005+05:30

Edit: Amitabh Bachchan's sabbatical in the early 90s was not because of him joining politics as documented in this article, but rather because he wanted to take a break and start his own production house. His stint in politics took place in the 80s. His production house went into debt and that is why he needed to make a comeback to films. We apologize for the inconvenience.

To make it to the film industry is hard enough, but to become one of the biggest and best stars is even harder. Then the odds of becoming THE biggest and best actor is damn near astronomical. The odds that only one man has been able to conquer. Over a span of 39 long and grueling years in the industry, Amitabh Bachchan has become that man. He has climbed Everest and now has his face engraved in the Mount Rushmore of Hindi film personalities. Amitabh Bachchan is a legend no doubt, but his greatness can never go understated because no one has ever been this good for this long ever in this industry. What this man continues to do at this age is simply remarkable. This weekend he will be reprising the role of one of his most iconic characters of all time, Sarkar, in Sarkar Raj. In career retrospective honor of the film and the legendary actor's massive body of work, we would like to do a career retrospective of Big B.

Amitabh Bachchan was born as Amitabh Srivastav as that was his father's real surname. His father, famous late poet Harivansh Rai Srivastav, used the pen name Bachchan while writing. Amitabh decided to stick with the name for his career in filmdom as well. Born on October 11, 1942, he grew up and completed his studies in Uttar Pradesh. After graduating, he moved to Calcutta where he started work for a shipping company. After doing that for a while, he decided he wanted to be a part of the film industry and moved to Bombay to accomplish his dreams. Although at first when he went, it was a bit of a struggle because no one wanted to cast him in their movies; he was thought to be too tall and his voice was too deep for their liking. He finally was able to grab a role in the film Saat Hindustani in 1969. The movie was a good beginning for him as it helped him win the National Award for best newcomer. But after that, it continued to be a struggle for him, as pretty much all his films flopped. The one bright spot amidst all these flops was the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee film, Anand. In the film, he played the supporting role to Rajesh Khanna, the number one star at the time. His performance was lauded by all and helped him garner his first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film also did very well; it won the Best Picture of the Year. Even though he did not taste much success in the beginning years of his career, the good days were soon to come for Big B professionally and personally.

The year 1973 seemed to be the turning point for Amitabh Bachchan. Well-known director, Prakash Mehra, cast Big B in his film Zanjeer and the rest, as they say, is history. The film went onto become Big B's first solo hit and gave him his image of the 'Angry Young Man' which he held onto for a large part of his career. His performance was appreciated by one and all and a star was born! Another special thing about the film was its leading lady, Jaya Bhaduri. Bachchan and Bhaduri fell in love while shooting for the film, and after the film was declared a hit, they both decided to get married. They did just that one month after the film's release. 1973 truly was an unforgettable year for Big B as more success was about to come his way. He had two more wonderful films that year, Abhimaan with wife Jaya and Namak Haraam where he played the supporting role to Rajesh Khanna once again. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who gave Big B some of the best movies of his career, directed both films. He was praised for his performances in both films and even won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor once again for Namak Haraam. Both films were very well received. As a matter of fact, over the next two decades, most of the best films and performances would belong to Amitabh Bachchan.

Amitabh Bachchan was the newfound superstar and he was looking towards bigger and better things. That came about in 1975. He teamed up with Hrishikesh Mukherjee two more times in this year in the films Mili and Chupke Chupke. Both films went on to become highly appreciated. But the real big noise came in the form of two legendary directors he worked with for the first time. Deewaar was his first film with Yash Chopra and they never looked back after that. Many consider the role of the rebellious Vijay from Deewaar to be the greatest performance of Big B's career. His performance in this film turned Big B into an instant megastar. Although the film swept all the awards at Filmfare, Bachchan was the only one who went home empty handed - pretty ironic for a film that is considered to be his best performance. Then of course there was Ramesh Sippy's all-time blockbuster Sholay. Many still consider this to be the mother of all of Hindi cinema as it has gone on to become the most iconic and successful Hindi movie in history. Big B was one half of the Jai-Veeru combo and gave a wonderful and understated performance. Every filmmaker uses Sholay as a barometer for filmmaking, so you know how big the film really is. Unfortunately, Ram Gopal Varma loved the film so much that in 2007 he decided to remake it his own way. The film was RGV Ki Aag and it was one of the most hated films in Hindi cinema history. Even Big B was cast as the legendary character of Gabbar Singh (known as Babban in the new film), which was immortalized by Amjad Khan in the original. The new film was only a minor blip in Big B's illustrious career.

The 70s quickly turned into the decade of Amitabh Bachchan. He was now delivering nonstop hits and brilliant performances. Also he was working with some of the best directors of the industry. Some of his best work came in Kabhie Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Kasme Vaade, Don, Trishul, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Mr. Natwarlal, The Great Gambler, and Kaala Patthar. All these hits gave Big B the title of 'One Man Industry' as everything he touched turned into a success.

Amar Akbar Anthony gave him his first ever Filmfare Award for the Best Actor category in 1977. He followed the year after with three nominations in the same category for Don, Trishul, and Muqaddar Ka Sikander. He ended up winning it for his double role in Don. The movie became such a cult classic, that filmmaker Farhan Akhtar (his father Javed Akhtar wrote the screenplay for the first film, along with Salman Khan's father, Salim Khan) decided to remake it in 2006 with current number one star, Shah Rukh Khan.

The 80s began just the way the 70s ended-with Big B still on the top of the industry. The hits just kept on rolling in the form of Dostana, Shaan, Kaalia, Yaarana, Naseeb, and Laawaris. Then was the film that was perhaps the most controversial of his career. The film was Yash Chopra's Silsila. Rumored to be about the affair between Big B and Rekha, the movie had both playing principal roles, along with Big B's wife Jaya. It was tough for many to digest, so the film did not end up doing very well, but it is considered to be one of the all-time classics now.

Strangely enough, even with so many great performances, he was only nominated for the Best Actor award one year the entire decade. It was in 1982 for the films Bemisal, Shakti, and Namak Halaal. He did not win for any of them. Then in 1983, while shooting for the film Coolie, he had a near fatal accident. He was in the hospital and the whole nation was in a standstill. Everybody was praying for his recovery and hoping their favorite star would come back and entertain them once again. By the good graces of God, Big B had a full recovery and was able to complete the film. The scene where the injury happened is frozen during the film so people can see when he got hurt. The film went on to become a major success as everyone wanted to see the film where Big B was injured. As a matter of fact, ever since this injury, people started visiting him every day outside of his house hoping to get a glimpse of him. He would acknowledge these people and would go and meet with them. Now these people only come on Sundays and he still goes and meets with them. He continued more great work in films like Satte Pe Satta, Andha Kanoon (one of the most underrated performances of his career), Sharaabi, Geraftaar, and Aakhree Raasta.

Up until the mid 80s, Big B was still dominating the industry. But in the late 80s, as he started to age and newer talent starting to emerge, the gap between him and the rest of the industry started to shrink. But to end the decade, he gave us a couple more of his most memorable performances. Shahenshah was the big blockbuster we were accustomed to receiving from him, but Main Azad Hoon was totally against the grain, turning out to be one of his best and most overlooked performances. Unfortunately, the movie did not do well at the box office.

Nearing the age of 50, he started the 90s off with a bang! His character of Vijay Dinanath Chauahan from the film Agneepath is one of the greatest and most iconic characters in Hindi film history. The film and the performance are his son, Abhishek's, favorite. Although he did not win the Filmfare Award for Best Actor, he did end up receiving the National Award for his remarkable performance. He also won the Lifetime Achievement Award that year. After the success of Agneepath with director Mukul Anand, he once again worked with him in the film Hum. The film provided us with another landmark performance from the man as he won his third Filmfare Best Actor Award. But the end seemed to be near because it looked like Big B was looking forward to a career in politics. It was announced that Khuda Gawah would be the last film he would do. Once again teaming up with Mukul Anand, he left with one more fine performance, even though the film did not live up to the mark.

His stint in politics was short lived and he tried making a comeback into movies. But time had gotten to him and he was no longer bankable as a lead hero. Now north of 50, no one wanted to see him beating baddies or romancing young ladies. He was in a rut for the next few years, as it seemed like the country's biggest superstar was becoming a forgotten man. The 90s couldn't end soon enough for him. But everyone in life needs a second innings. And for Amitabh Bachchan, he got his second innings with the beginning of the new millennium.

Down and almost out, Big B agreed to do a game show that was a spin-off of the hit show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. The show became an instant rage and pretty much all of India would be tuning in every night for the show. The show helped revive Bachchan's career and also put him back on the map. He followed this with a role in the film Mohabbatein directed by Aditya Chopra, son of Yash Chopra. This film officially showed that Big B was back and better than ever as now he finally had a role to play in the industry - that of the elderly distinguished gentleman. The film helped him win the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also was awarded the Superstar of the Millennium Award that year.

Throughout the 2000s, Big B did many movies that did not work, but he has created such platform for himself, that no failure can drown him for good. But in this decade, there were still lots of memorable films and performances to come from him.

2001 saw him in successful films such as Ek Ristha and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Also, there was the critically acclaimed Aks, for which he won the Best Actor Critics Award at Filmfare. 2002 was yet another successful year for Big B as he had two more memorable performances which garnered him nominations: Kaante for which he was nominated for Best Actor and Aankhen for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Both films did very well at the box office. 2003 was not as big of a year for him, as only one of his films worked-Baghban. The film went on to do very good business and his performance was greatly appreciated, as he was nominated for Best Actor once again. 2004 had one standout performance from him and some other solid performances. The standout performance was from the film Khakee, for which he was nominated for Best Actor. But if there was any year this decade that truly belonged to Big B, then it was the year 2005. He started the year off with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Black. The film went on to becoming the biggest critical success of the year and there were even some saying that it was the greatest performance of Big B's career. That was evident as he won the Best Actor award at every show that year for his performance in the film, even the National Award. The film, itself, swept all the major awards at every award ceremony as well. He continued his success that year in films like Waqt, Bunty Aur Babli, and the reason for this feature, Sarkar. BAB was special as it was the first time he was on screen with his son Abhishek. Sarkar may have been even more special as it was the first time he and Abhishek played father and son in a film. The film created yet another iconic character for Big B in the form of Subhash Nagre and his performance was without a doubt one of the best of his career. He was nominated for Best Actor, but lost to himself. The movie made such an impact that we now have a sequel, Sarkar Raj.

A terrific year ended on a sad note as Big B was struck with a stomach illness that hospitalized him for about a week. People were in a standstill once again just like when he was injured during Coolie. They prayed for him once again all throughout the country. Luckily, he was back and ready to go. But he was told to slow down his work; his workload was greater and larger than even people half his age! That is why in 2006, he only had one film of note and it was Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. His role in the film was perhaps the boldest he has ever played and made some uncomfortable, but he once again showed the Bachchan magic, which helped him receive yet another Best Supporting Actor nomination. 2007 could best be described as an experimental year for Big B. He starred in very different films such as Eklavya, Nishabd, and Cheeni Kum. His performances in all the films were praised, although the latter two were a bit controversial, because they showed him romancing women much younger than him. Nonetheless, people applauded him for experimenting with his roles and trying something different. The year 2008 started with Bhoothnath, which was well received critically and commercially. Now the stage has been set for his next big release, Sarkar Raj. This is the first time that he will be starring in a film with both his son and daughter-in-law in the same movie (Abhishek and Aishwarya). The stakes are high and the expectations are huge. We hope the movie lives up to the hype and that Amitabh Bachchan is able to stick one more feather in his cap!

A word of mention must go to the numerous awards and honors he has won outside the film industry. For instance, he was awarded with a doctorate from a university for his great contribution to films. He also has been honored internationally, as well as, domestically. His contribution to India has been so great, that everyone wants to do their best to honor and commemorate this force of nature!

Amitabh Bachchan is the actor that defines Hindi cinema; there is no doubt about it. He brought the industry to where it is today and he is the reason it has become such a boom today. The man is truly an institution. He is not only a star, but also one of the finest actors to ever grace the screen. He has performed roles in every genre with the same amount of precision, which is a testament to his versatility. At 66, it is amazing to see him still at top and not wavering at all. We are sure films such as, The Last Lear, Shoebite, Teen Patti, and Shantaram will further cement his status as the greatest ever. For now, we wish him the best with Sarkar Raj and hope to see another knockout performance from the Shahenshah! Amitabh Bachchan - the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

Spotlight: Vivek Oberoi

2010-09-01T20:02:00.002+05:30

“You guys inspire me so much to keep going on in the face of every storm! Thank you for all your support and encouragement, now every great movie, every great performance I do is dedicated to my fans - the most wonderful and important people in the world! Love ~ VO”

This caring message was sent to his fans by Vivek Oberoi, a star of the Hindi film industry, also known as Bollywood. All the celebrities from the industry have special places in the hearts of their fans, but this one in particular has an intriguing personality, one quite unlike many others. He does not bask in the fame he receives, and states “people make too much of stardom and that it is a myth.” Off screen, this young, talented actor works in many different ways to help those less fortunate and divert the spotlight to them. He also shifts this spotlight to his fans with whom he shares a unique and loving relationship. These fans come from all walks of life and from all parts of the world: they appreciate and admire him not only for his acting but also for the man he is.

“Self-respect and respect for others are values that my parents have given me” ~VO
Vivek Oberoi was born in Hyderabad, India on September 3, 1976 to Suresh and Yashodhara Oberoi. Suresh Oberoi is a highly respected actor in Bollywood, and Vivek always wanted to follow in his father’s acting footsteps. When asked in an interview by Rosmila Bhattacharya for Screen India magazine what inspired him to be an actor, Vivek replied, “I distinctly remember what sparked off that aim in acting. If you know in schools we do plays on Parent's Day. I remember being backstage, all prepared to hit the stage! I was mumbling my opening lines under my breath. The minute I strolled up on stage, the first thing I did was look out for my parents. But I couldn't see anyone. It was absolutely dark. It was mesmerizing! I spoke my lines. And then there was no looking back as I performed the character of the soldier with utmost ease. So impressed were the faculties by my performance that they advised my father send me to theatre workshop in London. And my father did the next year. I was seven then. After that I just concentrated on my studies here. It was only after graduation that I enrolled myself to an acting school in London. I remember after having completed the course successfully, we were told to do some auditions. I was given a long sheet of dialogues to say. After reading it, I enacted it out in my own style, it was kind of mono-act. I was not aware that someone watching me. He was none other than director of NYU. He took me to New York. And I did my post graduation in acting from there.” (At the prestigious Tisch School of Drama.)

“I don’t believe in stardom, I believe in actordom” ~ VO
After completing graduate school, Vivek returned to Mumbai to start his career in Bollywood. In 2002, he made his debut in Ram Gopal Varma's Company. The film was a critically acclaimed box office hit. He was applauded and praised for his work in that film, the first time that any newcomer received so much adulation from critics and the public. One critic said of his performance, “Oberoi makes his long-awaited debut with Company and completely blows his competitors out of the water. Oberoi´s facial expressions, dialogue delivery, etc. -- everything is dead-on. Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of the actor is his intense and expressive eyes. His aggressive nature and intense personality make the viewer sit up and take notice. Furthermore, he is excellent in his scenes with Antara Malli and Seema Biswas.” With another writing, “Vivek Oberoi surprises you with a performance that is a cut above the rest. He seems to have prepared for the character, bestowing it with finer nuances. The usage of the slum dweller's dialect and the intonations give his character a vividly distinct look. A performance that merits the highest marks!” At the Filmfare Awards in 2002 he received awards in the Best Debut as well as the Best Supporting Actor category. This performance also garnered him the Star Screen Award Most Promising Newcomer (Male), Zee Cine Award (Best Male Debut), and the Zee Cine Award Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male). In 2002 he also starred in Road as Arvind Sehgal.

His next film was with Yash Raj Films titled Saathiya, a remake of a Southern hit directed by Mani Ratnman and re-made in Hindi by his assistant Shaad Ali. The film was critically and commercially successful, and Vivek received Best Actor nominations at various award functions, and was awarded the Filmfare Best Actor Award. About this performance, Taran Adarsh said, “Saathiya clearly belongs to Vivek Oberoi, who enacts his part with elan. Enacting a role that is in sharp contrast to his first two films, the youngster comes up with a sparkling performance, which is sure to multiply his fan following.”

After this spectacular beginning, he was in high demand, and has since portrayed many different characters in roles ranging from comedy to drama including, of course, the romantic hero. 2003 brought the roles of Uday in Dum and Amar in Darna Mana Hai, and in 2004 he gave us Arjun in Yuva, Arjun in Kyun! Ho Gaya Na and the hysterically funny Meet Mehta in the hit Masti.

Three different movies and roles would be the body of Vivek’s work in 2005: Dev Malhotra in the cutting edge Kaal, the epic Kisna with Vivek in the title role, and Home Delivery, the long awaited next work of the film maker of Jhankar Beats. Though Home Delivery was not a critical or box office success, I have to say that I really liked the film and thought that Vivek was wonderful as Sunny Chopra.

Pyare Mohan was released in 2006, costarring Fardeen Khan, Amrita Rao and Esha Deol. The film was not a commercial success, but his fans disagreed: “Performances are brilliant! Vivek's super cute, you just wanna go hug him, I think he's really evolved as an actor. I think Vivek and Fardeen are just superb!! The film's got so many hilarious sequences, most of the comedy's done by Vivek and he's just outstanding and so adorable!” A reviewer wrote: “Casting Khan and Oberoi in these roles was a brilliant decision. The two share an amazing on-screen camaraderie and their comic timing is spot on.” With many of Bollywood’s male-male relationships either supporting or adversarial, it was wonderful and refreshing to see the implicit devotion and us-against-the-world attitude between the two friends in this movie, as well as the subtle plug for overcoming disability and hardship, which both actors always portray well. In 2006 Vivek was also seen in the supporting role of Kesu in Vishal Bharadwaj’s masterpiece Omkara. Even though it was a smaller role, Vivek’s performance was praised, and he won the Best Supporting Actor at the Bollywood Movie Awards.

Though appreciated in many of his performances, Vivek was going through a bad time in his career. “Somewhere down the line, I lost the purity of thought that made me passionate about acting. But now, I have rediscovered it.” The role that did this, and that would once again show him as a powerhouse of an actor, was Maya Dolas in Shootout at Lokhandwala. To get into the skin of the role, Vivek did extensive research and transformed himself into the gangster. He said, “There's reason to be excited since this is a role that any actor would give his right arm for. The character has different shades and it is only a fictional account of the real-life character Maya Dolas. Sanjay Gupta, who is also one of the writers of the film, and director Apoorva Lakhia have given several interesting twists to the role. In that sense, it is part fiction and part realistic. It is indeed a complex character and it has been a challenge to perform the role.” The film was a success and Vivek’s performance was applauded by all with our review saying, “Vivek Oberoi is back in form and gives a solid performance! His depiction of stone-hearted Maya Dolas who is fearless and kills without thinking twice is exceptional. Oberoi manages to set that fear in you and show you that Maya uses fear as a tool to leverage. His death sequence is brutally fabulous. His body language and expressions are amazing and you can tell that he’s done a lot of research on his character. To sum it up, Vivek’s delivered an out and out knockout performance!” For his performance Vivek was honored with the Standout Performance of the Year at the Max Stardust Awards and IIFA Best Villain Award.

In the past, Vivek, like many actors, worked on several projects at a time but he changed to working on only one film at a time with SOAL. He continued that trend with his next project Mission Istanbul, which roars into theatres this Friday. MI is his second film with director Approva Lakhia and in the highly anticipated action film Vivek plays a Turkish commando. About his role in another action film Vivek said, “It's not a conscious decision to do action films. Apoorva offered me the role and the script was fantastic, so I accepted it. The USP (unique selling point) of the film is that it is technically brilliant. It has a new idea and concept. It has a global perspective on terrorism and how India is involved in that global framework.” He added, “I am really excited about this movie. I love my character. It was fun playing him. Everything you imagine as a young kid while watching action movies, all those fantasies came true.”

After two action films back to back, his fans are clamoring to see him in a romantic role. In fact at the IIFA awards some fans told him, “We supported you through Shootout, we are supporting you through Mission Istanbul and are going to see it but it's time you do a love story.” Sadly it will not be his next film but there is one coming. Vivek revealed what was in the pipeline: “I am doing different stuff now. I am excited. I'm doing a big film in South Africa with Tips and that's a huge solo hero film for me. After that, I'm doing Karan Johar's film with Rensil De Silva directing and writing it which also stars Saif and Kareena in it. And there is this love story which I am doing and is being developed in the first quarter of next year. It's a very sweet, Saathiya kind of feel.”

Throughout his career Vivek Oberoi exemplified a truly outstanding actor with his distinctive performances, utilizing a vision and style all of his own. Dealing with a variety of characters, he has proven his ability to live in those characters, and his versatility is displayed with great finesse in every role he performs. In spite of being in the industry for just six years, Vivek A. Oberoi is one of the rising stars destined to be a superstar of Bollywood.

“Apart from cinema, another aspect which gives satisfaction to my soul is social work. Its not really about playing the part of the hero, but just about being able to make a difference.”~ VO
Vivek contributes an enormous amount of time to work with relief and charity organizations. He is a compassionate soul who cares deeply for the underprivileged. Smitha Nambiar wrote of him in an article titled “Vivek - The Tsunami hero”: “Vivek can be termed as more of a social worker than an actor. This might sound strange, but true. The actor and his entire family have dedicated their lives towards the upliftment[sic] of the downtrodden. While his father, Suresh Oberoi has been actively supporting primary education, mother Yashodhara works with terminally ill cancer patients and their families and has also established the Yashodhara Oberoi Foundation. A strong disciple of Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji's of Parmarth Niketan, Vivek worked extensively to provide both emotional and financial support to all whose lives were devastated by the Tsunami that struck the country on December 26, 2004. In fact, Vivek even adopted the tsunami-devastated Devanampattinam village in Tamilnadu. Sadly, his critics and colleagues have brushed all these acts of kindness aside as publicity stunt. Apparently, during one of the relief operations, a weary man approached Vivek and explained that he had come from Ootacamund with his brother and family for a holiday. But, every member of his family had been washed away in the tsunami. He was still on the lookout for the body of his 3-year-old son and could not be convinced that the boy was dead. As everybody stood there, not knowing how to react, Vivek surprised everybody when he went up to the weeping man and hugged him.”

In July and December of 2005, to promote art awareness and to continue his charity work, Vivek joined with art dealer Ashish Balram Nagpal to showcase the concept of affordable art with a sale where all the paintings were sold at a flat price of Rs.11000 (approximately 245 USD). Vivek personally conducted the sale, and part of the proceeds collected were donated to the Yashodhara Oberoi Foundation for the various causes that it supports, which range from surgery for poor children with ailing hearts to the empowerment of women. As Vivek says, “It is a pleasure to be associated with such a programme as it promotes two things that are very dear to my heart – art and charity. I like to call it Art for Hearts, as part of the proceeds collected will be donated for a cause.”

Another facet of his charity work is that whenever a new film of Vivek’s releases he makes it a point to have a special screening for children from the Cancer Patients Aid Association. For the release of Home Delivery there was a fun-filled afternoon at Fame Adlabs, the highlights of which included a special screening of Home Delivery and a 'meet and greet' session with Vivek Oberoi and fellow star Mahima Chaudhary. Taran Adarsh wrote: “The interaction with Vivek and Mahima was a special moment for cancer patients with jokes being cracked, photographs and autographs being taken and the opportunity to engage with the stars on a one-to-one basis.” He booked an entire theatre in Mumbai’s Andheri area for his film Pyare Mohan to be screened and again afterwards he met with the children, held their hands, and shared laughs with them. He gave them his special and undivided attention.

Each year on his birthday Vivek spends time with children at an orphanage and about this past year he wrote, “ I had the most amazing birthday celebration … all the kids at the orphanage were so excited, they prepared & practiced little dances for me and I loved it!!! They look forward to this day every year and I reward them for all their creativity with a party and loadsa [sic] toys n gifts!!! I must confess I think I get as excited and have as much fun or more than these adorable angels!!! ~VO”

“I realized that when your fans write to you, SMS you, when they reach out to you, you learn just how much they love you. It is the most exhilarating feeling” ~VO

Vivek’s relationship with his fans is something that is amazing and truly special. They love him not only as an actor but as a human being. He has won the hearts of many around the world and he has fans in India, USA, Australia, Singapore, Canada, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Scotland, France and England, Pakistan, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Malaysia, Morocco, Philippines, New Zealand, Indonesia, S. Korea, Sri Lanka, and Ireland, to name a few. The following are some of the fan messages from one of his fan portals: the ones that particularly stand out are the ones that speak of him as a person as well as an actor. “All this while, I have just considered you as one of those Hindi actors, But now I consider you as one of the best human being around. May you live long my son." "I came to know that you have been helping the victims of Tsunami (Near Caddolore). I was really touched by the way you are extending your support, by personally being there and doing whatever has to be done. Honestly I never heard about any celeb who stays at the place and does good deeds. You also made us feel that we are INDIANS, irrespective of where we are from, North or South, We are ONE. I really appreciate that. I have seen couple of your films and felt good about your presence. After hearing this, I should never miss your movies anymore. Good work man ... we are really proud of you.” While another sent him this message: “I was a member of Vivek's Angels and still proudly call myself your Angel. I have loved every one of your movies especially Saathiya and Home Delivery! Your performance in all your films has been so true and I never feel you are acting, you are the character and that to me is the sign of truly great actor. I am a huge fan and I think you an amazing actor and more importantly an incredible person! I admire you so.”

“I truly love you guys and am thankful to God that I have all of you. My fans are my real strength. Love Vivek”
Vivek has showered his fans with so much love and refers to his fans as his 'extended family'. Vivek has tried his level best to connect with his fans. A few have talked to him; others have even met him and have experienced his warmth and kindness. In a Mid-Day article, Upala wrote about one fan who said that Vivek has been a big help and inspiration to her, she “had literally given up on living her life, when her knight — Vivek Oberoi walked into her life and put her on the road to recovery.” She was born with an underdeveloped lower spine and has had numerous corrective surgeries since her birth. She was a normal teenager until she had a major accident a couple of years ago. She suffered minute fractures in her lower back, which crippled her. After the accident she needed to undergo some difficult treatments and her family and friends felt she wouldn’t be able to do it without some kind of inspiration, and so a caring person in the Bollywood industry contacted Vivek. “Then one day Vivek called me. I was ecstatic. He told me I could call him anytime and we would connect once a month, chat, and, keep each other updated. Everybody was cynical and thought his caring and patience would fizzle out, but it’s been more than a year and he has still kept in touch. He’s been patient with me and makes me feel special. When he was performing at Glasgow he sent me a ticket. There, I got VVIP treatment — traveling in the limousines with him, going out for dinner — the works. Though I was in my wheelchair, I felt I was the luckiest girl in the world. I have recovered a lot today because of Vivek. I have left my wheelchair and walk on crutches now, but I wouldn’t have been able to achieve what I have, without his patience and support.”

Vivek also makes an effort to keep in touch with his fans across the world and when his authorized website was up he would whenever possible come online and post messages, Vivek seemed to enjoy himself thoroughly with his “Angels”, his given name for his fans. In fact very recently he posted this to one of his fan clubs:

“Hey!!! This is Vivek Oberoi and I just wanted to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for all this amazing love and support you have given me. I genuinely believe that my fans are the greatest in the universe because you have truly stood by me in the worst of times. Your prayers, duas, and good wishes have given me strength and your love has given me inspiration to never give up the fight … to keep trying harder and becoming better in every way that I can, so that all of you can be proud of me. Thank you for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I am blessed to have you guys with me!!! Loads n loads a love and a BIG HUG to all of you … hope we ROCK IT TOGETHER!!! Always ~VO”

With the glitter in his eyes, passion in his speech, and veracity in his character, Vivek came to take Bollywood by storm. He came to please and amaze with his passion to act, and act with candor and originality. Every word he utters and every feeling he expresses creates concrete imprints in Indian cinema. The love he has for his fans breaks through all barriers. No matter where in the world they are they feel loved by their favorite actor. His work for social causes is something to be honored and to be emulated. He is a young man who always follows his heart and along the way has inspired many. No other actor can compare in performance or in the essence of who he is. He is Vivek Oberoi.

Fun facts:
Nicknames: Rockstar, Tiger

He has 2 brothers, one older and one younger, and also a younger sister.

Vivek was injured during a stunt while filming for a Mani Ratnam’s Yuva. His left leg was fractured in two places and he had to undergo surgery. During that time there were prayers and an outpouring of support from his fans. He was also injured on the set of Kisna.

He was awarded the Red and White Bravery Award for his work after the Tsunami.

He has two boxers - Duke and Ivy.

Originally Ram Gopal Verma thought he was too handsome to play Chandu in Company, but Vivek decided to prove he could take on the challenging role: “But Ramuji found my face too soft for a gangster. He said he needed a gritty and hard character and I looked too conventional. He didn’t think I could do it so I had to convince him and asked for some time to prepare.I wrote a 300-word biographical sketch for my character Chandu. I tried to figure out the way he would talk, the kind of clothes he would wear, how he would interact with people around him. It just helped me understand the character better. On the 11th day, I marched into his office dressed up as Chandu and smoking a bidi. I remember kicking his door open, pulling up a chair and putting my feet up on his desk like I owned the place. I looked him straight in the eye and said, ‘Kya? Kya bolta hai?’ He was completely stunned. It was destiny, because at that very moment, my conventional looking photographs were lying on his desk and his editor and he had just made a decision that I wasn’t right for the role. I was asked to wait outside and my heart was thumping away in frenzy. When Ramuji came out and told me ‘that was brilliant,’ then I started to breathe again.”

Some of his best roles were almost not his:
Saaithya, Company, and Mission Istanbul were originally offered to Abhishek Bachchan but he turned them down. And on the other hand Vivek was originally offered Saif’s role in Hum Tum. Speaking of Saathiya, he and Rani would sometimes shoot for 18 hours a day.

He has a list of things he wants to do before he turns 35 and he only has 5 more years to go.

His hobbies include reading, writing poetry, spending time with family and friends, water sports and adventures and he loves to watch films. Vivek uses Hindi films to unwind and tries to watch one everyday. “I have zero addictions in my life —I don’t drink, smoke, have tea or coffee,” he reveals, “but I need to watch one film everyday. That’s my absolute upper. No matter what I may be going through, if I watch good cinema, I’m back right up.”

Besides acting Vivek also excels at dancing. He has been praised for his dancing ability in all his movies and at this past IIFA awards he burned up the stage with his performance to ‘Apun Ke Saath’.

In Masti they had a name for his hairstyle: “It's called the chappu haircut and its meant to be hilarious. This is my first comedy film and fortunately I don't have this on-screen image which I have to adhere to. I believe that I should go all out for my character even if it takes to have a funny hairstyle.”

He was a dubbing artist for 6 years.

Vivek is listed as a screenwriter and dialogues for Kyun Ho Gaya Na.

He also sold one of his scripts. "I had written a script for Vidhu Vinod Chopra. I was paid a decent amount for it. I bought my first car with that money."

For Mission Istanbul he and costar Zayed Khan performed many of the dangerous stunts themselves including jumping on to a moving helicopter and then jumping off into the Turkish sea as the helicopter exploded. They also had to jump off a 40 foot tower building and the two enjoyed it so much they did six takes. In fact the stunt director had to stop them from doing more.

Once said: “The funny thing is that I’ve always felt that if I wasn’t an actor, I wouldn’t really be me. If you remove the actor out of me, I don’t think there’s much left. People work for a living and I live to work. Acting is not just my profession, it’s my passion.”

His most recent message to his fans was:

“A big Thank You straight from my heart. When I was not doing well in films, the one thing that kept me going was the belief in my fans and the support, which they have shown for me. Every little 'I love you Vivek' which comes out from them makes you feel so special. My fans aren't just statistics for me, they are the reason for who I am today and where I am.”

Spotlight: Akshay Kumar

2010-09-01T20:01:00.003+05:30

“I have dabbled with action, romance, dance, emotion, and now comedy. I think I've done well in all. It's important to keep doing something different and reinvent oneself to avoid stagnation.” - Akshay Kumar

The above quote completely defines one of Bollywood’s greatest and most versatile actors, Akshay Kumar. In action films Akki excels... give him a romance and he is brilliant... with a comedic role he is one of the best... and in drama... well, this wonderful actor is equally fantastic. In his career of over eighteen years, he has done it all and is still going strong. With his sparkling eyes and that innocent yet impish smile, he has slain many a heart, and his daredevil stunts have made many a male and female fan cheer. This spotlight would be twenty pages long if we addressed everything, and though I know his fans (including me) would love that, this piece will just highlight some of his best work. So sit back and enjoy a look into Akshay’s amazing performances of the past, present and future.

Akshay Kumar grew up in the Chandni Chowk section in Delhi, and unlike many of his contemporaries in the film industry, he did not come from a filmi background. “I never thought I would become an actor. I remember once when I was in 8th standard I had a little bit of problem with my teacher and was punished in the school for something, which I didn't do. So parents were summoned to my school. My father came to pick me up. He was angry on me but he didn't scold me at that point of time. At home he scolded me and asked me what you wanted to become in life. Since I was very disappointed on the whole episode and angry why was I punished because fortunately at that time it wasn't my mistake. When you are angry you just say anything so I replied I would become a hero. I didn't mean it at all. I didn't know it would become true one day.”

Another thing happened while he was in the 8th standard and it was something that would eventually help him in his future roles: he began his training in the Martial Arts. Throughout his school years, Akshay continued studying Karate and his father promised him that if he did well on his board exams he would send him to Bangkok to continue his training. In Bangkok, he studied Martial Arts with Kim Ling Chang and one of his lessons would also help Akshay in his later career as an actor. “He used to take us for a film and ask to watch it carefully. Later he would ask questions like: ‘What was the color of the hero’s shoes?’ or ‘In which hand did the villain pick up the glass of water?’ If we couldn’t answer, he would give us a hard knock on the head. But this training in observation helps me today in acting as well as in life. I do not forget a person or his mannerisms once I meet him.”

Akshay returned to India and did different odd jobs. On his official site he wrote: “I used to go door-to-door selling UNICEF cards, which my father used to get for me, and earn fifty paise per card. At one point, I was even a dancer for the Toko Fogo Nights which were held at Shanmukhananda Hall. At that time, I didn’t have any clear picture of my future. I expected I would continue in the same way all through my life. I believed that some new opportunity would keep coming up. And I knew I was capable of doing any kind of work. I followed a simple principle: whichever offer promised a little more money than my current job, I jumped at it.”

A new opportunity did present itself and it was a modeling job. “Well I was teaching martial arts in Bombay after learning it from Bangkok. I was working hard and earning Rs. 4,000/= per month. And suddenly I got a modeling offer from one of my student who was a model coordinator. He gave me this offer of doing an ad for a furniture showroom. I didn't know what modeling was. I was asked to reach a certain place and I went over there. There was this room with furniture and a camera. In this modeling assignment I was supposed to give some shots with other models in an A/C room, I was given whatever I want. And after 2 1/2 hrs I received a cheque of Rs. 5,500/= in my hand. Looking at the cheque I said to myself is this fair enough I slog for a month hard teaching martial arts and I earn Rs. 4,000/= and here I relaxed and I am getting more than that in such short time. I am a human being and that made me think a lot. This is fantastic! This line is amazing, what is this modeling I should do it. So I started doing modeling, fashion shows, ramp and after that I came in to films.”

Since he was not from a film family, Akshay had to take the road to stardom sans connections, and his journey began as an assistant to the famous photographer, Jayesh Sheth. In lieu of a salary, Akshay had portfolio pictures taken, which he distributed to producer’s offices. He could not afford to have more shots taken so he would ask for them back! Many times he was told they were lost, so to combat that he had giant prints made. He credits his first role, after only a month as a wannabe, to those un-losable and highly noticeable prints!

That first role was in Pramod Chakravorty’s film Deedar in 1991, although the first film he actually began shooting was Saughand. In an interview he talked about his first shot, “My first scene was with Rakheeji such a senior actress. I remember I was sick that day. I was thinking how will I do all this. My makeup man, fortunately for me he is not just a makeup man he is also a doctor, an ayurvedic doctor. He made me comfortable but it was difficult and hard for me to shoot.” Though that is not a good memory, he does have one after the film completed and they had a screening of Saugandh for his family. “lt was just after the completion of Saugandh. We had a special screening of the film and my relatives came down especially from Delhi to watch it with my family. And the pride and happiness on their faces later, clearly spelt it out that I had become famous.”

Akshay was once asked how he prepared himself to go into this new field and he told this wonderful story: “I remember it very well when I came into this line I wanted to learn acting. I thought acting must be something like learning cooking so I went to buy a book. I was sure there must be some book. I searched all of book vendors at Churchgate in Bombay where they sell these old books. I started searching at 9 o’clock in the morning and I found one very good book at 4 o’clock. I asked for the price and learnt it was 125 and I had only 110 with me. The first page had a quote, ‘if you want to be a good actor you need to be a good human being’. I think that's more than enough to be a good actor.”

Though his first film did not make a huge splash at the box office, his next role would be one that would define his career for many years to come. That role was Raj Malhotra in 1992’s Khiladi. Akshay said, “It was a great experience. I had never tasted that kind of success. I never knew I will be walking down the street and people will recognize me and call me 'Khiladi'. It is very hard for me to express that feeling.” He is still known by that nickname today. Throughout the next several years he would star in several more films in the Khiladi series - each one would establish him further as THE action star.

A series of action flicks in 1993 were not quite as successful. In 1994, he took a role in Yeh Dillagi, with Kajol and Saif Ali Khan. that showed him in a totally new avatar. In this remake of the Hollywood classic Sabrina, his terrific performance showed he could play the romantic hero as well. The film was a big success, and Akshay received nominations for Best Actor at both the Filmfare and Star Screen Awards. Also in 1994, among other films, he was seen in Mohra and Main Khiladi Tu Anari. Both had Akshay back to his action daredevil avatar and they were the two highest grossing films of the year.

As I said, to go through every Akshay movie would make this article twenty pages long, so we will make a quick stop to highlight a 1997 supporting role in Dil to Pagal Hai. His performance was so nuanced, sweet, and romantic; that if this was the first movie you saw him in, you would never believe he was mainly known for his action films. Even with the powerhouse performances of Shah Rukh and Madhuri, his performance as Ajay stood out, and he received a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor nomination.

Now let’s jump to 2000. After years of doing the action/daredevil thing, Akshay was ready to don a romantic cloak in Dhadkan. He again excelled, and one review said, “Akshay Kumar shows vast improvement as an actor. He is very controlled and handles this difficult role with sincerity.” Dhadkan was a success at the box office, and firmly established him as a star that could play the romantic hero.

Also in 2000, Akshay decided to try a new genre and starred in the master of comedy, Priyadarshan’s Hera Pheri. The film was a huge box office success and proved that whatever Akshay tries he can do! On why he decided to take a break from action films Akshay said, “But that is mainly because people thought I could do only action till I did Yeh Dillagi and Dhadkan with dramatic roles followed by a comedy like Hera Pheri. It is like reinventing yourself each time. That is precisely what the audience is looking for. It wants you to keep offering interesting and varied stuff, which can only happen with a bit of planning and a lot of hard work. I want to be someone to look up to and make oneself believe that - if he can do it, so can I.” For his hilarious performance in Hera Pheri, he won the Bollywood Movie Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Akshay took on an evil role in 2001 for the first time, and for his performance as the villainous Vikram Bajaj in Ajnabee, he was honored with several awards including the Filmfare, IIFA, Stardust and Sansui Viewer Choice Awards for Best Actor in a Villainous Role.

Other outstanding performances by Akshay have been Ek Rishtaa (2001), Aankhen (2002), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002) for which he won a Bollywood Movie Award, and Andaaz, which also starred Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra. Regarding the film, Akshay said, “I play an air force officer. And boy, I love it! I have always dreamt of a life in the army or air force. Now I am finally getting to play an air force officer. That is why I love acting. It lets me fulfill all my secret fantasies. In Andaz, I have done everything according to what the role requires. I have made sure I looked like an air force officer -- I cut my hair into a crew cut. I also streaked my hair in Andaz. The South African government provided us MiGs and jets. We were allowed to shoot their air show and I got to sit in their planes. They supported us completely. It was a very fulfilling experience.” The film was a commercial success.

2004 was a very good year for Akshay. He appeared in the multi-starrer Khakee with Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan, and Amitabh Bachchan. His performance was critically acclaimed, and one reviewer said, “Akshay Kumar exposes his flair for comedy and doesn’t disappoint! His action sequences are, as always, perfect. He is in his best form in the pre-interval scene.” He was nominated for a Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Filmfare Awards for his role as Sr. Inspector Shekhar Verma.

Also in 2004 came the very funny Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. The film also starred Priyanka Chopra, and was the first time Akshay was paired up against Salman Khan. About working with Salman: “In Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, everything seems perfect, especially the chemistry between Salman and me. We are together for the first time. The audiences should find our combination interesting. I enjoyed shooting with Salman. Let's hope the audience feels the same way.” The audience and critics loved his performance and he was nominated for both Best Actor in a Comic role, as well as, Best Actor in a Supporting role at the Filmfare Award and Zee Cine Awards. He was nominated for Best Actor in a Comic Role at the Stardust and Star Screen Awards and won at IIFA. He also won at GIFA for Best Actor in Supporting Role.

In 2005, Akshay took on the role of producer as well as an actor for the film Waqt: The Race Against Time. This film holds a special place in Akshay’s heart: “I lost my father to cancer. I decided to dedicate this film to him. I intend to give away my earnings to various cancer hospitals. It's just a small gift from a son to his father.” He also said “I want people to go and watch this film not because I am the distributor and so it will earn money. I’ve decided to donate most of my earnings from this film to charitable organizations. Through this film I want to remind the audience of the importance of that man in their life whom they call ‘Father’. Every father slogs so hard for his children - and my dad was no exception. He gave me everything, even things he couldn’t afford. Also, it’s important to spend a lot of time with your parents, because once you lose them, you’ve lost a lot. And that you’ll realize only once they are gone.” He won the Stardust Star of the Year Award for his performance in Waqt – The Race Against Time.

In Garam Masala, another Priyadarshan comedy, Akshay starred with John Abraham. For many, this is one of their favorite Akshay performances and he and John together made a great comic team. Akshay was praised for his performance with one review saying, “Akshay Kumar is fast emerging as an actor with quite a comic flair. His facial expressions, his dialogue delivery, his tonal intonations and the humorous, self-deprecatory touch he brings to his character – all this invokes laughter and is worth praise.” He won the Filmfare and Star Screen Awards for Best Actor in a Comic Role and he was nominated at IIFA. He also won Actor of the Year at Stardust and won the Best Comedic Performance at the Bollywood Peoples Choice Awards.

Akshay continued his comedy streak in 2006; a couple of his films that year were total laugh riots. “A light atmosphere on the sets is always welcome. I like to see people laugh. And actually that’s the reason I’m signing on lighter comedies like Phir Hera Pheri and Garam Masala. In today’s world, that’s so filled with stress, it takes just as much as a pinch to make someone cry. But to make people laugh is a tough job. And I intend to do just that, on and off screen.”

Phir Hera Pheri was a sequel to Hera Pheri and it not only pleased critics, it wowed audiences as well and it was a huge hit at the box office. Also in 2006, he was seen in Bhagam Bhag and again was praised for his comic timing: “. . . none matches the superb comic timing of Akshay Kumar. The actor is relentlessly getting better and better at comedy. Right from the first scene when he prods Govinda into telling about the hot moment shared with actress (Tanushree), to the second half when he speaks in broken English with an air travel company executive, Akshay is simply superlative. He is the reason you can watch this movie.”

I have to mention 2006’s Jaane-E-Maan, because his performance completely changed my idea of Akshay, the actor. He stole the show from both Preity and Salman, which is a hard thing to do. The scene that really stood out was when he realized that he is trying to be someone he’s not - he does not say a word, but his performance is so powerful. Seeing that I thought, wow! I was a fan before, but after this film I was a huge fan of his acting ability, if that makes sense. He won the Best Comedian Award at the AIFA Awards. The film was not a success but to me he made the movie!

Though he had already many, many hits to his name, 2007 was Akshay’s year! He had four hits in a row and became one of the kings of the box office, not only in India but also overseas.

First to release was Namastey London. This is one of my favorite Akki performances and it shows off his strength both as a comedic, as well as, a dramatic actor. This was his second film with Katrina Kaif and boy, did audiences love the two of them together. Our reviewer wrote, “After playing a variety of comic roles, Akshay Kumar is in tremendous form and essays the role of the sober and sensitive Punjabi boy with finesse. His love for Jazz can clearly be felt. It was refreshing to see him move away from his usual Garam Masala/Bhagam Bhag type roles.” He was nominated as Best Actor at the IIFA and Zee Cine Awards. For this and his next movie Heyy Babyy, he won the Star of the Year at the Stardust Awards.

Heyy Babyy was the second hit in his winning streak at the ticket counters. One review praised him saying, “Akshay Kumar is the life of the film. We all know that he’s a pure genius at comedy and, no doubt, his comic timing is spot-on this time around too! His expressions and dialogues are just hilarious, and not only does he make you laugh, but he also manages to get you very emotional at the same time - which is not at all an easy thing to do, and only an actor par excellence can do that.”

Also in the Hit column for 2007 were the supernatural thriller Bhool Bhulaiyaa and the comedy Welcome!

His next few films coming up in 2008 have blockbuster written all over them. First up, we have the highly anticipated Singh is Kinng which releases on 08-08-08. Akshay is paired up once again with Katrina Kaif, and in an interview Akshay revealed what he thinks is the USP (Unique Selling Point) of the film, “The film has the most dynamic and state-of-the-art action sequences, a wonderful cast, there is the collaboration with Snoop Dogg and R.D.B for one of the film's title songs, there's the breathtaking Miss Katrina Kaif, outstanding songs for all music lovers and the uncanny comedy done by yours truly. I think it's a safe bet that someone out there is gonna like it. If not, I'll still stand there proud and say I promise to do better next time …”

About his role as Happy Singh, Akshay said, “I've always tried to break the mould. My heart beats for films and my heart told me that I must make a difference and show my true Punjabi colors in a lovable manner. I wanted to play a Sikh who can stamp his love on people's mind. I got the title for the film from the back end of a truck so in a way you can say that people of India gave me the story.” The film looks to be another mark in the super hit column with pre-ticket sales already selling out and the soundtrack being a huge hit on the charts.

Coming up later this year is his film Chandni Chowk To China, directed by Nikhil Advani. Much of the story is taken from Akshay’s real life, so you may recognize some things from this spotlight. (Well, from his life, not really from this spotlight). Akshay talked about the film saying, “It marks the Hindi film debut of Warner Brothers and that is exciting enough for me. In the film, my role is that of a lowly Mumbai cook who is mistaken for a martial arts hero - close to my life story because I began as a cook in Bangkok and became a martial arts expert. I have Deepika Padukone opposite me. The film will give me a platform to showcase my expertise in Parkour - a physical activity that focuses on efficient movement of the body in getting across obstacles in one's path. I first did this in a Thums Up ad last year. I am really excited about action flicks because I have returned to action after a long time.”

He is currently filming for Kambakkth Ishq with Kareena Kapoor, and that is scheduled for release in December. Also in the works is Eight by Ten (Tasveer), which won’t release until 2009. He has several more films in the pipeline for 2009 including International Hera Pheri, Action Replay, Blue, Housefull, Purab ki Laila Paschim ka Chaila and Aise Ko Taisa. With all these wonderful projects in store, Akshay fans will have plenty of movies to get their Akki fix.

"I'd rather be a Jack of all trades than a master of one. I want to be known as a hero in the truest sense of the word. A hero can dance, perform stunts, as well as, be a good actor. Like Dharamji, for example. I'd love to emulate him, if possible. So you see, I prefer being an all-rounder.”

Akshay Kumar certainly is an all-rounder and has thrilled fans, made them cry, made them cheer, made them dance and certainly has made them fall in love with his amazing performances throughout his long career. He is one of the best actors in Bollywood, but because he has done many comedic and action roles, he is not always considered one of the Best. However, He Is! He can do it all, and does it all with energy, joy and fabulous talent. He has much more in store for audiences this year, next year and we hope for many more years to come. For now all we can say is Thank You for all the wonderful hours we have spent watching you and we cannot wait to spend some more!

Fun Facts:
His real name is Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia. He changed it to Akshay Kumar when he started to model. “I had seen an old film, I don’t remember the name now, but I liked the hero’s character in it. Since the character’s name was Akshay I chose the name.”

Nicknames: "Akki", "Raju", "Rajiv", “Khiladi”

Akshay is married to Twinkle Khanna and they have one son, Arav.

Wishes he were 2 inches taller than his 6’1 height. His shoe size is 12!!

Was a playback singer on Ajnabee and Tashan.

Is a hero in real life. He drove Aishwarya to the hospital after a jeep ran over her foot on the set of Khakee. He also saved Lara Dutta’s life during the shooting of Andaaz. The two were shooting for a song in Cape Town along the shore and were pulled under the water. Akshay helped Lara to shore.

Supposedly since his birthday and month are both the number 9 he considers it to be his lucky number. His house number and his car number always add up to 9.

His dad saw Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi 13 times.

He fought the WWE Wrestler, Undertaker, in Khildaiyon Ka Khiladi.

To support himself in Bangkok, he was a chef.

His sister is his biggest critic. He shows her all his films and sometimes even the script before he signs a film.

He was originally supposed to do Phool Aur Kaante, but dates for another film interfered so Ajay Devgan got Phool and Akshay got Khiladi.

He learned how to do stunts with Ajay from Ajay’s father who was the brilliant stunt director Veeru Devgan.

Was part of the Heat 2006 World Tour. Also in the show were Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.

Part of this year’s Unforgettable Tour and thrilled audiences in Toronto!

He still has his first car, a 1956 model Fiat...he still drives it sometimes.

A Khiladi memory: “A beggar came up to my car at the traffic signal, tapped on the window and asked for ten rupees.”Why ten rupees?" I ask him. He said: Sir, aapki picture dekhni hai" (Sir, I want to watch your movie). I liked his style of begging! So I gave him fifteen rupees and told him to eat "samosas" in the interval too.”

Likes to go to the beach early in the morning and also loves to take long walks in the wilderness. “I have learnt a lot from nature which has helped me in my personal life as well as in my career. To date, I have used only natural medicines like herbs or ayurvedic prescriptions. I have never used allopathic medicines. I think we can all learn a lot by watching the nature. When I am alone with the sea, or the mountains, I am most at ease with life.”

Once said, “There is a Chinese saying: If you want the Gods to laugh, you must talk to them of your plans for the future. So I prefer not to make any plans. I would like to have the last laugh.”

To keep in shape he says, “Well I train myself every morning for 1 ½ hrs. It is enough for me to keep myself fit. I exercise but I don't do any bodybuilding or weight lifting. I do not say weights are bad but I don't do the same. I don't believe in it, I believe in more flexibility, agile, I can run fast. I love to have an athletic body. I go through my routine exercises every morning and do martial arts, which have helped me a lot in keeping me fit.”

On the set of Blue he got into a very dangerous situation while shooting an underwater stunt, “I wouldn't say it was my most difficult stunt but it was definitely the most dangerous. Recently, I was shooting for a film titled, Blue, in Bahamas. It was just like any other day of the shoot with me diving down to 80 ft and being surrounded by 40 bated sharks. I was told to kung fu a goon inside the deep waters and I was doing just that but the force of the kick I gave him propelled me up which caused me to crack the top of my head open on a rusted roof of the ship wreck on which we were shooting. Since I was bleeding, the stunt coordinator feared that the bated sharks will smell the blood and probably eat me alive. So he was trying to keep the sharks as far away from me so that they could take me to the surface safely. I'd definitely say my heart was in my mouth. They don't call us heroes for nothing, you know!”

In a recent interview Akshay said, “I see my career at a transition period. There were times when things were bad, even ugly, but I loved what I did too much to bow down to the pressure. You've all seen my highs and lows, but you wouldn't appreciate the highs if you had never felt the lows... I had to work damn hard and put a lot of effort to keep my head above the water, and some of my performances are extremely questionable. But it wasn't through lack of effort. Believe me, I never stopped learning and now here I am at the biggest high of my career still wanting to please. That will never change...The success of the ‘Khiladi' films is what made me love cinema even more. I wanted to achieve and give my audience all I could. But this is just the beginning. I have many more ups and downs to come. I'm just wondering will you still support me through it?” Yes We Will!

Spotlight: Katrina Kaif

2010-09-01T20:01:00.000+05:30

If there is any actress that is being discussed all over the industry these days, it is Katrina Kaif. Films, advertising campaigns, gossip headlines... you name it and she is there! Today, Katrina is an actor that has established herself as one of the top stars over the last few years. This spotlight gives me the opportunity to acknowledge her great struggle and effort to become the star that she is today. From her very first step to her unbelievable stardom, we will chronicle this unbelievable success story known as Katrina Kaif.

Like many actresses, Katrina's first step into the glamour world was through modeling. She became a model at the tender age of fourteen while she was living in Hawaii. Of course, she was embraced with open arms due to her stunning good looks. Through the next few years, she continued to model and eventually moved to London. She herself claimed that "modeling has been the base" for her career.

Initially, she hadn't really thought of being an actor. But, as she says, "it happened". From the start, she was always a go-getter but was never sure which dream to pursue. After coming to India and doing a few fashion shows, she started getting offers and before she knew it she was set to act in a film with the Shahenshah of Bollywood, Amitabh Bachchan, in the film Boom. However, critics and audiences panned the film. She then went on to do two South Indian films and her performances got her noticed.

Without a doubt, she was noticed and that too by Salman Khan himself who needs no introduction. The first time he saw her he recognized potential on a personal and professional level. He introduced her to David Dhawan and she bagged a role in his Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya which garnered a great opening due to rumours of the Salman-Kat relationship. She was awarded the Max Stardust Award for Breakthrough Performance Female for MPKK. Shortly after, she was seen in a small role in Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar.

Directors began knocking at her doors due to the freshness she brought to the screen and eventually she was paired with the man who would bring her fame. Two words, ladies and gentleman—the 'kinng' himself, Akshay Kumar. After starring together in Raj Kanwar's Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, the two went on to become the 'it' jodi despite the fact that the film flopped.

Even though the flick did not do well, Katrina walked out a winner having established herself as a strong actress opposite Akshay. Continued buzz around her relationship with Salman Khan also helped her career. Once in an interview she had said, "We (Salman and her) respect each other's privacy. I'm answerable to the media for my professional life, not my personal life."

Even though the media worked in overdrive, churning out rumours rapidly, Katrina continued to be a part of exciting films. She was cast perfectly in Vipul Shah's Namastey London which would become the role of her career. Finally, with this film, again opposite Akshay, she made it clear that she can act. Also, up until this film, her voice was dubbed which had caused her to receive severe criticism. She said, "I can read and speak Hindi quite well now and that's quite an achievement considering I didn't know the language at all when I came down here" But Hindi wasn't the only thing this dedicated actress started working on. She took dancing lessons as well!

Soon after, Apne released which was actually supposed to be her debut film. She was slowly learning the ropes of screen presence and acting and naturally looked good for the camera. The film was a hit as well, but a bigger project was awaiting her just around the corner. Her biggest hit yet is Partner where she co-starred with Govinda and Salman Khan in the remake of Hollywood's Hitch. Though the Salman-Govinda jodi was the most talked about, she was praised as well and added another hit to her repertoire.

On a personal level, Katrina shares insight into who she is, saying, "I am moody... and a Cancerian to the boot. Even a small thing can change my entire mood, but I'm working on that. Besides, I'm also loyal and possessive." Loyal indeed as the actress dealt with nasty news over her personal life in order to maintain a relationship with Salman Khan.

Towards the end of an extremely successful year came Welcome and it too was a super duper hit. In fact, it was the biggest earning comedy of all time! Her fans, who clapped and howled whenever she came on screen, completely loved her in this film. Once again, her chemistry with Akshay was praised and Katrina was known as a lucky mascot as all her films emerged hits! Speaking of her pairing with Akshay, she said, "Akshay is a very dedicated actor and extremely fun on the sets. Me and him are in a great comfort zone as friends and co-stars!"

As awards season rolled around, Katrina performed at several awards shows and bagged a few awards herself. She won the 'Sabsey Favourite Heroine' award which was given after a national survey. She also won the IIFA Style Icon Award and was nominated for the Zee Best Actress award for Namastey London. Without a doubt, she had come a very long way from her Boom days!

Of course her fans adore her, but even the film industry can't get enough of her. Says her co-star Akshay, "When you work with someone, you want to feel comfortable around each other and have chemistry which helps keep the acting process a lot smoother. Katrina is great fun to work with, no-nonsense and easy going" And not only her male co-stars, even her female co-stars have a thing or two to say for her. "Having worked with Katrina in Partner she gives you this huge complex. I think she is really hard working. I think she is really dedicated, she knows this is where she wants to be and she is going to go all out to get it, and I really admire that," says Lara Dutta.

Katrina has given her heart and soul to be where she is today and the girl is still working harder and harder to continue on her path of success. This year, she was part of the massive commercial hit Race. Once again, her looks and acting were praised!

Now, in the month of August, after being given the prestigious FHM Sexiest Woman in the World honor, Kat is headed for another blockbuster. Singh Is Kinng co-starring Akshay Kumar yet again is certain to set cash registers ringing, giving Katrina the 'Numero Uno Heroine' throne!

In the future, she will be seen in Blue, Yuvraaj, Ajab Ghazab Ki Prem Kahani and Rajniti. With films like these, she is all set to blow all other actresses away!

Katrina Kaif's career leaped from a no-show to the biggest show. Now while she is riding high on success, she is managing to stay humble and keep her head above water. Who cannot adore this girl?

As the saying goes, you can love her or hate her, but you can't ignore her!

Why I Love Rahul Bose

2010-09-01T19:58:00.005+05:30

Believe it or not, these words come from the mouth of an actor who has been in some of the most acclaimed movies Indian cinema has seen. He has even won awards on a international level, namely the Best Asian Actor in the Singapore Film Festival 2000. Rahul Bose is one such actor who does not hide behind any veils nor does he shy away from the truth. He openly acknowledges his underrated or less recognized status in the Hindi film industry, makes jokes about the fact that he is nowhere as good looking as people like Tom Cruise and admits that he has done a few movies inspired from Hollywood. Try and name three actors that do these things as frequently as Bose and I guarantee you'll have a bit of trouble!

Time Magazine called him ‘the superstar of art house cinema’ and never has there been more truthful words written. The actor started setting screens on fire in 1994 when he debuted in Dev Benegal’s English August after which he decided to migrate to the small screen to feature in the first English serial to be produced in India titled A Mouthful of Sky. Rahul then continued his adventure in the art house arena until 2001 when he made his credible debut as a director for Everybody Says I am Fine. The movie was not only highly acclaimed but Rahul also got an Honourable Mention at the John Schlesinger Awards in 2003. Commercial Indian cinema enthusiasts were still quite aloof to this powerhouse of talent until the award winning Mr and Mrs Iyer which got several awards at various film festivals. As far as your average film-goer is concerned, this film put Rahul slightly on the map. After Mr and Mrs Iyer, Rahul started becoming a more familiar face to Hindi film audiences as he featured in popular movies like Jhankaar Beats, Chameli, 15 Park Avenue and Pyaar Ke Side Effects. Pyaar Ke Side Effects was the movie that really got Rahul noticed in commercial cinema as not only was the movie a success at the box office but audiences really enjoyed the unique style of story telling and the amazing chemistry between Rahul and Mallika Sherawat, the leading lady of the film.

As they say, the rest is history. Even today as Rahul has become a common face, he still stays true to the kind of cinema he believes in. He continues to feature in several 'art house' films, some of which will be releasing soon. The next few years will be even more exciting in the life of Rahul Bose as he returns to directing with his second project based on Mohsin Hamid’s 'Moth Smoke'. 'Moth Smoke' promises to be filled with darkness balanced out with sweetness which Rahul believes is the direct opposite to darkness when it comes to films. Rahul claims the movie will be poetic but very dark. A definite must watch!

Apart from his obvious passion for cinema, Rahul grew up on theatre, boxing and rugby. And if you thought the actor is already full of surprises wait till you hear this; Rahul has played for the National Orange Rugby Team as well! Leaving sports behind and moving on to more serious things, Rahul takes a special interest in community service as well. He supported the relief efforts for the Boxing Day Tsunami tragedy as well supported anti-discrimination for the NGO foundation.

Fans adore him for his cinematic passion, his honesty and his dedicated yet fun-loving personality. If you’re under the impression that he's a stern and serious man because of his choice of films, you should think again! Whilst staying so dedicated to his work, Rahul doesn’t forget to have fun whether it is in an interview with Karan Johar or on the sets of his movies.

However what makes you believe in this actor is the fact that when speaks about a film, his opinion on cinema or anything for that matter, you can see the intelligence behind everything he says. He's not one to make statements without backing them up, which is a great relief. When Rahul Bose speaks his mind, they are logical and well-researched opinions and facts. Now this is what you call a thinking actor!

He knows how the industry works and doesn’t whine about its flaws or the fact that actors like him have lesser chance of getting recognized than actors who have glamorous debuts, have the surname 'Khan' or can boast of six-pack abs. He knows the industry would be the same without him but he still is here because of his love for cinema. He treats cinema like the piece of art that it is meant to be and not a commercial rat race that centres around box office figures.

A perfect example of this relates to his recent release, Shaurya. Rahul was constantly hounded by the media because of the fact that the film was inspired by Hollywood's A Few Good Men and also because Kay Kay Menon stole most of the limelight. Unlike most actors, Rahul didn’t hopelessly defend the first accusation and didn’t reply unprofessionally about the second. The actor professionally and sincerely stated that he knew the movie was inspired and this didn’t matter to him as he liked the movie. He also added that for a movie to work there has to be a strong personality on screen and he didn't mind if it wasn't him. Spoken like a true actor! This shows his ability to put a film before himself, which is an incredible quality. He doesn’t necessarily follow a tried and tested commercial success formula which seems to be the trend at the moment. At a time when the film industry conveniently and frequently forgets that cinema is a form of art, it is rather refreshing to encounter personalities like Rahul Bose.

So let this be a tribute to an actor who despite being inconsequential to the industry in which he resides, still manages to stand out in a crowd. In the years to come we hope and know that this actor will surely continue to shine more and more with every passing film. Most of all, we here at Bollyspice continue to wait eagerly until the day that the industry realizes just how consequential Rahul Bose is to it.

Ten Reasons Why I Love Mallika Sherawat

2010-09-01T19:58:00.002+05:30

Despite being labelled Bollywood's hottest sex symbol, Mallika Sherawat has time and time again proven that she's much more than that. She can act, she can dance and she can certainly grab headlines--no one can deny that Miss Sherawat knows how to make Bollywood sway to her tune.

The first reason I love Mallika Sherawat is because of what she isn't. What she is not is a throwaway sex symbol, the likes of which you may stumble across in any of the back lanes of Bollywood, Hollywood or any -ollywood for that matter!

What she is, first-and-foremost, is an actress. As we have seen in Ugly aur Pagli and soon in Maan Gaye Mughall-e-Azam, she has perfect comic timing, a very rare attribute that can only come from deep within. But in addition to that, she can also play demure and confused characters as she did in the much-underacted Murder opposite Emraan Hashmi. Soon, we hope to see her in her most sensuous and possibly most threatening avatar as Naagin, the Snake Goddess, in the Jennifer Lynch movie that may just possibly launch her on the international stage in the way that she deserves.

Mallika, born Reema Lamba, came into this world on October 24th, 1981 in Karnal, Haryana. She adopted the name Mallika Sherawat to avoid confusion with another actress – Mallika means 'Empress' and Sherawat is her mother's maiden name. She chose to use her mother's name as a gesture of thanks for all the support her mother has given her – and that's the second reason I love Mallika, she's such a decent, well-brought-up woman. For example, earlier this year, she walked out of Kundan Shah's movie Masquerade, it's rumoured, because she felt unhappy about being asked to use foul language in the role of a prostitute.

The third reason is that she's intelligent. She's a graduate in Indian philosophy from Delhi University and her knowledge and background will no doubt be a great asset on the set of Naagin. When she speaks in interviews, her answers reflect a person who really knows what they're talking about. This girl's no bimbo.

After a short and disastrous marriage, she made the right decision and jumped ship, packed her bags and followed her childhood dream to Bollywood. That takes guts! She made her movie debut in Khwahish in 2003 which stunned everyone with its seventeen sexy kisses. Suddenly, she was the 'Bollywood Bombshell'! But it was Murder in 2004 that first made people look up and see her as an actress. The film went on to become one of the biggest hits of the year with more twists and turns in the last twenty minutes than a corkscrew. For her role in this film, she was deservedly nominated for the Zee Cine Award for Best Actress. This is the film, by the way, in case you'd forgotten, that has the amazing lip-locking scene with Emraan.

In 2005, she took a risk by appearing in the Chinese movie The Myth opposite Jackie Chan and this is the fourth reason that I love Mallika – she's prepared to take a risk with her career and try different things. She's also very careful about her movie choices and doesn't play the typical Bollywood game of trying to produce as many as possible in the shortest time available. Never one to take a back seat, when she accompanied Jackie to the Cannes Film Festival for the premiere of the movie, she wore such stunning outfits that she soon became the centre of attention, flocked by photographers with Jackie grinning and looking a bit bemused on the sidelines.

Pyaar Ke Side Effects in 2006 also won her many plaudits as she appeared opposite Rahul Bose. This was followed by one of her staggering item numbers on screen, titled 'Mayya Mayya' from the film Guru in 2007. This leads me to the fifth reason why I love Mallika – boy, she can dance! For her magnetic item number in Aap Ka Suroor in the same year, she was reportedly paid 1.5 crore for a 10-minute performance.

2007 also saw a very good performance from her in the movie Welcome which incidentally ran into some problems in Pakistan because of its sexy scenes, almost reversing the policy of opening-up that Pakistan had been extending toward Bollywood. However, it has been in 2008 that Mallika is finally leaping into superstar status. Firstly there was the huge Kollywood movie Dasavathaaram (Ten Avatars) built around the chaos theory and the butterfly effect. It brings together the lives of ten very different people (all played by Kamal Hassan) prior to the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004 that killed a quarter of a million people. It's a staggering production and Mallika is very strong as the lead actress. It also leads me to the sixth reason why I love Mallika – she is absolutely at ease with her sexuality. Appearing in public at the launch of the movie, she was criticised by some Hindu organisations for wearing a skimpy dress and sitting with her legs crossed. So, she's not too popular with the Hindu traditionalists, but definitely has lots of fans elsewhere! Recently, it was rumoured that Playboy magazine would like to feature Mallika but – being a good girl – she politely declined. She was also recently voted the most fantasized-about woman in India by young Indian men.

More recently, she has been in Ugly aur Pagli opposite Ranvir Shorey and now as the most beautiful Anarkali ever in Maan Gaye Mughall-e-Azam. Despite some extraordinary acting from Mallika, Ugly aur Pagli did not capture the imagination of the public as much as the producers would have wanted but the previews of Maan Gaye… suggest she's really going to hit back with this one. The film also stars Rahul Bose. In the movie, she plays Shabnam, a small town girl married to the producer of a small travelling theatre show. She's bored and believes that life must surely offer more exciting than what she currently has.

The seventh reason I love Mallika is that she's really very sweet. She recently left her trailer on the set of Maan Gaye… looking stunned and dazed. When questioned, she said she'd just seen the ghost of Madhubala in her trailer – Madhubala of course was the star of the original Mughal-e-Azam. A member of the unit said, "Mallika was too stunned to react! She told us that she saw a ghost of Madhubala. It may sound unbelievable but these things happen and there's no logic behind it."

And the eighth reason is a genuine love for her professionalism. The director of the movie, Sanjay Chhel, asked her to play the cello in the sea for one scene. Despite being battered by a huge wave, she dragged herself back to her feet and insisted they shoot the scene that the director wanted.

The ninth reason for loving Mallika is – well, she is a little bit of a dominatrix, isn't she? One gets the impression that she wasn't acting all that much in Ugly aur Pagli. And men like that attitude in a woman! She once said on 'Koffee with Karan' that she wants her man to be subservient to her! Recently, she was appearing with her co-star Paresh Rawal on a children's TV programme to promote Maan Gaye… Paresh turned up looking casual in his pyjama and kurta and Mallika insisted that he smarten himself up a bit and demanded that the producer provide Paresh with a suit for the show. Needless to say, both men snapped to attention and Paresh appeared looking very smart in the borrowed suit.

What's up next for Mallika? Fauj Mein Mauj should be a crackerjack of a movie – it's a comedy where the sexiest woman in India (guess who?) becomes the first woman to join the infantry division in the Indian Army and this could be followed by an American movie, Unveiled, a thriller, where Mallika is a woman whose life is closing in on her and she escapes by taking the identity of a recently deceased friend – only to find she's jumped from the frying pan into the fire.

And that's the tenth, and most important, reason I love Mallika. She's never ever boring. There's always a new direction in her life, a new angle that she's exploring. She's bright, articulate, sensitive, spunky and sexy – what more could any man want?

Spotlight: Arjun Rampal

2010-09-01T19:57:00.005+05:30

A hot model. A sexy actor. A great father. These are just a few qualities of the man we all know as Arjun Rampal. He started out as a model and became one of the greatest rising stars Bollywood has ever seen. From Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabbat to Don and Om Shanti Om, Arjun has proven himself to be flexible and quite versatile. Cousin to another Bollywood star, Kim Sharma, Arjun has yet to reach the goal of ruling Bollywood.

Born on November 26, 1972, nobody would have known that a young boy who grew up in the small town of Jabalpur would end up being an up and rising star in the Bollywood film industry. Standing at an amazing six foot two, Arjun has made wonders in just eight years. Son of Gwen and Amarjeet Rampal, Arjun went to study, along with is sister, at Kodaikanal International School, a boarding school in Palani Hills where his mother was a teacher. He then went to college but did not have much interest in his studies. He, in fact, was interested in girls. Well, boys will be boys... though he did well in his studies too.

When he was 17, he wouldn't have thought that going to a discotheque would be his first step into the entertainment world. Discovered and launched by Rohit Bal, a famous designer, Arjun became one of the well sought out models and became Rohit’s protégé in the modeling world. There, he first met his wife, former Miss India and supermodel Mehr Jessia. They both got married soon after in 1997.

You might have remembered seeing him for the first time in Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabat acting alongside Aftab Shivdasani and Suneil Shetty; but his first debut film was actually Moksha. Moksha was released after Pyar Ishq Aur Mohabat and Deewanapan in which he acted opposite newcomer Dia Mirza. In the same year, he was seen with model Namrata Baruah in a music video 'Do Not Marry' which was directed by Rajiv Rai. Unfortunately, both films did not fare well enough to earn him much recognition as an actor, but they did give him a head start in the film industry. Some even said that Arjun shines in his first ever debut. He dismissed every single belief that “models have wooden faces.”

Arjun was awarded in the International India Film Academy (IIFA) Award for Face of The Year in 2002, the same year his eldest daughter Mahikaa was born. Though his first few films did not do well, Arjun has never admitted defeat and continued acting in various other roles. He has worked with Preity Zinta and Mahima Chaudhary in Dil Hai Tumhara as Dev Khanna, Aankhen with Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan as Arjun Verma and even with Aishwarya Rai in Dil Ka Rishta as Jai Mehta. One of his well appreciated performances came when he portrayed the character of Salim Mirza in Tehzeeb. The movie also stared the talented Shabana Azmi and Urmila Matondkar. Slowly, he managed his way up the ladder of fame.

In 2004, Arjun only had one movie, Asambhav, in which he acted with Priyanka Chopra. The reason for just one release was due to Arjun working day and night for a concert tour. Arjun was seen on stage with Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, and Priyanka Chopra in the Temptations 2004 Concert, going around the world and having the girls swoon over his body and physique.

The very next year, Arjun appeared as an ex-cop in the multi starer Elaan which didn’t fare well at the box office but his performance was appreciated. Yakeen also released that year and Arjun was seen in a very complex role opposite Priyanka. Arjun had a taste of playing the hurt villain in Vaada as Rahul, the accidentally blind husband, and in Ek Ajnabee as the sexy Shekhar with Amitabh Bachchan. On June 2005, fates shone on him once more as his second daughter, Myra, was born.

Arjun began experimenting with more different kinds of genres in 2006. He played Rohit in Humko Tumse Pyar Hai and Kunal in Darna Zaroori Hai, a sequel for the suspense thriller Darna Mana Hai. He also had a guest appearance in Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna, a multi starer movie directed by Karan Johar. Soon after that, Arjun was offered a role in Farhan Akhtar's Don, a remake of the original which was released in 1978. He had yet another chance to work with Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra as Jasjit, a father separated from his son and wife. This role was played by Pran in the original Don. In comparison, Don did feature him as a second lead and provided him ample opportunity and screen time, especially considering the fact that the film was an out and out SRK starer. Farhan said that while Pran did well as Jasjit in the old role, he needed to portray Arjun as young and trendy. Young and trendy is what Farhan asked for, young and trendy is what Arjun delivered.

Arjun then decided to work as a producer while acting in his film, I See You, alongside model turned actress, Vipasha Agarwal. He managed Chasing Ganesha, his home production company, with his wife Mehr Jessia. Though the film had Shahrukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan in a surprise guest appearance, it did not do well at the box office.

Do you remember the character Mukesh Mehra? Or better known as Mikey? That is one of the most remembered roles of Arjun. In 2007, Arjun was casted by Farah Khan in her movie Om Shanti Om, alongside Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. His role as the antagonist Mukesh won him two awards for Best Actor in a Negative Role. Tricky, vicious, sly and drop dead gorgeous were all weapons of Arjun in this movie. Even though he appeared as a supporting actor, Arjun once again shone through with his own unique personality and style in the movie. He made the role look entirely different from any other. You know, like how the other older villains used to shout to the other henchmen, "Kitne admi hain!?!" Arjun wasn't like that. He didn't have any henchmen, he worked alone. He didn't shout much either. In fact, he hissed a lot which I find quite sexy actually.

In an interview with CNN-IBN, Arjun was asked how difficult it was to get into character. He replied "It was definitely one of the tougher characters that I have played. I have never done a role like that; I don't know anyone like that and do not associate myself with people like that. So it was tough to work on it. But I think I had to work on different expressions and the way this guy would think. It's heavy-duty stuff and I don’t want to bore you with it." He certainly didn't bore us with his role. Even Deepika admired Arjun’s work, especially how much he has improved as an actor though he had originally started out as a model just like her.

Arjun always has his fans and Hindi film audiences guessing about what he might do next. He has this thing for being unpredictable, be it movie-wise or reality-wise. Even in T.V. interviews, he has kept quite about many stories of his upcoming releases – a prime example being the plotline and his character in the newly released Rock On!! in which he is seen as a guitarist in a rock band. According to Farhan Akhtar, Arjun's costar in the movie, "His performance in this movie is probably the best of his career thus far." The film was released on Friday, the 29th of August. It is directed by Abhishek Kapoor and stars Purab Kohli, Luke Kenny, Prachi Desai, and Shahana Goswami alongside Arjun and Farhan. Arjun will also be seen with Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, and Shefali Shah in The Last Lear due to release on September 12th.

I must admit, I have never... not once... seen any interviews of Arjun, but I don't need to see them to know about the kind of person he is. Arjun Rampal... the great young man that has the looks, the moves, the personality and the family every man wants. There have never been any bad news or controversy associated with him. From working on the ramp to being in the spotlight in Bollywood, Arjun has proven to everyone that anyone can be a someone one day.

You can honestly say that just by hearing his name, 'Arjun Rampal', you will have that image of Mukesh Mehra from Om Shanti Om in mind or Shekhar from Ek Ajnabee. The all knowing smile and a cute face that makes you all go "Oooo I wanna pinch his cheeks!" Well, let's just say we wish to know more about Arjun Rampal – the sweet hunk of Bollywood.

Spotlight: Randeep Hooda

2010-09-01T19:57:00.002+05:30

He debuted with perhaps one of the most unique roles of all time. Leading him into the world of cinema was one of the most remarkable makers Indian cinema has seen till date, Mira Nair. Randeep Hooda certainly made heads turn with his charming looks and enticing Australian accent in Mira Nair's 2001 release Monsoon Wedding. Little did Bollywood audiences know that this boyish face would soon be dominating channels for various reasons, be it his off-screen relationships or controversies with filmmakers. Randeep Hooda faced it all and took everything in his stride.

Born in Haryana to a politician mother and a surgeon father, Randeep Hooda chased his career expecting it to end somewhere in the world of business. Fate, however, had other plans. After studying in Melbourne, Australia and receiving his Bachelors degree in Marketing and Human Resources, Randeep returned home to India to face the truth of his dreams. He had always wanted to be an actor, and it was about time he chased that dream.

His Australian accent made him the ideal for the role of Rahul Chadha in Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding in which he played an NRI from Australia. Anyone who was quick to judge after Monsoon Wedding probably expected to see this handsome face back on screen perhaps with another big international project, or something along the same lines. However, Randeep surprised all and went right down to his roots and reappeared on screen as Ajay Doshi in Ram Gopal Verma's D which tackled RGV's favorite genre of the underworld. Soon after, Randeep was seen again in a Ramu project named Darna Zaroori Hai, and he revisited the underworld genre with the 2007 release Risk.

His fans were greatly disappointed when they had to wait four years after Monsoon Wedding to see Randeep back on screen, but the dedicated actor had disappeared for a very valid reason. Upon watching Monsoon Wedding, Randeep decided that he had a long way to go before he could truly call himself an actor, and so four years were spent under the watchful eyes of Naseerudin Shah (incidentally his costar from Monsoon Wedding) who helped him learn more about his craft.

The next big thing in Randeep's life was acquiring the international project Karma, Confessions and Holi which had its fair share of limelight even before the release much thanks to its impressive cast. It consists of many acclaimed international artists including Naomi Campbell and of course Randeep and Sushmita Sen, who at the time were the most hot and happening jodi in town. Unfortunately the movie, despite having very promising promos, is yet to hit cinemas and hopefully does sometime this century!

Rumors to this much hyped relationship slowly died down. Randeep was never affected by anything the media wrote as he refers to himself as having thick skin when it comes to the media. In other words, all other journalists reading this, write all you want but no one is about to grab his attention with lousy link-ups anytime soon! The actor is firmly set in his place with his eyes on the goal, and controversies and competition coming his way are just like passing trees on a journey. He lives by the quote "slow to rise, slow to fall" and we're sure this will be very true in Randeep's case. However, regardless of the fact that the outside world has a very limited effect on Randeep, he still strongly holds belief in the box office as he regards it as a measure of how far his movies reach. And let's just say that this actor's boundaries are like none others. Randeep wants his movies to reach other planets! Well, with his talent and looks, combined with the variety of promising projects in his bag, he is surely prepared to travel down that path!

In terms of the variety of projects, Randeep has a lot to unveil to his audiences in the coming months. Firstly, there is Ru Ba Ru which released on Friday the 12th and is an enchanting love story, starring Randeep and the new found talent Shahana Goswami. Randeep plays a man who takes everything for granted in life including his love, only to have been delivered a rude awakening. After Ru Ba Ru, Randeep will be seen in Love Khichidi which stars numerous beautiful leading ladies. The movie revolves around the difference in one's perception of love and what it actually is. Randeep sees it as being one of the most honest movies of recent times and claims it to also be one of the most entertaining releases of his career.

Further down the list is another international project titled Rang Rasiya which will be releasing in English with the title Colors of Passions. This release promises to be the bio pic of the life of Raja Ravi Verma, the legendry painter. In addition, Randeep is said to have played 18 characters for another project titled Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye. Girls, if you thought you didn't get enough of him, wait till you see this one! Last but not the least, there is the most awaited superhero movie which is meant to be the head turner in Randeep's career. Randeep calls it a humanized superhero film. But it's not as sweet as Krissh, he claims. So there you go! The actor is really ready to kick up a storm in Indian cinema! And who knows where else he'll go with his international projects!

Well for now we know the talent, we know the brains that work the talent and we know the beautiful face that graces it. All we can do now is wait for everything to unveil! He's over five years old in the industry and he's still only getting started. In the words of Shahrukh Khan "picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!"

Focus on Imran Khan

2010-09-01T19:56:00.002+05:30

"Whatever I chose in life would have to have been connected to films. I love every single aspect of movies, so as long as I get the chance to be a part of making a film, I'm happy." - Imran Khan

On April 27th, 2008, the world got its first glance at one of the most exciting actors to enter Bollywood. On his blog, Aamir Khan wrote: "This will be the first film of my nephew Imran, I think I'll post a photo of him. Tell me what you think of the promo, and him" and you could here sighs from all over the world. This young actor's first film was to set the box office on fire and though Imran Khan came from a filmi family his path to Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na was done all on his own. With the release of his second film Kidnap opening on Wednesday October 1st, we thought we would tell you a bit more about the newest star in Bollywood.

Imran Khan Pal was born on January 13th, 1983 in Madison, Wisconsin to Nuzhat Khan and Anil Pal. His parents divorced before he was two and he lived with his mother. They moved to Bombay and he attended many different schools, starting with the Bombay Scottish School, but things did not go well there. Imran said, "By the time I was in Class IV, I had a stammer, all kinds of nervous tics. I was close to flunking." So Nuzhat moved him to Blue Mountain School in Coonoor and when the headmaster started his own school in the jungles of Ooty, Nuzhat moved him there. Imran gave some details about the school in an interview saying, "From 10 to 15, I was in a school in the Nilgiris. They didn't even have a name and on an average there were about 25 students. It was in a village called Geddai, about 3 hours down the hill from Ooty. Where we were staying was outside the village, about 6 km in the jungle. There was no electricity, no water and there were wild animals. You didn't have to walk far to see wild boars. We had kerosene lamps for light, we got water from the stream, we grew our own vegetable and cooked our food and washed our clothes. We had built the dorms we stayed in; we actually built our own swimming pool. I was there for 8 months of the year. After every four months I would back to Bombay for 2 months. But when you spend so much time in nature, you get a little frazzled when you come here. The noise, pollution and the overwhelming energies of the people...Also there it was scarcely populated."

Reading this part of his history you would not think he is part of a filmi family, however his grandfather was director Nasir Hussain and he has some pretty impressive uncles, including the famous director Mansoor Khan, as well as the superstar Aamir Khan. Since he was part of that illustrious family, being in films was his destiny. It was Mansoor Khan who gave him his first break in Bollywood at the tender age of three, when Imran starred as the younger version of Aamir Khan's character Raj in Qaymat Se Qaymat Tak. As a young boy, Imran would also be seen in another Aamir Khan film, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar. Imran said, "I had a slightly larger role. There was direction, different kinds of scene. That was great fun to do. Mansoor mamu put a lot of care into my performance. Aamir mamu would make it a point to put my make up on himself. When he would come on set he would personally do my makeup."

The film industry bug had bitten and as he grew he became more and more interested in acting and films. Throughout his teens he would make his own videos: "As a child, I was into writing and making short films. One of the first few films I made was along the lines of Star Wars. I used a handy cam to shoot a short film about a few friends and me exploring another planet. People at home were very supportive. Mansoor mamu would advise me on the technical aspects of film-making."

At age 16 he moved to California to live with his father in Freemont to finish high school. His next step would start him on the path of being part of the industry he loved since he was a child. Imran went to film school and studied directing and writing at the prestigious New York Film Academy in Los Angles and graduated with a degree in Film Studies-Direction.

So how did a boy who studied in the jungles of India and learned film direction in LA come to star in one of the biggest hits in 2008? After film school, when Imran returned to Mumbai, he had no desire to be an actor but then came the fateful meeting with Abbas Tyrewala. "I wanted to be a director. I've studied in L.A. And worked there for a while. I came back to Mumbai and was meeting people to find work. And throughout all this, I met Abbas. We just really clicked from day one. I loved the script and my character and he was so convinced that I was the right guy for it that I went with it. " After a couple of screen tests Abbas knew Imran was perfect for the part. Imran took one day to think and then said haa.n.

Since the cast of Jaane Tu was full of young actors, Abbas decided to take a unique approach to prepare them all for the film, "Abbas took all six of us plus Manju, who is not in the poster, to Panchgani and we spent about a week or ten days there doing workshops. He put the boys in one room and the girls in a separate room. He told us to live together and learn to deal with one another and wanted us to come out eventually as a team. We did scene breakdowns; team building exercises and came out of it as one unit. We were like a team, which works perfectly, and the chemistry was just remarkable," Imran explained.

After that first picture on Aamir's blog and before Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na even premiered, his fans at ImranKhan.org tried to decide what it was about him that they loved, even if they had not yet heard him utter a word. First and foremost, as fans are of course going to think, they all thought was that he is just down right cute, but also can be really handsome and sexy at the same time. Many mentioned that they loved his expressions, with one fan saying, "He can deliver so many emotions at once, I just loved it! He looks adorable, full of energy and youth." His screen presence that was another biggie! They all saw a huge potential in him! Another said, "Well, I've been thinking about him since a year or so, since I heard Aamir will be launching his nephew. I didn't know anything about him but already had great expectations, as I trust Aamir's taste and intuitions 100%. Then, when I saw the trailers, his look, and how excited and involved Aamir was about him, I knew I was going to loooove him." Once the first promo premiered, the buzz around Jaane Tu got bigger and bigger, the expectations for him got higher, and we still hadn't heard him speak. Then came the voice, the sighs were heard all over again (even more this time) and it was clear that a new rising star was on the horizon.

Finally after months of counting off the days, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na premiered in theaters on July 4th, 2008 and everyone, critics and fans alike, knew a star was born. In his review for Bollyspice.com, Aly Kassam wrote, "Immense anticipation has accompanied the debut of Imran Khan, as he bears the weighty title of being 'Aamir Khan's nephew'. He certainly impresses, and you can tell he's worked hard to make his performance work. His facial expressions and body language is fantastic, he looks the part completely. For the most part he's wonderful, but there are a few sequences in which you wish he'd try to get into the skin of the character more. Sometimes, and I mean only during a few lines here and there, his acting was slightly superficial. Nevertheless, the man has a long and extremely promising future ahead of him. It doesn't matter what he does next or how many films he signs, 'Rats' will always be an iconic character for him." Jaane Tu had a huge opening weekend and is one of the biggest hits of 2008.

Aamir mamu was also impressed with Imran's performance saying, "Imran has a good screen presence. The camera loves him and that's a big asset for any actor. He's also a good dancer; but he still has a long way to go. He should extract the optimum out of the opportunity that he has got at a young age." However, Imran is a true nephew of Aamir and was not at all happy with his performance, "I do feel that my performance was very raw. Honestly I cringe whenever I watch the film but I'm not going to give up. I'm going to work harder and get better. However some of the rawness seems to have worked in favour of the character. And ultimately if it suits the film nothing else matters."

Imran is continuing on the acting path and he has a great way of deciding what films he would like to be a part of. "I read a script or listen to a narration and imagine I'm watching a film. By the end, if I think I'd spend money to watch it, I go ahead."

Apparently Kidnap met that requirement, and on October 1st fans will see Imran playing a character on the opposite side of the spectrum from Jai. "My role in Kidnap is as different as it is possible to get from Jaane Tu. It didn't just come to me, nor did it come easy." In talking a bit more about the character he said, "In Kidnap, I play a fairly troubled, angsty and violent character. I think it's very interesting, hope you guys will think so too!" The film also stars Sanjay Dutt and on the first day of filming Imran was a bit nervous, "I was nervous and kept fumbling my lines. So I apologized to him. He reacted by giving me a hug and telling me to chill." Also seen in the film are Vidya Malavade and Minissha Lamba.

Also in the pipeline is Luck, which is directed by Soham (Kaal). The action adventure film also stars Shruti Hassan, Mithun Chakraborty, Danny Denzongpa and Sanjay Dutt. About the concept of the film he said, "Well the film deals with luck as an actual commodity. What effect it has on those round you and how luck can affect your life more than you realise. Its an adventure film."

Imran was recently asked what the difference was between his characters in Jaane Tu, Kidnap and Luck and he replied, "I found my character in Kidnap the hardest, simply because I couldn't find any common ground with him. Jai was easy for me to relate to, and my character in Luck is also easier for me to understand. Kidnap, though... I loved the script, loved the character, but man, was I in over my head. Major credit to Sanjay Gadhvi, the director, for having more faith in me than I did, and helping me through the film. Ultimately though, I'm mostly happy with the work I've done, and I've got a good feeling about it."

His fans have a good feeling about it too! With his gorgeous looks, soulful eyes and incredible intelligence, Imran Khan has made his mark in Bollywood, with only one film. Though he comes from a filmi family, they each tread their own path, and Imran certainly seems to be going the right way. After his phenomenal debut one can only expect this young actor to grow and give audiences some brilliant performances. All his fans can do now is wait and watch and cheer when each new film comes out! We here at BollySpice know that he will continue to thrill audiences with his performances to come and one day with the films he directs himself!

Fun Facts:

Jaane Tu actually took 3 years to come to the screen and it was only when Aamir took over as producer and brought in Mansoor Khan that it finally was completed. After they saw the first cut of Jaane Tu Abbas and Imran hated it, but Aamir and Mansoor said, "Relax. It's a damn good movie and you just can't see it yet!"

In a recent chat Imran revealed his first shot in Jaane Tu, "The first was with Jai and Meghna walking in the park. The scene was ultimately cut from the film but you will probably find it on the DVD. I was not at all nervous." He also revealed what favorite scene was: "My favourite scene in Jaane Tu was what we on set called 'The Farewell Scene'. Jai and Aditi sitting by the waterfront, talking about her going to America, and Jai finally noticing the bruise on her face. I did that scene in my original audition for the film, and then again with several actresses who tested for the film, and I've loved it every time." His favorite song? 'Kahin To'

When Abbas wanted him to wear the red sari in Jaane Tu he told him he had lost his mind.

Voted the Most Promising Newcomer at Buzz 18.

At the chat on Buzz 18 with fans, Imran was asked what the hardest thing about acting is, and he replied. "For me, the two hardest things about acting (in no particular order) are: 1. Light, charming, flamboyant scenes. I'm such a somber person; the darkness comes easily to me, but not the other stuff. I have to work hard at that. And 2. Makeup. I hate it. More than anything. It's sticky, it rubs off on your clothes, on your hands if you happen to touch your face during a scene, on the walls if... you happen to rub your face on a wall. For whatever reason."

Plans to direct films one day but feels that acting will teach him and give him a lot of experience.
Aamir revealed about Jo Jeeta, "He is the first Indian hero to show his rear to the audience." Imran replied, " ...Even before Saawariya. Whatever happens, Ranbir can't take that from me.

He never liked Aamir growing up. Aamir used to tease him and he also would take him out and use him to meet girls. Best advice from Aamir mamu: "Find your own way. From choosing your director and script, learn everything the hard way."

Speaking of Aamir, Imran has signed on to be part of his next film Delhi Belly.

While at the New York Film Academy in LA he made many short films and about those first films he said they were, "clichés full of static shots of cigarette smoke."

When he was 14 he worked at a crocodile farm.

Imran has a very high IQ.

He is a book addict and can have 50-60 books stacked around his room.

Avid movie buff...mainly Western films but is catching up on his Hindi films. His favorites include: A Fish Called Wanda, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Life is Beautiful, Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and Amar, Akbar, Anthony, and Rebel Without a Cause.

Favourite directors include Michael Mann and Vidhu Vinod Chopra

Favourite Actors (Male): Aamir Khan (of course), James Dean, Jack Nicholson, Sushant Singh, Atul Kulkarni and "Hrithik Roshan. I haven't missed out even a single film of his. I follow his works thoroughly because for me he is an object of admiration."

Favourite Actors (Female): Kareena Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit, Charlize Theron, Konkona Sen Sharma and "Juhi Chawla. I even proposed marriage to her when I was three years old. I even gave her a small ring. She accepted my proposal but three days back, I wanted the ring back. I'm pretty ashamed of myself. Till this day, Juhi jokes that I broke her heart."

Favourite Bands: The Beatles, Hendrix, Led Zepplin, Springsteen

He and girlfriend Avantika have been dating for 6 years. She actually had a cameo in Jaane Tu. "We met at a friend's place. He had invited a bunch of people over for dinner, and there we all were. I'd never seen her before; she'd never seen me. We just ended up chatting with one another, and kind of kept on chatting. One thing led to another, next thing I knew it was six years later and journalists are asking me how we met... strange."

"My friends call me the most boring person on Earth. I hate parties, hate clubs, and am not really fond of going places so I tend to drag them all over to my house."

He lives in a yellow house, his favorite couch is blue, and every 6 months he changes the color scheme inside his house.

Has a dog named Kajri, a cat called Bonnet (so named because he was found in the bonnet of Avantika's car) and two more cats.

Was asked for ten adjectives that describes him and he answered, "Quiet, stubborn, loyal, introspective, cheesy, calm, amiable, polite, frank, simple. As you learn more about me (through various means) you'll understand why."

Also a trained bartender, and was trained by the guy who taught Tom Cruise for Cocktail.

Before coming to Mumbai he worked as a camera operator for a few months on a reality show that never got picked up.

Also had a script stolen by a TV channel.

On the chat he wrote: "Am always glad to interact with fans, it's my second favourite thing to do (after the actual process of making films... sorry, that takes precedence). You're the reason I'm in the movies; it's all about entertaining people."

Focus on Sanjay Dutt

2010-09-01T19:51:00.002+05:30

In the Summer of 1959, the 29th of July to be exact, an icon was born. His name is Sanjay Balraj Dutt, or more commonly known as Sanju Baba. Sanjay Dutt, one of Bollywood's most talented celebrities, has acted in hundreds of films including Hathyar, Saajan, Khalnayak and of course his memorable performances in the Munnabhai films. It is not only for his films that Sanju Baba has made headlines. His personal life has had some controversy including his arrest, even with that he still remains one of the greatest actors ever.

Sanjay Dutt was born to Sunil Dutt and Nargis, two of the finest stars in classic Bollywood. He also has two sisters, Namrata Dutt and Priya Dutt, the latter being a member of the Indian National Congress as a Member Of Parliament for Lok Sabha, Mumbai North West.

Nargis died from pancreatic cancer on May 3, 1981, only a few weeks before Sanjay's first film, Rocky, was to be released. Stricken and depressed, Sanjay took solace in drugs and became involved with anti-social parties. His father helped him by getting him back on the right track and Sanjay went to a rehab centre in Texas. In 1987, Sanjay Dutt married his first wife, the Late Richa Sharma. Richa was also an actress, who first appeared in Hum Naujawan in 1985. A year after their marriage, a baby girl was born and they named her Trishala. Sadly, just a few months after Trishala's birth, Richa was diagnosed with brain cancer and the couple split soon after. Richa and Trishala went to stay with her parents while Sanjay went on with his career.

Sanjay Dutt became known in the 80's as a dream boy turned bad boy. In 1993, Sanjay had a breakthrough role in Khalnayak as Ballu, the notorious criminal. You might still remember him as the one who wore that outrageous batman-like suit and cowboy hat and danced around with a silly grin on his face. Yup, that is him alright.

However, it was in that same year that Sanjay was arrested for connections to the Bombay Bombings and was sentenced to an 18 month jail term. Sanjay was charged with possession of illegal arms, ammunitions and a bomb vest. It was also during this time that news about him and his long time girlfriend, Rhea Pillai, hit the headlines. Rhea was seen standing alongside Sanjay during his jail term and every step of the way. Sanjay was released on bail and was given outstanding support by the people around him, including many of his fans. In 1998, Sanjay proposed to Rhea on Valentine’s Day and they got married the next night.

Again, luck was not on his side and the next few years would be tough in the actors personal life. His love life with Rhea dissipated a few years later, and they began living separately though bonded by marriage. On May 25, 2005, Sunil Dutt died in his sleep from a heart attack. In 2006, the court passed verdict that Sanjay was found guilty under the Arms Act of possessing an illegal weapon, but he was not convicted because the Judge believed he was not a terrorist. He was then arrested again on July 31, 2007 and was sentenced to a six year imprisonment. On August 20, 2007 the Court granted him permission of an Interim bail, and Sanjay was released on August 23rd. Once the interim bail was up, he was back again in jail by October. Then on the 27th November, 2007, Sanjay Dutt was again granted bail by the Supreme Court. In January of 2008, Sanjay and Rhea had their divorce finalized and Sanjay moved on to marry Manyata of February 10th of that year.

After reading all of this, we can't help but wonder if this is really the life of Sanjay Dutt, the actor whom we all know? It's really hard to believe it. His smile is like that of a mischievous boy, his comic roles in movies had audiences laughing and his charisma always captures everyone's attention. His voice, his eyes... even the way he walks is a style that screams "Sanjay Dutt". From his role in Khalnayak as Ballu to his role in Munnabhai M.B.B.S and Lage Raho Munnabhai as Munnabhai ,or Murli Prasad Sharma, Sanjay has always captured everyone's heart.

Sanjay won the Best Actor Awards for his role in Vaastav as Raghunath Namdev Shivalkar, a character which every young boy idolizes. He then won Critics Best Actor Award for his role in Mission Kashmir as Inspector Inayat Khan, his first film with Hrithik Roshan. On the comedy front, he won the Best Comedian Award for his role in Munnabhai M.B.B.S. Role after role, Sanjay always surprises us with his talent.

Though we have always seen Sanjay cry in his movies it's when Sanjay cries in real life that really makes people like me want to cry along with him. I remember watching the episode with Sanjay on Koffee with Karan, and there was the segment where they showed the public talking about him. The image of him, almost in tears, when an elderly lady spoke about him and praised him has always been implanted in my mind.

He will next be seen playing Vikrant Raina in Sanjay Ghandavi’s Kidnap, which opens on October 1st. The film also stars Imran Khan and Minissha Lamba. About casting Sanjay, the director said, "I think it was in 2002 or 2003 when Adi (Aditya Chopra) and my writer Shibani (Bathija) saw an episode of Farooque Sheikh's Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai on television. Sanju baba was the guest on that show. Shibani was completely bowled over by baba's love for his daughter Trishala and could see the pain and angst in his eyes. She called me immediately to say that we had found our Vikrant Raina. I caught the episode later and couldn't agree more! Vikrant Raina was written for Sanjay Dutt!"

Sanjay is happy with how Kidnap turned out, “I am happy the film is complete, ready and looking good. It is my first release in 2008. I play a father to Sonia (Minissha Lamba) who is kidnapped by Kabir (Imran Khan). It's an edge-of-the-seat thriller, which everyone is bound to enjoy. It has some great action and emotion and has been well written and directed. I hope my audience goes out and watches it.

Next up is EMI and also in the pipeline are Aladdin, Blue and Munnabhai 3. He has plans to start his own production house as well.

Being soft hearted, yet so strong willed, Sanjay has overcome the greatest of challenges. He was knocked down by them, but he continues to always get back on his feet. He has his shares of flops but is always seen rushing back with a greater hit, a comeback that will leave everyone talking. There will never be any lack of news involving Sanjay. Be it good or bad, his fans are always there for him, waiting for his next move. Sanjay Dutt, one of Bollywood's most influential actors, I'll await your next great move.

Why I Love Anil Kapoor

2010-09-01T19:49:00.000+05:30

My memories of Hindi movies and my admiration for Anil Kapoor pretty much run simultaneously. When I think back to my childhood, one of the most prominent memories is sitting on my living room floor, crossed legged, watching Ram Lakhan and being mesmerized by 'One-Two-Ka Four' - and yes, I did remember pretty much all the dialogues from the movie, scene by scene. That was the start of my Anil-Kapoor-Mania. I was drawn to his great sense of “everythingness",— which when defined meant that he could take on any character and any role, make it his own and you couldn’t imagine any other actor enacting that role. He’s been around since the eighties and this Kapoor has no intentions of going anywhere. While the Khans run around finding the crown to finally claim their kingship, Kapoor is more than happy with the roles he receives and the accolades that follows thereafter. So let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and explain my L-O-V-E for this one of a kind Kapoor.

Be it the charming Lakhan in Ram Lakhan, the tapori in Tezaab, the lover in Lamhe or the simpleton in Eeshwar, this Kapoor is an actor who manages to excel in all his roles. From his debut in Who Saat Din in 1983, critics knew that the young boy from suburban Mumbai was one to watch out for. He quickly went on to take on a variety of roles and star with some of the greats within the industry, winning immense praise along the way and yet staying as grounded as ever. Perhaps one of his best performances was the eighties favorite Mr. India where he played the warm-hearted Arjun bhaiya who cared for orphan children and discovered his scientist father's experiment to become invisible. From that film on his career really accelerated. What followed was nothing short of sheer excellence: Parinda, Kishen Kanhaiya, Beta, Virasat, Pukar and so on.

Anil has had his share of duds at the box office, but his performance has rarely or never been criticized. In the epic 1942 – A Love Story, he played a young boy in love with the daughter of a revolutionist. While the over-hyped movie was expected to be thunderous, it bombed at the box office. However, Kapoor did go on to win the Best Actor award for his performance in the movie. This was the just the beginning of his wins for the popular awards. He was bestowed with many honors in the Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor in a Comic Role categories: Taal and Biwi No. 1 respectively. Additionally, for his outstanding performance in Pukar he was felicitated with the National Award. Anil however, has never cared about the length of his role in a film and in fact has been caught saying and living up to might we add, “It is not the length of the role that counts but the content in it.” This demonstrates his best trait: humility.

Ask any of his male co-stars and they will tell you what a generous and helpful actor Kapoor is. He has worked with all generations of stars and directors, and none of them have a single ill word to utter about the actor. Kapoor has also romanced every popular actress in his time. Be it Padmini Kolapure in the early eighties or Madhuri Dixit later on; add to the list some the previous and current reigning queens: Sridevi, Juhi Chawla, Manisha Koriala, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Aishwariya Rai, Kareena Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor. Mind you, that is just a few of a large number. Surprisingly, he has never been linked to any of his co-stars and in fact, the ladies are all praise for this evergreen actor. Being the family man that he is, Kapoor’s heart only goes “dhak-dhak” for his wife of 24 years, Sunita.

After reigning in the eighties and nineties, the millennium was not short of any Anil Kapoor movies, clearly demonstrating that he is here to stay. He isn’t afraid to dive head on into territories that his peers refuse to step into. He produced Gandhi – My Father, which created lots of news with its controversial topic, as well as acted in the newly released and globally acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire. While the movie has been loved and accepted worldwide, back home in India the movie was seen as a poor depiction of the country. Kapoor quickly jumped to the movie's defense claiming, “The film is going to be a terrific inspiration to kids around India. It's a feel-good film, a film of hope.” Kapoor knows firsthand the problems that slum children face on a daily basis as he too was bought up in a Mumbai slum. Perhaps, director Danny Boyle knew he would understand the trials and tribulations such children face because of his background. The movie has already won many awards, including best ensemble cast at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. It is also nominated for 10 Oscars.

His experience as a child residing in the slums of Mumbai has made him take it upon himself to help out the children who are unfortunately a victim of living in the slums. He works with several organizations including the popular NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) and Plan India to help children in such poverty-stricken areas. The actor who believes in charity work also went on to auction “A Day with Anil Kapoor” on Ebay and all the proceedings were donated to assist these children. In addition, his entire earnings from Slumdog Millionaire have been donated to help the livelihood of these children. He has a deep love for young impoverished children and has vowed to continually help them.

While we have seen most actors of his generation mature physically, A.K. has refused to let his age show on his face or in his acting ability. He does occasionally change his appearance by shaving off his trademark mustache, but no quicker is it off, it is as quickly back. Either way, fans love him sans the mustache or with. Kapoor can still act, dance and give any of the youngin’s a real run for their money. While this actor shows no sign of retiring anytime soon, and we wouldn’t want him to, be sure that he will be around for a while jutting out some excellent films and some even better performances. So until we get to see this “jakaas” actor again on celluloid, we will reiterate what fellow co-star Amrish Puri insisted on repeating to Anil in Mr. India: “Mogambo Khush Hua!”

Spotlight : Karan Johar

2010-09-01T19:45:00.000+05:30

Karan Johar may hail from a reputable film family but the director-producer has had to prove himself worthy of a place in Hindi cinema right from the get-go. It wasn't as easy as being handed Dharma Productions on a silver platter, a production house put together by his father Yash Johar many years ago, the young boy had to work hard to finally earn a film which eventually became his directorial debut and a major hit, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. However, before that, he appeared in a guest appearance as his lucky mascot Shah Rukh Khan's best friend in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. Ask KJo, as he is fondly called, who his influences are, and he quickly juts out some the most glamorous moviemakers including Raj Kapoor, Yash Chopra and Sooraj Barjatya. The effect of these veteran film makers is evident almost all Johar films, which talk about love and friendship, family values and betrayal, and of course with the requisite song and dance.

As a child, Karan knew he wanted to be famous. He grew up amidst the glitterati and their children, which included the Bachchans, Roshans, Kapoors, Khannas and Chopras. Strangely, Karan grew up in a snooty area of Mumbai where Hindi films were frowned upon and thus, secretly watched films and found himself feeling rather embarrassed to be Yash Johar's son. In fact, on many occasions, he denied that his father was a film producer but rather a mere businessman. However, he did on the sly watch films and would burst into tears when he was not allowed to attend previews. During his college days, he became friendly with the reclusive Aditya Chopra who had come up with idea of a cult story. KJo ditched his plans of going to Paris to pursue a degree in Mass Communication and joined forces with Chopra. The two developed that story together and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge was born. It was during the DDLJ schedule that Shah Rukh Khan and KJo became chums. It was upon Khan's persuasion that Johar decided to script and direct his first film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

KKHH released to great expectations, which it met, and Karan Johar the director was born. It was in this first film that Karan Johar established not only a niche in the industry, his film direction style started a new trend in moviemaking. The director added a modern flair to his debut film with the use of branded clothing and slang language, which appealed to the younger masses, but as the film progressed it changed to become one about values and love, targeted at an older mature audience. It was with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai that Karan Johar had arrived and how. The film went on to become a blockbuster hit, which is loved even today. It won numerous awards including Best Movie and Best Director for the year of 1998. KKHH also became the film which strengthened the director's friendship with Shah Rukh Khan. From then on, Johar vowed to never direct a film without SRK in the lead. And sticking to his word, he never has. A few years later he was back with Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum, another winner then 4 years later he followed with Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and his next release, My Name is Khan; all of course starring SRK as the hero.

Besides, actor and director another cap that Karan wears is that of producer with his banner Dharma Productions. Each of Karan's films has been produced by the company and in the last few years the banner has become known for it's fresh take on Hindi films. With interesting story lines and with debutant directors at the helm, Dharma Productions is a honing new breed of filmmakers. The film that firmly established this was 2008's Dostana, starring Priyanka Chopra, Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham. Written and directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the film was the story of two guys pretending to be gay all for a room in an apartment, but both in love with the same girl...their roommate. Not your typical Hindi kahani! The film was a huge success and paved the way for more films with new stories to be made. Taran Adarsh wrote in his review, "On the whole, Dostana is a winner all the way. In terms of content, it might just prove to be a trendsetter."

Dharma was also the company behind last year's smash hit Wake Up Sid, which starred the fabulous jodi of Ranbir Kapoor and Konkona Sen Sharma. Again Karan went with a first time filmmaker Ayan Mukerji, who also penned the script. The tale was of a young man's coming of age, but it also showed a modern take on a traditional love story. The film received rave reviews from critics, but even more importantly from fans, many of who list Wake Up Sid as their favorite movie of 2009.

Also in 2009 was Kurbaan, a dramatic thriller directed by Rensil D’Silva. The director told Bollyspice "Kurbaan deals with issues not seen before in Hindi Cinema." Adding that it is "a cross genre ... it is a love story, it's a thriller and it has political comment on global terrorism and the identity of Muslims in the modern world." Though the film was not a huge success, it was given good reviews by critics.

Of course the next big release for Dharma is Karan Johar's My Name is Khan, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Like the directors he has been mentoring, Karan has also gone in a new direction for this film. Karan has called the film his bravest yet and explaining to BollySpice said, "It's brave because I have challenged myself and I don't know if doing that was a safe decision. It is great because it enters a new terrain and speaks about new issue. It's nothing I've done before and yet somewhere lies me in the film, so it's brave for me. I can't say others will find it brave but for me, I felt brave." The film has already had some early previews and has gotten rave reviews with ratings as high as 4 to 4.5 stars.

A bevy of stars attended a special screening and many tweeted their reactions and praise of the film:

Tarun Mansukhani: "So here it is. Unbiased. It rocks. Its thought provoking & immensely engaging. The simplicity w/ which Khan sees the world is just amazing.."

Rahul Khanna: "MNIK gets my highest compliment - it made the 2 hour drive to the screening well worthwhile."

Preity Zinta: "Just saw My Name Is Khan and it is MINDBLOWING ! Everyone who has a heart should watch it .. Again and Again and Again ! Am so proud of SRK!Karan Johar has shown his superiority as a director ! I am so proud of him ! My name is Zinta and I have loved the film. Kajol is also amazing in the film! Its SRK's role that is really tough though and he deserves a standing ovation :-)"

Farhan Akhtar: "MNIK is an amazing film. Full power to Karan, Shahrukh, Kajol, Ravi K Chandran (DOP), Deepa Bhatia (editor) and the rest! Outstanding! Shahrukh's best performance till date. Karan's best film. What else can you ask for? Kajol is very good as always, reached in and plucked my heart out in some moments.... but SRK blows you away. MUST WATCH!"

In production now is the Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor starrer, I hate luv storys, written and directed by Punit Malhotra. The film is scheduled to release in May of this year. Not much is know about the film, except that despite the title, it is actually a love story.

The Hindi remake of Hollywood's Stepmom is also on the docket of films in production for the banner. With the powerhouse cast of Arjun Rampal, Kareena Kapoor and Kajol, the film directed by Siddharth Malhotra looks to be another great Dharma film.

In another interesting direction, the company is also expanding into animation with Koochie Koochie Hota Hai, which is director Tarun Mansukhani's animated version of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. About the film, Karan wrote on his blog, "The film has the soul and narrative of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, it just belongs to a different world; an animal world devoid of any human inhabitants. The core love story is between three dogs, and the supporting cast has roosters, bears, pigs, cats, and many others from the barn. Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani essay the voices for 'Rocky', 'Angie', and 'Tina' respectively, (minor tweaks on the original names)."

One must mention, of course, his forays on to small screen with Koffee with Karan and his new show Lift Kar De. Koffee with Karan ran for 2 seasons, the first in 2004 and the second in 2007. The who's who of Bollywood sat on Karan's couch, usually in interesting pairings, and not only informally chatted with the host but also competed for the coveted hamper in the rapid fire round. The show was a huge success and is still loved today! More recently, Karan has taken on yet another show in the form of Lift Kara De. However, there was no Koffee in this show. Lift Kara De is dedicated to finding ace fans for the guests which are made up of celebrities. Through Karan, fans from all over the country are able to meet their favorite stars on a famous platform.

Karan Johar certainly has come along way from that first appearance in DDLJ and has proven to be one of the biggest players in the Hindi film industry. He has earned that place with hard work, excellent films and has the admiration of film fraternity and maybe more importantly, the fans of Hindi cinema. With each new project he manages to break new ground and who knows what he will show us next! We know we will be waiting and watching and so will you!

Spotlight: Mani Ratnam

2010-09-01T19:41:00.000+05:30

In one of his interviews, when Mani Ratnam was asked which his favorite among all his movies was, he replied, "None, probably the next one".

MANI RATNAM. One name, so much associated with it. I'm not sure where to begin. A thousand thoughts swarm my mind. The man needs no introduction but undoubtedly, his cinematic brilliance will be a subject of conversation for many years to come.

A director every artist dreams of working with. A man who without apprehension transformed South Indian cinema. The man who gave Indian cinema an element & an identity, which fairly astonishes global audiences. A man who ventured into the darkest subjects attempting plots which others feared implausible. The man is Mani Ratnam - reserved, gifted, audacious and a sheer genius.

The journey - Mani Ratnam is evidently one of the most eminent directors in India today and much respected as well. In his two decades of contribution to Indian Cinema, he has managed to establish outstanding credentials as a director and producer, as well as a writer. Yet it is overwhelming to think that there was a moment when all this would have not been possible.

The beginning - Cinema ran in his blood owing to producer Father Venus Gopalratnam and Brother G.Venkateswaran, film distributor turned producer. Yet, armed with a business degree from Mumbai, he began working as a management consultant. One random day, because of his passion for watching movies, he got interested in how movies are made and in all the processes involved in filmmaking. This curiosity led him to becoming a film director. That was all. No apprentice, no internship, no degree in filmmaking and no experience in the field. His enthusiasm for films persuaded cinematographer Balu Mahendra to consent him a chance to don the director's hat.
Mani Ratnam's directorial debut was in the year 1983, an Anil Kapoor starrer Kannada lingo, Pallavi Anu Pallavi, a film that explored the relationship between a young man and an older woman. The movie was not a commercial success, but was critically acclaimed and Mani earned his due credit.

Three years later, his 5th film Mouna Rangam, the story about a woman grieving the death of her lover but convinced for an arranged marriage, was released. This movie became a significant milestone in Tamil cinema and Mani Ratnam got his much-deserved breakthrough. The film went on to win the National Film Award for best film that year.

The subsequent year, 1987 marked the release of Nayagan, starring superstar Kamal Hassan. The film is considered the finest Indian film ever made. Included in Time Magazine's 'All-Time 100 Best Films' list in 2005, Nayagan was India's official entry to the Oscars in 1987. It also won Kamal Hassan the National award for Best Actor.

Thereafter, there was no turning back. What followed was a spate of Mani Ratnam films that triggered a cinematic gala in South India.

Mani Ratnam made his Bollywood debut with Roja, the first of his terrorism trilogy. Films Bombay and Dil Se followed subsequently. Post that he moved away from the subject and made films like Yuva and Guru, which reflected current issues of youth ambition, power, unions and politics.

Gripping dialogues, scintillating camera work, melody and extraordinarily scripted screenplay characterize a Mani Ratnam production. All his films boast of larger-than-life cinematography, clear-cut editing, impeccable aesthetics and groovy scores. He is famed for keeping emotions intact whilst concentrating on pressing issues. His style is heavily marketed by a gamut of practical, urban themes and is shown 'as is' thus leaving nothing for viewer's imagination.

Over the decades, Mani's films have set a benchmark for captivated storytelling and finesse. The USP of Mani Ratnam movies are that they are inspired from real-life events and famous epics. Themes are sincerely researched upon, about familial-marital hardships, class-religious conflicts, terrorism, war, or politics.
- Nayagan: loosely based on Varadarajan Mudaliar, underworld Don in Mumbai
- Iruvar: based on Tamil Nadu political & cinematic icons M.G. Ramachandran and Karunanidhi
- Kannathil Muthamittal: based on the Sri Lankan Civil War
- Aayutha Ezhuthu: a movie about student politics
- Thalapathi: based on the Hindu-epic Mahabaratha,
- Bombay: the ethnic war between Hindus and Muslims in Mumbai
- Guru: loosely inspired by the life of millionaire businessman Dhirubhai Ambani
- His yet-to-be-released film Raavan - speculated to be inspired by another Hindu epic, Ramayana.

So who does he see himself as - an artist or an entertainer?

"A bit of both," Mani Ratnam says. "It is important to me that I make films I am proud of. And who said good films can't be entertaining."

Apart from his direction, Mani has an enviable collaboration with the best technicians in the field. Ranging from the very talented music maestro AR Rahman to cinematographer Santosh Sivan to editor Sreekar Prasad, a dedicated team whose combined talent provide Mani with the wide canvas to pour out his visions. For a man who is obsessed and takes undivided interest in all areas of his films, be it technical or creative, Mani went on to say in an interview, "A director does not need to know every aspect of filmmaking. He should have the right people and be capable of asking the right questions."

Another area that Mani seldom fails is extracting stellar performances from his actors. Be it Manisha Koirala in Bombay, actors Madhavan in Alaipayuthey and Abhishek Bachchan in Yuva and Guru, he is adept at bringing out trophy winning performance or giving a leash to the actors careers.

Although many movies are made on delicate subjects like terrorism and religion, the reason why Mani Ratnam's films appeal to global audiences is the treatment of the plots. Most of his films focus on relationships and emotions with terrorism of religion as a background. Eg: Roja which was widely shot in terror-stricken Kashmir, but did not shift spotlight from the woes of a couple who was accidently caught in the midst of it.

Unfortunately with every success, comes the danger of being victimized. Post release of Ratnam's Bombay, a movie on Hindu-Muslim inter-caste marriage, he received threats and bombs were hurled at his house, which necessitated him and his family to be flanked by bodyguards. He has received endless criticisms, but it never disillusions him. He does not like to justify what went wrong and will never stray away from his ideologies about making films that have character and element of human relationships.

At a retrospective of Mani Ratnam's films, Toronto reviewer David Overbey very sagely noted - "Mani Ratnam makes movies; lets the cinema take care of itself."

Recently Mani Ratnam was bestowed with the Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. In recent years, the award has gone to other major world filmmakers such as Takeshi Kitano, Abbas Kiarostami, Agnes Varda and Sylvester Stallone. This year, however, Swiss watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre celebrates its six years of partnership with the Venice International Film Festival by announcing Jaeger-LeCoultre Glory to the Filmmaker Award.

Speaking on why they chose Mani Ratnam for this honor, Marco Mueller, Venice Film Festival Director said, "Mani Ratnam used to initially make movies only in his native tongue, Tamil, but has now been one of a handful of filmmakers to successfully handle the transition to the All-India market. One of the great innovators in contemporary Indian cinema, he helped introduce the auteur concept to contemporary Bollywood. His movies display precision and poise, and have always been removed from the bombast and bluster of mass-produced regional cinema. The lavish musical numbers in his films, some of the best-tailored in Mumbai and Madras in recent years, have influenced the style of many others (as well as the design of commercials and music videos). Ratnam's most celebrated films have become part of the cinematic imagination of the sub-continent."

As his next film is up for release after a hiatus of almost 2 years, the Mani fever rises. The trailer is pretty predictable but the expectations are high because of the brand 'Mani' associated with it. While the ace of Indian cinema readies to flaunt his magnum opus to the audiences, he is mindful of the exhilaration surrounding his offering Raavan. With the much-awaited film geared up for release, audiences are looking forward to enjoying the Mani magic all over again.

Mani Ratnam has come along way from his first and he has done it quite on his own. Never worried about commercial success, he has mastered the art proficiently and is loved, admired and respected for his sincerity, passion and dedication for films.

Like a lot of filmmakers turned politicans, would he do the same if he gets tired of making films?

"No, I don't tired of making films," he coyly replies.

We hope you never get tired of making films sir. We really do.

Trivia:
- His actual name is Gopala Ratnam Subramaniam.
- Mani is married to actress Suhasini, niece of southern superstar Kamal Haasan, which makes Kamal, Mani's father-in-law equivalent.
- He and Suhasini have one son, Nandan.
- Mani Ratnam is a vegetarian.
- Mani co-founded the independent production company Madras Talkies with his brother.
- Mani Ratnam is the only person who can meet AR Rahman without an appointment.
- A rainy scene and a scene related with railways are part of most of his films.
- Post the release of Bombay, Mani Ratnam received threats and bombs were hurled his house. He passed those days by with high security.
- All his films had music composed by Ilayaraja until Roja for which he used debutante AR Rahman, and has used his music in every film ever since.
- His film Thalapathi had 2 different climaxes. For the Tamil and Telugu versions, he shot superstar Mammootty's death, since Rajnikanth is more popular with those audiences, and in the Malayalam version Rajnikanth dies, as Mammootty is more popular there!
- Abhishek Bachchan ate a box of Mysore Pak everyday after lunch and took a nap after that. Apparently, that was Mani Ratnam's idea to beef him up for the old man look in Guru!
- In 2002, Mani Ratnam was awarded the Padma Shri (an award given by the Government of India to Indian citizens to recognize their distinguished contribution in various spheres of activity).
- In Indian language, both words 'Mani' and 'Ratnam' mean 'Jewel' and the director definitely lives up to his name.

Amitabh Bachchan

2010-08-13T13:12:00.000+05:30

Amitabh Bachchan
Amitabh Bachchan by the Studio Harcourt, 2009.
Born	Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan October 11, 1942 (1942-10-11) (age 67) Allahabad, United Province, Indian Empire
Other name(s)	Big B
Occupation	Film actor, producer, singer, television presenter
Years active	1969–present
Spouse(s)	Jaya Bhaduri (1973–present)

Amitabh Bachchan (Hindi: अमिताभ बच्चन, pronounced [əmɪˈtaːbʱ ˈbətːʃən], born Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan on 11 October 1942), is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Bollywood cinema, and has since become one of the most prominent figures in the history of Indian cinema.^[1]^[2]

Bachchan has won numerous major awards in his career, including three National Film Awards and thirteen Filmfare Awards. He holds the record for most number of Best Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards. In addition to acting, Bachchan has worked as a playback singer, film producer and television presenter, and was an elected member of the Indian Parliament from 1984 to 1987.

Early life

Born in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, Amitabh Bachchan hails from a Hindu-Sikh family. His father, Dr. Harivansh Rai Bachchan was a well-known Hindi poet, while his mother, Teji Bachchan was a Sikh-Punjabi from Faisalabad (now in Pakistan).^[3] Bachchan was initially named Inquilaab, inspired from the famous phrase Inquilab Zindabad, during the Indian independence struggle, but was re-named Amitabh which means, "the light that would never go off." Though his surname was Shrivastava, his father had adopted the pen-name Bachchan, under which he published all his works. It is with this last name that Amitabh debuted in films, and, for all public purposes, it has become the surname of all members of his current family.

Amitabh is the eldest of Harivansh Rai Bachchan's two sons, the second being Ajitabh. His mother had a keen interest in theatre and had been offered a role in a film, but preferred her domestic duties. She had some degree of influence in Bachchan's choice of career because she always insisted that he should take the centre stage.^[4] He attended Allahabad's Jnana Prabodhini and Boys' High School (BHS), followed by Nainital's Sherwood College, where he majored in the art stream. He later went on to study at Kirori Mal College of the University of Delhi and completed a Bachelor of Science degree. In his twenties, Bachchan gave up a job as freight broker for the shipping firm, Bird and Co., based in Calcutta now known as Kolkata, to pursue a career in acting.

Family

See also: Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Aishwarya Rai

Bachchan is married to actress Jaya Bhaduri. They have two children, Shweta Nanda and Abhishek Bachchan. Abhishek is also an actor and is married to actress Aishwarya Rai.

Career

Early work: 1969–1972

Bachchan made his film debut in 1969 as one of the seven protagonists in Saat Hindustani, a film directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and featuring Utpal Dutt, Madhu and Jalal Agha. Though the film was not a financial success, Bachchan won his first National Film Award for Best Newcomer.^[5]

The critically acclaimed and commercially successful Anand (1971) followed, where he starred alongside Rajesh Khanna. Bachchan's role as a doctor with a cynical view of life garned him a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. Amitabh then played the role of an infatuated lover in Parwaana (1971) opposite Navin Nischol, Yogeeta Bali and Om Prakash and was a rare instance of him portraying the villain. This was followed by several films which were not particularly successful at the box office including Reshma Aur Shera (1971). During this time, he made a guest appearance in the film Guddi which starred his future wife Jaya Bhaduri opposite Dharmendra. Noted for his deep baritone voice early on in his career, he narrated part of the film Bawarchi. In 1972, he made an appearance in the road action comedy Bombay to Goa, directed by S. Ramanathan. He starred alongside actors such as Aruna Irani, Mehmood, Anwar Ali and Nasir Hussain.

Rise to stardom: 1973–1983

1973 saw significant development in Bachchan's career when director Prakash Mehra cast him in the leading role for the film Zanjeer (1973) as Inspector Vijay Khanna. The film was a sharp contrast to the romantically themed films that had generally preceded it and established Amitabh in a new persona—the "angry young man" of Bollywood cinema,^[2] a reputation he was to acquire in pictures that followed it. It was his first film as the leading protagonist to achieve box office success and earned him a Filmfare Nomination for Best Actor. 1973 was also the year he married Jaya and around this time they appeared in several films together, not only in Zanjeer but in films such as Abhimaan which followed and was released only a month after their marriage. Later, Bachchan played the role of Vikram in the film Namak Haraam, a social drama directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and scripted by Biresh Chatterjee addressing themes of friendship. His supporting role opposite Rajesh Khanna and Rekha was praised and won him the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award.

In 1974, Bachchan made several guest appearances in films such as Kunwara Baap and Dost, before playing a supporting role in the highest grossing film of that year, Roti Kapda Aur Makaan. The film, directed and written by Manoj Kumar, addressed themes of honesty in the face of oppression and financial and emotional hardship was a critical and commercial success, placing Amitabh opposite Kumar himself, Shashi Kapoor and Zeenat Aman. Bachchan then played the leading role in film Majboor, released on 6 December 1974, which was a remake of the Hollywood film Zigzag starring George Kennedy. The film was only a moderate success at the box office^[6] In 1975, he starred in a variety of film genres from the comedy Chupke Chupke, the crime drama Faraar to the romantic drama Mili. However 1975 was the year when he appeared in two films which are regarded as important in Hindi cinematic history. He starred in the Yash Chopra directed film Deewar, opposite Shashi Kapoor, Nirupa Roy, and Neetu Singh, which earned him a Filmfare Nomination for Best Actor. The film became a major hit at the box office in 1975, ranking in at number 4.^[7] Indiatimes Movies ranks Deewaar amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.^[8] Released on 15 August 1975 was Sholay (meaning flames), which became the highest grossing film of all time in India, earning INR 2,36,45,00,000 equivalent to US$ 60 million, after adjusting for inflation.^[9] Bachchan played the role of Jaidev opposite a cast which included some of the top names in the industry including Dharmendra, Hema Malini, Sanjeev Kumar, Jaya Bhaduri and Amjad Khan. In 1999, BBC India declared it the "Film of the Millennium" and like Deewar, has been cited by Indiatimes movies as amongst the Top 25 Must See Bollywood Films.^[8] In that same year, the judges of the 50th annual Filmfare awards awarded it with the special distinction award called Filmfare Best Film of 50 Years.

After the success of films such as Sholay at the box office, Bachchan had now consolidated his position in the industry and from 1976 through to 1984 would receive an unprecedented number of Filmfare Best Actor Award Awards and nominations. Although films such as Sholay cemented his status as Bollywood's pre-eminent action hero, Bachchan illustrated that he was flexible in other roles, successfully playing comic timing in comedies such as Chupke Chupke (1975) and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) and romantic lead in films such as Kabhie Kabhie (1976). In 1976, he was once again cast by director Yash Chopra in his second film, Kabhi Kabhie, a romantic tale in which Bachchan starred as a young poet named Amit Malhotra who falls deeply in love with a beautiful young girl named Pooja played by actress Rakhee Gulzar. The emotional eclectic of the dialogue and softness of the subject matter proved a direct contrast to some of Amitabh's earlier grittier action pictures and those he would later go on to play. The film saw him again nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award and was a box office success. In 1977, he won the Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance in Amar Akbar Anthony where he played the third lead opposite Vinod Khanna and Rishi Kapoor as Anthony Gonsalves. 1978 was possibly the most accoladed year of his career and he starred in all four of the highest grossing films of India in that year.^[10] He once again resumed double roles in films such as Kasme Vaade as Amit and Shankar and Don playing the characters of Don, a leader of an underworld gang and his look alike Vijay. His performance won him the Filmfare Best Actor Award and considerable critical acclaim as with his performances in Trishul and Muqaddar Ka Sikander which both earned him further Filmfare Best Actor nominations. On account of this unprecedented run and success he encountered at this stage in his career, he was billed a "one-man industry" by the French director François Truffaut.^[11]

In 1979, for the first time, Amitabh was required to use his singing voice for the film Mr. Natwarlal in which he starred alongside Rekha. His performance in the film saw him nominated for both the Filmfare Best Actor Award and the Filmfare Best Male Playback Awards. In 1979, he also received Best Actor nomination for Kaala Patthar (1979) and then went on to be nominated again in 1980 for the Raj Khosla directed film Dostana, in which he starred opposite Shatrughan Sinha and Zeenat Aman. Dostana proved to be the top grossing film of 1980.^[12] In 1981, he starred in Yash Chopra's melodrama film Silsila, where he starred alongside his wife Jaya and rumoured lover Rekha. Other films of this period include Ram Balram (1980), Shaan (1980), Lawaaris (1981), and Shakti (1982) which pitted him against legendary actor Dilip Kumar.^[13]

1982 injury while filming Coolie

On 26 July 1982, while filming Coolie in the University Campus in Bangalore, Bachchan suffered a near fatal intestinal injury during the filming of a fight scene with co-actor Puneet Issar.^[14] Bachchan was performing his own stunts in the film and one scene required him to fall onto a table and then on the ground. However as he jumped towards the table, the corner of the table struck his abdomen, resulting in a splenic rupture from which he lost a significant amount of blood. He required an emergency splenectomy and remained critically ill in hospital for many months, at times close to death. The public response included prayers in temples and offers to sacrifice limbs to save him, while later, there were long queues of well-wishing fans outside the hospital where he was recuperating.^[15] Nevertheless, he spent many months recovering and resumed filming later that year after a long period of recuperation. The film was released in 1983, and partly due to the huge publicity of Bachchan's accident, the film was a box office success.^[16]

The director, Manmohan Desai, altered the ending of Coolie after Bachchan's accident. Bachchan's character was originally intended to have been killed off but after the change of script, the character lived in the end. It would have been inappropriate, said Desai, for the man who had just fended off death in real life to be killed on screen. Also, in the released film the footage of the fight scene is frozen at the critical moment, and a caption appears onscreen marking this as the instant of the actor's injury and the ensuing publicity of the accident.^[15]

Later, he was diagnosed with Myasthenia gravis. His illness made him feel weak both mentally and physically and he decided to quit films and venture into politics. At this time he became pessimistic, expressing concern with how a new film would be received. Before every release he would negatively state, "Yeh film to flop hogi!" ("This film will flop").^[17]

Politics: 1984–1987

In 1984, Bachchan took a break from acting and briefly entered politics in support of long-time family friend, Rajiv Gandhi. He contested Allahabad's seat of 8th Lok Sabha against H. N. Bahuguna, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and won by the one of the highest victory margins in general election history (68.2% of the vote).^[18] His political career, however, was short-lived: he resigned after three years, calling politics a cesspool. The resignation followed the implication of Bachchan and his brother in the "Bofors scandal" by a newspaper, which he vowed to take to court. Bachchan was eventually found not guilty of involvement in the ordeal.^[19]

His old friend, Amar Singh, helped him during a financial crisis due to the failure of his company ABCL. Therefore Bachchan started to support Amar Singh's political party, the Samajwadi party. Jaya Bachchan joined the Samajwadi Party and became a Rajya Sabha member.^[20] Bachchan has continued to do favors for the Samajwadi party, including advertisements and political campaigns. These activities have recently gotten him into trouble again in the Indian courts for false claims after a previous incident of submission of legal papers by him, stating that he is a farmer.^[21]

A 15 year press ban against Bachchan was imposed during his peak acting years by Stardust and some of the other film magazines. In his own defense, Bachchan claimed to have banned the press from entering his sets almost till the end of 1989.^[22]

Slump and retirement: 1988–1992

In 1988, Bachchan returned to films, playing the title role in Shahenshah, which was a box office success due to the hype of Bachchan's comeback.^[23] After the success of his comeback film however, his star power began to wane as all of his subsequent films failed at the box office. The 1991 hit film, Hum, looked like it might reverse this trend, but the momentum was short-lived as his string of box office failures continued. Notably, despite the lack of hits, it was during this period that Bachchan won his second National Film Award, for his performance as a Mafia don in the 1990 film Agneepath. These years would be the last he would be seen on screen for some time. After the release of Khuda Gawah in 1992, Bachchan went into semi-retirement for five years. In 1994, one of his delayed films Insaniyat was released but was also a box office failure.^[24]

Producer and acting comeback 1996–1999

Bachchan turned producer during his temporary retirement period, setting up Amitabh Bachchan Corporation, Ltd. (A.B.C.L.) in 1996, with the vision of becoming a 10 billion rupees (approx 250 million $US) premier entertainment company by the year 2000. ABCL's strategy was to introduce products and services covering the entire section of the India's entertainment industry. Its operations were mainstream commercial film production and distribution, audio cassettes and video discs, production and marketing of television software, celebrity and event management. Soon after the company was launched in 1996, the first film was produced by the company. Tere Mere Sapne failed to do well at the box office but launched the careers of actors such as Arshad Warsi and South films star Simran. ABCL produced a few other films, none of which did well.

In 1997, Bachchan attempted to make his acting comeback with the film Mrityudaata, produced by ABCL. Though Mrityudaata attempted to reprise Bachchan's earlier success as an action hero, the film was a failure both financially and critically. ABCL was the main sponsor of the The 1996 Miss World beauty pageant, Bangalore but lost millions. The fiasco and the consequent legal battles surrounding ABCL and various entities after the event, coupled with the fact that ABCL was reported to have overpaid most of its top level managers, eventually led to its financial and operational collapse in 1997. The company went into administration and was later declared a failed company by Indian Industries board. The Bombay high court, in April 1999, restrained Bachchan from selling off his Bombay bungalow 'Prateeksha' and two flats till the pending loan recovery cases of Canara Bank were disposed of. Bachchan had, however, pleaded that he had mortgaged his bungalow to Sahara India Finance for raising funds for his company.^[25]

Bachchan attempted to revive his acting career and had average success with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998),^[24] and received positive reviews for Sooryavansham (1999)^[26] but other films such as Lal Baadshah (1999) and Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999) were box office failures.

Television career

In the year 2000, Bachchan stepped up to host India's adaptation of the British television game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? entitled, Kaun Banega Crorepati. As it did in most other countries where it was adopted, the program found immediate success. Canara Bank withdrew its law suit against Bachchan in November 2000. Bachchan hosted KBC till November 2005, and its success set the stage for his return to film popularity. In 2009 Oscar winning movie Slumdog Millionaire in the first question of Who Wants to be a Millionaire? contest "Amitabh Bachchan" was the correct answer to the question "Who was the star of Zanjeer? Feroz Abbas Khan performed as Amitabh Bachchan in a scene in the movie while Anil Kapoor performed as the host of the contest. Amitabh Bachchan is hosting Bigg Boss 3.^[27]

Return to prominence: 2000–present

In 2000, Amitabh Bachchan appeared in Yash Chopra's box-office hit, Mohabbatein, directed by Aditya Chopra. He played a stern, older figure that rivalled the character of Shahrukh Khan. Other hits followed, with Bachchan appearing as an older family patriarch in Ek Rishtaa: The Bond of Love (2001), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and Baghban (2003). As an actor, he continued to perform in a range of characters, receiving critical praise for his performances in Aks (2001), Aankhen (2002), Khakee (2004) and Dev (2004). One project that did particularly well for Bachchan was Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black (2005). The film starred Bachchan as an aging teacher of a deaf-blind girl and followed their relationship. His performance was unanimously praised by critics and audiences and won him his fourth Filmfare Best Actor Award and second National Film Award for Best Actor. Taking advantage of this resurgence, Amitabh began endorsing a variety of products and services, appearing in many television and billboard advertisements. In 2005 and 2006, he starred with his son Abhishek in the hit films Bunty Aur Babli (2005), the Godfather tribute Sarkar (2005), and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (2006). All of them were successful at the box office.^[28]^[29] His later releases in 2006 and early 2007 were Baabul (2006),^[30] Eklavya and Nishabd (2007), which failed to do well at the box office but his performances in each of them were praised by critics.^[31]

In May 2007, two of his films Cheeni Kum and the multi-starrer Shootout at Lokhandwala were released. Shootout at Lokhandwala did very well at the box office and was declared a hit in India, while Cheeni Kum picked up after a slow start and was declared an overall average hit.^[32] A remake of his biggest hit, Sholay (1975), entitled Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, released in August of that same year and proved to be a major commercial failure in addition to its poor critical reception.^[32] The year also marked Bachchan's first appearance in an English-language film, Rituparno Ghosh's The Last Lear. The film premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2007. He received positive reviews from critics who hailed his performance as his best ever since Black.^[33] Bachchan was slated to play a supporting role in his first international film, Shantaram, directed by Mira Nair and starring Hollywood actor Johnny Depp in the lead. The film was due to begin filming in February 2008 but due to the writer's strike, was pushed to September 2008.^[34] The film is currently "shelved" indefinitely.^[35] Vivek Sharma's Bhoothnath, in which he plays the title role as a ghost, was released on 9 May 2008. Sarkar Raj, the sequel of the 2005 film Sarkar, released in June 2008 and received a positive response at the box-office. His latest movie was Paa, which released at the end of 2009. Paa was a highly anticipated project as it saw him playing his own son Abhishek's Progeria-affected 13-year-old son, and it opened to favourable reviews, particularly towards Bachchan's performance.

Health

2005 hospitalisation

In November 2005, Amitabh Bachchan was admitted to Lilavati Hospital's ICU once more, to undergo surgery for diverticulitis of the small intestine.^[36] This occurred after Bachchan complained of pains in his abdomen some days prior. During the period and that following his recovery, most of his projects were put on hold, including the television show he was in the process of hosting, Kaun Banega Crorepati. Amitabh returned to work in March 2006.^[37]

Voice

Bachchan is known for his deep, baritone voice. He has been a narrator, a playback singer and presenter for numerous programmes. Renowned film director Satyajit Ray was so impressed with Bachchan's voice, that he decided to use his voice as commentary in Shatranj Ke Khiladi since he could not find a suitable role for him.^[38] Before entering the film industry, Bachchan applied for an announcer's job with All India Radio, although he was rejected.

Controversies and criticism

Barabanki land case

In the runup to the Uttar Pradesh state assembly elections, 2007, Bachchan made a film extolling the virtues of the Mulayam Singh government. His Samajwadi Party was routed, and Mayawati came to power.

On 2 June 2007 a Faizabad court ruled that he had legally acquired agricultural land designated specifically for landless Dalit farmers.^[39] It was speculated that he might be investigated on related charges of forgery, as he has allegedly claimed he was a farmer.^[40] On 19 July 2007, after the scandal broke out, Bachchan surrendered the land acquired in Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh and Pune. He wrote to the chief minister of Maharashtra, Vilasrao Deshmukh, to donate the lands that were allegedly acquired illegally in Pune.^[41] However, the Lucknow Court has put a stay on the land donation and said that the status quo on the land be maintained.

On 12 October 2007, Bachchan abandoned his claim in respect of the land at Daulatpur village in Barabanki district.^[42] On 11 December 2007, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court gave a clean chit to Bachchan in a case pertaining to alleged fraudulent allotment of government land to him in Barabanki district. A single Lucknow bench of Justice said there was no finding that the actor "himself committed any fraud or manipulated any surreptitious entry in the revenue records".^[43]^[44]

After receiving a positive verdict in Barabanki case, Amitabh Bachchan intimated to Maharashtra government that he did not wish to surrender his land in Maval tehsil of Pune district.^[45]

Raj Thackeray's criticism

Main article: 2008 attacks on North Indians in Maharashtra

Bachchan featured on an advert in shopping mall in India

In January 2008 at political rallies, Raj Thackeray, the chief of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, targeted Amitabh Bachchan, asserting that the actor was "more inclined" towards his native state than Maharashtra. He expressed his disapproval of Amitabh's inaugurating a girls' school named after his daughter-in-law, actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, at Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, rather than in Maharashtra.^[46] According to media reports, Raj's censure of Amitabh, whom he admires, stemmed out of his disappointment of not being invited to Amitabh's son Abhishek's marriage to Aishwarya, despite invitations to his estranged uncle Bal and cousin Uddhav.^[47]^[48]

Responding to Raj's accusations, the actor's wife, SP MP Jaya Bachchan, said that the Bachchans were willing to start a school in Mumbai, provided the MNS leader donated the land to build it. She told the media, "I heard that Raj Thackeray owns huge properties in Maharashtra, in Mumbai—Kohinoor Mills. If he is willing to donate land, we can start a school in the name of Aishwarya here."^[49] However, Amitabh abstained from commenting on the issue.

Bal Thackeray refuted the allegations, stating, "Amitabh Bachchan is an open-minded person, he has great love for Maharashtra, and this is evident on many occasions. The actor has often said that Maharashtra and specially Mumbai has given him great fame and affection. He has also said that what he is today is because of the love people have given him. The people of Mumbai have always acknowledged him as an artiste. It was utter foolishness to make these parochial allegations against him. Amitabh is a global superstar. People all over the world respect him. This cannot be forgotten by anyone. Amitabh should ignore these silly accusations and concentrate on his acting."^[50]

On 23 March 2008, more than a month and half after Raj's remarks, Amitabh finally spoke out in an interview to a local tabloid saying, "Random charges are random; they do not deserve the kind of attention you wish me to give."^[51] Later, on 28 March at a press conference for the International Indian Film Academy, when asked what his take was on the anti-migrant issue, Amitabh said that it is one's fundamental right to live anywhere in the country and the constitution entitles so.^[52] He also stated that he was not affected by Raj's comments.^[53]

Awards, honours and recognitions

Main article: List of Amitabh Bachchan's awards, honours and recognitions

Filmography

Latest films

Main article: Amitabh Bachchan filmography

Year	Film	Role	Other Notes
2006	Family - Ties of Blood	Viren Sahi
	Darna Zaroori Hai	Professor
	Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna	Samarjit Singh Talwar (aka. Sexy Sam)	Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
	Baabul (2006 film)	Balraj Kapoor
2007	Eklavya: The Royal Guard	Eklavya
	Nishabd	Vijay
	Cheeni Kum	Buddhadev Gupta/Ghaspus
	Shootout at Lokhandwala	Dingra	Special appearance
	Jhoom Barabar Jhoom	Sutradhar	Special appearance
	Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag	Babban Singh
	Om Shanti Om	Himself	Special appearance
2008	Jodhaa Akbar	Narrator
	Bhoothnath	Bhoothnath (Kailash Nath)
	Sarkar Raj	Subhash Nagre aka Sarkar
	God Tussi Great Ho	God Almighty
	The Last Lear	Harish 'Harry' Mishra
2009	Delhi-6	Dadaji	Special appearance
	Aladin	Genius the Gennie
	Paa	Auro	Winner, Filmfare Best Actor Award
2010	Rann	Vijay Harshvardhan Malik
	Teen Patti	Venkat	Releasing on 26 February 2010
	Shoebite	John Periera	Post-production
	Kandahar^[54]		Malayalam film. Co-starring with Mohanlal

Producer

Year	Film
1996	Tere Mere Sapne
1997	Ullasam
1997	Mrityudaata
1998	Major Saab
2001	Aks
2005	Viruddh
2006	Family - Ties of Blood

Playback singer

Year	Film
1979	The Great Gambler
1979	Mr. Natwarlal
1981	Lawaaris
	Naseeb
	Silsila
1983	Mahaan
1983	Pukar
1984	Sharaabi
1989	Toofan
1989	Jaadugar
1992	Khuda Gawah
1998	Major Saab
1999	Sooryavansham
2001	Aks
2001	Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
2002	Aankhen
2003	Armaan
2003	Baghban
2004	Dev
2004	Aetbaar
2006	Baabul
2007	Nishabd
2007	Cheeni Kum
2008	Bhoothnath
2009	Aladin
2009	Paa

Abhishek Bachchan

2010-08-13T13:09:00.000+05:30

Abhishek Bachchan
Abhishek Bachchan at the IIFA awards
Born	February 5, 1976 (1976-02-05) (age 34) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actor, Producer, Television presenter
Years active	2000- present
Spouse(s)	Aishwarya Rai (2007 - present)

Abhishek Bachchan (Hindi: अभिषेक बच्चन, born 5 February 1976 in Mumbai, Maharashtra) is an Indian actor and the son of Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan. He is married to actress and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai.

Bachchan debuted with J.P. Dutta's Refugee (2000). In 2004, he appeared in the Dhoom and in Yuva. His work in Yuva received several awards, including his first Filmfare Award in the Best Supporting Actor category, an award he would win for the two next years as well.

[hide]

1 Early life
2 Career
3 Personal life
4 Awards and nominations
5 Filmography
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Early life

Abhishek Bachchan is the son of Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and actress Jaya Bachchan; his elder sister is Shweta Bachchan-Nanda (b. 1974). His grandfather, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, was a poet of Hindi literature. The original last name of his parental family is Srivastav, Bachchan being the pen name used by his grandfather. However, when his father Amitabh entered films, he did so under his own father's pen name. Bachchan is of Punjabi Sikh heritage from his grandmother Teji's side, while also of Bengali Kulin Brahmin descent from his mother Jaya Bhaduri's side.

Bachchan was dyslexic as a child.^[1] He attended Jamnabai Narsee School and Bombay Scottish School in Mumbai, Modern School, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi, and Aiglon College in Switzerland. He then went to the U.S. to complete his education at Boston University, but left midway to pursue his acting career when his father's company, ABCL, was facing trouble.

[edit] Career

Bachchan began his career with J.P. Dutta's Refugee (2000). Bachchan went on to do other films, including Kuch Na Kaho and Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai, without much success.^[2]

His performances in Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon (2003)^[3]^[2] and Mani Ratnam's Yuva (2004) proved his mettle as an actor.^[4] The same year, he starred in Dhoom his first commercial hit.^[2] In 2005, Bachchan shot to fame with four consecutive hits: Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar, Dus, and Bluffmaster.^[5]^{[unreliable source?]} He won his second Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Sarkar. Bachchan also received his first Filmfare nomination in the Best Actor category.

His first 2006 release, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, was one of India's highest grossing films of the year.^[6] He was also a part of Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru, Indru, Naalai, alongside many other co-stars. Bachchan's second release Umrao Jaan failed to do well at the box office, but his third film that year, the sequel Dhoom 2, did very well—although, as in the first Dhoom, critics found that Hrithik Roshan, as the antagonist, stole the show.^[7]

In 2007, Bachchan starred in Guru, receiving much acclaim for his performance, and the film emerged as his first solo hit.^[8] In May 2007, he made a brief appearance in the successful Shootout at Lokhandwala.^[9] His next release, Jhoom Barabar Jhoom, which released in June 2007, failed to do well in India^[10] but did better overseas, especially in the UK.^[11] While the film itself received mixed reviews, Bachchan won praise for his performance.^[12]

In the summer of 2008, Bachchan, his wife, his father, and fellow performers Preity Zinta, Ritesh Deshmukh, and Madhuri Dixit starred in the Unforgettable World Tour stage production. The first leg covered the U.S, Canada, Trinidad, and London, England.

Bachchan is also involved in the functional and administrative operations of his father's company, originally known as ABCL, and rechristened as AB Corp. Ltd. That company, along with Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., developed the Unforgettable production.^[13]

Among Bachchan's 2008 films were Sarkar Raj and Dostana.^[14]^[15] Abhishek has now joined the long list of actors in Bollywood that have turned producer. Abhishek's first venture into producing films has been for the Hindi film Paa for his family company AB Corp. Ltd. Abhishek not only was one of the lead actors in Paa, but was the main hands on producer in charge of the film's budget, marketing, and the entire production of the film.^[16]^[17]^[18]

Abhishek is currently hosting a brand new game show for Colors titled National Bingo Night which premiered on 23 January 2010.^[19]^[20] National Bingo Night fared extremely well in its debut episode on Colors beating many other current top television series. The debut episode fetched a 3.5 in the TVR ratings.^[21] Bachchan's 2010 releases have included the film Raavan opposite his wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Tamil actor Vikram.

[edit] Personal life

Abhishek Bachchan with wife Aishwarya Rai Bachchan at the IIFA Awards (2007).

In October 2002, at Amitabh Bachchan's 60th birthday celebration, Abhishek Bachchan and actress Karisma Kapoor announced their engagement.^[22] The engagement was called off in January 2003.

In 2006, Abhishek was named the sexiest man in Asia by UK magazine Eastern Eye.^[23] The Times of India called him the most eligible bachelor of India at the time he married Aishwarya Rai, the Bollywood actress.^[24]

Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai announced their engagement on 14 January 2007.^[25] The couple was married on 20 April 2007, according to traditional Hindu rites of the South Indian Bunt community, to which Rai belongs. Token North Indian and Bengali ceremonies were also performed. The wedding took place in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence Prateeksha, in Juhu, Mumbai, but was heavily covered by the entertainment media. Tabloids have referred to the couple by the portmanteau "Abhiaish" (for Abhi[shek] and Aish[warya]).^[26]

Bachchan's paternal grandmother Teji Bachchan died on 21 December 2007.^[27] Abhishek and his spouse Aishwarya Rai Bachchan appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on Monday, 28 September 2009.^[28]

[edit] Awards and nominations

Main article: List of Abhishek Bachchan's awards and nominations

[edit] Filmography

Year	Film	Role	Notes
2000	Refugee	Refugee	Nominated, Filmfare Best Male Debut Award
	Dhai Akshar Prem Ke	Karan Khanna
	Tera Jadoo Chal Gaya	Kabir Srivastav
2001	Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai	Surajchand Shrivastav
2002	Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya	Shiv Kapoor
	Shararat	Rahul Khanna
	Om Jai Jagadish	Jagadish Batra
	Desh	Anjaan
2003	Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon	Prem Kumar	Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
	Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost	Kanji
	Kuch Naa Kaho	Raj
	Zameen	ACP Jaideep "Jai" Rai
	LOC Kargil	Lt. Vikram Batra
2004	Run	Siddharth
	Yuva	Lallan Singh	Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
	Hum Tum	Sameer	Guest appearance
	Dhoom	ACP Jai Dixit
	Phir Milenge	Tarun Anand
	Rakht: What If You Can See the Future	Manav	Guest appearance (item number)
	Naach	Abhinav
2005	Bunty Aur Babli	Rakesh Trivedi/Bunty	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	Sarkar	Shankar Nagare	Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
	Dus	Shashank Dheer
	Antar Mahal	Brij Bhushan
	Salaam Namaste	Dr. Vijay Kumar/Narrator	Special appearance
	Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak	Customer at Pizzeria	Special appearance
	Ek Ajnabee	Bodyguard	Special appearance
	Neal n' Nikki	Man in Bar	Special appearance
	Bluffmaster	Roy Kapoor
2006	Alag		Special appearance in song Sabse Alag
	Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna	Rishi Talwar	Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
	Lage Raho Munna Bhai	Sunny Khurana	Special appearance
	Umrao Jaan	Nawab Sultan Khan
	Dhoom 2	ACP Jai Dixit
2007	Guru	Gurukant K. Desai	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
	Shootout at Lokhandwala	Abhishek Mahatre	Special appearance
	Jhoom Barabar Jhoom	Rikki Thukral
	Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag	Gypsy singer	Special appearance
	Laaga Chunari Mein Daag	Rohan Varma	Extended cameo
	Om Shanti Om	Himself	Special appearance
2008	Sarkar Raj	Shankar Nagare	Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award
	Mission Istanbul		Special appearance
	Drona	Aditya/Drona
	Dostana	Sameer	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actor Award
2009	Luck by Chance	Himself	Special appearance
	Delhi-6	Roshan Mehra
	Paa	Amol Arte
2010	Raavan	Beera	Released on June 18, 2010
2010	Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey	Surya Sen	Releasing on December 3, 2010
2011	Game		Filming
	Dum Maro Dum		Filming
	Dostana 2		Pre-production