Why I Love Preity Zinta

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

"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

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

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

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.