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!
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. 
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. 
‘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? 
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. 
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.”
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 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. 
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.
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! 
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. 
Govinda was a playback singer on several movies including Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Dulaara (1994), Aankhen (1993) Shola Aur Shabnam (1992). 
"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 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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. 
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 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. 
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.
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. 
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!
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. 
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. 
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." 
Fun Facts:
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 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:
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.
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.
