Aishwarya Rai Spotlight

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

"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

"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

“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

“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.”