“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 KhanWith 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.”
Kajol Mukherjee (Devgan) is someone who has always managed to win the hearts of both critics and millions of fans around the world; she is often regarded as a Bollywood legend. Throughout her commendable career, she has proven herself worthy of this honor, with numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films under her belt. Her forte lies in challenging roles, which motivate and bring out the best in her; moreover, she will never accept a role that she has portrayed on screen before. With her husband, Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut, U Me Aur Hum, starring the real and reel-life couple set to release, we take the time to see why Kajol truly is one of the best Bollywood has to offer.
Educated in Panchgani’s St. Josephs Convent, Kajol was an average student but one who took a shine to English Literature. Soon, Bollywood beckoned and she left school to enter the film industry in 1992 at the age of sixteen. She debuted in Bekhudi; while the movie failed to impress at the box office, Kajol was noticed for her outstanding performance, setting the stage for a long and illustrious career ahead. 
1995 proved to be an even more successful year for Kajol, as she starred alongside Shah Rukh for two major hits. Rakesh Roshan’s commercial hit Karan Arjun and Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. These movies firmly established the undeniably sizzling chemistry that she shared with Shah Rukh Khan and the latter movie earned her her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress that year. Furthermore, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge has proven to be one of the biggest Hindi cinema releases of all time: 650 weeks and still running. Ten years after its release, one reviewer said, “Aditya, who made his directorial debut with DDLJ, wisely picked Kajol to play Simran, the real-as-life actress bringing warmth and credulity to the initially prudish and reluctant Simran. Not to mention the on-screen chemistry that has become the stuff of legend.”
In 1998, Kajol’s career rose again to new heights as she starred in four successful movies: Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Dushman, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and Karan Johar’s directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is one of Kajol’s most beloved performances and she was praised for her role as Anjali, “Kajol has a lot of work ahead of her. What do I mean? She needs to start clearing her bookshelves as the awards are about to start pouring in. She is simply brilliant as the gawky, outspoken tomboy who transforms herself into the demure, sexy siren,“ said one review. Her performance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai won her, her second Filmfare Best Actress award. That year Kajol also played a double role in Dushman and for that role she won her first Star Screen Best Actress Award. 
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was Kajol’s last movie before she took a break from acting to give birth to her daughter Nysa in 2003. Her well-deserved break was extended as she took time out to spend with her daughter and her family. ‘My daughter Nysa and Ajay are my top priority in life. However much I may be busy with work, I always find out time for my daughter. I drop her to school everyday. Ajay, Nysa and I always have dinner together. Our lives are incomplete without her. Ajay dotes on her and just a look from her is enough to melt him. She is very naughty and we try to fulfill almost every wish of hers. But she also gets the stick when she becomes stubborn. Right now, my priority is to give her a nice upbringing.’
As well as the numerous awards noted above, Kajol has also won Aashirwad Awards Best Actress Award, Bollywood Awards Best Actress Award, Sansui Viewers' Choice Awards Best Actress Award, 5th Annual Rajiv Gandhi Award and Radio Sargam Bollywood Best Actress Award. She truly is a powerhouse of talent. Furthermore, whilst juggling family life with her illustrious career, Kajol is also the brand ambassador, for popular brands such as Whirlpool, along with her husband Ajay.
"Honestly speaking, I've got my share of adulation. People have appreciated my work. I only want to do better work. That's the focus of my life." ~ Ajay Devgan
His debut film was Kuku Kohli’s Phool Aur Kaante in 1992. Being the son of an excellent stunt coordinator, it isn’t surprising that his first film should have a stunt never seen before. No one will ever forget when Ajay came riding into the scene, standing on TWO motorcycles! The film was a big hit with audiences and for his role, he won the Filmfare Best Debut Award.
His romantic hero streak continued with Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha in 1998. The film, again co-starring Kajol, was one of the biggest hits of that year and the chemistry between the two exudes from the screen. Of course, there had to be an amazing stunt. In one sequence, Ajay is seen riding on top of a car that is racing toward a moving train. When the car and train collide, he jumps and lands on the train, waving bye-bye to Inspector Khan. It has the same story as the Hollywood film French Kiss, and to me, it has many scenes that are even better than the (fantastic) original. They managed to take a wonderful story and make it even better. This is one of my favorite Ajay movies.
Lajja (2001) starred Rekha, Madhuri Dixit, Manisha Koirala, Mahima Chaudhry, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor with Ajay in a supporting but very important role. The film did fairly well at the box office and critics were very appreciative of all of the performances, especially Ajay. For his wonderful turn as Bulwa, he was nominated as the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at both the Filmfare and Zee Cine Awards.
His second masterful characterization was in the film Company, directed by Ram Gopal Varma. When asked how he prepares for any role, he said in an interview in 2003, “ This may sound strange but the only way I can prepare for a role is to switch off. I have to be completely blank and absorb the character like a sponge. It is a silent process for me. If the director is competent, he can trust me to give a competent performance. If not, I have to rely on my instinct. All actors talk about instinct but there has to be a method of delivering the expression too. There is and the rhythm differs from performer to performer. For me, I’m anxiety ridden for the first few shots. Then gradually, as the scenes progress, unconsciously one hits on the right chord. The trick is to recognize the signal.” 
Fun Facts: 
An actor not only has to portray a character when he speaks, he also has to be that character in the stillness and act only with his body and his eyes, and Abhishek Bachchan is one of those actors. He can look into the camera and without saying a word; you know what he’s feeling. After only eight years in the film industry, he has shown his talent in all genres of film, including drama, action, comedy, and, of course, romance. With that mischievous smile, he has made many hearts flutter (heroines and fans alike), and has only gotten better looking with time. This Friday, we will see him reprise one of his best performances, that of Shankar Nagre (a character first seen in Sarkar) in the new film Sarkar Raj. With the release of Sarkar Raj, we thought we would shine the spotlight on some of the highlights of Abhishek’s career. 
His debut film Refugee (2000) was directed by J.P. Dutta, and though the film was not a box office bonanza, the young actor won awards for the Most Promising Newcomer at both the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) and the Screen Weekly awards. In his review Taran Adarsh wrote, “On a scale of 10, Abhishek's performance deserves 7 marks, dialogue delivery 8 and overall personality 9. There is certain awkwardness in the boy that is so likable [sic]. He may not be possessing great looks or a physique which would be the envy of all the heroes, but the youngster has all it takes to emerge a competent actor in times to come. Even in his debut-making film, Abhishek comes across as a fine actor and lives up to his family name.” Praise, indeed!
Amitabh’s advice certainly worked, because in 2004, Abhishek showed that he could really act, and not only in one film, but in four. His breakthrough performance was in Mani Ratman’s Yuva. With a star-studded cast of Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor and Esha Deol, Abhishek’s turn as Lallan Singh was singled out. Abhishek said, “I play Lallan Singh who belongs to the streets of Kolkata. He is a very interesting and complex kind of person. It was enjoyable to portray this character.” Adding, “The whole film was creatively very satisfying. There is no particular day that I can remember. The entire making [of Yuva] is memorable for me.” Subhash K. Jha said in his review, “But the film belongs to Abhishek. As the impetuous hit man who loves his wife to death, Abhishek's eyes and smile rattle us with their sincerity. His Lallan is obnoxious and violent, and yet never anything but a child of an obnoxious and violent social order. This film marks the coming of age for the actor.” The film was a moderate success, but for his role as Lallan, Abhishek was showered with awards. He won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Aspara, Filmfare, IIFA, Screen Weekly, and Bollywood Awards. Zee Cine nominated him in the category of Best Performance in a Villainous Role, and he took home the trophy for that at the Bollywood Awards. He and co-star Rani Mukerji were nominated for a special award at the Screen Weekly awards as Jodi No. 1, and Stardust named him Star of the Year. 
He was on a roll, but with Dhoom he would finally achieve huge box-office success. Dhoom, co-starring Uday Chopra, John Abraham, Esha Deol and Rimi Sen, was an action-packed film that thrilled audiences. Abhishek recalled what happened when he heard Dhoom was a hit: “I remember I was in Canada filming for a movie called Dus and the movie Dhoom was releasing on the 27th of August. And I got back on the 27th early morning, and at 2 o'clock Adi had called us to the house, and in his house I finally asked him, I say I can't take this, tell me, how's the film done? And he said, ‘Congratulations, you have your first hit’. And I think I went out into his garden and started screaming and shouting and I was jumping up and down for about a half an hour. I couldn't believe it, I was in shock. And then I remember calling my sister and telling her that you know, it's a hit. And I was just so overcome by emotion because at that point of time, you know, after 17 films, you have no self confidence left. Suddenly, somebody comes and tells you, yeah, it's a hit, it's a huge hit. You're very overcome with emotion, because you don't expect it, because at that point, you're ready to accept it as a failure, because that's what you're attuned to. So yeah, it was very emotional for me.”
Co-starring with Papa Bachchan and Rani Mukerji in Bunty Aur Babli, Abhishek got to put on his comedic avatar, and boy, did he shine! The film was a Bonnie-and-Clyde-with-hearts-of-gold comedy that has disguises, cons, music, a cool, neck-cracking cop, one of the best item numbers ever done, and, of course, love. Rani said she felt they share great chemistry, and that “I've watched his growth as an actor. And I feel very proud of where he has come. We're very similar in our working style. Then we had Shaad to direct us in Bunty Aur Babli. It was a great team.” The film was a hit and critics yet again admired his performance: “Abhishek Bachchan is wonderful. The actor is getting better with every release. He handles the light moments with the same sincerity with which he handles the emotional ones.” He was nominated for Best Actor at the Filmfare and Zee Cine Awards, and he and Rani were given the Screen Weekly Jodi No. 1 statue. He also took home the Best Actor in a Comic Role trophy at the Star Screen Awards. 
Dus was another action film that boasted an all-star cast, including Sanjay Dutt, Sunil Shetty, Zayed Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Esha Deol, Dia Mirza, Raima Sen, and Pankaj Kapur. Taran Adarsh said, “Abhishek Bachchan, who is now a rock star after the super-success of Bunty Aur Babli and the positive opening of Sarkar that is steadily marching towards another successful outing for the father-son jodi. Yuva, Dhoom, Phir Milenge, BAB, Sarkar and now Dus - the world couldn't have been a better place for a star called Abhishek Bachchan who is slowly stopped being called 'Chota B' after managing to create an identity of his own.” 
In 2006, Abhishek played a betrayed husband, a role in a classic period film, and reprised his role from Dhoom - quite the myriad of characters. Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna was directed by Karan Johar and, along with Abhishek, the film starred 5 of the biggest names in Bollywood; Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Kirron Kher. His performance was astounding and was again singled out even among the stellar cast. Preity said, “Abhishek is going to shock you. His expressions, his interpretation of his character have to be seen to be believed. I truly believe Abhishek is the star of tomorrow.” When asked what his favorite scene was, he answered, “Well, I have not seen the entire film so I don’t know about other actors’ scenes, but from the scenes that I have seen and I have been a part of, there is a scene between Rani and me wherein we meet after a long period of time where we try to put our past demons to rest and I think that’s a wonderfully written scene. It is one of Karan’s best written scenes, very touching and honest. It must have taken lots of guts for Karan to write this scene. It is very close to his heart and now it has become very close to my heart, too. I just loved the honesty of the emotions and the simplicity and the innocence of the scene, though it was a tough scene to perform.” That scene and his magnificent acting where he finds out about the affair was one of the main reasons he won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role at Filmfare, Global Indian Film and Stardust Awards.
Also in 2006: Dhoom 2. With a new bad guy played by Hrithik Roshan and the addition of Aishwarya’s “are you like checking me out” Sunehri, Dhoom 2 was another modern stylish cop-chasing-robber film. Abhishek: “ One of the plus points of doing a sequel is you already know the character. I play the same character. Then there’s an equation already built with the crew. So, you automatically get into the groove. The exciting part is to build a new mood in the given parameters. We can’t serve the same thing to the audience. It’s a new cast and a new plot. Hopefully, it will be much better and bigger than the first Dhoom.” It was and went on to be one the highest grossing films of 2006.
2007 also saw him in Jhoom Barbar Jhoom and a special appearance in both Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Om Shanti Om. I have to mention how great he was in his priceless scene from Om Shanti Om when was nominated for a Filmfare award for Dhoom 5! Hysterical!
Abhishek once said, “I would like to believe all my films are different from each other. I have not consciously gone out to see whether I should experiment with this film or not. I just got the films I did. I agreed to do those films because the script or the director inspired me. I have never looked into details. I never felt 'Oh, this is a safe script' or 'That is a risky script'. I never thought about it that way before accepting a film.” From his incredible body of work, you can see that he has been inspired and has given us some wonderful funny, dramatic and romantic characters. We applaud the work he has done in his short career and are sure he is only going to get better. We can’t wait to see him in Sarkar Raj and then in his upcoming films, including the 3 D’s Dostana, Drona, Dilli 6, plus Mani Ratnam’s next with wife Aishwarya, and hopefully in two new rumored projects with Big B, R. Balakrishnan’s Pa and Ram Madhvani’s Talisman.
Rohan Sippy revealed that: “A dream birthday gift for Abhishek would be an iPod with all of the world's music in it. Every song ever. But in the size of a Nano.”
Philosophy of Life: Whatever you do, do it from the heart. 
Amitabh Bachchan was born as Amitabh Srivastav as that was his father's real surname. His father, famous late poet Harivansh Rai Srivastav, used the pen name Bachchan while writing. Amitabh decided to stick with the name for his career in filmdom as well. Born on October 11, 1942, he grew up and completed his studies in Uttar Pradesh. After graduating, he moved to Calcutta where he started work for a shipping company. After doing that for a while, he decided he wanted to be a part of the film industry and moved to Bombay to accomplish his dreams. Although at first when he went, it was a bit of a struggle because no one wanted to cast him in their movies; he was thought to be too tall and his voice was too deep for their liking. He finally was able to grab a role in the film Saat Hindustani in 1969. The movie was a good beginning for him as it helped him win the National Award for best newcomer. But after that, it continued to be a struggle for him, as pretty much all his films flopped. The one bright spot amidst all these flops was the 1971 Hrishikesh Mukherjee film, Anand. In the film, he played the supporting role to Rajesh Khanna, the number one star at the time. His performance was lauded by all and helped him garner his first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. The film also did very well; it won the Best Picture of the Year. Even though he did not taste much success in the beginning years of his career, the good days were soon to come for Big B professionally and personally.
The year 1973 seemed to be the turning point for Amitabh Bachchan. Well-known director, Prakash Mehra, cast Big B in his film Zanjeer and the rest, as they say, is history. The film went onto become Big B's first solo hit and gave him his image of the 'Angry Young Man' which he held onto for a large part of his career. His performance was appreciated by one and all and a star was born! Another special thing about the film was its leading lady, Jaya Bhaduri. Bachchan and Bhaduri fell in love while shooting for the film, and after the film was declared a hit, they both decided to get married. They did just that one month after the film's release. 1973 truly was an unforgettable year for Big B as more success was about to come his way. He had two more wonderful films that year, Abhimaan with wife Jaya and Namak Haraam where he played the supporting role to Rajesh Khanna once again. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who gave Big B some of the best movies of his career, directed both films. He was praised for his performances in both films and even won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor once again for Namak Haraam. Both films were very well received. As a matter of fact, over the next two decades, most of the best films and performances would belong to Amitabh Bachchan. 
Amitabh Bachchan was the newfound superstar and he was looking towards bigger and better things. That came about in 1975. He teamed up with Hrishikesh Mukherjee two more times in this year in the films Mili and Chupke Chupke. Both films went on to become highly appreciated. But the real big noise came in the form of two legendary directors he worked with for the first time. Deewaar was his first film with Yash Chopra and they never looked back after that. Many consider the role of the rebellious Vijay from Deewaar to be the greatest performance of Big B's career. His performance in this film turned Big B into an instant megastar. Although the film swept all the awards at Filmfare, Bachchan was the only one who went home empty handed - pretty ironic for a film that is considered to be his best performance. Then of course there was Ramesh Sippy's all-time blockbuster Sholay. Many still consider this to be the mother of all of Hindi cinema as it has gone on to become the most iconic and successful Hindi movie in history. Big B was one half of the Jai-Veeru combo and gave a wonderful and understated performance. Every filmmaker uses Sholay as a barometer for filmmaking, so you know how big the film really is. Unfortunately, Ram Gopal Varma loved the film so much that in 2007 he decided to remake it his own way. The film was RGV Ki Aag and it was one of the most hated films in Hindi cinema history. Even Big B was cast as the legendary character of Gabbar Singh (known as Babban in the new film), which was immortalized by Amjad Khan in the original. The new film was only a minor blip in Big B's illustrious career. 
The 70s quickly turned into the decade of Amitabh Bachchan. He was now delivering nonstop hits and brilliant performances. Also he was working with some of the best directors of the industry. Some of his best work came in Kabhie Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Kasme Vaade, Don, Trishul, Muqaddar Ka Sikandar, Mr. Natwarlal, The Great Gambler, and Kaala Patthar. All these hits gave Big B the title of 'One Man Industry' as everything he touched turned into a success. 
The 80s began just the way the 70s ended-with Big B still on the top of the industry. The hits just kept on rolling in the form of Dostana, Shaan, Kaalia, Yaarana, Naseeb, and Laawaris. Then was the film that was perhaps the most controversial of his career. The film was Yash Chopra's Silsila. Rumored to be about the affair between Big B and Rekha, the movie had both playing principal roles, along with Big B's wife Jaya. It was tough for many to digest, so the film did not end up doing very well, but it is considered to be one of the all-time classics now. 
Nearing the age of 50, he started the 90s off with a bang! His character of Vijay Dinanath Chauahan from the film Agneepath is one of the greatest and most iconic characters in Hindi film history. The film and the performance are his son, Abhishek's, favorite. Although he did not win the Filmfare Award for Best Actor, he did end up receiving the National Award for his remarkable performance. He also won the Lifetime Achievement Award that year. After the success of Agneepath with director Mukul Anand, he once again worked with him in the film Hum. The film provided us with another landmark performance from the man as he won his third Filmfare Best Actor Award. But the end seemed to be near because it looked like Big B was looking forward to a career in politics. It was announced that Khuda Gawah would be the last film he would do. Once again teaming up with Mukul Anand, he left with one more fine performance, even though the film did not live up to the mark.
Down and almost out, Big B agreed to do a game show that was a spin-off of the hit show, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. The show became an instant rage and pretty much all of India would be tuning in every night for the show. The show helped revive Bachchan's career and also put him back on the map. He followed this with a role in the film Mohabbatein directed by Aditya Chopra, son of Yash Chopra. This film officially showed that Big B was back and better than ever as now he finally had a role to play in the industry - that of the elderly distinguished gentleman. The film helped him win the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also was awarded the Superstar of the Millennium Award that year.
2001 saw him in successful films such as Ek Ristha and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham. Also, there was the critically acclaimed Aks, for which he won the Best Actor Critics Award at Filmfare. 2002 was yet another successful year for Big B as he had two more memorable performances which garnered him nominations: Kaante for which he was nominated for Best Actor and Aankhen for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Both films did very well at the box office. 2003 was not as big of a year for him, as only one of his films worked-Baghban. The film went on to do very good business and his performance was greatly appreciated, as he was nominated for Best Actor once again. 2004 had one standout performance from him and some other solid performances. The standout performance was from the film Khakee, for which he was nominated for Best Actor. But if there was any year this decade that truly belonged to Big B, then it was the year 2005. He started the year off with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Black. The film went on to becoming the biggest critical success of the year and there were even some saying that it was the greatest performance of Big B's career. That was evident as he won the Best Actor award at every show that year for his performance in the film, even the National Award. The film, itself, swept all the major awards at every award ceremony as well. He continued his success that year in films like Waqt, Bunty Aur Babli, and the reason for this feature, Sarkar. BAB was special as it was the first time he was on screen with his son Abhishek. Sarkar may have been even more special as it was the first time he and Abhishek played father and son in a film. The film created yet another iconic character for Big B in the form of Subhash Nagre and his performance was without a doubt one of the best of his career. He was nominated for Best Actor, but lost to himself. The movie made such an impact that we now have a sequel, Sarkar Raj.
A terrific year ended on a sad note as Big B was struck with a stomach illness that hospitalized him for about a week. People were in a standstill once again just like when he was injured during Coolie. They prayed for him once again all throughout the country. Luckily, he was back and ready to go. But he was told to slow down his work; his workload was greater and larger than even people half his age! That is why in 2006, he only had one film of note and it was Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. His role in the film was perhaps the boldest he has ever played and made some uncomfortable, but he once again showed the Bachchan magic, which helped him receive yet another Best Supporting Actor nomination. 2007 could best be described as an experimental year for Big B. He starred in very different films such as Eklavya, Nishabd, and Cheeni Kum. His performances in all the films were praised, although the latter two were a bit controversial, because they showed him romancing women much younger than him. Nonetheless, people applauded him for experimenting with his roles and trying something different. The year 2008 started with Bhoothnath, which was well received critically and commercially. Now the stage has been set for his next big release, Sarkar Raj. This is the first time that he will be starring in a film with both his son and daughter-in-law in the same movie (Abhishek and Aishwarya). The stakes are high and the expectations are huge. We hope the movie lives up to the hype and that Amitabh Bachchan is able to stick one more feather in his cap!
A word of mention must go to the numerous awards and honors he has won outside the film industry. For instance, he was awarded with a doctorate from a university for his great contribution to films. He also has been honored internationally, as well as, domestically. His contribution to India has been so great, that everyone wants to do their best to honor and commemorate this force of nature!
