Ajay Devgan

Vishal Veeru Devgan, Hindi:विशाल देवगन, born (April 2, 1969 in New Delhi, India), popularly known as Ajay Devgan is a National Film Award-winning actor who appears in Bollywood films. Beginning his career as an action hero in the early 1990s, Devgan has since established himself as one of the serious actors in Bollywood. In 2008 he ventured into directing as well with U, Me Aur Hum, which saw him starring in the lead role alongside his wife, popular actress Kajol.

Biography

Devgan is from Punjab, of Sikh Tarkhan Ramgarhia origin. His father is Veeru Devgan, a stunt choreographer, his mother Veena Devgan produced one film and his cousin, Anil Devgan, is a Bollywood film director. He is a graduate of bapu school in Juhu & Mithibai College. He married the successful multi-award winning actress Kajol on February 24, 1999. Their daughter Nysa Devgan was born on April 20, 2003.

Career

Devgan made his film debut with Phool Aur Kaante (1991), in which he played the son of antagonist Amrish Puri. His performance won him a Filmfare Best Debut Award. Many of his earlier movies were of the action genre and he worked with director Deepak Bahry on the action film Ek Hi Raasta opposite Raveena Tandon. However he soon began starring in comedy films such as Ishq in 1997.

In 1998, he was the leading actor in Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, one of the biggest hits of that year. He next starred in Mahesh Bhatt's Zakhm. The film was highly acclaimed, as was his performance. He won several awards for his performance, including the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor and Star Screen Award Best Actor.

Devgan saw further success in 1999 when Sanjay Leela Bhansali cast him opposite Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai for the film Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which was a critical and commercial success. Devgan's performance in the film earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare.

Devgan went on to be notably recognised for his association with filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, resulted in several successful projects, which was particularly noticed in 2002, with the drama Company, which earned him his second Star Screen Award Best Actor. 2002 proved to be a good year for him, as his performance in Rajkumar Santoshi's The Legend of Bhagat Singh won him his second National Film Award for Best Actor.

In 2004, he starred in several critically appreciated films, including Mani Ratnam's Yuva, Rituparno Ghosh's Raincoat; thse projects did not do well at the box office. In 2006, he played the title role in the critically acclaimed adaptation of Shakespeare's Othello, titled Omkara.

In 2007, Devgan starred in Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag, which was the remake of the Indian cinema's landmark Sholay. The film was a major failure critically as well as commercially

Devgan's first 2008 release, Halla Bol, was not a box-office success, but Devgan's performance won appreciation from critics. Next came Sunday, which performed below average at the box office.

Devgan's directorial debut, U, Me Aur Hum, in which he starred opposite his wife, was released on April 11, 2008. The film performed well at the box office and received positive reports, approving his work as a debuting director.

Kajol

Kajol Devgan, née Mukherjee (Bengali: কাজল দেবগন Kajol Debgôn, Hindi: काजोल देवगन), born August 5, 1975 in Mumbai, India, popularly known as Kajol, is a Hindi film actress.

Kajol made her acting debut with Bekhudi (1992) and had her first hit with her second film Baazigar (1993) along with Shahrukh Khan, with whom she later went to deliver some of the biggest Bollywood hits like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Her performances in both the films were praised and earned her two Filmfare Best Actress Awards. After the successful Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham released in 2001, she took a sabbatical from full time acting for five years. She made a successful comeback with Kunal Kohli's Fanaa (2006), for which she received her fourth Best Actress award at the Filmfare ceremony. During her career years, she has been part of many critically and commercially successful films, and is regarded as one of India's most successful actresses.

Family background

Touted as one of the best actresses in Bollywood, Kajol, who is of Bengali-Marathi descent, in fact belongs to a family tree with a long respectable history in the Indian cinema. Her mother Tanuja is a renowned actress, whilst her late father Shomu Mukherjee was a film producer. Her late maternal aunt, Nutan is the record holder for the most (five times) Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. Late maternal grandmother Shobhna Samarth and great grandmother Rattan Bai had both been influential figures in the early stages of Hindi cinema.

Her paternal uncles are film producers; Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee. Kajol's paternal grandfather, Sashadhar Mukherjee, was a filmmaker. His wife Satirani Devi, Kajol's paternal grandmother, was the sister of three famous film personalities, Ashok Kumar, Anoop Kumar and Kishore Kumar. Kajol's cousins Rani Mukerji, Sharbani Mukherjee and Mohnish Behl are also Bollywood actors. Kajol's younger sister Tanisha Mukherjee has recently started a film career.

Kajol married Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan on February 24, 1999. On April 20, 2003, she gave birth to a daughter named Nysa, which means Goddess of purity.

On April 10, 2008, Kajol's father passed away after suffering from a cardiac arrest. His funeral was held the same day and was attended by other Bollywood personalities..

Career

Kajol left her school St. Josephs convent at Panchgani and started her career at the age of seventeen. Although her debut film, Bekhudi (1992) was not a great success at the box office, her performance was noticed and she went on to work with big production houses in India.

In 1993, she shot to fame with her second film, Baazigar, opposite Shahrukh Khan. The film was her first major hit, and her pairing with Khan proved to be appreciated. She later went on to make a popular pairing with him in a number of films, all of which were box office successes.

Her first release in 1994, Udhaar Ki Zindagi, was a box-office failure. Despite that, her performance in the film was much appreciated by critics, and she won the BFJA Best Actress Award for this film. She next starred in her first Yash Raj Film, the romantic drama Yeh Dillagi, co-starring opposite Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. The film was a box office success and her performance as Sapna, a strong dreamy girl who leaves her paternal home to make her own life in the big city, earned Kajol her first nomination for Best Actress award at the Filmfare.

1995 proved to be a very good year for Kajol. She went on to star alongside Shahrukh Khan in two of the year's biggest hits. Her first release was Rakesh Roshan's Karan Arjun. The film, which dealt with reincarnation, became the second biggest hit of the year.While three of her next releases that year failed at the box office, her last release, Aditya Chopra's directorial debut, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, was not only the biggest hit of that year, but one of the biggest hits of Hindi cinema ever. The film has entered its twelfth year in Mumbai theaters, grossing over 12 billion rupees overall, making it one of the biggest film blockbusters in Bollywood.'s performance in the film was praised, and she received her first Filmfare Best Actress Award.

Kajol had only one release in 1996, Bambai Ka Babu, opposite Saif Ali Khan, which was a major box office failure.

In 1997, Kajol she starred in Gupt: The Hidden Truth. Co-starring actors Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala, the film was one of the highest grossing films of that year.[9] Apart from that, her performance was a significant development for female actors in Bollywood; she was the first female actor to win the Filmfare Best Villain Award. She next starred in Hamesha. Like Karan Arjun, the film dealt with the topic of reincarnation. However, unlike the latter, it was a box office failure.[9] She next starred in her first Tamil film, Minsaara Kanavu. The film was a major critical success and Kajol won her first Best Actress award at the Filmfare Awards South ceremony. Her last release that year was the romantic-comedy Ishq, where she was paired with her then future husband, Ajay Devgan, which did well at the box office.

Kajol had further success in 1998, as she starred in three of the year's biggest hits. She first starred opposite Salman Khan in the comedy Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. The film was the fourth highest grossing film of the year. Her next release, Dushman alongside Sanjay Dutt, did moderately well at the box office. She had a double role in the film, and won her first Star Screen Award Best Actress for her performance. She next starred opposite Ajay Devgan in the romance Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, which was the second biggest hit of that year. However, her biggest success that year came with her last release, Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Starring opposite Shahrukh Khan, the romance went on to become the biggest hit of the year in both India and overseas.Additionally, she won her second Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance.

Kajol's first release in 1999 was the drama film Dil Kya Kare. She played the supporting role of Nandita Rai, which was well received. However, the film flopped. She had a hit with her second release, the family drama Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain. Starring alongside Anil Kapoor, Kajol received another Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare.

She had an unsuccessful year in 2000, as her only release that year, Raju Chacha went unnoticed.

Kajol had only two films released in 2001. She first played a double role in the drama Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi, which was a major commercial failure. However, she reinvented her success in her second venture with Karan Johar, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, which was one of the biggest hits of the year, and for which she won several Best Actress awards, including her third Filmfare Best Actress Award and her second Star Screen Award Best Actress. Critic Taran Adarsh, wrote of her performance in the film, "Kajol is first-rate in the role of a typical Chandni Chowk lass. Her Punjabi dialect will win her immense praise. The sequence when she seeks Amitabh's aashirwad, without him knowing about it, is terrific." Following the success of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Kajol took a sabbatical from full time acting for five years. She gave birth to her daughter Nysa in 2003.

She made a successful comeback in 2006 with Kunal Kohli's drama Fanaa, one of the highest grossing films of the year. Portraying a blind Kashmiri girl who falls in love with a Kashmiri terrorist (played by Aamir Khan) in the film, she won her fourth Filmfare Best Actress Award, which placed her at par with other famous Bollywood actresses, Meena Kumari and Madhuri Dixit, each of whom holds 4 Best Actress awards from Filmfare. (Kajol's late aunt, Nutan currently holds the record for five such awards.) Kajol's latest release, U, Me aur Hum, which released on April 11, 2008, marked her husband's directorial debut; the film performed moderately at the box office.

Media

In 2005, she appeared on the TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati (the Indian version of Who wants to be a millionaire?) hosted by Amitabh Bachchan. She was paired with her husband Ajay Devgan. They won 1 crore (10 million) rupees and donated them to a cancer hospital in Chennai. She has also appeared on Indian Idol, seasons one and two, as a guest judge.

She also appeared on Karan Johar's talk show Koffee with Karan with Shahrukh Khan on the first episode. Back again with Season 2 of Koffee with Karan, Karan's first episode started with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai reunion. After almost a decade since his directorial debut Karan invited her along with Shahrukh and Rani Mukerji. She modeled and walked the ramp for Manish Malhotra's fashion display Fashion Week 2006, titled Freedom, along with actress Preity Zinta.

Govinda

Govinda (Hindi: गोविंदा; Punjabi: ਗੋਵਿਨ੍ਦ) ( born Govind Arun Ahuja, on December 21, 1963) is a Filmfare award-winning Indian actor and politician currently serving as the 5th Member of Parliament for the Mumbai North Constituency of Maharashtra, India. He has appeared in over 120 Hindi language films, also known as Bollywood. As a young man, his acting and dancing skills gained him widespread attention among film viewers. He later gained worldwide fame as a Bollywood icon through comedy films such as Shola Aur Shabnam, Aankhen, Coolie No.1, Haseena Maan Jaayegi and Partner.

Govinda was nicknamed and referred to as "Chi Chi" (Punjabi: Little Finger) by his family, close associates and occasionally by the media.

Govinda is married to Sunita Ahuja. He is a member of the Indian National Congress Party and was elected in June 2004 in the 14th Lok Sabha elections defeating Ram Naik of the Bharatiya Janata Party. In June 1999, Govinda was voted as the 10th greatest star of stage or screen of the last thousand years by BBC News Online users.

Biography

Early life

His mother, Nirmala Devi, was a classical vocalist and actress who hailed from Banaras. His father, Arun Kumar Ahuja, an actor in the 1940s, was a Sindhi settled in Maharashtra. Arun was notable for acting in Mehboob Khan's Aurat (1940). Arun and Nirmala first met during the making of the film Savera, in which they were cast opposite each other. They married in 1941. The only film Ahuja ever produced was a flop. Unable to bear the loss, his health failed. The family, living in a bungalow on Mumbai's upmarket Carter Road, was forced to move to Virar -- a far- flung semi-rural Mumbai suburb, where Govinda was born. The youngest of six children -- his pet name Chi Chi means little finger in Punjabi, the language they speak at home -- he grew up on a diet of movies. Since his father was unable to work, Nirmala Devi brought up the children through hard times.

Acting Career

He studied at Annasaheb Vartak College in Vasai, Maharashtra. He graduated in commerce, but failed to find a job. He was not considered for a steward's position at the Taj Mahal hotel because his English wasn't good enough. His father suggested films. Around this time, Govinda saw the film Saturday Night Fever and dance became his obsession. He practised for hours and circulated a promo of himself on a VHS cassette. Soon a fertiliser commercial came his way, followed by an Allwyn ad, finally his very first leading role in Tan Badan which was to be directed by his uncle Anand. He started shooting for his next film Love 86 in June 1985. By mid-July, he had signed 40 others.

His first film to be released Ilzaam (1986) was a box office success. He acted in a string of movies after that with mixed success. Most of the films he appeared in during the 1980s were in the action, romance or family drama genres. He was often paired opposite actress Neelam and together they appeared in hit films such as Love 86 (1986), Khudgarz (1987) and his brother Kirti Kumar's directed Hatya (1988). He had success with family drama films such as Dariya Dil (1988), Jeete Hain Shaan Se (1988) and Hum (1991) as well as action films such as Marte Dam Tak (1987) and Jung Baaz (1989). He worked with David Dhawan for the first time in the 1989 action film Taaqatwar.

He then formed a successful collaboration with David Dhawan and went onto act in 17 movies directed by him most of which were comedy films. The most successful films during their collaboration included Shola Aur Shabnam (1992), Aankhen (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Hero No. 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Anari No. 1 (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Jodi No. 1 (2001). Dhawan and other directors frequently cast him opposite actresses such as Divya Bharati, Karishma Kapoor and Raveena Tandon during the 1990s.

Govinda played the role of a villain for the first time in his career in Shikari (2000). Although the movie was not a commercial success, Govinda's convincing portrayal of a sociopath murderer was critically acclaimed.

His box office draw suffered a setback in the early 2000s following a series of commercially unsuccessful films. His acting career was further affected when he contested and won the seat for Member of Parliament from Mumbai North in the 2004 parliamentary elections. He did not have any new film releases in 2004 and 2005 although some of his delayed films such as Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen (2005) and his own home production Ssukh (2005) were released but were box office disasters.

Govinda made a comeback to films in late 2006 with the comedy film Bhagam Bhag alongside Akshay Kumar which was a success. His first 2007 release was the huge multi-starrer Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love. Although a box office disappointment, Govinda was praised for his performance.

His second 2007 release was the David Dhawan directed romantic comedy Partner, which co-stars Salman Khan. The film grossed Rs.300 Million in India on its opening week, the second highest domestic opening week gross for an Indian film. . His upcoming films for 2008 include Money Hai To Honey Hai.

Political career

In 2004, Govinda joined the Congress party, and was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower House of Parliament from Mumbai with a thumping majority of beating the 5 time sitting MP by over 50000 votes. It is believed that the large and influential Gujarati Muslim community had a big role to play in canvassing support for him. Mumbai North is one of the most communally sensitive areas in Mumbai

In a run up to the polls, Govinda had announced that his agenda will be awaas (housing), prawaas (transportation), swasthya (health) and gyaan (education).

During the first ten months of his tenure as an Member of Parliament (MP), Govinda did not spend any money from his MP Local Area Development Fund of Rs. 20 million. He started utilizing his fund only when newspaper reports brought this to notice. According to the Thane district collectorate sources, Govinda committed Rs 7 to construct anganwadi, samaj mandirs and resolve drinking water problem of Vasai and Virar residents. However, work on these projects did not begin (as of August 2005), because administrative approval was being awaited. Govinda also took credit for 80% of the quadrupling of Borivli-Virar section on Western Railway (India).

During his tenure as an MP, Govinda embarrassed his party, Congress, by coming out in open to support actor Shakti Kapoor, who had been caught in an sting operation, asking for sexual favours from a television reporter posing as a Bollywood aspirant. He also opposed the ban on dance bars, which embarrassed the Congress-NCP led Democratic Front Government, which had proposed the ban.

As an MP, Govinda has been criticized for being inaccessible to the people of his constituency, especially during the terrible rains (beginning July 26, 2005) that left around 450 dead in Mumbai. After the rains, while speaking to a TV channel, Govinda claimed that he had got Rs 150 million sanctioned for his flood-hit constituency after speaking to Sonia Gandhi. However, his own party colleagues contested the claim. Mohan Adhikari, the president of Palghar Congress Unit went on record saying that "not a single paisa" had been received.

On Jan 20, 2008, he has decided to quit politics to concentrate on his acting career in Bollywood.

Personal Life

Govinda's father Arun was an actor in the 1940s and his mother Nirmala was also an actress as well as a singer. His brother Kirti Kumar is an actor, producer and director. His sister Kaamini Khanna is a writer , music director, singer, anchor and founder of Beauty with Astrology. Govinda has six nephews and two nieces in the entertainment industry: actors Vinay Anand, Krushna Abhishek, Aryan, Arjun Singh, Ragini Khanna, Amit Khanna, Aarti Singh and director Janmendra Kumar Ahuja. Govinda's brother-in-law Devendra Sharma has also acted in a few Hindi Films.

Govinda married Sunita Ahuja on 11 March 1987. The couple have two children,Narmada and Yashvardhan. Narmada is preparing herself for her acting debut in Bollywood.

Govinda initially wanted to marry actress Neelam with whom he had made many films but eventually gave up and married according to his mother's choice. He had a narrow escape from death on January 5, 1994. While travelling to a studio for the shooting of 'Khuddar (1994)', the actor's car hit another car, resulting in him sustaining injuries to his head. Though bleeding profusely, Govinda did not cancel the shooting. After visiting a doctor, he shot for the film till midnight.

Awards

* 1997 - Special Filmfare award for Saajan Chale Sasural
* 1998 - Lux Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Dulhe Raja
* 1998 - Special Videocon Screen award from Jury for overall performance
* 1999 - Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
* 1999 - Filmfare Best Comedian Award, Haseena Maan Jaayegi
* 1999 - Was voted No.10 in a BBC News Online Survey to find out the Top 10 Greatest Stars of Stage and Screen of the last 1000 years.Others in the list included Amitabh Bachchan, Charlie Chaplin, Robert De Niro, Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe.
* 2000 - Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role for Haseena Maan Jaayegi
* 2002 - IIFA Best Comedian Award for Jodi No. 1
* 2007 - "Excellent Comic Actor" Award at the Star Gold Comedy Honors
* 2007 - Most Stylish Comeback Award at the MTV Lycra Style Awards
* 2008 - Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards, "NDTV Imagine Best Jodi of the Year 2007" along with Salman Khan.
* 2008 - Zee Cine Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Male for Partner
* 2008 - IIFA Best Comedian Award for Partner

Shahid Kapoor

Shahid Kapoor (Hindi: शाहिद कपूर; born on February 25, 1981 in Mumbai, India) is a Bollywood actor and model.

Starting off his career by working in music videos and ads, Kapoor made his Bollywood debut as a background dancer in Subhash Ghai's Taal (1999). After four years, he made his debut as a leading actor in Ishq Vishk (2003) and won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance. Following through with critically acclaimed performances in films like Fida (2004) and Shikhar (2005), he had his first commercial success with Sooraj R. Barjatya's Vivah (2006), his biggest commercial success so far, and later continued it with Jab We Met (2007). Since then, he has established himself as one of the most promising actors of the industry.

Career
Early career, until 2005

Before starting off his career as an actor, Kapoor worked in several music videos and ads, including the Pepsi commercial with Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji post Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). While doing so, he decided to join the Shiamak Davar Institute for the Performing Arts (SDIPA), where he was later seen in Subhash Ghai's film Taal (1999) as a background dancer in the song Kahiin Aag Lage Lag Jawe along with actress Aishwarya Rai.

In 2003, Kapoor played his first leading role as Rajiv Mathur, a carefree young man in Ken Ghosh's moderately successful love story Ishq Vishk. Appearing opposite Amrita Rao and Shenaz Treasurywala, the film was well received by critics and Kapoor's performance earned him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award. Film critic Taran Adarsh from indiaFM wrote, "Shahid Kapur is an actor to watch. He has all the qualities to hit the top slot. Not only is he good looking, but he is an amazing performer as well. Very original as a perormer, the youngster has handled the dramatic and emotional moments with flourish. He is an exceptional dancer as well. All he needs to do is pick and choose his forthcoming assignments with care, so that the journey to the top slot is minus hiccups."

The following year, Kapoor collaborated once again with director Ken Ghosh in the thriller Fida, where he co-starred alongside Kareena Kapoor and Fardeen Khan. The film failed to do well at the box office, yet Kapoor's performance was praised.The Tribune concluded, "...Shahid Kapoor shines in his role. He looks fresh. As an impulsive emotional and innocent guy, who is sucked into crime because of these very qualities, he manages to evoke your sympathies." He then appeared in the romantic comedy Dil Maange More opposite Soha Ali Khan, Tulip Joshi, and Ayesha Takia. His performance opened to mixed reviews; Rediff.com wrote that "Shahid tends to imitate Shahrukh Khan a lot. He does it well in some scenes, overdoes it in others..."

Featuring in three more films in 2005, success continued to elude Kapoor. However, his performance as Jaidev Vardhan, a man who is sucked into the world of money and greed in John M. Matthan's drama Shikhar was critically acclaimed, earning Kapoor his first Star Screen Award for Best Actor nomination. According to indiaFM, "Shahid Kapoor is only improving with every film. He matches up to Ajay in almost all sequences.

Breakthrough, 2006-present

In 2006, things began turning around as Kapoor received his first box office success since his debut with the multi-starrer, 36 China Town. Revolving around the story of seven individuals and a murder, the film became an economic success despite receiving mixed reviews from critics. Shortly after the release of the film, Kapoor's second release of the year, Priyadarshan's comedy Chup Chup Ke released; the film became a moderate success at the box office.

Kapoor's final release of 2006 was Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic drama Vivah, a film depicting the journey of two individuals from engagement to marriage. Co-starring alongside Amrita Rao, the film was received favourably by most critics and became one of the highest grossing films of the year as well as Kapoor's biggest commercial success to date. Kapoor's performance was appreciated with audiences and critics alike, earning him his second consecutive nomination for Best Actor at the Star Screen Awards. Taran Adarsh wrote, "Shahid Kapoor performs like never before. If he was super-cool in Ishq Vishk and showed flashes of brilliance in Fida, you've to watch him in Vivah to see his growth as a tremendous actor. He is exceptional in emotional sequences."

During the summer of 2006, Kapoor embarked on his first world tour, the Rockstars Concert, along with Bollywood stars, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, John Abraham, Esha Deol, Mallika Sherawat and Zayed Khan.

In 2007, Kapoor appeared in two movies. His first release was Ahmed Khan's Fool and Final. The film received negative reviews and didn't do well at the box office; Kapoor's performance was not well received. His next release, Imtiaz Ali's comedy-romance Jab We Met opposite Kareena Kapoor, became one of the biggest hits of the year. The film tells the story of two people with contrasting personalities meeting each other on a train and how they fall in love eventually. Kapoor starred as Aditya Kashyap, a dejected young industrialist full of angst and despair. The film was highly praised by critics and was generally lauded for the chemistry between the two leads. Kapoor's performance was also praised, earning him several nominations for Best Actor at a number of award ceremonies, including Filmfare. Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN noted, "Despite the risk of being overshadowed by Kareena, her co-star in the film, Shahid Kapur, leaves an indelible impression with a performance that is understated and mature, and indeed the perfect foil to Kareena's boisterousness. Together, they set off such sparks, that the strength of their chemistry alone is enough to make up for several inconsistencies in the screenplay."

In 2008, Shahid's first release was Aziz Mirza's Kismat Konnection, which was a hit. Shahid is currently working on Ahmed Khan's Paathshala.

Personal life

Born to actor Pankaj Kapoor and actress/classical dancer Neelima Azeem, Kapoor's parents divorced when he was three. After the divorce of his parents, he usually lived with his mother whilst he also shared a good relationship with his father and stepmother Supriya Pathak. Kapoor, who is a vegetarian,also has a sister named Sana and a brother named Ishaan Kapoor; his brother acted with him in the movie Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi (2005). His maternal grandfather was Anwar Azeem, a noted Marxist journalist and author from Bihar.
In 2004, Kapoor began dating actress Kareena Kapoor, who he separated with three years later. he later fell in love with a girl named Anoosha who was not an acterss herself. According to him, they remained on good terms, with him saying, "I wish her [Kareena] all the happiness in the world. I have great respect for her. She’s a wonderful girl."

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone (Kannada: ದೀಪಿಕಾ ಪಡುಕೋಣೆ; born January 5, 1986) is an Indian supermodel turned actress who appears in Bollywood movies.

Biography

Padukone was born to Ujjala and Prakash Padukone on January 5, 1986 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her family moved to Bangalore when she was only eleven months old. Her father Prakash Padukone is a badminton player of international repute, while her mother is a travel agent. Furthermore, Padukone has a younger sister, Anisha (b.1991), who is an aspiring golfer.

Padukone attended Sophia High School in Bangalore. She completed her studies from Mount Carmel College. While in high school she played badminton at the state level like her father and was a member of her father's badminton club. However, she wasn't keen on pursuing a career as a badminton player and abandoned it because of her ICSE exams.

Career

Modeling

While pursuing her studies in college, she decided to pursue a career in modeling. Over the years, she has modeled for famous Indian brand names such as Liril, Dabur Lal powder, Close-Up toothpaste and Limca. She received many prestigious modeling offers, which included becoming the brand ambassadorship of the Jewels of India. Padukone hit the international scene when Maybelline made her their new international spokesperson.

At the 5th annual Kingfisher Fashion Awards she was awarded the title Model of the Year. Shortly afterward, she was chosen as one of the models for the Kingfisher Swimsuit Calendar for 2006 and won two trophies at the Idea Zee Fashion Awards: Female Model of the Year - (Commercial Assignments) and Fresh Face of the Year later that year. Padukone was also chosen as the brand ambassador of Kingfisher Airlines and most recently Levi Strauss and Tissot SA..

Acting

After pursuing a successful career in modeling, Padukone branched out into acting. She started by starring in the music video for the song Naam Hai Tera from the independent pop album Aap Kaa Surroor by Himesh Reshammiya.

In 2006, Padukone made her cinematic debut in the Kannada film, Aishwarya staring opposite actor Upendra. She later made a successful Bollywood debut in 2007 with Farah Khan's Om Shanti Om opposite Shahrukh Khan. The film went on to become the biggest hit of the year, both in India and abroad. The film featured her portraying Shantipriya - a 1970s superstar, and later as Sandy - a young woman who looks exactly like Shantipriya. Her performance was well received, earning the actress a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award as well as her first Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Taran Adarsh from indiaFM noted, "Deepika has all it takes to be a top star -- the personality, the looks and yes, she's supremely talented too. Standing in the same frame as SRK and getting it right is no small achievement. She comes as a whiff of fresh air!"

Padukone's most recent film is Siddharth Anand's Bachna Ae Haseeno, which released on August 15, 2008. As of August 2008, Padukone is currently working on Nikhil Advani's Chandni Chowk To China opposite Akshay Kumar.

Awards & nominations

Filmfare Awards

Winner

* 2008: Filmfare Best Female Debut Award; Om Shanti Om
* 2008: Sony Head N Shoulders Fresh Face of the Year Award; Om Shanti Om

Nominated

* 2008: Filmfare Best Actress Award; Om Shanti Om
Star Screen Awards

Winner

* 2008: Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer - Female; Om Shanti Om
* 2008: Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Shahrukh Khan; Om Shanti Om

Zee Cine Awards

Winner

* 2008: Zee Cine Award for Best Female Debut; Om Shanti Om[13]

Nominated

* 2008: Zee Cine Award for Best Actor - Female; Om Shanti Om

IIFA Awards

Winner

* 2008: IIFA Awards' Best Debutant (Female); Om Shanti Om

Nominated

* 2008: IIFA Best Actress Award; Om Shanti Om

Stardust Awards

Nominated

* 2008: Stardust Superstar of Tomorrow - Female; Om Shanti Om

Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards

Winner

* 2008: Apsara Film & Television Producers Guild Awards' Best Female Debut; Om Shanti Om

Other Awards

* 2007: Star's Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards, Sabsey Favourite Nayi Heroine; Om Shanti Om
* 2007: HT Café Film Awards, Best Newcomer Award (Female); Om Shanti Om
* 2008: Reebok Zoom Glam Awards, Glam Debutant (Female); Om Shanti Om
* 2008: Annual Central European Bollywood Awards, Breakthrough Role (Female); Om Shanti Om

Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan (Hindi: शाहरुख़ ख़ान, Urdu: شاہ رخ خان), born 2 November 1965, is a highly acclaimed Indian actor who works in Bollywood films, as well as film producer and television host.

Khan began his career appearing in several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut with the commercially successful Deewana (1992). Since then, he has been part of numerous commercial successes and has delivered a variety of critically acclaimed performances. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won thirteen Filmfare Awards, seven of which are in the Best Actor category.

While some of Khan's best-known films: Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Chak De India (2007) and Om Shanti Om (2007), remain some of Bollywood's biggest hits, films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) have been top-grossing productions in the overseas market, making Khan one of the most successful actors of Hindi cinema. Since 2000, Khan branched out into film production and television presenting as well. He is the founder-owner of two production companies, Dreamz Unlimited amd Red Chillies Entertainment.

Biography

Khan was born to Muslim parents of Pathan ethnicity in New Delhi, India.[1] His father, Taj Mohammed Khan was a freedom fighter from Peshawar, Pakistan. His mother Lateef Fatima was the adopted daughter of Major General Shah Nawaz Khan of the Janjua Rajput clan, who served as a General in the Indian National Army of Subash Chandra Bose.

Khan's father came to New Delhi from Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar before the Partition of India, while his mother's family came from Rawalpindi, also in present-day Pakistan.Khan has an elder sister named Shehnaz. He attended St. Columba's School where he was accomplished in sports, drama and academics. He won the Sword of Honour, an annual award bequeathed to the student who embodies most the spirit of the school. He later attended the Hansraj College (1985-1988) to earn an Honors degree in Economics. Though he studied for a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, he later opted out to make his career in Bollywood.

After the death of his parents, Khan moved to Mumbai in 1991.In that same year, before any of his film releases, he married Gauri Khan (who is a Hindu) in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on October 25, 1991.[8] They have two children, son Aryan Khan (b. 1997) and daughter Suhana (b. 2000). According to Khan, while he strongly believes in Allah, he also values his wife's religion. At home, his children follow both religions, with the Qur'an being situated next to the Hindu gods.

In 2005, Nasreen Munni Kabir produced a two-part documentary on Khan, titled The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan. Featuring his 2004 Temptations concert tour, the film contrasted Khan's inner world of family and daily life with the outer world of his work. The book Still Reading Khan, which details his family life, was released in 2006. Another book by Anupama Chopra, "King of Bollywood: Shahrukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema", was released in 2007. This book described the world of Bollywood through Khan's life.

Khan's life-size wax statue is on display at the Madame Tussauds wax museum, London, installed in April 2007. Khan has been accorded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) award by the French government for his “exceptional career”.

Career

As an actor

Khan studied acting under celebrated Theatre Director Barry John at Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG). In 2007, John commented thus on his former pupil:

The credit for the phenomenally successful development and management of Shahrukh's career goes to the superstar himself.

Khan made his acting debut in 1988 when he appeared in the television series, Fauji, playing the role of Commando Abhimanyu Rai. He went on to appear in several other television serials, most notably in the 1989 serial, Aziz Mirza's Circus, which depicted the life of circus performers. The same year, Khan also had a minor role in the made-for-television English-language film, In Which Annie Gives it Those Ones, which was based on life at Delhi University and was written by Arundhati Roy.

Upon moving from New Delhi to Mumbai in 1991, Khan made his Bollywood movie debut in Deewana (1992). The movie became a box office hit, and launched his career in Bollywood. His performance won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award. His second movie, Maya Memsaab, generated some controversy because of his appearance in an "explicit" sex scene in the movie.

In 1993, Khan won acclaim for his performances in villainous roles as an obsessive lover and a murderer, respectively, in the box office hits, Darr and Baazigar.[19] Darr marked his first collboration with renowned film-maker Yash Chopra and his banner Yash Raj Films, the largest production company in Bollywood. Baazigar, which saw Khan portraying an ambiguous avenger who murders his girlfriend, shocked its Indian audience with an unexpected violation of the standard Bollywood formula, yet his performance won him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award. In that same year, Khan played the role of a young musician in Kundan Shah's Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, a performance that earned him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance. Khan maintains that this is his all-time favourite among the movies he has acted in.[21] In 1994, Khan once again played an obsessive lover/psycho's role in Anjaam. Though the movie was not a box office success, Khan's performance earned him the Filmfare Best Villain Award.

In 1995, Khan starred in Aditya Chopra's directorial debut Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, a critical and commercial success, for which he won his second Filmfare Best Actor Award which entered its twelfth year in 2007 in Mumbai theaters. By then the movie had grossed over 12 billion rupees, making it as one of the biggest movie blockbusters.

1996 was a disappointing year for Khan as all his movies released that year failed to do well at the box office.[25] His first 1997 release, Yash Chopra's Dil to Pagal Hai, however, became that year's second highest grossing movie, and he won his third Filmfare Best Actor Award. Earlier that year, he saw success with Subhash Ghai's Pardes -- one of the biggest hits of the year-- and Aziz Mirza's Yes Boss.

In 1998, Khan starred in Karan Johar's directoial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, which was the biggest hit of the year. His performance won him his fourth Best Actor award at the Filmfare. He won critical praise for his performance in Mani Ratnam's Dil Se. This movie did not do well at the Indian box office, but was a commercial success overseas. Khan's only release in 1999, Baadshah, was an average grosser.

In 2000, Khan starred in Aditya Chopra's second film, Mohabbatein, co-starring Amitabh Bachchan. The film did well at the box office, and Khan's performance won him his second Critics Award for Best Performance at the Filmfare. He also starred in Mansoor Khan's Josh, which was also a box office success. In that same year, Khan set up his own production house, Dreamz Unlimited with Juhi Chawla. Both Khan and Chawla starred in the first movie of their production house, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani.

In 2001, Khan collaborated with Karan Johar for the second time in the family drama, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham which was the second biggest hit of the year. He also received favorable reviews for his performance as Emperor Asoka in the historical epic, Asoka.

In 2002, Khan received acclaim for playing the title role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's award-winning period romance, Devdas. It was the third Hindi movie adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's well-known novel of the same name, and surfaced as one of the biggest hits of that year.Khan also starred opposite Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit in the family-drama Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam, which did well at the box office.

In 2003, Khan starred in the moderately successful romantic drama, Chalte Chalte. That same year, he starred in the romantic drama movie, Kal Ho Naa Ho, written by Karan Johar and directed by Nikhil Advani. Khan's performance in this movie as a man with heart disease was appreciated. The movie proved to be one of the year's biggest hits in India and the biggest Bollywood hit overseas.

2004 was a good year for Khan, commercially as well as critically. He starred in Farah Khan's directorial debut, Main Hoon Na. The movie did well at the box office. He then played the leading role of Veer in Yash Chopra's Veer-Zaara, which was the biggest hit of 2004 in both India and overseas. Khan's performance in the film won him awards at several award ceremonies. In that same year, he received critical praise for his performance in Ashutosh Gowariker's Swades, which won him the Filmfare Best Actor Award for the sixth time, although the movie was a box office failure. He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his releases in 2004, winning it for Swades.

Khan's only movie release in 2005 was the fantasy film, Paheli. It was a box office failure, but won him acclaim. The movie was India's nomination for the Oscars.

In 2006, Khan collaborated with Karan Johar for the fourth time with the melodrama movie, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. It did well in India and much more so in the overseas market, becoming the biggest Bollywood hit in the overseas market ever.[36] His second release in that saw him playing the title role in the action film Don, a remake of the 1978 hit Don. The movie was a success.

Khan's first release in 2007 was a film about the Indian women's national hockey team, Chak De India. Earning over Rs 639 million, Chak De India became the third highest grossing movie of 2007 in India and was critically acclaimed. In addition, Khan received his seventh Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance as the coach of the team.

Khan also starred in Farah Khan's 2007 film, Om Shanti Om. The film emerged as the year's highest grossing film in India and the overseas market, well as earned him another nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony.

Emraan Hashmi

Emraan Hashmi (Hindi: इमरान हशमी, born 24 March 1979) in Mumbai, Maharastra, India, is a Filmfare Award-nominated Indian actor. Standing at 5'8", he's not the tallest actor, but he has many fans. He does come from a "film-family" He is Mahesh Bhatt's nephew. Known as the "serial kisser", he plays mostly unconventional characters and is often seen in Bhatt Films.

Biography

Emraan Hashmi was born as Emran Anwar Hashmi on 23 March 1979 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. His father, Anwar, is Muslim and his mother, Maherahh, is Catholic.^[1] He changed his name to Farhaan Hashmi but recently reverted to his original name, albeit with an extra "a" as per numerology beliefs. His nickname is Emmi. Emraan speaks Hindi and English. He Has relatives in Karachi, Pakistan

Career

Hashmi made his debut in 2003 with the film Footpath. However, it did not do well at the box office. He shot to fame with Murder which was the first hit for him and his Co-Star Mallika Sherawat. His next few films such as Zeher, Aashiq Banaya Apne, Kalyug, and Gangster have done well at the box office and the soundtracks in these respective films have helped create a large fan base. Amusingly, all the songs from his movies have become instant hits. The playback singers for most of his film's songs have been Himesh Reshammiya, K.K, Kunal Ganjawala and Atif Aslam. In 2008 Emraans first release Jannat had a 100% opening and was declared a super hit at the box office.Although famously known as the "serial kisser" , one critic commented on his acting in Jannat stating " Emraan gives a solid performance as Arjun Dixit a man caught in the quagmire of lust and love ".