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- Actress
- Producer
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Freida Selena Pinto was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India, to Sylvia, a school principal, and Frederick Pinto, a senior bank branch manager. She is from a Mangalorean family.
Pinto traversed the modeling circuit in Mumbai (represented by Elite Model Management India) for two years before gaining her big break when director Danny Boyle picked her out in the audition process to play the female lead, Latika, for his project Slumdog Millionaire (2008). In a promo interview, Boyle likened spotting her to his discovery of Kelly Macdonald for Trainspotting.
Surprisingly, Freida, who studied at Mumbai's St. Xaviers College, began taking acting classes (she has done amateur theater before) only after completing her debut film -- when she attended a three-month workshop by Barry John, the veteran theater guru.
Between 2006 and 2007, she anchored Full Circle, a travel show that was telecast on Zee International Asia Pacific. She went on assignments to Afghanistan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Fiji, among other countries.- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Madhuri Dixit is one of the most acclaimed actors and Kathak dancers Bollywood have ever witnessed. Born in a Marathi Brahmin Koknastha family to Mr. Shankar and Mrs. Snehlata, Madhuri Dixit has two sisters Rupa, Bharti, and brother Ajit. She performed decently well in her academics and aspired to become a Microbiologist which made her pursue the subject from Mumbai's Sathaye College, formerly known as Parle College; but within six months she opted out from college to pursue her career in Bollywood. Though she debuted with 'Abodh' in 1984, it's with 'Tezaab' (1988), a romantic thriller caste opposite Anil Kapoor, where she started garnering fame and popularity. She earned her first nomination of Filmfare Best Actress with this movie and it was also the highest grossing film in that year. Her performance in 'Ek Do Tin' made every heart groove to the beats of the song. During this time, Madhuri also got featured on Debonair and she was also featured as the cover girl on 1986 Filmfare edition. Since then she has graced more than 72 movies with her stupendous performances.
After 'Tejaab', Madhuri Dixit once again was paired with Anil Kapoor for Subhash Ghai's 'Ram Lakhan'(1989) which went on to be a super hit and the second highest grossing movie of the year. In her next 'Prem Pratigya' she received critical acclamation for her performance and earned her second nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award. Dixit continued her success with her fourth pairing with Anil Kapoor in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's drama 'Parinda'. In 1990, Madhuri starred in the romantic drama 'Dil' opposite Aamir Khan. The film became the biggest box office hit of the year and made her one of the leading actresses of Bollywood. Her performance in 'Dil' also earned her the first Filmfare Best Actress Award of her career. She was also seen in the dramas 'Sailaab' opposite Aditya Pancholi and 'Kishen Kanhaiya' opposite Anil Kapoor. The following year in 1991, she starred in the super-hit movie 'Saajan' opposite Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt which also earned her the fourth nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award. In 1992, Dixit featured in the film 'Beta' once again opposite Anil Kapoor which won her the second Filmfare Best Actress Award. Following the film's success, Dixit became famously known as the "Dhak Dhak Girl" for her performance on the song "Dhak Dhak Karne Laga".
In 1993, Dixit starred in the super-hit film 'Khalnayak; opposite Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff. Her portrayal of the police officer Ganga earned her critical acclaim and a sixth nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award and became the year's second highest grossing film. In 1994, Dixit starred in 'Anjaam', being paired with Shahrukh Khan for the first time. Dixit's performance of a revenge-seeking wife and mother earned her a seventh nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award. She was praised for her performance, even though the film was an average performer at the box office. Her next was 'Hum Aapke Hain Koun' opposite Salman Khan. The film became one of the biggest hits & the highest grossing Bollywood film after its theatrical run and held this record for 7 years till the release of 'Gadar: Ek Prem Katha' (2001). Madhuri was awarded her third Filmfare Best Actress Award for the film. 1995 witnessed Dixit star in the hit film 'Raja' opposite Sanjay Kapoor. The film became the fourth highest grosser of the year and its success was attributed to her immense popularity. Her next release was David Dhawan's 'Yaraana' opposite Rishi Kapoor, in which she played a dancer on the run from her abusive lover. Both films earned her nominations for the Filmfare Best Actress Award.
After a not so successful year in 1996 with films like 'Prem Granth' and 'Rajkumar'Madhuri Dixit bounced back with Prakash Jha's 'Mrityudand' in 1997 followed by Yash Chopra's 'Dil to Pagal Hai' (1997), opposite Shahrukh Khan and Karisma Kapoor. Her performance in 'Dil toh Pagal Hai' fetched her the fourth Filmfare Best Actress Award. The film also proved to be a success at the box office. However, her career growth slowed down with films like Wajood (1998) and Aarzoo (1999). In 2000, Madhuri starred in Rajkumar Santoshi's 'Pukar' opposite Anil Kapoor which earned her twelfth nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award. She then played the title character in 'Gaja Gamini' In 2001, Dixit starred in Deepak Shivdasani's love triangle 'Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke' opposite Ajay Devgan and Preity Zinta, followed by reuniting with Rajkumar Santoshi in the multi-starer 'Lajja' (2001). Dixit was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for Lajja. In 2002, Dixit starred in a lead role in the love triangle film 'Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam' opposite Shahrukh Khan and Salman Khan. Madhuri Dixit's next release was Sanjay Leela Bhansali's period romance 'Devdas', co-starring Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. Devdas was chosen as India's official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language. Dixit won the Filmfare Best supporting actress award for the film. It turned out to be her last film for a while as she shifted to Denver, U.S.A with her husband Dr. Shriram Madhav Nene, a Cardiovascular Surgeon. She subsequently became a proud mother of two sons (Arin and Ryan) in March 2003 and March 8, 2005, respectively.
In 2006, Dixit returned to India with her family and acted in Anil Mehta's dance film 'Aaja Nachle' (2007). It was her first release in five years and her performance was appreciated by critics and also earned her the nomination for the Filmfare Best Actress Award.
In 2008, she was also awarded the prestigious 'Bharat Ratna' for her contribution to Indian cinema by the Government of India. In 2011, Dixit was felicitated with the Filmfare Special Award for completing 25 years in the film industry.
In 2012, she was seen in the comedy 'Dedh Ishqiya' (2014), a sequel to Ishqiya (2010) opposite Naseeruddin Shah, Arshad Warsi, and Huma Qureshi. The film opened to a positive response from critics who called it "one of the year's most important releases". The film also earned her the fourteenth nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her next release of the year was the debuted director Soumik Sen's 'Gulaab Gang' alongside Juhi Chawla.
Madhuri Dixit made her debut in Marathi cinema both as an actor & Producer in 2018. She played the lead in 'Bucket List' and produced "15th August" which is slated for a Netflix worldwide released in 2019. She has also lent her voice for the Netflix original 'Mowgli'.
In (2019) she was seen reunited with Anil Kapoor after 17years on screen in a comedy, action and adventure movie 'Total Dhamaal' the third sequel of 'Dhamaal' (2007). In the same year, she also a part of Dharma productions 'Kalank' a period drama film directed by Abhishekh Varman starring along with Sanjay Dutt, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Alia Bhatt, and Sonakshi Sinha.
Madhuri Dixit is also associated with various philanthropic activities. She is associated with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate the rights of children, prevent child labor and child trafficking. She was appointed as the brand ambassador for the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign by the Government of India in 2015 that aspires to create awareness and upgrade the efficiency of welfare services intended for girls.
Dixit made her first appearance on television as a host for India's first reality show Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai on Sony TV followed by Jhalak Dikhla Ja & Dance Deewane.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Aasif Mandvi was born on 5 March 1966 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Million Dollar Arm (2014), Evil (2019) and The Proposal (2009). He has been married to Shaifali Puri since 26 August 2017.- Actress
- Music Department
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
She is the daughter of legendary Indian actor Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Sinha and sister to Luv Sinha and Kussh Sinha. She started her career as a model and walked the ramp in the Lakme Fashion week in 2008. She got her break in movies after being signed up by Salman Khan for his thriller Dabangg (2010)- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Aamir Khan was born on March 14, 1965 in Mumbai. He is one of the most successful Indian Bollywood actors who is also known as "Mr. Perfectionist of Bollywood". With his recent successes in both the Indian and Chinese film markets, he has shouldered his way into becoming one of the world's biggest superstars. Undergoing rapid transformations in his body structure to better embody the variegated characters in his energetic films, Aamir has garnered praise from all parts of the globe. His most visible transformations can be seen in such movies as Lagaan (2001), Fanaa (2006), Taare Zameen Par (2007), Ghajini (2008), 3 idiots (2009), Talaash (2012), Dhoom 3 (2013), PK (2014), Dangal (2016) and Secret Superstar (2017). His recent successes with movies like Dangal, PK , Talaash and TV serial Satyamev Jayate have attracted attention from more serious moviegoing crowds. However, he is perhaps better known for his fabulous comedic roles, as exemplified by his iconic performances in cult comedies such as Andaz Apna Apna, Passion, and Dil Chahta Hai, to name a few. Aamir is also no slouch at TV commercial work.
2001's Lagaan released in China nationwide, beginning what would be a series of Aamir Khan films that would firmly plant Indian filmmaking into the minds of Chinese audiences. 3 Idiots became a cult hit in China farther along in the 2000's, followed by Like Stars on Earth and Ghajini, both of which went on to gain huge followings. Aamir Khan's streak of Chinese box office hits continued into and throughout the 2010's with the rapid-fire release of Dhoom 3 (2013), PK (2014), Dangal (2016) and Secret Superstar (2017).
Aamir was first introduced as a child artist in the 1970's hit Procession of Memories (1973) - he was the youngest child in the trio.
His performance in Earth (1998) as the Ice-Candy man has received rave reviews from Indian and international critics. Using classic "method acting" and an adopted technique inspired by his seniors Sanjeev Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Dev Anand and Shammi Kapoor, Aamir acts in all genres of Indian films - comedy, action, drama and romance. He is regarded as a complete Indian actor of the post 1990 generation of actors for his diverse choice of roles and films. In 2007 he turned director with the film Like Stars on Earth (2007), which not only brought him immense critical acclaim but was also a huge box office success. Many of his films are considered as cult classics like Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), Dil Chahta Hai (2001), Rang De Basanti (2006), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992) and Andaz Apna Apna (1994). He divorced his first wife Reena Dutta on December 09, 2001 and married Kiran Rao in December 28, 2005 and divorced her on July 03, 2021.
In 2008 his first all out commercial action film Ghajini (2008) went on to become the highest grossing film of its time in Indian Cinema and 4th highest inflation adjusted, grossing a total of Rs.226 on the worldwide box office and the first film to cross 100 crores on the domestic Indian box office, making a total of Rs.115 crores. This record didn't last long, though, since his next release 3 Idiots (2009) went on to shatter not only the highest grosser record but many more. It not only made the highest opening first day, first weekend and first week records but subsequently continued to shatter many records on the following weekends and weeks, making many circuits on the way. It made a total of Rs.202 crores domestically and Rs.400 crores on the worldwide box office, becoming the highest overseas grosser to date, a staggering feat given that no other film had even come close to making Rs.100 crores on the domestic box office until then, except for his own Ghajini (2008) the previous year.
Aamir is said to be the actor who first started the trend of actors working in one film at a time, when the others worked in four or five at the same time. He is also known to shun popular film trade magazine awards like Filmfare, Star Screen, etc. as he doesn't have trust in their credibility and transparency. Recently he was awarded the third highest civilian honor Padama Bhushan by the government of India.
Aamir's expansive range of characterizations remains unparalleled amongst his contemporaries. Because of this diversity and his formidable ability to portray different characters believably on screen, he is today regarded not only as one of the biggest stars in Bollywood but also as one of the finest actors in all of Indian Cinema.- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Alia Bhatt (born 15 March 1993) is an India actress. The recipient of several accolades, including one National Award, six Filmfare Awards and three IIFA Awards. Bhatt is one of the highest-paid actresses in India. She has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014 and was featured by Forbes Asia in their 30 Under 30 list of 2017.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Music Department
Hrithik Roshan is an Indian actor, born on 10th January 1974, well known globally for his versatile roles, unmatchable dancing skills and attractive looks.
After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) for which he earned Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut. It was not just a new actor on the block, but a star was born. He became a romantic hero, an action hero and revolutionized the Hindi film industry in significant ways. Never before had any debutant become an overnight sensation of this kind.
After his debut film, he appeared in Karan Johar's family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), which received immense love not just in India but even overseas.
In 2003, Hrithik Roshan, who is often described as "India's Most Complete Actor" stunned everyone and proved once again that it is not just the uber-flattering looks that he brings to the table. This was when he flawlessly essayed the role of an intellectually disabled boy in Koi... Mil Gaya. Not only did the film set the cash registers ringing massively, but Roshan also bagged multiple awards for his acting prowess in the film, including the Filmfare Best Actor award.
The makers turned it into a franchise because of the huge commercial success and love that the film received. The next installment, Krrish (2006) saw Hrithik Roshan playing a superhero, which went on to become the first ever-successful Indian superhero in Indian cinema.
Roshan received his 3rd Filmfare Award for Best Actor in 2006 for his performance as an enigmatic master thief in the action film Dhoom 2, with which he redefined style and action and set new bars. He established himself as a major action star. He took stylized action to a whole new level with Bang Bang in 2014, which did massive business at the box office.
In 2012, he created history in Indian cinema when his film, Agneepath minted a whopping 25 crs only on its opening day. That is the star power and pull of Hrithik Roshan.
We also saw him portray the role of the Moghul emperor, Akbar the Great himself in Jodhaa Akbar (2008) for which he received immense critical acclaim and also an International award at a Film festival.
In 2011, Roshan was seen in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, which became an absolute cult classic.
Before becoming an actor, Hrithik toiled as a largely uncredited assistant on film projects, gradually progressing from unglamorous tasks such as set-sweeping, tea-fetching, or clapper-loading up to a major role in story development, camera, direction, and editing.
Since his entry into the industry, Hrithik has parlayed the natural gift of symmetrical features and a tall athletic frame into unimaginable standards. Through unparalleled work ethic, sheer honesty, talent, and commitment as an actor, he also effectively redefined the Hindi film hero. Actors would now have to act and dance and fight for themselves like never before.
With the kind of roles Hrithik has played on screen, there is no doubt about his acting prowess and versatility. From playing a intellectually disabled boy in Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) to an emperor in Jodhaa Akbar (2008); from playing a quadriplegic in Guzaarish (2010) to a visually impaired man in Kaabil (2017), he has played diverse characters effortlessly with his sheer talent.
In 2019, Hrithik continued taking on challenging roles as he marked two decades in the movies. In Super 30 (2019) he played the character of a Bihari Mathematician, Hrithik effortlessly slipped into the shoes of real-life Math genius Anand Kumar. He followed this up with War (2019), a larger-than-life Intelligence Agent gone rogue, while on a covert mission. Hrithik Roshan added act & action to his character. The actor aced at adding mystery to the thrilling story line with his screen presence as Kabir, which is considered one of the most charismatic characters he has played till date on screen.
Hrithik, a hot favorite for award show performances because of his smooth dance moves, high energy, and immense charm has won 66 awards out of 84 nominations, having a win rate of an outstanding 79%. Hrithik has also won many Style and Glamour awards for his appearances and red carpet outings. He was in fact voted as the 'Most Handsome Actor in the World' in 2018 by worldstopmost.com
Hrithik married his childhood sweetheart and longtime girlfriend, successful interior designer and businesswoman Sussanne Khan in December 2000. They have two sons: Hrehaan, born in 2006, and Hridaan, born in 2008. While the two got divorced in 2014, they chose to maintain cordial relations with each other for their kids and even today are good friends.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kajol Devgn is a well-known Bollywood actress known for her exceptional performances on screen. She attended St. Joseph's Convent School in Panchgani and was actively involved in extra-curricular activities such as dancing. In her early teens, Kajol was supposed to make her debut as an actress in a movie directed by her mother, Tanuja, but the project was cancelled. She eventually made her acting debut at the age of sixteen with the film Bekhudi (1992), while still in school. Later, she quit school to pursue a full-time career in the film industry.
She made her debut with Rahul Rawail's Bekhudi (1992) in 1992. Her film career flourished with commercial successes like Baazigar (1993), Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), which established her as a leading star in the 1990s. She was appreciated critically for her role in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and as an avenger in Dushman (1998). Another blockbuster Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) won her multiple awards, after which she took a break. She returned to the industry after a brief period with the romantic thriller Fanaa (2006).
She was cast in My Name Is Khan (2010) in 2010 opposite Shah Rukh Khan - it was widely appreciated by critics worldwide. Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan became the first Indian actors to be invited by NASDAQ to open the NYSE American to promote My Name Is Khan (2010). She was also appreciated for her performance in Dilwale (2015) - it also featured other renowned stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan, and Kriti Sanon. She was also cast in the period film Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior (2020) in 2020.
She also appeared in the social drama Tribhanga (2021), her first collaboration with Netflix.
She holds a managerial position at Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd., And as the supervisor, she launched the filmmaking-related portal Cineexplore in 2000. Devgn established another company, Ajay Devgn Films, in 2009.
She appeared with Ajay Devgn, and her mother Tanuja as the supervisor in Zee TV's 2008 reality show Rock-N-Roll Family. She was named a part-time public broadcaster Prasar Bharati member in 2016.
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis honored her with the Swabhimani Mumbaikar Awards. She was also included on Forbes India's "Celebrity 100", a list based on the income and popularity of India's celebrities, in 2012, 2013, and 2017.
She has won 23 awards, including 6 Filmfare Awards, 5 Screen Awards, 4 Zee Cine Awards, 1 Stardust Award and 1 Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award, and one Bollywood Movie Award till the year 2021. She was also honored with the Rajiv Gandhi Award for her contribution to Indian cinema in 2002. Kajol was listed in the Box Office India's "Top Actresses" for five consecutive years (1995-1999), topping the list in 1998.
In 2001 and 2006, she was featured in Rediff annual "Top Bollywood Actresses" listing. And in 2007, she received Karamveer Puraskar, presented by the Mumbai Pradesh Young Congress, for her social work in helping educate unprivileged children.
During the shooting of Gundaraj in 1994, Kajol and Ajay Devgn started dating. They eventually tied the knot on 24th February 1999 in a traditional Maharashtrian wedding ceremony held at Devgn's residence.- Actress
- Producer
Persis Khambatta was born on October 2, 1948 in Bombay, India. When aged 16, as Femina Miss India, she entered Miss Universe 1965, dressed in off-the-rack clothes she bought at the last minute. Khambatta became a model for companies such as Revlon. Her biggest acting break was getting the role of Lieutenant Ilia, the bald Deltan alien in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). This led to roles in Nighthawks (1981), Megaforce (1982) and Warrior of the Lost World (1983). She was considered for the title role in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983), but was passed over in favor of Maud Adams. Khambatta became the first citizen of India to present an Academy Award in 1980. She was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her Star Trek role. Khambatta also made guest appearances in many popular American television series. In the early 1980s, she was seriously injured in a car crash in Germany and had to have heart bypass surgery.
A year before her death, she wrote and published a coffee table book titled "Pride of India" which featured former Miss Indias; it was dedicated to Mother Teresa, and part of the royalties went to the Missionaries of Charity. On August 17, 1998, Persis Khambatta was taken to the Marine Hospital in South Mumbai, complaining of chest pains. She died of a heart attack on August 18, 1998 at the age of 49; her funeral was held in Mumbai.- Actress
- Producer
Jyothika Saravanan, an acclaimed Indian actress and film producer, has left an indelible mark on the world of cinema, predominantly gracing Tamil films while making notable appearances in Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi cinema. Widely recognized for her versatile talent, she has earned numerous accolades, including a National Film Award, four Filmfare Awards South, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, and the prestigious Kalaimamani Award.
Her journey in the film industry commenced in 1998 with her role as Pallavi Sinha in the Bollywood film "Doli Saja Ke Rakhna." Jyothika's cinematic prowess transcended language barriers as she showcased her skills in Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam films.
Apart from her film endeavors, Jyothika made a mark in the advertising world, featuring in commercials for renowned brands like Comfort (fabric softener) and Santoor Soap. She also served as the brand ambassador for RmKV silk sarees and Wardrobe Hub in Chennai.
In 2001, she played the role of Vani in the trilingual film "Little John," released in Tamil, Hindi, and English. Jyothika's debut in films was marked by the Hindi film "Doli Saja Ke Rakhna" (1997), directed by Priyadarshan. Her career soared with films like "Vaali" (1999), "Kushi" (2000), "Kaakha Kaakha" (2004), and "Chandramukhi" (2005), earning her critical acclaim and awards, including the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actress.
Despite achieving great success, Jyothika took a hiatus at the pinnacle of her career, marrying Tamil actor Suriya in September 2006, with whom she was paired in seven films. However, she made a remarkable comeback in 2015 with "36 Vayadhinile," earning the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress - South. Subsequently, she starred in a series of women-centric films, including "Magalir Mattum" (2017), "Naachiyaar" (2018), "Kaatrin Mozhi" (2018), "Raatchasi" (2019), and "Ponmagal Vandhal" (2020). Additionally, she played a pivotal role in Mani Ratnam's multi-starrer "Chekka Chivantha Vaanam" (2018).
Beyond her cinematic contributions, Jyothika, along with her husband Suriya, founded the Agaram foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting children who drop out of school early in Tamil Nadu.
In a candid interview, Jyothika shared insights into her married life, recounting how she and Suriya met on a film set and fell in love while collaborating on various projects. She emphasized Suriya's respect for women as a key factor that drew her towards him. Jyothika revealed that they married a month after Suriya proposed, as she felt satisfied with her career success and desired to devote time to her personal life. Her journey remains a testament to her artistic brilliance and commitment to both her craft and social causes.- Actor
- Music Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Son of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh; nephew of actors Randhir Kapoor, Rajiv Kapoor, Kunal Kapoor. Grandnephew of actors Shashi Kapoor, Jennifer Kendal, Shammi Kapoor, Geeta Bali; cousin of actresses Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor.
Belongs to the fourth generation of highly prestigious and considered to be the first family of Bollywood (Hindi film industry): Kapoor Family.
He and his Saawariya (2007) co-star Sonam Kapoor assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali on highly acclaimed movie Black (2005).- Alia "Kiara" Advani was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra to Mr. Jagdeep Advani and Mrs. Genevieve Advani. She is an Indian actress and model who mainly works in the Bollywood industry. Advani made her debut with a box-office flop named Fugly (2014) and rose to fame with M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016) where she played cricketer M. S. Dhoni's wife Sakshi Singh. She has also played roles in movies like Lust Stories (2018), Kabir Singh (2019), Good Newwz (2019), Laxmii (2020), Indoo Ki Jawani (2020), Shershaah (2021) etc.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kareena was born to Sindhi-speaking Babita (nee Shivdasani) and Punjabi-speaking Randhir Kapoor in Bombay, India. She has an elder sister, Karisma.
She is born in a family that have been actors for generations, including her paternal great-grandfather, Prithviraj Kapoor; her grandfather, Raj Kapoor; her paternal uncles, Shammi, Shashi, Rishi, and Rajiv; as well as aunt, Neetu Singh, & Jennifer Kendall, the wives of Rishi and Shashi respectively. On her maternal side, her grandfather, Hari Shivdasani, and aunt, Sadhana, have been actors in their own rights.
As a child she studied in Jamnabai Narsee School in Juhu, Bombay, and thereafter was enrolled in Dehra Dun's prestigious Welham Girls' Boarding School. Then she re-located to Harvard for approximately 3 months to take a course in information technology and microcomputers. Upon her return to India, she joined the Government Law College in Churchgate, Bombay, but left it after one year, to enroll in the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting School.
Her film debut was in the year 2000 with Refugee (2000) along with the debut of Amitabh Bachchan's son, Abhishek. She went on to appear in 31 other Hindi movies, and has thus far won four awards for her performances in Refugee (2000), Chameli (2003), Dev (2004), and Omkara (2006).
She is one of the most sought-after actresses in Bollywood, considered bankable, with an enviable A-listing and as of June 2007 is to appear in 'Tashan', 'Lajjo', 'Kismat Talkies' amongst others.
In 2012, she married actor Saif Ali Khan, son of actress Sharmila Tagore.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Fardeen Khan, born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, is an Indian film actor who has been a part of Bollywood since the late 1990s. He hails from a prominent film family, being the son of veteran actor Feroz Khan and the nephew of legendary actor Sanjay Khan.
Fardeen Khan made his acting debut in Bollywood with the film "Prem Aggan" in 1998, directed by his father Feroz Khan. The movie received mixed reviews, but Fardeen's debut performance caught the industry's attention. However, it was his second film, "Jungle" (2000), directed by Ram Gopal Varma, that earned him recognition and appreciation for his acting skills.
Following the success of "Jungle," Fardeen Khan appeared in a series of films throughout the early 2000s, such as "Love Ke Liye Kuch Bhi Karega" (2001), "Om Jai Jagadish" (2002), and "Bhoot" (2003). He showcased his versatility by taking on roles in various genres, including comedy, drama, and thriller.
One of his most successful films was "No Entry" (2005), a comedy directed by Anees Bazmee, where he shared the screen with Salman Khan and Anil Kapoor. The film was a commercial hit and contributed to Fardeen's popularity.
While Fardeen Khan enjoyed success in his early career, his later years saw a decline in film offers. He took a hiatus from acting and was occasionally seen in supporting roles. In recent years, there have been occasional rumors and reports suggesting his possible comeback to Bollywood, but as of my last knowledge update in January 2022, no major projects had been announced.
In addition to his film career, Fardeen Khan has also been in the media spotlight for his personal life. He is married to Natasha Madhvani, and the couple has two children.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Living in a Chawl in Tilak Nagar, Punjabi-speaking Anil was born in 1959 to Surinder and Nirmal aka Suchitra Kapoor. He has an elder brother, Boney, a sister, Reena, and a younger brother, Sanjay. His dad used to be Shammi Kapoor's Secretary.
A loner, without many friends, he studied in the nearby O.L.P.S. (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor) School, and was an ardent fan of Bollywood flicks that were telecast during the Ganesh Maha Utsav every year. He was a fan of Raj Kapoor, and it was this that influenced his acting, and people saw him as a mimic of the legendary showman. He landed a role as a child artiste with Shashi Kapoor in the lead, but the movie (Tu Payal Main Geet) was never released.
After school, he went to study in St. Xaviers College. He commuted by bus and train from Chembur to Bombay V.T., and the walked the rest of the way. It was here that he met Mazhar Khan. A distracted Anil was kicked out of College in the second year due to his lack of presence. His attempts to join the Pune Film Institute were in vain, as he failed in the written examination. He then decided to join Roshan Taneja's Acting school.
He first appeared on the silver screen in Hamhare Tumhare in a character role. His first lead role was in 'Woh 7 Din' and from thence on there has been no looking back. He has acted in close to a 100 movies, and has 5 in production. He has produced two movies (Gandhi My Father & Badhaai Ho Badhaai), as well as been a Casting Director/Outdoor In charge for 'Hum Paanch'.
Kapoor's first role in an international film was in Danny Boyle's 2008 Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, for which he shared the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. His performance in the eighth season of the action series 24 generated rave reviews from the American press Globally, Anil Kapoor is one of the most recognized Indian actors.
Anil met wealthy and chic model, Sindhi-speaking Sunita Bhambhani, and married her in 1984. Since then they have given birth to 3 children, kapoor has two daughters and a son Harshwardhan Kapoor.Kapoor's elder daughter is actress Sonam Kapoor. Rhea Kapoor attended school in New York and is now a producer in Mumbai.- Actor
- Producer
Ravi Kishan (born Ravi Kishan Shukla) is an Indian actor, politician, and television personality. He has worked in 750 + films across several languages, including Hindi, Bhojpuri, Telugu, Kannada, and Tamil. Kishan is also known for his active involvement in social causes and politics - he is the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from Gorakhpur.
He was born in Mumbai, but due to a dispute in his family's dairy business, they shifted to Uttar Pradesh when he was 10 years old. When he was 17, he ran away from his home to Mumbai with only Rs. 500.
He started his acting career on the big screen with the film Pitambar (1992) and went on to act in several other Hindi films like Zakhmi Dil (1994), Aatank (1996), Koi Kisise Kum Nahin (1997), Keemat: They Are Back (1998), Hera Pheri (2000), Marshal (2002), In Your Name (2003), Aan: Men at Work (2004), Gehri Chaal: The Final Move (2005), Phir Hera Pheri (2006) and Welcome to Sajjanpur (2008), along with Raavan (2010), Tanu Weds Manu (2011), Bullett Raja (2013) and Batla House (2019). He also made his debut in Tamil cinema with the film Monishaa en Monalisa (1999).
He has also been a part of reality shows, including Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5 (2002) and Bigg Boss (2006). He has hosted several reality shows, such as Bathroom Singer (2007) and Ek Se Badhkar Ek - Jalwe Sitaron Ke (2008), along with Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka (2009). He went on to become a judge of the show Sales Ka Baazigar (2013) on ETV. Mauka e Vaardat , Swarna Swar Bharat (2023)
Apart from Hindi and Tamil films, Kishan has acted in many Bhojpuri films, such as Saiyaan Hamar (2003), Raja Bhojpuriya (2005), Banke Biharee M.L.A. (2007), Dharam Veer (2008), Bhoomiputra (2009), Satyamev Jayate (2012), Ek Aur Faulad (2012), Love Aur Rajneeti (2016), Sanki Daroga (2018) and others.
Kishan went on to dub Tobey Maguire'S role in Spider-Man 3 (2007) into Bhojpuri, which was later dubbed in languages. Known predominantly for his work on television, Kishan was awarded the Most Popular Actor award in 2008 at the ETV Bhojpuri Cinema Samman ceremony.
In 2014, Kishan joined the Indian National Congress (INC) from the Jaunpur Constituency in Uttar Pradesh. He contested in the general elections in the same year and finished in sixth place. In 2017, Kishan left INC and joined the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP). In 2019, he again contested in the general elections against the Samajwadi Party candidate in Gorakhpur Constituency - he won the elections this time.- Associated with gritty, flashy film villainy, veteran character actor Torin Herbert Erskine Thatcher was born in Bombay, India to British parents on January 15, 1905. The son of a police officer (who died when Torin was 10) and a voice/piano teacher, he was educated in England at the Bedford School and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.
A former schoolteacher, he appeared on the London stage, notably the Old Vic, in 1927 before entering British films in 1934. He would be notable for his stage prowess in the works of Shaw, Shakespeare, and the Greek tragedies. Among his earlier stage plays was a 1937 version of "Hamlet" which starred Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. During World War II he served with the Royal Artillery and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was an extremely imposing, powerfully built specimen and it offered him a number of tough, commanding, often sinister roles over the years primarily in larger-than-life action sequences.
Thatcher began in minor roles and progressed to better ones in a number of classic British films in the late 1930s and 1940s as the years went on. They included Sabotage (1936), Dark Journey (1937), Night Train to Munich (1940), Major Barbara (1941), I See a Dark Stranger (1946), The Captive Heart (1946), Great Expectations (1946), as Bentley ("The Spider") Drummle, Jassy (1947) and The Fallen Idol (1948).
In Hollywood from the 1950s on, the actor's looming figure and baleful countenance were constantly in demand, gnashing his teeth in a slew of popular costumers such as The Crimson Pirate (1952), Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952) as reformed pirate Sir Henry Morgan, The Robe (1953), Helen of Troy (1956) as Ulysses, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) as the evil, shaven-domed magician Sokurah who shrinks the princess to miniature size, Witness for the Prosecution (1957) as the prosecuting attorney, The Miracle (1959) as the Duke of Wellington, the Marlon Brando/Trevor Howard remake of Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), and Hawaii (1966).
Thatcher returned to the stage quite frequently, notably on Broadway, in such esteemed productions as "Edward, My Son" (1948), "That Lady" (1949) and "Billy Budd" (1951). In 1959 he portrayed Captain Keller in the award-winning play "The Miracle Worker" with Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke.
Also a steady fixture on American TV from the mid-1950's on, Torin appeared in a number of quality TV anthologies ("Omnibus," "Playhouse 90, "Zane Grey Theatre") before making fairly steady guest appearances on such shows as "The Millionaire," "Ellery Queen," "Peter Gunn," "Wagon Train," "Bonanza," "Perry Mason," "The Real McCoys," "The Untouchables," "My THree Sons," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "Perry Mason," "Get Smart," "Lost in Space," "Star Trek," "Gunsmoke," "Daniel Boone," "Mission: Impossible," "Night Gallery," "Search" and "Petrocelli." He also showed up in support in the TV movies The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1968) starring Jack Palance and Brenda Starr (1976), his final on-camera appearance, starring Jill St. John.
Diagnosed with cancer, Thatcher died on March 4, 1981, in Thousand Oaks, California (near Los Angeles). The widower of TV actress Rita Daniel, he was long married to second wife, Anne Le Borgne, at the time of his death. - Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Ranveer Singh Bhavnani was born in July 06, 1985 to Mr. Jagjit Singh Bhavnani & Mrs. Anju Bhavnani in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He is an Indian actor and model working in the Bollywood industry. Singh had always wanted to be an actor since his childhood. However, during his college days he felt that the idea of acting was far-fetched and focused on creative writing. While pursuing his Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University (Bloomington), Singh again became interested in acting and after coming back to India, he started auditioning for lead roles in the Hindi film industry. In 2010, Singh auditioned for the lead role in the Yash Raj Films venture called Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), and got selected. The romantic comedy was set in the world of wedding planning and required Singh to portray a typical Delhi guy called Bittoo Sharma. The director of the film, Maneesh Sharma, sent him to the Delhi University campus during the recess of the film, and from there, Singh drew his inspiration for the character. After its release, Band Baaja Baaraat (2010) became a critical and commercial success, with Singh's portrayal of Bittoo being lauded by critics. He went on to win the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut award at the 56th Filmfare Awards.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Music Department
While Vicky Kaushal was born and raised in Mumbai, his family hails from Hoshiarpur, Punjab. His father, Sham Kaushal, is a well-known action director, and his younger brother, Sunny Kaushal made his Bollywood debut in 2016.
While growing up, Kaushal was interested in playing cricket, studying, and watching films. His father wanted him to pursue a stable career away from the silver screen. This led Kaushal to study engineering at the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology in Mumbai. He graduated as an Electronics and Telecommunications engineer in 2009.
As an engineering student, Kaushal once went on an industrial visit to an IT company. When he saw the staff sitting in front of desktop computers and working, he could not visualise himself doing the same in the future. After earning his engineering degree, he appeared for a corporate job interview and was offered the role. However, he tore up the offer letter and decided to try acting instead.
Kaushal joined Kishore Namit's acting academy to prepare himself for a film industry career. He spent the next two years dabbling in theatre and going for auditions. He began his acting career in 2011 with the theatrical production Laal Pencil.
Around the same time, Kaushal started assisting Anurag Kashyap on the sets of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012). He got to play minor roles in films like Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana (2012), directed by Sameer Sharma, and Bombay Velvet (2015), directed by Anurag Kashyap. He also appeared in Geek Out (2013), a short film directed by Vasan Bala.
Kaushal debuted on the big screen as a lead with Masaan (2015), an independent drama film directed by Neeraj Ghaywan. The film was selected for screening at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it won two awards- the Promising Future prize in the Un Certain Regard category and the FIPRESCI, which is an International Jury of Film Critics prize.
In 2016, Kaushal won several awards for his debut movie, including the Best Debut Actor at the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), Screen Awards, and Zee Cine Awards. He was also nominated for the 10th Asian Film Award for Best Newcomer in 2016.
His second big screen release was Mozez Singh's Zubaan (2015), a musical drama that was filmed before Masaan (2015). Kaushal plays the role of a young man with a speech impairment. He consulted a speech therapist to prepare for this role. Zubaan (2015) was screened at the 20th Busan International Film Festival held in 2015 as the opening film.
In 2016, he appeared as an unbalanced and troubled character in Anurag Kashyap's neo-noir psychological thriller Psycho Raman (2016). To prepare for this role, he went into isolation for five days. The film premiered under the Directors' Fortnight section at the 69th Cannes Film Festival held in 2016, receiving positive reviews. It received a good response from critics at home as well.
He was next seen playing the lead along with Angira Dhar in Love Per Square Foot (2018), directed by Anand Tiwari. This romantic comedy film was released on Netflix and was later screened at the Beijing International Film Festival in 2019.
Kaushal continued to prove his mettle as a versatile actor with movies like Raazi (2018), Sanju (2018), and Husband Material (2018).
In Raazi (2018), Meghna Gulzar's spy action thriller, he plays a Pakistani army officer. The film went on to gross more than Rs. 200 crores. Sanju, directed by Rajkumar Hirani, proved to be another bit hit in his career.
His performance as Kamli in Sanju (2018) earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2019. He also won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2018 and Zee Cine Awards 2019. This blockbuster earned over Rs. 586 crores worldwide.
In 2019, Kaushal appeared as a military officer in the action film Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019). To prepare for this movie, filmed in Siberia, Kaushal underwent military training for five months to gain muscle weight. The film grossed more than Rs. 340 crores at the box office. Kaushal received the Best Actor Award at the National Film Awards in 2019, jointly with Ayushmann Khurrana for Andhadhun (2018).
His next film was Bhoot: Part One - The Haunted Ship (2020), directed by Bhanu Pratap Singh.
In Shoojit Sircar's biographical historical drama film Sardar Udham (2021), Kaushal played the role of Indian freedom fighter Udham Singh. The critics appreciated his performance in the film, and he won the Filmfare Critics Award 2022 for Best Actor and IIFA Award 2022 for Best Actor.
He followed this up with a comedy thriller, Govinda Naam Mera (2022). He was also seen in the romantic musical drama Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat (2022) by Anurag Kashyap.
Kaushal is married to actor Katrina Kaif.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Estelle Merle Thompson was born in India on February 19, 1911 of Welsh and Ceylonese (now Sri Lankan) descent. She was educated in that country until the age of 17, when she left for London. She began her career in British films with mostly forgettable roles or bit parts. She appeared in an uncredited role in Alf's Button (1930), a pattern that would unfortunately repeat itself regularly over the next three years.
However, movie moguls eventually saw an untapped talent in their midst and began grooming Oberon for something bigger. Finally she landed a part with substance: the role of Ysobel d'Aunay in Men of Tomorrow (1932). That was quickly followed by The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933). After her portrayal of Lady Marguerite Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), Hollywood beckoned and she left to try her hand in US films. American movie executives already had some idea of her talent due to her role in Vagabond Violinist (1934) (US title: Vagabond Violinist) was a success in that country. With her nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress as Kitty Vane in The Dark Angel (1935), Oberon became a star in both the UK and the USA.
Her work in that film resulted in offers for more quality pictures, and she appeared in several well received films, such as These Three (1936), Over the Moon (1939) and The Divorce of Lady X (1938). Her most critically acclaimed performance--hailed by some critics as "masterful" -- was as Cathy Linton in Wuthering Heights (1939). The 1940s proved to be a very busy decade for her, as she appeared in no less than 15 films. After her role in Berlin Express (1948) she would not be seen on the screen again until four years later, as Elizabeth Rockwell in Pardon My French (1951). She was off the screen again for more than a year, returning in Désirée (1954).
Unfortunately, Oberon began appearing in fewer and fewer films over the ensuing years. There were no films for her in 1955, only one in 1956 and then none until Of Love and Desire (1963). In between she did appear on television to host Assignment Foreign Legion (1956). Her final film was Interval (1973). After her career finally ended she lived in quiet retirement until her death of a massive stroke on November 23, 1979, in Malibu, California. Oberon was 68 and had kept her beauty to the end.- Adah Sharma (May 11, 1992) is a Bollywood actress. Her first film was 1920 directed by Vikram Bhatt. She went on to do films like Hasee Toh Phasee and Commando 2 in Bollywood. She is also an established regional film actress.
Early life and background
Adah hails from a non-film background. Her father is a captain in the merchant navy and her mother is a Yoga instructor. She has completed her graduation in Kathak from Gopi Krishna's Dance Academy. - Actress
- Soundtrack
Born in India to South African parents, Juliet studied to be a dancer from the age of 4. Attending the Royal Academy of Dance, by the time Juliet was 14, she was deemed too tall to enter the world of ballet. She signed as a chorus dancer with the London Palladium and then pursued a career as a dancer in European nightclubs. While dancing in Paris, she was spotted by Hollywood choreographer Hermes Pan and signed to a role in the movie Can-Can (1960). While rehearsing for the movie, Soviet Premier Khrushchev was invited to watch the then-unknown Prowse and others rehearsing their steps. The next day, he denounced the dance as immoral and it was Prowse's photo that accompanied the news across newspapers worldwide. An instant celebrity, Juliet shot to stardom with her acting and dancing and the tabloids filled with her romance with star Frank Sinatra. That same year, she also appeared with Elvis Presley in G.I. Blues (1960) and again the tabloids followed her.
She appeared in more films the next year but, as her celebrity status waned, so did her movie career. Her engagement to Sinatra in 1962 fueled her nightclub act, but did nothing for her movie career. In 1965, she moved to television with the series Mona McCluskey (1965), playing a nutty Hollywood starlet, but the show soon ended. Her big-screen career ended with Run for Your Wife (1965) and she, thereafter, appeared on the stage and on the nightclub circuit. Some of her stage shows included "Sweet Charity", "Kismet", "Irma La Douce", "Mame" and "The Pajama Game". She also appeared as a guest on Television but, most of the time, she worked in her nightclub act. In 1994, she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Sanjay Dutt, son of Nargis and Sunil Dutt, was first featured in Rocky (1981), the movie was a box office hit.
He emerged as a sensitive actor, alongside being the top prominent action hero of 80s & 90s Bollywood, whilst also finding noteworthy praise in the comedic genre.
Sanjay's personal life was exacerbated by drug problems, and he later lost his wife Richa Sharma, to cancer. He was also arrested for having illegal weapons, and was imprisoned. After his release, he appeared in three consecutive hits; Daag: The Fire (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999), His performance in Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999) earned him many Best Actor Popular awards, including FilmFare.
Sanjay then appeared in many movies such as Mission Kashmir (2000), Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) which also earned him many awards.
Recently a biopic on his life was made called Sanju (2018).- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Shekhar Suman was born on 14 June 1960 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Heartless (2014), Chor Machaaye Shor (2002) and Airport: Shaira & Me.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emraan Hashmi (born 24 March 1979) is an Indian film actor who appears in Hindi language films. Through his successful career, Hashmi has received three Filmfare Award nominations and has established himself as one of the most popular and highest-paid actor of Hindi cinema.
Hashmi was born and raised in Mumbai. After graduating from the University of Mumbai, he worked as an assistant director for the 2002 horror film Raaz (2002) before pursuing a career in acting. The following year, he made his acting debut with a leading role in the crime thriller Footpath (2003), a moderate box-office success. By 2004, Hashmi had established him as one of the leading actor of Hindi cinema with roles in the successful like Zeher (2005), Aashiq Banaya Aapne (2005), Aksar (2006) and Gangster (2006), His other critically and commercially successful films. However, he followed these by starring in a series of films that under-performed at the box office, although his performance in the romantic drama Awarapan (2007) was praised.
The year 2008 marked a turning point for Hashmi when he played conman in the crime drama Jannat: In Search of Heaven... (2008). He subsequently received wide critical recognition for portraying unconventional characters in several commercially successful films, including the horror thriller Raaz: The Mystery Continues (2009), the biographical drama The Dirty Picture (2011), the psychological thriller Murder 2 (2011), the romantic comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji (2011), the crime thriller Jannat 2 (2012), the horror thriller Raaz 3 (2012) , and the supernatural thriller Ek Thi Daayan (2013). Hashmi's acclaimed performances in the action thriller Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai (2010) and the political thriller Shanghai (2012) garnered him two Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Filmfare Awards. He also received praise for his role in the 2015 drama Hamari Adhuri Kahani (2015).
Hashmi is a part of the Bhatt family, which includes members that have had careers in the Bollywood industry as producers, actors, film directors, and writers. The Bhatt family began working in the film industry in the 1930s and continues into the 2020s. Hashmi joined the Bhatt family when his grandmother Purnima's sister Shirin Banu became the partner of Nanabhai Bhatt, the patriarch of the Bhatt family. Shirin Banu was the mother of director Mahesh Bhatt and producer Mukesh Bhatt, making both of them Hashmi's uncles. Shirin Banu was also the grandmother of actresses Pooja Bhatt and her step sister Alia Bhatt, making both of them Hashmi's cousins.
In addition to being a part of the Bhatt family, Hashmi is also a part of the Varma family, which includes members that have had careers in the Bollywood industry as producers, distributors, actors, film directors, writers and film editors. The Varma family began working in the film industry in the late 1940s and continues into the 2020s. Hashmi joined the Varma Family when his grandmother Purnima married Bhagwan Das Varma, a founder of Varma Films and a patriarch of the Varma family.- Ashwini Kalsekar is an Indian actress who has worked in the Marathi and Hindi television and film industries. She completed her B.A. in Mumbai and graduated in 1991.
After completing her studies, she started theatre from 1991 to 1994, during which she was under the mentorship of actress Neena Gupta (1992 - 1993) to upskill her acting skills. From 1992 to 1995, she also trained under a theatre acting coach, Mohammed Vakil.
Kalsekar made her debut on TV with Shanti (1994) and was next seen in C.I.D. (1998), a popular TV show where she played the role of a cop, Inspector Asha.
She then bagged the lead role in the comedy serial Mr Gayab (1999), directed by Suhas Kadav, which also starred Saurav Chakraborty. Her role as Shalaka Catwoman in Shaktimaan (1997), a superhero serial, made her popular, especially among kids, as the Indian Catwoman.
She also played popular roles as Jigyasa Walia in Ekta Kapoor's Kasamh Se (2006). The role got her the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, and other major awards.
Kalsekar also played the role of Sikka Thakuriaan in Episode #1.252 (2012) and was a judge in the Marathi reality show Fu Bai Fu (2009) in 2013. Her other popular roles include playing Maham Anga in Jodha Akbar (2013) and playing an evil witch, Saudamini, in Kavach... Kaali Shaktiyon Se (2016).
For her role in Jodha Akbar, Kalsekar got critical acclaim and major awards like the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, the Zee Gold Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, and other major awards.
She has appeared in OTT series like Chargesheet - The Shuttlecock Murder (2019), along with Anupam Gahoi, which was featured on Zee5. Kalsekar also appeared in the Hotstar Specials show Rudra: The Edge of Darkness (2022), along with stars like Ajay Devgn, Raashi Khanna, and Esha Deol.
Kalsekar's film career has been quite noticeable, as she has worked with big names and banners like Rohit Shetty, Ram Gopal Varma, and Sriram Raghavan. In 1996, she entered the film industry with the Marathi film Tula Jhapar La. In 2003, she appeared as an intelligence officer in the movie The Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003).
Other popular Bollywood performances include Khakee (2004), directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and the movie Kisna: The Warrior Poet (2005). She then appeared in Apaharan (2005), Johnny Gaddaar (2007), starring Dharmendra and Rimi Sen and Golmaal Returns (2008), starring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, and Arshad Warsi.
In 2010, Kalsekar's top performances included Rakta Charitra (2010), in which she played the role of Inspector Ashwini. She also appeared in Golmaal 3 (2010) starring Mithun Chakraborty, Ajay Devgn, and Kareena Kapoor.
Kalsekar made her Tollywood debut in the movie Badrinath (2011), in which she played the role of Sarkar's wife.
She has also been a part of Singham Returns (2014), where she plays the character of TV journalist Meera Shori. In 2015, she got the role of Detective Joshi in Badlapur (2015). Kalsekar was next seen in Golmaal Again (2017), Andhadhun (2018) and Simmba (2018).
She also appeared in a comical role as Ashwini in Laxmii (2020), Bade Pandit's Wife in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), and Shakuntala Devi in Cirkus (2022).
Kalsekar married Murli Sharma (2009 - present), a film and TV actor. - Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Bobby Deol (Vijay Singh Deol) is the second son of Bollywood mega-star Dharmendra. His older brother is another Bollywood mega-star, Sunny Deol. Deol began his career as a child artiste in the movie Dharam Veer (1977), playing a young Dharmendra.
He has two step-sisters, namely Bollywood actress Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. His step-mother is the Bollywood "Dreamgirl" Hema Malini. Bobby Deol married Tanya Ahuja and has been blessed with two sons. The second son was born on November 5, 2004 at 5:00 am, and is named "Dharam" after his grandpa. The elder son is named Aryaman.- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
A close friend of Shahrukh Khan, he assisted Yash Chopra's Yash Raj Films during the early days of of his career, making his directorial debut with the mega-hit Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). He also had a popular chat show named Koffee with Karan (2004) The success of "KKHH" made him one of the most high-profile directors in the Hindi-language Mumbai Film industry, popularly known as Bollywood.
Also a close friend of Aditya Chopra, he has been a creative member of Yash Raj productions such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Veer-Zaara (2004), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and Mohabbatein (2000).
Johar's success has guaranteed him worldwide distribution of his production company, Dharma Productions, for many years to come.- Tamanna Bhatia is an Indian film actress born in Mumbai, India. She made her acting debut in 2005 with Hindi film Chand Sa Roshan Chehra (2005).
Also in 2005, she made her Telugu debut with movie Sree (2005). In 2006, she appeared in her first Tamil film, Kedi (2006). In 2007, she starred in two films, Happy Days (2007) and Kalloori (2007), which both earned her critical acclaim.
With many commercial successes like Padikathavan, Ayan, Paiyaa and Siruthai, she established herself as one of the leading actresses in the south Indian film industry. - Born in a Gujerati-speaking family on June 8, 1957, daughter to businessman, Chunnibhai and Betty, Dimple has a younger sister, Simple, who was born on 15 August 1958.
She was discovered by Raj Kapoor, who signed her up opposite his son, Rishi, in the 1973 hit 'Bobby'. The film made Rishi and her stars overnight, at the time of the film's she was just 16 years old.
Exactly 6 months before the release of 'Bobby' Dimple who was a mad fan of super-star Rajesh Khanna, met and married the actor. Rajesh was 15 years older than her. After her marriage she quit films.
On Rajesh's 32nd birthday, a daughter, Twinkle nicknamed as Tina, was born to them. Then on July 27, 1977, Dimple and Rajesh became parents of Rinke, who would later also become an actress in her own right.
Dimple and Rajesh separated in 1982, enabling her to make a come-back to the tinsel screen with 'Zakhmi Sher'. She continues to act and has over 69 movies to her credit, some of them the more popular ones being 'Saagar', 'Insaaf', 'Zakhmi Aurat', 'Ram Lakhan', & 'Batwara'. - Sonali Bendre started out as a model before being selected for the "Stardust Talent Search". She was invited to Bombay and received training from a variety of top actors and performers of the Indian film industry. Sonali has three sisters and was in her own words a quiet child who loved to read, while she was growing up. Since her debut in 1994, Sonali has appeared in several films and has starred opposite top stars such as Sunjay Dutt, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh. Sonali was also awarded the price of "Newcomer of the year" in 1995. She married Goldie Behl in 2002, and during 2005 became a mother.
- Bhumi Pednekar is a renowned Bollywood actress born to late Satish and Sumitra. Her father was a former 'Maharashtra home and labor minister' while her mother worked as an activist fighting for the anti-tobacco regime after her husband passed away suffering from oral cancer.
Pednekar worked at Yash Raj Films as a casting director for six years before making her acting debut in Sharat Katariya's Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), in which she played the obese wife of Ayushmann Khurrana's character. She was widely appreciated for her performance in the movie and won the Filmfare Award, Screen Award, and International Indian Film Academy Award for Best Female Debut for her work.
She was cast in the satirical film Toilet: A Love Story (2017) opposite Akshay Kumar as a young lady in rural India who campaigns to enhance sanitation conditions, especially in rural areas. It grossed over 3 billion (about US$38 million) worldwide, making it one of the year's highest-grossing films and Pednekar's highest-grossing film overall.
Pednekar's first nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Actress was in the same year for her performance opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in the comedy Shubh Mangal Savdhan (2017), which revolved around male impotence in India.
In 2018, Pednekar played a maid in a relationship with her boss on the Netflix anthology series Lust Stories (2018). Her first film of 2019 was the Abhishek Chaubey-directed criminal thriller Sonchiriya (2019). She co-starred as a young housewife on the run with the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput and Manoj Bajpayee in the rural region of Chambal. In Saand Ki Aankh (2019), which came out the next year, she played Chandro Tomar, a sharpshooter in her 70s. Her sister-in-law, Prakashi Tomar, was played by Taapsee Pannu. Pannu and Pednekar spent a lot of time with the two women and shot a lot of targets for practice.
In Bala (2019), Pednekar reprised her role as a headstrong small-town teen. This was her third time working with Khurrana; in this film, she played a woman with a dark complexion who faced prejudice. And in Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019), a remake of the 1978 film, she played the role of a housewife whose husband was having an affair.
Alankrita Shrivastava directed Dolly Kitty and Those Twinkling Stars (2019), which had its world premiere at the 24th Busan International Film Festival in 2019 and was released on Netflix in 2020. After that, she played a small role in the comedy-drama Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020) and the horror movie Bhoot: Part One - The Haunted Ship (2020).
Pednekar appeared in Durgamati: The Myth (2020), the Hindi version of the horror film Bhaagamathie (2018). After a year from the silver screen, Pednekar and Rajkummar Rao starred in the comedy-drama Badhaai Do (2022) as homosexuals in a lavender marriage.
Her appearance with Akshay Kumar in Aanand L. Rai's Raksha Bandhan (2022), a family comedy, has also been immensely praised. She next appeared in the Disney+ Hotstar comedy-suspense film Govinda Naam Mera (2022) with Vicky Kaushal and Kiara Advani, directed by Shashank Khaitan.
Her first movie Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) got her seven awards. She also won Zee Cine Awards for her movie Bala (2019) as the best supporting actress in 2020. Later in the same year, she was awarded the best actress award (critics) for her movie Saand Ki Aankh (2019) by Screen Awards, which was shared with Taapsee Pannu as well. Another Best actress (critics) award came her way in 2020 for her role in Sonchiriya (2019).
Pednekar also appeared in four episodes of Man's World (2015), a satire on YouTube made by Y-Films about what would happen if women treated men the way men treat women.
In 2020, she collaborated with MTV India on the Nisedh campaign that aimed at increasing young people's understanding of women's health care. - Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Harsh Chhaya was born on 20 December 1970 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and director, known for Khajoor Pe Atke (2018), Astitva Ek Prem Kahani (2002) and Undekhi (2020). He has been married to Suneeta Sengupta since 2003. He was previously married to Shefali Shah.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Govinda was born on December 21, 1963. Govinda has acted in over 120 films since his debut in 1986. Govinda is best-known for his comedy related roles; his powerful contribution in dancing in Bollywood is inevitable. He is one of the most successful actors and is definitely the best dancer in Bollywood. His hardworking mentality and consistent performance made him a top class actor in Bollywood. He is known to be one of the most down to earth and kind hearted actors. He has acted with all Bollywood greats which include Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit.
He had great success with family based movies such as Dariya Dil (1988), Swarg (1990) and Hum (1991). He worked with David Dhawan for the first time in the 1989 action film Taaqatwar. He then formed a successful collaboration with him and then went onto act in 18 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), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Jodi No. 1 (2001), Ek Aur Ek Gyarah (2003), and Partner (2007).
Having huge success in comedy based roles, he then also tried his luck for a villainous role in the movie 'Shikari' directed by N. Chandra. His performance in the movie was critically acclaimed. After a bad phase during 2002 until 2005, he actually made the biggest ever successful comeback ever witnessed in Bollywood with a number of hits, starting with Bhagam Bhag in 2006 and a critically praised performance in Salaam E Ishq in 2007.
After his latest 2007 release is the David Dhawan directed romantic comedy Partner. The film became the second highest domestic opening week gross for an Indian film and became a blockbuster and is ranked in the top 3 movies of 2007 in India. After his successful comeback in 2006 and 2007, he has been on a signing spree and is acting in many big movies ready for 2008 and 2009 with top directors of India. Amongst other work he has come on as a guest on Indian reality shows which are based on the X factor and strictly come dancing in the UK- Actor
- Music Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Abhishek Bachchan, is an actor, producer, singer, voice-over artiste and an entrepreneur. He has done over 70 films. He won critical acclaim for his portrayal of an angsty young goon in 'Yuva' (2004). He received the Filmfare 'Best Supporting Actor' Award for this role and continued this winning streak with 'Sarkar' (2005), 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' (2006), 'Dostana' (2008), 'Paa' (2009) and 'Bol Bachchan' (2012).
Born in Mumbai, India on February 5th 1976 to Bollywood legends Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan (née Bhaduri). After schooling in the Bombay Scottish school, then Jamnabai Narsee school and then Modern school (Vasant Vihar, New Delhi), he was sent to Aiglon College an international boarding school in Switzerland. After which he enrolled in Boston University to study Arts. He dropped out of college and moved back to Mumbai to pursue his acting career. Making his debut in JP Dutta's Refugee (2000).
Abhishek lives in Mumbai, India with his wife, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. Time Magazine (2007) listed them on its list of most influential Indians. And they made quite a splash when they appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show (2009).
Over the years he has become famous for his versatility and the variety of films that he has been a part of; ranging from 'Yuva' (2004), The 'Dhoom' series (2004, 2006, 2013), Sarkar (2005), 'Bluffmaster' (2005), the highly acclaimed 'Guru' (2007), 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' (2006), 'Paa' (2009, which he produced and won a National Award for Best Film - Hindi), to the blockbusters 'Bol Bachchan' (2012) and 'Happy New Year' (2014).
In 2016 he took a sabbatical from acting to re-evaluate himself and concentrate on his other passion, sports. He owns teams in the Pro Kabaddi League (Jaipur Pink Panthers) and in the Indian Super League (Chennaiyin Football Club). He has always maintained, "Entrepreneurship and acting can't be taught. They have to be done with passion."
He returned to films in 2018 with the critically acclaimed 'Manmarziyaan' (2018). As audiences for streaming platforms began growing, he did the Hindi voice of Bagheera for Mowgli on Netflix (voiced by Christian Bale in English); and plays the lead in season two of Breathe, one of the biggest shows on Amazon Prime Video.
He turned film producer with R. Balki's National-Award Winning comedy-drama, 'Paa', in which he played father to Amitabh Bachchan (his real-life father). Since then, he has produced several films through his production company, 'Saraswati Entertainment'.
Trying his hand at rapping, Abhishek hit all the right notes with the song 'Right Here Right Now' from 'Bluffmaster'.
Continuing to essay strong roles in his quest of great characters and films, Bachchan continues to be one of the most sought after and dependable actors in the industry.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Born in Chingford Essex United Kingdom, and not India as published, the actor is English of Parsi ancestry not an Indian citizen. She subsequently moved at age 9 . The family later returned to the UK where she completed her education.with her parents to Hong Kong while it was still under British control- Producer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Paresh Rawal is a renowned Indian film actor, comedian, and producer best known for his work in Bollywood films. He has also worked in Telugu, a few Tamil, and a few Gujarati movies. Highly versatile, he has essayed several types of characters, including comic, serious, and villainous character roles.
Born and brought up in Bombay (now Mumbai), he is an alumnus of Narsee Monjee College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai. He started doing Gujarati theatres after graduating from Bombay University in 1974.
He entered Bollywood with the film Holi (1984), playing a supporting role. He also acted in the Doordarshan TV serial Bante Bigadte (1985). However, he got his first big break in Naam (1986) the following year.
He went on to act in over 100 films between the 1980s and the 1990s. He essayed mostly negative characters in films such as, Kabzaa (1988), Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), King Uncle (1993), and Baazi (1995).
In Ketan Mehta's Sardar (1993), he played the lead role of freedom fighter Vallabhbhai Patel. According to him, this was a turning point for him as an actor, as studying the character of Sardar Patel in detail inspired him to work harder and improve upon his craft. He also states that it changed him, giving him a deeper understanding of Indian history and helping him appreciate these great legends' sacrifices to achieve freedom for the nation.
Rawal started with comedy in Andaz Apna Apna (1994), where he played a double role. His easy, effortless, and natural acting wowed critics and the masses.
Rawal has won acclaim for his work in the Telugu film industry, such as Kshana Kshanam (1991), Money (1993), Govindha Govindha (1993), Rikshavodu (1995), and Bavagaru Bagunnara? (1998).
His other noteworthy works in Hindi cinema include Shiva (1990), Mohra (1994), Tamanna (1998), Aitraaz (2004), Table No. 21 (2013), and Zila Ghaziabad (2013).
Rawal achieved recognition, both as a comedian and as a supporting actor in films, including Chachi 420 (1997), Nayak: The Real Hero (2001), Aankhen (2002), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Garam Masala (2005), Chup Chup Ke (2006), Welcome (2007), Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010), OMG: Oh My God! (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), Sanju (2018), and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019).
In 2000, he played the unintelligent but kind Marathi landlord Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Hera Pheri (2000). His performance won him the Filmfare Best Comedian Award. The sequel, Phir Hera Pheri (2006), was equally successful, leaving audiences begging for more. He is still remembered for this role.
Rawal went on to play the lead role in Aankhen (2002), where he depicted one of the three blind men who planned to rob a bank. Co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Aditya Pancholi, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, and Sushmita Sen, this film established him as a master of comedy. Over the next few years, he mostly played comic roles.
In 2010, he appeared based on honour killing in the film Aakrosh (2010). In 2021, Rawal appeared in Toofaan (2021), a sports-based movie directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and starring Farhan Akhtar, who plays a national-level boxer. The film started streaming worldwide on July 16, 2021, on Amazon Prime Video.
Having worked in over 240 films, Rawal has won numerous accolades and awards, including the National Film Awards 1994: Best Supporting Actor for Sir (1993), and IIFA Awards 2001: Best Performance for Hera Pheri (2000). He also won the Producers Guild Film Awards 2010: Best Actor in a Comic Role: Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010).
Rawal is also a politician. He was victorious as the Bharatiya Janata Party's Member of Parliament (MP) from the Ahmedabad East constituency in the 2014 Indian general election. On September 10, 2020, the President of India appointed him as the National School of Drama Chairperson.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Akshaye Khanna was born in Mumbai in 1975. He is the middle son of Bollywood actor and politician Vinod Khanna, and the younger brother of actor Rahul Khanna.
After studying in Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute in Mumbai, Khanna made his acting debut in Bollywood in 1997 with the movie Himalay Putra, which went without much success at box office. His performance in his next release, J. P. Dutta-directed Border (1997), earned him the Filmfare Best Debut Award and a nomination for Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1998. After that a string of unsuccessful films followed such as Mohabbat (1997), Kudrat (1998), Laawaris (1999), Love You Hamesha (1999) and Dahek: A Burning Passion (1999). In 1999, he starred in Rishi Kapoor's Aa Ab Laut Chalen; though the film did average business, he was praised for his acting in this film. He next starred in the 1999 release of Subhash Ghai's Taal opposite Aishwarya Rai. The film became a critical and commercial success. In 2001, Khanna appeared in Farhan Akhtar's cult classic Dil Chahta Hai which turned out to be a turning point in his career; the film was a commercial and critical success and Khanna's performance was particularly applauded, later validated by first Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2002. Also, the film launched both Akshaye Khanna and Saif Ali Khan's careers. In 2002, Khanna appeared in a Abbas-Mustan thriller Humraaz; his role as a convincing con-artist in this film earned him much critical acclaim, and a nomination for a Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. Khanna then plunged into the comedy genre with Priyadarshan's Hungama (2002) and Hulchul (2004) that became box office hits. After acting in a string of unsuccessful and lukewarm box-office films like Shaadi Se Pehle (2006), Aap Ki Khatir (2006), Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love (2007), Mere Baap Pehle Aap (2008), Gandhi, My Father (2007), and Naqaab (2007), Khanna appeared in the 2008 release Race. The Abbas-Mustan's thriller was the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film in 2008 and Khanna's performance in a negative role brought him couple of awards in the Best Villain category. However, Khanna's portrayal of Harilal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's eldest son, in the critically acclaimed 2007 film Gandhi, My Father that is unanimously acknowledged his best performance yet as an actor. In 2010, he starred in Anees Bazmee's No Problem, co-starring with Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor and Kangna Ranaut.[12] His later releases did not fare well at the box office but his performances in Aakrosh (2010) and Tees Maar Khan (2010) were well-received by critics and audiences alike.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jaikishen was born in the Gujarati-speaking Shroff family on February 1, 1957. His dad's name is Kakubhai, his brother's is Hemant, and they live in Bandra, Bombay in a bungalow named 'Le Pepeyon". He became a superstar in the 1980s. By the television era begun in the 80s, he had become a superstar. In BR Chopra's Mahabharata, Jackie Shroff was offered the role of Arjun in the series but Shroff refused to play the role considering it a negligible role to play in the epic and insisted the Chopras for casting him for the lead role of Karna but BR Chopra refused because of dates' issue with Karna's role which required presence in almost all episodes but Shroff won't be able to give his dates .
A vegetarian, Jaikishen made his Bollywood debut in a bit-role as a villain in the hit Heera Panna (1973) which starred 'Dev Anand'. He then went on to act in another Dev Anand movie, Swami Dada (1982).
It was Subhash Ghai who signed him up for the hit Hero (1983) that catapulted this handsome young man to stardom, followed by yet another hit Andar Baahar (1984) with Anil Kapoor as his co-star. Thus Jaikishen became the new Bollywood legend: Jackie Shroff.
Since then there has been no looking back, as he went on to star in close to 150 movies with a career that spanned from 1973 onwards. Since 2000 or thereabouts he has appeared in a variety of character-roles, villain, comedian, and even as a ghost in Bhoot Unkle (2006).
He married his longtime girlfriend, Ayesha Shroff (née Dutt), who is also a producer and both husband and wife run Jackie Shroff Entertainment Limited. They have two children, a son, Jai (nickname Tiger), and a daughter, Krishna.- Actress
- Producer
Vidya was born in Palghat, Kerala, India. Her family consists of her dad, P.R. Balan, who is the Vice-President of ETC Channel; mom - a home-maker, and an elder sister, Priya, who is married to Kedar. She also has an aunt by the name of Raji Raju.
The Balan family re-located to live at Road No. 11, near Ambedkar Garden, Chembur, Bombay, when Vidya was very young. She studied in St. Anthony's Convent School, and thereafter in St. Xavier's College from where she obtained a degree in Sociology. She then went on to obtain a Masters degree in Sociology from Bombay University.
She also studied and performed in Prithvi Theaters' workshops. Due to tradition of most Tamil-Iyer families, Vidya and her Priya learned Carnatic dance form during their early childhood days, but Vidya opted out as the dance classes took place early on Sunday mornings and as she is not an early riser.
Considerably overweight, rather tomboyish, during her school-days, and an ardent fan of Shahrukh Khan, she decided to shed those extra pounds when she elected to opt for modeling and movies.
Facing disappointment after being rejected by a Tamil producer, she nevertheless persisted until she got her first break with a Malyalam movie 'Chakram' opposite Mohanlal, however, the project was shelved, and she had to wait until 1998 to debut in a Surf Excel commercial. She then went on to appear in several commercials directed by Pradeep Sarkar. She completed nearly 90 such ads.
She appeared in three music videos for Pankaj Udhas, Euphoria, and Shubha Mudgal in supporting roles. She then also appeared in two TV serials Ekta Kapoor's 'Hum Paanch', and Ashok Pandit's 'Hanste Khelte'.
During 2003 she was signed-up to play a role in a Bengali movie 'Bhaalo Theko' opposite Joy Sengupta. This project was completed during the year 2006, and was a considerable hit.
Then during 2006 Vidya was approached by Vidhu Vinod Chopra during a pop-concert in Mumbai to play a lead role in 'Parineeta'. She then had to undergo 17 make-up shoots and 40 screen tests before being chosen for this role. All this hard work did result in success as 'Parineeta' was very well received so much so that the Tamil producer, who had previously rejected her, invited her to appear in a 'Dasavatharam' opposite Kamal Hassan, and now it was Vidya's turn to reject this offer which eventually went to 'Asin'.
Apart from acting, Vidya occupies herself for supporting education for young Indians by promoting children's' books; is associated with Americans for Aids Research; with Hale House - that provides support and housing for children born with HIV and drug abuse; as well as hosting forums and attending events for Harvard Aids Institute.
When she was single, she was never involved in any scandal and claimed to get along well with both female and male friends. In 2012, she married producer Siddharth Roy Kapur
An ardent devotee of Bhagwan Shri Sai Baba, she makes it a point to attend Mandirs every Thursday. She is proficient in Tamil, Malyalam, Hindi, English, Bengali, and can also read Urdu.- Ayesha Dharker was born in 1977 in Bombay, India. She is an actress, known for Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), The Father (2020) and Outsourced (2006).
- Actress
Amrita was born in the Rao family on June 7, 1986 in Mumbai, She speaks Konkani. She comes from a well to do Hindu family. Her dad owns an Advertising Agency.
Amrita did not want to purse any career with Bollywood as she wanted to graduate in psychology, which she eventually did.
No stranger to cameras and bright lights, she has modeled for approximately 35 advertisements. Her first assignment was for Fairever Face Cream. Amongst other assignments that got her noticed were Hindustan Lever's 'Close-up' Cadbury's Perk, & Nestle Bru Coffee. Ken Ghosh approached Amrita for his debut movie Ishq Vishq after seeing her in the perk commercial, where she plays a hungry bride eagerly awaiting the arrival of her husband on the religious occasion of 'Karva Chauth'. Ishq Vishq was a world-wide hit and made her famous virtually overnight. Amrita Rao is also a Brand Ambassador for D'Damas Gold Jewellery, Parachute Hair Oil, and Miss Players Apparels.
Her other hit movies Masti (2004), Main Hoon Na (2004) and Vivah (2006) added to her popularity and stardom. While 'Pyare Mohan', 'Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi', 'Shikhar' 'Deewar' were average at the box office. So far she has won 6 awards, mostly related to her performances in 'Ishq Vishk' and 'Vivah'.
Barely 12 movies' old, she is already quite well-known for her skilled performances and her dancing talent. Madhuri Dixit went gaga over her performance at the Filmfare Awards 2007. Renowned artist M.F Hussain chose her as his Muse and theme of paintings after Madhuri Dixit.
She also has a Telegu movie to her credit which turned out a huge box office hit. She is fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi. She is passionate about reading short stories. Allergic to spicy Indian food, she prefers bland continental, and loves dessert such as Gulab Jamun
She has co-starred with Shahid Kapur, Zayed Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Akshay Khanna, and Mahesh Babu.
A winner of the prestigious Dada Saheb Phalke Academy Award at the young age of 25, Amrita Rao is all set for her successful innings at Bollywood.- Actor
- Music Department
- Director
Vishwanath Patekar (born on January 1, 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra, India) is an actor, writer and filmmaker. He is known for his work on Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Raajneeti (2010) and Parinda (1989). He made his acting debut in the early 70's and since then has been nominated for multiple awards. He won a National Film Award and a Filmfare award for his supporting role in Parinda (1989). He then won the Best Villain award for his role on Angaar (1992). He is a very controversial actor, know for his different acting style, dialogues and dialogue delivery. He is sometimes regarded as the Morgan Freeman of Bollywood. In 1995, he won the National Film Award as well as the Filmfare and the Screen awards for Best Actor for his role in Krantiveer (1994). He is also the only actor ever to win Filmfare Awards in the Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Villain categories. He was bestowed the highest privilege in acting in 2013 when he was awarded the Padma Shri award for his dedication in the field of Films and Arts.
Patekar is an alumnus of the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai and in September 2015, He established an organization, Naam Foundation with fellow Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure, which works to provide aid to farmers to overcome by drought conditions in Maharashtra, India. When he was awarded the Raj Kapoor award which carries a cash prize of Rs 10,00,000, he donated the entire amount towards drought relief activities in Maharashtra. Patekar was married to Neelkantee Patekar and they have a son Malhar Patekar but their marriage life did not go well and it resulted in a divorce.- Actor
- Director
- Casting Department
Adhyayan Suman was born on 13 January 1988 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and director, known for Damaged 2 (2020), Haal-e-Dil (2008) and Raaz: The Mystery Continues (2009).- The daughter of a lecturer, actress Urmila Matondkar began her celluloid career as a child artiste with the film _Kalyug (1980)_. Although an average film at the box-office, her next film, Masoom (1983), about a family coping with an illegitimate member, showed her acting talents blossom and she received critical acclaim from both her fans and the film fraternity. She subsequently appeared in a number of films including Dacait (1987), where she plays Sunny Deol's under-aged sister who gets brutally raped.
Years later, Urmila then made her debut as an adult actress in N. Chandra's Narasimha (1991) opposite Sunny Deol . She then did the fantasy Chamatkar (1992) with the then-débutant Shahrukh Khan and Shreemaan Aashique (1993), a comedy on male chauvinism opposite Anupam Kher and Rishi Kapoor and a crime movie Drohi (1992), But no matter what films she did, while her fellow actresses Manisha Koirala and Raveena Tandon reached the peak of their popularity with blockbuster after blockbuster, success seemed to elude her.
Then she did Ram Gopal Varma's Rangeela (1995), a tale of a girl's journey in the film industry. The movie came as a refreshing surprise and Urmila gave a magnificent performance, which is no small feet alongside actors Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff, but what gave the film classic status was A.R. Rahman's music, Asha Bhosle's songs and designer Manish Malhotra, who transformed Urmila from a Maharashtrian middle-class girl into a sexy and glamorous actress. With this movie Urmila revolutionized sensuality on the Indian screen. What most actresses hadn't managed even after a dozen hits, Urmila had achieved with only one film. And ever since, she has been associated with Asha Bhosle's sensual voice and of course the image of the sizzling seductress - in fact, she is still known for her sizzling sensuality and her stunning looks.
However, Urmila is not to be judged only for her looks. She is also an actress of great talent and skill - her performance in Satya (1998) as a modest girl whose boyfriend, the titular character, gets sucked into the Bombay underworld is one of her best ever performances to date. And since 2000, she began to play roles of depth and substance, making an impact most notably in the films Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya... (2001), Om Jai Jagadish (2002), Pinjar (2003), a drama based on India's partition, I Did Not Kill Gandhi (2005), about a man accused of Gandhi's murder and Banaras (2006).
As of 2006, she has acquired several assignments, both using her talents as an actress and as a seductress - she is doing Onir's Bas Ek Pal (2006) and Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay (2006), the latter of which audiences are eagerly waiting for with bated breath. On March 3, 2016, she married actor-model-businessman Mohsin Akhtar in a small private ceremony.
Today Urmila is known as one of Bollywood's most versatile actresses. After Sridevi, she is known to have the played the most varied characters next to fellow actresses Tabu and Mahima Chaudhry. - Actress
- Producer
Genelia D'Souza is an Indian actress, model, and host. She has appeared in Telugu, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam language films. After gaining wide attention in a Parker Pen commercial with Amitabh Bachchan, D'Souza began her acting career with Tujhe Meri Kasam in 2003. She was recognized for her role in Boys the same year, and later established herself in Telugu cinema by acting in several Telugu films during 2003-2005. D'Souza received her first Filmfare Award in 2006 for her performance in the Telugu romantic film, Bommarillu, which earned her critical acclaim. In 2008, she gave critically acclaimed performances in Santosh Subramaniam, a Tamil remake of Bommarillu, and the Bollywood movie Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. Having acted in several commercially successful movies in Telugu and Tamil, D'Souza has established herself as one of the leading actresses of the South Indian film industry.In addition to movie acting, D'Souza has hosted the television show Big Switch, and is the brand ambassador of Fanta, Virgin Mobile India, Fastrack, LG Mobiles, Garnier Light, Margo, and Perk in India- Aditya Roy Kapur is an Indian actor well-known for his performances in Hindi films. He studied at G. D. Somani Memorial School in Mumbai. When he was in class XI, he joined St. Xavier's. He attended St. Andrew's College.
Kapoor started his career as a VJ on Channel V India. He also hosted shows like Pakao and India's Hottest (2007) along with VJ Bruna Abdullah till 2008. Kapoor's debut in Hindi movie was in a supporting role in London Dreams (2009), which also starred Ajay Devgn, Salman Khan, and Asin Thottumkal.
He was next seen playing the role of Bunty Saigal, the son of Akshay Kumar and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in the comedy movie Action Replayy (2010). He also played the role of Omar Siddiqui in Guzaarish (2010) starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Kapoor's first movie as a lead actor was Aashiqui 2 (2013), which was also the debut movie of actress Shraddha Kapoor. The movie was a blockbuster hit, which earned approximately Rs. 1.45 billion in the first four weeks. The movie won several awards, and Kapoor was awarded the Best Actor in a Romantic Role by the BIG Star Entertainment Awards. He also won the Most Romantic Jodi award with Shraddha Kapoor and another Screen Awards Jodi No. 1 in 2014.
Kapoor was next seen in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) starring Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone and Kalki Koechlin. This movie got him his first IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Kapoor's next movie was Daawat-e-Ishq (2014), a romantic comedy in which he played the role of Tariq Haider. The movie also starred Parineeti Chopra. His 2016 movie Fitoor (2016) was based on Charles Dickens' 1861 novel Great Expectations. He played the role of Noor Nizami alongside Katrina Kaif and Tabu.
In the same year, he appeared in a cameo appearance in Shah Rukh Khan and Alia Bhatt starrer Dear Zindagi (2016).
Kapoor paired with Shraddha Kapoor yet again in OK Jaanu (2017) as Aditya Gunjal. He later appeared in a cameo role in the movie Welcome to New York (2018).
His next movie Kalank (2019), was a star-studded movie in which he donned the role of Dev Chaudhry. The movie had a strong star cast which included Varun Dhawan, Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, and Madhuri Dixit.
In 2019, he appeared in Malang (2020) along with actress Disha Patani. He played the role of Adavit Thakur and got appreciated for his strong performance as a fearless man who is out to take revenge on goons. Malang was a commercially successful film and roped in a collection of Rs. 84.50 crore.
In the next year, Kapoor appeared in two movies released on OTT platforms. The action movie Sadak 2 (2020), starring Sanjay Dutt and Alia Bhatt, saw Kapoor in the role of Vishal Agnihotri. His other movie was Ludo (2020) with Sanya Malhotra.
Kapoor was next seen in Om - The Battle Within (2022), in which he appears as Om Rathore. He made a couple of appearances in the web series SideHero (2018) as himself and The Night Manager (2023) as Shaan Sengupta, starring Anil Kapoor and Sobhita Dhulipala. - Actress
- Producer
Fluent in English, Hindi and Tamil, Scorpion Esha was born on November 2, 1982 to Hema 'Dreamgirl' Malini, and Dharmendra 'He-Man' Deol. She has a younger sister, Ahana, and two step-brothers, Sunny and Bobby, both well-known Bollywood super-stars in their own rights. Bobby is married to Tanya Ahuja, and has a child.
Esha studied in the Jamnabai Narsee School, excelled at football, then went on to attend Oxford University and obtained a Masters Degree in Media Arts and Computer Technology. She also learned classical dance forms from her mom, the daughter of Jaya Chakraborty.
Having Bollywood connections, she did aspire to be an actress and follow in the footsteps of her parents and half-siblings, and landed a lead role in 'Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche' in 2002.
She delivered her very first hit with 'Dhoom' in 2004 and went on to another hit after hit in 'Kaal' 'No Entry', and 'Dus'. She demonstrated her versatility when she accepted a negative character-role in 'Ankaee' in 2006. She has also acted in a Tamil movie 'Aiyatha Ezhuthu'.
Amongst her friends at Bollywood are Kareena Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan. She likes to work out and listen to music.
She will shortly be seen in Just Married, and has started filming in the following movies; Cash, Darling, and Honeymoon.- Zenobia Shroff has been an actress for thirty years. She got her start in Mumbai under the mentor ship of the legendary Pearl Padamsee. With Padamsee's encouragement, she came to study acting at New York's Circle in the Square Theatre School. Soon after, she honed her craft at the off- Broadway theatre Castillo, where she played several and diverse roles such as Nora in Ibsen's A Doll's House to German avant-gardist Heiner Muller. She also performed in Mario Frattis "Erotic adventures in Venice" at the famed La Mama and Milan Kundera's "Jacques and his Master".
She has taught drama and movement extensively throughout New York City and Mumbai, primarily for inner city and low income children. She has taught at Arts Connection, Education in Dance, and is a proud founding teacher of Youth Onstage, that city's only fully gratis theatre school for inner city children.
A few years ago, she was cast in Sooni Taraporevalas "Little Zizou", presented by Mira Nair. For that role, she was nominated as Best Actress at the New York Indian film festival. Next she was seen in 'When Harry tries to Marry', a Hollywood independent film. She followed that up with her first Bollywood blockbuster, 'Ek main aur ekk tu' playing opposite superstars Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan.
Her critically acclaimed one woman show 'How to Succeed as an Ethnically Ambiguous Actor' has been performed at the Planet Connection Theatre Festival, at which she was nominated for Best Actress. She also did a successful off Broadway run at the Castillo theatre.
In 2017, she had her breakout role as Kumail Nanjiani's mother in The Big Sick, which was a resounding box office success and garnered her stellar reviews and a SAG nomination for Best Ensemble Cast. She followed up with a recurring role on season 4 of The Affair as Priya Ullah. She also recurred as Himaya Pravesh on The Resident, and on Madam Secretary. She will be back for season 5 of The Affair in August 2019.
Zenobia is an accomplished Bharat Natyam dancer and writes and performs sketch comedy. Her one woman show 'Exotic observations' has been performed at the Guild gallery, the Indo American arts council and the famed UCB. She holds a Masters degree in Psychology. - Shelly Desai was born on 3 December 1935 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He is an actor, known for Escape from L.A. (1996), Here Comes the Boom (2012) and Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2 (2015).