| | What's buzzing in Bollywood?
Cut does not needlessly critique films or play on frivolous gossip.
Our stories are taken from the daily starlight of entertainment and crafted with the maturity of NDTV's years of experience in the business of news. We love the razzmatazz of the stars and bring it to our viewers in all its brilliance - dazzling smiles, designer dresses, success, intrigue, the underbelly of show biz, Page 3 et all.
This week, Watch CUT Weekend with Big B in Krakow. Catch the legendary actor on a visit to Poland to attend the Off Plus Camera Film Festival. Walk the streets and catch the sights of Krakow with Big B as he makes the most of his visit to the country. Add to that some candid conversations and it is a weekend to remember!
Showtime: Friday 8:30 pm / Saturday 1:30 pm and 6:00 pm / Sunday 10:30 am and 3:00 pm |
What's buzzing in Bollywood?
Cut does not needlessly critique films or play on frivolous gossip.
Our stories are taken from the daily starlight of entertainment and crafted with the maturity of NDTV's years of experience in the business of news. We love the razzmatazz of the stars and bring it to our viewers in all its brilliance - dazzling smiles, designer dresses, success, intrigue, the underbelly of show biz, Page 3 et all.
This week, Watch CUT Weekend with Big B in Krakow. Catch the legendary actor on a visit to Poland to attend the Off Plus Camera Film Festival. Walk the streets and catch the sights of Krakow with Big B as he makes the most of his visit to the country. Add to that some candid conversations and it is a weekend to remember!
Showtime: Friday 8:30 pm / Saturday 1:30 pm and 6:00 pm / Sunday 10:30 am and 3:00 pm | | | |
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| | Preity Zinta
She’s gorgeously cute and charismatic with her endearing dimples and that sparkling, 1000-watt smile! She’s got chutzpah, oodles of sex-appeal and as an actor she’s super-spontaneous and wonderfully versatile.
That's Preity Zinta for you -- one of the most loved matinée idols of our times. Pretty Preity was born in Shimla on January 31, 1975. When she was just 13, her father, an army officer, was killed in a car crash.
Tragedy followed tragedy... After her father's loss her mother was taken ill and was bedridden for two years.
All this forced Preity to grow up quickly and take on responsibilities early on in life.
She graduated college with English Honours, and then did post graduation in Criminal Psychology, only to take up modelling!!
After a successful stint in ad films, she made her Bollywood debut in 1998 with King Khan in the critically acclaimed Dil Se. The film wasn’t exactly a hit, but Preity made quite a mark...
A few weeks later, the masala action-entertainer Soldier hit bull’s eye at the box office and her career took wing.
Even at the start of her career, Preity was game for off beat and challenging roles.
Kya Kehna, which dealt with teenage pregnancy and single parenthood, got her rave reviews.
And in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, a film about surrogate motherhood, she played a prostitute with a heart of gold. Biggies like Mission Kashmir and The Hero were only averagely successful, but they ensured Preity’s presence in the big-ticket league.
Then came along her ravishing-and-spunky-but-slightly-confused character of Shalini in the cult classic Dil Chahta Hai. She truly hit a home run with this one!
The 2003 sci-fi flick Koi Mil Gaya, an E.T.-meets-Forrest Gump story, remains her biggest hit to date. The same year, Kal Ho Na Ho with King Khan and Saif saw her in one of the most lovable roles of her career.
Next up was the Yash Chopra epic Veer-Zaara, where Preity got her conservative-girl-from-Pakistan act right to the T.
Two more Yash Raj films followed – the hit Salaam Namaste and the not-so-hit Jhoom Barabar Jhoom.
In 2006, Preity held her own against an A-List ensemble in Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. After this, she veered off towards more-experimental flicks like Heaven on Earth and The Last Lear.
On the personal front, she was dating the Bombay Dyeing heir Ness Wadia for four years. In fact, everyone had expected wedding bells, but the couple split in 2009.
Now Preity isn't your typical airy celeb. She’s a highly intelligent, socially-conscious individual. She has written a series of articles for BBC News Online like ‘The Changing Face of Bollywood’, ‘Odds Stacked Against Indian Women’ and ‘Facing Death in Sri Lanka and Thailand’.
She has done tons of humanitarian work, including raising awareness for AIDS and protesting against female infanticide. And she has also won the Godfrey Phillips Bravery Award for testifying against the mafia in the Bharat Shah case despite threats.
But there have been controversies as well. Actor-singer Suchitra Krishnamurthy cited Preity as the cause of her divorce with Shekhar Kapur. And of late, she’s found herself embroiled in the Amrohi family dispute over Kamal Amrohi’s 600-crore property.
Preity is also the co-owner of the IPL team – Kings XI Punjab. An' because of her animated and infectious enthusiasm for the game, she has become the face of her team. With so many achievements, one may ask: “How many feathers in your cap, my lady?!” |
Aishwarya Rai
Before she became the most beautiful woman in the world, Aishwarya Rai apparently had a few other plans. Becoming an architect was one of them. Instead, Pepsi happened and 'Sanju' became a catchphrase like no other. Hot on its heelscame offers for films but Aishwarya wasn't interested in movies. Yet.
Modelling on the other hand, proved a useful hobby. It kept the pocket money coming in while Aishwarya followed her dream of becoming an architect. But all that was before the Miss World Pageant. Aishwarya true to her name has never been able to dodge fame since then. Though her alliance with the film fraternity abroad began quite sometime ago, with her latest film Pink Panther Aishwarya now rubs shoulders with the likes of Steve Martin and Andy Garcia. Contrary to rumours, her role in Pink Panther is not a mere cameo. She is, in fact the international diamond thief who makes away with the cherished pink panther diamond while pretending to assist the unsuspecting inspector Clousseau with his investigations.
Rumours are something that Aishwarya has had to deal with all her life.. both personal and professional. Her love affairs have always been heatedly debated in the media and drawing rooms across the country. She always dealt with them in her inimitable style, earning herself the Ice Maiden epithet in the process. Critics have been unanimous in harshly dismissing Aishwarya as a pretty face with as much on screen warmth as cold turkey but her sustained fame has defied all predictions. She began her career with Jeans and Aur Pyar Ho Gaya - her debut generated a lot of attention but didn't quite break any box office records.
Success came in 1999 with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnificent Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Some say she has never had as much chemistry with any other co-star as she had with Salman in the film. The tumultuous love affair turned sour soon after the film and the audience has never seen the two again in the same frame. In 2007, she starred opposite Abhishek Bachchan in Mani Ratna's Guru, the two later tied the knot in one of the most watched and closely followed wedding ceremonies ever.
In 2008, she starred alongside Hrithik Roshan in Ashutosh Gowariker's historical drama Jodhaa Akbar, a partly fictionalised account of the life of Muslim Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, played by Roshan and his Hindu wife Jodha Bai, played by Rai. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning revenues of over Rs 590 million domestically. She earned her eighth nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare for her performance. Later that year she co-starred with husband Abhishek Bachchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan in Ram Gopal Verma's Sarkar Raj, a sequel to his previous film Sarkar. She played the CEO of a major power company proposing to establish a new power plant in rural Maharashtra.
In 2009 she appeared in Harald Zwart's spy comedy film The Pink Panther 2 playing the role of criminology expert, Sonia Solandres. As of August 2009, she is slated to appear with Rajinikanth in the Tamil movie Endhiran, directed by S Shankar, with Vikram in Mani Ratnam's next film, Ashokavanam which is also to be simultaneously made in Hindi, titled Raavan, with Abhishek Bachchan in the lead. She will also appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish opposite Hrithik Roshan.
In 2009 Rai was awarded the Padma Shri for her contributions to Indian cinema. In the same year she refused to accept the second-highest Order Of France, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres as her father was suffering from serious illness, and she wanted her whole family to attend the award function. She is only the fourth Indian actor after Amitabh Bachchan, Nandita Das and Shahrukh Khan to be chosen for an Order Of France. In June 2009, she was declared the Female Star of The Decade at the tenth International Indian Film Academy Awards held in Macau. We hope Aishwarya continues to add a lot of feathers to her well fitted cap! | | | |
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| | Top 5 Topless Boys
Number 5 Abhishek Bachchan - Raavan :
Abhishek Bachchan also joined the topless bandwagon this year with his Raavan act. As the rugged leader of a tribal group, Abhishek's look in the film was just right, we only wish his acting had been equally powerful. Nonetheless, if we were to rank Abhishek's topless look in Raavan, we would give him a 5 on 10. | | | |
Number 4 Hrithik Roshan - Kites:
And Salman's protege - at least when it comes to body building - Hrithik also made his rippling presence felt this year. Kites, which was papa Roshan's ode to his son, showcased Hrithik's wares rather lovingly as he goes through most of the movie bare chested. The film as we all know by now, didn't do too well but Hrithik surely gave the girls something to sigh about, and for that the man with the bronzed body gets a 7 on 10. | | | |
Number 3 Salman Khan - Dabangg:
And then there's the man who made a career out of losing his shirt. The highpoint of any Salman movie of course is when he takes off his shirt. So come 2010 and THIS was Salman's incredible hulk moment in Dabangg. He did the same in Veer too this year, but can't say we were too enamoured especially when we get to see this side of the Khan so very often! So Salman gets a passable 6 on 10 - come on Sallu Bhai, give us something really crackling next year! | | | |
Number 2 Emraan Hashmi - Once Upon a Time in Mumbai:
The other boy who regularly strips down to a bare chest is of course Bollywood's serial kisser - Emraan Hashmi. This year too he took it off for Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai and well, given the lot he has to compete with in this category, he scores well, a not so hot 4 on 10. So we say keep it on Emraan, stick with the kissing. | | | |
Number 1 Ranbir Kapoor - Ajaana Anjaani:
Ranbir Kapoor is an old hand at dropping his pants or towel as it may be. He perfected the act in his very first movie Saawariya and in 2010 in Anjaana Anjaani he decides to strip some more! In a bid to retrieve his stolen car's keys from a gay gangster, Ranbir does his best to distract the man. In an otherwise insipid movie, this turned out to be the only reason to smile and for that alone, Ranbir gets a delicious 8 on 10! |
Top 5 Hairy Tales
Number 5 Shahid Kapoor :
He debuted in Bollywood with the bubblegum romance Ishq Vishq... His cute mop of thick hair and the boy-next-door look established him as the chocolate hero in waiting. Times have changed since and he's now the hit boy in Bollywood. Shahid Kapoor is at the bottom on our list of Top 5 hair makeovers. Early in his career as movie offers started flowing in Shahid felt the need for an image change. So in came the big muscles, but he still looked the boy he was. Then came the new hairdo in Jab We Met. And with Kaminey, Shahid went all out with a nearly flowing mop. He even added a few streaks of colour, a style very Bollywood, we think! Lately he has been seen in a short spiky crop that we think definitely suits him better. | | | |
Number 4 Saif Ali Khan:
If Dil Chahata Hai was the take-off point for his career it was also the time he did a real image makeover. If you did a before and after of Saif’s looks – you can surely tell the difference! And from there onwards there has been no dearth of experimention in the hair department for this Nawab! The changing hairdos in Hum Tum, the rural crop of Omkara and the corporate cut in Kal Ho Na Ho, Saif has since not shied away from changing styles. And now that he is on the other side of 40, Saif Ali Khan is doing everything he can to retain the boyish charm. So don’t miss the trendy cut he sports these days, with the carefully placed careless strands on his forehead. We hear that Saif is so careful about his hairdo that he even refuses to shoot outdoors when its too windy! | | | |
Number 3 Sanjay Dutt:
Long thin tresses had been his trademark for the most part of his Bollywood career. It was a look that went well with his real and reel life image of a brat. His life however has been as eventful as a potboiler and Sanju has infact looked the part with each changing stage. The guy behind his current sober look is his trusted friend and hair stylist Aalim Hakim. From a wild child of the 80's to the wannabe politico - Sanjay Dutt has tried all styles. | | | |
Number 2 Salman Khan:
His early days were marked by long strands and chiseled muscles, a look that made box office history in Maine Pyar Kiya. Though Salman launched the six packs and bare chested look in Bollywood, his hair length remained largely untouched through it all - probably because his hair troubles also started fairly early in his career. And so it remained long and floppy until Tere Naam. In a serious makeover for the role, Salman donned a wig that became an instant hit and was dubbed the ''Sallu bhai haircut''. Salman's experiments with his crop don't end there, his forthcoming film Veer will see him in as many as three different hairstyles! | | | |
Number 1 Aamir Khan:
Aamir Khan - the perfectionist tops our list. Much like the detailing of his roles, the actor pays equal attention to his looks that range from uber chic in Dil Chahta Hai to ultra rural in Lagaan. Aamir Khan was probabaly the first actor in Bollywood to understand the importance of hair style in shaping the look. And with Ghajini he further drove home his point. The look not only made national news but also had people queuing outside salons to get that exact same style. And now if rumours are to be believed Aamir has another hairstyle up his sleeve in his forthcoming film Dhobi Ghaat. Keep them coming Aamir! |
Top 5 Love Triangles
Number 5 Dostana:
This movie is one of the spiciest examples of a multi-angled romantic situation. Two men pretending to be gay just to get closer to the women they love!? Well, not exactly the most full proof plan - but certainly one of the more original. Its another matter that neither of them gets the girl but the dare to be different story line puts Dostana on our list as one of the funniest entanglements Bollywood has seen! | | | |
Number 4 Rangeela:
With Rangeela Urmila Matondkar catapulted to being named the sexiest actress of her time. Its no surprise then that she got a lot of attention. Flanked by two eager men she had on one hand the diamond and on the other a friend. A choice that would put any damsel in distress! But the girl made her selection and true love emerged the winner. | | | |
Number 3 Kal Ho Na Ho No:
No one can play the ultimate lover boy in Bollywood quite like Shah Rukh Khan. And Kal Ho Na Ho only proved the point. Fans wept as SRK gave away his beloved to another man while he lay on his death bed. But it wasn't all melodrama, a perfect blend of emotion and comic relief pushed all the right buttons. A clear winner that finds notable mention on our list of Top 5 love triangles. | | | |
Number 2 Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam:
Intense passion keeps this love triangle permenantly etched in public memory. Set within a Gujarati household Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam is the coming of age story of a free spirited girl who becomes all grown up when she has to choose between her lover and her husband. Despite a play-safe ending, the film still managed to strike a chord with its audiences thanks to some power packed performances and real life masala. Ajay Devgan's role as the sacrificial husband drew a lot of empathy while Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai's romantic involvement at the time, only helped in the chemistry department. A tear jerker that stole our hearts. | | | |
Number 1 Kuch Kuch Hota Hai:
This young college romance made Kuch Kuch Hota Hai an instant hit with GenX. Two diametrically opposite women in love with a cool dude was the plot of the film. But what set this bubble gum romance apart from most was its fairytale air. There was drama, seperation and even tragedy but none of it too hard to bear. Rahul, Anjali and Tina made threee lovable characters every youngster could identify with. Add to that the Kajol - Shah Rukh best buddy act and you get one the most memorable love triangles of our time. |
Top 5 tattoos
Number 5 Esha Deol:
This lissome Deol babe has a penchant for tattoos, on last count, she had three of them - a 'Gayatri Mantra' on her right shoulder, an 'Om' on her left AND a scorpion under her left collarbone. This last one was amply visible in the bikini scenes in her 2007 film, Cash. Esha's star sign is a Scorpio and she says it made perfect sense to choose that as her first tattoo. The 'Gayatri Mantra' and 'Om' tattoos are more recent aquisitions and she chants both to calm herself down in stressful times. | | | |
Number 4 Shruti Hassan:
And the newest star kid on the block also has a tattoo. Kamal Hassan's daughter, Shruti Hassan who takes her rock star image very seriously has a tattoo inked on her back. It was revealed during a photo shoot for a Chennai based magazine and since then has become a rage on the internet with many posting queries on what exactly the tattoo is. Well guys.. it's Shruti in Tamil! The babe whose latest film hasn't really run into too much luck at the box office has right now decided to go back to music for a while. | | | |
Number 3 Akshay Kumar:
And for those of you who wanted more proof that the erstwhile playboy of Bollywood has taken to domesticity, look no further. Akshay Kumar has his son's name Aarav, tattooed on his back. In fact according to some reports doing the rounds, Akshay's screen name in his forthcoming film Blue is Aarav and the doting father will also be revealing his tattoo for the first time on screen for the film since it goes well with the script. Let's hope Aarav brings some luck to the Khiladi who has had an otherwise dismal 2009. | | | |
Number 2 Saif Ali Khan:
And talking of tattooes, how can we forget the most talked about tattoo in the last few years? When Saif Ali Khan wanted to prove to the world that he was a committed man, he went ahead and got Kareena tattooed on his wrist. Of course this later became the butt of many jokes at award functions and television serials, but let's not be cynical. Saif is a man in love and is not afraid to show it - very unlike his on screen persona in his latest film Love Aaj Kal. While the tattoo usually stays hidden under layers of make-up during shoots, it is when Saif is in his rock star avatar that it usually makes its appearance. | | | |
Number 1 Hrithik Roshan:
And the latest one to join the tattoo bandwagon is our very own Hrithik Roshan. Hrithik and his wife have been doing their best to put rumours to rest about a certain Barbara Mori. But in Bollywood it seems love and fidelity can only be proven with a tattoo! So, Hrithik promptly got his wife's name tatooed. All we can say is.. relax Hrithik... there IS a thing as 'trying' too hard! |
Top 5 Comedies
Number 5 Padosan:
This delightful light-hearted comedy brought some of the greatest talents in cinema under one roof. Ek chatur naar Sunil Dutt loves Saira Banu, but there is a hitch, she is obsessed with music and will only marry a man with a great voice. Enter, the great Kishore Kumar and what follows is absolute mayhem and a lot of laughs!! | | | |
Number 4 Chupke Chupke:
Chupke Chupke was a vintage Hrishikesh Mukherjee movie. Amitabh Bachchan as the henpecked professor was adorable but what really took everyone by surprise was action man Dharmendra's sense of comic timing and add to that Omprakash's madcap act and you have a pot full of practical jokes and lots of rib tickling moments. | | | |
Number 3 Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron:
In 1983, post emergency India was going through a rough patch - corruption, red tape and a lot of political bullying. Within this sphere came the brilliantly executed social satire Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. So when our two earnest protagonists discover the dead body of slain police commissioner, they unravel a builder-politician-cop nexus which sets the stage for an outrageously funny comedy and at the same time, a sobering reflection of India in the 80s. Of course the highlight of the film is the much talked about Mahabharat sequence where all hell breaks loose much to the amusement of the Ramlila junta and us as well. | | | |
Number 2 Hera Pheri:
In 2000, Priyadarshan came up with a comedy that brought together two of the India's unlikeliest heroes as its chief comics. Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty both known more for their brawn than their funny bone surprised many with their superbly well timed performances. In fact with Hera Pheri, at the turn of the new millenium, it was a new era for Akshay Kumar as well, as he moved on from action to comedy. But the real hero of the film was of course Paresh Rawal who really excelled as the eccentric though lovable Babu Rao. | | | |
Number 1 Lage Raho Munnabhai:
Circuit and Munna gave many plenty to laugh about with Munnabhai MBBS and some thought, it would have be a tough act to repeat. But luckily, when Munna and Circuit came back in circulation, they did so with a BANG! Gandhi was revisited and a lot of gyaan was dished out but with great humour and some brilliant cinema which made Gandhigiri the new buzzword in India. Rajkumar Hirani is clearly one of Indian cinema's most talented filmmakers amongst the current crop and we can't wait to see what happens when Munnabhai Chale Amreeka, which is the tentative title for the 3rd in the Munnabhai trilogy! |
Top 5 Timeless Faces
Number 5 Madhubala:
With her impish eyes and a smile that could melt a million hearts, Madhubala shined in all her avtaars. Whether as the sultry club dancer in Howrah Bridge or as the courtesan who challenges the mighty mughal emperor in Mughal-e-Azam. When she died at a young age of 36, this classic beauty left a void in our films that has not been filled to this day. | | | |
Number 4 Nargis:
She was another one of Hindi cinema's shining stars. At a time when acting in Indian cinema was mostly loud and theatrical, Nargis came as a whiff of fresh air with her natural spontaneity. She experimented with a wide variety of roles but to this day remains known mostly for the iconic films she did in the 50s opposite Raj Kapoor, with whom she is said to have had a passionate affair. | | | |
Number 3 Waheeda Rehman:
Another great actress of Hindi cinema's great black and white era was Waheeda Rehman. Trained in Bharatnatyam, Waheeda made her film debut as a dancer and then was noticed by Guru Dutt and cast in CID. The rest as they say is history. With Guide, Waheeda moved out of Guru Dutt's shadow and into the big league and was soon giving other actresses a run for their money. | | | |
Number 2 Mumtaz:
She created a stir in the 60s with her smoky sensuality. Mumtaz began as a child artiste in Gehra Daag and Mujhe Jeeno Do and then moved on to roles of a vamp in Mere Sanam and Brahmachari, before finally finding her footing as a leading actress with Do Raaste, Aap Ki Kasam, Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Apna Desh. Mumtaz recently had a cancer scare but the resilient actress pulled through and still remains a queen of hearts today. | | | |
Number 1 Helen:
The undisputed dancing queen of Bollywood who will never go out of style. Actors came and went but Helen's magic stayed the same. For close to five decades, Helen maintained an iron hold over the dancing floor in Bollywood. So, this lady twinkle toes who reinvented the great cabaret dance in Bollywood finds herself on number 1 of Bollywood's All time Timeless Faces |
Top 5 Living Legends
Number 5: Rajinikanth
He's not just an actor or a star, Rajinikanth is truly a Phenomenon, especially in his hometown Tamil Nadu. His trademark gesture of flipping a cigarette in the air and catching it in his mouth sends his fans into a frenzy! The more improbable the action, the happier his fans get. So much so that they also conduct prayers before any of his movies are released.
Rajinikanth was reportedly paid Rs 26 crore for his last blockbuster Sivaji: The Boss, which made him the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan. Such is the influence of this Tamil megastar that politicians queue up outside his house before elections. One nod from him and the public blindly follows whoever he chooses.
Quite a journey for a man who started his career as a bus conductor in Bangalore. | | | |
Number 4: A R Rahman
India loves A R Rahman not because he put our country on the world stage but because he gives us soul stirring music. The man famously dubbed as the 'Mozart of Madras' by Time Magazine has sold more than 100 million records of his film scores and soundtracks worldwide.
But it was not an easy journey for Rahman from Madras to Mozart. He lost his musician father at a very young age, and the family eked out a living by renting out their precious musical instruments. Encouraged by his mother to drop out of school and pursue music full time, Rahman joined master musician Illayaraja's troupe as a keyboardist when he was all of 11.
Many musical performances, ads and jingles followed. Then Mani Ratnam discovered him and he discovered cinema. The rest is history. | | | |
Number 3: Lata Mangeshkar
After almost six decades of playback singing Lata Mangeshkar carries a sizeable chunk of the history of Hindi film music on her slender shoulders. In 1942 when her father died, Lata Mangeshkar became the sole bread-winner of her family. She even acted in eight films across the Marathi and Hindi film industry to earn a living.
Her debut song in the Marathi movie Kiti Haasal was edited out. Then in 1949 Kamal Amrohi's Mahal released launching both her and its heroine Madhubala into super stardom.
Since then Lata Mangeshkar maintained her near monopoly in Hindi films well into the 90s.
Hers was a career that was nearly a pilgrimage from which she never let herself be sidetracked by anything - marriage, relationships and even age. | | | |
Number 2: Amitabh Bachchan
If Dev Anand, Dharmendra and Raj Kumar had not rejected the role of Inspector Vijay in Zanjeer, Indian cinema would have been very different. After giving seven flops, Amitabh wanted to pack his bags and leave for Allahabad.
As the son of noted poet, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, his antecedents did nothing to help him in the song and dance world of Bollywood - if anything they put him at a disadvantage. But then a chance meeting with Prakash Mehra, just a few days before he was leaving Mumbai FOREVER, landed him the lead role in a film opposite Jaya Bachchan.
The actor seething with angst gave voice to an angry young generation - a phenomenon which has since then triggered a hundred film school thesis. In 1984, at the zenith of his talent, a combination of loyalty and idealism, perhaps misguided, made him dive into the murky waters of politics and the filmy career he had built scene by scene collapsed.
But with a tenacity that made him what he is, Amitabh clawed his way out of the quagmire of debt and bad decisions and is today Indian cinema's man with the Midas Touch. Life has indeed come a long way for the man whose voice was once famously rejected by All India Radio as having too much bass! | | | |
Number 1: Shah Rukh Khan
Newsweek named him as one of the 50 Most Powerful People in the world and he has been described by The Guardian, as the world's biggest film star. In testimony, Khan's life-size wax statue stands today at Grevin Museum in Paris along with the only other Indian who has been conferred this honour, Mahatma Gandhi.
Arguably, Bollywood's most saleable actor and perhaps its most powerful personality, Shah Rukh Khan has done all this on his own steam in an industry known only too well for nepotism. His dalliance with performing arts began with theatre and later he even tried his hand at a course in filmmaking but the death of both his parents meant a quick change in plans and a shift to Mumbai.
His first work appeared on the small screen as a serial and even at that time, it was clear that his presence could not be disregarded. Early films brought mostly parallel lead roles but luck was just waiting to turn tin the corner.
At a time when the anti-hero role was turned down by reigning heroes of Bollywood, Shah Rukh dared to take on the challenge. Darr and Baazigar were released the same year and with them Shah Rukh Khan finally arrived. Later he became the proud owner of a Cricket Team as the game entered a new sporting era with the IPL.
Quite the King Khan, as he has been fondly dubbed by the media, Shah Rukh's hunger for power, fame and adulation is only rivalled by his almost indefatigable energy and drive to be the Best. | | | |
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| | Like any little girl's dream
Priyanka Chopra
I never expected to be Miss India. Miss India was just an excuse it was a vacation for me. I was taking a year between high school and college and I came to Bombay just for fun, and I would go back in a month's time to tuition and applying for a couple of scholarships and stuff. | | | |
Building Biceps for Bollywood!
Imran Khan
I'm not a great fan of working out. If I wasn't acting, I probably wouldn't! I generally work out with very heavy weights as I have a tendency to lose weight, my body-type is like that. | | | |
Enjoy every bit of living!
Bipasha Basu
I can only tell all the people who are not into any kind of exercise that the day you really put your heart into it, it becomes an addiction and it's only a positive thing for you. | | | |
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| | Stars at Kingfisher Calendar Launch
(21 Images)Deepika Padukone and Sidhartha Mallya were the obvious attendees at the Kingfisher Calendar Launch. While Salman Khan was the one to launch it. Take a look... | | | | Stars at Lakme Fashion Week
(49 Images)Stars at Lakme Fashion Week | | | | Big B, Priyanka at Lakme Fashion Week
(44 Images)The stars of Tinseltown strutted their stuff at the Lakme Fashion Week 2010.
Amitabh and Jaya attended the event, along with Priyanka Chopra, Amisha Patel, Pooja Batra and many more. Here's a look at the LFW so far... | | | | Anil, Kangana walk the ramp
(23 Images)Anil Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut walked the ramp for designers Anamika Khanna and JJ Valaya at the Pearls Infrastructure Delhi Couture Week 2010 in New Delhi. Here's a look... | | | | | | |
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