Kareena Kapoor

Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra into the Kapoor film family of Punjabi Khatri origin, Kapoor is the youngest daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita (née Shivdasani). She is the granddaughter of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, great-granddaughter of actor Prithviraj Kapoor, sister of actress Karisma Kapoor and niece of actor Rishi Kapoor. According to Kapoor, the name "Kareena" was derived from the book Anna Karenina, which her mother read while she was pregnant with her. She is also often informally referred to as Bebo.

As children, the Kapoor sisters dreamed of becoming actresses. Kapoor was particularly inspired by actresses Nargis and Meena Kumari. However, despite her family background, her father disapproved of women acting because he believed it to be incompatible with their duty to the family. This led to conflict between her parents, and Kapoor's mother ultimately left her father. Kapoor was raised in Lokhandwala by her mother who worked several jobs to support her daughters until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991.

Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai before progressing to Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun. She studied commerce for two years at the Mithibai College in Vile Parle, Mumbai. However, she disliked her term there and studied only because she was close to her family. Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard University in the United States. She later developed an interest in law and enrolled at the Government Law College in Churchgate. However, after completing one year at Churchgate, Kapoor returned to her initial plan to become an actress and began training at the Kishore Namit Kapoor's Acting Institute in Andheri.

Career (Debut and breakthrough, 2000-2003)

Kapoor was initially scheduled to make her debut in Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000), opposite the director's son Hrithik Roshan. However, several days into the filming, she abandoned the project and later explained that "it was probably destined that I was not to be in the film. After all, it was a launch for his son. The whole focus was on the boy. Now I am glad I did not do the movie."

Kapoor made her debut later that year in J.P. Dutta's war drama Refugee. Set during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the film centers on a man known simply as "Refugee" (portrayed by debutant Abhishek Bachchan). He illegally transports civilians back and forth across the Indo-Pakistani border. Kapoor portrayed Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl who falls in love with Refugee while illegally migrating to Pakistan. Her debut performance was acclaimed by critics; Taran Adarsh of indiaFM wrote: "Kareena Kapoor has a magnetic personality, which will make the viewer fall in love with her instantly. What surprises you is the ease with which she emotes the most difficult of scenes […] There's no denying the fact that she is a natural performer who is very camera friendly." Refugee was the fifth-highest grossing film in India in 2000, and Kapoor's performance earned her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award.

Kapoor's first role in 2001 was in the romantic drama Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, which became one of the highest earners of the year. A review in The Hindu noted that, "Kareena is definitely the actress to watch out for, if her debut with Abhishek in Refugee and now Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai are any indication […] Kareena shines throughout the flick, with the grace of a seasoned sizzler already." She next starred in Subhash Ghai's family drama Yaadein alongside Jackie Shroff and Hrithik Roshan. The drama centers on the character of Raj Singh Puri, a middle-class man and his daughters' marriages. Kapoor played the part of the youngest daughter and Roshan's love interest, Isha Singh Puri. Upon release, the film met with mixed critical reaction and garnered poor box office returns. Kapoor then appeared in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Ajnabee. The film, based on Consenting Adults (1992), was a moderate box office success in India.

Later in the year, she starred in Santosh Sivan's period epic Asoka, a partly fictionalized account of the life of Ashoka the Great. The film had a strong release in the United Kingdom and North America. It was also screened at the Venice Film Festival and the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival. Featured opposite Shahrukh Khan who played Ashoka, Kapoor portrayed the character of Kaurwaki, a princess of Kalinga with whom Ashoka falls in love. While the film received generally positive reviews, Kapoor's performance received a mixed reaction from some critics. Rediff.com concluded that, "while a large portion of the first half is focused on the emerging romance between the runaway prince and herself and to their credit they do manage to whip up some on-screen chemistry, I am still unsure as to her acting abilities". Nonetheless, her performance was praised by some critics and earned her a first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards.

Kapoor's final release of 2001 was the drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, directed by Karan Johar. The film, which featured an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan, emerged as the second-highest-grossing film of the year in India and Kapoor's biggest commercial success, with a domestic total of Rs 490 million (US$ 10.93 million). It also performed well internationally and became India's fourth biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over Rs 350 million (US$ 7.81 million). Her performance as "Poo" was well-received by critics and earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination.

During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor experienced a slump in her career. She featured in six films — Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, Talaash: The Hunt Begins..., Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and the four-hour war epic LOC Kargil — all of which proved critically and commercially unsuccessful in India. Kapoor's performances were often identified by many critics as unoriginal and repetitive, with little inspiration. They expressed concern that she was becoming typecast but these negative reviews were fundamental in motivating her to improve her integrity as an actress in subsequent years by accepting more demanding roles.

Turning point, 2004–2006

Following the negative period in Kapoor's career, 2004 marked the beginning of her work in more serious films, most of which would bring her critical acclaim rather than commercial success. Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor played a prostitute in Chameli opposite Rahul Bose. The film relates the story of a young prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker and follows the development of their relationship as they share their devastating life experiences. Chameli received predominantly positive reviews and Kapoor's performance was generally well-received by critics, with the Indiatimes praising Kapoor's "intuitive brilliance" and stating that she had exceeded all expectations. However, another reviewer expressed concern that they found her portrayal unconvincing and excessively stereotypical, describing her as, "sounding more like a teenager playacting than a brash, hardened streetwalker" and likening her mannerisms to that of a caricature. Nonetheless, Kapoor's performance garnered her the Filmfare Special Performance Award and marked a change in direction in her career as an actress. Kapoor then appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film Dev, which revolved around the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in the Indian state of Gujarat. Kapoor's role was that of a Muslim victim named Aaliya, modelled after Zahira Sheikh, a key witness in Vadodara's Best Bakery case. The film earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, as well as nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh commented, "Kareena Kapoor is first-rate. Sporting a deglamorized look, the actress takes a giant leap with this film. Her scene with Amitabh Bachchan (when the latter asks for witnesses to come forward) is an example of superb acting." Shortly afterwards, she was cast for the first time as a villain in the thriller Fida (opposite Shahid Kapoor and Fardeen Khan). The film explores Internet theft and the Mumbai underworld. Although it failed commercially, Kapoor received positive reviews for her performance, with some critics noting a distinct progression from her earlier roles.

 Her subsequent releases that year included Abbas-Mustan's moderately successful thriller Aitraaz and Priyadarshan's comedy Hulchul, her first box office success since 2002. In 2005, she starred in the Dharmesh Darshan directed drama Bewafaa. Kapoor played the role of the Indo-Canadian Anjali, who marries her sister's husband after her death, but is unsatisfied with the ensuing married life and resumes a relationship with her previous boyfriend. The film received mostly negative reviews and Kapoor's performance was not well-received. Nikhat Kazmi of Indiatimes believed that in an effort to become a serious actress, Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more jaded character ahead of her years in Bewafaa which appeared peculiar for a young girl of her age. Later that year, she appeared in Priyadarshan's romantic drama Kyon Ki. The drama, set in a psychiatric hospital, relates the love story of a mentally ill patient, played by Salman Khan, and his physician, played by Kapoor. The film was a box office failure, though Kapoor's performance was generally well-received by critics, with the BBC reporting, "It goes without saying that she is a pure natural when it comes to acting." Kapoor then featured in the romance Dosti: Friends Forever alongside Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, and Lara Dutta. While not a success in India, the film became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2005 in the United Kingdom. In 2006, Kapoor appeared in three films. She first starred in the thriller 36 China Town followed by the comedy Chup Chup Ke; both films performed reasonably well. She next portrayed the Shakespearean character of Desdemona in Omkara, the Hindi adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh. The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival. Omkara was well-received by critics and Kapoor's performance was critically acclaimed, earning her a fourth Filmfare Award and first Star Screen Award. Rediff.com concluded, "Her character is one of the hardest to essay, as she goes through love and awe, fear and bewilderment, defiance to her father and submission to her man. Kareena doesn't have the lines, but she has moments demanding powerful use of expression, and she delivers." Kapoor herself considers her role in Omkara as a "new benchmark" in her career and has made comparisons between her portrayal of Dolly and her own evolving maturity as a woman.

Recent work, 2007–present

In 2007, Kapoor starred opposite Shahid Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali's romantic comedy Jab We Met. Relating the story of two people with contrasting personalities who meet on a train and eventually fall in love, Kapoor played the female protagonist Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a strong zest for life. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films, earning a domestic total of Rs 303 million (US$ 6.76 million). Kapoor won several awards for her performance, including a Filmfare Best Actress Award and her second Star Screen Award for Best Actress. Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN noted, "Uninhibited and spontaneous, Kareena Kapoor is the soul of this picture, its biggest strength, as she brings alive her character with not just those smart lines, but with the kind of candor actors seldom invest in their work." Following Jab We Met, Kapoor featured alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, and Anil Kapoor in the action-thriller Tashan (2008). Though an indiaFM poll named it the most anticipated film of the year, Tashan eventually became a commercial and critical failure. Kapoor next provided her voice for the character of Laila, the love interest of a street dog named Romeo, in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film Roadside Romeo. It was the second Bollywood film to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio. In preparation for her role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors delivered their dialogues. Kapoor was criticised for failing to promote the film as she ventured into other projects. Kapoor next starred in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal. A part of an ensemble cast that included Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Arora, Celina Jaitley, and Anjana Sukhani, Kapoor played a distrustful wife who believed her husband to be unfaithful. The film received a mixed reception from critics and Kapoor herself received mixed reviews. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was unoriginal, concluding, "There is nothing particularly new about a suspicious wife keeping tabs on her husband, and there is nothing particularly new in the way Kareena plays it." Golmaal Returns was nonetheless a major financial success, with revenues of over Rs 500 million (US$ 11.15 million) domestically. In 2009, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai opposite Akshay Kumar in Sabbir Khan's battle of the sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. 

Set in Los Angeles, California, it became the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California and featured several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors. The film earned over Rs 650 million (US$ 14.5 million) worldwide, but was a critical failure. The Times of India wrote, "Kareena […] is a complete let-down. Despite her haute-coutured look, her micro minis, her pencil heels, she comes across as a completely unconvincing supermodel cum surgeon. It's a laboured, pouty attempt to accentuate the oomph, when actually the actress doesn't need to fake it". When asked about the criticism she garnered for the film, Kapoor remarked that "it is okay when critics do not like Kambakkht Ishq or Golmaal Returns; there are some films that are made purely for the audiences and they succeed there". She next starred in Prem Soni's directorial debut, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, alongside Salman Khan and Sohail Khan. Kapoor featured as the protagonist, Raina Khanna, a woman who takes it upon herself to become the sole breadwinner of the family, and therefore struggles with her marriage. The film was critically and financially unsuccessful, with the Daily News and Analysis concluding that "Kapoor shows moments of the talent we associate with her, but then slumps with a silly drunken scene or by just smiling beatifically through emotional moments". Following Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, Kapoor's next release was Kurbaan, a thriller set against the backdrop of global terrorism. It was directed by Rensil D'Silva and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri and Kirron Kher. Kapoor played the role of Avantika Ahuja, a woman who is confined to house arrest after she finds out that her husband is a terrorist. While shooting for Kurbaan, which she described as "an emotionally draining experience", Kapoor stated that it was difficult for her to disconnect from the character of Avantika. She explained that "the kind of effect that it had on me, I really wanted to crash out once I reached home". Upon release, the film was received favourably by critics and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. Subhash K Jha noted, "Kurbaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor. In her most consistently-pitched performance to date she pulls out all stops to play a betrayed wife with splendid sensitivity. Kareena accommodates her radiant beauty into an utterly credible character and performance. At her best, Kareena is incomparable. She proves it in Kurbaan". Kapoor's final release of 2009 was Rajkumar Hirani's drama 3 Idiots, a film loosely based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat. Co-starring alongside Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, Kapoor starred as Pia, an independent-minded medical student and Khan's love interest. On acting alongside Khan, Kapoor revealed that it was "a dream com true" and further stated that her journey as an actress was "finally complete". The movie was a major financial and critical success and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, as well as Kapoor's highest-grossing movie, with a domestic total of Rs 2,024 million (US$ 45.14 million). It also did well internationally and grossed over Rs 700 million (US$ 15.61 million), the second biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market. Rediff.com wrote, "Kareena Kapoor dazzles with her brief role, and even though a lot of her spunk seems significantly Jab We Met in tone, she lights up the screen when she's around". During the 55th Filmfare Awards, Kapoor received another Best Actress nomination for her role and she later explained that the film was a welcome relief after the heavy role of Avantika Ahuja.

As of April 2010, Kapoor is currently working on Anubhav Sinha's science fiction Ra.One and Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal 3. She has completed filming for the Indian adaptation of the Hollywood film Stepmom (1998), which began principal photography in October 2009. Directed by Siddharth Malhotra, the film features Kapoor alongside Kajol and Arjun Rampal. The romantic comedy film Milenge Milenge is also scheduled to release on June 25, 2010, having been postponed since 2005.

Other work

During her years in the film industry, Kapoor has also devoted time to other commitments, from being involved with humanitarian causes to participating in stage shows. In 2002, Kapoor set off on her first world tour, the Heartthrobs Concert, alongside Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, and Aftab Shivdasani. The show was performed throughout the US and Canada and went on to become a success. In November 2003, Kapoor performed at the Marco Ricci Each One Reach One Benefit Concert, a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit, whilst in 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, she took part in the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Later that year, she visited the desert heartland of Rajasthan to boost the morale of the jawans for a special Holi weekend episode on the NDTV show, Jai Jawan. The show consists of entertainers and stars visiting Indian troops in isolated regions along with the NDTV team. In 2006, Kapoor took part in the Rockstars Concert world tour, along with Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, John Abraham, Shahid Kapoor, Esha Deol and Mallika Sherawat. The following year, Kapoor, along with Priyanka Chopra, donated her half-share of five million rupees from her winnings on Kaun Banega Crorepati (India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) to St. Anthony's Old Age Home and Mount Mary's Bandra. In June 2008, Kapoor appeared on the game show Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? alongside boyfriend Saif Ali Khan, and donated half of her Rs. 5,000,000 (US$ 111,500) winnings to St. Anthony's Old Age Home, Bandra. In 2009, she once again donated her winnings of Rs. 1,000,000 (US$ 22,300) from 10 Ka Dum to St. Anthony's Old Age Home.

Personal life

In 2004, Kapoor began dating actor Shahid Kapoor whom she eventually parted with during the filming of Jab We Met in 2007. In September 2007, speculation began to surface that she was dating Saif Ali Khan. On 18 October 2007, during Manish Malhotra's grand finale show at the Lakme Fashion Week, Khan confirmed their relationship to the media. Kapoor is very close to her family and has resided with her mother Babita for much of her life. Kapoor and her mother lived together in Lokhandwala and then at Park Avenue in Bandra, Mumbai for several years, and in 2008 Kapoor and her mother purchased adjacent flats in Khar, Mumbai designed by Akshay Kumar's wife Twinkle Khanna. Kapoor says she is an avid reader and swimmer in her leisure time. Kapoor's weight and diet have often been scrutinized by the media. In 2006, Kapoor declared that she was becoming a vegetarian to keep her weight in check. Kapoor has denied rumours that she is suffering from anorexia and has attributed her weight loss to yoga and a closely-monitored, balanced diet. When Kapoor lost weight and collapsed on set during the filming of Tashan in 2008, media speculation about her health was rampant. She dismissed the incident as a minor health scare.

In the media

Hailing from a family deeply involved in the film industry, Kapoor faced the media spotlight from a very young age despite not making her acting debut until 2000. As a child, Kapoor attended award ceremonies and events with her mother Babita and sister Karisma Kapoor, and would also accompany her sister on set during filming. In previous years, in response to media speculation, Kapoor had developed a nonchalant relationship with the media and gained a reputation for discussing her professional or private life with the press with few reservations. During 2005, Kapoor made her first appearance on Karan Johar's talk show Koffee with Karan alongside Rani Mukerji, whilst two years later she appeared along with Shahid Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor. The following year, she appeared as a guest judge along with Priyanka Chopra on the singing talent contest Indian Idol 2. Several months later, Kapoor was chosen alongside actors Shahid Kapoor and Urmila Matondkar to model and walk the ramp for designer Manish Malhotra's fashion display, titled Freedom, during Fashion Week 2006. In 2007, Kapoor was among several Bollywood celebrities to perform at the opening ceremony of Kapil Dev’s Indian Cricket League (ICL) in Chandigarh. In June 2008, Kapoor modelled once again for Manish Malhotra's fashion display at the 2008 IIFA Fashion Extravaganza. Kapoor annually features in many polls in the media. In 2004, she was ranked third on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars". She was later ranked seventh and fifth in 2005–2006 respectively, and came back to the third position in 2007. In February 2007, Kapoor appeared fourth on Indiatimes list of "Top 10 Hottest Actresses of Bollywood", and later that year, the actress was ranked eighth by the U.K. magazine Eastern Eye as one of "Asia's Sexiest Women". Kapoor has also won numerous vegetarian online polls, being declared the female winner of PETA India's "Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities" successively in 2007 and 2008. In March 2009, she became the only woman to be featured on Filmfare Magazine's annual "Power List", a list of the ten most powerful people of Bollywood.

Ranbir Kapoor

Ranbir Kapoor was born on 28 September 1982 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India and he is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood movies. He first appeared in the 2007 film Saawariya for which he won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award. In 2009, he appeared in the critically and commercially successful films Wake Up Sid and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, for which he won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance. In 2010, he starred in the multi-starrer blockbuster, Raajneeti, which is his biggest commercial success so far.

Kapoor is from a family of Punjabi origin, the son of actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh; his sister is Riddhima Kapoor. He is the grandson of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, grandnephew of actors and filmmakers, Shashi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, great grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor and nephew of actor Randhir Kapoor. Other notable family members include his cousins Karishma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor and Nikhil Nanda. As a child, Kapoor studied at Bombay Scottish School in Mahim, Mumbai and went on to pursue method acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York.

Career

Before starting off his career as an actor, Kapoor worked as an assistant with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, where he was involved in the making of the film Black (2005). Kapoor later made his acting debut in November 2007 with Bhansali's Saawariya opposite newcomer Sonam Kapoor. The film failed to do well at the box office, though his performance was largely appreciated. Kapoor was then seen in Siddharth Anand's romantic comedy Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) alongside Bipasha Basu, Minissha Lamba and Deepika Padukone. The film performed reasonably well at the box office.

Kapoor's first release of 2009 was Ayan Mukerji's Wake Up Sid, in which he portrayed the character of Siddharth Mehra, a spoiled and self-centered college student from Mumbai. Featured opposite Konkona Sen Sharma, the film was a critical and commercial success, and Kapoor earned several nominations for Best Actor at various award ceremonies. He next starred alongside Katrina Kaif in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, which surfaced as one of the biggest hits of the year. Following this, Kapoor appeared in Shimit Amin's drama Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year. Upon release, the film received positive reviews by critics but failed to do well. Kapoor's performance was critically acclaimed, with one critic writing, "Ranbir brings to his part a whole lot of earnestness and heart. His natural and utterly contagious exuberance so much on display in his last two films Wake Up Sid and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is effortlessly curbed here." In 2010, he appeared in Prakash Jha's multi-starrer blockbuster Rajneeti. Kapoor recently appeared in Siddharth Anand's Anjaana Anjaani alongside Priyanka Chopra. His forthcoming project includes Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar with newcomer Diana Penty.

Personal life

Kapoor currently lives with his parents in Pali Hill in Mumbai, Maharashtra. During an interview in March 2008, he announced that he was dating Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone. The couple later broke up in November 2009.

Salman Khan

Infamously known as Bollywood’s bad boy, Salman Khan hails from a notable filmy family. He is the eldest son of Salim Khan, who himself is a screenwriter, & his wife Salma Khan. Former Bollywood actress Helen is his stepmother. Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan, Alvira & Arpita are Salman Khan’s siblings. Actor/director Atul Agnihotri is Salman’s brother–in–law married to Alvira. Salman Khan has finished his schooling in Mumbai – St. Stanislaus High School – Bandra.

Salman Khan made his debut in Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988) in which he played a supporting role. He made his debut in lead role in Sooraj Barjatva’s romantic family drama movie Maine Pyar Kiya for which he won Filmare Best Male Debut Award & was also nominated for Filmfare Best Actor Award. Baaghi: A Rebel for Love (1990), in which he starred opposite southern actress, Nagma, was a major box-office success. In 1991, Salman gave a hat trick with Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa & Saajan. The next couple of years were quiet unsuccessful for Salman. Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994) directed by Sooraj Barjatya and co-starring Madhuri Dixit was the most successful film of the year. Salman’s role in Andaz Apna Apna (1994) was well received and praised. Rakesh Roshan’s blockbuster Karan Arjun (1995) cemented his success.

Salman then went on to act in a number of films including Bhansali’s  directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical (1996), Judwaa (1997), Auzaar (1997), Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai (1998), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). All the films did pretty well at the box-office. His cameo in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai won him the Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actor.

1999 was a fruitful year for Salman as it churned out three major successful films – Hum Saath-Saath Hain, Biwi No. 1 and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, the latter getting him a Filmfare Best Actor’s nomination.

In 2000, he starred in Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega, Chori Chori Chupke Chupke and Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam. The movies were moderately successful at the box-office. Salman’s  role in Tere Naam (2003) got him critical acclamation and the movie was a box-office success. This successful run continued with Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2007) & No Entry (2005). Salaam-e-Ishq (2007) failed at the box office. However, Partner (2008) was a hit.

Wanted (2009) remains one of Salman’s blockbuster hits. But Main Aur Mrs. Khanna & London Dreams released in the same year did not do so well. And then Dabangg (2010) happened! The movie broke all box-office records, thus becoming the second highest grossing Indian movie of all time. Salman received the Star Screen Best Actor Award for the movie and was nominated for Filmfare Best Actor Award as well.

Salman’s Ready and Bodyguard were among the biggest hits of 2011.

He has Ek Tha Tiger, Dabangg 2 and Kick to look forward to.

Shahrukh Khan

Shahrukh Khan is the most acclaimed actor of India who works in Bollywood films. Along with being an actor he also has his own production company and sometimes also works as a TV host. ‘King Khan‘, ‘SRK‘, ‘SRKhan‘, ‘Badshah of Bollywood‘, ‘King of Romance‘, these are some of the nicknames given to Shahrukh Khan. His smile and dimples are his trademark and he has a height of 5.8″ (1.73m). Today Shahrukh stands among the highest respected and paid actors in Bollywood. His wife’s name is Gauri and he has one son and a daughter named Aryan and Suhana.

Early Life

Shahrukh Khan was born in New Delhi, on 2^nd November in the year 1965 to Muslim parents having Pathani descent. His father’s name was Taj Mohammad Khan, who originally was from Peshawar of British India and was an Indian freedom fighter. He had come to New Delhi, before India’s partition from Peshawar’s Qissa Khawani Bazaar. He was a lawyer by profession and died in the year 1982 due to cancer. Shahrukh’s mother, Lateef Fatima was Major General Shah Nawaz Khan’s adopted daughter. Major General Shah Nawaz had served as a general in Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army. Fatima Begum was a first class magistrate and a social worker who died in the year 1991, due to complications from diabetes. Shahrukh also has an elder sister called Shehnaz.

Shahrukh did his schooling from New Delhi’s St. Colombia High School. Even in his school, he was quite accomplished in academics, drama and sports. He won the annual school award called the ‘Sword of Honor’ which was given to the student, best representing the school’s spirit. After completing school, he attended the Hansraj College in New Delhi from the year 1985 to 1988, from where he graduated with Economic Honors. Later he attended the Jamia Millia Islamia and pursued a Mass Communications Master degree. But he opted out from it later, to make a career in Bollywood.

After his parent’s death, Shahrukh shifted to Mumbai in1991. In this year he also marriedGauri Chibber, before the release of any of his films. He married Gauri who by faith is a Hindu on 25^th October 1991, in a traditional Hindu ceremony.

Film Career

Shahrukh learnt acting from the Theatre Action Group (TAG) in Delhi, under Berry John who is a celebrated Theater Director. He made his debut in acting in the year 1988 by appearing in a TV series called ‘Fauji’ where he played Commando Abhimanyu Rai’s role. After this, he also appeared in a few other TV serials, notably Aziz Mirza’s 1989 serial named ‘Circus’ which was based on circus life of the performers. He also did a small role in 1989 in the English language film made for television called ‘In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones’, written by Arundhati Roy.

In 1991, after moving to Mumbai from New Delhi, Shahrukh made his debut in Bollywood through the movie ‘Deewana’. This movie was a box office hit and worked as his career’s launchpad in Bollywood. His second Bollywood movie, ‘Maaya Memsaab’ created some controversy due to his appearance in an ‘explicit’ movie scene. In 1993, his film ‘Baazigar’, also became a major hit. In 1995, Shahrukh starred in Aditya Chopra’s ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge’, which became a great commercial and critical success. This movie by 2007, entered its twelfth year in theaters of Mumbai and became one of the biggest blockbusters by grossing more than 12 billion rupees. Later, in 1990s, he also starred in many successful movies which included Yash Chopra’s ‘Dil to Pagal Hai’, Subhash Ghai’s Pardes, and in 1998 Karan Johar’s debut ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. He was also praised for his performance in the movie, ‘Dil Se’ which was an overseas commercial success.

In 2000 Shahrukh’s success continued and he again got critical acclaim for Aditya Chopra’s film ‘Mohabbatein’. In this year, he set up along with actress Juhi Chawla his own production house called ‘Dreamz Unlimited’. Later he collaborated with Karan Johar in the movie ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’ which became that year’s 2nd biggest hit. In 2002, he starred in the movie ‘Devdas’ which was a remake of the well known novel of the same name. This became one of the biggest hit film of that year. The other box office hits that followed are the film, ‘Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam’, Yash Chopra’s ‘Veer Zaara’, Karan Johar’s, ‘Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna’, the 2006 remake of ‘Don’. His 2007 movie, ‘Chak de India’, which was about the Indian national women’s hockey team won multiple awards. Also in the same year, his movie ‘Om Shanti Om’, directed by Farah Khan became a major hit both in India and the overseas. Shahrukh also lent his voice to the character of Mr. Lajawaab (Mr. Incredible), in the Hindi version of the Disney animated movie, ‘The Incredible’.

In 2004, Shahrukh launched ‘Red Chilies Entertainment’, his other production company. He starred and produced the films, ‘Main Hoo Na’ and ‘Om Shanti Om’ which were great box office hits. In the year 2008, his company became the owner of the ‘Kolkata Knight Riders’ of the IPL cricket League backed by the BCCI.

Shahrukh also did some television shows in recent years. In 2007, he hosted ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, a popular game show, which was the Indian version of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’. In 2008, he hosted another game show called, ‘Kya Aap Paanchvi Paas Se Tez Hain’

Awards

Shahrukh Khan’s extreme talent and popularity has won him many awards. Some of the notable among them are.

1. The Filmfare Best Male Debut Award in 1992 for the film ‘Deewana’.
2. The Filmfare Best Actor Award for the film ‘Baazigar’ in the year 1993.
3. The Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1995 for, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’.
4. The Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1997 for ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’.
5. Critics Award for Best Performance in 2000 for the movie, ‘Mohabbatein’.
6. Filmfare Best Actor Award in 2004 for ‘Swades’.
7. Filmfare Award for the best actor for the film ‘Chak De India’, in 2007.

Jason Statham

Jason Statham has done quite a lot in a short time. He has been an Olympic Diver on the British National Diving Team and finished 12th in the World Championships in 1992. He has also been a fashion model, black market salesman and finally of course, actor. He got the audition for his debut role as Bacon in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) through French Connection, for whom he was modeling. 
They became a major investor in the film and introduced Jason to Guy Ritchie, who invited him to audition for a part in the film by challenging him to impersonate an illegal street vendor and convince him to purchase fake jewelery. Jason must have been doing something right because after the success of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels(1998) he teamed up again with Guy Ritchie for Snatch. (2000), with co-stars including Brad Pitt, Dennis Farina and Benicio Del Toro. AfterSnatch. (2000) came Turn It Up (2000) with US music star Ja Rule, followed by a supporting actor role in the Sci-Fi film Ghosts of Mars (2001),Jet Li's The One (2001) and another screen partnership with Vinnie Jones in Mean Machine (2001) under Guy Ritchie's and Matthew Vaughn's SKA Films. Finally in 2002 he was cast as the lead role of Frank Martin in The Transporter (2002). Jason is also in the summer 2003 blockbuster remake of The Italian Job (1969), The Italian Job (2003), playing Handsome Rob.

Mira Sorvino

Mira Katherine Sorvino was born on September 28, 1967 in Tenafly, an affluent northern New Jersey suburb. She is the daughter of veteran character actor Paul Sorvino, who discouraged her from becoming an actor, as he knew how the industry often chews up young stars. The young Sorvino was intelligent, an avid reader and an exceptional scholar. She attended Harvard, majoring in Chinese, graduating magna cum laude in 1989, largely on the strength of her thesis, a Hoopes Prize-winning thesis on racial conflict in China, written and researched during the year spent in Beijing, which helped her fluency in Mandarin Chinese. 
However, she showed interest in a career in acting from an early age, and moved to New York City to try her hand in the City's film industry, waitressing, auditioning and working at the Tribeca production company of Robert De Niro. She succeeded in getting a little television work in the early 1990s, but got her first film job in the independent gangster movie Amongst Friends (1993), on which she worked her way up the ladder behind the camera to eventually associate-produce the film, and, more importantly, was eventually cast as the female lead. The movie was forgettable, but Sorvino's performance was not, and attracted enough buzz to get her cast in two more movies, one a more prominent indie,Barcelona (1994), the other her first Hollywood feature, Quiz Show (1994), and her skillful performances brought her yet more attention.

An exceptionally poised and articulate young woman, she may have seemed inappropriate to play a crazy hooker, but Woody Allen took the chance, and her magnificent performance as the female lead in his Mighty Aphrodite (1995) proved her range as a performer and earned her an Oscar (at the tender age of 29) for Best Supporting Actress. Since winning the Oscar, Sorvino has continued to take a wide range of roles, including another stretch as Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996) (TV), co-starring with another very intelligent and skilled young actress, Ashley Judd. Forays into action and horror, such as Mimic (1997) and The Replacement Killers (1998) show that Sorvino is not above being playful in the film roles she chooses.

However, what forever cemented her role in popular culture was her performance as charmingly silly California beach girl Romy White in Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), in which she and co-star Lisa Kudrow utter one hilarious absurdity after another.

Mira Sorvino married Christopher Backus on June 11, 2004. The couple have three children.

Emily Osment

mily Jordan Osment was born in Los Angeles on March 10th, 1992. She is the younger sister of The Sixth Sense star, Haley Joel Osment, who is considered to be one of the greatest child actors ever. Her father is also an actor of some renown. Following in their footsteps, Emily started her acting career performing in several commercials, including a radio spot with Dick Van Dyke, before making her film debut in "The Secret Life of Girls." The same year she landed a role in the Hallmark film, "Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End," as the daughter of Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. That role led to a nomination for Best Young Actor.

After that Emily played several smaller roles for television, which include, "3rd Rock from the Sun," "Touched by an Angel," and "Friends." During this time she also did voice acting alongside her brother and John Cleese, Catherine O'Hara, and Harry Shearer in the short animated-film, "Edwurd Fudwupper Fibbed Big."

Finally, Emily landed the much sought after role of Gerti Giggles in, "Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams." Writer/Director Robert Rodriguez was so impressed by her audition that he made the role longer without even knowing that she was the sister of Haley Joel Osment. She then appeared in the sequel, "Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over."

She is now appearing as a regular on the hit Disney Channel show, "Hannah Montana," in which she plays the hyperactive, Lily Truscott, alongside co-stars Miley Cyrus and Mitchell Musso.