30 Most Good Looking Leading Actors {Male} Of Indian Cinema Ever
The ranking has been provided ONLY with due regards to their handsome personality especially in thier age of 20-40. The more handsome person precedes the rest.
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On Stats Alone, The Most Popular Actor In The History Of Cinema!
The only actor to enjoy near God-like status across the length and breadth of India for a quarter century!
Elected in several expert online polls, as The Greatest Actor In The History Of World Cinema !
With 100+ All-Time Blockbusters- 48 Platinum Jubilee hits + 27 Golden Jubilee hits + 26 Silver Jubilee Hits, & 17 average hits, over 25 yrs.
So these quite wonderful film business websites have come up with a inflation adjusted analysis of few of his random films, which I shall present about now, just to open the eyes of today's audiences, to just the massive quantum of collections, achieved by this one actor alone. They've done this chronologically for just few of his mildly to very successful (~42/125 ie 1/3rd) lead/parallel lead films leaving out vast sums of his other massively successful films , from late 60s to late 90s, & only inflation-adjusted worldwide collection numbers, so audiences of today can get a decent idea.
1. Raaz - 284 Crores 2. Bandhan - 437 Crores 3. Aradhana - 1092 Crores 4. Ittefaq - 266 Crores 5. Doli - 344 Crores 6. Do Raaste - 1014 Crores 7. Kati Patang - 540 Crores 8. Safar - 426 Crores 9. The Train - 284 Crores 10. Sachcha Jhutha - 781 Crores 11. Aan Milo Sajna - 710 Crores 12. Amar Prem - 387 Crores 13. Mehboob Ki Mehndi - 233 Crores 14. Anand - 220 Crores 15. Haathi Mere Saathi - 903 Crores 16. Andaz - 516 Crores 17. Maryada - 581 Crores 18. Dushman - 644 Crores 19. Apna Desh - 492 Crores 20. Shehzada - 223 Crores 21. Daag - 689 Crores 22. Namak Haraam - 212 Crores 23. Aap Ki Kasam - 311 Crores 24. Prem Nagar - 440 Crores 25. Ajnabee - 243 Crores 26. Roti - 388 Crores 27. Prem Kahani - 168 Crores 28. Maha Chor - 143 Crores 29. Mehbooba - 177 Crores 30. Chhaila Babu - 197 Crores 31. Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka - 146 Crores 32. Muqabla - 175 Crores 33. Amar Deep - 139 Crores 34. Thodisi Bewafai - 143 Crores 35. Kudrat - 174 Crores 36. Fiffty Fiffty - 179 Crores 37. Rajput - 339 Crores 38. Ashanti - 217 Crores 39. Dharam Kanta - 272 Crores 40. Maqsad - 318 Crores 41. Swarg - 85 Crores 42. Aa Ab Laut Chalen - 153 Crores
Have a look at that. And we've just begun checking (a random 1/3rd of his films) !
He was born on 29 December 1942 in Amritsar, Punjab, India, and entered Hindi films in the year 1965 when began shooting for Raaz and did 180 films - 163 feature films and 17 short films. By 2011, he held the record for maximum number of films as solo lead hero and least number of multi star cast films in Hindi Cinema. Of the 163 films - 106 were solo hero films and 22 were multi star films and 29 films had him in special effective guest appearances(though only 97 solo and 20 two hero films only released and 11 unreleased from 1966 till 2013).He ranked first and won the United Producers All India Contest held in 1965 by beating 10000 candidates and the prize of it was acting in films Akhri Khat and Raaz. He first tasted success as an actor with 3 consecutive hit films like Aakhri Khat,Raaz and Aurat.His first brush with super-stardom was when outburst from his fans forced the director to change the story of Baharaon Ke Sapne's ending from a tragic one to a happy one after 1 week of its release. Though Baharon Ke Sapne was average in some centers it was declared flop in most places. In 1969 Rajesh Khanna achieved super-stardom with Shakti Samantha's 'Aradhana" (1969).He became the craze of the nation, and critics across India started calling him the First Superstar of both Indian Cinema (No. 1 Actor) and Hindi Films and remained so alone as the Superstar for 7 years (1969-1976) and had to share the status with Amitabh from 1977-1991 till he left films to join politics in 1991.He overtook his predecessors Dev-Dilip-Raj, Shammi Kapoor,Rajendra Kumar in terms of extreme popularity with audience and critics, quality of performances, variety of roles and films by doing quickly 47 films from 1966-75 which included 36 Golden Jubilee Hits(21 of the 36 were platinum) and 4 silver silver jubilee hits and only 7 flops in 9 years. He also made the world record of having 17 successive super-hits in 3 years from 1969-71 which included 15 consecutive solo super-hit films and 2 two hero films namely Andaz and Maryada. The main difference between him and his predecessors,successors, contemporaries was that Khanna's films ran successfully in whole of India and not just Hindi speaking areas and he did films of every genre simultaneously and has more critically acclaimed films to his credit than all other Hindi Actors of every generation. He stands out even by selection of his films as he regularly did both offbeat alternate cinema along with commercial potboiler films and had success in both.He introduced intelligent cinema to the masses with ease. Those 15 consecutive hit solo lead hero films from 1969-71 were Aradhana, Doli, Bandhan, Ittefaq, Do Raaste, Khamoshi, Safar, The Train, Kati Patang, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, Mehboob Ki Mehendi, Choti Bahu, Anand and Haathi Mere Saathi. His next release Maalik flopped ending thereby the record.
Anju Mahendru was his girl friend in 1968-1972, the then aspiring actress but they had breakup in 1972 when Anju was not ready for marriage while Khanna wanted to marry her, and Khanna married his fan Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, 8 months before Dimple's debut film Bobby released in theaters.
Khanna's pairing with Mumtaz always produced much success as they had all of their 8 films together as major platinum jubilee hits.His films with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh, Tanuja, Hema Malini and Zeenat Aman was a favorite with audiences too in 70's.
From 1976 on-wards till 1978, he had 5 box office hits as lead hero(2 silver jubilee hits, 2 platinum hits, 1 average hit), 3 hits in guest appearances, 1 flop in guest appearance and 8 films of him as the main lead flopped unexpectedly although his performances and the film's music were praised by critics and thereby 76-78 is considered his bad phase.
K.Balaji wanted to establish himself in Hindi film industry as a producer and thereby wanted to remake his Tamil film Sivaji Ganeshan starer Dheepam in Hindi. At a time when Khanna's films were not working at the box office, Khanna got this film out of the blue and went on to become a big hit. Khanna bounced back with twin success of Amardeep and Prem Bandhan then again started giving many critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including 35 Golden Jubilee Hits(includes 25 platinum) and 14 SJH starting from 1979 till 1991 and had 9 average hits from 1976-1996. In the 80's his films opposite Tina Munim, Hema Malini, Reena Roy, Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon were big hits.
He produced three films and co-produced 4 films. He had total 105 box office hits(91 as lead hero and 14 in guest appearance) from 1966-1991.He left film industry in 1991 and entered politics by joining the Congress Party in 1991 and became a member of parliament. Khanna was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101 films as the solo lead hero(92 solo film released till 1992 and includes 7 unreleased solos and Anuraag) and having done just 21 two hero films(only 19 released till 1991) but having appeared in 153 films in short span of 25 years between 1966-1991. Has won most number of All India Critics Award for Best Actor for a record 7 times and was nominated for same 10 times.He holds record for being the actor to win maximum BJFA awards for Best Actor - 4 and was nominated the most for it - 25 times.He is still adored and fondly remembered by the masses. Songs from his films adorn the lips of youth and adolescents. He was the first mega-star and has left behind a storehouse of the finest moments in film history.- Actor
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shashi Kapoor is one of the leading actors of Indian cinema having appeared in 160 movies - 12 in English and 148 in Hindi. He has appeared in 148 Hindi films - of them played the solo lead hero in 61 films, was lead hero in 53 released multi star cast Hindi films, 2 unreleased multi star film and 21 Hindi films had him in supporting role, worked in 4 films as a child artist and made 7 guest appearances.
Indian actor of Bollywood, Parallel Cinema, and International productions; Shashi Kapoor is the youngest son of theater and film actor Prithviraj Kapoor and his wife Ramsarni "Rama" Mehra Kapoor. Shashi grew up traveling around the country with his father's acting trope "Prithvi Theatres." from 1940-59. He began appearing on stage from the age of four. He also began working in films in the early 1940s. As a child, he appeared in 4 films from 1948-53 which includes 2 films of his eldest brother Raj Kapoor as the hero and Sangram, where Shashi played Ashok Kumar.
By 1956, an 18-year old Shashi was both actor and assistant stage manager for "Prithvi Theatre." That year, "Shakespeareana" --a traveling theater group under English actor Geoffrey Kendal, and "Prithvi Theatre" were both booked to play in Calcutta. While checking the audience reaction from backstage, Shashi's glance fell on Jennifer Kendal. Shashi soon learned she was playing Miranda in "The Tempest," and secured an introduction. The two began courting, and expressed a desire to wed. Geoffrey Kendal was uncertain about loosing not only his daughter, but his leading lady and theater manager. He insisted that the couple wait at least two years. Shashi began touring with "Shakespeareana" and in 1958 he again asked for Jennifer's hand in marriage and was again refused. However, Jennifer decided to go against her father's wishes, and in July of 1958, the couple were married in the traditional Indian style in Bombay.
Shashi debuted as a leading man in Yash Chopra's Dharmputra (1961). From 1961-64 his Hindi films with him as the solo heroes were box office flops. But Nanda believed that Shashi does have the potential to be popular leading man and signed happily 8 films opposite him over the period 1962-1968. Except for their first 2 films together and Juaari, other 5 films of the pair Nanda-Shashi turned out to be super-hits from 1965-70.A versatile actor, Shashi worked in both mainstream popular Hindi cinema, art films and in Indian-set English-language films, such as those made by the film-making team Ismail Merchant and James Ivory. He was one of the first Indian stars to go international, as he worked in both British and American films, and directed the Soviet Union co-production _Ajooba (1991) which was a disaster.He tried his hand at English films when his Hindi films were flops from 1961-64 and achieved success in 1963 with 2 commercially successful English movies.He did 6 English films as lead hero till 1983 and then played villain in Deceivers and another lead role in 1993 and rest 4 English films had him in supporting role as narrator/guest appearance from 1987-1998. Shashi started having solo hits opposite Rakhee, Asha Parekh, Sharmila Tagore, Zeenat Aman from 1968-1975 but had a weak period as a solo lead hero from 1974-1978 where he had 13 flops off 24 films as solo lead and this made him accept multi star cast films from 1976-85. He achieved success in multi star films from 1976-84.In the multi star films he did , he was paid more than co-stars Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Jeetendra, Rishi and Randhir Kapoor. But Sanjeev Kumar,Pran and Dharmendra were paid at same rate as Shashi in the films where they were his co-stars. Only Rajesh Khanna was paid more than Shashi in the 2 films they did together. He played supporting role to Rajesh Khanna at peak of his career in Prem Kahani and then in Alag Alag.
He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for Deewaar (1975). He won two Filmfare Best Movie Awards for his work as producer and star of Junoon (1979) and Kalyug (1981).He costarred in 11 films with Amitabh Bachchan of which 4 (Deewar,Trishul, Suhaag,Namak Halal) were successful,1 (Kala Pathar)was average hit and rest 6 were flops. Shashi Kapoor did 61 solo lead hero films in Hindi and, of them, 35 were super-hits. Shashi did 55 multi-star cast movies where Shashi was one of the lead heroes and, of them, 33 were super-hits, 20 were flops, 2 remain unreleased.
Shashi and Jennifer had three children; Kunal Kapoor, an actor and ad director, Karan Kapoor a photographer and sometimes actor, and Sanjana Kapoor, an actress who has run Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai since 1993. After his wife Jennifer died of cancer in 1984, Shashi started becoming obese and began taking on fewer roles in films, and shifted his focus to character roles.His first break as supporting actor after he became obese was given by Rajesh Khanna in film Alag Alag where his role along-with the lead pair of the film was appreciated.
In 2010, Shashi was presented with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
M.G. Ramachandran (1917-1987), popularly known as MGR, dominated like no other, the films and politics of India's Tamil Nadu state. A charismatic actor and philanthropist, he commanded the idolatrous adulation of millions of Tamilians and became Tamil Nadu's chief minister. His achievements in 3 fields, namely films, philanthropy and politics were remarkable considering his humble origins in Sri Lanka. Raised in poverty by a widowed single mother, he had nothing more than his good looks when he got his first break in "Sati Lilavati", a Tamil film of the late 1930s. In the 1940s and 50s, the Tamil film industry was being transformed by screenwriters like Annadurai, Karunanidhi and others belonging to the Dravidian movement. MGR starred in many of the movies they helped make. Annadurai became his mentor and MGR joined the DMK, Annadurai's new Dravidian party. His films made MGR a matinee idol among Tamilians. He also started monetarily helping people in need, sowing the seeds for his reputation as a philanthropist. When Annadurai died as Tamil Nadu's chief minister, MGR's rival Karunanidhi assumed office. MGR accused him of defalcation and was kicked out of the DMK. In 1977, MGR's ADMK (later renamed AIADMK) party was swept into power. In his first term, MGR cleaned up corruption and carried out reforms like having an income limit for backward class people to be eligible for the reserved seats in government colleges and jobs. His reforms proved unpopular, so MGR became another corrupt Indian politician having learned not to rock the boat. Tamil Nadu stagnated during the rest of his reign. Yet his mesmerized legions of fans continued to vote him into power. His death in 1987 created a power vacuum that soon brought his old nemesis, the corrupt Karunanidhi, back into power. MGR was a complex man who triumphed over poverty and tried to improve the lot of the people who revered him. However, in the end, he was a god that failed.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Dharmendra is one of the biggest stars of Indian cinema. Dharmendra Deol played the romantic hero in woman Cedric films from 1960-1968 and became romantic hero from 1968-69 and played the role of action hero from 1971-1997. Dharmendra has appeared in 306 films.
He is known as 'Garam' Dharam in Bollywood. Had the looks of a real gentle man, masculine body of a he-man and when it came to his films, he had a very humorous touch in his dialog-delivery and the timing.
Dharmendra's original name is Dharam Singh Deol. He was born in a Jat Sikh family in Phagwara in Kapurthala district in the Indian state of Punjab to Kewal Kishan Singh Deol and Satwant Kaur. He spent his early life in village Sahnewal and studied at Government Senior Secondary School at Lalton Kalan, Ludhiana. He did his intermediate from Ramgarhia College, Phagwara in 1952.
The heroics in his films - Phool Aur Patthar (1966), Jugnu (1973), Raja Jani (1972) and Loafer (1973) - are all quite remarkable and unforgettable. He got nominated for Filmfare best actor 4 times in his career though he couldn't get one but got "The Life Time Achievement" award in 1997 from Filmfare for his achievements, splendid performance during his times and wonderful career in Bollywood. Dharmendra was fond of movies from a young age. He participated in the Filmfare new talent contest, which he won and came to Mumbai from Punjab looking for work. He made his debut with Arjun Hingorani's Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960). After which he got supporting roles in the film Boy Friend (1961) and was cast as the romantic interest in several woman oriented films from 1960-1967, where the story revolved around the heroine's character and, he was usually cast as a romantic hero opposite senior established leading actress of the time and later, from 1974 on-wards, as an action hero. His major breakthrough was playing supporting role to hero Rajendra Kumar in Aaye Milan Ki Bela, where his character was negative and supporting role in patriotic film Haqeeqat (1964) and playing romantic interest in woman oriented films from 1960-1967 and playing supporting roles to Balraj Sahni, Ashok Kumar, Biswajit in some films from 1960-67 like Soorat Aur Seerat, Bandini, Mamta, Ghar Ka Chirag.His sensitive side was explored by Hrishikesh Mukherjee in Anupama (1966) and Satyakam (1969), the latter is considered one of the best performances of his career. He got solo hero stardom with the blockbuster, Phool Aur Patthar (1966), which was his first action film but he became established action hero from 1971 film Mera Gaon Mera Desh. He projected himself as romantic hero with films like Pyar Hi Pyar, Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Mere Humdum Mere Dost and Aaye Din Bahar Ke. He cemented his image as action hero with successful films like Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Raja Jani (1972), Jugnu (1973), Kahani Kismat Ki and Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973). Dharmendra formed a popular onscreen pair with Hema Malini who later became his second wife. Hema Malini was the biggest female star of 1970s and they went on to star in hits such as Tum Haseen Mein Jawan, Sharafat (1970), Seeta Aur Geeta (1972), Raja Jani (1972), Jugnu (1973), Pratiggya (1975), Sholay (1975), Charas (1976), Azaad(1977), Dillagi (1978), among many others. Dharmendra proved his versatility and comic timing through Pratiggya, Chupke Chupke and Sholay. In Ramesh Sippy's Sholay (1975) he shared screen space with Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjeev Kumar and Amjad Khan and is still remembered for his inimitable portrayal of Veeru. His best romantic pairing was with the actress Asha Parekh with whom he had 5 hits - Shikhar, Aaya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Aaye Din Bahar Ke, Samadhi and Mera Gaon Mera Desh. His next best pairing was with Hema Malini, with whom he did 35 films of them 31 had them as a leading romantic pair and Dharam Hema had 20 hits and 15 flops. Dharm Hema married in 1980 and Dharm-Hema have 2 children together, Esha and Ahana and he has two sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol from previous marriage with Prakash Kaur.
Often in 1960's till 1971 he played the romantic lead opposite female leading ladies in woman oriented films where the female protagonist's role overshadowed his roles with Dharam playing only supporting role in these films opposite Meena Kumari, Nutan, Mala Sinha, Sharmila Tagore. Phool Aur Paththar was the turning point in his career and established him as an action hero and as a solo lead hero.Artistically and popularity wise his peak period was the 1971-1979 where he did multi star as well as solo hero films in action and comedy genres and when his performances was appreciated by critics as well as audiences. Critics panned every film he did from 1985-2002 with exception being critically acclaimed films Burning Train, Ali Baba Aur 40 Chor, Jhutha Sach, Dharm Aur Qanoon, Rajput and Ghulami. He was the 2nd highest paid actor along with Vinod Khanna in Hindi films from 1976-1982 and Dharam alone was 3rd highest paid Hindi actor from 1987-1993 of A grade Hindi Films.
In the early 70s, Dharmendra became the first Indian actor to be voted among the most handsome men in the world. Through the 70s and 80s, Dharmendra worked with some of the biggest names in B'town such as Bimal Roy, Yash Chopra, Raj Khosla, Ramesh Sippy, Rajkumar Santoshi, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterji. In 1983, Dharmendra diversified into production and launched his elder son Sunny in 'Betaab', which was produced by his banner Vijayta Films and was a huge hit. in 1990, he produced Ghayal starring Sunny Deol in lead. The film was the second biggest hit of the year and won 7 Filmfare Awards including Best Film award and the coveted National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. He would later go on to launch the successful careers of his younger son Bobby in 'Barsaat'(1995) and nephew Abhay Deol in 'Socha Na Tha'(2005) under the banner. He has also periodically made films in his native tongue of Punjabi, starring in Kankan De Ole (Special Appearance) (1970 ), Do Sher (1974), Dukh Bhanjan Tera Naam (1974), Teri Meri Ik Jindri (1975), Putt Jattan De (1982) and Qurbani Jatt Di (1990).
His commercial hits from 1981 included Ram Balram, Professor Pyarelal, Kaatilon Ke Katil, Naukar Biwi Ka, Jaani Dost, Samraat, Bhaghavat, Raaj Tilak, Jaagir, Qayamat, Insaaf Kaun Karega, Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Loha, Sone Pe Suhaga, Mardo Wali Baat, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Nafrat Ki Anandi, Batwara and Elaan E Jung. His film Hukumat in 1987 was highest grossing film of that year. He continued to be strong in 1990s as the best action hero even stronger than Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff. His commercial hits in 1990s included Veeru Dada, Naka Bandi, Farishtay, Tehalka, Kshatriya, Maidan E Jung and Dharma Karma.
The low brow action films directed by likes of Kanti Shah damaged his action career in late 90s. Dharmendra was nominated 4 times for Best Actor Award at Filmfare Awards but never won. He was honored with Lifetime Achievement Award by Filmfare in 1997. He made a comeback to A grade films with a role in Pyar Kiya Toh Darna Kya (1998). He joined politics and was elected as a Member of the Parliament in the 2004 general elections, from Bikaner in Rajasthan, on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. He returned to acting in 2007 with films Life in a... Metro and Apne were acclaimed and successful. In the latter, he appears with both his sons, Sunny and Bobby for the first time. His other release was Johnny Gaddaar, where he played a villainous role. In 2011, he starred alongside his sons again in Yamla Pagla Deewana released on 14 January 2011 and was a success. A sequel Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 was released in 2013. His also acted with his daughter Esha in his wife Hema Malini's directorial venture Tell Me O Khuda in 2011. In 2011, Dharmendra replaced Sajid Khan as the male judge of the third series of popular reality show India's Got Talent. Dharmendra's first marriage was to Prakash Kaur at the age of 19 in 1954. From his first marriage, he has two sons, Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol both successful actors, and two daughters, Vijayta Deol Gill and Ajeeta Deol. He has 4 grand sons named Karan, Rajvir, Aryaman, and Dharam. Dharmendra fell in love with Hema Malini during the filming of Sholay. She eventually married him in 1980. As the Hindu Marriage Act forbade polygamy, he converted to Islam in 1979 to avoid protests and give legitimacy to his second marriage. The couple has two daughters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol. Esha is an actress and Ahana is a dancer. Dharmendra has received several honors for his contribution to cinema and was awarded India's third highest civilian honor Padma Bhushan by the Government of India in 2012.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Firoz was born in Bangalore on September 25, 1939 to a Pathan father, Sadiq, and an Iranian mother, Fatima. He has three brothers, Abbas alias Sanjay, Akbar, and Sameer. Both Sanjay and Akbar are actors within their own rights, while Sameer is a film-maker and assists in their Golden Palms Spa located in Bangalore.
He made his entry on the silver screen in 1960 after his return from a Bangalore-based English medium school. His career initially started as a hero in 'Didi', then he signed up for villain roles, and then made a comeback as a hero again.
His noteworthy movies are Oonche Log, Main Wohi Hoon, Aag, Mela, Upasna, Aprsdh. He became even more popular after the release of Dharmatma, Qurbani, Jaanbaaz, & Dayavan. he got an award for his role in Aadmi Aur Insaan. He died of cancer in his Bangloore farm house on 27 April, 2009.
He likes sports-car races and has included this sport in Apradh and then again in Janasheen. He prefers his character name to be either Rajesh or Rakesh. He is a worshipper of Bhagwan Shri Sai Baba and always wears a gold ring on his finger and has a picture close to him. Sai Baba is revered and worshiped by Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, and Hindus in India.
He got married to Sundari in 1965 and they became proud parents of Laila and Fardeen. Despite objections raised by an Islamic Moulvi, Feroz and Sanjay got their children married to non-Islamic families. Laila was married to Rajpal, while Fardeen married Natasha Madhwani, the daughter of Mayur and former Bollywood hottie Mumtaz. Sundari and Feroz have been divorced since 1985.
Feroz has kept away from controversies, though he did get himself banned by the conservative Pakistani government.
Apart from acting this talented artiste has also edited, produced, written, & directed movies. His latest 'Kurbani' is currently under production.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ravi Kapoor was born in a business family that dealt with imitation Jewelery and used to live in a chawl. While supplying jewelry to V. Shantaram, he was cast as Sandhya's double in the 1959 movie 'Navrang'.
His first break as a Bollywood leading man came in 'Geet Gaya Patharon Ne'. Although Ravi Kapoor was born on April 7, 1942, Jeetendra birth's took place in 1964.When he was to go for auditions, he used to seek help from his childhood friend Rajesh Khanna to mug up his dialog and get guidance to give expressions.Geet Gaaya Pattharonne was his first hit, but that didn't fetch him offers as lead hero. It was Farz released in 1967, which was his 4th film appearance and 3 rd as the male lead, which made him a known face in the public.
Ravi had met his present wife, Shobha, when she was only 14. She completed school, went to college, and was employed as an Air Hostess with British Airways.
Shobha gave birth to a daughter, Ekta, and subsequently to a son, Tusshar. While Ekta became a producer of TV serials, mostly starting with 'K', Tusshar followed in his dad's footsteps. Ekta and Jeetu run a production company by the name of Balaji Films, and have produced Bollywood movies. Their TV productions are usually in Hindi & Tamil languages.
Jeetendra has acted opposite Rajshree Shantaram, Mumtaz, Saira Banu, Mala Sinha, Nanda, Sharmila Tagore,Asha Parekh, Babita, Hema Malini, Moushumi Chatterjee, Reena Roy, Jaya Pradha, Sridevi, Komal, Rekha, Parveen Babi, Neetu Singh, Shabana Azmi, Padmni Kolhapuri,Bhanupriya, Madhavi, Anita Raaj, Sangeeta Bijlani, Ashwini Bhave.
Whether running around trees (Tumhari Kasam, Ek Hi Bhool, Mawaali),singing songs (Banphool, Humjoli, Jigri Dost) or playing serious characters (Parichay, Khushboo, Dulhan, Kinara, Meri Awaz Suno,Chhup) or doing old man leading roles (Udhaar Ki Zindagi, Santaan, Jeetendra has always proved himself as an excellent actor, a family man, whose marriage is still intact, and someone who has yet to be involved in any controversy. He did 93 films as the solo lead hero and 103 multi star films as the lead hero and 2 films as a supporting actor and made guest appearances in 26 films.
Ravi had met his present wife, Shobha, when she was only 14. She completed school, went to college, and was employed as an Air Hostess with British Airways. When Jeetendra was struggling between 1960-66 to establish himself as an actor, he was in relationship with Shobha and Shobha was his girlfriend till 1972. But in 1974, after having worked in films like Waris and Gehri Chaal, friendship between Jeetendra and Hema Malini grew and while shooting for Dulhan, both expressed love for each-other and decided to have a quick marriage.But soon this information reached Shobha and Dharmendra.Shobha asked Dharmendra to change Hema's mind as she was in love with Jeetendra since many years. Soon both Shobha and Dharemndra came by helicopter and convinced Jeetendra and Hema not to marry. Jeetendra promised Shobha that if Bidai becomes a hit, he would marry her in 1974. It was not until the release of 'Bidaai"(opposite Leena Chandavarkar) on October 18, 1974, that Jeetendra and Shobha decided to get married, which they did in a simple ceremony on at Janki Kutir with only a few family and friends present (Gulzar, Rajesh Khanna and Sanjeev Kumar amongst the noted celebrities). The marriage was arranged hastily, as even Shobha's mom, who was in Japan at that time, could not attend.
Jeetendra's friendship with both actors Dharmendra, Hema Malini never got affected after this incident. All 3 remained friends. Jeetendra worked with Dharmendra and had hits like Dharamveer, Jaani Dost, Insaaf Ki Pukar, Nafrat Ki Andhi and flops like The Burning Train, Samraat, The Gold Medal, Jaan Hatheli Pe, Paapi Devtaa, Dharma Karma. Childhood school and college friends Rajesh Khanna and Jeetendra worked together and gave 3 blockbusters in the 1980's- Dharam Kanta(1982), Nishaan(1983) and Maqsad(1984). Infact all 3 films revenue showed increasing trend. Maqsad was the highest box office earner in the year 1984. Jeetendra made guest appearances in Roti, Palkon Ki Chaon Mein and Begunaah - all three films which had Rajesh Khanna as the solo lead hero. Jeetendra-Rekha were romantically paired in 26 films and had 16 hits of the 26 films as lead pair starting from 1972-1998 and only 10 flops. In addition Rekha and Jeetendra worked in another 5 films where they were not paired opposite each-other.Jeetendra-Sridevi did 16 films together between 1983-88 and 13 of them were hits and 3 were flops. Jeetendra and Jaya Prada were romantically paired opposite each other in 24 films and 18 of them were box office hits and 6 were flops. In addition 2 more films they did together where they were not paired opposite each-other. Jeetendra gave 113 box office hits (excluding guest appearances in hits Navrang, Khilona, Roti, Umar Qaid, Rani Aur Lalpari,Naya Bakra, Anokha Bandhan, Begunaah and Om Shanti Om) as the lead hero from 1964-1997, off the 198 films he appeared till 2007 as lead hero.He appeared in guest appearance in 26 other movies from 1959 to 2007 and 2 more films in supporting role after 2000. Jeetendra was 2nd highest paid Hindi actor from 1980-89. He made a guest appearance in a TV serial 'Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki'.Hence his total film appearances were in 226 films and 121 of them were box office hits and 102 were flops.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
At the start of his career, he played supporting or villainous characters in films such as Purab Aur Paschim, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, and Mastana in 1970, and in Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Elaan and Aan Milo Sajna in 1971.He got his first break as the solo lead hero in the film Hum Tum Aur Woh (1971), which was followed by the 1971 multi-hero film 'Mere Apne' directed by Gulzar. It was the melodious R.D.Burman composed Rafi-Asha "Sasoan Mein Kabhi" from the film Parchaiyaan in 1972 and from Hum Tum Aur Woh - the Kishore Asha duet Do Bataon Ki Mujhko Hai Tamanna and the solo song Priye Praneswhari where his romantic skills got noticed among audiences.In 1973, his performance as an army officer facing death row in another film scripted and directed by Gulzar, Achanak, was critically acclaimed. The song-less film echoed the true life story of K. M. Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra and Khanna portrayed Kawas Nanavati, the real life Navy officer.Between 1973 and 1982, Khanna played the lead role in in a number of solo and multi starer movies.In films with 'Rajesh Khanna' as the lead hero, Vinod Khanna always had either the antagonist role or supporting role and not even the parallel lead. These film were Sachaa Jhutha Aan Milo Sajna, Prem Kahani, Kudrat and Rajput. Vinod accepted his roles in Kudrat and Rajput even after he had become a successful solo lead hero himself just due to rapport he shared with Rajesh Khanna. His successful films as solo lead hero include 'Farebi' with Moushumi Chatterjee;Qaid in 1975 and 'Zalim' in 1980, both together with Leena Chandavarkar; and Inkaar in 1978 opposite Vidya Sinha followed by Aap Ki Khatir, Hatyara, Main Tulsi Tere Angan Ki, Khoon Ki Pukar, Taaqat, Jail Yatra, Raajmahal. His successful multi hero films, with him also playing the main lead hero, were Shankar Shambhu,Chor Sipahee and Ek Aur Ek Aur Ek Gyarah, where he appeared together with Shashi Kapoor; in Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina, Amar Akbar Anthony and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar where he played lead hero with .Amitabh Bachchan; and in Haath Ki Safai and Aakhri Daku where he played lead hero with Randhir Kapoor. He later appeared as lead hero with Sunil Dutt in ,Daku Aur Jawaan.Khanna became a follower of the spiritual teacher Osho (Rajneesh) and left the film industry in 1982 for five years. Though he had stopped ,acting in films in 1982, the films with him as the main lead released in 1982(film-s for which he had completed shooting by the end of the year 1981) like Raj Mahal, Taaqat and the multi star Rajput , where Vinod Khanna played supporting role to main lead heroes Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra were successful.He returned to Bollywood with Insaaf where he played together with Dimple Kapadia, became a hit.After his comeback he played romantic roles in Jurm and Chandni, but he was mostly offered roles in action films.After he made comeback in 1987, his successful solo hero films released in 1987-88 were Satyamev Jayate, Insaaf , Faisla, Mahaadev, Aakhri Adaalat. Aruna Raje's Rihaee (1990) where he played an emancipated man who accepts his wife's straying and Gulzar's underrated metaphysical melodrama, Lekin (1991) are regarded as his great work.His on screen pair with Meenakshi Seshadhri was widely appreciated and the pair had hits like Satyamev Jayate, Mahaadev,Jurm, Humshakal and Police Aur Mujrim.In the 1990s, Khanna successful solo hero films C.I.D. (1990), Jurm and Humshakal. He appeared in multi-hero casts in films such as Khoon Ka Karz, Police Aur Mujrim, Kshatriya, Insaaniyat Ke Devta, Ekka Raja Rani, Eena Meena Deeka, and the 2002 film Kranti. In 1997 he was the producer for Himalay Putra, in which he also starred, together with his son Akshaye Khanna.- Navin Nischol, born in Lahore, British India (now in Pakistan), was a talented Indian actor known for his contributions to Bollywood films and television. With his charming screen presence and versatility as an actor, Navin Nischol became a popular figure during the 1970s and 1980s.
Navin Nischol made his acting debut with the film "Sawan Bhadon" (1970), which proved to be a successful start to his film career. He quickly gained recognition for his good looks, acting talent, and ability to portray a range of characters, from romantic leads to intense and dramatic roles.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Navin Nischol appeared in numerous films, establishing himself as a leading actor in Bollywood. Some of his notable works include "Victoria No. 203" (1972), "Chhalia" (1973), "Parwana" (1971), and "Dhund" (1973). His on-screen chemistry with co-stars like Sharmila Tagore and Zeenat Aman was well-received by audiences.
In addition to Hindi cinema, Navin Nischol also worked in Punjabi and English films, showcasing his versatility across different languages. He was known for his professionalism and dedication to his craft, earning him respect within the film industry.
As the Indian film landscape evolved, Navin Nischol transitioned to television, where he continued to make a mark. He appeared in popular shows like "Dard" (1989) and "Malgudi Days" (1986), further expanding his presence to the small screen.
In the later years of his career, Navin Nischol continued to act in films and television, maintaining his popularity among audiences. Tragically, he passed away on March 19, 2011, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances and contributions to the world of Indian entertainment. Navin Nischol is remembered fondly by fans and peers alike for his significant contributions to Bollywood and his impact on the film and television industry. - Actor
- Soundtrack
Karthik was born on 13 September 1960 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He is an actor, known for Agni Natchathiram (1988), Kizhakku Vasal (1990) and Varusham Padhinaaru (1989).- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Kamal Haasan was born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. He debuted as a child artiste in the film "Kalathoor Kannamma" (1960). Since then, he has starred in nearly 220 films in the major Indian languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He has been a part of the film industry for 60 years, as of 2020. His journey in cinema has seen him do various roles - from child artiste, to romantic lead to one of the most respected and revered heroes of the film industry today.
He has famously said that he is a reluctant actor. He has an avid interest in every aspect of film making and is known for his work as a choreographer, director, and writer, as well.
He wrote his first script at age 18 for the film "Unarchigal" (1976), which was then followed by films that have gone on to become cult classics - Rajapaarvai (1981), Sathya (1988), Apoorva Sahotharargal (1989), Thevar Magan (1992), Mahanadi (1994), Kurudhippunal (1995), Avvai Shanmugi (1996), Hey Ram (2000), Pammal K Sambandam (2002), Panchathanthiram (2002), Anbe Sivam (2003), are a few of the films etched in popular memory for having set the bar for craftsmanship in the fields of screenplay, script, and dialogue.
He is also a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction in Tamil and his published work is testament to his constant exploration of structure and form.
Kamal Haasan's strong convictions in his art have led to some of Indian cinema's most path-breaking films like Pushpak / Pushpaka Vimaanam / Pesum Padam (1987). Kamal Haasan also worked as a choreographer while transitioning as a well-known child artiste to the lead actor in a feature length film. Some of his best-known work as a dancer can be seen in Saagara Sangamam (1983) and the popular hit Punnagai Mannan (1986).
Kamal Haasan is also a student of Carnatic music, studying under musical maestro Dr. Balamuralikrishna. One of his biggest hits as a playback singer was the song "Inji Iduppazhagi" for the film Thevar Magan.
His career as a director began with the film Chachi 420 (1997), the Hindi remake of Avvai Shanmugi. Since then he has called the shots for critically acclaimed films like "Hey Ram" and "Virumaandi".
He has never hesitated to state his opinions and encourage debate about topics that are socially relevant. He is a rationalist in thought and moderate in opinion and a humanist in philosophy. The need to be socially conscious is seen in the way his fan clubs have revamped themselves into entities that carry out charity and volunteer work.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Arvind Swamy was born in Chennai, India. His parents were V.D.Swami and Vasantha Swami. V.D.Swami was a freedom fighter and an industrialist and Vasantha Swami was an accomplished Bharatanatyam Dancer. Arvind did his schooling in Sishya School and Don Bosco School in Chennai. He went to Loyola College in Chennai for his undergraduate studies and to Wake Forest, n.c. for his Master's program. Arvind's first film was 'Thalapathi' directed by Mani Ratnam. He went on to do many hit films like 'Roja', 'Bombay', 'Minsara Kanavu', 'Devaragam', 'Puthayal', 'En Swasa Katre', 'AlaiPayuthe' etc. In spite of his many successful movies, many awards and a lot of critical acclaim, he left the movies in 2000 and focused on his business and family. He was the President of InterPro Global and is the Chairman of Talent Maximus, a leading company in India engaged in Payroll Processing, Staffing and HR services. In 2012, he has returned to the movies with Mani Ratnam's 'Kadal', the shooting of which is still in progress.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Born in south Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and actor Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Mumbai's Campion School. His brothers are well-known actors, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor.
Rishi Kapoor debuted in his father's 1970 film Mera Naam Joker, playing his father's role as a child. Rishi Kapoor had his first lead role opposite Dimple Kapadia in the popular 1973 film Bobby which became an instant hit among youngsters. He made a popular pairing with future wife Neetu Singh in 1974-1981 but the pair was successful only in films with big casts, since films with Rishi as the lead - like Zehreela Insaan, Zinda Dil, Doosara Aadmi, Anjane Mein, Jhoota Kahin Ka, Dhan Daulat - were box office flops. Rishi Neetu pair was successful in multi-star films like Khel Khel Mein, Kabhie Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Duniya Meri Jeb Mein. The only solo hit of the Rishi Neetu was Rafoo Chakkar. Rishi Kapoor got 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1974-1997 but of them 40 were box office flops, and he managed only 11 hits: Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Banjaran, Heena and Bol Radha Bol. So, he was offered the role of playing younger brother to lead heroes in movies with big casts from 1977-1994. Rishi Kapoor did 41 films with big casts from 1976-2000 where Rishi was cast as 2nd or 3rd lead hero. Of them, 16 were flops and 25 were hits. He was often offered the role of younger brother to main lead heroes in the multi-hero films he did where his character would be a romantic one and the story would revolve on the main lead hero of the film. In the '90s, his 2 hero films Deewana, Damini and Eena Meena Dika were hits. He got the plum lead hero roles in two-hero films only few times like in Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Badalte Roshtey, Aap Ke Deewane, Saagar then in the '90s with Chandni, Deewana (1992), Damini (1993) and Gurudev (1994); otherwise in the 2 hero films Rishi did in the late 70s and throughout the '80s, it was his other co-star whose character overshadowed Rishi's and the other co-star was appreciated more like in case of Katilon Ke Kaatil, Coolie, Sitamgar, Zamana. After several box office failures from in 1990s, he eventually moved on to supporting roles in the 2000s. In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen. His last film as a romantic lead was the 5-year delayed release Karobaar: The Business of Love (2000), which was unsuccessful. He has since then played supporting roles in films like Yeh Hai Jalwa, Hum Tum, Fanaa, Namaste London, Love Aaj Kal and Patiala House. He also appeared in the British films Don't Stop Dreaming and Sambar Salsa. He was paired with Neetu Singh in the film Do Dooni Chaar (2010). Rishi has acted in the movie Chintu Ji in which he plays himself. In 2012 he appeared in a villainous role in Agneepath and in the multi-starer Housefull 2 where he appeared with brother Randhir for the first time.- Producer
- Actor
- Music Department
Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan was born on December 27, 1965, in Mumbai to legendary screenwriter Salim Khan, who penned many super-hits in the yesteryear's like Sholay (1975), Deewaar (1975), and Don (1978). Khan started his acting career by doing a supporting role in the movie Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988). The following year he had the leading role in the box office romantic hit Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). From there he became a heartthrob of Indian cinema.
Following with other box office hits he showed his terrific performance in Saajan (1991), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Khamoshi the Musical (1996), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). His transformations can be sensitive, vulnerable, funny, aggressive and charming as his role demands.
In 1998, he was arrested by the local police from the shooting location of the film Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999), for killing protected wild animals and spent about a week behind the bars. The actor is facing trial in three cases of killing blackbucks and Chinkaras and another of illegal possession of arms. In September 2002, Khan had hit the headlines after he crashed his Land Cruiser near the American Express bakery in Bandra, killing one man and injuring others.
Being known for those roguish behaviors, he tried to balance his troubled life with his career. He gave his emotionally charged performance as playing an obsessed lover in In Your Name (2003) that translated into good reviews and a good run at the box office. He not only managed to revive his career but also to restore the confidence of his producers and distributors alike.
His work was noticed internationally in the moviePhir Milenge (2004) where he played the role of an AIDS patient. It was well appreciated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for presenting the problems of AIDS patients in today's world.
In 2007, he launched Being Human - Salman Khan Foundation. This charitable organization aids the underprivileged in areas such as education and health care.
More recently, he starred in the multiple record-breaking box office super-hits Dabangg (2010), Ready (2011) and Bodyguard (2011).- Actor
- Music Department
- Director
Vinod Mehra was born on 13 February 1945 in Amritsar, Punjab, India. He was an actor and director, known for Gurudev (1993), Crime and Punishment (1974) and Parde Ke Peechey (1971). He was married to Meena Broca, Bindiya Goswami, Kiran and Neeta Mehta. He died on 30 October 1990 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- 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.- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Ajith Kumar is an Indian film actor who has worked mainly in Tamil cinema. He is one of the leading actors in Tamil Cinema. He began his career as a supporting actor in a Telugu film before gaining critical recognition in the Tamil thriller Aasai (1995). A succession of high-grossing films followed where Ajith was usually depicted as a romantic hero, with Kadhal Kottai (1996) and Kadhal Mannan (1998) being the most notable. He later forayed into method acting, as seen in Vaali (1999), Mugavaree (2000), Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) and Citizen (2001) before establishing himself as an action hero with popular films including Amarkalam (1999), Dheena (2001), Villain (2002), Varalaru (2006) and Billa (2007). He has won three Filmfare Best Actor Awards in Tamil, all for films which showcased him in multiple roles. Ajith performs predominantly in leading roles in major studio films, genres ranging from romantic comedies and drama to action thrillers.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Actor, social activist and politician. Sunil Dutt wore many hats and excelled in a plethora of roles that came his way - both on and off screen.
Born on June 6th, 1926, Sunil Dutt grew up as Balraj Dutt in a family that had survived the Partition of India. A student of Mumbai's Jai Hind college, he first started off as radio show host and celebrity interviewer, which led to his first encounter with the glamour world.
Interestingly, wife-to-be Nargis was one of the celebrities he met in the course of his work. Soon, Dutt got a chance to enter the film-world, when director Ramesh Saigal offered him the hero's role in his Nalini Jaywant starrer 'Railway Platform' (1955).
'Ek Hi Raasta' (1956), marked the start of a seven-film long association with B R Chopra. Dutt's true breakthrough came with Mehboob Khan's magnum opus 'Mother India' (1957).
His portrayal of Birju, Nargi's rebellious younger son, portrayed a raw, urgent energy. Dutt's association with Nargis in the movie resulted in a more serious one, when he married her after the release of the film.
Dutt's role in women-oriented films like 'Sadhna' (1958), 'Sujata' (1959) and 'Main Chup Rahungi' (1962) were well-appreciated. Noted filmmakers like Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherji and B R Chopra dared to defy Sunil Dutt's established rebellious Birju image and cast him as a sensitive lover.
Dutt turned producer in the early sixties with a couple of offbeat movies - 'Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke' (1963), where heroine Leela Naidu has an adulterous relationship and 'Mujhe Jeene Do' (1963) where he played a dacoit.
In his cinematic association with B R Chopra, Dutt gave three big hits in the sixties - 'Gumraah' (1963), 'Waqt' (1965) and 'Humraaz' (1967). He also worked with South Indian filmmakers, which resulted in emotion-heavy, rural-based hits with Nutan like 'Khandaan' and 'Milan'.
In 1967, he had a hat-trick of hits with 'Milan', 'Meherban' and 'Humraaz'. His role of a buffoon in Mehmood's 'Padosan' (1968) was much appreciated.
In 1981, Dutt's world was rocked when his wife Nargis died after a protracted battle with her cancer. He later joined politics and social work.
But the actor in Dutt continued to surface during the last decade with movies with select filmmakers like J P Dutta 'Kshatriya' and Yash Chopra 'Parampara'. His last screen cameo was in Rajkumar Hirani's immensely popular laugh riot 'Munnabhai MBBS', where he played on-screen father to his son Sanjay.- 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.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Rajendra was born in the Punjabi-speaking Tuli family on 20 July 1927, in Sialkot, British India (now located in Pakistan).
After the turbulent years of partition, at the age of 23, Rajendra got his first break in 'Jogan' during 1950. He attained fame in 'Mother India' during 1957, playing the son of Nargis Dutt.
He went on to star in many movies, most of them successful, and earned the nickname of 'Jubilee Kumar'.
He got married to Shukla, and they subsequently became parents of three children, a boy, Manoj, who would subsequently be an actor in his own rights and be re-named Kumar Gaurav, and two daughters.
After offers stopped on lead roles, he turned to character roles, as well as became a producer. He was successful in launching his son's career in 'Love Story'.
His son's marriage was initially arranged with Reema, the daughter of Raj Kapoor, but things did not work out, and his son went on to get married to Sunil and Nargis Dutt's daughter, Namrata, and shortly thereafter he became grandfather of Saachi and Siya.
He also produced another successful movie 'Naam', the star-cast included his son, and Sanjay Dutt.
He attained a PHD and had a title of 'Doctor' prefixed to his name. Known to refuse taking any medication, he succumbed to cancer on July 12, 1999, just a day after his son's 43rd birthday, and just 8 days before his 71st birthday.
His brother was producer Virendra Kumar who produced Mama Bhanja, Raaz etc.
He will always be remembered for his memorable performances in 'Dhool Ka Phool', 'Mere Mehboob', 'Sangam', 'Suraj', 'Arzoo', 'Aman' 'Ganwaar', 'Dil Ek Mandir', as well as 'Saajan Bina Suhagan'- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Prithviraj Sukumaran (born 16 October 1982), credited mononymously as Prithviraj, is an Indian actor, playback singer and producer best known for his work in Malayalam films. He has also acted in a number of Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films.
Prithviraj Sukumaran was born in Thiruvananthapuram to actors Sukumaran and Mallika Sukumaran. His initial schooling was at Shrine Vailankanni Senior Secondary School, T. Nagar, Chennai and St.Joseph's Boys' Hr.Sec.School, Coonoor, since the family was settled at Tamil Nadu that time. Later when the family shifted to Kerala he had his education from The NSS Public School Perunthanni, St.Mary's Residential Central School, Poojappura (which was near his home at Chengallur) where he acted in various plays and skits for the school's Annual Day Celebrations. He completed the rest of his school education at Sainik School Kazhakoottam and Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. Prithviraj, along with his brother Indrajith Sukumaran. He also participated in debates and elocution competitions while in school. Prithviraj won the title of "Mr LA Fest" in the Annual Inter-School arts festival hosted by Loyola School, Thiruvananthapuram in successive years and is the only person to date to win that title twice.
While pursuing his bachelor's degree in Information Technology at the University of Tasmania, Australia, he was called for a shot in the movies by film director Ranjith Balakrishnan to play the lead role in his film Nandanam. It was Fazil, a well known Malayalam film director, who introduced him to Ranjith. After his performance in Nandanam, he decided to take a break from studies to concentrate on his film career.
Prithviraj Sukumaran's elder brother Indrajith Sukumaran and sister-in-law Poornima Indrajith are also film actors.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Dilip Kumar (1922-2021) is widely considered the greatest acting exponent India ever produced. Born Muhammad Yusuf Khan on December 11, 1922, in Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar, British India (present-day Pakistan), he is better known by his stage name Dilip Kumar given to him by actress and owner of Bombay Talkies, Devika Rani. Credited with pioneering method acting in Indian cinema in mid-1940s, before Marlon Brando introduced it to Hollywood in 1950s, he has been often called as "Abhinay Samrat" (Hindi for "Emperor of Acting") by the audience. He was the biggest Indian star since Post-Independence period throughout 1960s, starring in some of the biggest commercial and critical successes of Indian cinema. It is to be noted that according to major trade analysts, many of his big commercial successes were films with apparently no commercial/entertainment value, which relied heavily on his histrionics to succeed, an extremely rare feat in the annals of cinema worldwide. Box Office India quoted that any such an instance has never happened with any other star, as their films had to be backed by at least few commercial elements/genres to succeed. Irrfan Khan, while saying that Kumar is the only one who should be called "legend", justifiably quoted the reason as, "the combination of artiste and star that he brought, started and ended with him."
Born to a fruit merchant, Lala Ghulam Sarvar Khan and his wife Ayesha Begum, Yousuf Khan and his family would migrate to Bombay Province, to expand their family business in 1930s which had come to a halt due to the complications of WWII. He had his schooling in Deolali and graduation in Mumbai. He started with managing a shop and selling fruits in an army canteen in Pune. Upon a rebellion in the canteen during Indian National Movement, he gave a speech justifying India's struggle for Independence, which resulted in his eviction from the canteen. A chance encounter with Devika Rani, got him opportunity to work for Bombay Talkies, at remuneration of Rs 1250/- per month. Having no clear intention of working there, he still accepted the job because of the high salary. Kumar later accepted that by the age of 14, he hadn't watched a film, and later in his teenage, watched few English films. Devika Rani selected Dilip Kumar as his stage name (a common tradition back then) from the 3 names suggested by Pandit Bhagvati Charan Verma, which also included Vasudev and Jehangir. Kumar in 1970, in an interview told that, one of the main reason, he agreed to adopt a stage name was out of fear of his father, who was strictly against films due to their poor reputation among the masses at the time. He further said that on being offered to choose among the three names, he expressed that he was okay with any of them. Later, he got to know his stage name, when it was first published in a newspaper.
Kumar's first film as an actor was Jwara Bhata (1944), which was the 6th highest grossing Hindi film of the year, according to some sources, though not really profitable. His performance was severely criticized by the major critic of the time, Baburao Patel of FilmIndia. Similarly the next venture, Pratima (1945) was also flop and his work again criticized. The next venture, Milan (1946), directed by Nitin Bose, proved to be fruitful for Kumar, not only because it was successful commercially, but his acting sensibilities greatly improved during the period of its filming. However his performance was still criticized by FilmIndia. The success of the next film Jugnu (1947), which was the highest grossing Indian film of the year, established him as the first star of Post-Independence India and arguably, the biggest star of the country at that moment. His performance was appreciated by Baburao Patel for the first time. However, he severely criticized the film, writing a letter to the then Home Minister (who later went on to become Prime Minister under Janata Dal in 1977), Moraji Desai, asking him to ban the film. It was banned for a few months, after which the ban was uplifted. The film, already a roaring success, became an even bigger hit, after it was re-released. The period starting from here till at least 1961, was a period of raging success in Kumar's career, both critically and commercially, which cemented his legacy notch above his contemporaries. Post 1961, the workload slowed, with fewer releases thereafter and also slowed their commercial success, although his earlier films still doing great in re-releases, many times higher than many of his contemporaries' fresh releases. During this period, his two main contemporaries were Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. The three of them were sometimes referred collectively as "the golden trio" of this period, with camaraderie between the three contemporary actors famous and each renowned for their own style.
Shaheed (1948) is cited by many to be the first true Dilip Kumar film, in the sense his legacy was to be built on performances like this in the years to come. It was a roaring success, highest grossing Hindi film of the year. Andaz (1949), a record grosser at the time, starring Nargis and Raj Kapoor along with Kumar, popularized the theme of love triangles in Indian cinema. His performance in the film was superlatively appreciated by masses and critics alike. Baburao Patel's review headline read "Dilip Kumar draws crowd to cinemas". His dramatic performances in the next films till early 1950s, brought him the title of "Tragedy King". These intense performances, in which he immersed himself, had an adverse affect on his psyche. He consulted psychiatrists in London, who advised him to take up lighter roles. Interestingly, almost all of his lighter roles starting from Aan (1952) and Aazad (1955) were huge commercial successes. His performance in these roles were appreciated by masses and critics alike. Aan (1952) was the highest grossing Indian film ever at the time both in India and overseas. Post Aan, Kumar's popularity again took a big leap, establishing him as undisputedly the biggest star of the country. Devdas released on 30 December, 1955 is considered one of the most iconic performance of his career. Although a moderate success when initially released, the film found greater success in subsequent years though re-releases, making it amongst the most popular role essayed by Kumar. All three Andaz (1949), Aan (1952) and Naya Daur (1957) briefly became the highest grossing Indian film upto that point, a feat later achieved by Kumar's Mughal-e-Azam (1960) in which he essayed the role of Prince Saleem (amongst his most popular roles), a record it held for 15 years. By adjusting for inflation, it is still the Highest-grossing Indian film of all time, as of 2022.
The decade 1950s was the most prolific decade of Kumar's career, with 21 releases of which only 1 film, namely Hulchul (1951) failed commercially. 5 (or even 6) of his films were placed in top 10 highest grossers of the decade by Box Office India. Similarly 9 (or even 10) of his 21 releases were placed among the top 30 highest grossers of the decade. The period from late 1940s to early 1960s is often referred to as the "Golden Age of Hindi cinema and music". The 1950s decade is also important in terms of popularising cinema and filmi music in India and establishing it as a part of popular culture. The decade also saw the rise of stars (in true sense), commercialisation of industry as well as rise in the number of theatres. Kumar was the representative of this period, holding the status of a matinée idol and the country's highest paid actor.
Gunga Jumna released on 6 Jan, 1961, few months after the release of Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Kohinoor (1960), represents the peak of Kumar's career both as an actor and star. His performance as robust and defiant Gunga is considered by many to be the greatest acting performance in the history of Indian cinema. It won him international laurels. His performance was profoundly appreciated by actors in the West. The film set the template for the "Angry Young Man" films starring Bachchan in 1970s and the theme of brothers on the opposite side of the law. After Gunga Jumna (1961), Kumar's workload slowed significantly, his next venture Leader (1964), failed to be a big commercial success. It did mediocre business. Next film Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966) is the first flop film of Kumar in over 15 years. Ram aur Shyam (1967) is the last big hit of Kumar's first innings (as an actor) in Hindi cinema. It was his first double role film and popularized "double role" and "lost and found" films in mainstream Indian cinema. 1970s saw Kumar's career as a lead actor take a downturn. Age was becoming a factor, and the onset of new stars further convinced Kumar to take a hiatus. Out of his 4 Hindi films released in 1970s, Gopi (1970) was the only clean box office hit. As per the new reports of Box Office India, Bairaag (1976), is either "Hit" or "Semi-Hit". In 1970, he acted in his only Bengali film, Sagina Mahato (which also has a Hindi version, Sagina released in 1974, starring Kumar). The film was reportedly a huge success in Bengal. He won BFJA (Bengal Film Journalist Associations) award for Best Actor for his performance in the film. In 1976, he took a five-year hiatus aligning on the above mentioned reasons.
He returned to the big screen playing the title role of Kranti (1981), the highest grossing Indian film of the decade, when adjusted for inflation. In this phase of his career, he played senior, mature roles who were the main characters of the films. Films were specifically written for him which also starred other actors playing young roles. Films like Kranti (1981), Vidhaata (1982), Karma (1986), and Saudagar (1991) were among the biggest hits of the time and all driven by him despite playing senior roles, a feat that had remained unprecedented even after him as per trade analysts. Some other films also found average success, including Shakti (1982), which starred Kumar along with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead roles. The film won him his last Filmfare Award for Best Actor. His next venture after Saudagar (1991) was the commercially unsuccessful Qila (1998), which also turned out to be his last. He retired from film industry in 1999.
Kumar had been involved in many relationships including Kamini Kaushal, with whom he fell in love on the sets of Shaheed (1948). Their relationship fell apart as Kaushal was married to her brother-in-law after her sister-in-law died in a car accident. Reportedly she married on the insistence of her family to look after the little children of her sister-in-law. His next relationship was with Madhubala, which started on the sets of Tarana (1951). It was a seven year long relationship that ended after the Naya Daur court case in which Kumar sided with the producer B.R. Chopra and testified against Madhubala's father, Ataullah Khan as he declined her to travel to the planned shooting locations at the last moment. However Kumar in his autobiography cites another reason that played an important role in the fallout; Madhubala's father insisted him to act only under his own banner after their marriage. In 1966, he married actress Saira Banu in a private ceremony. Their marriage survived for over 50 years until Kumar's death in 2021-despite undergoing an upheaval-Kumar's alleged second marriage with Asma Rehman in 1981, whom he met at a cricket match in Hyderabad, where she lived. He soon divorced her in 1983, describing this incident as a "grave mistake taken in pressure" in his autobiography.
Kumar died on 7 July 2021, due to kidney complications and other age related issues. He had no children through his marriage. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife Saira Banu.
As of 2022, he holds the record for winning 8 Filmfare awards for Best Actor ( later equalled by Shah Rukh Khan) and was also the inaugural recipient of the award. He has also won numerous other awards including Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1994. He is the recipient of Padma Vibhushan (in 2015) and Padma Bhushan (in 1991), India's second and third highest civilian honour respectively. He is also the only Indian recipient of Pakistan's highest civilian honour, Nishan-e-Imtiaz (in 1998). As of 2021, he holds the Guinness World record for having received the most awards by an Indian actor.
He holds several long standing box office records including giving at least 1 clean hit for 15 years straight, which is at least an Indian record, according to a trade analyst. Since independence till late 2010s, he held the record for giving the maximum number of highest grossing film of the year, 9 times which was then surpassed by Salman Khan. However as per latest Box Office India reports, highest grossing Indian film of 1991 was Kumar's Saudagar (1991) and not Salman Khan's Saajan (1991), thus perhaps re-establishing his long standing record. In regards to his films' success ratio, he is the most successful Bollywood actor (quite possibly, Indian actor) of all time, by a distance, as of 2022. These gigantic records, his overwhelming popularity across Indian subcontinent, North Africa, Eastern Europe, and beyond, especially among South Asian diaspora around the world, makes him easily among the biggest stars cinema has ever seen across the globe. He famously turned down David Lean's offer of the role which ultimately went to Omar Sharif in one of West's greatest critical and commercial success, Lawrence of Arabia (1962), which made a major Hollywood star out of Sharif. Justifying his decision, Dilip Kumar had remarked, "In your own bazaar you enjoy a certain status. What's the point of venturing out into fields unknown where you have no say? No contact with the subject matter." He was also considered for a role in another film Lean was working on, titled "Taj Mahal". Elizabeth Taylor was supposed to play the part opposite Kumar. However, the project was eventually shelved.
According to many, he is probably the first person to perform method acting on screen in mid 1940s. Despite not knowing what it meant by then, he had been practising it since a time when, perhaps, the term wasn't even coined. Kumar, who never went to any acting school, was described by the renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray as "the ultimate method actor", despite not having worked with him. There are innumerable such complements by numerous luminaries across professions to quote, which is quite not possible; from the likes of the recent statement by Indian born naturalised British economist Lord Meghnad Desai, claiming Kumar to be the greatest actor on global scale to age old statements like the one by, V. Shantaram, one of founding fathers and pioneers of Indian cinema, prompted by Kumar's versatility expressed, "Had Shakespeare met Dilip Kumar, he would have added one more character to the already well-defined ones he had created." Most importantly, Dilip Kumar's complete impact is realized definitely in the fact how he changed the rules of acting and influenced generations of future artistes in Indian subcontinent (even his contemporaries), but also in the truth that at his best, he was the catalyst in expanding the reach of quality cinema, from metros to rural India, from classes to masses, from serious connoisseurs to common entertainment seekers. Some of the greatest critical successes became some of the biggest hits when he acted in them, liked, revered and celebrated by classes and masses alike. His intense, in-depth performances, eloquent silences and the most nuanced expressions observed and enjoyed and celebrated at the same time by the most casual entertainment seekers of his time. There have been some great artistes across the history. And there have been some huge stars across the history. But the instance of both of them being a single entity, elevating and expanding the art form to an even greater point, is true, an extremely rare sight, but equally magical while it lasts.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
One of the most beloved, charismatic and accomplished actors as well as one of the most imaginative and pathbreaking directors in the history of Indian cinema, Dev Anand was a leading man for more than five decades in over 110 motion pictures and continues to bestride Indian film fraternity even after his passing. He gave a new dimension to that magical state known as Stardom. And for his exemplary work he was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001 by the President of India. From the time he embarked on his career as a Film Actor in the mid-forties till his demise, his movies had been a journey filled with enriching experiences for the 'Evergreen Living Legend' of Indian Cinema. And he had always remained eternally youthful by his remarkable ability to live always in the present and the future; never in the past.
Also, as head of his film production company Navketan International Films, which was founded in 1949, Anand introduced a multitude of talent to the Indian Film Industry by way of actors, directors, music composers and cinematographers. He introduced new talent to cinema and experimented with new ideas for movies. He also headed one of the finest Film Sound Post-Production facilities in India - Anand Recording Studios - which has to its credit more than 3,000 Indian feature films that have been mixed/ surround mixed for worldwide release.
Anand won two Filmfare Awards - India's equivalent of the Oscars - in 1958 for his performance in the film "Kala Paani" (Black Water) and in 1966 for his performance in Navketan International Films' "Guide". "Guide" went on to win Filmfare Awards in five other categories including 'Best Film' and 'Best Director' and was sent as India's entry for the Oscars in the foreign film category that year. He co-produced the English Version of "Guide" with the Nobel Laureate Pearl S. Buck ("The Good Earth"). Eventually, his creative sensibilities got the better of him and he started writing and directing his own movies.
In 1993, he received a Filmfare 'Lifetime Achievement Award' and in 1996 he received a Screen Videocon 'Lifetime Achievement Award'. Then in 1997 he was given the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images Award for his Outstanding Services to the Indian Film Industry. In 1998, he was given a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the Ujala Anandlok Film Awards Committee in Calcutta. In 1999, he received the Sansui 'Lifetime Achievement Award' for his 'Immense Contribution to Indian Cinema' in New Delhi. In the year 2000, he was awarded the Film Goers' 'Mega Movie Maestro of the Millenium' Award in Mumbai. And then in July 2000, in New York City, he was honored by an Award at the hands of the then First Lady of the United States of America - Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton - for his 'Outstanding Contribution to Indian Cinema'. And again Anand was awarded the Indo-American Association 'Star of the Millennium' Award in the Silicon Valley, California. The President of India honored Anand with the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award on India's Republic Day - January 26th, 2001. And yet again, Donna Ferrar, Member New York State Assembly, honored him with a New York State Assembly Citation for his 'Outstanding Contribution to the Cinematic Arts Worthy of the Esteem and Gratitude of the Great State of New York' on May 1st, 2001.
Most recently, in April 2003, Anand was given a 'Lifetime Achievement Award' by the F.I.F.A. Committee in Johannesburg, South Africa. For an Indian Movie Icon who has hobnobbed with royalty, heads of State and celebrities, he did it all.
Anand passed away on December 3rd, 2011 in London's Washington Hotel, aged 88.
There are some who might remember Anand for not hanging his boots at the right time like his rival Dilip Kumar. But for millions of his admirers, both India and overseas, he shall remain the embodiment of someone who just never learnt to give up and being one of the pivotal figures who shaped the destiny of Indian Cinema in its formative years post independence and with his peerless intellect combined with his killer good looks gave it a footing on the map of world.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Abbas Khan was born on January 3, 1941 in Bangalore, India. His family has mixed Pathan and Iranian blood. He has 3 brothers Sameer, Feroz and Akbar. Feroz and Akbar are movie stars within their own rights, while Sameer assists the family-run Golden Palms Spa in Bangalore.
He entered the silver screen during 1964 with a brief appearance in Haqeeqat, and then officially launched his career with the blockbuster 'Dosti' during 1964 leading to the birth of Sanjay Khan.
He started acting in the Hindu-dominated film industry, and like Dilip Kumar and others chose a Hindu name of Sanjay to be seen as part of the mainstream.
Sanjay went on to act in over 30 movies, most of them are well known and are popular even today. His career spanned from 1964 with Haqeeqat and went on 1986 with Kala Dhandha Gorey Log. Sanjay was especially popular with the women due to his handsome boyish looks, the kind that Dharmendra, Jeetendra, Rajendra Kumar, etc. had.
He has a passion for sports cars, especially Cadillac and imported cars that he picked up from embassy disposals. He has always owned 3 to 4 cars at any given time. He is still unable to hold on to a car for more than a few months, and loves the smell of a new car.
He got married to Zarine, a Parsi, and both eventually became parents of 3 daughters, Farha, Simone, Suzanne, and a son, noted film actor, Zayed Khan. While Zayed is married to Malika Parekh; Farha has married Aqeel; Simone is married to Ajay Arora; and Suzanne is married to Bollywood heart-throb, Hrithik Roshan.
Apart from being a successful actor, he has also involved in writing the script of Kala Dandha Gorey Log; has produced & directed Abdullah; and was also involved in the production of Chandi Sona.
His tryst in the acting and direction of The Sword of Tipu Sultan caused him burn injuries when a fire engulfed the Premier Studios in Mysore, and he ended up being hospitalized for several months.
He is currently involved in the filming and production of Maryada Purshotam. He had earlier produced another mini-series Sanjay Khan's Mahabharat, based on the teachings of Bhagwad Geeta and depicting the battle between the forces of good and evil.- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Vishnuvardhan's father was a famous artist and script writer for films. His father also taught dance. Vishnu's sister, Smt. Ramaramachandra, was a famous kathak dancer, who was praised by the King of Mysore. Vishnuvardhan has one elder brother and four sisters.
Vishnuvardhan did his primary schooling in Mysore's Gopalswamy School. He attended middle school in Bangalore's Kannada Madari School. He attended high School and took his degree in the National College, Basavanagudi, Bangalore.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Ravichandran was born on 9 January 1941 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is an actor and writer, known for Majunu (2001), Manthiran (2005) and Kannethirey Thondrinal (1998).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Randhir Kapoor is one of the most influential men in Bollywood apart being the head of RK Studios in Chembur, Bombay - a studio that was started by his father - the showman Raj Kapoor. Randhir played the lead hero in 34 films from 1971-1987 and had 23 of them as box-office hits. Randhir Kapoor was 3rd highest paid actor from 1971-1975 with Dharmendra and 4th from 1976-1983. Randhir has 24 solo hero films from 1971-1987 and of them 15 were box-office hits. Of the 24 solo hero films of Randhir, Raj Kapoor played supporting role in 2 films -Dharam Karam and Kal Aaj Aur Kal and Shammi Kapoor played supporting role in 2 films Harjaee and Mama Bhanja and Sanjeev Kumar played in supporting role in Biwi O Biwi. Randhir did 10 multi-star films of which 8 were box-office hits.
He was born in Bombay on February 15, 1947, in this Punjabi-speaking family, to be the first son to Raj and mom, Krishna. His nickname is Daboo.
As a kid he made 30-second appearance in a song in Shree 420. Later made an appearance on the silver screen as a child artiste and was credited as 'Master Daboo' in 'Do Ustad (1959)' which starred his father and Madhubala in the lead roles.As a 20 year old in 1968 he assisted director Lekh Tandon in making Jhuk Gaya Asmaan.
Subsequently, he made his rather dramatic entry into Bollywood in 'Kal Aaj Aur Kal' - a movie that was released in 1971 and starred three generations of the Kapoor family, namely his grand-dad, Prithviraj, a legend unto himself, his dad, Raj, as well as his college sweetheart and to-be wife, Babita, an actress in her own right, who is the daughter of actor, Hari Shivdasani and also the cousin of popular actress Sadhana Shivdasani. Kal Aaj Aur Kal, which had Randhir as the lead hero and was directed by himself , went on to be hit, followed closely by 3 more consecutive hits 'Jeet' ,'Raampur Ka Lakshman' and 'Jawani Diwani'. After which remake of MGR's hit 1971 film Rickshawkaran was made in Hindi in 1973 with Randhir as the lead hero opposite new heroine Neetu Singh but the film flopped though its music was popular. In 1974 he had 2 big hits - Hamrahi and the 2 hero film Haath Ki Safai as hits but Dil Deewana failed to be a hit at the box-office, in-spite of its music being better than its prequel Jawani Deewani. In 1975, his 2 solo lead hero films were hits -Lafange and Ponga Pandit but his other 2 movies were not successful - Dafa 302 and Dharam Karam. Though Dharam Karam developed a cult following later and is considered a classic but film was called by critics-reviewers at the time of its release as falling short of the expectations from RK banner. From 1976 till 1981, Randhir had solo hero hit films like - Khalifa, Aaj Ka Mahaatma, Bhanwar, Ram Bharose, Dhongee and his multi-star films like Chacha Bhatija, Mama Bhatija, Heeralal Pannalal, Dhyanu Bhagat also known as Bhakti Mein Shakti, Kasme Vaade, Chor Ke Ghar Chor, Biwi O Biwi were hits too. All of a sudden after Harjaee in 1981 became a disaster, in-spite of having many hits under his belt, film offers for him as the solo hero or in multi-star cast films got reduced. According to Randhir, had Harjaee been made better with proper ending and good editing, the film would have been big hit for its had a great cast and nice music. Another film which was started in 1976 titled Nikkamma got a delayed release in 1983 with title as Janejaan, which was a dud. Even the 2 hero films- Sawaal and Pukar - where Randhir performances were appreciated by critics - became box-office flops whereas Humse Na Jeeta Koi was average success in 1983.
As he achieved great success as an actor from 1970-1981 but after offers as an actor dried up from 1982, he turned a producer - producing Ram Teri Ganga Maili in 1985 which was a blockbuster and directed 'Henna' in 1991 which starred his younger brother, Rishi, and Pakistani actress, Zeba Bakhtiar and was was again a blockbuster. The film Heena resulted in a trip to Pakistan, where he was treated royally by the then Pakistani President Nawaz Sharif, who turned out to be a fan of his dad Raj, his uncles Shammi and Shashi and also of Randhir himself. He produced PremGranth in 1996 and Aa Ab Laut Chalen in 1999 with Rajesh Khanna in the lead. Later as an actor, Randhir made comeback with 'Mother' in 1999; in 2003 with 'Armaan'; and 'Housefull' in 2010.From 2010, Randhir has been getting many offers as supporting actor.
Randhir married Sindhi-speaking girlfriend Babita during the year 1971 and their first daughter, Karisma, was born on 25th June 1974. Their second and last child, Kareena, was born on 21st September 1980. Babita and Randhir were happily married couple from 1971-1987, but things changed after Randhir's career as an actor slumped after 1983 and Babita wanted her daughter Karishma to follow in her footsteps, that lead to considerable strife in their relationship, and ultimately leading to a separation in 1988, with both his daughters moving out with their mother. Randhir and Babita started living separately from 1988 but they never divorced each-other as both continued to love each-other. During 2004, the couple patched-up their differences especially in the light of the fact that both their daughters had achieved considerable fame and success.
Randhir had arranged Karisma's marriage with Amitabh Bachchan's son, Abhishek, followed by an engagement, which was unfortunately broken. Karisma went on to get married to Delhi-based Sanjay Kapur in 2003.
It was also during the year 2007 that he appeared on a popular TV show 'Koffee With Karan' along with his sister, Rima; his brothers, as well as sister-in-law, Neetu Singh.
He became a grandfather on 11 March 2005 and 12 March 2010 when Karishma gave birth to Samaira and Kiaan respectively.His 2nd daughter also became an actress by making her debut in 2000 and married Saif Ali Khan in 2012.
Randhir is still the head of RK Studios, a part of which has been converted into a museum with mementos of his family's movies.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Sidharth Malhotra born (on 16 January 1985) is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He began his career in Bollywood as an assistant director to Karan Johar for Dharma Productions My Name Is Khan, released in 2010. Sidharth credits his passion for filmmaking and subsequent aspirations to be an actor to this movie project. An aspiring actor from Delhi, Sidharth Malhotra auditioned for the coming-of-age romantic teen drama Student Of The Year in 2012, produced by Karan Johar. Sidharth Malhotra subsequently appeared in several commercially successful films such as the romantic comedy Hasee Toh Phasee (2014), the thriller Ek Villain (2014), and the drama Kapoor & Sons (2016). He received critical acclaim for his portrayal of the Late Captain Vikram Batra in the patriotic war drama Shershaah (2021), which also earned him several prestigious awards for his acting process. Sidharth Malhotra earned critical acclaim for portraying a RAW agent in the 2023 Netflix film, Mission Majnu. He married his co-star in the film, Kiara Advani, in 2023.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Music Department
Shahid's rise to stardom reads like a bollywood script: from a struggler to a winner. With his hard work, perseverance and sincerity, he has written his own destiny.
Shahid is a mine of unabashed talent and spark, beneath his calm and innocent veneer. Shahid Kapoor is young and vibrant, with a magnetic charm and easy going candour that sets him apart from the rest. His debut performance as the young and carefree boy-next-door in "Ishk Vishk" was not only applauded but also awarded the Filmfare Best Male Debut. Shahid does justice to his characters each time, be it the sensitive 'Aditya' in "Jab We Met" or the two diametric opposite characters of 'Charlie' and 'Guddu' in "Kaminey" - he stops at nothing short of perfection! Shahid's unique style and the ease with which he can handle a range of characters, from the dramatic to the emotional, leave nothing to be wished for! His ability to switch modes from young and restless, to mature and responsible, bespeaks the confidence of a veteran. In fact, he can boast of having delivered 4 super hits: "Vivah", "Jab We Met", "Kaminey" and "Badmaash Company".
Shahid's prowess as an artist does not end here; his talent is multi-dimensional. Not only is he an ace actor and entertainer, but also, his energy and spontaneity as a dancer holds you in a spell.
Shahid is young, yet dependable, with a genuine sincerity about him. He has just the right amount of boyish charisma and dynamism! Being a popular youth-icon and opinion-maker, he holds the baton of marquee brands like Clear Shampoo, Vaseline Men's Skincare range, Pioneer car stereos and Elf Moto.- 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).