South india Cinema bollywood

When a film's title is chosen based on some weird superstition; what more can we say about it? It is believed that the makers of the Malayalam film Drona 2010 added the numerals to the title because a film with the same name had failed in other languages.



The movie directed by Shaji Kailas, written by Sajan A K and starring Mammootty, is supposed to be a spook fest but is anything but.



As for the story, it is about two wealthy families involved in a feud for generations. One side is always trying to get even all the time but fails. You get a sense of déjà vu as you have seen at least half a dozen films with the same premise every year.



The spooky part occurs when Kunjunni (Mammootty), who is dealing in ancestral buildings, gets interested in a property that is supposed to be haunted. The house proves fatal for him and he dies. Enter his elder brother, Pattazhi Madhavan (Mammootty's second avatar), a scholar of some sort with flowing mane and rugged beard chanting mantras in Sanskrit. He vows to avenge his sibling's death by killing the spirit that resides in the house.





The spirit of Savitri (Dhanya) has an old score to settle with the Pattazhi family and proves to be a hard nut to crack. So, we see extended rituals, explanation of Vastu and a lot of other things. And, making an effort to give rational justifications to the supernatural happenings in the end proves to be a huge damper.



The film works, if at all, because of the towering presence of Mammootty and the supporting cast consisting of Thilakan and Manoj K Jayan.



Mammootty as Kunjunni is our conventional dashing hero in designer sunglasses who handles humour and action well. At the same time his second avatar -- which has some novelty initially - loses the charm towards the end as he has to be continually loud.



Thilakan, the old war horse holds on to his space and matches Mammootty in every step. Manoj K Jayan seems to be passing through a lucky phase professionally as he keeps playing characters that are noticed. Even here he is convincing though his character is unnaturally loud.



Of the females, Kaniha as the immature Thulasi has some variety as she has only done mature characters till date. Dhanya, as the ravishing spirit passes the litmus test of being noticed even though she is silent most of the time. Navya Nair as Madhavan's wife deserves better.



All in all, the actors deserve a better film than this ho-hum film

Arthur J Pais' Oscar nominee wishlist for 2010

What I love about Hollywood and the Oscars is that there is room for all kinds of movies, the behemoths as well as hole-in-the-wall kind of films.


Though the list for the best picture nomination has been extended to 10, I am listing my favourite candidates in the first half of the list.

One of them is Precious, a dark, often harrowing but in the final reckoning a life-affirming film which lost its steam a few weeks after its strong opening and now it could end its North American run with about $45 million. A solid number for a film that cost about $10 million to make and about $25 million to market.


It could also do well when DVD and Blu-Ray discs are out. But the film was expected, following dazzling reception at the Toronto International Film Festival and elsewhere, and Oprah's endorsement, to gross at least $100 million. It is certainly among my top five.

My list also contains the mesmerizing German film White Ribbon about study of fascism in a seemingly charming and quiet German village.

Pedro Almodovar's suspenseful Spanish film Broken Embraces also is worthy of a nomination. It is a kind of film Billy Wilder and Alfred Hitchock would have made had they collaborated on it.

Invictus, the post-apartheid drama directed by Clint Eastwood, got good reviews. But the $60 million suspense film which is uplifting and funny did a mediocre $38 million business in North America. If the French box office is any vindication, where the film is headed for a $30 million gross, Eastwood's film is headed for a small profit, even without any Oscar nominations.

The utterly crazy and inventive comedy The Hangover should be taken seriously too.

On the other side of the spectrum, is the heart-pounding and suspenseful The Hurt Locker which also has several fabulous performances.

Best Picture

Avatar
Inglourious Basterds
Up in the Air
Precious
The Hurt Locker
White Ribbon    
The Hangover
Invictus
Up
Broken Embraces

Blind Side: A Sandra Bullock vehicle

Before we begin this review, it's imperative to clarify -- at least for the sake of those who aren't already aware -- that The Blind Side is technically a sports movie, rather a story of relationships with sports as a backdrop.

The makers have made it clear that the movie is based on a true story, a story of a sportsman's triumph.

Now there are two basic problems with such sports-based movies. First, they chart a predictable path. Secondly, in most cases, the director fails to recreate the actual drama, the emotion that you feel while watching sporting action live.

The Blind Side suffers from both these problems.

It is everything that these kinds of movies are supposed to be -- the story of an underdog, a saga of the triumph of human spirit against all odds and an account of how interpersonal relationships influence performance at the professional level.

A director, who has already burnt his fingers attempting a sports movie, helms it. John Lee Hancock, having prior experience of directing a sports flick (The Rookie, 2002), returns to familiar terrain after the disastrous The Alamo (2004).

However, to its credit, The Blind Side is an honest attempt, a movie that whips up enough drama to sustain attention, despite its predictability and slow pace.

The movie is based on the book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game, a work of author Michael Lewis that was first published in 2006.

The director and his team have succeeded in making a decent adaptation, palpably taking a few cinematic liberties en route and adding dollops of melodrama to evoke pathos. The end result is a product that even if is not entirely engrossing, is definitely thought-provoking.

The movie narrates the story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron), an oversized African-American destitute with a troubled past who is adopted by Leigh Anne (Sandra Bullock ) and Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw), an affluent couple.

As the movie progresses, we witness a sequence of events starting from Oher's impoverished upbringing, his lack of confidence, his years at Wingate Christian High School, his adoption, his struggle to adapt in a predominantly white set-up and finally, his rise in ranks as one of the most highly coveted prospects in football -- ending with him being drafted as an offensive lineman for the NFL side Baltimore Ravens.

At the outset, Oher is shown as a teen with no academic records but one who is accepted into the local school simply because a football coach thinks he has potential.

Oher is intimidated in the mostly white surroundings of his school and is even described in one scene as 'a fly in the milk,' one of the few direct instances with racial undertones.

It is only after their son Sean (Jae Head) befriends Oher that the Tuohys first offer him temporary shelter and subsequently adopt him.

Oher's poor grades prompt his adopted parents to hire a private tutor Miss Sue (Kathy Bates) to help him with his academic troubles. And the latter ensures the teen secures good enough grades to make the football team.

However, having made it to the team, Oher has trouble adjusting to the brutality of the sport. And it takes his adopted mother's wisdom and encouragement to help Oher understand his objective as a player and attain subsequent success.

Oher's relationship with the Tuohy's works two ways. While the latter help him fight his inner monsters and fulfill his potential, Oher's presence in the Touhys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

There's also a sub-plot regarding Oher's biological parents thrown -- of a father who left before Oher was born and a mother who is a drug addict. But that fails to make any major impact to the narrative.

The movie has a few powerful moments that succeed in leaving a lasting impact and valiantly attempts to address a few issues simultaneously. On the negative side, at over two hours, it is a tad too long.

Coming to the performances, McGraw excels as a henpecked husband and provides the comic relief in an otherwise dramatic set up. Jae Head, as the Tuohy's son, is impressive. So is Bates.

Aaron, starring as the protagonist Oher, literally lives his character of an introverted, withdrawn teen struggling to come to terms with his incapacities and surroundings.

The actor doesn't get to speak much but his eyes do express his internal feelings effectively. Suffice to say it is not an exceptional performance but an earnest effort nonetheless.

And finally, regarding the performance that has won at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors' Guild awards -- Sandra Bullock has come a long way from the days she played a sidekick to Sylvester Stallone  (Demolition Man). From driving a bus in action movie Speed, to struggling with thrillers (The Net, Murder By Numbers) to excelling in rom coms (While You Were Sleeping, Two Weeks Notice, The Proposal), comedy (Miss Congeniality) and drama (A Time To Kill), Bullock has made repeated attempts to impress critics without succeeding in many.

However, in this movie Bullock finally gets a character that she can sink her teeth into. To her credit, she does her part commendably, playing with panache a woman who isn't afraid to speak her mind and who exactly knows what she wants.

Will she win at the Oscars  too? Her fans need to be patient for that, a virtue that is also required in abundance while watching this film

Nikunj Malik

After Rakhi Sawant, it is Rahul Mahajan's turn to try his luck at a swayamvar. The former Bigg Boss housemate has 15 beautiful women to choose from for his reality show, Rahul Dulhania Le Jayega, on NDTV Imagine.

Before the show premieres on February 1, we take a look at the women who will compete for Rahul's love.

Nikunj Malik
Age: 25
Hails from: Faridabad, Haryana

An accessory designer, Nikunj has done her Masters in accessory design and fashion management from NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology). She has worked with established companies like Wills Lifestyle and Lee Cooper.

Nikunj was accepted into a PhD program at IIM Ahmedabad but she decided against it, as she did not want to study for at least six years.

Nikunj loves dogs, and has five pets.

sharukh khan 'honoured' in Hollywood

Shah Rukh Khan's lifelike wax figure was reportedly unveiled at the renowned Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Hollywood on Friday.

The 44-year-old is the first Bollywood star to be inducted into this museum, which boasts of wax figures of celebrities like Audrey Hepburn , Clark Gable, Jennifer Lopez , Nicole Kidman , Johnny Depp , Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg , Beyonce and David Beckham .

The museum calls Shah Rukh's  induction as 'historic addition' and adds that it 'symbolises a coming together of the world's two great film centres, Hollywood and Bollywood'.

Shah Rukh was named by Newsweek magazine as one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.

The unveiling on Friday was reportedly accompanied by a performance of America's Bollywood dance troupe 'Ishaara', a recent America's Got Talent contender.

Image: An archive picture of Gauri Khan  standing next to the waxwork model of her husband Shah Rukh, at Madame Tussauds in London .

Minissha Lamba

Skin show is no skill.

Even if Bollywood's hottest women would like to make us believe otherwise.

While in some cases channeling the sex symbol within has led to great advances in their careers, like Urmila Matondkar in Rangeela, Mallika Sherawat in Murder and Priyanka Chopra in Dostana, not everyone's gotten far with it.

Don't believe us? Here's a look at instances when shedding clothes didn't help an actress or her career.

Minissha Lamba, Kidnap

After playing cute, conscientious characters in Yahaan, Corporate and Bachna Ae Haseeno, Minissha Lamba decided it's high time she displayed she's capable of doing hot as well.

Enter the starlet taking a dip in the aqua blue seas wearing nothing more than a pristine white two-piece bikini in Kidnap. Too bad the action thriller, co-starring Sanjay Dutt and Imran Khan, turned out to be a damp squib sealing Minissha's sexy fate with it.

Ishqiya: An idyllic tale of love and lies bollywood movie

Rarely are grace and profanity cited in the same breath. Debutant filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey's Ishqiya  however, is a privileged exception.

Regardless of its colourful language, simmering sexuality, ribald humour and unabashed reverence for the offensive, the drama has enough lyricism, layers and eccentricity to stereotype it as grim or gawky.

Produced, co-written (along with Chaubey and Sabrina Dhawan) and composed by Vishal Bhardwaj   Ishqiya bears his stamp of brains, brilliance and blasphemy but leaves enough space for Chaubey to establish his credibility. And that's not an easy task when your film is set in the same milieu and texture as Bhardwaj's Omkara . But like Chaubey mentions in an interview, the similarities are mostly 'cosmetic.' He's quite right too.

Barring the fact that both films are set in Eastern Uttar Pradesh belt, which obviously reflects in the conversations, mannerisms and clothing, there's no further resemblance. Interestingly, Chaubey's UP is not just a contrived hamlet featuring mooing cows and stray dogs but a self-sufficient town with malls, restaurants and beauty parlours.

Comfortable in its capricious skin, Ishqiya -- a tricky and moody tale of a whimsical trio caught in twisted circumstances -- gets even more complicated owing to the impulsiveness of heart.

The fickle tone is set in the opening sequence itself wherein a couple shares intimate moments of domesticity when their bliss is shattered after a gas cylinder blows off. This then immediately follows with some wonderful on-the-road bonhomie between Naseeruddin Shah  and Arshad Warsi , courtesy the supremely infectious Ibn-e-batuta. The drastic change of tracks is conducted with such crispness and panache; it's quite impressive, really.

The afore-mentioned actors play Khalujaan and Babban, small-time crooks on the run after stealing from their gun-toting boss, Mushtaq (Salman Shahid). Things don't work out as planned and they are forced to take refuge at a deceased friend's dilapidated abode in Gorakhpur (striking props and production design by Nitin Chandrakant Desai) run single-handedly by his melancholic widow, Krishna (Vidya Balan).

While Khalujaan is clearly the experienced yet emotional of the lot, Babban, underneath the cocky surface is disarmingly boyish and sensitive. As for Krishna, she's exactly like the tone of this movie -- unpredictable.

Her melodious charms instantly find an aficionado in Khalujaan who reveals his antecedent belonged to the 'Great Gharana of Indore' for his tabla-playing skills whereas the perennially aroused Babban befriends a 'Bees-kam-paanch' adolescent lad (Aalok Kumar) to track down the nearest brothel in town. Eventually, he too starts competing with Khalu for Krishna's hard-to-tell affections.

Just as we get comfortable with the romance, Chaubey throws a new twist our way. Certain developments in the script implore them to kidnap a specific Mr Kakkad as the only resort to wiggle out of the ensuing dilemma. What follows is a wild ride of set-ups, heartbreaks, revelations and a high-five worthy awesome climax.

While Ishqiya is a terrific first-time effort from Chaubey, there were a couple of things that strike a jarring note. Firstly, the pace could have been tauter and done away with all the excessive ambiguity surrounding characters, sub-plots and their objectives. If the idea is to keep them enigmatic, it is tediously conveyed.

As much as one appreciates Mohana Krishna's fluid camerawork, which captures both the day scenes of dingy countryside lanes as well as the shady night-themed drama of red-light areas with precision and play, the editing by Namrata Rao is mostly sloppy.

Ishqiya's individuality lies in the fact that it's stylish, very stylish, mind you, only not in the sense we are conditioned to acknowledge. There's none of the cowboy swagger nor is the blasphemy or sexuality, read a long lip lock between Arshad and Vidya, induced with the intent to jolt or titillate.

Like Popeye's simplistic philosophy, 'I yam what I yam,' Ishqiya tells it like it is, no judging, in the face of most bizarre circumstances. Therein lies the charm and triumph of Chaubey's fondly titled caper which bears the rustic imagery of Shyam Benegal's vision and the aggression of a Vishal Bhardwaj film.

Though set against a rural backdrop, Ishqiya has a very urban mind and approach, which is evident in its narrative if not lingo. Chaubey, like Bhardwaj in Kaminey, handpicks classic melodies of Rahul Dev Burman and Hemant Kumar to lend dual perspective to a scene, which is both effective and cool.

Considering Bhardwaj's contribution to this film, his mention is mandatory. As expected, he brings his ardour and understanding of the art with some forceful and quotable word play: 'Humne galti karne mein thodi jaldi kardi aur aapne maafi maangne mein thodi der.' Or communicate just a hint of ethnic differences with 'Khalujaan, yeh jagah bahut danger hain. Apne yahan toh sirf Shia-Sunni hote hain. Yahan toh Pandey, Yadav, Jat sabne apni fauj bana rakhi hai.'

He influences Chaubey in the most constructive way possible instilling the importance of a solid, even if virtually unknown, supporting cast. And so you'll come across some incredible pieces of acting from actors -- spanning all age groups, besides the main three.

And what a threesome! Even as Naseer keeps it understated letting his keen presence, droopy eyes and shy smile express his besotted state, Arshad Warsi demonstrates his un-Circuit self in a role that demands sly sensuality and locker-room humour.

The lady, however, steals the show. Vidya Balan seems to be on a roll. After Paa, she once again rises to the occasion to reaffirm her credentials as a powerhouse performer. Along the lines of Hema Malini [  ], Vidya is a rare combination of grit and grace even when swearing in the strongest possible language draped in dowdy, fluorescent yellows and reds. If this is not remarkable, what is?

Although one of the best moments of Ishqiya comes during the climax as three maverick Ishqians walk away from a scene of destruction to Bharadwaj's escalating score, an unmistakable ode to the genius of Ennio Morricone

If VB is the equivalent of Quentin Tarantino  in Hindi cinema, safe to say with Chaubey, we have a Robert Rodriguez  in the making.

Celina jaitley launches new brand campaign of Egypt to attract Indian tourists

 Egypt's brand ambassador and Bollywood actor Celina Jaitly launched a new brand campaign and logo that brings alive all the wonders of this ancient land of the Pharaohs.



The former Miss India Universe unveiled the new logo of Egypt and also announced the launch of their new advertising campaign in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Egyptian Ambassador Dr. Mohamed Higazy said, "India is very important to us not only as a tourism market but more so as a country with which we share strong political and cultural ties."

"India and Egypt have cultural synergies and affinities that go far back in history. It is for this reason that we are launching our new campaign and logo here. We want more and more Indians to visit Egypt and experience for themselves the warm hospitality of Egypt something for which both India and Egypt are fabled," he said.

"Further, both the countries are perfect tourist destinations offering an eclectic mix of past and the present, ancient and modern, art and culture, heritage and history, sports and entertainment," Dr. Higazy added.

Explaining the new campaign and logo and slogan, the Egyptian Tourism Authority Director, Adel El Masry said: "The new brand campaign, logo and slogan signify that Egypt is not only the origin of a great civilization that helped in shaping universal culture but as a tourist destination it is the source of new experiences, rich personal inspiration and has outstanding stories to tell."

The launch was preceded by a grand performance of the renowned Egyptian Belly Dance that has captured the imagination of the world.

POTATO AND LEEK SOUP

2 lbs. Russet potatoes

1 lb. leeks, washed and chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

5 cups chicken stock or broth

1/2 cup milk

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper

6 tablespoons cream or half-and-half

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or chives



Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the potatoes, leeks, onion, celery, carrot; cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the chicken stock or broth, 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper. reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender and potatoes are soft.



Mash the potatos and vegetables in the pot or transfer to a blender or food processor in batches and process until smooth. make sure the soup has cooled for 15 minutes before putting it into a food processor.



When ready to serve, reheat the soup, serve in bowls and swirl 1 tablespoon half-and-half into each serving. Sprinkle with chives or shredded cheddar cheese.

Priyanka Chopra Named Best Actress in 56th National Awards

Priyanka Chopra Named Best Actress in 56th National Awards NEW DELHI: Priyanka Chopra Named Best Actress in 56th National Awards, Bengali film ‘Antaheen’ by director Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury was chosen as the Best Film while Tamil filmmaker Bala won the honour o


Best Director for his film ‘Naan Kadavul’ at the 56th National Film Awards announced here on Saturday.



‘Antaheen’, starring Sharmila Tagore, Rahul Bose, Aparna Sen and Radhika Apte, is a relationship drama.



The award for Best Actor went to Upendra Limaye for Marathi film ‘Jogwa’, which also fetched the trophy for the Best film on social issues. Hindi film ‘Oye Lucky Lucky Oye’ by Dibakar Banerjee was adjudged as the Best Popular Film.



Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra bagged the Best Actress award for her role of a aspiring model in Madhur Bhandarkar’s ‘Fashion’ which also bagged the Best Supporting Actress Award for Kangana Ranaut who played the role of a troubled model.



Actor Arjun Rampal won the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role of a failed rocker in ‘Rock On’.



Shreya Ghoshal won the Best Female Playback award for ‘Antaheen’ and ‘Jogwa’, which also brought the Best Male Playback Singer award to Hariharan.



Kannada film ‘Gubbachigalu’ was adjudged the Best Children’s film. The award for Best Special Effects went to ‘Mumbai Meri Jaan’.



Malayalam film ‘Bioscope’ won the Best Jury Award while the trophy for Best Child Actor (rpt) Best Child Actor went to Shams Patel for Hindi film ‘Thanks Maa’.

Odeon Cinema’s creaky

he Odeon Cinema’s creaky, ripped red vinyl seats are mostly empty except for a couple of back rows where a dozen men sit slouched, their eyes half-open, legs slung over the seats in front of them. Along the hall’s bubble-gum pink walls, rows of fans barely move the hot, dank air. The Odeon’s loudspeakers crackle like an old radio.




The feature on this recent evening is a Lollywood feature called “Majajan,” a love story. The barely breathing, Lahore-based Pakistan film industry produces less than a dozen movies each year, which explains why every day, three times a day for the last three years, the only movie screened at the Odeon has been “Majajan.”



Welcome to Lollywood, or what’s left of it. Reporting for the LA Times, Alex Rodriguez tells us how it wasn’t always this way. Back in the 1960s and ‘70s, Lahore buzzed with movie shoots, red-carpet premieres and box-office hits. The Pakistan film industry has always been based here, and though it didn’t have the girth or dazzle of Bollywood, Lollywood thrived in a country staking out an identity distinct from its neighbor, India.



Piracy: Today, Pakistani cinema has all but vanished, a victim of the VCR, cable television and finally DVD piracy. In 1985, 1,100 movie houses operated in Pakistan; today, only 120 are in business. The few directors, producers and cinema owners often rely on second jobs to make ends meet.



Reviving the industry necessitates junking what’s left of Pakistani cinema and starting from scratch, says Jahanzaib Baig, a cinema owner pushing for a revival of film in Pakistan. Baig has been lobbying the government to clamp down on DVD piracy, a scourge that keeps people from leaving their living rooms to head to cinemas. “We have hit rock bottom,” says Baig. “We can only go up. Whatever we had before is not only destroyed but is obsolete in terms of technology and skills. So we’re setting the foundation for a new film industry in Pakistan.”



Survivor: Sangeeta, a Lollywood mega-star during the 1970s and one of the few survivors still directing homegrown films, says a revival of the industry can happen only if the government lends a hand.



“We need government support,” says Sangeeta, now 52. “We need new cameras, new studios. Right now, producers aren’t investing because the equipment isn’t good.”



The advent of cable television and VCRs drew Pakistanis away from cinemas, but it was President Zia ul-Haq’s religion-based policies that sped the industry’s demise. Many cinemas were shut down, the rest were heavily taxed. New laws that required producers to have college degrees thinned the ranks of moviemakers. As Lollywood’s top-shelf creative talent dropped out of the flagging industry, scripts got worse and Pakistanis stopped going to movies. Bollywood filled the void; Indian movies flooded video stores and clogged cable channels. Pakistani filmmakers who stayed in the industry found themselves hamstrung by dwindling budgets.



“In India, they spend $12 million on a movie, and we can spend maybe about $120,000,” says Pakistani film producer Jamshed Zafar, who sidelines as an exporter of South Asian spices. “How can we compete?”



One of the only directors still making movies, Syed Noor, has established a film school in Lahore to help seed a new generation of filmmakers. But most directors and producers gave up long ago.

My National Award made my family emotional: Arjun Rampal

Mumbai, Jan 23 : Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, who has been declared the best supporting actor at the 56th National Film Awards for his performance in Director Abhishek Kapoor's "Rock On!", says that it was a very emotional moment for his family.








"It's a real honour and a wonderful feeling. It's a big one. It's a very emotional moment for everybody in my family. It was same for my friends and whole team of 'Rock On!' as well," Rampal told IANS.



Asked about his wife Mehr Jesia's reaction, he said, " I won't tell you whether she cried or not, but definitely she became very, very emotional."



The story of "Rock On!" is about five band stars as once-aspiring musicians who chucked up their dream of taking their band professional. But a chance reunion ten years later inspires them to consider returning for one last gig.



Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli and Luke Kenny played the lead roles in the film.



Rampal celebrated the occasion with the team of "Rock on!" at his house.



"We are going to party tonight at my house. We are going to start now, as a part of celebration," said Rampal.



The actor, who has recently opened up a restro-bar named LAP Lounge And Party in Delhi as joint venture with Restaurateur AD Singh, is going to celebrate there too, very soon.



"I am looking forward to celebrate in LAP soon," said Rampal.

'Multiplexes are eating away good cinema'

By Alkesh Sharma, Chandigarh, Jan 24: Bollywood producer Pahlaj Nihalani, credited with launching actors like Govinda, Chunky Pandey and Suniel Shetty, says the profit-driven attitude of multiplexes is leading to the downfall of quality cinema.








"Multiplexes are gradually eating away good cinema and new talent. They are charging exorbitant ticket prices and show only those movies that have strong cast. Other movies with fresh and experimental subjects wither away after just one or two shows," Nihalani told IANS here.



He added: "The public is getting less and multiplexes are earning more. In fact, this is a big jolt to the entertainment industry and a major reason why most of the movies are not doing well these days. Once a movie reaches the multiplexes, a distributor or producer, who treats a movie like his own baby, has no say."



Nihalani also demands a ceiling on the ticket prices of multiplexes. "A middle class person is totally out of reach of a multiplex screen. State governments should come forward and introduce some ceiling price, like, say, multiplexes could not charge more than Rs.100 for a movie ticket," he said.



"Corruption has also entered at various levels of cinema. Now a good script or subject does not decide the fate of a movie, but it is in the hands of a critic or multiplex owner. One cannot rely on these critics, who give three- or four star-ratings. The sad part is that after reading their analysis, people decide whether to go for a movie or to buy a pirated CD," stated Nihalani.



Nihalani was here to promote the filmmaking and acting institute, Dream Whistlerz. He is on the board of the institute.



About young talent, Nihalani said: "Every individual on this earth has a dream, but unfortunately people do not find the right medium or direction to fulfil it. Some lose their way in between and some switch to other careers.



"The entertainment industry has grown very big. Earlier, people moved to Mumbai, but now they do not need to leave their place. Times have changed and so many avenues are available in TV, radio and in different departments of filmmaking at every place."



Nihalani cautioned the youngsters about unscrupulous people. "Many people from our film industry have also opened such acting or filmmaking schools, but they don't even teach basics. They are selling false dreams and ruining the future of our children," he said.



About acting talent in this part of the country, he said: "The talent that we have in Punjab you will find nowhere else. Superstar Dharmendra's family in Bollywood is one example. Moreover, Punjabi language, music and songs always have a universal appeal and attract others."



Nihalani, who had made the blockbuster "Aankhen" with Govinda and Chunkey Pandey, is now planning "Aankhen-II" with director Anees Bazmee.



The ace producer also expressed his anguish over the big corporate houses and international names venturing into filmmaking.



"I have a strong feeling that genuine single producers will soon make a comeback. One cannot be a master of so many things at the same time, he has to concentrate on only one aspect if he wants to succeed," said Nihalani.

veer film ( bollywood salman khan veer )

The story of Veer is set in the year 1857, where Veer(Salman Khan) plays a Pindari warrior who not only aims to win back his tribes lost glory but also their homeland from the claws of the evil king of Madhavgardh played by Jackie Shroff. In the process, Veer falls in love with beautiful Yashodhara who happens to be the deceitful kings daughter. Veer wins it all – glory and land of his tribe, avenges the death of his tribesmen from the evil king, mows down an entire battalion of the British army, wins the hand of Princess, and emerges successful in lighting the fire of patriotism and revolution in the people of Madhavgardh, the Pindaris and hence the Indians.




Salman Khan has been credited for the story of the film Veer. Unfortunately, Salman’s story has a lot of loopholes, poor characterization, and disappointing treatment above all. The good thing about the story is that it bought to attention the legend of the Pindari Warriors who were wiped off in a campaign led by General Hastings. The sad thing about the story is that justice was not done to a good theme.



Now, leaving all the critical and technical aspects, for the average cinegoer – Veer has very little to offer. Salman as Veer has put in a lot of effort to get the look and feel of the character right. Full marks to him. Although sometimes the Gladiator-cum-Achilles warrior-look and costumes looked rather odd in the Indian context. Sohail Khan is reduced to mere loony side kick who annoys more than anything else. Zarine Khan looks pretty but plastic, I dont see why they chose her over Katrina when she can’t even speak her own dialogues in the film. Much hyped- Lisa Lazarus of UK, is also a forgettable face in the firang crowd of the film.

aishwaria rai

Overview
Date of Birth:
1 November 1973, Mangalore, Karnataka, India more
Contact:
View agent, manager and legal contact info on IMDbPro.
Mini Biography:
Born into a traditional south Indian family, Aishwarya started modeling... more
Trivia:
Her wedding invitations were embossed with two entwined As and delivered... more
STARmeter:
Down 11% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Awards:
15 wins & 18 nominations more
NewsDesk:(617 articles)
I like being directed by women: Ben Kingsley (From Filmicafe. 15 December 2009, 10:49 AM, PST) Katrina tops Sexiest Asian Women list once again in Eastern Eye survey (From BollywoodHungama. 15 December 2009, 3:09 AM, PST)
Alternate Names:
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Filmography
Jump to filmography as: In Development, Actress, Soundtrack, Thanks, Self, Archive Footage
In Development:
Taj (details only on IMDbPro)
Bhopal (details only on IMDbPro)
Actress:
In Production
2000s
1990s
Singularity (2010) (in production)
Crooked (2009) (in production) (rumored)
Guzaarish (2010) (filming) (as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan)
Action Replay (2009) (post-production)
Raavana (2009) (post-production) .... Sita
The Pink Panther 2 (2009) (as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) .... Sonia
Endhiran (2009) .... Sharmili
Sarkar Raj (2008) .... Anita Rajan
Jodhaa Akbar (2008) (as Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) .... Jodhaa Bai
The Last Legion (2007) .... Mira ... aka L'ultima legione (Italy) ... aka La dernière légion (France)
Guru (2007) .... Sujata ... aka Gurukant (India: Telugu title) ... aka Mani Ratnam's Guru (India: English title: complete title)
Journey Across India (2007) .... Mumtaz Mahal ... aka Taj Mahal: The Great Indian Experience (India: English title)
Dhoom:2 (2006) .... Sunehri ... aka D:2 - Back in Action (India: English title: informal English alternative title)
Umrao Jaan (2006) .... Ameeran
Provoked: A True Story (2006) .... Kiranjit Ahluwalia ... aka Provoked (UK: short title)
The Mistress of Spices (2005) .... Tilo
Bunty Aur Babli (2005) .... Special Appearance (song) ... aka B.N.B. (India: English title: promotional abbreviation)
Shabd (2005) .... Antara Vashisth/Tammana
Bride & Prejudice (2004) .... Lalita Bakshi ... aka Balle Balle! Amritsar to L.A. (India: English title) (International: English title) ... aka Bride and Prejudice: The Bollywood Musical (International: English title: promotional title)
Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na (2004) .... Diya Malhotra
Raincoat (2004) .... Neerja 'Neeru'
Khakee (2004) .... Mahalaxshmi ... aka The Uniform (International: English title: informal literal title)
Kuch Naa Kaho (2003) .... Namrata Shrivastav ... aka Don't Say a Word (International: English title: informal literal title)
Chokher Bali (2003) .... Binodini ... aka Choker Bali: A Passion Play (International: English title) ... aka Sand in the Eye (India: English title)
Dil Ka Rishta (2003) .... Tia Sharma ... aka Heart of Gold (International: English title) ... aka Relationships of Hearts (International: English title: informal literal title)
Shakthi: The Power (2002) .... Dream Girl
23rd March 1931: Shaheed (2002) .... Special Appearance (song)
Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin (2002) .... Komal Rastogi
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam (2002) .... Special Appearence
Devdas (2002/I) .... Parvati ('Paro')
Albela (2001) .... Sonia
Mohabbatein (2000) .... Megha ... aka Love Stories (Europe: English title)
Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke (2000) .... Sahiba Gareval
Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000) .... Preeti Vyas ... aka You Have My Heart (International: English title: informal title)
Josh (2000) .... Shirley
Kandukondain Kandukondain (2000) .... Meenakshi ... aka I Have Found It (International: English title) ... aka Priyuraalu Pilichindi (India: Telugu title: dubbed version)
Mela (2000) .... Champakali
Sanam Tere Hain Hum (2000) .... Special Appearance
Ravoyi Chandamama (1999) .... Special Appearance (Song) ... aka Shankar (India: Telugu title)
Taal (1999) .... Mansi ... aka Thaalam (India: Tamil title)
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) .... Nandini ... aka Straight from the Heart (International: English title)
Aa Ab Laut Chalen (1999) .... Pooja Walia ... aka Lets Go Back (International: English title)
Jeans (1998) .... Madhumitha/Vaishnavi
...Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya (1997) .... Ashi Kapoor
Iruvar (1997) .... Pushpa/Kalpana ... aka Iddaru (India: Telugu title: dubbed version) ... aka The Duo
Soundtrack:
Bride & Prejudice (2004) ("My Lips Are Waiting (a.k.a. Goa Groove)", "My Lips Are Waiting (reprise)") ... aka Balle Balle! Amritsar to L.A. (India: English title) (International: English title) ... aka Bride and Prejudice: The Bollywood Musical (International: English title: promotional title)
Thanks:
Bluffmaster! (2005) (special thanks)
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam (2002) (special thanks)
Self:
"Le grand journal de Canal+" .... Herself (3 episodes, 2008-2009) - Episode dated 14 May 2009 (2009) TV episode .... Herself - Episode dated 10 February 2009 (2009) TV episode .... Herself - Episode dated 15 May 2008 (2008) TV episode .... Herself
"The Tyra Banks Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 2009) - Beauty Across America (2009) TV episode .... Herself
IIFA 2007 Backstage (2008) (V) .... Herself
"The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" .... Herself (1 episode, 2007) - Episode #4.130 (2007) TV episode .... Herself
52nd Fair One Filmfare Awards (2007) (TV) .... Herself
Guru World Premiere in Toronto (2007) (TV) .... Herself
"Aspekte" .... Herself (1 episode, 2006)... aka Kulturbericht (West Germany) - Episode dated 29 September 2006 (2006) TV episode .... Herself
Bollywood Queens Vol. 2 (2006) (V) .... Herself/Various characters
"HARDtalk Extra" .... Herself (1 episode, 2005) - Aishwarya Rai (2005) TV episode .... Herself
"The Oprah Winfrey Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 2005)... aka Oprah (USA: short title) - Episode dated 24 April 2005 (2005) TV episode .... Herself
"Late Show with David Letterman" .... Herself - Guest (1 episode, 2005)... aka Late Show Backstage (USA: title for episodes with guest hosts) ... aka Letterman (Australia) ... aka The Late Show (USA: informal short title) - Episode #12.95 (2005) TV episode .... Herself - Guest
"Koffee with Karan" .... Herself - Guest (1 episode) - Episode #1.4 (????) TV episode .... Herself - Guest
Bollywood Remixed - Das indische Kino erobert den Westen (2004) .... Herself
From Bollywood to Hollywood: The Making of 'Bride and Prejudice' (2004) (V) .... Herself
"Tinseltown TV" .... Herself (1 episode, 2004) - Episode dated 7 February 2004 (2004) TV episode .... Herself
"60 Minutes" .... Herself (1 episode, 2004)... aka TV Land Legends: The 60 Minutes Interviews (USA: rerun title) - Episode dated 2 January 2004 (2004) TV episode .... Herself
"Comme au cinéma" .... Herself (1 episode, 2003)... aka Comme au cinéma: l'émission (France: long new title) ... aka Comme au cinéma: le magazine (France: long new title) - Episode dated 20 May 2003 (2003) TV episode .... Herself
Bollywood Sirens: Aishwarya's Greatest Hits (2003) (V) .... Herself
48th Manikchand Filmfare Awards 2002 (2003) (TV) .... Herself (Best Actress)
"Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai" .... Herself (1 episode, 2002) - Aishwarya Rai (2002) TV episode .... Herself
Bollywood im Alpenrausch (2000) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself
Archive Footage:
101 Sexiest Celebrity Bodies (2005) (TV) .... Herself - place #7
Pride and Prejudice Revisited (2005) (TV) (uncredited) .... Lalita Bakshi
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salman khan

Date of Birth27 December 1965, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Birth NameAbdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan
NicknameSallu Controversal Khan The Official Badshah Of Bollywood
Height5' 8" (1.73 m)
Mini Biography
Often known as Bollywood's Bad boy, his knack of walking into trouble has overshadowed people's perception of him as an actor. He may have been featured as the bad guy of the industry several times over. But many-a-common-man claims that this macho hunk has a heart made of pure gold.Born on December 27, 1965 Salman Khan is the son of the legendary writer Salim Khan, who penned many super-hits in the yesteryear's like Sholay, Deewar, and Don. Salman started his acting carrier in 1988 by doing a supporting role in the movie "Biwi Ho To Aisi". The following year he came up with his leading role in the box office romantic hit Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). From there he became the heart throb 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: We Stand United (1999), for killing protected wild animals and spent about a week behind the bars. The actor is facing trial in three cases of killing black bucks and chinkaras and another of illegal possession of arms. In September 2002, Salman 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 in those roguish behaviors he tried to balance his troubled life with his carrier. In 2003 he gave his emotionally charged performance as playing an obsessed lover in "Tere Naam" that translated into good reviews and a good run at the box office. He has 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 movie Phir 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 patient in today's world.IMDb Mini Biography By: The Old Fox {by_oldfox@yahoo.com}
Trade Mark
His dancing style
His Smile
Trivia
Arrested and jailed for poaching endangered wild animals after allegedly shooting a rare black antelope near Jodhpur. [12 October 1998]
Frequently gets rid of his T-Shirt in his films to show his muscles.
Hindi megastar
Arrested by police under the charge of having connection with underworld mafia. He was also questioned about Bharat S. Shah, a producer of Chori Chori Chupke Chupke (2001) since Shah has also been linked with underworld mafia. [2000]
One of the four Khans that ruled Bollywood from the 1990s onwards. The other three are Saif Ali Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan.
Son of Salim Khan, half of the famed Salim-Javed writing team.
Frequently visits sick children in hospitals, and also goes often to donate blood.
Exercises daily. Feels the day was incomplete without a workout.
Loves visiting London.
Was voted 7th best-looking man in the world by People Magazine.
Arrested for culpable homicide following the death of a man in a car accident in Bombay. Mr Khan was involved in an incident in which several homeless people were hit by a car in an area of north Bombay. The film star has been charged with "culpable homicide not amounting to murder". He also faces charges of drunk driving and not having a valid licence. If convicted, he could be jailed for up to 10 years. [October 2002]
Had a well publicised affair with Aishwarya Rai which lasted 2 years. Apparently his endless tantrums traumatized her enough to give a press conference in spring 2003 where she declared that she would never work with him again for personal reasons.
Was accused in another press conference in spring 2003 by Vivek Oberoi to have called the latter 41 times during one night and threatened him with death as well.
Brother of Sohail Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Alvira Khan and Arpita Khan.
Not only is he a health freak, he also loves to initiate people who aren't as health-conscious as himself into workouts. He forced co-star Anil Kapoor to work out at the gymnasium every day. While Saif Ali Khan and Hrithik Roshan are his early trainees.
His favorite actor is Sylvester Stallone.
Model turned actress Malaika Arora is his sister-in-law. Actor turned director Atul Agnihotri is his brother-in-law.
Best friends with Mithun Chakraborty, Amitabh Bachchan, Sunny Deol, Sanjay Dutt, Mohnish Bahl, Aamir Khan Hrithik Roshan, Govinda, Anil Kapoor, Abhishek Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Fardeen Khan, Ayesha Takia, David Dhawan, Karisma Kapoor, Diya Mirza, Farah Khan, Yash Tonk, Kareena Kapoor, Adnan Sami, Ajay Devgan, Akshay Kumar, Boney Kapoor, Sanjay Kapoor, Prabhu Deva, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Ranbir Kapoor, Sajid-Wajid, Dino Morea, Sushmita Sen and Preity Zinta.
He was an excellent swimmer in his school days and was even tipped for representing the country one day.
In his early days as a struggling actor he never used his father's name and influence like many other heroes with relatives in the industry. He used to visit producers on his own and audition for roles.
Always believes in giving newcomers a chance. So he spares time in between shots to listen to their script ideas and credits this to his memory of when he was a newcomer.
Has a mannequin of himself in Madam Tussaud's Museum in England. Along with Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai.
Has his own charitable organization known as Being Human Foundations.
All time favorite actress is Hema Malini.
Highest paid Bollywood Star.
Was the first Bollywood Star to work in the Hollywood film industry and his debut film was Marigold: An Adventure In India.
All time favorite actors are Dharmendra and Amitabh Bachchan.
Brother-in-law of Malaika Arora and Seema Sachdev Khan.
Was working as a model before he became a successful actor and television host.
Fond of BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Land Cruiser cars and owns a number of them including the latest models.
He is an excellent painter.
Father's name is Salim Khan, mother's name is Salma Khan and stepmother's name is Helen.
Personal Quotes
The only person I have hurt is myself.
For me acting, comes straight from the heart. In that sense I don't act at all. I think that to feel the character's pain I have to be myself. Somewhere audiences see that.
On his childhood problems and his father's second marriage to Helen: It was very difficult in the beginning, when everybody was talking about it. My mother just couldn't take it. It hurt her terribly. She used to worry all the time, go in to depression frequently. When she cried, we children used to cry with her.
In life go straight and turn right.
(From a TV-interview) I can get caught in many things but there is one thing I will never get caught in, and that is acting - because I don't act. On screen I am like I am in real life.

anil kapoor

Date of Birth24 December 1959, Chembur, Maharashtra, India
NicknameLakkhan
Height5' 11" (1.80 m)
Mini Biography
Living in a Chawl in Tilak Nagar, Punjabi-speaking Anil was born in 1959 to Surinder and Nirmal aka Suchitra Kapoor. He has an elder brother, Boney, a sister, Reena, and a younger brother, Sanjay. His dad used to be Shammi Kapoor's Secretary.A loner, without many friends, he studied in the nearby O.L.P.S. (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor) School, and was an ardent fan of Bollywood flicks that were telecast during the Ganesh Maha Ustav every year. He was a fan of Raj Kapoor, and it was this that influenced his acting, and people saw him as a mimic of the legendary showman. He landed a role as a child artiste with Shashi Kapoor in the lead, but the movie (Tu Payal Main Geet) was never released.After school, he went to study in St. Xaviers College. He commuted by bus and train from Chembur to Bombay V.T., and the walked the rest of the way. It was here that he met Mazhar Khan. A distracted Anil was kicked out of College in the second year due to his lack of presence. His attempts to join the Pune Film Institute were in vain, as he failed in the written examination. He then decided to join Roshan Taneja's Acting school.He first appeared on the silver screen in Hamhare Tumhare in a character role. His first lead role was in 'Woh 7 Din' and from thence on there has been no looking back. He has acted in close to a 100 movies, and has 5 in production. He has produced two movies (Gandhi My Father & Badhaai Ho Badhaai), as well as been a Casting Director/Outdoor In charge for 'Hum Paanch'.Anil met wealthy and chic model, Sindhi-speaking Sunita Bhambhani, and married her in 1984. Since then they have given birth to 3 children, two daughters and a son. His eldest, Sonam, is ready to make her entry in Bollywood soon.IMDb Mini Biography By: rAjOo (gunwanti@hotmail.com)
Spouse
Sunita Bhambhani
(19 May 1984 - present) 3 children
Trivia
Brother of Sanjay Kapoor
National Award 2001 for his performance in Pukar (2000).
Brother-in-law of actress Sridevi. Used to live in Chembur, Bombay.
Brother of Boney Kapoor, the Kapoor family used to live in Maitri Colony, Chembur, Bombay, Maharashtra, India.
Son of film producer Surinder Kapoor
He is the director of Asian Academy of film and television film city noida which conducts film degree programs and is rated as top 10 in the world
Daughter's name is Sonam Kapoor. She is made her debut in 'Sanjay Leela Bhansali''s Saawariya with Ranbir Kapoor as her co-star.
Anil Kapoor shaved-off his mustache while filming 'Lamhe' (1991). As of 2007, it remains the only film where Anil can be seen without a mustache.
Personal Quotes
Instead of focusing on my looks I focus on the character that I am playing.

sharukh khan

NicknameKing Khan SRK The Badshah of Bollywood The Tom Cruise of India Shahrukh The King Of Romance The King of Bollywood
Height5' 8" (1.73 m)
Mini Biography
Shahrukh Khan was born on 2nd November 1965. He was brought up in Delhi. He has a sister named Shehnaaz, Wife Gauri Khan, And a dog Named Chewbacca. Shah Rukh Khan has won several awards for his outstanding performance in Darr (1993), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Right now he is the top most actor in the India. His recent hit Baadshah (1999) has also earned many praises. His latest hits are Chak De! India (2007), and Om Shanti Om (2007).IMDb Mini Biography By: rajju, rajju@email.com
Mini Biography
Shahrukh started his career on a TV serial called "Fauji" (1988), that won him instant recognition. He also acted in another TV soap called "Circus" (1989). He was born and raised in Delhi, and he was equally brilliant in studies and sports. Fell in love with a girl called Gauri Chibba who was then studying in Loreto Delhi. He later married her before he got his break in Bollywood. Currently, he is the most sought after actor in India. Has a son called Aryan Khan and a daughter named Suhana Khan.IMDb Mini Biography By: Phoebe
Mini Biography
There is not a dot in Bollywood that does not carry Shahrukh Khan's name. He was born on 2 November 1965 in New Delhi, India. He married Gauri Khan on 25 October 1991. They have two children, son Aryan Khan (b. 1997) and daughter Suhana (b. 2000). Khan started out his career appearing in several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut with the commercially successful Deewana (1992). Since then, he has been part of numerous commercial successes, as well as having delivered a variety of critically acclaimed performances. During his years in the Indian film industry, he has won seven Film Fare Best actor awards and has had significant box office success. Some of his films includes: Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993), Anjaam (1994), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Om Shanti om (2007), Chak De India (2007) among others.IMDb Mini Biography By: gavin (gunmasterM@hotmail.com)
Spouse
Gauri Khan
(25 October 1991 - present) 2 children
Trade Mark
His Dimples
His Smile
Trivia
Studied in St. Columba's school, New Delhi, where he was awarded the 'Sword of Honor', essentially the award for best student.
Although his birth name is spelled Shahrukh, he prefers and signs his name as Shah Rukh.
Hindi megastar
Number one Indian star actor in the 1990s, but is now (2000) seriously challenged by the new wonder boy Hrithik Roshan who has become the number one phenomenon in India at the start of the new millenium.
Father of Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan.
2 children with Gauri, Aryan and Suhana
He agreed to star in Aditya Chopra's films without looking at the script first.
One of the four Khans that ruled Bollywood in the 1990s till now (2000's). The other three are Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Aamir Khan.
Formed a popular screen couple with Kajol and Juhi Chawla.
Runs a production company "Dreamz Unlimited" with actress, friend, co-star Juhi Chawla and director, friend Aziz Mirza.
Married to Gauri Khan
Named one of Time Magazine's 20 Asian Heroes under 40 (2004)
His son, Aryan Khan, portrayed SRK as an infant in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001).
Son, Aryan Khan, voice of Tez Lajawaab (Dash), character for Hindi dubbed version of Disney's animated film, The Incredibles (Hum Hain Lajawaab).
Shah Rukh and his wife, Gauri Khan, own the production company "Red Chilies Entertainments", which Shah Rukh started for friend and colleague, director/choreographer Farah Khan, for her debut directorial film - Main Hoon Na (2004).
Purchased a villa on a man made island on the coast of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
#74 on E!'s 101 Hottest Celebrity Bodies Countdown (aired January 2006)
Was not very good at Hindi in school, until his mother promised to take him to the cinema if he passed. As he loved films,he got top marks from then on.
His father ran a transport company and his mother was a magistrate.
Gets along very well with former co-stars Juhi Chawla and Preity Zinta.
Loves computer games, video games and hi-tech gadgets.
His first name "Shahrukh" means "face of the king".
Resides in a mansion called Mannat in Mumbai, India.
Being a Muslim man married to a Hindu woman, he and his wife combine both religious backgrounds into their children's education.
His parents died before he entered movies. Shahrukh considers it a big regret that they couldn't see what their son was to become.
Has a mannequin of himself in Madam Tussaud's Museum in England. Along with Amitabh Bachchan , Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai.
He has a dog called Chewbacca.
He has an elder sister named Shehnaz Lalarukh.
Father is Meer Mohammad Taj Khan, mother is Lateef Fatima Khan.
Fond of BMW cars and owns a number of them including the latest models.
His favorite drink is Pepsi Cola.
Best friends with Sanjay Dutt, Aamir Khan, Vivek Vaswani, Saif Ali Khan, Arbaaz Khan, Hrithik Roshan and his wife Sussane Khan Roshan, Vivek Oberoi, Juhi Chawla and her husband Jai Metha, Rani Mukherjee, Karan Johar, Sajid Khan, Jackie Shroff, Anil Kapoor, Farah Khan, Kajol, Malaika Arora , Chunky Pandey and his wife and Mushtaq Sheikh.
Younger brother of Shehnaz Lalarukh.
His favorite food is Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Thikka.
Suffers from back, knee and neck problems.
Firmly insists and had promised himself that he would never kiss on the lips of any of his female co-stars after he had done the movie Maya Memsaab.
Launched Deepika Padukone's career in Bollywood.
His Father Meer Mohammed Taj Khan died of Cancer in 1981 and his Mother Lateef Fatima Khan died of complications in Diabetes in 1991.
He has been awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) award by the French government for his Exceptional Career.
Launched his perfume "SK" with the French perfumers and Jeannes Arthes.
The reason why Khan took up Mass Communications (film making) is because he loved Television commercials.
Had Graduated from Hansraj College, Delhi University and followed it up with a Masters Degree in Mass Communications (Film making) from Jamiya Milia Islamiya University, in New Delhi, but after a year Shah Rukh opted out as he had to make his acting career in Bollywood.
He had captained all teams in football, cricket and hockey and even played cricket at Zone and National level.
At school he was an ace in Hindi, Electronics and Biology but wasn't good at all in Mathematics.
His debut film was Dil Aashna Hai but due to the delay in the release of the film Deewana was considered as his debut film.
His acting career in Bollywood was launched by his friend Vivek Vaswani and Hema Malini.
Is very scared of riding horses.
Was not at all interested to act in Bollywood films but then he had decided to act in films to secure his families future and earn a lot of money.
Knew Manoj Bajpai as they both studied acting in the same theatre group with Barry John.
For a short span of time Shahrukh ran a restaurant in Dariya Ganj in New Delhi, India.
SRK joined Barry John's theatre group in New Delhi and learned acting from him, Barry John also taught acting to Manoj Bajpai in his theatre group.
Owns three Production Houses in India, Dreamz Unlimited, Red Chillies Entertainment and Red Chillies Idiot Box. Red Chillies Idiot Box Production house will start producing Television Serials in India.
Has started producing Television Serials in India.
Turned down the Quiz Master's (Prem Kapoor) role in Slumdog Millionaire and the role went to Anil Kapoor.
Owns a VFX company, Red Chillies VFX.
Personal Quotes
(December 2001, about Hrithik Roshan): I wish I looked as good as he does. And I wish I danced as well as he does!
Yes, I do have a close circle of friends and I am very fortunate to have them as friends. I feel very close to them I think friends are everything in life after your family. You come across lots of people all the time but you only make very few friends and you have to be true to them otherwise what's the point in life?
I'd rather sink trying to be different, than stay afloat like everyone else
I cannot repay my fans for what they have done for me, they have given me so much love and that love has taken me to the number 1 position where I am today, the only thing I can do for my fans is to never stop working, and to do films till the very end, it is the only way I can express my love for them.
To me, Devdas is the end of love stories. I've portrayed an obsessed lover, a nice lover, an angry lover, a romantic lover. And now I've played Devdas. For someone who doesn't even like love stories, I've played an awful lot of lovers. Personally speaking, I wouldn't see any of the romantic films I've acted in.
I'm the luckiest man in the world and I don't want to hide from the faces I'm acting for. So I don't surround myself with guards, I've never given an interview in which I've said I feel bad that I can't go shopping or I can't go to Chowpatty and eat bhelpuri without being mobbed. I'm not the kind of guy who goes out wearing dark glasses (I don't think I'm a big enough star to hide behind them, honest). I go to see movies in the cinema theatres, I go to restaurants with my family and friends even though I know people are going to disturb me there.
God has become a generic term like `mind blowing.' It is embarrassing. I would have said that to Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar. I used to tell them I want to stand in the same space as you. I've told Kamal Haasan, I just want to touch you. They are the gods of acting. When people call me God, I say, no, I'm still an angel or saint of acting. I still have a long way to go.
(August 2004): Awards that ignore me are losers.
(August 2004): I'm try-sexual. I try anything that's sexual.
(August 2004): I have no competition. Every year the names I'm pitted against keep changing. You can't cream the competition, you have to kill it.
I keep hearing that our films are escapist and unreal but I find our films the most real in the world. We don't have people going up in a rocket and single-handedly blowing up a meteor. We don't have a president on Air Force One saving the world or things coming out of people's stomachs. Our fantasies and escapism are real. It's just people singing and dancing in the street. If England had won the World Cup you would have seen people singing and dancing like that.
I don't like wearing dark glasses. I'm happy with the fact that people know me. I want people to scream and shout at me, I want people to trouble me when I'm having lunch, I like six bodyguards around me. I love being a star. I find it very strange when people who are famous say they don't want to be photographed. I don't want to be photographed first thing in the morning, I don't want people peeping into my bedroom, but besides that, it's a wonderful life.
"I haven't given up smoking. I'm very clear about it, it's a personal choice. I want to cut down on it. It shouldn't be made into an issue to say, damn good or damn bad. Whether I give it up or not shouldn't be an issue." (Movie Mag, May 2006)
"I was supposed to have done Rang De Basanti (2006), the guy on the motorbike. I didn't have the dates. They were shooting in Delhi and the dates were clashing with Paheli." (Movie Mag, May 2006)
"It's not like Steven Spielberg is waiting with a script for me. I don't think I'll ever be offered a great international film in my lifetime, so I'd rather be a king here. Moreover, Indian cinema is the greatest in the world. But of course, after spending three months in LA, London, and New York I found that our cinema is a little exaggerated. To make a mark in the West we have to reach their level without losing our identity, culture or songs. I don't want to star in a Hollywood film, but want to make a film that crosses over universally." (Movie Mag, May 2006)
On trying to get Paheli (2005) an Oscar nomination: "There's a misreport here about our lobbying at the Oscars. The understanding that we have of the Oscars is very different from how it really is. Because Indian film, foreign films are not known, you're supposed to hire a PR company which we did. It's not as if you just go there, show your films, lobby and talk to them. You're not allowed to lobby as in you're not allowed to meet the Academy members, talk to them or even make a call to them. You just keep advertising in the 'For Consideration For Oscars' category. We took out full page ads in papers like Variety and Hollywood Reporter. The only good thing we did was that we advertised very frequently, it was promoted on the same scale as the biggest of films. We did it because we could afford it." (Movie Mag, May 2006)
"I felt Asoka (2001) should have been chosen for the Oscars. We had worked towards that. We had these international distributors for it. We were the first to actually release an Indian film internationally in traditionally non-Indian theaters. We spent a lot of money and lost a lot of money too. We were the first to put up boardings in London, in tube stations. We did speak to everyone who was anyone here, wondering if Asoka could go to the Oscars. But the one that got chosen was Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) which was even better. So we had no complaints. After that I didn't make any film for the foreign market." (Movie Mag, May 2006)
You must respect your seniors, bu never get intimidated by them. Winning should be a habit, not an option. The four Hs are important when you play to win --- honesty, humor, hard work and a bit of haraamipan.
I don't look at the figures that my movies make. The only figures I look at are girl's figures. (When asked to comment on what he felt about the figures his movies gross.)
Whenever I fail as a father or husband... a toy and a diamond always works.
If I talk to a girl, it's assumed that I'm having a scene with her. If I don't, then it's assumed that I'm gay.
I don't kiss on screen. Period.
There are only two Khans. Ghenghis Khan and Shahrukh Khan
Sex is not required to sell my film. My name is enough.
You never win the silver, you only lose the gold.
I am very shy. If I am flying British Airways and the air hostess asks me two questions, and I don't understand her accent - I will go hungry for the entire flight.
The dream I chased, took me on a journey. A journey more rewarding then the goals, the achievements. When I look back it's like facing a million mirrors. Each reflection opens a window. A window to the world I've just discovered. The world I want to share with all of you.
If I am a role model, I must be the worst one in the world.
I've never had a girl make a pass at me.
Togetherness, passion, laughter, faith, trust and jealousy are the essential ingredients of love.
The collar-bone is my favorite part of the human body.
If asking me whether sleeping with X or Y gives the media pleasure, then so be it. It's a small price to pay.
Where Are They Now
(September 2004) He is doing a world wide concert with Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Arjun Rampal, and Priyanka Chopra.
(June 2009) Shooting for My Name is Khan in San Fransisco.

katreena kaif

Interview of Katrina Kaif
Katrina is the latest feeling in Bollywood. She plays a model in Kaizad Gustad's 'Boom'. Though the movie was panned by the critics and shunned by the audiences, it did declare that Katrina is here to stay. Katrina newly declared that being part of 'Boom' was a mistake. Katrina talks at length about her personal and professional life with us.
Expert comments from the interview:
Tell us Katrina recently you had said that you were not happy by the way you were portrayed in 'Boom'?Yes, when I signed the film I didn't know about the Indian culture and custom. I didn't know anything about picture making and the Indian film industry. I did not understand the repercussions of doing such a film. In UK exposing kissing and stuff is all right but no way can this be accepted here. I realized that your first film sets an image in the eyes of filmmakers and the audience. And it is definitely not the role that I want to be seen in.
But then why did you accept the film offer. You knew that as a model in the film you will be required to expose and wear skimpy outfits?As I told you sensational is pretty much accepted in the English culture. They are used to watching models in bikinis or wearing skimpy clothes on the ramp. When the film was offered to me I was living in England. It looked so much real then. The movie was in English. As the script went along, there were changes. like any other professional, I just went about doing my work. I was not aware of the Indian culture and civilization then.
So how was it working with Amitabh Bachchan and Jackie Shroff? It was great. I worked with Amitabh for a only some days and he was a thorough gentleman. I must speak that Amitabh does have this natural presence which you feel whenever he walks into a room. It was nice working with Jackie Shroff too.
It was reported that due to your liaison with Salman Khan and because of your diction, you were thrown out of Mukesh Bhatt's film Saaya?Firstly 'thrown out' is not a word I'd like to use in this situation. It was director Anurag Basu's decision to not have me in the cast of the film. I'm sure he had his reasons to do so. I really don't know. But neither my diction, nor Salman is the reason why I was not a part of the film. Mukesh and Mahesh Bhatt are reasonable people who wouldn't sign (or not sign) actors based on such issues. I don't think anyone can throw an actor out of a film because of his or her personal life. I fail to realize what is my skill to act (or not act) got to do with whom I'm seeing in my personal life? To top it all, I'm not even seeing Salman Khan.
What film assignments do you have on hand?I am gathering producers and filmmakers and the negotiations are on. I've refused a few offers too because I was not happy with the banner. Right now I have just got to study about the Indian culture and Indian cinema and firstly I would like to adapt myself to it. I am taking this month off from work so that I can learn the Hindi language. I'm learning dance too.
Is there any truth in the rumours about you and Salman Khan?I don't desire to say anything on this topic. I'm here to model. I'm here to work in films. I have completed my stand clear on that. If I divert these questions what will come in print will look something larger than life. And I don't what that to happen. I don't want make any comments.
Okay, generally speaking, what kind of guys do you like?I know it sounds stupid but someone who is truthful and responsible. I am a very touching and loyal person. Thus the man in my life should be reliable and trust worthy. I want to be able to look into their eyes and know that I can rely on them. To be honest I've only ever had one boyfriend so I'm obviously not in any rush.