Best Indian Actors of all Time - 100 years - 1913-2013 - in order
The ranking has been provided with due regards to their verstality in acting and playing different characters , the genres of films they have done , their involvement in selection of tunes for the songs picturised on them and how much of their films were really good in content irrespective of box office result and those which were box office success solely due to the lead actor's awesome performance. Some of the actors have done over-acting too in few films in their careers and have repeatedly done same type of roles in a number of their hit films and their hits have been mostly multi star cast films in their age of 30-50 - such actors have been placed in lower order.
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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.Rajesh Khanna is the first Indian actor for whom the word "Superstar" was coined for and thus is referred to as the First Superstar of Indian Cinema and also of Hindi Film Industry.Rajesh Khanna has done 180 films - 12 short films and 168 feature films. 168 films includes106 films had him as the solo hero and did only 22 multi starrers. Excluding the 9 unreleased films and 24 mere special appearances and 7 crucial special appearances ,Off the films having him as the lead hero ie.117 released films ( 21 multi star films and 106 (98 released)solo hero projects)91 of them were box office superhits.
Rajesh Khanna holds the record for consecutive 15 solo hero superhits in the period 1969-1971 and also has done BOTH the maximum critically acclaimed movies and more solo hero projects in comparison to his contemporaries till 1991 and in comparison to other actors of other eras in the age bracket of 24-55. He has had minimum of atleast 2 releases each year from 1967-1991 with him as the lead hero and did not allow himself to be typecasted with same genre of films or characters even after getting the superstar status and acquiring romantic image.When compared to other stars who subsequently got superstar status, it can be seen that he was the most Versatile Superstar of Indian Cinema.His tally of giving 17 successive superhits is a world record and an unbroken record in Indian film industry by itself.
Rajesh Khanna gave minimmum of 2 superhit films from 1968-1977 and 1979-1987.He did most of verstaile roles from his age of 24-55 itself.He left films in 1991 to join politics and later on did 3 serials and occasionally accepted film offers.
He has played variety of characters as the lead hero - as a postman in Palkon Ki Chaon Mein, as a psychopath and woman hater in Redrose, as a rickshaw puller who sacrifices his own happiness to educate a girl in Babu, as an advocate who believes in ideology that his duty is to defend the client irrespective of whether his client is the real culprit in Awaaz, as an old man who helps an old woman who is suffering a lot in her life in Amrit, as an handicapped Inspector who motivates 3 other woman and with their help gets the traitors of the country killed and arrested, as an psychiatrist who solves the problem of his client in Phir Wohi Raat , as a widowed father in search of a mother for his daughter in Agar Tum Na Hote, as a lawyer who proves that his senior has committed a rape 25 years earlier in Kudrat, as the rich arrogant man in Dhanwan , as a corrupt politician in Aaj Ka MLA Ram Avtaar , as a young musician who after becoming a widow remarries only to find that his first wife is alive and the trauma he undergoes having married two women in Asha Jyoti , as a righteous farmer in Bandhan, as a village boy who regards his sister in law as his mother in Aanchal , as a responsible young brother and college student in Do Raaste , as a rich man who becomes an accident victim and looses his memory and becomes a fisherman in Prem Bandhan, a rich industrialist in search of love in Premnagar, a revolutionary patriot who is tornapart by love and policeman like in Prem Khanai etc...
Rajesh Khanna has done the least number of multi star films in comparison to his contemporaries like Shashi Kapoor and Jeetendra(who did number of entertaining films),Dharmendra(who did action or comedy films),Amitabh Bachchan(who from 1975-1984 when he was successful in box office kept doing angry young man roles the most and majority of his hits were multi star films and in period 1984-1998 has very less films as hits to his credit as a hero).
Rajesh Khanna accepted roles of different kinds and since the start of his career itself even after gaining the Superstar status even though he had acquired romantic image since Aradhana and even in the multistar film era from 1975 till 1991 he kept doing films of different genres romantic, suspense, horror, action, political, social, fantasy,comedy , suspense , adventurous films with him as the solo hero of the project and each of the hits were critically acclaimed.
In fact even before the films with lower class frontbench class Hindi lingo became common scenario in movies with dialogoues like Bachpanse aajtak , he played the role of a con man in Mahachor(1976) and after films with this same plot got repeated with other stars like Mithun and Amitabh and later Govinda, he never accepted such roles. He occasionally accepted multi star films and even in those he had the main central character – the films were Ashanti, Kudrat and Dil E Nadaan and did three commercial potboilers with childhood and college friend Jeetendra - Dharam Kanta, Nishaan and Maqsad and with Rajnikanth in Bewafai and Zamana with Rishi Kapoor - all of which were blockbusters.
In the films he acted as the solo lead hero, other actors who were by themselves a star acted in supporting roles in his films with Khanna overpowering them in performance and footage in the movie – like Vinod Khanna in Aan Milo Sajna , Sachcha Jhuta , Kudrat and Rajput, Dharmendra in Khamoshi Dharam Aur Kanoon (In Rajput ,Dharam did share equal footage as Khanna), Amitabh Bachchan in Aanand and Namak Haram( Amitabh became a star only in 1973 although and has supporting roles only in these films), Raj Kapoor in Naukri, Vinod Mehra in Amar Prem, Anurodh, Chakravyuha and Amardeep , Shashi Kapoor in Prem Kahani and Alag Alag , Sanjeev Kumar in Aap Ki Kasam and Bandhan , Raajkumar in Kudrat and Dharam Aur Kanta and Amol Palekar in Aanchal. Also Khanna never had a problem in sharing space with his seniors like Ashok Kumar , Om Prakash and Pran.
Khanna enjoyed 100% box office success ratio with Mumtaz as all the consecutive eight films of the pair were superhits. Khanna formed legendary on-screen hit pairs with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh , Mumtaz ,Hema Malini, Tina Munim , Smita Patil , Shabana Azmi and Poonam Dhillon. The actress with whom Rajesh Khanna has done maximum films(ie.15 movies) is with Hema Malini and they had together ten classic box office superhits namely Andaaz, Premnagar, Bandish, Dard , Kudrat, Rajput, Hum Dono, Babu, special appearances of Khanna in Durga, Sitapur Ki Geeta both which were woman oriented films and rest like Vijay were not a success in the box office although Janata Hawaldaar, Palkon Ki Chaon Me,Mehbooba are regarded as classic films which flopped unexpectedly and undeservingly flopped. His pairing with Tina Munim was hugely popular among the audience in the eighties both on and offscreen with Fiffty Fiffty , Souten , Bewafai , Adhikar becoming hugely successful and Insaaf Main Karoonga being a average grosser and the musical Alag Alag produced by Khanna himself.His pairing with Sharmila was artistically satisfying for him with Aradhana, Safar ,Chhoti Bahu , Amar Prem, Daag , Aavishkar as blockbusters to the credit of the pair and Tyaag as another classic under their belt. Poonam Dhillon was paired with Khanna in the eighties hits like Nishaan, Dard , Zamana and Awam and the unexpected box office dud Redrose. Asha Parekh had the musical hits like Baharoan Ke Sapne, Aan Milo Sajna, Kati Patang and Dharm Aur Qanoon with Khanna. Its not that Khanna did not taste success with other heroines but his chemistry and pairing with these specific heroines resulted in blockbusters more often. Even opposite Zeenat Aman, Khanna has Ajnabee and Chhailla Babu as superhits and Jaanwar as semi hit.The pair Rajesh Khanna- Shabana Azmi also gave box office hits like Karm, Amar Deep, Thodisi Bewafaii, Ashanti, Avtaar and Aaj Ka M.L.A. Ram Avtar and average grosser Nasihat and with Smita Patil ,Khanna had Dil E Nadan , Akhir Kyun, Angaarey, Nazrana, Amrit as superhits ie commercial successes and Anokha Rishta too was a classic ahead of its time. In the mid eighties Khanna delivered superhits with Sridevi like potboiler Maqsad, critically acclaimed Naya Kadam, Masterji and Nazrana.
Another quality of Khanna was that he had terrific music sense and used to sit with the music directors for selection of tunes for his films.This is the reason that all music directors gave very nice music score for his films. His best friends were R.D.Burman and Kishore Kumar and has done 40 films with Pancham.The three stood by eachother through eachother’s bad period in the industry.
Some of the films which are regarded as classics but were dud at the time of its release include the reincarnation drama Mehbooba,
the fantasy films Bundalbaaz and Naukri, the social film like Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein and Janata Havaldar and the suspense film Chakravyuha, the unusual love stories like Aakhri Khat, Raaz , Maalik. and the Redrose whose Tamil original version saw the lead actor getting awards and becoming a blockbuster of the year and biographical story Khudai based on Guru Dutt’s life and social dramas like Awara Baap, Aaina and Ghar Parivaar.
Aakhri Khat is the debut film of Rajesh Khanna.This film is admired at as much before the film Baby's Day Out was made in Hollywood,Chetan Anand directed this film in 1966. Even the debut film of Khanna is considered as classic and having made such an unconventional debut at such an young age, he showed how different he is as an actor from the rest of the industry.This film was followed by Raaz which was again very much ahead of its times as Raaz 1967 was a film about a person of African origin coming to a village in India which he has seen in his dreams quite often and where he finds that his lookalike had been killed.These films - Raaz, Akhri Khat and Aurat became 3 consecutive hits and regarded as classics.
The critics had taken note of his acting skills in the films Raaz and Akhri Khat already but Khanna did not become a big star with these 2 films.Rajesh Khanna got noticed by larger section of audience in the films Aurat , where Khanna played the younger brother of the main lead heroine of the film ,Padmini and in Baharoan Ke Sapne where Khanna played the role of an unemployed youth opposite Asha Parekh .Khanna tasted star stauts for the first time in box office with the musical Baharon Ke Sapne when ending had to be changed as per public demand and crtically acclaimed box office superhit Aurat and it was at this time The star Rajesh Khanna was born.After the release of Aradhana, he got the status of Superstar of Indian film industry (not just Hindi Cinema).
The double role films which Khanna acted in were not just run off the mill films or masala entertainers or based on some formula but each character was different from the other. The films in which he had a double role includes Hum Dono which was a comedy film with him playing a doctor and a poor man , Sachcha Jhuta (his first double role film) where he played the smuggler and the band master , Dard where he played the double role of father who is a prisoner convicted of a crime and a son who is a lawyer, Kudrat where he played an innocent lover and as an intelligent advocate and in Dharam Aur Kanoon where he plays the young man convicted of an offence and the father who is the judge.He did 12 double role films.
In the period 1976-1978 when his well made films with good music and story line were flopping,the few hits he had were Maha Chor, Karm, Chhailla Babu, Anurodh and Hatyara(which had Khanna in Special appearance).Among these Anurodh and Chhailla Babu are both popular superhit films of this period.
There are many actors, who while lip syncing a song, do not do justice to the singer and the song.But Rajesh Khanna used to make the facial expressions and display of the veins in neck in such a way as if he himself has the voice of Kishore Kumar in reality.
Kishore Kumar himself after becoming a successful singer gave credit to Khanna as the person due to whom he became popular and started getting more songs to sing. For this reason Kishore sang for home productions of Khanna like Alag Alag free of cost.Kishore sang for Khanna in 91 films.
The year 1985 saw seven films off the eleven with Rajesh Khanna as the solo lead hero declared box office super-hits which were Hum Dono, Bewafai, Masterji, Babu, Akhir Kyun, Zamana and Insaaf Main Karoonga and Durgaa had him in special extended appearance became a big hit too.The year 1985 saw eleven films releasing with Rajesh Khanna in the lead role as the hero, of which 8 were declared box office super-hits. Bayen Hath Ka Khel was not released. All over India as Khanna's films ate up box office collections of each other.
Since Rajesh Khanna was busy with so many films (each year he had minimum of three films for release from 1968-1991) he declined Mohan Kumar's Amir Garib in 1974 and Mohan Kumar was dejected but Khanna told Mohan that they would definitely work in say one or two years.Then Mohan Kumar offered the role to Devanand and the film became a big hit. Then only after 11 years Mohan Kumar got a script worth of Rajesh Khanna and offered Khanna Avtaar followed by Amrit.
Rajesh Khanna was offered Mr. India by Boney Kapoor and Shekhar Kapoor first, but he rejected after going through the script because he felt invinsible factor would be the main hero and not him and so a superstar of his calibre will be missing from the screen most of the time.Rajesh Khanna was the first choice of Yash Chopra for the lead role in Deewar but Salim Javed insisted that he take Amitabh for the film.Some of the projects which Rajesh Khanna had to reject because of being busy in other projects include Amir Garib, Paraya Dhan, Amanush, Savera, Meri Aawaz Suno, Palay Khan, Aaj Ki Awaaz, Aankh Micholi.- Actor
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Tamil superstar from a poor family in Tamil Nadu, India. His father worked on the railways.
On the day of his birth his father, Chiniah Pillai, follower of Mahatma Gandhi, was jailed for participating in the Independence movement in Nellikuppam (Tamil Nadu, India). He was frequently in and out of jail, and was raised by his mother, Rajamani Ammal.
He joined theatre groups when he was young. He earned his screen name 'Sivaji' after acting in C.N. Annadurai's play 'Sivaji Kanda Indhu Rajyam', a historical play on the Maratha Emperor Shivaji.
He made his film debut in Parasakthi (1952) as Gunasekharan. He became an icon of the DMK party who made DMK films (founded by C.M. Annadurai).
He entered politics in the mid-50s where he joined the Congress party and then defected to support the opposition Janata Dal.
He is most well know for his mythological and patriotic portrayals, like in his most famous films like Karnan(mythological) and Veerapandiya Kattabomman (patriotic).
His main rival was MGR (M.G. Ramachandran) and together they dominated the Tamil film industry in the 1960s and 70s.- Harihar Jariwala a.k.a. Sanjeev Kumar was born in a Gujrati family in 1938. He portrayed many roles irrespective of the age or the type of chararcter. The actor ballooned in size in later years of his life due to the gastronomical pleasures he had inherited by sleeping in a kitchen while he was a child (which became the cause of his death in 1985 when he died of a heart ailment). Interestingly the actor was one of the very few who didn't have any competition within the industry. Sanjeev's notable performances were in films like Sholay, Parichay, Aandhi, Angoor and the Satyajit Ray masterpiece Shatranj Kay Khiladi.
- Actor
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Pran was one of the leading character actors of Indian cinema. He was born on 12 February,1920 at Delhi. Pran was educated at different places namely Kapurthala, Unnao, Meerut, Dehradun and Rampur as his father late Lala Kewal Krishnan Sikand was a Government Civil Contractor for the construction of roads and bridges. Pran started his career by learning photography in Lahore. A chance meeting with a film producer, got him his first break in 'Yamla Jat' in 1940.
Married in 1945 to Shukla, he had two sons Arvind and Sunil, and one daughter Pinky. At partition in 1947, Pran came to Mumbai and restarted his film career after a brief struggle. He acted in over 400 films in a variety of roles. As a villain, in films like 'Ram Aur Shyam' people shuddered with fear and hated him, and yet loved him as the good, unforgettable 'Mangal chacha' in 'Upkar'. He went on to star in films with the leading actors of various decades from Raj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Dev Anand, Rajendra Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra to Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Deol and Salman Khan. He was among the highest paid and most sought after character actors of his time, starring in some of the biggest and most acclaimed films of all time.
Being a sports lover and a good sportsmen he had his own football team "Dynamos Football Club" which he financed for a number of years in the fifties. Along with his film career he had been engaged in a number of Social activities, including the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Maratha Sikshan Sanatha, Film Industry Welfare Trust. He had organised charity events and cricket matches, as well as the 'Hope 86' and 'Hope 87' shows for the needy people in the film industry.
Under the patronage of the Late, His Excellency Nawab Ali Yawar Jung, Pran presented a number of charity shows for the refugees of Bangladesh and for the deaf and dumb.
In an illustrious career of over six decades, Pran was bestowed with many awards including 4 Filmfare Awards, Villain of the Millennium honour from Stardust, Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award from the Government of India in 2000 and the DadaSaheb Phalke Award for Lifetime Achievement (highest honour for cinema in India) from the Government of India in 2012. He died on 12 July 2013 at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness in Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital.- Actor
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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
- Music Department
The Grandfather & Great Custodian of Indian Motion Pictures!
Ashok Kumar was one of India's most famous actors for over half a century, from before independence to the cusp of the new millennia!
As a young assistant to Bengali film-maker Himanshu Rai, he got his start in acting by accident when he volunteered to substitute for the lead actor, Jeevan Naya (1936), who fell ill before production on the film Achhut Kanya (1936) was to start. Kumar was terrified of acting in the first place, especially opposite lead actress Devika Rani, known as 'the dragon lady' for her smoking, drinking, cursing and legendary hot temper. After finishing shooting, Kumar continued with overseeing the process of the film with editing, mixing and processing. His unexpected acclaim to his role had him in demand for more acting roles, which he pursued in a few more 'Bombay Talkies' with Devika Rani.
His breakthrough performance was in Kismet (1943) which ran for three years in Bombay and Calcutta and was one of the first Hindi language mega-hits of India and gained him national fame through his charismatic performances and his talented singing. From then onwards, Kumar became a sought-after actor who appeared in over 200 Hindi and a few other Indian language films, playing romantic leads or threatening villains and making Rs.300-400 a month during the 1940s and 1950s.
Although his roles gradually decreased to supporting and minor parts as he got older and suffered more ill health, his popularity in India never diminished and he was often in demand for cameos and live convention appearances. From the 1990s to his death, he lived in a comfortable retirement in Bombay with a slew of Indian films to show for his work.- Actor
- Sound Department
Nagesh was born on 27 September 1933 in Dharapuram, Tamil Nadu, India. He was an actor, known for Nammavar (1994), Dasavatharam (2008) and Sahasa Veerudu Sagara Kanya (1996). He was married to Regina. He died on 31 January 2009 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Writer
M.R. Radha was born on 14 April 1907 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. He was an actor and writer, known for Raktha Kanneeru (2003), Pudhiya Paravai (1964) and Aananda Jothi (1963). He died on 17 September 1979 in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
S.V. Ranga Rao was born on 3 July 1918 in Nuziweedu, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Chadarangam (1967), Mayabazar (1957) and Bala Bharatam (1972). He was married to Leelavathi. He died on 18 July 1974 in Madras, India.- Actor
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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
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Balraj Sahni, born in Rawalpindi, British India (present-day Pakistan), was an acclaimed Indian film and stage actor. Known for his powerful and impactful performances, Balraj Sahni became a prominent figure in the golden era of Indian cinema.
Balraj Sahni initially pursued a career in the civil service but eventually found his true calling in acting. He became associated with the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), a leftist cultural organization, where he honed his skills and passion for acting. His association with IPTA marked the beginning of his journey in theater.
Balraj Sahni made his film debut in 1946 with the film "Insaaf," but he gained widespread recognition and acclaim for his role in the film "Do Bigha Zamin" (1953), directed by Bimal Roy. His portrayal of Shambhu Mahato, a poor farmer struggling to save his land, showcased his acting prowess and earned him accolades. The film won the International Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 1954.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Balraj Sahni delivered memorable performances in films such as "Kabuliwala" (1961), "Waqt" (1965), and "Neel Kamal" (1968). He often played roles that reflected the socio-economic realities of the time, and his ability to bring depth and authenticity to his characters set him apart as one of the finest actors in Indian cinema.
Balraj Sahni's filmography includes a diverse range of roles, from intense and dramatic characters to light-hearted and comedic ones. He collaborated with renowned filmmakers like Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, and Yash Chopra, leaving an indelible mark on Indian cinema.
Apart from his acting career, Balraj Sahni was also a noted writer and penned several books, including his autobiography "Meri Filmi Aatmakatha" (My Filmy Autobiography).
Balraj Sahni's contribution to Indian cinema was not only recognized within the industry but also by the government. He received the Padma Shri, one of the highest civilian awards in India, in 1969. Unfortunately, Balraj Sahni's life was cut short, and he passed away on April 13, 1973, leaving behind a legacy of remarkable performances and a lasting impact on Indian cinema.- Actor
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Born into a farmer's family, Rama Rao Taraka Nandamuri got his bachelors of arts degree and took a job with the government. Married to Nandamuri Basavatarakam, he began acting in films, his first being Mana Desam (1949), in which he played a police officer. His first movie as a hero was Palletoori Pilla (1950), which was a huge hit. His subsequent movies--Showkar (1950), Pathala Bhairavi (1951), Malliswari (1951) and Chandraharam (1953)--established him as the premier hero in the Telugu film industry. He acted in a mythological role as Lord Krishna for the first time in Mayabazar (1957) and acted in most of the major roles in "Ramayana" and "Mahabharatam", even in Tamil films. He acted in a total of 254 films, including some Tamil and Hindi films. He suffered some career reversals in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but came back with a bang in the late 1970s with some major hits like Adavi Ramudu (1977), Yamagola (1977), Vetagadu (1979). Some of his major hits in the early 1980s include Sardar Papa Rayudu (1980), Bobbili Puli (1982), Kondaveeti Simham (1981). He became the first superstar of the Telugu films a position which was held by Chiranjeevi till around 2001. An intensely emotional person, he also directed films, built a studio and produced films. He established the TeluguDesam party in 1982 and within a year became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh. He was an avid advocate of Telugu Pride and made sure his native state. He married Lakshmi Parvathi in 1993. He was re-elected by a landslide in 1994, but was ousted from power by an internal party coup in which his son-in-law and the present Chief Minister, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu, took over in 1995. He died less than six months later, in 1996 because of heart attack. His son Nandamuri Balakrishna is a famous actor in Telugu films. He is survived by six sons and three daughters.- Actor
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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
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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.- Actor
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Akkineni Nageswara Rao was born on 20 September 1923 in Venkataraghavapuram, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Meghasandesam (1983), Laila Majnu (1949) and Devadasu (1953). He was married to Annapurna Akkineni. He died on 22 January 2014 in Hyderabad, India.- Actor
- Music Department
Thilakan (born Surendranatha Thilakan) was a Malayalam film actor. Widely considered one of the greatest actors of Indian cinema, he was stubborn, uncompromising and very critical of the way lead actors worked in comparison to character actors. In a span of around 40 years, Thilakan handled a huge variety of roles, including negative portrayals. He is especially well known for his on screen father roles opposite Mohanlal, in movies like "Spadikam" (1995) and "Kireedam" (1989).- 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
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For Amrish Puri, it was virtually the 'Summer of 42'. The actor's long simmering affair with acting found culmination when he reached his early 40s. And while his dream of playing the hero may have been thwarted, he went on to become the most loved villains of all time. He was also an artiste who redefined the dynamics for character actors. If he wowed the critics with his rough-edged portrayals in the art films of Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani, he won over the masala movie buffs with his louder-than-life histrionics. Puri with his reverberating baritone, piercing glance and dramatized dialogue delivery was a formidable figure against the hero. His costumes were all about prolific imagination and his one-liners ranging from, 'Mogambo khush hua' to 'Dong kabhi wrong nahin hota' are now part of cinema glossary. Puri even went ahead and worked in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom and Richard Attenborough's Gandhi, only to return and endorse the diversity that is Bollywood.
But behind the tough facade was a genteel person. "Upright and a true karma-yogi," as son and marine navigator Rajeev Puri describes him. "People from all walks of life loved him - even the police and the politicians." Rajeev adds, "A decade after his demise, some film or the other of his is constantly playing on channels - out of the 350 he did, 200 were hits!" And when people till date come up to him requesting for a photograph because he's the famed Mogambo's (Puri's character in Mr India) son, Rajeev realizes that Mogambo truly is larger than life, in fact beyond it.
Puri graduated from the BM College in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Puri was a leader of the RSS youth wing there and that explains why he remained a stickler for discipline and punctuality. In the '50s, he moved to Mumbai and found a job with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). There he met my mother Urmila, a Konkani, and married her. His elder brothers Chaman Puri and Madan Puri were also actors. In fact, we lived with Madanji at Kings Circle for a few years before we shifted to our Santacruz home. Puri passion was acting. He worked during the day and in the evening did amateur theatre with Ebrahim Alkazi, Satyadev Dubey, Vijay Tendulkar and Girish Karnad among others. In fact, Satyadev Dubey and he began Hindi theatre in Mumbai with plays like Hayavadana and Yugati winning him much applause. He became well known as a stage character actor, which led to him doing ads and finally films in the early '70s.
Believe it or not, Amrish Puri wanted to become a Bollywood movie star, but failed a screen test in 1953. And what a failure it was! Mr. Puri, went on to become one of the most renowned and credible villains in the history of Indian cinema. His most memorable and often quoted role is the character of 'Mogambo' (with the catchphrase "Mogambo Khush Hua"). It is still remembered fondly from Mr. India (1987).
On the silver screen, the very first time we felt that times were changing was when dad went to Jaisalmer to shoot Reshma Aur Shera (1971). It was an Ajanta Arts film directed by Sunil Dutt. A lot of new actors were being featured - Raakhee, Amitabh Bachchan, Ranjeet. Puri brought home pictures of the shoot. Puri's son must have been around 12 then and was excited watching them.
Another film, which was to change his life was Girish Karnad's Kannada film Kaadu (1973) where he played the villainous village headman. Girish Karnad handed his Filmfare Best Director trophy to Amrish as a gesture of appreciation. He was then noticed by Shyam Benegal, who featured him in his films Manthan, Nishant and Bhumika through the '70s. He also became part of Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed films Party, Vijeta, Aakrosh and Ardh Satya. Dad had a flair for roles that betrayed authority and rode the crest of new wave cinema with his earthiness.
In 1980, director Bapu roped in dad to play Duryodhana in Boney Kapoor's Hum Paanch. Soon other filmmakers started offering him villainous roles in commercial films too. After Feroz Khan's Qurbani (1980) there was no looking back.
One film that took him to the acme of his career was Mr India (1987). As the part menacing part comical Mogambo, he won fans across audiences. Mogambo was a favorite with kids because he was a comic-strip like character. At every function he attended, dad was asked to say the Mogambo dialogue. First Amjad Khan as Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975) and later dad as Mogambo gave villainy a new status. He went on to become the highest paid villain. Earlier character actors were paid paltry sums as compared to the hero.
Puri's career spanned three decades and around 300 films. Among these his favorites remained Koyla, Vidhaata, Pardes, Chachi 420, Ghatak, Ghayal, Damini, Meri Jung and Saza-E-Kala Pani.
Off camera, his children remember their father as someone who was larger than life, someone who was strict but never unreasonable. Someone who urged us to speak the truth. He urged us to follow the three Ps - patience, perseverance and persistence.
Puri was realistic and that's why he insisted that his children seek a secure profession. He once told his son, "See, acting is my first love. I've been polishing my act for years. It took me long to establish myself. There's no need for you to be awed by the profession. You needn't risk your future. You must complete your education." That's why, I joined the Merchant Navy in 1978. I sailed for 11 years. It used to be fun watching his films on the ship.
As an actor he had a great ability to switch on and off. He was not fond of smoking, drinking or parties. His idols were Dilip Kumar, Motilal, Balraj Sahni and Amitabh Bachchan. He worked with Raj Kumar, Dilip saab, Amitji... he was like a student in front of them and had absolutely no ego. Also, a lot of youngsters began their careers with him like Ajay Devgan in Phool Aur Kaante and Shah Rukh Khan in Deewana. He was easy to work with except that he had no patience with people who didn't respect time.
Puri was particular about having nutritious food. He was largely vegetarian but enjoyed fish. He practiced yoga and was an early riser. He was one of the first members of Talwalkars gym in Mumbai. Also, he preserved his vocal chords. He stayed away from fried stuff. He'd just have a piece of sev puri when we insisted. Once he happened to shave off his hair for a Rakesh Kumar film. He was told his personality looked better that way. The bald look appealed to Steven Spielberg, who then offered him Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, where he played Mola Ram. Puri realized that with a shaved head, he could try different get ups. He was well-versed with the art of make-up and wigs. He knew the concentration of hair that a hairpiece for a 50-year-old character or a 60-year-old character would require. He also spent time with the tailors - in fact, directors often asked him to work on his costumes. He'd pick his own ties, bows, shirts for a role. He enjoyed observing people as he drove in his car. He'd keenly watch the hawaldar, the fit of his shirt, how worn out his shoes were which helped him play one in Gardish.
Puri loved watches. He owned all the possible brands. He was intrigued by its technology and the way each piece was assembled. Each time he'd go abroad, he'd visit a showroom and call me up excitedly, "Tikoo (my pet name) I've bought such a handsome looking watch!" Another fascination he had was for Mercedez Benz cars. He'd keep buying the latest editions. His family maintained his 1983 model in showroom condition.
Known for frequently portraying menacing, sadistic villains, Puri received a huge fan mail of around 50 to 60 letters a day. Some fans would constantly sit on the footpath outside our home to catch a glimpse of him. Women also wrote to him. Many were crazy about him. But he was not a young actor. By the time he got recognition he was 45. My mom did feel possessive with all the attention being showered on him. But she understood. He was at an age where he knew what to absorb and what to keep away from. He was cautious. He did have shades of romance in his role opposite Farida Jalal in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. That subtle equation suited his age. His female co-stars liked him because he was protective about them. He'd check with the production guys whether they were comfortable or not. While he was being pampered, he wanted them to enjoy those facilities too. He was like a father figure to junior artistes too. He'd call up the producers who defaulted on their payments.
Once they were shooting at Amritsar railway station for Gadar - Ek Prem Katha. Huge crowds had gathered and there was so much noise that the shooting couldn't proceed. Sunny Deol wanted to leave. Dad took over and in his baritone said, "Allow us to do our work. I want pin drop silence!" There was a hush and the shooting resumed.
Shyam Benegal cast him in movies such as Nishant (1975), Bhumika (1977), and Manthan (1976). Yash Chopra cast him in Mashaal (1984), the same year that Steven Spielberg cast him in his best-known role outside of India, as Mola Ram in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). His elder brother is none other than Bollywood actor Madan Puri.
Guddu Dhanoa's Jaal The Trap for (2003) was shot in Himachal Pradesh. Unfortunately, Puri met with an accident there. He suffered serious injuries on his face and eye. He lost a lot of blood and consequently had to undergo blood transfusion. Something went wrong there because in the coming years, he developed a blood disorder (myelodysplastic syndrome). It began with weakness and reduced appetite. When he came to know about the fatality of his illness he was shaken. But he had an iron will. He wanted to project a strong side to the world. Puri knew that at age 72 there was little that he could repair and that he was ailing. Jo hona hai woh hoga - that was his stance.
Puri was keen to complete the projects on hand, even though he was in pain. His terminal illness was detected in September 2003 and by December 15, 2004, he had finished all his films - Kachchi Sadak, Mujhse Shaadi Kaoroge, Hulchul, Ksna and Aitraaz despite looking emaciated, pale, frail . He was at home for a brief period. But he didn't want to remain bedridden. When asked how he was feeling he'd just say, "Kal se behtar hoon." Then one day he had a fall at home and suffered a massive brain hemorrhage. He passed away in Mumbai on January 12, 2005 due to a brain hemorrhage
Puri had served as the President of Cine and TV Artistes Association for six years before his demise. As a mark of respect the industry remained shut for two days. The whole road from our house in Juhu to the electric crematorium at Shivaji Park was full with people. There were onlookers perched on trees and buildings.
As a tribute to him the Times Of India carried a piece, which was titled, "No guns only roses." People recall his famous dialogue in Pardes, "What's the bottom line?" Well, for me it would be never doing anything that would disappoint him.- Actor
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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
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Dr. Rajkumar was born in 1929 in Gajanur and brought up in a poor family. He only studied up to 3rd standard before he dropped out of school. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, a traveling actor who performed in various villages. He joined the Gubbi Veeranna drama company to play drama. There he met people like T.R. Narasimharaju, Nandamuri Balakrishna and G.V. Iyer, who co-starred with him in his first film, Bedara Kannappa (1954).
His three sons--Shivarajkumar, Raghavendra Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar--are all Kannada film actors. His other films have included Havina Hede (1981), Dashavtara (1960), Yarivanu? (1984), Kamana Billu (1983) and he had the lead role in Odahuttidavaru (1969). His last film was Shabdavedi (2000). After this movie he declared that he was about to act in another film, "Bhakta Ambareesha", but he suffered a mild heart attack, and decided to retire from acting altogether.- Actor
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Malayalam film actor Mammootty was born to Ismail (an agriculturist) and Fatima (a homemaker). He has two younger brothers Ibrahim and Zakariah; and three sisters, Ameena, Sauda and Shafina. He did his schooling in St.Joseph's Thevara, Maharaja's College and then studied law at Ernakulam Government Law College. It was during his days at Maharajah's that he got his first role as an extra (junior artist) in Anubhavangal Paalichakal in 1971. Along with Mohanlal, he is a top star in the Malayalam film industry of South India.- Actor
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Mohanlal was born to Viswanathan Nair (father) and Santhakumari (mother) in the Pathanamthitta district of Kerala, which is located in the southern part of India on the 21st May 1960. Starting his career with a classic villain role, he has now become an outstanding actor in Malayalam Cinema. Without a doubt, Mohanlal is today's one of the best actors India has ever produced. He is also rated as one of the most talented actors in India. His ranges of movies are enviable, his comedy roles are incomparable and his unique style of dialogue delivery is effortless. Not many actors can portray both comedy and serious roles with the same ease. And with all these rare talents he has received "Padma Shri" and "Padma Bhushan", the nation's highest civilian honors. He has also won 5 National Film Awards, including Best Actor twice for Bharatham (1991) and the highly acclaimed Vaanaprastham (1999), as well as numerous other awards and honors.
He has reached this position with his hard work and devotion to the movie industry. As far as his acting is concerned, it's been acknowledged many times that he's the most gifted actor in the Indian movie field.- Actor
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Known as one of the "big three" of South Indian Cinema of yesteryear (the other two being M.G. Ramchandran, and Sivaji Ganesan), Ramaswamy Ganesan had acted in several box-office hits between 1950 and 1978 as the lead hero. Born on November 16, 1919, he was a graduate from an orthodox Brahmin family, and had begun his career as a Lecturer in the Madras Christian College, but subsequently began to work with Gemini Studios as an Executive from 1947, hence he was referred to as "Gemini" Ganesan. He became a movie film hero by the age of 30 in a movie made by AVM Productions, and would soon attain star status.
Fondly referred to as the "King of Romance", he was paired with a number of top-rated heroines of his times, including Vyjantimala, Saroja Devi, Sowkar Janaki, and Devika. He ended up getting married to Savithri, another top heroine.
He was the proud father of one son and seven daughters. One of his daughters is Bollywood mega-star Rekha, and a second daughter named Ji Ji also a movie actress in two Tamil films. One of his other daughter is a well-known Chennai-based gynecologist, Kamala Selvaraj.
Unlike the other big two, Ganesan never tried his hand in politics, and continued doing films in Hindi, Tamil, Telegu, Malyalam, and Kannada languages, even after his prime, after which he did father roles up until the late 1990s. The total number of movies he acted in come to around 200 in all different languages.
A Padmasree recipient in 1971, Ganesan also won the Kalaimamani, MGR Gold Medal, and Screen Life Time Achievement awards.
After several months of bad health, he passed away on Tuesday 22 March 2005 at his home. He was 84 years of age.- M.N. Nambiar was born on 7 March 1919 in Kannur, Malabar, British India. He was an actor, known for Nadodi Mannan (1958), Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (1973) and Marmayogi (1951). He was married to Rukmani Devi . He died on 19 November 2008 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
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Visu was born on 1 July 1945 in British India. He was an actor and writer, known for Samsaram Athu Minsaram (1986), Aadhade Adharam (1976) and Pudhu Kavithai (1982). He was married to Sundhari. He died on 22 March 2020 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.- Actor
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Soumitra Chatterjee is an Indian actor, playwright and poet. World-renowned film director Satyajit Ray has acted in multiple shadow films. He has made Bengali film a place in the court of the world. In his long acting career, he has received many awards from home and abroad. His films have also won numerous awards. He died on 15th November, 2020 at the age of 85. Even after his death, his performance has been and will always be remembered in the hearts of all the audience.- Actor
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Motilal was born on 4 December 1910 in Shimla, Punjab, British India. He was an actor and director, known for Devdas (1955), Chhoti Chhoti Baatein (1965) and Sach Hai (1939). He died on 17 June 1965 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Prem Nazir is considered to be the biggest star in Malyalam film history. He graduated from St. Berchman's College in Changanassery, Kerala. He started acting for the Excel company and most of his films were for the Udaya and Merryland Studios. He portrayed the ideal male in most of his films.
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Om Puri was an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Indian films and art films. His credits also include appearances in British and American films. He has received an honorary OBE.
Puri was born in Ambala, Haryana. His father worked on the railways and served in the Indian Army. Puri graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India. He is also an alumnus of the 1973 class of National School of Drama where Naseeruddin Shah was a co-student.
Puri had worked in numerous Indian films and in many films produced in the United Kingdom and the United States. He made his film debut in the 1976 film Ghashiram Kotwal, based on a Marathi play of the same name. He has claimed that he was paid "peanuts" for his best work. He had collaborated with Amrish Puri as well as Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil in art films such as Bhavni Bhavai (1980), Sadgati (1981), Ardh Satya (1982), Mirch Masala (1986) and Dharavi (1992). He had been active in cinema. He was critically acclaimed for his performances in many unconventional roles such as a victimized tribal in Aakrosh (1980) (a film in which he spoke only during flash-back sequences); Jimmy's manager in Disco Dancer (1982); a police inspector in Ardh Satya (1982), where he revolts against life-long social, cultural and political persecution and for which he got the National Film Award for Best Actor; the leader of a cell of Sikh militants in Maachis (1996); as a tough cop again in the commercial film Gupt in 1997; and as the courageous father of a martyred soldier in Dhoop (2003). In 1999, Puri acted in a Kannada movie A.K. 47 as a strict police officer who tries to keep the city safe from the underworld - it became a huge commercial hit. Puri's acting in the movie is very memorable. He has rendered his own voice for the Kannada dialogues. In the same year, he starred in the successful British comedy film East is East, where he played a first-generation Pakistani immigrant in the north of England, struggling to come to terms with his far more westernized children. Om Puri had a cameo in the highly acclaimed film Gandhi (1982, directed by Richard Attenborough). In the mid-1990s, he diversified to play character roles in mainstream Hindi cinema, where his roles are more tuned to mass audiences than film critics. He became known internationally by starring in many British films such as My Son the Fanatic (1997), East Is East (1999) and The Parole Officer (2001). He appeared in Hollywood films including City of Joy (1992), opposite Patrick Swayze; Wolf (1994) alongside Jack Nicholson; and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996) opposite Val Kilmer. In 2007, he appeared as General Zia-ul-Haq in Charlie Wilson's War, which stars Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. He has worked in Hindi television serials like Kakkaji Kaheen (1988) (roughly meaning "Uncle says") as a paan-chewing 'Kakkaji', which was a parody on politicians, and Mr. Yogi (1989) as a suave 'Sutradhaar' who enjoys pulling the protagonist's leg. These two serials underlined Om Puri's versatility as a comedian. He received critical acclaim for him performance in Govind Nihalani's television film Tamas (1987) based on a Hindi novel of the same name. He essayed comic roles in Hindi films like Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro which reached a cult status, followed by Chachi 420 (1997), Hera Pheri (2000), Chor Machaye Shor (2002) and Malamaal Weekly (2006). His more recent Hindi film roles include Singh Is Kinng, Mere Baap Pehle Aap and Billu. Puri was seen in the role of Mohammad Ali Kasuri in Road to Sangam (2009). In 2010, he appeared in The Hangman. In 2011 he was in the Indian action movie Don 2. He had also worked in Aahat TV Series in some episodes during second season which was aired between 2004-2005 on Sony channel.- T.S. Balaiah was born on 23 August 1914 in Sundankottai, Udangudi, Thoothukudi District, India. He was an actor, known for Ambikapathy (1937), Velaikkari (1949) and Thillana Mohanambal (1968). He died on 22 August 1972 in T. Nagar, India.
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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.- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Actor
Abhas Kumar Ganguly was born in Khandwa, now in Madhya Pradesh. His dad's name was Kunjilal, a lawyer by profession, and his mom's name was Gouri Devi, who came from a wealthy family.
Kishore was the youngest in the Ganguly family, preceded by Ashok Kumar, Sati, & Anoop Kumar (I). Sati was married to Sashadhar Mukherjee, who was the brother of film-maker Subodh Mukherji, and Bollywood actors Joy Mukherjee & Deb Mukherjee. Sati's son, Shomu Mukherjee, went on to marry Tanuja Samarth, and who subsequently gave birth to Kajol and Tanishaa Mukerji. Tanuja is the sister of Nutan, who, in turn, is the mother of actor Mohnish Behl. Tanuja and Nutan are the daughters of the famed Shobhna Samarth. Sati was also aunt-by-marriage to Ram Mukherjee, who would subsequently marry and give birth to Raj Mukherjee and Bollywood actress, Rani Mukerji. Ashok's daughter is noted Bollywood actress, Preeti Ganguli, who is married to comedian and character actor, Deven Verma. Ashok's grand-daughter is actress, Anuradha Patel.
While Ashok went on to become a successful actor, Abhas, who was renamed Kishore, shunned acting, and preferred singing and mimicking K.L. Saigal. His brother, Anoop, while struggling to make a name himself, noticed this, and encouraged Kishore to sing in his own voice.
When Sachin Dev Burman happened to visit Ashok, he heard Kishore singing, and immediately signed him to sing for Bollywood movies. After Sachin's passing away, his son, Rahul Dev Burman took over and openly favored Kishore over other male singers.
He always wanted to be a singer, but acting was thrust upon him, and he did his best to live up to it. A Leo, Kishore was also known for his mad-cap comedy movies, and for his eccentricity as he used to 'talk' to his trees in his home, and had even put up a sign 'Mental Hospital' right outside his residence in Khandwa. He was also parsimonious, so much so that he was in arrears to the Indian Income Tax authorities, yet never missed a chance to make fun of them (Aur Peechey Pad Gaya Income Taxum, Jai Govindam Jai Gopalam).
When he refused to endorse former Indian Prime Minister's 20 point Program during the 1975-1977 Emergency, he was banned from the Government-controlled media namely All India Radio and Vividh Bharati. Even duets with his voice were censored. He was not the only one in Bollywood, as others like I.S. Johar, Dev Anand, Shatrughan Sinha openly condemned Mrs. Gandhi's regime. After the emergency, her political party (Congress) was overwhelmingly ousted by the electorate in favor of the Janata Party.
Kishore made a record by being the only singer to have sung in more than 90 films for a single hero which was for Rajesh Khanna. Kishore sang in 91 films for Rajesh Khanna.His closest friends were Rajesh Khanna, R.D.Burman, S.D.Burman, Mohammad Rafi.He refused to lend his voice to Amitabh Bachchan in period 1982-1987 many times, when the latter refused to do a guest appearance in a Kishore-produced film and this affected Bachchan's career as many of his films flopped post 1983.
His marriages to some of the most popular and attractive Bollywood actresses (Madhubala, Yogeeta Bali,Leena Chandavarkar) not only raised eyebrows, but added to his popularity.Fact was each of these women with exception of Yogita Bali fell in love with Kishore Kumar. Madhubala loved him immensely but had health issues so died. Then in 1976 Yogita claimed to love him and married Kishore, but then Kishore realized she had married him for his money so divorced her. Leena was a widower but Kishore fell in love with her and proposed her and they were happily married till his death.
He introduced his son, Amit Kumar, (sired from his first wife Ruma Ghosh aka Ruma Guha Thakurta) to sing, often along with him, and then amazed his fans by marrying widowed Leena Chandavarkar, who was just two years older than Amit.
He sang 245 songs picturised on Rajesh Khanna across 92 films, which is an unbeaten record for singer-actor combination. Kishore sang 245 songs for Rajesh Khanna, 202 for Jeetendra, 119 for Dev Anand and 131 for Amitabh.
He had recorded the duets "Kaho Kahan Chale" for the film Bulundi, "Pyar Ka Dard Hai" from Dard and "Tum Jo Chale Gaye" from Aas Paas, a few days before his heart attack in 1981. He suffered his first heart attack on 24th January 1981 in Kolkata in the noon hours and within a gap of another four hours, suffered his second heart attack. The first solo song sung by him, after recovery from his two attacks was "Mere Sang Sang Aya" from Rajput (1982) and the duet with Asha - "Mausam Bheega Bheega" from Gehra Zakhm.
In the comedy, Badhti Ka Naam Dadhi (1974) a song 'Karne Chaley Thhey Shaadi Meri, Khud Ban Baithey Dulha', sung by Amit, hilariously chastised his dad for getting married, instead of searching for a bride for his son.
Through Leena he sired another son, Sumeet Kumar. Their marriage was intact until his unexpected passing on October 13, 1987, due to heart failure for the third time.
Kishore has not only been immortalized by his songs, but also by his talents as an Actor, Producer, Director, Script-Writer, & Lyricist. His movies continue to be popular even now on TV, as do his songs on both TV and radio.- Actor
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Utpal Dutt was born on 29 March 1929 in Barisal, Bengal Presidency, British India [now Bangladesh]. He was an actor and director, known for The Stranger (1991), Gol Maal (1979) and Bhuvan Shome (1969). He was married to Shobha Sen. He died on 19 August 1993 in Calcutta, West Bengal, India.- Actor
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- Producer
Considered to be a man ahead of his time, Guru Dutt was one of the greatest icons of commercial Indian cinema. Although he made less than ten films, they are believed to be the best to come from Bollywood's Golden Age, known both for their ability to reach out to the common man and for their artistic and lyrical content, and they went on to become trend-setters that have influenced Bollywood ever since. But for all his genius, there was a shroud of tragedy that overshadowed his career and life.
Dutt was born in Mysore on July ninth, 1925, the eldest son of a headmaster and a housewife who was a part-time writer. As a child, he had to deal with a strained relationship between his parents, hostility from his mother's family, and the death of a close relative. He received his early education in Calcutta, and in 1941, he joined the Uday Shankar India Culture Center, where he received basic training in the performing arts under dance maestro Uday Shankar. Afterward, in 1944, he had a short stint as a telephone operator.
Dutt entered the Indian film industry in 1944, working as a choreographer in Prabhat Studios. There, he became friends with Dev Anand (whom he met when they worked on the film Hum Ek Hain (1946)) and Rehman Khan. These early friendships helped ease his way into Bollywood. After Prabhat went under in 1947, Dutt moved to Mumbai, where he worked with the leading directors of the time: Amiya Chakrabarty in Girls' School (1949) and Gyan Mukherjee in Sangram (1946).
He got his big break when Dev Anand invited him to direct a film in his newly formed company Navketan Films. Dutt made his directorial debut with Gamble (1951), which starred Dev Anand. The film was an urban crime thriller that paid homage to classic film noir. However, it also carried its own elements that ensured it was not a remake of a Hollywood film: notably, songs were used to further the story's narrative, and close-up shots were used frequently. The film was a success and became a trend-setter for future crime films. On the personal front, Dutt met his wife, playback singer Geeta Dutt (née Roy), during the song-recording sessions of Gamble (1951), and they married May twenty-sixth, 1953.
Dutt's next releases were Jaal (1952) and Baaz (1953). Dutt made his acting debut in the latter film, which he also directed. But while they were average successes, he finally tasted success with Aar-Paar (1954), another crime thriller, but with a far more polished story and look. Then came Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), a frothy romantic comedy focusing on women's' rights; and C.I.D. (1956), yet another crime thriller in which Waheeda Rehman made her debut.
His next films, Thirst (1957) and Paper Flowers (1959), are regarded as his best work. Thirst (1957) was his masterpiece, about a poet trying to achieve success in a hypocritical, uncaring world. It was a box-office hit and is ranked as his greatest film ever. In contrast, Paper Flowers (1959) was a miserable flop at the box office: the semi-autobiographical story of a tragic love affair set against the backdrop of the film industry was deemed too morbid for the audience to swallow and went right over audience's heads. Although in later years the film received critical acclaim for its cinematography and has gained a cult following, Dutt, who had put his soul into the film, was devastated over its failure and never directed another film.
Although he had sworn off directing, Dutt continued to produce and act in films, notably the period dramas Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960) and Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). The latter film, interestingly, is controversial because it is debated whether Dutt had ghost-directed the film. Dutt's personal life had become complicated: he had gotten romantically involved with his protégé Waheeda Rehman and his wife Geeta Dutt had separated from him as a result. Rehman too had distanced herself from him. Also, Dutt, an ambitious person, felt he had achieved too much too soon professionally - there was nothing better to be achieved, and this caused a vacuum in his life. Unable to cope with all the trauma and emptiness, he took to heavy drinking.
On October tenth, 1964, Dutt was found dead in his bed. The cause of death was deemed a combination of alcohol and sleeping pills, although a debate still lingers over whether his death was by accident or a successful suicide attempt. Geeta Dutt suffered a nervous break-down as a result of his death and also took to alcohol, eventually drinking herself to death, dying in 1972 as a result of cirrhosis of the liver.
His death was an irreplaceable loss to Indian cinema. And it was a tragic twist of fate that his films, most of which were discounted in his life-time, would be regarded as cult classics after his death. Guru Dutt would always be known, even if posthumously, as the Guru of Bollywood's Golden Age and one of the world's most important international auteurs.- Actor
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Amjad Khan was a renowned Bollywood actor and film director, widely popular for his performance as Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975). He went to both R. D. National College and St. Andrew's High School in Bandra.
Khan was the president of the Actors Guild Association and took a keen interest in the matters of the film industry. As a youngster, Khan acted with his father, Jayant, in movies like Nazneen (1951) and Ab Dilli Dur Nahin (1957).
With the film Hindustan Ki Kasam (1973), he first appeared as a professional silver-screen performer. When he played Gabbar Singh in Sholay (1975), he transformed the stereotypical Bollywood bad guy into a new genre icon. Gabbar transformed into him preparing for the role- this has been his most famous role of all time.
In Prakash Mehra's Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), he portrayed the part of Dilawar, a gangster. He was also cast in several other movies, including Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), Hum Kisise Kum Naheen (1977), Ganga Ki Saugand (1978), Des Pardes (1978), Dada (1979), Chambal Ki Kassam (1980), Naseeb (1981), Satte Pe Satta (1982), and Nastik (1983).
In films like Yaarana (1981) and Laawaris (1981), he portrayed likeable protagonists. In addition to his dramatic roles, he branched out and performed comedic roles in the films Qurbani (1980), Love Story (1981), Chameli Ki Shaadi (1986).
In the Hindi parody film Ramgarh Ke Sholay (1991), helmed by Ajit Dewani, he once again played the part of Gabbar Singh, and the film became an unexpected blockbuster.
He debuted as a director with Chor Police (1983), in which he also co-starred with Parveen Babi, Shatrughan Sinha, Kader Khan, and Shakti Kapoor. His film Ameer Aadmi Ghareeb Aadmi (1985) was released in 1985- it was a great commercial success. He also appeared in a small role in [link= tt0154591 in 1973.
He won the best supporting actor in the BFJA Awards for Sholay in 1976. Apart from that, he won best supporting actor at the Filmfare awards for Dada (1980) and Yaarana (1982). Khan also won best performance in a comedic role at the Filmfare awards for Maa Kasam (1986).- Actor
- Music Department
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Vishwanath Patekar (born on January 1, 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra, India) is an actor, writer and filmmaker. He is known for his work on Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Raajneeti (2010) and Parinda (1989). He made his acting debut in the early 70's and since then has been nominated for multiple awards. He won a National Film Award and a Filmfare award for his supporting role in Parinda (1989). He then won the Best Villain award for his role on Angaar (1992). He is a very controversial actor, know for his different acting style, dialogues and dialogue delivery. He is sometimes regarded as the Morgan Freeman of Bollywood. In 1995, he won the National Film Award as well as the Filmfare and the Screen awards for Best Actor for his role in Krantiveer (1994). He is also the only actor ever to win Filmfare Awards in the Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Villain categories. He was bestowed the highest privilege in acting in 2013 when he was awarded the Padma Shri award for his dedication in the field of Films and Arts.
Patekar is an alumnus of the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai and in September 2015, He established an organization, Naam Foundation with fellow Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure, which works to provide aid to farmers to overcome by drought conditions in Maharashtra, India. When he was awarded the Raj Kapoor award which carries a cash prize of Rs 10,00,000, he donated the entire amount towards drought relief activities in Maharashtra. Patekar was married to Neelkantee Patekar and they have a son Malhar Patekar but their marriage life did not go well and it resulted in a divorce.- Actor
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Kader Khan was an Indian actor, comedian, and screenwriter who worked in Hindi cinema. Khan's family migrated from Afghanistan to Mumbai, India, in 1942, and was raised in the neighbourhood of Kamathipura, Mumbai.
He completed his education at Ismail Yusuf College in Mumbai, earning a Master's degree in Civil Engineering (M.Tech). However, his passion for writing and acting led him to pursue a career in the film industry.
Kader Khan debuted in the film industry as a writer with the film Jawani Diwani (1972) in 1972. However, his first film as an actor was Daag: A Poem of Love (1973), starring Rajesh Khanna in the lead role.
He went on to write dialogues for numerous successful films in the 1970s and 1980s, including Sholay (1975), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Naseeb (1981), and Coolie (1983).
Khan has acted in over 300 films and appeared in supporting roles in some of Bollywood's biggest hits, such as Sharaabi (1984), Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri (1990), Agneepath (1990), Hum (1991), and Khuda Gawah (1992).
Some of his notable performances as an actor include Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Taqdeerwala (1995), and Judwaa (1997). He also worked in television serials such as Hasna Mat (2001) and Khuda Gawah (1992).
Kader Khan was also a prolific screenwriter and wrote scripts for films like Dharam Veer (1977), Mr. Natwarlal (1979), Laawaris (1981), and Geraftaar (1985). He also wrote and produced the film Shama (1981), which was released in 1981.
Some of Kader Khan's most memorable performances were in comedies, where he was known for his impeccable comic timing. He worked with some of the biggest stars in the industry, including Amitabh Bachchan, Govinda, Salman Khan, and Akshay Kumar.
Kader Khan's last appearance was in the 2019 Rangeela Raja film Rangeela Raja (2019). He passed away on December 31, 2018, at 81.
Kader Khan was awarded numerous awards for his contributions to the Indian film industry. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Dialogue twice for Meri Aawaz Suno (1981) and Angaar (1992). He also received the Filmfare Award for Best Comedian for Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri (1990).
In addition, he was honoured with the Padma Shri award, one of India's highest civilian honours, in 2019, which was posthumously awarded to him.- Actor
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- Music Department
Om Prakash, born in Lahore, British India (now in Pakistan), was a highly regarded Indian character actor who made significant contributions to the Hindi film industry. With a career spanning over four decades, Om Prakash became known for his versatile performances and memorable portrayals of supporting characters.
Om Prakash made his debut in the film industry in the 1940s, initially playing small roles. However, it was in the 1950s that he gained recognition for his acting skills. He often portrayed the affable, humorous, and sometimes scheming characters in Hindi films, earning him a place as one of the prominent character actors of his time.
Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Om Prakash appeared in numerous Bollywood films, collaborating with legendary actors and directors. Some of his notable works include "Chupke Chupke" (1975), "Jab Jab Phool Khile" (1965), and "Dus Lakh" (1966). His ability to infuse humor and warmth into his characters, coupled with his distinctive voice, made him a favorite among audiences.
Apart from his acting career, Om Prakash also ventured into film production. He produced several films, including the critically acclaimed "Chupke Chupke."
Om Prakash received recognition for his contributions to the film industry and won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Aadmi Aur Insaan" (1969). He was known for his professionalism, dedication, and the ability to add depth to even the smallest roles.
Tragically, Om Prakash passed away on February 21, 1998, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances and a significant impact on Hindi cinema. His contribution as a character actor, often playing the lovable and wise elderly figure, continues to be celebrated, and he remains a respected figure in the history of Bollywood.- Actor
- Director
Prithviraj Kapoor was born on 3 November 1906 in Samundri, Punjab, British India. He was an actor and director, known for Mughal-E-Azam (1960), Maharathi Karna (1944) and Bidyapati (1937). He was married to Rama Kapoor. He died on 29 May 1972 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
The legendary Bengali Actor of Calcutta, Uttam Kumar (Guru, Mahanayak as fans say), widely regarded as one of the Greatest actors ever in India, was an Indian film actor, director, producer, singer, music composer, playback singer who predominantly worked in Indian Cinema. Though he was a commercial success and widely accepted as the Greatest Actor of Bengali film, he also achieved great critical appreciations for his natural way of acting. When the Indian government instituted the National Film Awards for National Film Award for Best Actor and National Film Award for Best Actress in 1967, Uttam Kumar was the first-ever recipient of the Best Actor Award for his performances in Antony Firingee and Chiriyakhana in 1967. Acted in over 250 films with different experimental and complicated characters. Among which "Nayak", "Bicharak", "Jatugriha", "Chiriyakhana", "Khokababur Protyabarton", "Chowrongiee", "Ekhane Pinjar", "Thana Theke Aschi" etc. shows his genius.Though there were problems regarding editing, co-stars and others in contemporary Bengali films, still his genius acting made him the most popular film star. He is well acclaimed due to the successful depiction of several kinds of characters in films apart from his romantic image. He received the Best "greatest Actor" MAHANAYAK award for the same film from the Government of India on 25 November 1975. The price was worth 500000 rupees. Besides 8 times Bengal film Journalists' Awards for his incomparable acting he got many prizes and acclaims throughout his life. Got the Indian national award Padmashree for his contribution to Bengali films. He produced "Saptapadi" which was a commercial hit and approved Uttam Kumar along with Suchitra Sen the romantic Icon of Bengali Film forever. It got Certificate of Merit for Second Best Feature Film in Bengali in 1961 National Film Award, India. He starred in Hindi films like "Kitaab", "Dooriyan", "Plot no. 5", "Amanush", "Anand Ashram" etc. which approves his popularity and also shows beauties of natural acting. He composed music for the film "Banpalashir Padabali", which was a great commercial hit. He was very generous to poor co-workers in Film Industry but he lived an alcoholic reckless life. Workaholic Uttam Kumar died while filming "Ogo Bodhu Sundari" one of the greatest comedy films of Bengal, in Belle Vue Clinic on 24th July 1980.The Tollygunge metro station of Kolkata Metro was renamed as "Mahanayak Uttam Kumar". Satyajit Ray paid homage to his death saying "It is the demise of a leading light of the Bengali film industry...There isn't - there won't be another hero like him."- Actor
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Rajinikanth has been a superstar in the Tamil movie industry since the 70s. He is one of the highest earning actors in Asia. Primarily starring in Tamil movies, he has also worked in Hindi, Telugu, Kannada, and Hollywood movies. He was born in Bangalore (India), and was employed as a bus conductor before he joined the Madras Film Institute. He made his debut in Katha Sangama (1976) and became a star with Apoorva Raagangal (1975) . His unique acting style is characterized by trademark gestures such as flipping a cigarette in the air and catching it with his mouth. He played varied roles successfully and is considered as an actor who can easily perform action, drama, and comedy. He is not very popular for his dancing, which is considered a crucial art for actors in Indian Movies. His performances in movies such as Mullum Malarum (1978), Aarilirunthu Arubathuvarai (1979), Johny Ustad (1980) in the 70's and 80's to movies such as Kabali (2016) recently, are considered to be examples of his acting abilities. His performances as an action-superstar overshadow his critically acclaimed performances in these movies. The Government of India has honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2016 for his contributions to the arts. At the 45th International Film Festival of India (2014), he was conferred with the "Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year".- Actor
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Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942 in Allahabad, British India (present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India) to legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan & Teji Bachchan. He also has a brother named Ajitabh. He completed his education from Uttar Pradesh and moved to Bombay to find work as a film star, in vain though, as film-makers preferred someone with a fairer skin, and he was not quite fair enough. But they did use one of his other assets, his deep baritone voice, which was used for narration and background commentary. He was successful in being cast in Saat Hindustani. He got his break in Bollywood after a letter of introduction from the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, as he was a friend of her son, Rajiv Gandhi. This is how Bachchan made an entry in Bollywood, starting with Zanjeer, co-starred with his future wife Jaya Bhaduri, and since then there has been no looking back.
He married Jaya Bhaduri, an accomplished actress in her own right, and they had two children, Shweta and Abhishek. Shweta is married, lives a non-filmy life and has two children.
Being friends with Rajiv Gandhi, got him to decide to run for seat in the Indian National Congress (political party) from his home town but had to leave mid-term because of controversies, particularly after Rajiv and he were implicated in the now infamous "Bofors" case along with the U. K. based Hinduja Brothers.
After a four year break, he was back in the unsuccessful Mrityudaata (1997), a comeback which the actor wanted to forget. Critics written him off but his career was saved with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). But four flops in 1999 and incurring debt of over 90 crore rupees of his sinking company ABCL saw him at an all-time low. To make matters worse, after the defeat of the Congress party, Bachchan lost considerable political support, the opposition made him a target, and his credit rating deteriorated to such an extent that a leading nationalized bank, Canara Bank, sued him for outstanding loans. He did bounce back, presenting the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire called Kaun Banega Crorepati? (2000). After a series of hits with Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and Baghban (2003) and Khakee (2004), Bachchan is showing no signs of slowing down and proving the critics wrong once again.
Amitabh and Jaya were interested in getting their son Abhishek married to Karisma Kapoor, the daughter of Babita and Randhir Kapoor, they went through a formal engagement, but later broke it off.
The former Miss World and Bollywood actress, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek, were formally engaged on Sunday January 14, 2007, at the Bachchan residence in Juhu, Bombay, with the marriage taking place at the Bachchan residence on April 20, 2007.
On November 16, 2011, he became a Dada (paternal grandfather) when Aishwarya gave birth to a daughter in a Mumbai Hospital. He is already a Nana (maternal grandfather) to Navya and Agastye - Shweta's children.
He continues to be one of the busiest actors and singers in Bollywood as well as on TV, as can be seen from the commercials that he appears on, especially on Sahara One. Looks like there are no limits for this super-star and once the "Angry Young Man" of Bollywood.- Jaishankar was born on 12 July 1938 in India. He was an actor, known for Vallavan Oruvan (1966), Yaar Nee? (1966) and Nilagiri Express (1968). He died on 3 June 2000 in India.
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Sreenivasan was born on 6 April 1956 in Kannur, Kerala, India. He is an actor and writer, known for Sandesham (1991), Vadakkunokkiyantram (1989) and Akkare Akkare Akkare (1990).- Rehman Khan was born in Lahore, British India on June 23, 1923 in a Pathan family believed to be the descendants of Afghanistan's King Amanuallah. His family subsequently re-located to Jabalpur where he attended the Robinson College. After completing college he joined the Indian Air Force as a Pilot.
In 1944 he opted out of the Indian Air Force and started working at Prabhat Studios, Bombay, as a 3rd Assistant to Bollywood Director, Vikram Bedekar, who was then filming 'Lakharani'. On the sets of 'Chand' the crew were unable to find anyone who could tie a Pathani Turban, Rehman resolved this problem, and was given a small two lined dialog role in the film.
His first major role was in 'Hum Ek Hain' with Dev Anand during 1946, and then as legendary Emperor Shahjahan in 'Shahjahan' in the same year. He ended up starring in over 70 movies, in character roles, mostly debonair and aristocratic, often as a villain. Some of his more memorable films included 'Pyaasa', 'Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam', 'Waqt', 'Dil Diya Dard Liya', and 'Chaudvi Ka Chand'. He was a close friend of Film-maker/Actor, Guru Dutt.
His acting career was cut short during 1977 when he suffered three massive heart attacks, which he barely survived, only to be inflicted by throat cancer - which led to the loss of his voice, and ultimately took his life during 1979.
Rehman is still remembered by his fans, and his movies continue to be popular even today on various Hindi language channels. - Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Mukesh was born in Kollam, Kerala, India. He is known for Nerariyan CBI (2005), In Harihar Nagar (1990) and Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Prakash Raj is an established actor, producer, director, and television presenter in the Indian film industry. He is known for his works in South Indian and Hindi films.
Starting in the early 90s, he went on to appear in about 400 films. He has received several awards and accolades in his career, spanning more than three decades.
Raj was born in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, to Manjunath Rai and Swarnalatha Raj. Actor Prasad Raj is his brother. His original name is Prakash Rai. He started using the surname Raj instead of Rai on the advice of director K. Balachander.
Raj studied at St. Joseph's Indian High School and St. Joseph's College of Commerce in Bengaluru. His first brush with acting was in a play he did in seventh grade. Later, when he was in college, he began acting in theatre but didn't think much about it.
His love for stage shows developed after he started going to Kalakshetra in Bengaluru and participating in theatre rehearsals. He used to perform in back-to-back stage shows for a meagre monthly payment of Rs. 300. After performing in 2,000 street theatre shows, he felt the urge to explore bigger opportunities in this field.
His journey into the acting world started with television. He also worked in the film industry as an assistant director and editor, then got the opportunity to act in films.
Raj started his acting career on television with serials like Guddada Bhootha (Kannada and Tulu) and Bisilu Kudure (Kannada) that were aired on Doordarshan. Later, he started acting in Kannada movies in supporting roles.
His performance in Harakeya Kuri (1992) caught the attention of the movie's lead actress Geetha. She introduced Raj to director K. Balachander, who gave him the scope to play a major role in his Tamil film Duet (1994).
After appearing in a few more Tamil and Kannada movies, he made his debut in Telugu cinema in 1995 with Sankalpam (1995). The same year, he appeared in Mani Ratnam's Tamil romantic drama Bombay (1995). It featured among the top 20 Indian movies in the rankings of the British Film Institute.
Raj ventured into Malayalam cinema in 1996 with The Prince (1996), helmed by Suresh Krishna. He played an antagonist in K. Balachander's Kalki (1996), for which he won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award 1996 for Best Villain.
After acting in a few more movies, such as Priyam (1996), Pavitra Bandham (1996), Alexander (1996), Suswagatham (1997), and Hitler (1997), he appeared in Mani Ratnam's political drama Iruvar (1997). The film revolves around the relationship between two politicians. Raj received the National Film Award 1997 for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.
He then appeared in a prominent role in T.S. Nagabharana's film Nagamandala (1997), which was among the selected movies for the International Film Festival of India in 1997 under the Indian Panorama.
He continued to appear in several other movies before playing a pivotal role in Anthahpuram (1998). The film revolves around a feudal society. Raj won the National Film Award 1998 for Best Actor (Special Jury) for his performance.
In Vaanavil (2000), Raj played the role of an antagonist, which earned him the Tamil Nadu State Film Award 2000 for Best Villain.
He essayed the role of Kaala Bhairavan in the Indian fantasy drama Little John (2001). He was seen in a supporting role in the war film Kannathil Muthamittal (2002). He won the ITFA Best Supporting Actor Award in 2003 for portraying the character of Dr Herold Vikramesinghe in the film.
In 2004, he acted in Rajkumar Santoshi's Hindi thriller action movie Khakee (2004), starring Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Atul Kulkarni, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The film revolved around an Indian police team and its assignment involving an accused terrorist. Raj played the role of a corrupt ACP in the movie.
He essayed the character of DCP Prabhakar in Anniyan (2005), a psychological thriller helmed by S. Shankar. The story revolved around a disillusioned common man and his multiple personality disorder. He received the Tamil Nadu State Film Award 2005 for Best Villain for his performance in this movie.
Raj was then seen in the role of a silk weaver in Priyadarshan's period drama film Kanchivaram (2008), starring opposite Shreya Reddy. The film highlighted the miserable condition of silk weavers as they struggled through life in Kanchipuram. It was screened at the 33rd Toronto International Film Festival held in 2008. He won the National Film Award 2007 for Best Actor and the Filmfare Award 2009 for Best Actor in Tamil for his acting in the movie.
He appeared in the role of a villain in several Bollywood films as well, including Wanted (2009), Singham (2011), Dabangg 2 (2012), and Mumbai Mirror (2013).
In Singham, he played the role of a powerful politician cum criminal who creates problems for the protagonist police officer. He won the Zee Cine Award 2012 for Best Actor in a Negative Role for this movie.
In 2015, he starred with Kamal Hassan in the pacy action thriller Thoongaa Vanam (2015). He then appeared in T.J. Gnanavel's legal drama Jai Bhim (2021). He went on to feature in films like Sita Ramam (2022) and Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022).
Raj was previously married to actress Lalitha Kumari. The couple legally separated in 2009. They have two daughters, Pooja and Meghna. They also had a son named Sidhu, who passed away in 2004. Raj married Pony Prakash Raj Verma, a choreographer, in 2010. Their son Vedhanth was born in 2015.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Innocent Vareed Thekkethala was born on 4 March 1948 in Thrissur, Kerala, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Devasuram (1993), Aavanazhi (1986) and Pranchiyettan and the Saint (2010). He was married to Alice Thekkethala. He died on 26 March 2023 in Kochi, Kerala, India.- Actor
- Director
Shamsher Raj "Shammi" Kapoor was the son of theater and film actor Prithviraj Kapoor and his wife Ramsarni "Rama" Mehra Kapoor. Shammi's acting career began in 1948, when he joined his father's theatrical company "Prithvi Theatres." Like his father and his brothers, Shammi eventually moved into the world of movie-making. He made his big screen debut in 1953. His earliest films were mostly low-budget swashbucklers and romances that failed to succeed at the box office. Shammi referred to himself at that point in his career as a "male starlet."
In April of 1955, on the sets of Rangin Raaten (1956), Shammi met and fell in love with the actress Geeta Bali. She was an established actress, and he was still struggling in his career. Four months later, Geeta agreed to marry Shammi and they wed in small ceremony witnessed by Hari Walia who produced and directed their next film together Coffee House (1957). The couple had two children, a son Aditya Raj Kapoor born in 1956 and a daughter Kanchan born in 1961.
The film Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) was a turning point in Shammi's career. For this film, he cut his hair and shaved off his pencil-thin mustache; creating a new look and persona. The film was a success and was soon followed by more hits. By 1961, Shammi's boisterous shout of "Yahoo!" and his exuberant hip-shaking dance moves, in his first color picture Junglee (1961), had made him a star. His natural talent for dancing and his modern and casual fashion sense brought him comparisons to Elvis Presley, and Shammi became known as the "Rebel Star."
In 1965, while Shammi was filming Teesri Manzil (1966), his wife Geeta fell ill with smallpox and passed away. After months away from the set, Shammi eventually returned to film the song "Tumne Mujhe Dekha." Shammi's success continued and in 1968, his acting talent was formally recognized. He received the Filmfare Best Actor award for his role in Brahmachari (1968).
In 1969, Shammi married Neila Devi from the former royal family of Bhavanagar. Their families had long been friends and they first met when Neila was 9 and Shammi was 19. Neila later recalled that Shammi had pulled her pigtails while she was watching one of his plays from the backstage wings. Shammi's sister-in-law first suggested the match to him. Eventually, Shammi called Neila on the phone to propose. They spent hours talking, and were married the next day.
By the 1970s, Shammi's weight gain and competition from other popular actors was taking a toll on his status as a romantic hero. Andaz (1971) was one of his last hits as a leading man.
Shammi enjoyed directing two films, Manoranjan (1974) and Bundal Baaz (1976). The films met with some critical success but neither did well at the box-office. As the '70s continued, Shammi began transferring his acting talents into supporting roles. He won another Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor in Vidhaata (1982).
Shammi took to the Internet early, and was the founder and chairman of Internet Users Community of India. He managed his own website and made online videos to speak directly to his fans. He loved to share stories about his career, his friends, and his famous family: father Prithviraj Kapoor, elder brother Raj Kapoor, younger brother Shashi Kapoor, and their spouses, children, and grandchildren; many of whom work in the film industry.
In later years, Shammi continued to take on supporting roles in film and TV. He was presented with the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. His last film was the posthumously released Rockstar (2011), in which he appeared alongside his great-nephew Ranbir Kapoor.
The last seven years of his life, he suffered from chronic renal failure and underwent dialysis three times a week. But it never dampened his warmhearted spirit, until the end he continued to share his joy for life. Shammi Kapoor passed away around 5:15 am, August 14th, 2011 at Mumbai Breach Candy hospital.- 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.- Producer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Paresh Rawal is a renowned Indian film actor, comedian, and producer best known for his work in Bollywood films. He has also worked in Telugu, a few Tamil, and a few Gujarati movies. Highly versatile, he has essayed several types of characters, including comic, serious, and villainous character roles.
Born and brought up in Bombay (now Mumbai), he is an alumnus of Narsee Monjee College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai. He started doing Gujarati theatres after graduating from Bombay University in 1974.
He entered Bollywood with the film Holi (1984), playing a supporting role. He also acted in the Doordarshan TV serial Bante Bigadte (1985). However, he got his first big break in Naam (1986) the following year.
He went on to act in over 100 films between the 1980s and the 1990s. He essayed mostly negative characters in films such as, Kabzaa (1988), Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), King Uncle (1993), and Baazi (1995).
In Ketan Mehta's Sardar (1993), he played the lead role of freedom fighter Vallabhbhai Patel. According to him, this was a turning point for him as an actor, as studying the character of Sardar Patel in detail inspired him to work harder and improve upon his craft. He also states that it changed him, giving him a deeper understanding of Indian history and helping him appreciate these great legends' sacrifices to achieve freedom for the nation.
Rawal started with comedy in Andaz Apna Apna (1994), where he played a double role. His easy, effortless, and natural acting wowed critics and the masses.
Rawal has won acclaim for his work in the Telugu film industry, such as Kshana Kshanam (1991), Money (1993), Govindha Govindha (1993), Rikshavodu (1995), and Bavagaru Bagunnara? (1998).
His other noteworthy works in Hindi cinema include Shiva (1990), Mohra (1994), Tamanna (1998), Aitraaz (2004), Table No. 21 (2013), and Zila Ghaziabad (2013).
Rawal achieved recognition, both as a comedian and as a supporting actor in films, including Chachi 420 (1997), Nayak: The Real Hero (2001), Aankhen (2002), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Garam Masala (2005), Chup Chup Ke (2006), Welcome (2007), Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010), OMG: Oh My God! (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), Sanju (2018), and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019).
In 2000, he played the unintelligent but kind Marathi landlord Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Hera Pheri (2000). His performance won him the Filmfare Best Comedian Award. The sequel, Phir Hera Pheri (2006), was equally successful, leaving audiences begging for more. He is still remembered for this role.
Rawal went on to play the lead role in Aankhen (2002), where he depicted one of the three blind men who planned to rob a bank. Co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Aditya Pancholi, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, and Sushmita Sen, this film established him as a master of comedy. Over the next few years, he mostly played comic roles.
In 2010, he appeared based on honour killing in the film Aakrosh (2010). In 2021, Rawal appeared in Toofaan (2021), a sports-based movie directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and starring Farhan Akhtar, who plays a national-level boxer. The film started streaming worldwide on July 16, 2021, on Amazon Prime Video.
Having worked in over 240 films, Rawal has won numerous accolades and awards, including the National Film Awards 1994: Best Supporting Actor for Sir (1993), and IIFA Awards 2001: Best Performance for Hera Pheri (2000). He also won the Producers Guild Film Awards 2010: Best Actor in a Comic Role: Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010).
Rawal is also a politician. He was victorious as the Bharatiya Janata Party's Member of Parliament (MP) from the Ahmedabad East constituency in the 2014 Indian general election. On September 10, 2020, the President of India appointed him as the National School of Drama Chairperson.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Siddique was born on 1 October 1962 in Kochi, Kerala, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Drishyam (2013), Kattappanayile Rithwik Roshan (2016) and Odiyan (2018). He is married to Seena.- Actor
- Music Department
- Additional Crew
Jayaram was born on 10 December 1964 in Perumbavoor, Kerala, India. He is an actor, known for Ponniyin Selvan: Part I (2022), Thuppakki (2012) and Thooval Kottaram (1996). He is married to Parvathi. They have two children.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Danny, who married Gawa Denzongpa, a Sikkimese princess and niece of the last chogyal from her hometown of Gangtok, currently resides in Juhu in Mumbai. He likes to listen to Nepali folk music especially Nepali flutes. In recent times he has become more selective as to the roles he plays. He does not work in March, April, and May as they are hot. The movies he chooses, he works on his own terms. He has a son named Rinzing and a daughter named Pema. His brother owns a bouj and beer factory in Melli, Sikkim.- Actor
- Writer
- Visual Effects
Manoj Kumar, born Harikrishna Giri Goswami, is an Indian film actor, director, and screenwriter best known for his work in Hindi films.
Born in Abbottabad, a small town in the North-West Frontier Province, British India (now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan), he and his family shifted to Delhi during the Partition.
Kumar made his film debut with Fashion (1957). He then got his break in Kanch Ki Gudiya (1961), where he acted with Sayeeda Khan.
After acting in Reshmi Rumal (1961) and Piya Milan Ki Aas (1961), Kumar was cast opposite Mala Sinha in Vijay Bhatt's Hariyali Aur Rasta (1962).
He continued to rule the roost with films, including Apna Banake Dekho (1962) and Nakli Nawab (1962).
He also acted in social films, including Grahasti (1963) and Apne Huye Paraye (1964).
In 1964, Kumar appeared in Raj Khosla's Woh Kaun Thi? (1964) with Sadhana Shivdasani. He worked alongside Mala Sinha and Vijay Bhatt again in Himalay Ki Godmein (1965).
Kumar and Khosla built upon their joint success with Do Badan (1966), which became a success. In this film, Kumar was cast opposite Asha Parekh.
His thriller, Gumnaam (1965), was another box office hit, and it was one of the highest-grossing movies that year, earning Rs. 2.6 crores. In the same year, Kumar starred in the film Shaheed (1965), which explored the life of the great freedom fighter, Bhagat Singh.
He also played pivotal roles in classics such as Sawan Ki Ghata (1966) and Patthar Ke Sanam (1967).
In 1967, he forayed into film direction with Upkar (1967), where he starred as a farmer and a soldier. This film won multiple awards at the Filmfare Awards 1968, including Best Story, Best Dialogue, Best Director, and Best Film.
Kumar followed up his success with more films such as Aadmi (1968), Purab Aur Pachhim (1970), and Be-Imaan (1972). He also directed and acted in Shor (1972).
Kumar acted in and directed Roti Kapada Aur Makaan (1974) and won the Best Director award at the Filmfare Awards in 1975.
He then went on to appear in more classics, including Sanyasi (1975); Pehchan (1975), wherein he starred opposite Babita Kapoor; and Dus Numbri (1976).
He directed Dilip Kumar, his idol, in the film Kranti (1981), which explored the Indian struggle for Independence.
Post Kranti, Kumar acted in films such as Kalyug Aur Ramayan (1987), Clerk (1989), and Maidan-E-Jung (1995). He also directed Kunal Goswami, his son, in Jai Hind (1999).
Kumar was conferred the title of Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1992. He also received The Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999 for his work spanning four decades; the Bharat Gaurav Award in New Jersey, U.S., in 2012; and The Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2016- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Raj Kapoor was the son of well-known Indian actor Prithviraj Kapoor, who acted both in film and on stage. After apprenticing in the Bollywood production studios of the 1940's, at 24 years of age Raj Kapoor produced, directed and acted in Aag (1948), with his new company, RK Films. His next production, Barsaat (1949), was a smash hit. In 1951, he also produced, directed and starred in Awaara (1951), which was another megahit, and costarred Nargis, who had appeared in Aag and Barsaat. Awaara also gained popular acclaim in Russia, where the movie and songs were dubbed into Russian. The theme song, Awaara Hoon, was popular in the East for many years. Kapoor has been dubbed "a great showman," and a filmmaker in the purest Romantic tradition, as he strove to entertain as well as address social themes close to his heart. Awaara dealt with the question of what forms an individual's moral grounding, ("nurture or nature") while incorporating comedy and stirring love scenes; in Shree 420 (1955) he addressed issues of poverty, unemployment and national pride in the new Indian state at the same time maintaining the audience's interest in the romantic plot. While never revolutionary in tone, many of his films explore the ability of the individual to overcome economic and environmental injustice while maintaining his/her innocence and integrity. He is quoted as believing that the individual's struggles ultimately lead to the desire for love, to care and be cared for. This is consistent with his admiration of Charles Chaplin, and Kapoor's own "tramp" (Awaara, Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker (1970) is modeled somewhat on his mentor, though with a definite individual flair.
His films demonstrate an understanding of music and direction that continue to influence Bollywood filmmaking today. Also a musician, his understanding of the musical feel of his movies gives them a storytelling fluidity equal to that of the best American movie musicals. He surrounded himself with the foremost talents in filmmaking, acting, writing (Kwaja Ahmad Abbas'), music composition (Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal, 'Shankarsinh Raguwanshi'), and playback singers, including Mukesh, 'Mohamed Rafi', and Lata Mangeshkar. Kapoor continued to make films of varying critical and popular success up until his death in 1988, and apparently considered Mera Naam Joker his personal favorite. He is still a well-known name not only in India, but in the Middle East, SE Asia, and Eastern Europe. His descendants have attempted to continue the RK Films banner.- Writer
- Actor
- Script and Continuity Department
Founder of the popular drama troupe 'Crazy Creations' (1973). Which has performed over 5000 plays across Tamil Nadu, most of the themes involving satire and witty dialogue.
In addition to stage plays and TV-series, he has also written number of comedy films, like Michael Madana Kama Rajan, Apoorva Sagodharargal, Avvai Shanmughi and Panchathanthiram. (Starring Kamal Hassan) He has played a small role in each of these films, and he has acted or written dialogue for over 70 films including Arunachalam (starring Rajnikanth).- Actor
- Writer
- Editor
Kulbhushan Pandit, also known as Raaj Kumar, was a distinguished Indian actor renowned for his unique dialogue delivery.
Kumar completed his education and joined as a Sub-Inspector with the Bombay Police in the late 1940s. Although he began his career in law enforcement, his passion for acting led him to the film industry.
Kumar debuted as an actor in 1952 with the movie Rangili (1952). He appeared in the 1957 Oscar-nominated film Mother India (1957) before going on to star in more than 70 Hindi movies throughout a four-decade career.
Kumar gained recognition for his breakthrough in the 1957 film Nausherwan-E-Adil (1957), in which he played the role of Prince Naushazad. He was noted for portraying unglamorous and gritty characters, such as his role as a mill worker in Paigham (1959).
One of his most memorable performances, for which he bagged a Filmfare Award under the category of Best Supporting Actor, was his role as a cancer patient in Dil Ek Mandir (1963).
He also starred in movies like Waqt (1965), Heer Raanjha (1970), Pakeezah (1972), and more.
For a time after that, between the late 70s and early 80s, he worked in films that did not do very well before he made a successful comeback with Kudrat (1981). He went on to act in films like Ek Nai Paheli (1984), Itihaas (1987), Marte Dam Tak (1987), Mahaveera (1988), and more.
Kumar married Jennifer Pandit, an Anglo-Indian who worked as an air hostess. They had three kids: Vastvikta Pandit, his daughter who made her acting debut in 2006, and sons Panini Rajkumar and Puru Rajkumar, who both became actors.
Raaj Kumar and Dilip Kumar, with whom he had acted in Paigham, reunited on screen in Subhash Ghai's Saudagar (1991) in 1991 after 32 years. Tirangaa (1992) was his final hit movie, and God and Gun (1995) was the last film he acted in.
Kumar succumbed to throat cancer and passed away on July 3, 1996.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Sohrab Modi was born on 2 November 1897 in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, British India. He was an actor and director, known for Mirza Ghalib (1954), Pukar (1939) and Jailor (1938). He died on 28 January 1984 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
This Telugu Star was a student at the Madras Film Institute and an amateur stage actor. His first public performance was in the Republic Day parade ballet of Andra Pradesh on 26 January, 1976. His film debut was Punadhirallu (1978). His brother-in-law is producer Allu Aravind. His success started with Initilo Ramayya Vidhilo Krishnayya (1981). He is known for his extraordinary dances and fights apart from his power packed performances in movies. His movies carry a reputation of being the best entertainers along with carrying a social message across to the audience. He has done a couple of Hindi movies as well viz., Pratibandh (1990), Aaj ka Gunda Raaj etc and was well recognized for them too.
He is one of the highest paid actors in India today and commands an extraordinarily huge (and cult-like) fan following not only in Andra Pradesh, his native state but all over India and other countries as well. His films are released in US, Europe and Asia Pacific.
Apart from movies, he is also widely known for his philanthropy. He set up a Chiranjeevi Trust for Eye and Blood donations and his fans take an active part in it.
He was awarded the 'Padmabhushan' recently along with a 'Doctorate'.- Actor
- Producer
- Actor
- Music Department
- Director
Naseeruddin Shah was born on July 20 1950, in Barabanki, a small village in Uttar Pradesh. He is a seasoned Bollywood actor and has received several awards for his notable performance in several movies. The actor has also been awarded the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan awards for his enormous contributions to Indian cinema.
Shah was born into a Nawab family. He studied at St. Anselm's Ajmer School in Rajasthan and St. Joseph's College in Nainital. He completed his graduation from the Aligarh Muslim University in 1971. He also attended the National School of Drama, New Delhi.
At the age of 19, Shah married Manara Sikri, who was 36 years old and a divorcee. Post one year of their marriage, their daughter Heeba Shah was born. However, the relationship didn't work out, and they decided to part ways after 12 years of marriage.
Shah met Ratna Pathak Shah, daughter of Dina Pathak and a Bollywood actor in the 1970s. They fell in love and went on to co-star in several films. They tied the knot in 1982. They have two sons together - Imaaduddin Shah and Vivaan Shah. The couple currently resides with their children in Mumbai.
At the age of 18, Shah acted in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968), starring Hema Malini and Raj Kapoor. However, his scene was removed before the release of the movie.
He made his Bollywood debut with an uncredited role in Aman in 1967, a film starring Rajendra Kumar Tuli and Saira Banu. From then onwards, he went on to feature in various movies like Nishant (1975), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Katha (1983) and Junoon (1979).
In 1974, Shah founded a theatre company called Motley Productions, and their inaugural production was Waiting for Godot. He is also part of a theatre troupe and has performed across different cities like New Delhi, Lahore, and Mumbai. He has directed a few plays written by Lavender Kumar, Ismat Chughtai and Saadat Hasan Manto.
He started gaining popularity with his films Hum Paanch (1980) and Masoom (1983), which was shot at St Joseph's College, Nainital, where Shah had studied during his childhood. Another movie called Karma (1986), where he starred beside Dilip Kumar gained much acclaim.
Shah has been a part of several multi-star Bollywood movies like Ghulami (1985), Tridev (1989), and Tridev (1989). In 1994, he completed his 100th movie as an actor with Mohra (1994), where he played the role of a villain.
Shah has also been a part of international projects like the Hollywood adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). He played the role of Captain Nemo in the film, which gained him a lot of praise.
In 2003, he acted in Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool (2003), an Indian adaptation of Macbeth, and in 2004, he appeared in Rajiv Rai's Asambhav (2004) with Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra.
Shah has won several awards, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfare awards, one IIFA award and two Bengal Film Journalists' Association awards. He also received the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival in 1984.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Arjun Sarja was born on 15 August 1962 in Madhugiri, Mysore State, India. He is an actor and director, known for Irumbu Thirai (2018), Mudhalvan (1999) and Gentleman (1993). He has been married to Asha Rani since 1988. They have two children.- Actor
- Music Department
- Composer
Chittor V. Nagaiah was born on 28 March 1904 in Repalle Taluk, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and composer, known for Thyagayya (1946), Ramadasu (1964) and Naa Illu (1953). He died on 30 December 1973 in Madras, India.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Govinda was born on December 21, 1963. Govinda has acted in over 120 films since his debut in 1986. Govinda is best-known for his comedy related roles; his powerful contribution in dancing in Bollywood is inevitable. He is one of the most successful actors and is definitely the best dancer in Bollywood. His hardworking mentality and consistent performance made him a top class actor in Bollywood. He is known to be one of the most down to earth and kind hearted actors. He has acted with all Bollywood greats which include Amitabh Bachchan, Dilip Kumar, Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai, Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit.
He had great success with family based movies such as Dariya Dil (1988), Swarg (1990) and Hum (1991). He worked with David Dhawan for the first time in the 1989 action film Taaqatwar. He then formed a successful collaboration with him and then went onto act in 18 movies directed by him most of which were comedy films. The most successful films during their collaboration included Shola Aur Shabnam(1992), Aankhen (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Hero No. 1 (1997), Deewana Mastana (1997), Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Jodi No. 1 (2001), Ek Aur Ek Gyarah (2003), and Partner (2007).
Having huge success in comedy based roles, he then also tried his luck for a villainous role in the movie 'Shikari' directed by N. Chandra. His performance in the movie was critically acclaimed. After a bad phase during 2002 until 2005, he actually made the biggest ever successful comeback ever witnessed in Bollywood with a number of hits, starting with Bhagam Bhag in 2006 and a critically praised performance in Salaam E Ishq in 2007.
After his latest 2007 release is the David Dhawan directed romantic comedy Partner. The film became the second highest domestic opening week gross for an Indian film and became a blockbuster and is ranked in the top 3 movies of 2007 in India. After his successful comeback in 2006 and 2007, he has been on a signing spree and is acting in many big movies ready for 2008 and 2009 with top directors of India. Amongst other work he has come on as a guest on Indian reality shows which are based on the X factor and strictly come dancing in the UK- Actor
- 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
- Producer
Sheikh Mukhtar was the son of a railway police inspector. He made is film debut in the 1939 Mehboob Khan film Ek Hi Raasta playing an anti-hero. A towering figure who stood 6 feet 2 inches tall with a shoe size 12 UK (13 US), he was Hindi cinema's first anti-hero and tough guy. He starred in 3 Mehboob Khan classics: Ek Hi Raasta (1939), Bahen (1941), and Roti (1942).- 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
- Director
- Writer
Often referred as the Romantic hero of Malayalam films, Shanker was also a popular star in Tamil films, as his debut film "Oru Thalai Raagam" completed 365 days in several theaters. Consistent box office performances made him a busy actor of both the states. He ruled Malayalam films till mid 80's. He decided to take a break from films in early 90's as he lost his market value and could n't create the same stardom with his comeback films. Shanker has now turned director, while doing important roles in several films.- 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
- 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).- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Rajiv Hari "Akshay Kumar" Om Bhatia was born on September 09, 1967, in Amritsar, Punjab to Aruna Bhatia and Hari Om Bhatia. He is an Indian actor, film producer, former model, and television personality. He went to Bangkok to learn how to use a sword and also worked as a waiter in a restaurant. He studied martial arts in Hong Kong. It was a student who suggested that he should try modeling. Because of his success as model, he was offered films. Along with his good looks and excellent martial art skills, he was always the first choice to do adventurous movies. He does his own stunts in his films. His breakthrough performance was in Saugandh (1991). He was well known for his Khiladi series, an Indian version of James Bond, such as Mr. Bond (1992), Khiladi (1992), Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi (1997) and Khiladi 420 (2000). He dated strings of his co-stars including Raveena Tandon, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Pooja Batra and Rekha. His recent critically acclaimed performances include Airlift (2016), Baby (2015) and Rustom (2016). He is married to former actress and now author Twinkle Khanna with whom he has two children.- Actor
- Music Department
- Director
Mehmood, born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, was a legendary Indian actor, comedian, and filmmaker who left an indelible mark on Bollywood. Known for his impeccable comic timing, versatile performances, and unique ability to bring laughter to audiences, Mehmood remains one of the most iconic figures in the history of Indian cinema.
Mehmood started his career as a child artist in the film "Kismet" (1943). He began to gain recognition as a comedian with his work in films like "Do Bigha Zamin" (1953) and "Parvarish" (1958). His breakthrough, however, came with the film "Chhoti Bahen" (1959), where his portrayal of a South Indian character named Master Pillai garnered widespread appreciation.
As an actor, Mehmood displayed remarkable versatility by successfully transitioning between comedic and serious roles. He excelled in both character roles and as the lead actor in films such as "Kunwara Baap" (1974) and "Duniya" (1968). His performances were characterized by a unique blend of humor, emotion, and a keen understanding of the characters he portrayed.
Mehmood's contribution to comedy in Indian cinema is particularly noteworthy. He played pivotal roles in classic comedies like "Padosan" (1968), where his portrayal of the eccentric South Indian musician Master Pillai became iconic. His collaboration with Kishore Kumar and Sunil Dutt in "Padosan" remains etched in Bollywood history.
Apart from acting, Mehmood also ventured into filmmaking and direction. He directed films like "Bhoot Bangla" (1965) and "Kunwara Baap" (1974), showcasing his versatility and creativity behind the camera.
Mehmood's career spanned several decades, and he received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to Indian cinema. His legacy endures not only through his performances but also through the influence he had on subsequent generations of comedians and actors.
Mehmood passed away on July 23, 2004, leaving behind an unparalleled legacy in Indian cinema. His timeless contributions to comedy and entertainment continue to be celebrated, and he remains an enduring symbol of laughter and joy in Bollywood history.- 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
- Music Department
Living in a Chawl in Tilak Nagar, Punjabi-speaking Anil was born in 1959 to Surinder and Nirmal aka Suchitra Kapoor. He has an elder brother, Boney, a sister, Reena, and a younger brother, Sanjay. His dad used to be Shammi Kapoor's Secretary.
A loner, without many friends, he studied in the nearby O.L.P.S. (Our Lady of Perpetual Succor) School, and was an ardent fan of Bollywood flicks that were telecast during the Ganesh Maha Utsav every year. He was a fan of Raj Kapoor, and it was this that influenced his acting, and people saw him as a mimic of the legendary showman. He landed a role as a child artiste with Shashi Kapoor in the lead, but the movie (Tu Payal Main Geet) was never released.
After school, he went to study in St. Xaviers College. He commuted by bus and train from Chembur to Bombay V.T., and the walked the rest of the way. It was here that he met Mazhar Khan. A distracted Anil was kicked out of College in the second year due to his lack of presence. His attempts to join the Pune Film Institute were in vain, as he failed in the written examination. He then decided to join Roshan Taneja's Acting school.
He first appeared on the silver screen in Hamhare Tumhare in a character role. His first lead role was in 'Woh 7 Din' and from thence on there has been no looking back. He has acted in close to a 100 movies, and has 5 in production. He has produced two movies (Gandhi My Father & Badhaai Ho Badhaai), as well as been a Casting Director/Outdoor In charge for 'Hum Paanch'.
Kapoor's first role in an international film was in Danny Boyle's 2008 Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, for which he shared the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. His performance in the eighth season of the action series 24 generated rave reviews from the American press Globally, Anil Kapoor is one of the most recognized Indian actors.
Anil met wealthy and chic model, Sindhi-speaking Sunita Bhambhani, and married her in 1984. Since then they have given birth to 3 children, kapoor has two daughters and a son Harshwardhan Kapoor.Kapoor's elder daughter is actress Sonam Kapoor. Rhea Kapoor attended school in New York and is now a producer in Mumbai.- Actor
- 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
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
Ranganathan Madhavan was born on June 01, 1970, to businessman R. Iyengar and his wife R. Saroja in a Tamil family. He is an Indian actor, writer, film director and producer.
At the age of 18, his college entrusted him with the responsibility of representing India as a Cultural Ambassador to Canada.
A year later, he and three others from his college were sent to Britain as army cadets and received training in the royal army, navy, and Air Force.
While conducting courses on public speaking, he met Saritha, an Air Hostess and both got married 7 years later. Their first child, a son, Vedaant, was born in 2005.
A vegetarian and animal lover, he is a brand ambassador for PETA. He is fluent in English, Hindi, and Tamil.
Before making his appearance on the tinsel screen, he was popular on the idiot box on Sony's Deal Ya No Deal (2005). Having done close to 1800 episodes of various soaps on varied National Networks, he subsequently also appeared as the main character in a mobile game.
He made his debut with Inferno (1997) in 1998, and since then acted in nearly 48 movies in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada. He is popularly known as the 'chocolate hero', and his most popular film is 3 Idiots (2009) where he starred opposite Aamir Khan and Sharman Joshi.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Sarathkumar Ramanathan is an Indian film actor, producer, and politician who has made a significant impact on the South Indian film industry.
Ramanathan studied at the Raja Muthiah High School in Chennai. Later, he went to the Central School in IIT Madras and completed his further studies at St. Patrick's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School.
He was quite interested in sports; he played cricket, football, and hockey, even representing his school and college in numerous tournaments. He also joined the NCC and became an Air Wing Cadet. Ramanathan completed his pre-university education at Loyola College. He then pursued a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from The New College in Chennai.
In 1974, Ramanathan became a bodybuilder and earned the title of Mr Madras University. Later, he moved to Bangalore to work for Dinakaran, a Tamil newspaper. While he started off as a newspaper distributor, he went on to become a reporter for Dinakaran. He then shifted back to Chennai and opened a travel agency, where he met Kannadasan, who encouraged him to become a film producer.
Ramanathan then transitioned to acting and made his debut in the film industry in 1986 with the Telugu film Samajamlo sthree (1986). He was supposed to play the lead role in Chinna Poove Mella Pesu (1987) but was replaced by Prabhu. In 1988, he produced and acted in the Tamil film Kan Simmittum Neram (1988). One of his first major roles was in the movie Pulan Visaaranai (1990), where he played the role of a villain.
Soon after, he started getting more offers, which led to him acting in films like Mr. Karthik (1990), Pudhu Padagan (1990), Velai Kidaichiruchu (1990), Raja Kaiye Vacha (1990) and Urudhi Mozhi (1990). He also worked in several Telugu films, including Magaadu (1990) and Balachandrudu (1990). Following this, he essayed supporting roles in many Tamil films, such as Salem Vishnu (1990), Sirayil Sila Raagangal (1990), and Mounam Sammadham (1990).
In 1991, he featured in twelve Tamil films and three Telugu movies, mostly in supporting roles. The same year, he appeared in lead roles in films like Kaaval Nilayam (1991) and Cheran Pandian (1991), which were quite successful commercially.
His major breakthrough role came in the 1992 film Surieyan (1992), considered a trendsetter for Tamil action films. In addition to positive reviews, this role got him the Cinema Express Best Actor Special Award. He also worked on other films in 1992, including Thai Mozhi (1992), Ellaichami (1992), Samundi (1992), and Natchathira Nayagan (1992).
In 1993, Ramanathan acted in films like Aadhityan (1993), Dasarathan, Vedan (1993), Band Master (1993), and Moondravathu Kann (1993). In 1994, some of his projects included Aranmanai Kaavalan (1994), Captain Shiva (1994), Raja Pandi (1994), and the critically-acclaimed Nattamai (1994), for which he won the Best Actor award at the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, and Cinema Express Awards.
Ramanathan continued to be incredibly prolific; he featured in various films over the years, like Veluchami (1995), Coolie (1995), Ragasiya Police (1995), Mahaprabhu (1996), Nethaji (1996), Aravindhan (1997), Suryavamsam (1997), Janakiraman (1997), Moovendhar (1998), Natpukkaga (1998), Chinna Durai (1999), Maayi (2000), Rishi (2001), Vinnukum Mannukum (2001), Samudhram (2001), Thenkasi Pattanam (2002), Paarai (2003), Chatrapathy (2004), Aai (2004), etc.
In 2005, he acted in Ayya (2005), which was successful and received positive reviews. He also appeared in guest roles in Bunny (2005) and Jithan (2005). In 2006, he directed and acted in Thalaimagan (2006), which was a commercial failure. He appeared in several other films, including Pachaikili Muthucharam (2007), Nam Naadu (2007), and Vaitheeswaran (2008), which received mixed to negative reviews.
In 2009, Ramanathan debuted in Malayalam cinema through Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (2009). He won the Vanitha Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role. He also appeared in Jaggubhai (2010), Kola Kolaya Mundhirika (2009), Oridathoru Postman (2010), The Metro (2011), and Christian Brothers (2011).
In 2011, he played a transgender person in Kanchana: Muni 2 (2011), which was a commercial success. He appeared in Achante Aanmakkal (2012) and Myna (2013). In 2014, he appeared in Nimirndhu Nil (2014), Janda Pai Kapiraju (2015), and Kochadaiiyaan (2014). In 2017, he made a comeback in Tamil cinema with Chennaiyil Oru Naal 2 (2017).
Besides his career in the entertainment industry, Ramanathan has been actively involved in politics. He joined the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party in 1996 and launched the All India Samathuya Makkal Kathci (AISMK) party in 2007. He is also a former Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Tenkasi Constituency and served for three terms as the president of the Nadigar Sangam from 2006 to 2015.
Ramanathan has received numerous awards for his outstanding contributions to the film industry. His accolades include the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, such as the M.G.R. Award in 1996 and the Best Actor Award for Natpukkaga and Simmarasi in 1998. He has also won multiple Filmfare Awards South, including Best Tamil Actor Awards for Suryavamsam in 1997 and Natpukkaga in 1998.
In addition, he received several Cinema Express Awards, including the Best Villain Award for Pulan Visaranai in 1990 and the Best Actor Award for Suryavamsam in 1994. He was honoured with the Chevalier Sivaji Ganesan Award in 2000 and the Sivaji Ganesan Award in 2005.
Ramanathan was also felicitated with the Asianet Special Jury Award, the Jai Hind Patriotic Pride Award, and the Incisive Charisma Award by WE Magazine.- Ambarish was born on 30 November 1951 in Malavalli, Mandya district, Karnataka, India. He was an actor, known for Bul Bul (2013), Veera Parampare (2010) and Chakravyuha (1983). He was married to Sumalatha. He died on 24 November 2018 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
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Jaikishen was born in the Gujarati-speaking Shroff family on February 1, 1957. His dad's name is Kakubhai, his brother's is Hemant, and they live in Bandra, Bombay in a bungalow named 'Le Pepeyon". He became a superstar in the 1980s. By the television era begun in the 80s, he had become a superstar. In BR Chopra's Mahabharata, Jackie Shroff was offered the role of Arjun in the series but Shroff refused to play the role considering it a negligible role to play in the epic and insisted the Chopras for casting him for the lead role of Karna but BR Chopra refused because of dates' issue with Karna's role which required presence in almost all episodes but Shroff won't be able to give his dates .
A vegetarian, Jaikishen made his Bollywood debut in a bit-role as a villain in the hit Heera Panna (1973) which starred 'Dev Anand'. He then went on to act in another Dev Anand movie, Swami Dada (1982).
It was Subhash Ghai who signed him up for the hit Hero (1983) that catapulted this handsome young man to stardom, followed by yet another hit Andar Baahar (1984) with Anil Kapoor as his co-star. Thus Jaikishen became the new Bollywood legend: Jackie Shroff.
Since then there has been no looking back, as he went on to star in close to 150 movies with a career that spanned from 1973 onwards. Since 2000 or thereabouts he has appeared in a variety of character-roles, villain, comedian, and even as a ghost in Bhoot Unkle (2006).
He married his longtime girlfriend, Ayesha Shroff (née Dutt), who is also a producer and both husband and wife run Jackie Shroff Entertainment Limited. They have two children, a son, Jai (nickname Tiger), and a daughter, Krishna.- Actor
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Shatrughan Sinha's first acting opportunity was playing a Pakistani military officer in Dev Anand's Prem Pujari. Subsequently, he got a small role as a police inspector in Mohan Sehgal's Sajan in 1969. The release of Prem Pujari was delayed, so his first released film was Sajan. He later appeared in villainous role in Pyar Hi Pyar, Banphool, Manmohan Desai's Rampur Ka Laxman and Bhai Ho Toh Aisa, Sultan Ahmed's Heera and in Vijay Anand's Blackmail. He played supporting roles in many films before appearing in Gulzar's Mere Apne in 1971. He was cast along with his future wife Poonam Sinha then called as Komal in the movie "Sabak" (1973). He played supporting roles in Khilona, Dulal Guha's Dost in 1974, Aa Gale Lag Jaa, Jheel Ke Us Paar and Gambler in 1970. He acted with Amitabh Bachchan in films like Raaste Ka Paththar, Yaar Meri Zindagi, Shaan and Kala Paththar which were flops and later acted in Bombay To Goa, Dostana and Naseeb. His films as the lead hero between 1970 to 1975 were not hits. His first successful film as lead hero was in Kalicharan in 1976. Subhash Ghai had went with story of Kalicharan to NN Sippy and said he wanted to direct his first film. N.N.Sippy got ready to produce after few days, but wanted to cast only Rajesh Khanna in the lead role of Kalicharan. Then only when N.N.Sippy confirmed with Rajesh Khanna that Rajesh did not have dates for the years 1976 and 1977, Sippy asked Subhash Ghai to go ahead with the script and direct Kaalicharan with Shatrughan Sinha in the lead.
Some of his notable films as lead hero were Ab Kya Hoga, Khan Dost, Yaaraon Ka Yaar, Dillagi, Vishwanath, Muqabla, Jaani Dushman. He then became a bankable action hero from early eighties to mid-nineties. He co-starred with Sanjeev Kumar in Bereham, Hathkadi, Bad Aur Badnaam, Chehre Pe Chehra, Hirasat and Qatl. He starred in Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Naram Garam, Brij's Bombay 405 Miles and Taqdeer. He has sung the song Ek Baat Suni Hai Chachaji with singer Sushma Shresta in the film Naram Garam in 1981 composed by R.D.Burman. However when his films as lead hero like Prakash Mehra's Jawalamukhi, Amjad Khan's Chor Police and Ameer Aadmi Garib Aadmi and Raj Khosla's Mera Dost Meraa Dushman became flops despite being appreciated by critics, there was threat to his career as lead hero . He then bounced back by bagging roles in films with lead hero as Rajesh Khanna in films like Dil E Nadan, Aaj Ka M.L.A Ram Avtaar, Maqsad, Paapi Pet Ka Sawal Hai.
His other hit films in the mid-eighties included Jeene Nahi Doonga, Bhawani Junction, Aandhi-Toofan, Ramkali, Ilzaam, Asli Naqli. He then went to star with Jeetendra in Hoshiyar, Khudgarz, Ranbhoomi and Mulzim. He co-starred with Dharmendra in Insaniyat Ke Dushman, Loha (1987), Aag Hi Aag (1987), Hawalaat, Zalzala. His films like Telephone (1985), Sherni (1988), Khoon Bhari Maang (1988), Adharm (1992). He starred with Raajkumar in Betaaj Badshah in 1994 and Salman Khan in Chaand Kaa Tukdaa in 1994. Sinha credited Rajesh Khanna for getting Kaalicharan and for revival of his career as lead hero in the 1980's however their friendship got affected when Shatrughan Sinha stood as the BJP candidate against Rajesh Khanna in 1992 election. Though as a Congress candidate Khanna had defeated Sinha by 25000 margin of votes, Khanna was disappointed at Sinha for standing against him in the elections.
In 2008, he became a judge on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge show, season 4 on STAR One TV. On 3 October 2009, Sinha appeared on Sony Entertainment Television Asia's show Dus Ka Dum season 2 as host for a special episode. He is currently hosting the Bhojpuri version of the popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati on Mahuaa channel. Shatrughan is the cousin of producer Virendra Sinha. Shatrughan Sinha's children's names are Luv, Kush and Sonakshi.- J.V. Somayajulu was born on 30 June 1928 in India. He was an actor, known for Thyagayya (1981), Aditya 369 (1991) and Sankarabharanam (1980). He died on 27 April 2004 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
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Shankar Nag was born on 9 November 1954 in Udupi, Karnataka, India. He was an actor and director, known for Geetha (1981), Minchina Oata (1980) and Ondu Muthina Kathe (1987). He was married to Arundathi Nag. He died on 30 September 1990 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.- Actor
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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.- Actor
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Born to the late Anandi and Sadanand Nagarkatte, hails from coastal Karnataka, where he had his early education under the aegis of Anand Ashram in South Canara and Chitrapur math in North Canara. Sent to Bombay for onward education and got involved with amateur theatre activities for 8 years. Got a break in Kannada film titled "Sankalpa" in 1971 with the help from late Shri G. V. Iyer and Shri Girish Karnad, the renowned playwright.
In Bombay Satyadev Dubey guided him to Shyam Benegal for his first hindi film "Ankur" (1974). In that decade under Benegal's direction varied roles came in his way in films like "Nishant" (1975), "Bhumika" (1977), "Manthan" (1976), "Kondra (1977)" and "Kaliyug" (1981)
He has acted in films under the direction of noted film makers like M S Sathyu, Girish Karnad, Vikas Desai. Also acted in noted serials and films in Hindi based on the works of the novelist late Shri R. K. Narayan, Produced by T. S. Narasimhan under the direction of his younger brother, the late Shri Shankar Nag.
He has acted in over 175 Kannada films under various directors, veterans as well as budding debutants, not to mention some landmark films in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi. He has won the Karnataka State Best Actor Award on four occasions, besides others like `Film fare Awards' etc.
An active participant in the Janatha Party Political experiment ever since the 70s, he was nominated a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council (1988-1994), was elected a Member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly (1994-1999) and was a minister of State, attached to the Chief Minister (1996-1999).
Currently involved with selected assignments. Noted among them being a feature film in Hindi "Yuva" directed by Mani Ratnam and yet another feature 'Man eater of Malgudi' based on late Shri R. K. Narayan's Novel now being directed by Ms Kavitha Lankesh.- Actor
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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
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Mohan was born on 23 August 1956. He is an actor and director, known for Payanangal Mudivathillai (1982), Mouna Ragam (1986) and Anbulla Kadhalukku (1999).- Actor
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Sanjay Dutt, son of Nargis and Sunil Dutt, was first featured in Rocky (1981), the movie was a box office hit.
He emerged as a sensitive actor, alongside being the top prominent action hero of 80s & 90s Bollywood, whilst also finding noteworthy praise in the comedic genre.
Sanjay's personal life was exacerbated by drug problems, and he later lost his wife Richa Sharma, to cancer. He was also arrested for having illegal weapons, and was imprisoned. After his release, he appeared in three consecutive hits; Daag: The Fire (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999), His performance in Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999) earned him many Best Actor Popular awards, including FilmFare.
Sanjay then appeared in many movies such as Mission Kashmir (2000), Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) which also earned him many awards.
Recently a biopic on his life was made called Sanju (2018).- Farooq Sheikh was an Indian actor, philanthropist and a television presenter. He was known for his work in Hindi films from 1977 to 1989. He returned to acting in films in 2008. His major contribution was in Parallel Cinema or the New Indian Cinema. He's acted in serials and shows on television and has performed on stage in famous productions like Tumhari Amrita. He has won the 2010 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for Lahore.
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Known for his trademark gelled spiked up crew cut with sunglasses, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) is an Indian Bollywood movie star, movie producer, magazine model, showman, public speaker, author, philanthropist and television host/personality working predominantly in Hindi cinema.
Khan began his on-camera acting debut in 1987 at the age of 21 by guest starring in various Indian serial drama soap opera TV shows as well as appearing in numerous television commercials and brand advertisements for products. He studied theatre arts and drama during his second year of college after participating in numerous school plays. He landed a few acting gigs in Delhi, before acting on Indian TV and became popular. Khan came down to Mumbai to shoot a TV series with self doubt and under confidence. So he came for a year to give it a shot. He began auditioning for starring roles in Hindi movies in 1990 after the death of his mother (his father died a decade earlier in 1980). Khan's parents died early, which made him heartbroken in Delhi. Khan decided to pursue a full-time acting career and relocating to Mumbai to start afresh, hoping to enjoy acting and overcome the dejecting death of his parents, as there was nothing for him to go back to. He began auditioning for starring roles in Hindi movies in 1990 after the death of his mother (his father died a decade earlier in 1980).
After recuperating from a career-ending sports injury, he landed his breakout breakthrough feature film starring role in the Silver screen in June 1992, and rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 1990s. Khan shot to stardom in his first feature film "Deewana" (1992) which won him the first of 13 Filmfare awards -- the Bollywood equivalent of an Oscar. He continued starring in blockbuster movies throughout the 2000s with a mixed bag of career fluctuations, establishing himself as a very bankable, versatile movie star in the early-to-mid 2010s. Following a 4-year sabbatical hiatus in the wake of the corona-virus pandemic, Khan made a resurgence comeback in 2023, and continues to act and star in A-Lister blockbuster movies.
Referred to in the media as the "Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has appeared in over 100 films, and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards.
He has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, as well as the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Legion of Honour by the Government of France. Khan has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. In terms of audience size and income, several media outlets have described him as one of the most successful film stars in the world. Many of his films depict and portray Indian national identity, Indian patriotism, and connections with diaspora communities, or gender, racial, social and religious differences and grievances.
Shah Rukh Khan has been TAG Heuer's brand ambassador in India since September 2003 & is close friends with Amir. He is Bollywood's most bankable movie stars with brand endorsements & resides in the affluent suburbs of Bandra, Mumbai, India with his wife and children.- Producer
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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
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Mithun Chakraborty, whose birth name was Gouranga Chakraborty, is an actor, producer, and politician. He is a former Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and has worked in several Hindi and Bengali films.
He studied at Oriental Seminary and then cleared his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry from Scottish Church College in Kolkata. Chakraborty graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.
Chakraborty has appeared in over 350 films, including Hindi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Tamil, Odia, Kannada, Telugu, and Punjabi movies. He made his acting debut with Mrigayaa (1977). This debut earned him his first National Film Award for Best Actor.
During his early career as an actor, he had minor roles in movies like Do Anjaane (1976) and Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan (1978). However, it was the low-budget espionage film Surakksha (1979) that propelled Chakraborty to fame. Additionally, Basu Chatterjee's film Prem Vivah (1979) was also a significant movie for Chakraborty in the late 1970s.
His collaboration with Deepak Bahry in 1979 with Tarana (1979) got him many hit films together in the 1980s, such as Humse Badhkar Kaun: The Entertainer (1998), Hum Se Hai Zamana (1983), and Woh Jo Hasina (1983).
Chakraborty debuted in Bengali cinema with Nadi Theke Sagare (1978), directed by Arabinda Mukhopadhyay. He impacted Hindi cinema in the 1980s with over 110 releases. He played Jimmy in the iconic 1982 film Disco Dancer (1982), which was the first film in India to gross Rs. 100 crores. He played dual roles for the first time in Taxi Chor (1980) and later played dual roles in 19 films.
Between 1990 and 1999, he appeared in over 100 movies and delivered several outstanding and unforgettable performances. Some of his notable works during this period include Agneepath (1990), which earned him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as hits like Shandar (1990) and Trinetra (1991).
He also won two National Film Awards for his role in Tahader Katha (1992) and Vivekananda (1998).
Chakraborty appeared on screen in several blockbusters in the mainstream Hindi film industry from 2000-2019. His film Elaan (2005) received massive appreciation from the audience and his critics. His movie Zor Lagaa Ke... Haiya! (2009) won multiple International awards, and critics appreciated Chal Chalein (2009) for its bold theme.
His next film Phir Kabhi (2008), was critically acclaimed and saw a direct-to-home (DTH) premiere in September 2009. The movie won as many as six awards in as many categories at the Los Angeles Reel Awards of 2009.
The Bhojpuri film, Bhole Shankar (2008) was Chakraborty's debut in the industry and is believed to be the biggest Bhojpuri film. He has played a role in films like Veer (2010) with Salman Khan and Golmaal 3 (2010) with Ajay Devgn. In 2012, he did three films with Akshay Kumar, OMG: Oh My God! (2012), Housefull 2 (2012), and Khiladi 786 (2012).
Chakraborty also made his Kannada debut with The Villain (2018), starring Shivarajkumar and Sudeep. He was also seen in The Kashmir Files (2022). Chakaraborty's web series, Bestseller (2022), was his debut in digital cinema through the OTT platform Amazon Prime.
Chakraborty is the recipient of three National Film Awards, two Filmfare Awards, one Screen Award, three BFJA Awards, two Anandalok Awards, one award from Stardust, one Annual Central European Bollywood Award, one Star Jahlsa Award, and one Star Jahlsa Award for his acting performance.
Chakraborty was the brand ambassador of Panasonic electronics in the late 1980s. He is the face of GoDaddy and the Manappuram Gold Loan for West Bengal state.
In 1979, he tied the knot with actress Helena Luke but their marriage lasted only for four months, and they separated, eventually getting a divorce. He then married another actress Yogeeta Bali in the same year. Together, they have four children - Mimoh, Ushmey Chakraborty, Namashi Chakraborty, and an adopted daughter named Dishani Chakraborty.- Actor
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Vishal Veeru "Ajay" Devgn was born on April 02, 1969, in New Delhi, Delhi to action director Veeru Devgan and his wife Veena Devgan. He is an Indian actor, film director and producer who works in the Bollywood industry and is one of the highest-paid celebrities in India. Devgn started his film career with Phool Aur Kaante (1991). He is known for films like All The Best: Fun Begins (2009), Hindustan Ki Kasam (1999), Ishq (1997), The Legend of Bhagat Singh (2002), Singham (2011), Total Dhamaal (2019) etc. He is married to actress Kajol with whom he has two children (i.e son Yug and daughter Nysa). He is also the founder and owner of the production banner Ajay Devgn Ffilms.- Actor
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Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar (born 22 June 1974), known mononymously as Vijay, is an Indian actor, dancer, playback singer and philanthropist who works predominantly in Tamil cinema and also appeared in other Indian languages films. Referred to by fans and media as "Thalapathy" (commander), Vijay is the highest paid actor in Tamil cinema. He has significant fan following globally. He has won numerous awards, including eight Vijay Awards by Star India, three Tamil Nadu State Film Awards by Government of Tamil Nadu, and a SIIMA Award. He has been included several times in the Forbes India Celebrity 100 list, based on the earnings of Indian celebrities.- Actor
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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
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He starred as a child star in his father's production. Audiences remember him as the cute boy who brought an estranged father and son together in "Suryavamsam". His real name is Amar Chowdary. He has 4 brothers, Suresh, a joint producer at Super GOOD films, Jeevan, who has his own business and Ramesh, another new Teenybopper Tamil Hero. Jeeva is the youngest and inarguably the cutest with the boyish charms and killer smile that made people stand up to notice in his debut film "Aasai Aasaiyai" itself. His father, R B Chowdry produced numerous films, introduced now-famous directors and heroes and is a noted south Indian film producer despite having Hindi as mother tongue and hailing from Rajasthan, a north Indian state.- Actor
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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).