Advanced search
- TITLES
- NAMES
- COLLABORATIONS
Search filters
Enter full date
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
Only includes names with the selected topics
to
or just enter yyyy, or yyyy-mm below
to
1-50 of 519
- Actress
- Producer
Persis Khambatta was born on October 2, 1948 in Bombay, India. When aged 16, as Femina Miss India, she entered Miss Universe 1965, dressed in off-the-rack clothes she bought at the last minute. Khambatta became a model for companies such as Revlon. Her biggest acting break was getting the role of Lieutenant Ilia, the bald Deltan alien in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979). This led to roles in Nighthawks (1981), Megaforce (1982) and Warrior of the Lost World (1983). She was considered for the title role in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983), but was passed over in favor of Maud Adams. Khambatta became the first citizen of India to present an Academy Award in 1980. She was nominated
for the Saturn Award for Best Actress for her Star Trek role. Khambatta also made guest appearances in many popular American television series. In the early 1980s, she was seriously injured in a car crash in Germany and had to have heart bypass surgery.
A year before her death, she wrote and published a coffee table book titled "Pride of India" which featured former Miss Indias; it was
dedicated to Mother Teresa, and part of the royalties went to the Missionaries of Charity. On August 17, 1998, Persis Khambatta was taken to the Marine Hospital in South Mumbai, complaining of chest pains. She died of a heart attack on August 18, 1998 at the age of 49; her funeral was held in Mumbai.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan, in Jaipur, Rajasthan (NW India) January 7, 1967 to a Pashto-speaking Muslim family. Khan's mother, Begum Khan, was from the Tonk Hakim family and his father, Jagirdar Khan, from the Khajuriya village near the Tonk district, ran a tire business.
The Khan family name comes from Turkish and Mongol languages and mean "king" or great leader. Descendants of Genghis Khan (13th century) in central Asia adopted Islam and became the Moghuls, who conquered India for several centuries until British rule.
Irfan was a skilled cricket player. In his early 20's he was selected for the CK Nayudu Tournament (a stepping stone to First Class cricket). He did not turn up for the tournament owing to lack of funds and as a result he focused on acting.
In 1984 he earned a scholarship to the National School of Acting in New Delhi.
He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor for his contribution to the field of arts.
His portrayal of Paan Singh Tomar in the acclaimed biographical sports drama Paan Singh Tomar (2011) won him the National Film Award for Best Actor and a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor. His performance in the BAFTA Award nominated romance The Lunchbox (2013) earned him universal acclaim by the critics and audiences.
Globally, Khan was in The Warrior (2001), The Namesake (2006), The Darjeeling Limited (2007), the Academy Award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire (2008), New York, I Love You (2009), The Amazing Spider-Man (2012), Life of Pi (2012), Jurassic World (2015) and Inferno (2016). As of 2017, his films have grossed $3.643 billion at the worldwide box office. In 2018, Khan was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor.
Khan got married to his wife Sutapa Sikdar, in 1995. She is a Hindu of the Brahmin caste. She is a movie producer, dialogue writer and screenwriter. Among her famous movies are Khamoshi: The Musical (Dialogue Writer, 1996), Supari (Dialogue Writer, 2003), Kahaani (Dialogue Writer, 2003), Madaari (Producer, 2016), Qarib Qarib Singlle (Producer, 2017)
They have two kids: Ayaan Khan, Babil Khan
Unlike most Indian film stars, Irrfan has been outspoken on religion. On Arnab Goswami's talk show, he took on Muslim fundamentalists, including India's Grand Imam.
Irrfan Khan argued against "transactional religious interaction" and for "personal religious discovery"..."to discover yourself, to find God". Though he admits he is "not an authority" on the Koran and Islamic Holy scriptures he has bravely stood by his comments despite heavy criticism and even threats of violence.
He's aware of the dangers that his frank comments pose to him and his family. His wife commented, "We are very proud of him."- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Believe it or not, Amrish Puri wanted to become a Bollywood movie hero
but failed a screen test in 1954. 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).
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. Amrish Puri died in
Mumbai on January 12, 2005, due to a brain hemorrhage.- 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
- Additional Crew
- Music Department
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.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
On Stats Alone, The Most Popular Actor In The History Of Cinema!
The only actor to enjoy near God-like status across the length and breadth of India for a quarter century!
Elected in several expert online polls, as The Greatest Actor In The History Of World Cinema !
With 100+ All-Time Blockbusters- 48 Platinum Jubilee hits + 27 Golden Jubilee hits + 26 Silver Jubilee Hits, & 17
average hits, over 25 yrs.
So these quite wonderful film business websites have come up with a inflation adjusted analysis of few of his random films, which I shall present about now, just to open the eyes of today's audiences, to just the massive quantum of collections, achieved by this one actor alone.
They've done this chronologically for just few of his mildly to very successful (~42/125 ie 1/3rd) lead/parallel lead films leaving out vast sums of his other massively successful films , from late 60s to late 90s, & only inflation-adjusted worldwide collection numbers, so audiences of today can get a decent idea.
1. Raaz - 284 Crores
2. Bandhan - 437 Crores
3. Aradhana - 1092 Crores
4. Ittefaq - 266 Crores
5. Doli - 344 Crores
6. Do Raaste - 1014 Crores
7. Kati Patang - 540 Crores
8. Safar - 426 Crores
9. The Train - 284 Crores
10. Sachcha Jhutha - 781 Crores
11. Aan Milo Sajna - 710 Crores
12. Amar Prem - 387 Crores
13. Mehboob Ki Mehndi - 233 Crores
14. Anand - 220 Crores
15. Haathi Mere Saathi - 903 Crores
16. Andaz - 516 Crores
17. Maryada - 581 Crores
18. Dushman - 644 Crores
19. Apna Desh - 492 Crores
20. Shehzada - 223 Crores
21. Daag - 689 Crores
22. Namak Haraam - 212 Crores
23. Aap Ki Kasam - 311 Crores
24. Prem Nagar - 440 Crores
25. Ajnabee - 243 Crores
26. Roti - 388 Crores
27. Prem Kahani - 168 Crores
28. Maha Chor - 143 Crores
29. Mehbooba - 177 Crores
30. Chhaila Babu - 197 Crores
31. Aashiq Hoon Baharon Ka - 146 Crores
32. Muqabla - 175 Crores
33. Amar Deep - 139 Crores
34. Thodisi Bewafai - 143 Crores
35. Kudrat - 174 Crores
36. Fiffty Fiffty - 179 Crores
37. Rajput - 339 Crores
38. Ashanti - 217 Crores
39. Dharam Kanta - 272 Crores
40. Maqsad - 318 Crores
41. Swarg - 85 Crores
42. Aa Ab Laut Chalen - 153 Crores
Have a look at that. And we've just begun checking (a random 1/3rd of his films) !
He was born on 29 December 1942 in Amritsar, Punjab,
India, and entered Hindi films in the year 1965 when began
shooting for Raaz and did 180 films - 163 feature films and 17 short
films. By 2011, he held the record for maximum number of films as solo
lead hero and least number of multi star cast films in Hindi Cinema. Of
the 163 films - 106 were solo hero films and 22 were multi star films
and 29 films had him in special effective guest appearances(though only
97 solo and 20 two hero films only released and 11 unreleased from 1966
till 2013).He ranked first and won the United Producers All India
Contest held in 1965 by beating 10000 candidates and the prize of it
was acting in films Akhri Khat and Raaz. He first tasted success as an
actor with 3 consecutive hit films like Aakhri Khat,Raaz and Aurat.His
first brush with super-stardom was when outburst from his fans forced
the director to change the story of Baharaon Ke Sapne's ending from a
tragic one to a happy one after 1 week of its release. Though Baharon
Ke Sapne was average in some centers it was declared flop in most
places. In 1969 Rajesh Khanna achieved super-stardom with Shakti
Samantha's 'Aradhana" (1969).He became the craze of the nation, and
critics across India started calling him the First Superstar of both
Indian Cinema (No. 1 Actor) and Hindi Films and remained so alone as
the Superstar for 7 years (1969-1976) and had to share the status with
Amitabh from 1977-1991 till he left films to join politics in 1991.He
overtook his predecessors Dev-Dilip-Raj, Shammi Kapoor,Rajendra Kumar
in terms of extreme popularity with audience and critics, quality of
performances, variety of roles and films by doing quickly 47 films from
1966-75 which included 36 Golden Jubilee Hits(21 of the 36 were
platinum) and 4 silver silver jubilee hits and only 7 flops in 9 years.
He also made the world record of having 17 successive super-hits in 3
years from 1969-71 which included 15 consecutive solo super-hit films
and 2 two hero films namely Andaz and Maryada. The main difference
between him and his predecessors,successors, contemporaries was that
Khanna's films ran successfully in whole of India and not just Hindi
speaking areas and he did films of every genre simultaneously and has
more critically acclaimed films to his credit than all other Hindi
Actors of every generation. He stands out even by selection of his
films as he regularly did both offbeat alternate cinema along with
commercial potboiler films and had success in both.He introduced
intelligent cinema to the masses with ease. Those 15 consecutive hit
solo lead hero films from 1969-71 were Aradhana, Doli, Bandhan,
Ittefaq, Do Raaste, Khamoshi, Safar, The Train, Kati Patang, Sachaa
Jhutha, Aan Milo Sajna, Mehboob Ki Mehendi, Choti Bahu, Anand and Haathi
Mere Saathi. His next release Maalik flopped ending thereby the record.
Anju Mahendru was his girl friend in 1968-1972, the then aspiring
actress but they had breakup in 1972 when Anju was not ready for
marriage while Khanna wanted to marry her, and Khanna married his fan
Dimple Kapadia in March 1973, 8 months before Dimple's debut film Bobby
released in theaters.
Khanna's pairing with Mumtaz always produced much success as they had
all of their 8 films together as major platinum jubilee hits.His films
with Sharmila Tagore, Asha Parekh, Tanuja, Hema Malini and Zeenat Aman was a favorite with
audiences too in 70's.
From 1976 on-wards till 1978, he had 5 box office hits as lead hero(2
silver jubilee hits, 2 platinum hits, 1 average hit), 3 hits in guest
appearances, 1 flop in guest appearance and 8 films of him as the main
lead flopped unexpectedly although his performances and the film's
music were praised by critics and thereby 76-78 is considered his bad
phase.
K.Balaji wanted to establish himself in Hindi film industry as a
producer and thereby wanted to remake his Tamil film Sivaji Ganeshan
starer Dheepam in Hindi. At a time when Khanna's films were not working
at the box office, Khanna got this film out of the blue and went on to
become a big hit. Khanna bounced back with twin success of Amardeep and
Prem Bandhan then again started giving many critically acclaimed and
commercially successful films including 35 Golden Jubilee Hits(includes
25 platinum) and 14 SJH starting from 1979 till 1991 and had 9 average
hits from 1976-1996. In the 80's his films opposite Tina Munim, Hema
Malini, Reena Roy, Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil and Poonam Dhillon
were big hits.
He produced three films and co-produced 4 films. He had total 105 box
office hits(91 as lead hero and 14 in guest appearance) from
1966-1991.He left film industry in 1991 and entered politics by joining
the Congress Party in 1991 and became a member of parliament. Khanna
was awarded Filmfare Special award in 1991 for having starred in 101
films as the solo lead hero(92 solo film released till 1992 and
includes 7 unreleased solos and Anuraag) and having done just 21 two
hero films(only 19 released till 1991) but having appeared in 153 films
in short span of 25 years between 1966-1991. Has won most number of All
India Critics Award for Best Actor for a record 7 times and was
nominated for same 10 times.He holds record for being the actor to win
maximum BJFA awards for Best Actor - 4 and was nominated the most for
it - 25 times.He is still adored and fondly remembered by the masses.
Songs from his films adorn the lips of youth and adolescents. He was
the first mega-star and has left behind a storehouse of the finest
moments in film history.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sushant Singh Rajput was born on January 21, 1986 in Purnia, Bihar to K. K. Singh and Usha Singh. He has 4 sisters (i.e. Neetu, Meetu, Priyanka & Shweta). He was an Indian television & film actor, dancer and entrepreneur. He became a household name after playing the role of Manav in the TV series, Pavitra Rishta (2009) on Zee TV. He made his Bollywood debut with Kai Po Che (2013), directed by Abhishek Kapoor, which was adapted from Chetan Bhagat's novel, The 3 Mistake of My Life, and then launched himself to soaring heights in the film industry. He also worked in movies like Shuddh Desi Romance (2013), PK (2014), Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! (2015), M. S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016), Raabta (2017), Kedarnath (2018), Sonchiriya (2019), Chhichhore (2019) and Netflix film Drive (2019). He died on June 14, 2020 at his Mumbai residence. His last film, Dil Bechara (2020) was released on July 24, 2020 as a free film on Disney+ Hotstar Multiplex.- Actor
- Writer
It's difficult to think of Ranjit without a smile on our faces or a chuckle.Lovable, witty, energetic, effervescent.. his uncanny ability to diffuse any difficult situation with a dose of incredible humour. Ranjit was all this and more.In his short lifetime, Ranjit grew into an acting force to reckon with. Growing up under the tutelage of acting stalwarts parents, the legendary Pearl and Alyque Padamsee, the young Ranjit keenly observed his parents' tremendous contribution to Mumbai's Theatre world, and was hooked!This snowballed into an acting career from which there was no looking backWe are truly grateful that thanks to the legacy of Ranjit's work on screen, he will forever be immortalised.
Recently, at the 27th Screen Actors Guild Awards 2021, Ranjit was remembered as one of Hollywood's 100 great legends in a bevvy that included among others : Sir Sean Connery, Olivia de Havilland, Kirk Douglas, Cloris Leachman and Christopher Plummer.
This lovable fireball first made his presence felt in Basu Chatterjee's "Khatta Meetha". The screen lapped up his delectable presence and it was obvious that a young star was born and was here to stay.
Ranjit went on to act with the industry's greats : Amitabh Bachhan, Smita Patil, Rekha, Anupam Kher & Shabana Azmi in widely acknowledged films like Khubsoorat, Kaalia, Kaante, Baton Baton Mein and Chakra.The young unstoppable Ranjit further went on to create impressive inroads in the world of international films and television.He acted in some of Hollywood's biggest ensembles that included Nicolas Caige, Steve Corell, Russell Peters, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah (in the 2006 film Last Holiday) and of course who can forget Ranjit as Rocky in Deepa Mehta's 'Bollywood/Hollywood' for which he was nominated for Best Actor in a supporting role at the 23rd Genie Awards.
On international television, Ranjit's impactful presence can be seen in,
NYPD Blues, Prison Break, Cosby, The Office (in which he played Vikram the telemarketer briefly hired for the Michael Scott Paper Company). His first screenplay/starring role in 'Sam & Me' won Honourable Mention at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival.Life had great open roads awaiting the brilliant Ranjit. So while we mourn this untimely loss, we as a family will endeavour to find solace and strength in loving memories of our beloved Chottu. We will continue to find comfort in memories of not only his work but also in his delightful humour, cheeky handwritten notes that always had a humorous ring to them, and most memorable of all, that innocent child-like sweet twinkle in his eyes. He left behind his wife Malini and son Avishay (Avi) who is a sports journalist in America.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Born in south Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and
actor Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Mumbai's Campion
School. His brothers are well-known actors, Randhir Kapoor and
Rajiv Kapoor.
Rishi Kapoor debuted in his father's 1970 film Mera Naam Joker, playing
his father's role as a child. Rishi Kapoor had his first lead role
opposite Dimple Kapadia in the popular 1973 film Bobby which became an
instant hit among youngsters. He made a popular pairing with future
wife Neetu Singh in 1974-1981 but the pair was successful only in
films with big casts, since films with Rishi as the lead - like Zehreela
Insaan, Zinda Dil, Doosara Aadmi, Anjane Mein, Jhoota Kahin Ka, Dhan
Daulat - were box office flops. Rishi Neetu pair was successful in multi-star films like Khel Khel Mein, Kabhie Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Pati
Patni Aur Woh, Duniya Meri Jeb Mein. The only solo hit of the Rishi
Neetu was Rafoo Chakkar. Rishi Kapoor got 51 films as the solo lead
hero from 1974-1997 but of them 40 were box office flops, and he managed
only 11 hits: Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam,
Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Banjaran, Heena and Bol Radha Bol. So,
he was offered the role of playing younger brother to lead heroes in
movies with big casts from 1977-1994. Rishi Kapoor did 41 films with big casts from 1976-2000 where Rishi was cast as 2nd or 3rd lead
hero. Of them, 16 were flops and 25 were hits. He was often offered
the role of younger brother to main lead heroes in the multi-hero films he did where his character would be a romantic one and the
story would revolve on the main lead hero of the film. In the '90s, his 2
hero films Deewana, Damini and Eena Meena Dika were hits. He got
the plum lead hero roles in two-hero films only few times like in Hum
Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Badalte Roshtey, Aap Ke Deewane, Saagar then in the '90s
with Chandni, Deewana (1992), Damini (1993) and Gurudev (1994); otherwise
in the 2 hero films Rishi did in the late 70s and throughout the '80s, it was
his other co-star whose character overshadowed Rishi's and the other
co-star was appreciated more like in case of Katilon Ke Kaatil, Coolie,
Sitamgar, Zamana. After several box office failures from in 1990s, he
eventually moved on to supporting roles in the 2000s. In 1999 he
directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen. His last film as a romantic lead
was the 5-year delayed release Karobaar: The Business of Love
(2000), which was unsuccessful. He has since then played supporting roles
in films like Yeh Hai Jalwa, Hum Tum, Fanaa, Namaste London, Love Aaj
Kal and Patiala House. He also appeared in the British films Don't Stop
Dreaming and Sambar Salsa. He was paired with Neetu Singh in the film
Do Dooni Chaar (2010). Rishi has acted in the movie Chintu Ji in which
he plays himself. In 2012 he appeared in a villainous role in Agneepath
and in the multi-starer Housefull 2 where he appeared with brother
Randhir for the first time.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Dilip Kumar (1922-2021) is widely considered the greatest acting exponent India ever produced. Born Muhammad Yusuf Khan on December 11, 1922, in Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Peshawar, British India (present-day Pakistan), he is better known by his stage name Dilip Kumar given to him by actress and owner of Bombay Talkies, Devika Rani. Credited with pioneering method acting in Indian cinema in mid-1940s, before Marlon Brando introduced it to Hollywood in 1950s, he has been often called as "Abhinay Samrat" (Hindi for "Emperor of Acting") by the audience. He was the biggest Indian star since Post-Independence period throughout 1960s, starring in some of the biggest commercial and critical successes of Indian cinema. It is to be noted that according to major trade analysts, many of his big commercial successes were films with apparently no commercial/entertainment value, which relied heavily on his histrionics to succeed, an extremely rare feat in the annals of cinema worldwide. Box Office India quoted that any such an instance has never happened with any other star, as their films had to be backed by at least few commercial elements/genres to succeed. Irrfan Khan, while saying that Kumar is the only one who should be called "legend", justifiably quoted the reason as, "the combination of artiste and star that he brought, started and ended with him."
Born to a fruit merchant, Lala Ghulam Sarvar Khan and his wife Ayesha Begum, Yousuf Khan and his family would migrate to Bombay Province, to expand their family business in 1930s which had come to a halt due to the complications of WWII. He had his schooling in Deolali and graduation in Mumbai. He started with managing a shop and selling fruits in an army canteen in Pune. Upon a rebellion in the canteen during Indian National Movement, he gave a speech justifying India's struggle for Independence, which resulted in his eviction from the canteen. A chance encounter with Devika Rani, got him opportunity to work for Bombay Talkies, at remuneration of Rs 1250/- per month. Having no clear intention of working there, he still accepted the job because of the high salary. Kumar later accepted that by the age of 14, he hadn't watched a film, and later in his teenage, watched few English films. Devika Rani selected Dilip Kumar as his stage name (a common tradition back then) from the 3 names suggested by Pandit Bhagvati Charan Verma, which also included Vasudev and Jehangir. Kumar in 1970, in an interview told that, one of the main reason, he agreed to adopt a stage name was out of fear of his father, who was strictly against films due to their poor reputation among the masses at the time. He further said that on being offered to choose among the three names, he expressed that he was okay with any of them. Later, he got to know his stage name, when it was first published in a newspaper.
Kumar's first film as an actor was Jwara Bhata (1944), which was the 6th highest grossing Hindi film of the year, according to some sources, though not really profitable. His performance was severely criticized by the major critic of the time, Baburao Patel of FilmIndia. Similarly the next venture, Pratima (1945) was also flop and his work again criticized. The next venture, Milan (1946), directed by Nitin Bose, proved to be fruitful for Kumar, not only because it was successful commercially, but his acting sensibilities greatly improved during the period of its filming. However his performance was still criticized by FilmIndia. The success of the next film Jugnu (1947), which was the highest grossing Indian film of the year, established him as the first star of Post-Independence India and arguably, the biggest star of the country at that moment. His performance was appreciated by Baburao Patel for the first time. However, he severely criticized the film, writing a letter to the then Home Minister (who later went on to become Prime Minister under Janata Dal in 1977), Moraji Desai, asking him to ban the film. It was banned for a few months, after which the ban was uplifted. The film, already a roaring success, became an even bigger hit, after it was re-released. The period starting from here till at least 1961, was a period of raging success in Kumar's career, both critically and commercially, which cemented his legacy notch above his contemporaries. Post 1961, the workload slowed, with fewer releases thereafter and also slowed their commercial success, although his earlier films still doing great in re-releases, many times higher than many of his contemporaries' fresh releases. During this period, his two main contemporaries were Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand. The three of them were sometimes referred collectively as "the golden trio" of this period, with camaraderie between the three contemporary actors famous and each renowned for their own style.
Shaheed (1948) is cited by many to be the first true Dilip Kumar film, in the sense his legacy was to be built on performances like this in the years to come. It was a roaring success, highest grossing Hindi film of the year. Andaz (1949), a record grosser at the time, starring Nargis and Raj Kapoor along with Kumar, popularized the theme of love triangles in Indian cinema. His performance in the film was superlatively appreciated by masses and critics alike. Baburao Patel's review headline read "Dilip Kumar draws crowd to cinemas". His dramatic performances in the next films till early 1950s, brought him the title of "Tragedy King". These intense performances, in which he immersed himself, had an adverse affect on his psyche. He consulted psychiatrists in London, who advised him to take up lighter roles. Interestingly, almost all of his lighter roles starting from Aan (1952) and Aazad (1955) were huge commercial successes. His performance in these roles were appreciated by masses and critics alike. Aan (1952) was the highest grossing Indian film ever at the time both in India and overseas. Post Aan, Kumar's popularity again took a big leap, establishing him as undisputedly the biggest star of the country.
Devdas released on 30 December, 1955 is considered one of the most iconic performance of his career. Although a moderate success when initially released, the film found greater success in subsequent years though re-releases, making it amongst the most popular role essayed by Kumar. All three Andaz (1949), Aan (1952) and Naya Daur (1957) briefly became the highest grossing Indian film upto that point, a feat later achieved by Kumar's Mughal-e-Azam (1960) in which he essayed the role of Prince Saleem (amongst his most popular roles), a record it held for 15 years. By adjusting for inflation, it is still the Highest-grossing Indian film of all time, as of 2022.
The decade 1950s was the most prolific decade of Kumar's career, with 21 releases of which only 1 film, namely Hulchul (1951) failed commercially. 5 (or even 6) of his films were placed in top 10 highest grossers of the decade by Box Office India. Similarly 9 (or even 10) of his 21 releases were placed among the top 30 highest grossers of the decade. The period from late 1940s to early 1960s is often referred to as the "Golden Age of Hindi cinema and music". The 1950s decade is also important in terms of popularising cinema and filmi music in India and establishing it as a part of popular culture. The decade also saw the rise of stars (in true sense), commercialisation of industry as well as rise in the number of theatres. Kumar was the representative of this period, holding the status of a matinée idol and the country's highest paid actor.
Gunga Jumna released on 6 Jan, 1961, few months after the release of Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and Kohinoor (1960), represents the peak of Kumar's career both as an actor and star. His performance as robust and defiant Gunga is considered by many to be the greatest acting performance in the history of Indian cinema. It won him international laurels. His performance was profoundly appreciated by actors in the West. The film set the template for the "Angry Young Man" films starring Bachchan in 1970s and the theme of brothers on the opposite side of the law. After Gunga Jumna (1961), Kumar's workload slowed significantly, his next venture Leader (1964), failed to be a big commercial success. It did mediocre business. Next film Dil Diya Dard Liya (1966) is the first flop film of Kumar in over 15 years. Ram aur Shyam (1967) is the last big hit of Kumar's first innings (as an actor) in Hindi cinema. It was his first double role film and popularized "double role" and "lost and found" films in mainstream Indian cinema.
1970s saw Kumar's career as a lead actor take a downturn. Age was becoming a factor, and the onset of new stars further convinced Kumar to take a hiatus. Out of his 4 Hindi films released in 1970s, Gopi (1970) was the only clean box office hit. As per the new reports of Box Office India, Bairaag (1976), is either "Hit" or "Semi-Hit". In 1970, he acted in his only Bengali film, Sagina Mahato (which also has a Hindi version, Sagina released in 1974, starring Kumar). The film was reportedly a huge success in Bengal. He won BFJA (Bengal Film Journalist Associations) award for Best Actor for his performance in the film. In 1976, he took a five-year hiatus aligning on the above mentioned reasons.
He returned to the big screen playing the title role of Kranti (1981), the highest grossing Indian film of the decade, when adjusted for inflation. In this phase of his career, he played senior, mature roles who were the main characters of the films. Films were specifically written for him which also starred other actors playing young roles. Films like Kranti (1981), Vidhaata (1982), Karma (1986), and Saudagar (1991) were among the biggest hits of the time and all driven by him despite playing senior roles, a feat that had remained unprecedented even after him as per trade analysts. Some other films also found average success, including Shakti (1982), which starred Kumar along with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead roles. The film won him his last Filmfare Award for Best Actor. His next venture after Saudagar (1991) was the commercially unsuccessful Qila (1998), which also turned out to be his last. He retired from film industry in 1999.
Kumar had been involved in many relationships including Kamini Kaushal, with whom he fell in love on the sets of Shaheed (1948). Their relationship fell apart as Kaushal was married to her brother-in-law after her sister-in-law died in a car accident. Reportedly she married on the insistence of her family to look after the little children of her sister-in-law. His next relationship was with Madhubala, which started on the sets of Tarana (1951). It was a seven year long relationship that ended after the Naya Daur court case in which Kumar sided with the producer B.R. Chopra and testified against Madhubala's father, Ataullah Khan as he declined her to travel to the planned shooting locations at the last moment. However Kumar in his autobiography cites another reason that played an important role in the fallout; Madhubala's father insisted him to act only under his own banner after their marriage. In 1966, he married actress Saira Banu in a private ceremony. Their marriage survived for over 50 years until Kumar's death in 2021-despite undergoing an upheaval-Kumar's alleged second marriage with Asma Rehman in 1981, whom he met at a cricket match in Hyderabad, where she lived. He soon divorced her in 1983, describing this incident as a "grave mistake taken in pressure" in his autobiography.
Kumar died on 7 July 2021, due to kidney complications and other age related issues. He had no children through his marriage. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife Saira Banu.
As of 2022, he holds the record for winning 8 Filmfare awards for Best Actor ( later equalled by Shah Rukh Khan) and was also the inaugural recipient of the award. He has also won numerous other awards including Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1994. He is the recipient of Padma Vibhushan (in 2015) and Padma Bhushan (in 1991), India's second and third highest civilian honour respectively. He is also the only Indian recipient of Pakistan's highest civilian honour, Nishan-e-Imtiaz (in 1998). As of 2021, he holds the Guinness World record for having received the most awards by an Indian actor.
He holds several long standing box office records including giving at least 1 clean hit for 15 years straight, which is at least an Indian record, according to a trade analyst. Since independence till late 2010s, he held the record for giving the maximum number of highest grossing film of the year, 9 times which was then surpassed by Salman Khan. However as per latest Box Office India reports, highest grossing Indian film of 1991 was Kumar's Saudagar (1991) and not Salman Khan's Saajan (1991), thus perhaps re-establishing his long standing record. In regards to his films' success ratio, he is the most successful Bollywood actor (quite possibly, Indian actor) of all time, by a distance, as of 2022. These gigantic records, his overwhelming popularity across Indian subcontinent, North Africa, Eastern Europe, and beyond, especially among South Asian diaspora around the world, makes him easily among the biggest stars cinema has ever seen across the globe.
He famously turned down David Lean's offer of the role which ultimately went to Omar Sharif in one of West's greatest critical and commercial success, Lawrence of Arabia (1962), which made a major Hollywood star out of Sharif. Justifying his decision, Dilip Kumar had remarked, "In your own bazaar you enjoy a certain status. What's the point of venturing out into fields unknown where you have no say? No contact with the subject matter." He was also considered for a role in another film Lean was working on, titled "Taj Mahal". Elizabeth Taylor was supposed to play the part opposite Kumar. However, the project was eventually shelved.
According to many, he is probably the first person to perform method acting on screen in mid 1940s. Despite not knowing what it meant by then, he had been practising it since a time when, perhaps, the term wasn't even coined. Kumar, who never went to any acting school, was described by the renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray as "the ultimate method actor", despite not having worked with him. There are innumerable such complements by numerous luminaries across professions to quote, which is quite not possible; from the likes of the recent statement by Indian born naturalised British economist Lord Meghnad Desai, claiming Kumar to be the greatest actor on global scale to age old statements like the one by, V. Shantaram, one of founding fathers and pioneers of Indian cinema, prompted by Kumar's versatility expressed, "Had Shakespeare met Dilip Kumar, he would have added one more character to the already well-defined ones he had created." Most importantly, Dilip Kumar's complete impact is realized definitely in the fact how he changed the rules of acting and influenced generations of future artistes in Indian subcontinent (even his contemporaries), but also in the truth that at his best, he was the catalyst in expanding the reach of quality cinema, from metros to rural India, from classes to masses, from serious connoisseurs to common entertainment seekers. Some of the greatest critical successes became some of the biggest hits when he acted in them, liked, revered and celebrated by classes and masses alike. His intense, in-depth performances, eloquent silences and the most nuanced expressions observed and enjoyed and celebrated at the same time by the most casual entertainment seekers of his time. There have been some great artistes across the history. And there have been some huge stars across the history. But the instance of both of them being a single entity, elevating and expanding the art form to an even greater point, is true, an extremely rare sight, but equally magical while it lasts.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
born and raised in Junagad, Ms. Babi was spotted by renowned B.R. Ishara at
Ahmedabad University, and he approached her to act in his forthcoming
movie, Charitraheen, which was a sequel to Chetna. Her co-star in this
movie was none other than renowned Indian cricketer Salim Durrani. Parveen
Babi lit up the silver screen with her charming looks and
personality from the 1970s.
Among her more memorable movies with megastar Amitabh Bachchan are:
Deewar, Namak Halal, Amar Akbar Anthony, and Kala Pathar. Her most
glorious moment was when Time Magazine chose to display her photograph
on their cover page in 1976, depicting the changing face of Bollywood
and Bollywood actresses.
After acting in her last movie, Akarshan, she suddenly disappeared from
public view and became more or less a recluse. It is known that she
took up interior designing, and had a very close circle of friends.
She then left for the United States of America and was not seen nor
heard for about 10 years.
She created a stir when she filed a writ petition in the Bombay High
Court, charging several dignitaries, including Bollywood actor, Amitabh
Bachchan, for attempting to kill her. This petition was dismissed by
the Court for want of evidence.
On Sunday January 22, 2005, neighbors at her Juhu residence noticed
that she not collected her milk nor her newspapers from her doorstep
for the last three days. The neighbors notified the Secretary of the
building, who in turn notified the police.
On Saturday January 22, 2005, a police team opened the door to her
apartment with a duplicate key, and found her dead body.
The police believe that the door had been locked from the inside for
last three days, and suspect no foul play.
Ms. Babi was an only child in a noble Junagad-based family. Her dad had
passed away when she was very young, and her mom also passed away
several years ago.- Rituraj Singh was born on 23 May 1964 in Kota, Rajasthan, India. He was an actor, known for Thunivu (2023), Ssshhhh... Koi Hai (2001) and Trideviyaan (2016). He was married to Charu Singh. He died on 20 February 2024 in Mumbai.
- Producer
- Director
- Additional Crew
Labeled the eternal romantic and with one of the best musical senses in
the business, Yash Chopra is arguably
India's most successful director of romantic films. Although he made
action-oriented films like the ever-popular
Deewaar (1975), it is in tackling love
and its various aspects that he has been at his best. One of the few
remaining commercial Indian directors who started their careers in the
1950s, he has successfully moved with the times from the socially
significant Dhool Ka Phool (1959)
to the young and cool
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997).
Yash Chopra was born in Lahore in 1932, to an accountant in the PWD
division of the British Punjab administration, the youngest of eight
children. He began as an assistant director to
I.S. Johar before working with his elder
brother, the legendary B.R. Chopra; while
another brother, Dharam Chopra, worked as
his cameraman. He was given his first directorial opportunity with
Dhool Ka Phool (1959), a melodrama
about illegitimacy; it became a hit and even now remains popular today.
Encouraged by this success, the Chopra brothers made a few more movies
together, the most notable being
Waqt (1965), India's first multi-starrer;
and Ittefaq (1969), a thriller. On the
personal front, Chopra married
Pamela Chopra (née Singh) in 1970, and
they had two children, Aditya Chopra and
Uday Chopra, both working in the film
industry today.
In 1973, the Chopra brothers separated, with Yash Chopra founded his
studio, Yash Raj Films, and launched it with
Daag: A Poem of Love (1973),
a successful melodrama about a polygamous man. He then entered one of
his best phases with two
Amitabh Bachchan classics:
Deewaar (1975) and
Kabhi Kabhie (1976).
These movies set the standard for the 1970s and 1980s, establishing
Bachchan as the greatest and most beloved Indian film star of all time.
His respective roles--a bitter criminal and a sensitive, brooding
poet--are considered to be his greatest performances, although complete
opposites of each other.
In the 1980s, Chopra went through a rough time. Two of his melodramas,
Silsila (1981) and
Faasle (1985); and two action-oriented
films, Mashaal (1984) and
Vijay (1988), flopped at the box office,
although the latter became a critically acclaimed classic years later.
However, he made a comeback with his musical love triangle
Chandni (1989). The film was a huge
success, with great performances by established heroine
Sridevi and action hero
Vinod Khanna. Then came what critics and
Chopra himself considered his best film,
Lamhe (1991), a beautiful film about
cross-generational love. It couldn't survive the box office, however,
due to its incestuous nature.
Parampara (1993), done for an outside
producer, was a misfire, but then came the box-office hit and trend
setter Darr (1993). Starring the
then-débutant Shah Rukh Khan, it showed a
sympathetic look at obsessive love and an emotion often overlooked in
love--fear--and its success catapulted Khan to super-stardom. In 1995,
Chopra turned to production and
Aditya Chopra made his directorial debut
with
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995),
which had the longest-running initial release in cinema history. He
directed one more film,
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), a love
story set against the theater, which became a huge success and a cult
hit, before he retired from directing. However, in 2004, he made a
grand comeback with Veer-Zaara (2004),
a touching cross-border love story, which he said would be his last
directorial effort.
The ages of the director and playback singer
Lata Mangeshkar, his muse, proved you
need to be young, as well as crazy, at heart, to be a true romantic....- Reema Lagoo, originally born as Nayan Bhadbhade, was a distinguished Marathi actress with a prolific career spanning both Marathi and Hindi cinema. Hailing from a family deeply rooted in the Marathi stage, her mother was a renowned actress in the Marathi theater.
Recognized for her acting prowess during her schooling years at Huzurpaga HHCP High School in Pune, Reema Lagoo embarked on her professional acting journey shortly after completing high school. Her initial foray into the world of performance was marked by appearances on the Marathi stage in the late 1970s.
In the realm of Hindi and Marathi films, she found success and acclaim. Marriage to Marathi actor Vivek Lagoo led her to adopt the name Reema Lagoo, and the couple welcomed a daughter named Sansui (Sanu) Lagoo, who resides in Mumbai.
Primarily cast in supporting roles, Reema Lagoo became a familiar face in the Hindi film industry, sharing the screen with some of its biggest stars. Her career took off with television serials, and she gained widespread recognition for her role as Juhi Chawla's mother in the iconic film "Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak" (1988) and later as Salman Khan's mother in the blockbuster "Maine Pyar Kiya" (1989).
Her filmography boasts an array of successful movies, including the immensely popular "Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!" (1994), "Rangeela" (1995), "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (1998), and "Kal Ho Naa Ho" (2003). While often portraying motherly figures, she displayed versatility by playing diverse roles such as a dancer in "Aakrosh" (1980) and a pragmatic businesswoman in "Yeh Dillagi" (1994). Notably, her compelling performance in "Vaastav: The Reality" (1999) showcased her ability to portray complex characters, portraying an underworld don's (Sanjay Dutt) mother who takes a drastic step.
Reema Lagoo also graced the Marathi show "Maanacha Muzra," where she was honored for her contributions to Marathi cinema and entertainment.
Tragically, Reema Lagoo passed away at the age of 59, reportedly succumbing to cardiac arrest. Her legacy endures as she is remembered for her significant contributions to Indian cinema, especially for her iconic portrayals as the mother of Salman Khan's characters in Bollywood. - Actor
- Director
- Producer
Krishna Kondke was a famous Marathi actor and a film producer. He is popularly known as Dada Kondke. He was born on 8th august in the year 1932 in Naigaum, near Lalbaug,Mumbai(Village-Ingavali,Tal Bhor,Pune). He was one of the most renowned personalities in the Marathi film industry. He is an actor,director,lyricist,producer and a writer. His was married to Nalini Kondke,but later they got divorced. He was born in a middle class family owning a grocery shop and also owners of chawls in Morbaug area of mumbai.
Kondke was a tough kid who later took up a job in a local grocery retail chain called Apna Bazaar. Unfortunately, at an early Kondke lost his family due to some unfortunate events. And then Kondke started his entertainment career with a band and then worked as a stage actor. Kondke was involved in several cultural activities of Seva Dal which was a congress party volunteers organization. And then during that period he also met some Marathi stage
personalities including Vasant Sabnis who was a famous Marathi writer. Later, Kondke started his own theatre company, and approached Sabnis to compose a drama script for him. Kondke acted in a drama named Vichha Majhi Puri Kara. This drama went on to play over 1500 shows all over Maharashtra and made Kondke a star. Then he debuted in the year 1969 in the Marathi movies through a role in Bhalji Pendharkar's movie Tambdi Maati
which won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Marathi. He then turned producer with the film Songadya in the year 1971. Some of his famous films are Tambdi Maati,Songadya,Ram Ram Gangaram,Bot Lavin Tithe Gudgudalya,Hyoch Navra Pahije,Tere Mere Beech Mein,etc., and his last movie Le Chal Apne Sang which is directed in hindi and this film is produced by Sunita Kondke.
Dada Kondke was entered in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest number of films(nine) that achieved silver jubilee(running for 25 consecutive weeks). And he was also credited for introducing the genre of sex comedy to Marathi cinema and India cinema. He wrote some songs as a lyricist. Some are "Manasa paras medhara bari" and "Chalara Vaghya". On September 30,1997,Kondke suffered a heart attack at his residence Rama Niwas in Dadar,Mumbai. And then he was rushed to Shushrusha Nursing Home, and there after sometime he was declared dead. And at that time, Kondke was working on the film Jaraa Dheer Dhara with Usha Chavan- Actor
- Additional Crew
Laxmikant Berde was a renowned Indian actor who made significant contributions to the Marathi and Hindi film industries. He was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Berde started his career in the entertainment industry in the late 1970s and quickly rose to prominence due to his impeccable comic timing and versatile acting skills.
Laxmikant Berde gained widespread recognition for his work in Marathi theater and cinema. He became a household name with his exceptional performances in plays like "Shantata! Court Chalu Aahe" and "Maanapman." His ability to effortlessly switch between comedic and serious roles showcased his acting prowess and endeared him to audiences.
Berde's foray into Hindi cinema marked another milestone in his career. He became a sought-after actor in Bollywood, especially for his memorable supporting roles in numerous hit films during the 1990s. Some of his notable Hindi films include "Maine Pyar Kiya," "Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" and "Saajan."
Known for his distinctive style and unique expressions, Laxmikant Berde carved a niche for himself in the industry. His collaboration with fellow actor Ashok Saraf in Marathi cinema was particularly cherished by audiences, and the duo became one of the most beloved comic pairs in the regional film industry.
Tragically, Laxmikant Berde's promising career was cut short when he passed away at the age of 50 on December 16, 2004, due to a kidney ailment. Despite his untimely demise, his contributions to Indian cinema, especially in Marathi and Hindi films, continue to be celebrated, and he is remembered as one of the finest actors in the industry.- Dolly Sohi was born on 15 September 1975 in India. She was an actress, known for Devon Ke Dev... Mahadev (2011), Kumkum Bhagya (2014) and Mere Rang Mein Rangne Waali (2014). She was married to Avneet Dhanowa. She died on 8 March 2024 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Actor, social activist and politician. Sunil Dutt wore many hats and
excelled in a plethora of roles that came his way - both on and off
screen.
Born on June 6th, 1926, Sunil Dutt grew up as Balraj Dutt in a family
that had survived the Partition of India. A student of Mumbai's Jai
Hind college, he first started off as radio show host and celebrity
interviewer, which led to his first encounter with the glamour world.
Interestingly, wife-to-be Nargis was one of the celebrities he met in
the course of his work. Soon, Dutt got a chance to enter the
film-world, when director Ramesh Saigal offered him the hero's role in
his Nalini Jaywant starrer 'Railway Platform' (1955).
'Ek Hi Raasta' (1956), marked the start of a seven-film long
association with B R Chopra. Dutt's true breakthrough came with Mehboob
Khan's magnum opus 'Mother India' (1957).
His portrayal of Birju, Nargi's rebellious younger son, portrayed a
raw, urgent energy. Dutt's association with Nargis in the movie
resulted in a more serious one, when he married her after the release
of the film.
Dutt's role in women-oriented films like 'Sadhna' (1958), 'Sujata'
(1959) and 'Main Chup Rahungi' (1962) were well-appreciated. Noted
filmmakers like Bimal Roy, Hrishikesh Mukherji and B R Chopra dared to
defy Sunil Dutt's established rebellious Birju image and cast him as a
sensitive lover.
Dutt turned producer in the early sixties with a couple of offbeat
movies - 'Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke' (1963), where heroine Leela Naidu
has an adulterous relationship and 'Mujhe Jeene Do' (1963) where he
played a dacoit.
In his cinematic association with B R Chopra, Dutt gave three big hits
in the sixties - 'Gumraah' (1963), 'Waqt' (1965) and 'Humraaz' (1967).
He also worked with South Indian filmmakers, which resulted in
emotion-heavy, rural-based hits with Nutan like 'Khandaan' and 'Milan'.
In 1967, he had a hat-trick of hits with 'Milan', 'Meherban' and
'Humraaz'. His role of a buffoon in Mehmood's 'Padosan' (1968) was much
appreciated.
In 1981, Dutt's world was rocked when his wife Nargis died after a
protracted battle with her cancer. He later joined politics and social
work.
But the actor in Dutt continued to surface during the last decade with
movies with select filmmakers like J P Dutta 'Kshatriya' and Yash
Chopra 'Parampara'. His last screen cameo was in Rajkumar Hirani's
immensely popular laugh riot 'Munnabhai MBBS', where he played
on-screen father to his son Sanjay.- Actor
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dilip Dhawan was born in 1955. He was an actor and director, known for Saath Saath (1982), Virasat (1997) and Peter John (1995). He died on 15 February 2000 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, 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.- Director
- Editor
- Writer
By no means is he any glamorous director, yet Hrishikesh Mukherjee is
one of the most popular and beloved filmmakers in Indian cinema. His
magic lay not in the glamor or largeness so often associated with
cinema, but in its simplicity and warmth.
He began his career in Bombay, 1951, as an editor and assistant
director to Bimal Roy, another great director himself. His first
directorial venture, Musafir (1957), centering on an old house where three
unrelated stories dealing with birth, marriage and death occur in a
series, was a disaster. But director Raj Kapoor was impressed and
strongly recommended Hrishida as director for Anari (1959). Starring Kapoor
himself and Nutan, the film was a critical and commercial success.
His next film, Anuradha (1960), about an idealistic doctor who neglects his
wife to focus on his work, got him the President's Medal Award. But
from then on throughout the 1960s decade, none of Hrishida films were
particularly distinguishable, barring Asli-Naqli (1962), a Muslim
melodrama; Anupama (1966), which was based on a true incident; Aashirwad (1968), a
family drama; and Satyakam (1969), about an idealist seeing his dreams crumble
after Indian independence.
Then Hrishida made what is considered his masterpiece - Anand (1971). This
classic film gave a complex but compassionate look at the balance
between hope, fear, life and death and saw Rajesh Khanna's greatest
performance as a terminally ill man who wishes to live life to the full
before he dies. It was an auspicious beginning to the 1970s, for that
time proved to be an exceptionally good time for Hrishida as he gave
the public excellent films like Guddi (1971), a semi-satiric look at
the film industry and generally considered as Jaya Bhaduri's debut
film; Abhimaan (1973), the Bachchans' greatest ever performance together; and
Chupke Chupke (1975), a comedy about a newlywed professor's joke on his pompous
brother-in-law. These films gave an extremely skilled and detailed look
at the middle-class mentality.
Few people understood human nature as well as Hrishida - in all his
films he examined their aspects, particularly their failings and
foibles and the outworn values people always seem to hold on to.
However in the 1980s, the advent of the superstar Amitabh Bachchan and
of larger-than-life films saw Hrishida's brand of filmmaking die out.
Recently he attempted a comeback with _Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate (1999)_, but sadly it was a
futile effort as the film was a commercial and critical failure.
However, the magic of his films still lingers after three decades, and
he will be best remembered for his film Anand (1971), which told that people
who die but remain in heart and mind do not die, but become immortal.
No one justifies this truth more than Hrishida.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
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.- Actress
- Music Department
Jiah Khan was born on 20 February 1988 in New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress, known for Ghajini (2008), Nishabd (2007) and Housefull (2010). She died on 3 June 2013 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- 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
- Writer
- Music Department
Sadashiv Amrapurkar is a popular actor who is well known for his
performances in Marathi and Hindi films in the 1980s and 90s. He
received the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role in
1991 for Sadak - the first time the award was instituted. In addition
to negative roles, he has shone in supporting roles and, more recently,
in comic roles.- Actress
- Director
- Soundtrack
Sadhana was born on September 2, 1941 and was named after her father's favorite actress
Sadhona Bose. Her father and actor Hari
Shivdasani were brothers, and Hari's daughter is actress
Babita Kapoor. Sadhana was an only child
and her parents made her the center of their lives; in fact, her mother
home-schooled her until she was 8 years old. The family fled from
Karachi in Pakistan during Post Partition riots. Although they
encountered difficult times, their daughter was allowed to see as many
as two films a week. When she was 15 years old, she was discovered by
some producers who had seen her act in a college play. They cast her in
India's first Sindhi film titled Abana (1960), where she played the
heroine's younger sister for which she was paid a token of Rps. 1 and
the film became a major hit. A photograph of her publicizing the film
appeared in a movie magazine.
Subodh Mukherji, one of India's leading
producers at that time, saw the magazine and gave her the lead role in
her first Hindi film Love in Simla (1959), opposite his newcomer son,
Joy Mukherjee. The film was
directed by another newcomer, R.K. Nayyar,
who created her trademark look called
'the Sadhana fringe.' It was modeled after Audrey Hepburn's
hairstyle to cover up Sadhana's flaw, her broad forehead. The film
became a great success and Sadhana became a overnight star. She also
fell in love with the film's director, but she was only 16 years old,
and her parents threatened the 22-year-old Nayyar with legal action if
he didn't end the relationship. He became scared and backed away.
Sadhana continued making films and became the one of the biggest stars
of the 1960s with hits like Mere Mehboob, Hum Dono, and Asli-Naqli. In
addition to the 'Sadhana fringe,' she started the trend of the churidar
pyjama and kameez with saleem shai in the film Waqt (1965). Her acting
in that film was appreciated too, as she was nominated for a Film Fare
Award as Best Actress.
Sadhana had stated that she subconsciously modeled her acting style
after her idol, Nutan. Most of her films
were major hits, and many of them still remembered as all time
classics. Her films such as Ek Musafir Ek Hasina, Raaj Kumar, Budtameez
and Arzoo were known for their romantic plots and beautiful music, but
Raj Khosla, her director in Ek Musafir Ek
Hasina, saw an enigmatic, mysterious side to Sadhana and cast her in
Woh Kaun Thi (1964). The film became a huge hit with its themes of the
Alfred Hitchcock film Vertigo (1958) and gave Sadhana her signature
role of the "mystery girl," where her performance kept everyone
guessing till the very end. She was nominated for a Film Fare Award as
Best Actress, and Khosla later directed her in two more box-office hit
suspense thrillers, Mera Saaya (1965)and Anita (1968).
Sadhana also worked well with her leading men, Shammi Kapoor, Sunil
Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, and Raj Kapoor. In fact, it was Raj Kapoor who
reintroduced her to her first film director, R.K. Nayyar. They fell in
love again and wanted to get married. Her mother was against it, since
Nayyar wasn't a Sindhi and wanted someone who looked like actor
Rajendra Kumar Tuli, but Sadhana was
adamant and with her father backing her up, her mother eventually came
around. Sadhana and Nayyar married in 1966 and it seemed like she
retired from films. At first, she was content to be a housewife and
took cooking lessons and became well-known in the film industry for her
culinary skills. But she had serious health problems with her thyroid,
and she went to Boston for treatment and she recovered, but there was a physical change. The thyroid condition affected the appearance of her eyes. Her husband's
financial problems propelled her return to films after a two-year
absence and delivered the hit film Inteqam (1969) directed by her
husband followed by by another hit film Ek Phool Do Mali (1969). She
and Nayyar went through a difficult time when she suffered a
miscarriage. Later they had no children. She directed and starred in
her last film playing dual roles in Geeta Mera Naam (1974), which was a
box office hit. She wanted to end her acting career in Hindi films just
as she started, in a starring role as a young heroine. She didn't want
to play supporting character roles as a old mother or a bhabhi
(sister-in-law), so she retired as an actress and formed a production
company with her husband. Their marriage lasted until his death in the
1990s. She closed down the production company and retired, quietly
living the life of a widow. The real-life "mystery girl" rarely gave
interviews and didn't like to be photographed saying that she wants
her fans to remember her as a young, beautiful, heroine. She faced turbulent times in her later years. Sadhana
lived as an tenant in an apartment building for many years, when the builder wanted to evict her in 2012. Suddenly, she was thrust into the public eye when she went to the police station to file a complaint against the builder. Several court cases came out of this incident, and the stress took a toll on her fragile health. She also was estranged from her cousin Babita Kapoor because of a family problem. She did keep in touch with her friends Waheeda Rehman, Asha Parekh, Helen, and Nanda Karnataki. She once said that she and Nanda were alike, since they don't step out at public events. However, when Nanda died in 2014, she lost her comrade, and thus she suddenly changed her stance on public events. Just a few weeks later, she invited her relative, actor Ranbir Kapoor, to escort her on the ramp of a fashion show for charity. She wore a beautiful pink sari and took center-stage on the arm of the handsome young Kapoor. She looked cheerful and glamorous being in the limelight with the audience applauding her. That turned out to be her last public event, and the star that she was, she wanted that to be her lasting impression on her fans. It also left a lasting impression on her, since she kept a framed picture of her and Ranbir from that fashion show on her nightstand. A year-and-a-half later, on December 25, 2015, she died from a high fever. Her friends, fans, and the film industry veterans all attended her funeral.- Raja Mayekar was born in 1930. He was an actor, known for Aai Pahije (1988), Dil Ki Baazi (1993) and Mohityanchi Manjula (1963). He died on 15 May 2020 in Mumbai.
- Tunisha Sharma was born in Chandigarh, India. She was an actress known for Baar Baar Dekho (2016), Dabangg 3 (2019) and 3 Monkeys (2023). She also played the role of Vidya Balan's daughter Minnie in the film Kahani 2.
She last appeared as Princess Mariam in TV series named Alibaba: Dastaan-E-Kabul, aired on Sony SAB. - Music Artist
- Music Department
- Actor
Mohammed Rafi, whose voice brought to life hundreds of melodies, was
born in a village Kotla Sultan Singh near Amritsar long before India
attained its independence. But music training beckoned him to Lahore
where he cut his musical teeth under the hawk-like eye of Ustad Ghulam
Ali Khan. He made his singing debut in the Punjabi film Gul baloch by
rendering a duet with Zeenat Begum, 'Soniye Ni Heeriye Ni' composed by
Shyamsunder.
Wadia Movietone was a prominent film company and it was Homi Wadia who
saw the talent in Mohammed Rafi and insisted that he sing for his
forthcoming film Sharbati Ankhen under the Music directorship of Feroz
Nizami. The voice of Mohammed Rafi encompassed a tremendous range,
which is unparalleled. The peculiar trait that separates a playback
singer from a classical vocalist is not the range or ability as a
singer but the voice quality. With Mohammed Rafi it was the ultimate
combination that helped him reign supreme in the field of playback
singing. His voice quality combined with his unsurpassed range made him
stand apart from his contemporaries.
His voice suited any genre of music be it a moving ghazal like Aap Ke
Pehloo Main Aakar Ro Diye, a plaintive bhajan like O Duniya Ke
Rakhawale, or a wild and whacky Shanker-Jaikishan composition like
Chahe Koi Mujhe Jungle Kahe. Mohammed Rafi added his delectable nuances
to the melody and made it immortal. His voice had this unique feature
of screen adaptability and when it merged with his intelligence as a
singer it helped him to tailor his voice across an array of faces that
remain entrenched in our memory books. Comedian Johnny Walker had a
voice that was queerly rounded. Mohammed Rafi's take on him was
phenomenal in songs like Sar Jo Tera Chakraye under S D Burman in Pyasa
and Aye Dil Hai Mushkil Jeena Yaha from CID. Mohammed Rafi managed to
sound exactly like Johnny Walker would if he sang the song himself.
Rafi summoned Johnny Walker a day or two prior to the song
picturization and then contributed his bit to add to the character
Johnny Walker played on screen.
Honestly speaking it would not be in any way an overstatement to say
that heroes like Biswajit (Pukarta chala hoon main), Bharat Bhushan
(Zindagi Bhar Nahin Bhoolegi Woh Barsaat Ki Raat), Joy Mukherjee (Bade
Miyan Deewane) are remembered more for the songs that were picturised
on them with Rafi lending his golden voice to their average acting
abilities.
Mohammed Rafi was known for his altruistic behavior, which was
exhibited on several occasions. He has been known to charge just a
token amount as his fees for singing songs of Music Directors who could
not afford his regular charges. Many a times Mohammed Rafi has sung
songs without charging a single penny to the Music Directors. A case in
point is the film Aap ke Deewane with which actor Rakesh Roshan began
his phase as a Producer-Director. Rafi sang the title song of the film
but did not charge any money because he felt that he liked the song a
lot and after all it was only a line, which he had to render. Very few
singers were known to be so good at heart. This innate goodness in him
came to the fore when he sang most of his songs.
In his glorious career Mohammed Rafi won the coveted Filmfare Award of
best playback singer no less than six times. He was also decorated with
the Padmashri by the Government of India. With the advent of Kishore
Kumar as a major singing sensation Rafi sahab's career received a
slight jolt in the late 60s and the early 70s but he bounced back with
verve in films like Sargam, Karz, Hum Kisise Kam Nahin, Poonam and his
last song under the baton of Laxmikant-Pyarelal for the film Aas Paas.
He succumbed to the dreaded heart-attack on the 31st of July 1980
-ironically the man was a teetotaler and a non- smoker. He was in his
mid fifties.
His funeral procession was one of the largest that the city of Mumbai
has ever witnessed. The world of Music lost one of its brightest
luminaries on 31st July 1980 but his melodious voice still stops music
lovers in their tracks. Notable Films: Aar Paar, Baiju Bawra, Barsat Ki
Raat, Dosti, Ek Musafir Ek Haseena, Hum Dono, Pyasa, Shaheed, Teesri
Manzil- Actor
- Music Department
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
One of the earliest and best-loved comedians of Indian Cinema, Johnny
Walker brought smiles and amusement to all whenever he was on film.
Christening himself after the famous Scotch whisky, Walker would drive
audiences wild with laughter with his squeaky voice, pencil-thin
moustache and his now-classic drunken antics. Everyone, cast, crew and
audience alike, loved his iconic image of the hero's comic and often
drunk sidekick, who would cause comedy to occur in the film.
Ironically, his drunken image was a stark contrast to his real-life
persona, which was that of a sober and humble soul
He was born Badruddin Jamaluddin Kazi on May 15, 1923. The son of a
textile mill worker, he did not find life easy; he was one of a family
of fifteen members, out of which five relatives died young, and the
mill where his father worked closed down, causing the family to come to
Bombay. There Kazi tried his hand at several jobs, and eventually
secured a post as a bus conductor in the B.E.S.T (Bombay Electric
Supply and Transport) bus service.
Kazi would often be seen working on the Dadar bus depot. Sometimes he
would entertain his passengers with antics that would send them into
splits of laughter, and he had an uncanny ability for inventing such
routines on the spot. This knack got him spotted by actor/writer
Balraj Sahni, who was writing
Gamble (1951) for
Guru Dutt at the time. Sahni
introduced Kazi to Dutt, who was so impressed by Kazi's performance as
a drunk that he immediately wrote a role for him into his directorial
film Gamble (1951).
His performance in Gamble (1951) was so well
received that Walker and Dutt would later on work together in films.
Dutt cast him in some of his own memorable films; some of Walker's most
loved roles are Master the pickpocket in
C.I.D. (1956) and the masseur Abdul Sattar
in Thirst (1957). Walker always had the
best comic lines and the most popular and hummable tunes in Dutt's
films. Dutt and Walker were also the best of friends and often went out
on expeditions together, and on Dutt's suicide Walker was deeply
shocked and grieved by the loss of his friend.
His popularity reached such heights that he got his own film,
Johnny Walker (1957)! He was also
hired by other directors to act in their own films, the most notable of
these being B.R. Chopra's
Naya Daur (1957),
Bimal Roy's
Madhumati (1958) (the latter for which
he won his first Filmfare Award), and
K. Asif's
Mughal-E-Azam (1960). Despite his
fame, he was a humble soul and kept a low profile
He slowly began to fade out in the 1960s, as
Mehmood took over as the new king of
comedy. He kept working in films, though, most notably in
Shikar (1968), for which he won his second
and final Filmfare Award; and in
Anand (1971), where he was unusually seen
in a serious role and even more unusually excelled in it, showing the
remarkable talent he still held.
His last role was as a make-up artist in
Kamal Haasan's
Chachi 420 (1997). He was, naturally,
seen with a bottle of alcohol! It was a fitting curtain call for
Bollywood's original king of comedy...- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Rajendra was born in the Punjabi-speaking Tuli family on 20 July 1927,
in Sialkot, British India (now located in Pakistan).
After the turbulent years of partition, at the age of 23, Rajendra got
his first break in 'Jogan' during 1950. He attained fame in 'Mother
India' during 1957, playing the son of Nargis Dutt.
He went on to star in many movies, most of them successful, and earned
the nickname of 'Jubilee Kumar'.
He got married to Shukla, and they subsequently became parents of three
children, a boy, Manoj, who would subsequently be an actor in his own
rights and be re-named Kumar Gaurav, and two daughters.
After offers stopped on lead roles, he turned to character roles, as
well as became a producer. He was successful in launching his son's
career in 'Love Story'.
His son's marriage was initially arranged with Reema, the daughter of
Raj Kapoor, but things did not work out, and his son went on to get
married to Sunil and Nargis Dutt's daughter, Namrata, and shortly
thereafter he became grandfather of Saachi and Siya.
He also produced another successful movie 'Naam', the star-cast
included his son, and Sanjay Dutt.
He attained a PHD and had a title of 'Doctor' prefixed to his name.
Known to refuse taking any medication, he succumbed to cancer on July
12, 1999, just a day after his son's 43rd birthday, and just 8 days
before his 71st birthday.
His brother was producer Virendra Kumar who produced Mama Bhanja, Raaz etc.
He will always be remembered for his memorable performances in 'Dhool
Ka Phool', 'Mere Mehboob', 'Sangam', 'Suraj', 'Arzoo', 'Aman'
'Ganwaar', 'Dil Ek Mandir', as well as 'Saajan Bina Suhagan'- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Dara Singh Randhawa (Born Deedar Singh Randhawa, Nov 19, 1928- 12 July 2012 ) was an Indian Wrestler, Film and Television Actor, Director, Producer and Member of Parliament. He was encouraged to take up pehelwani since an early age. He started his wrestling career in Singapore in 1949 and Films in 1952. He hails from the village of Dharmuchak in Amritsar, Punjab. In July 2012, He suffered a cardiac arrest and eventually died on July 12, at his home in Mumbai. He was cremated at Juhu Crematorium with a funeral service attended by thousands
In 2019, A statue was erected in his honour at Phase 6, Mohali, Punjab next to his Film Studio, Dara Studio.
Films and TV-
Dara started his film career in 1952 with Sangdil and went on to do between 150-200 films and TV serials. He was a part of two national award winning Punjabi Films, Jagga and Mai Maa Punjab Dee. He established Punjab's first film Studio, Dara Studio.
Family-
Dara has 6 Children. 1 from his first marriage and 5 from his second.
Wrestling-
Dara left studies at an early age to work on his family farm and wrestled locally. He went to Singapore for work in 1949 on board the SS Rajula and had his first international kushti win at Jakarta, Indonesia in the same year. He earlier worked at a Drum Manufacturing plant and later as a security personnel, before doing wrestling full time. During this time he dabbled between Kushti, Freestyle Wrestling and Pro wrestling. He went on to win Champion of Malaysia, Indian Style (1951). This cemented his name which eventually made him rise up in the professional and freestyle wrestling ring, leading him to Rustom-E-Hind (1954), Champion of Commonwealth (1959), Rustom-E-Punjab (1966), World Champion (1968) and NWA Canadian Open Tag Team Championship, earning him a spot in Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Hall of Fame (1996) and WWE Hall of Fame. (2018).
Biographies-
His auto-biography is titled Meri Aatamkatha. (Original Language- Punjabi)
His biography Deedara! aka Dara Singh is written by Seema Sonik Alimchand
He is also the subject of a comic book, Journey of the Great Dara Singh, launched in 2019 at Mumbai Comic-Con.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Tom Alter, the son and grandson of American Presbyterian missionaries
who first came to India in 1916, grew up in north India in the towns of
Rajpur and Mussoorie, and studied at Woodstock School. It was while
teaching at a school in Jagadhri, Haryana in the early 1970s that Alter
picked honed his Hindi and fell in love with the movies, in specific
Indian cinema. In that era television was not common in India and so
most people went to the movies, often several times a week.
Alter was enamored by the films and in June 1972, after noticing a
small classified ad in the newspaper, he enrolled at the prestigious
prestigious Film and Television Institute of India of Pune. Alter was
one of two people selected out of more than 1000 applicants that year
and he learned his craft at the FTII, where he studied with the likes
of Benjamin Gilani, Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Mithun Chakraborthy
and others.
After graduating from FTII, Alter headed straight to Bombay and soon
got his first break in the Dev-Anand starrer 'Sahib Bahadur' directed
by Chetan Anand. His first release, however, was Ramanand Sagar's
'Charas' in which he played the superstar Dharmendra's CID boss. Steady
work came to Alter throughout the 1970s and 80s and he worked with
luminaries such as V Shantaram, Raj Kapoor, Hrishikesh Mukherjee,
Manmohan Desai, Manoj Kumar and Satjajit Rai as well as a host of
lesser-known directors. He has also acted in regional cinema - Bengali,
Assamese, Telegu, Tamil and Kumaoni films. Alter was witness to the
coming of television to India and worked on the small screen in a
number of popular serials, the biggest of which was the popular drama
'Junoon' which ran for five years. In it, he played the role of the mob
lord Keshal Kalsi - KK, as he was famously known - and his performance
earned rave reviews. During this same period Alter acted in the
ensemble comedy 'Zabaan Sambhalke', another drama called 'Ghutan', and
hosted the health-based talk show 'Mere Ghar Aana Zindagi'.
Some of his most famous movie roles have been as Musa in Vidhu Vinod
Chopra's acclaimed crime drama 'Parinda', Mahesh Bhatt's blockbuster
romance 'Aashiqui', and Ketan Mehta's 'Sardar', in which Alter essayed
the role of Lord Mountbatten. Alter has also accumulated a body of
theatrical work, the most recent having been in the theatrical
reproduction of William Dalrymple's 'City of Djinns' and the solo play
'Maulana', based on Maulana Azad for which he has received much
critical acclaim. He has also received praise for his role in the art
film 'Ocean of An Old Man', which has been screened at film festivals
around the world. Among several international assignments was the
opportunity to work with Peter O'Toole in the Hollywood film 'One Night
With The King'.
In addition to acting, Alter has also ventured into direction - he
directed a one-shot episode for the short-lived series 'Yule Love
Stories' in the mid-1990s - and was a sports journalist in the late
1980s to early 1990s. He has written three books, one non-fiction and
two fiction, and in 2008 was awarded the prestigious Padma Shree by the
Indian government in recognition for his services to the field of arts
and cinema.- Actor
- Stunts
Manik Irani is an Indian film actor, best known to play negative roles in Bollywood. He was a villain of the 1980s and 1990s.This 6 feet fiction villain played the role of a henchman in various films, particularly in the later 1980s.His career in Bollywood was not short, but he was among those unfortunate actors who did not mark his presence much. However, his work in movies like Mard(1985), Khoj(1989), Laparwah and Ram-Avatar(1988), were well noted. He was well known for his incredible physique. He was a Parsi Irani who spent a lot of his time building his body. Though he stayed in Bollywood for more than two decades, he hardly delivered any dialogues for movies. He used to go to The National Health League Gymnasium, the result of which was pumping iron biceps . His rock hard body made many jealous. The first film he acted in was Paap Aur Punya which came out in 1974, after which he did Kaalicharan which released in 1976. In Kaalicharan he played the role of a hitman (Madan Puri's son), since then he showed his popular body in all his films. He was a constant face of most action movies of the 1980s. He either did some comic kung-fu steps or played the role of a kidnapper. He did the same sort of acting for more than a decade.He featured in movies like Dear, Farishtay, SauGandhi, Khilaaf, faith, Mast Kalandar, Trinetra, Zimmer, Chor Pe Mor, Hum Se Na Takrana, Naaka Bandi, Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri, Taqdeer Ka Tamasha, Roti Ki Keemat, Alaska, Purani Haveli, Aakhri Baazi, Toofan, Commando, Jeete Hai Shaan Se, Insaaf, Dadagiri, Dav Pech, Hisaab Khoon Kailaka, Khoj, Dana Paani, Himmat Aur Mehnat, Mera Shikar, Ram Avtar, Mard, Bepanah, Mera Saath, Ilzaam, etc. He also played the role of a dumb assassin in Mr. Natwarlal. His physical appearance was enough to frighten children. He always wanted a role in Bollywood, but unfortunately never got one.His death remains a topic of controversy and the date . Bollywood never noticed the silent passing away of this actor. It was due to illness .He left behind his wife . His son Shanoor passed away at a young age.There are many people who left without much recognition of their work, and Manek Irani was one of them. Few roles made him a memorable villain to remember. Though he was not able to play a lead role, he played the role of a villain perfectly- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
At the start of his career, he played supporting or villainous
characters in films such as Purab Aur Paschim, Sachaa Jhutha, Aan Milo
Sajna, and Mastana in 1970, and in Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Elaan and Aan
Milo Sajna in 1971.He got his first break as the solo lead hero in the
film Hum Tum Aur Woh (1971), which was followed by the 1971 multi-hero
film 'Mere Apne' directed by Gulzar. It was the melodious
R.D.Burman composed Rafi-Asha "Sasoan Mein Kabhi" from the film
Parchaiyaan in 1972 and from Hum Tum Aur Woh - the Kishore Asha duet Do
Bataon Ki Mujhko Hai Tamanna and the solo song Priye Praneswhari where
his romantic skills got noticed among audiences.In 1973, his
performance as an army officer facing death row in another film
scripted and directed by Gulzar, Achanak, was critically acclaimed. The
song-less film echoed the true life story of K. M. Nanavati vs. State
of Maharashtra and Khanna portrayed Kawas Nanavati, the real life Navy
officer.Between 1973 and 1982, Khanna played the lead role in in a
number of solo and multi starer movies.In films with 'Rajesh Khanna' as
the lead hero, Vinod Khanna always had either the antagonist role or
supporting role and not even the parallel lead. These film were Sachaa
Jhutha Aan Milo Sajna, Prem Kahani, Kudrat and Rajput. Vinod accepted
his roles in Kudrat and Rajput even after he had become a successful
solo lead hero himself just due to rapport he shared with Rajesh
Khanna. His successful films as solo lead hero include 'Farebi'
with Moushumi Chatterjee;Qaid in 1975 and 'Zalim' in 1980,
both together with Leena Chandavarkar; and Inkaar in 1978 opposite
Vidya Sinha followed by Aap Ki Khatir, Hatyara, Main Tulsi Tere
Angan Ki, Khoon Ki Pukar, Taaqat, Jail Yatra, Raajmahal. His successful
multi hero films, with him also playing the main lead hero, were
Shankar Shambhu,Chor Sipahee and Ek Aur Ek Aur Ek Gyarah, where he
appeared together with Shashi Kapoor; in Hera Pheri, Khoon Pasina,
Amar Akbar Anthony and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar where he played lead hero
with .Amitabh Bachchan; and in Haath Ki Safai and Aakhri Daku where
he played lead hero with Randhir Kapoor. He later appeared as lead hero
with Sunil Dutt in ,Daku Aur Jawaan.Khanna became a follower of the
spiritual teacher Osho (Rajneesh) and left the film industry in 1982
for five years. Though he had stopped ,acting in films in 1982, the
films with him as the main lead released in 1982(film-s for which he
had completed shooting by the end of the year 1981) like Raj Mahal,
Taaqat and the multi star Rajput , where Vinod Khanna played supporting
role to main lead heroes Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra were
successful.He returned to Bollywood with Insaaf where he played
together with Dimple Kapadia, became a hit.After his comeback he played
romantic roles in Jurm and Chandni, but he was mostly offered roles in
action films.After he made comeback in 1987, his successful solo hero
films released in 1987-88 were Satyamev Jayate, Insaaf , Faisla,
Mahaadev, Aakhri Adaalat. Aruna Raje's Rihaee (1990) where he played an
emancipated man who accepts his wife's straying and Gulzar's underrated
metaphysical melodrama, Lekin (1991) are regarded as his great work.His
on screen pair with Meenakshi Seshadhri was widely appreciated and the
pair had hits like Satyamev Jayate, Mahaadev,Jurm, Humshakal and Police
Aur Mujrim.In the 1990s, Khanna successful solo hero films C.I.D.
(1990), Jurm and Humshakal. He appeared in multi-hero casts in films
such as Khoon Ka Karz, Police Aur Mujrim, Kshatriya, Insaaniyat Ke
Devta, Ekka Raja Rani, Eena Meena Deeka, and the 2002 film Kranti. In
1997 he was the producer for Himalay Putra, in which he also
starred, together with his son Akshaye Khanna.- Navin Nischol, born in Lahore, British India (now in Pakistan), was a talented Indian actor known for his contributions to Bollywood films and television. With his charming screen presence and versatility as an actor, Navin Nischol became a popular figure during the 1970s and 1980s.
Navin Nischol made his acting debut with the film "Sawan Bhadon" (1970), which proved to be a successful start to his film career. He quickly gained recognition for his good looks, acting talent, and ability to portray a range of characters, from romantic leads to intense and dramatic roles.
Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Navin Nischol appeared in numerous films, establishing himself as a leading actor in Bollywood. Some of his notable works include "Victoria No. 203" (1972), "Chhalia" (1973), "Parwana" (1971), and "Dhund" (1973). His on-screen chemistry with co-stars like Sharmila Tagore and Zeenat Aman was well-received by audiences.
In addition to Hindi cinema, Navin Nischol also worked in Punjabi and English films, showcasing his versatility across different languages. He was known for his professionalism and dedication to his craft, earning him respect within the film industry.
As the Indian film landscape evolved, Navin Nischol transitioned to television, where he continued to make a mark. He appeared in popular shows like "Dard" (1989) and "Malgudi Days" (1986), further expanding his presence to the small screen.
In the later years of his career, Navin Nischol continued to act in films and television, maintaining his popularity among audiences. Tragically, he passed away on March 19, 2011, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances and contributions to the world of Indian entertainment. Navin Nischol is remembered fondly by fans and peers alike for his significant contributions to Bollywood and his impact on the film and television industry. - Kedarnath Saigal was an actor, known for Johar in Kashmir (1966), Chakravyuha (1978) and Hum Hain Bemisaal (1994). He died on 29 September 2013 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- Dinesh Anand was an actor, known for Mahabharat (1988), Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and Aflatoon (1997). He died on 15 February 2001 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- Actor
- Writer
Dinesh Phadnis was born on 2 November 1966 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He was an actor and writer, known for Sarfarosh (1999), C.I.D. (1998) and Bharla Ha Malavat Raktan (1993). He died on 5 December 2023 in Mumbai.- Actor
- Producer
- Editorial Department
Srihari was born on 15 August 1964 in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. He was an actor and producer, known for Sri Ramulayya (1999), Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana (2005) and Magadheera (2009). He was married to Disco Shanti. He died on 9 October 2013 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Actress
Manorama is a veteran Hindi actress acted in nearly 100 movies. Her real name was Erin Issac Daniels. She was half-Irish, with an Irish mother and an Indian Christian father.She started her career as a child artist in 1926 in Lahore, under the name Baby Iris. Thereafter she made her debut as in adult actress in 1941 to her final role in Water in 2005, her career extending over 60 years.She started off as a child artist in Khazanchi (1941) under screen name Manorama (given by Shoery) and grew into very successful and highly paid actress of Lahore.After partition she shifted to Mumbai. Actor Chandramohan recommended her to producers. Although she gave super-hit Punjabi film Lachchi, she was relegated to play Dilip Kumar's sister in Ghar Ki Izzat (1948). After her marriage to actor Rajan Haksar, she was slotted into character roles and then to villainous or comedienne roles. After several years of marriage she got divorced.She switched to TV serials & shifted to Delhi for five years where she worked in many series.Her last movie was Deepa Mehta's Water (2005) where she mesmerized Hollywood critics with her performance.- Sidharth Shukla was an Indian actor and model. He was the first Asian to win the world's best model Title, which was held in Turkey in 2005, and was the runner-up of Gladrags Manhunt Contest in 2004. After appearing in so many advertisements, he made his acting debut in 2008 with Sony TV show Babul Ka Aangann Chootey Na and had many shows, including Jaane Pehchaane Se Ye Ajnabbi, Love U Zindagi, Balika Vadhu and Dil Se Dil Tak. He also won Indian reality show khatron ke khiladi and Bigg Boss, and was a contestant in Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. He played angad bedi role in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania (2014) movie.
- Actress
- Writer
Kokila was born on January 4, 1931 in Valsad, Gujarat, India, in the
Gujarati-speaking Balsara family.
She was married to Kamal Roy at a very young age, and shortly
thereafter in 1946 both husband and wife decided to make a career on
the silver screen. They traveled to Bombay, both applied, but only
Kokila was chosen to act in a Gujarati movie, Ranakdevi, followed by
Amar Raj, and Gunsundari in 1948. She was primarily effective in
creating the Gujarati film industry. This is how Nirupa Roy was born.
She went on to act in many movies, initially as the leading lady then
in various roles of a variety of Hindu Goddesses, so much so that
people actually lined up to seek her blessings. From 1970s on she was
type-cast to play the role of the mother for a number of leading
actors, from Dev Anand to Amitabh Bachchan. She was perhaps the only
actresses to have played the role of mother to Dharmendra and his son,
Sunny Deol, albeit in different movies. In 1955 she acted as Dev
Anand's mother, even though she is about 8 years younger than him.
A Capricorn, she then went on to act in movies like Do Bigha Zameen,
Tangewali, and Garam Coat, a brand of movies which later came to be
known as 'realistic movies'.
Her success has been reflected in 3 awards from 1955 to 1964 for her
role in Munimji, Chhaya, and Shehnaai. She is also known for her
trilogy with Bharat Bhushan namely Kavi Kalidas, Samrat Chandragupt,
and Rani Rupmati.
But her most memorable role was yet to come in Deewar, opposite Shashi
Kapoor and Amitabh. Dialogues for this movies, as like Sholay, are
still remembered and talked about.
Throughout her career of over 60 years in movies, she has acted in over
250 movies. she did slow down considerably in the 1980s, but did make a
comeback in 1999 with Lal Badshah.
Her marriage with Kamal Roy resulted in the birth of a son, Kiran, and
2 daughters. She was known to be very close to her son.
She was very friendly with yesteryear actress Shyama. She received one
more award in 2003.
Her end came quickly on October 13, 2004, at the age of 73, when she
passed away after a cardiac arrest in Bombay.
She will always be remembered, not only as the 'mother of Bollywood'
for her roles in movies like Gunsundari, Rani Rupmati, Deewar, Amar
Akbar Anthony and many others.- Shamsuddin was an actor, known for Ishq (1997), Veerana (1988) and Hatim (2003). He died on 5 December 2016 in Mumbai.
- Sona Mastan Mirza was an actress, known for Aadamkhor (1986), Awara Badal (1964) and Bikhare Moti (1971). She was married to Haji Mastan Mirza. She died in August 2014 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- Director
- Writer
- Editor
Jag Mundhra was born on 29 October 1948 in Nagpur, Central Provinces and Berar, India. He was a director and writer, known for Bawandar (2000), Shades of Gray (1997) and The Jigsaw Murders (1989). He died on 4 September 2011 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Actor
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Virgoan Rajiv is the third, and the least known, son of showman Raj
Kapoor, and the grandson of Prithviraj Kapoor. He was born on August
25, 1962 in Bombay, and is the brother of Randhir, Ritu, Rima, and
Rishi. His nickname is Chimpu.
His sister-in-laws are Bollywood actresses Babita and Neetu Singh. His
paternal uncles are Shammi Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor, cousin to Karan,
Sanjana, and Kunal, and he is uncle to karisma and kareena. His aunt's
name is Jennifer, the wife of Shashi Kapoor, who has also acted in some
movies.
He began his career as a leading man in 1983 with 'Ek Jaan Hai Hum',
and went on to act in 'Aasman', Zabardast', 'Mera Saathi', 'Lava', Ram
Teri Ganga Maili', 'Lover Boy', 'Preeti', 'Zalzala', 'Shukriya', 'Hum
To Chale Pardes', Naag Nagin', and 'Zimmedar' in 1990 which was his
last known appearance as an Actor.
Thereafter he was involved in productions of 'Henna', 'Prem Granth', &
'Aa Ab Laut Chalen'; He also directed 'Prem Granth'; has been the
editor of 'Prem Granth' 'Prem Rog', 'Aa Ab Laut Chalen'; and was also
involved in the direction of 'Biwi O Biwi'.
He has co-starred with Mandakini, Kimi Katkar, Amrita Singh, Vijayata
Pandit, Padmini Kolhapure, Meenakshi Sheshadhiri, Dimple Kapadia, Divya
Rana, Rati Agnihotri, Tina Munim amongst others.
In 1998 he was awarded 'Filmfare Award' which he accepted on behalf of
the RK banner.
This handsome young man is remembered for his remarkable performance in
award-winning 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili' which was directed by his dad,
produced by his brother, Randhir, co-starring débutante Mandakini.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Neeraj Vohra was born on January 22, 1963 in Bhuj, Gujarat. But he grew up in Santacruz, a suburb of Mumbai. His father, Pandit Vinayak Rai Nanalal Vohra was a classical musician and a proponent of Tar-Shehnai. His father popularised Tar-Shehnai as the solo instrument for classical music. He is an Indian film director, producer, actor, writer & composer. As a child, Vora had no access to Bollywood movies. As he hailed from a classical musician's family, listening to film music and watching films was not allowed. His mother Premila Ben had a tremendous fascination for films, and she used to secretly take her son to watch movies. Vora went to famous Pupils' Own School in Khar, Mumbai. Many famous celebrities such as Falguni Pathank, Kinjal Bakshi, Tina Munim were his compatriots at this school.
Many students from his school used to attend music coaching classes conducted by his father, who insisted on teaching classical Indian music while Vorawould sneakily teach them how to play Bollywood songs on harmonium. This made Vora very popular at the school.
Luckily, a lot of Gujarati drama stalwarts followed his father's work and knew him personally, following which he got inclined towards Gujarati theatre. His love for theatre began at the age of 6, and when his father discovered this at the age of 13, he supported Vora and asked him to follow his passion.
He had worked in many successful Bollywood blockbusters like Khiladi 420 (2000), Hera Pheri (2000), Phir Hera Pheri (2006), Hello Brother (1998), Khatta Meetha (2010), Familywala (2009), Shortkut: The Con Is On (2009), Hungama (2003), Garam Masala (2005) etc.
Vora, who had been suffering from an illness for a long time, died at the age of 54 on December 14, 2017. He was reportedly in a coma for 13 months after suffering from a massive heart-attack and brain stroke. He reportedly breathed his last at 4 am at Criti Care hospital in Andheri, Mumbai. Vora had been staying at film producer Firoz Nadiadwala's house since October 2016 as they were working on film Hera Pheri 3 after slipping into coma due to a heart-attack followed by a brain stroke. Nadiadwala had brought him to his home and converted a room into a make-shift Intensive Care Unit (ICU).- Actor
- Make-Up Department
- Music Department
Iftekhar was born on 22 February 1920 in Jullundur, Punjab, British India. He was an actor, known for Don (1978), Sholay (1975) and Daag: A Poem of Love (1973). He was married to Hannah Joseph. He died on 4 March 1995 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.