MALA SINHA TURNS 74 TODAY

Today bollywood most famous actress, Mala Sinha turns 74 who born on 11th, November 1936. She became one of the most popular female stars in Bollywood films from the fifties to the early seventies, starring in numerous blockbusters and hits like Pyaasa (1957), Dhool Ka Phool (1959), Anpadh (1962), Himalaya Ki God Mein (1965), Aankhen (1968) and Maryada.

EARLY LIFE:-

Sinha was born to Albert Sinha, in a Nepalese Christian family. They named her Alda. Her friends at school used to tease her calling Dalda (a branded vegetable oil of India), so she changed her name to Mala.

CAREER:-

Sinha started her film career as child artist in Bengali Films Jai Vaishno Devi followed by Shri Krishan Leela, Jog Biyog & Dhooli. Noted Bengali film director Ardhendu Bose saw her acting in a school play and took permission from her father to cast her as a heroine in his film Roshanara (1952), her cinematic debut.

After acting in a couple of films in Calcutta, Mala had to go to Bombay to shoot for a Bengali film. There she met Geeta Dutt, a noted Bollywood playback singer, who was charmed by her and introduced her to film director Kidar Sharma. It was Sharma who cast her as a heroine in his film Rangeen Ratein. However, her first Hindi film was Badshah opposite Pradeep Kumar, than came Ekadashia mythological film both films failed, but her lead role in Kishore Sahu's Hamlet fetched her rave reviews in spite of the film failing at the boxoffice.

Mala was also a singer of some repute and used to sing for All India Radio, albeit she was never allowed to sing playback (even for herself) in the movies. In 1957, noted Bollywood actor and film director Guru Dutt (the husband of Geeta Dutt) cast Mala in his film Pyaasa in a role originally intended for Madhubala. Mala gave a memorable performance as the woman who chooses to marry a rich man (played by character artiste Rehman) rather than a poor unsuccessful poet (played by Guru Dutt himself). The film remains to this day a classic in the history of Indian cinema and a turning point for Sinha.

After Pyaasa her major success was Yash Chopra's directorail debut Dhool Ka Phool(1959) that elevated her into a major dramatic star,there was no looking back for Sinha than as she gave hits after hits in movies like 'Parvarish', 'Phir Subah Hogi', 'Main Nahse Main Hoon', 'Love Marriage', 'Bahurani', 'Anpadh', 'Aasra', 'Dil Tera Deewana', Gumrah (many critics believe her career best performance), 'Aankhen', 'Hariyali Aur Rasta', 'Himalaya Ki God Mein' and many more. What was most remarkable about Mala Sinha was that most of her 1960s hits were fuelled by her own star power as much as the heroes'. She did not mind working with newcomers as long as her role was worth. When she acted opposite big stars, she made sure her role was as good as theirs. She worked with many newcomers of her era including Dharmendra, Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. In most of her films she got the first billing in the credits, even before the heroes.

In 1966, Sinha went to Nepal to act in a Nepali film called "Maitighar" when the Nepali film industry was still in its infancy. Her hero in the film was an estate owner called C. P. Lohani.Soon after, Mala Sinha married C. P. Lohani with the blessings of her parents. From the beginning theirs was a long-distance marriage with Lohani based in Kathmandu to look after his business and she living in Bombay with their daughter Pratibha. Mala continued acting in films after her marriage.

She has been a heroine in Nepali and Bengali films. In Bengali films she has acted with Uttam Kumar as well as Kishor Kumar. Her last Bengali film was Kabita(1977) which featured Ranjit Mullick and Kamal Hassan. She is noted for her strong women oriented yet glamorous roles fuelled by her equal star power on par with the heroes giving blockbusters and hits like Dhool Ka Phool, Anpadh, Phir Subah Hogi, Hariyali Aur Rasta, Dil Tera Deewana, Bahurani, Aasra, Do Kaliyan, Gumrah, Aankhen, Himalaya Ki God Mein, Maryada amongst others.

Of her rich and varied repertoire of films, she mentions she is rather partial to Jahan Ara(1964), a historical that Meena Kumari passed on to her as she says,"Meenaji turned down the role saying that she would not look the part whereas I would. Given my ignorance of Urdu, I was rather skeptical but Meenaji was convinced that I could do justice to the role. Playing Mumtaz Mahal's eldest daughter entailed grueling Urdu classes and learning royal tehzeeb. It was hot on the grand sets erected at Ranjit Studio and the film had Madan Mohan's haunting music. It was a film replete with lyrical moments".

As she grew older she gracefully moved on to doing character roles that befitted her age. She was last seen in Zid(1994).Though Mala evinced as much interest in her daughter Pratibha's career as her father did in her career, she was unable to achieve the same success for her daughter.

PERSONAL LIFE:

Sinha currently lives in Bombay with her now-retired husband and daughter Pratibha Sinha, a Bollywood actress.semi.

TABU TURNS 40 TODAY

Today bollywood onetime hot favourite, Tabu turns 40 who born on 4th November 1970. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali language films, as well as one American film. She has won the National Film Award for Best Actress twice, and she holds the record for the most wins of Filmfare's Critics Award for Best Female Performer, with four.

With some exceptions, Tabu is best-known for acting in artistic, low-budget films that go on to garner more critical appreciation than substantial box office figures. Her appearances in commercially successful films were few, and her parts in these films were small, such as Border (1997), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), Biwi No.1 and Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United (1999). Her most notable performances include Maachis (1996), Virasat (1997), Hu Tu Tu (1999), Astitva (2000), Chandni Bar (2001), Maqbool (2003) and Cheeni Kum (2007). Her leading role in Mira Nair's American film The Namesake also drew major praise. Known to be selective about her film roles, she has said, "I do films which move me and most of all, the unit and the director should appeal to me."

EARLY LIFE:-

Tabu was born in Hyderabad to Jamal Hashmi and Rizwana in 1971, although other sources indicate 1970. Soon after, her parents divorced. Her mother was a school teacher and her maternal grandparents were retired professors who ran a school. Her grandfather, Mohammed Ahsan was a professor of Mathematics and her grandmother was a professor of English Literature. She went to St. Anns high school in Hyderabad. Tabu moved to Mumbai in 1983 and studied at St. Xavier's College for two years. She is the niece of Shabana Azmi and the younger sister of actress Farah Naaz. She has homes in Mumbai and Hyderabad.

HER CAREER:-


Tabassum "Tabu" Hashmi did a small appearance in the film "Bazaar" in 1980, and later in the film Hum Naujawan (1985) at the age of fifteen; she played Dev Anand's daughter in the film. Her first role as an actress was in the Telugu film Coolie No. 1. In December 1987, Boney Kapoor launch two Big Films, Roop Ki Rani Choro Raja and Prem. In Prem, Tabu was signed opposite Sanjay Kapoor. The film took eight years in making. Tabu once jokingly said "I should get a the most waiting newcomer of decade". Her first release in Hindi as a leading lady was Pehla Pehla Pyar which went un-noticed.She came into prominence with her role in Vijaypath (1994) opposite Ajay Devgan for which she received the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. This was followed by many films that did not do well at the box office.

PERSONAL LIFE:-

She is the life member of International Club of Asian Academy Of Film and Television, Noida. In 1998, Tabu was charged with poaching two blackbucks in Kankani during the filming of Hum Saath Saath Hain along with co-stars Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre and Neelam.The charges were dropped soon after and Tabu was acquitted.

ESHA DEOL TURNS 28 TODAY

Today bollywood actress,Esha Deol turns 28 who born on 2nd November 1981. She is the elder daughter of Bollywood actors Dharmendra and Hema Malini.

PERSONAL LIFE AND EDUCATION:-


Deol is the elder daughter of actors Dharmendra and Hema Malini. She has a younger sister named Ahana. She was a state level soccer player and was selected in the Indian national team.She is part Punjabi and part Tamil and speaks Tamil with her mother Hema Malini and sister Ahana Deol. She is also the half-sister of actors Sunny Deol and Bobby Deol. She is a Jatt Sikh on her father's side and Iyengar on her mother's. Deol attended Mithibai College in Mumbai where she planned to be become a fashion designer. Deol is also trained in the Odissi and Bharatanatyam dancing styles.Deol studied under Mumbai Odissi guru Rabindra Atibuddhi.

CAREER:-


Deol's film career began with Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche for which she won three awards. She released several unsuccessful films in 2003, but in 2004 received a Filmfare nomination for Best Supporting Actress as the villain heroine in Dhoom.The same year she played a French teacher in Aayutha Ezhuthu. She went on to repeat the role in the Hindi remake Yuva. Deol's portrayal of a notorious and vengeful ghost in Ram Gopal Verma's Darling (2007) was reviewed positively. Taran Adarsh from indiaFM noted that, "Esha Deol is excellent in a role that’s nothing short of a challenge. It would’ve boomeranged had it been entrusted to any inferior actor, but Esha is in terrific form here. This should be the turning point in her career." She is set to star in her mother's next directorial venture with Rekha and Abhishek Bachchan and also a film in which she is cast with her mother. Deol's next film is called Tell Me Oh Khuda. She will portray the lead role in the film opposite Rishi Kapoor. She will also appear in Shivam Nair's Ghost Ghost Na Raha with Rahul Bose and Ayaz Khan.

AWARDS:- 

2002: Filmfare Best Debut Award for Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe
2002: Star Screen Award Most Promising Newcomer - Female for Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe
2004: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Female Debut for Koi Mere Dil Se Poochhe

BADSHAH KHAN TURNS 45 TODAY

Today our Badshah, Shahrukh Khan turns 45 who born on 2nd November 1965. Khan began his career appearing in several television serials in the late 1980s. He made his film debut in Deewana (1992). Since then, he has been part of numerous commercially successful films and has earned critical acclaim for many of his performances. Khan has won thirteen Filmfare Awards for his work in Indian films, seven of which are in the Best Actor category, thus establishing himself as one of the Leading actors of Hindi Cinema. In 2005, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri for his contributions towards Indian Cinema.

Khan's films such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Chak De India (2007), Om Shanti Om (2007) and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) remain some of Bollywood's biggest hits, while films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and My Name Is Khan (2010) have been top-grossing Indian productions in the overseas markets, making him one of the most successful actors of India. Since 2000, Khan branched out into film production and television presenting as well. He is the founder/owner of two production companies, Dreamz Unlimited and Red Chillies Entertainment. Khan is today considered to be the world's most successful movie star, with a fan following numbering in the billions and a net worth estimated at over Rs 2500 crore (US$ 540 million). In 2008, Newsweek named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.

BIOGRAPHY:-

Khan was born in 1965 to Muslim parents of Pathan descent in New Delhi, India.His father, Taj Mohammed Khan, was an Indian independence activist from Peshawar, British India. According to Khan, his paternal grandfather was originally from Afghanistan.His mother, Lateef Fatima, was the adopted daughter of Major General Shah Nawaz Khan of the Janjua Rajput clan, who served as a General in the Indian National Army of Subash Chandra Bose.Khan's father came to New Delhi from Qissa Khawani Bazaar in Peshawar before the partition of India,while his mother's family came from Rawalpindi, British India.Khan has an elder sister named Shehnaz.Growing up in Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood,Khan attended St. Columba's School where he was accomplished in sports, drama, and academics. He won the Sword of Honour, an annual award given to the student who best represents the spirit of the school. Khan later attended the Hansraj College (1985–1988) and earned his Bachelors degree in Economics (honors). Though he pursued a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia, he later opted out to make his career in Bollywood. After the death of his parents, Khan moved to Mumbai in 1991. In that same year, before any of his films were released, he married Gauri Chibber, a Hindu, in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony on 25 October 1991. They have two children, son Aryan (b. 1997) and daughter Suhana (b. 2000). According to Khan, while he strongly believes in Allah, he also values his wife's religion. At home, his children follow both religions, with the Qur'an being situated next to the Hindu deities.In 2005, Nasreen Munni Kabir produced a two-part documentary on Khan, titled The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan. Featuring his 2004 Temptations concert tour, the film contrasted Khan's inner world of family and daily life with the outer world of his work. The book Still Reading Khan, which details his family life, was released in 2006. Another book by Anupama Chopra, King of Bollywood: Shahrukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema, was released in 2007. It describes the world of Bollywood through Khan's life.

KHAN AS A  PRODUCER:-


Khan turned producer when he set up a production company called Dreamz Unlimited with Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza in 1999. The first two of the films he produced and starred in: Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani (2000) and Asoka (2001) were box office failures.However, his third film as a producer and star, Chalte Chalte (2003), proved a box office hit. In 2004, Khan set up another production company, Red Chillies Entertainment, and produced and starred in Main Hoon Na, another hit.The following year, he produced and starred in the fantasy film Paheli, which did poorly. It was, however, India's official entry to the Academy Awards for consideration for Best Foreign Language Film, but it did not pass the final selection. Also in 2005, Khan co-produced the supernatural horror film Kaal with Karan Johar, and performed an item number for the film with Malaika Arora Khan. Kaal was moderately successful at the box office.His company has gone on to produce Om Shanti Om (2007), in which he starred, and Billu (2009), in which he played a supporting role as a Bollywood superstar. Apart from film production, the company also has a visual effects studio known as Red Chillies VFX. It has also ventured into television content production, with shows like, The First Ladies, Ghar Ki Baat Hai', and Knights and Angels. Television advertisements are also produced by the company. In 2008, Red Chillies Entertainment became the owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the BCCI-backed IPL cricket competition.


AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS:-

Khan has been awarded several honours which includes the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India in 2005. In April 2007, a life-size wax statue of Khan was installed at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, London. Another statue was installed at the Musée Grévin in Paris, the same year. During the same year, he was accorded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) award by the French government for his “exceptional career”. There are also statues in Hong Kong and New York. In October 2008, Khan was conferred the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka which carries the honorific Datuk (in similar fashion to "Sir" in British knighthood), by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob, the head of state of Malacca in Malaysia. Khan was honoured for "promoting tourism in Malacca" by filming One Two Ka Four there in 2001. Some were critical of this decision. He was also honoured with an honorary doctorate in arts and culture from Britain's University of Bedfordshire in 2009.

AISHWARYA RAI TURNS 37 TODAY

Today, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan turns 37 who born on 1st November 1973, is an Indian actress and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 1994. During her career, Rai has acted in over 40 movies in Hindi, English, Tamil and Bengali, which include a number of international productions.

EARLY CAREER:-

Rai made her movie debut in Mani Ratnam's Tamil film, Iruvar (1997) and had her first commercial success in the Tamil movie Jeans (1998). She came to the attention of Bollywood in the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Her performance in the film won her the Filmfare Best Actress Award. In 2002 she appeared in Bhansali's next project, Devdas (2002), for which she won her second Filmfare Best Actress Award.

EARLY LIFE:-

Rai was born in Mangalore to Krishnaraj Rai and Vrinda Rai. She has one elder brother, Aditya Rai, who is an engineer in the merchant navy and has also co-produced one of Rai's movies, Dil Ka Rishta (2003). At an early age her parents moved to Mumbai where she attended the Arya Vidya Mandir high school in Santa Cruz. Rai then entered Jai Hind College at Churchgate for one year, and then moved to Ruparel College in Matunga to finish her HSC studies. She planned to become an architect, and started studying architecture, but gave up her education to pursue a career in modelling.

PERSONAL LIFE:-

Aishwarya is Hindu and deeply religious. Her favourite temple is a 200-year-old Lord Ganesha Temple. In 1999 Aishwarya began dating Bollywood actor Salman Khan; their relationship was often reported in the media until the couple separated in 2001. Rai cited "abuse (verbal, physical and emotional), infidelity and indignity" on the part of Khan as a reason for ending their relationship.However, in a 2009 Times of India article titled "Salman didn't hit Ash!" Khan denied ever beating her: "It's not true that I hit a woman."

Rai is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan. After much speculation concerning their relationship, their engagement was announced on 14 January 2007. The announcement was later confirmed by his father Amitabh Bachchan. The couple got married on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites of the South Indian Bunt community, to which she belongs. Token North Indian and Bengali ceremonies were also performed. The wedding took place in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence "Prateeksha" in Juhu, Mumbai. Though the wedding was a private affair intended for the Bachchan and Rai families and friends, the involvement of the media turned it into a national extravaganza. They have been cited as a supercouple in the Indian media. Rai has been very close to her family and lived with them in Bandra, Mumbai until her marriage

HER WORKS:-

In 2006, Rai starred in J P Dutta's Umrao Jaan, a second film adaptation of the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada (1905), written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa. She portrayed courtesan and poetess by the same name from 19th century Lucknow. The film was a critical and commercial failure, though Rai's work was generally well received. Critic Taran Adarsh wrote, "Aishwarya Rai looks ethereal. She has looked heavenly and performed so convincingly. She emotes through her expressive eyes and the consistency in her performance is evident from start to end".Later that year she appeared as a master thief, Sunheri, in Yash Raj Films's Dhoom 2 directed by Sanjay Gadhvi, with an ensemble cast of Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Uday Chopra. The film turned out to be a blockbuster and became the highest grossing film of the year in India, earning revenues of over Rs 770 million domestically.The film also sparked a controversy for a scene containing a kiss between her and Hrithik Roshan. However, Rai's performance in the film received mostly negative reviews with a reviewer on Rediff.com writing, "Ash's character too is all gloss and no depth. You seldom feel any tension in her behaviour and expressions as she accompanies the master thief on potentially dangerous missions. Sunehri enters the film nearly 50 minutes after its opening in a disguise. In no time, she is wearing the flimsiest of clothes. Once she opens her mouth—and she does it two minutes after appearing in the film—she spoils the image. There is no sensuality anymore, and half an hour later, one wonders what made the master thief fall for her." Nonetheless, her performance earned her a sixth nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award.

In 2007, she appeared in Mani Ratnam's Guru as Sujata. Speculated to be based on the life of Indian businessman Dhirubhai Ambani, it was a rag to richesstory about an ambitious small town man who ends up as the owner of the biggest corporation in India. The film was premièred at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, Canada, making it the first Indian film to have a mainstream international premiere in Canada. The film was critically acclaimed and performed well at the box office. Critical reception for Rai was mixed. While Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India wrote that she is "just okay and fails to register the growth in her character", Rediff.com's Raja Sen described it as "arguably her finest performance, visible especially when she takes over the film's climax." Rai got her seventh Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for the role. In the same year she starred in Jag Mundhra's British film Provoked as Kiranjit Ahluwalia (an NRI woman who killed her abusive husband after facing severe domestic violence) alongside Naveen Andrews. The film was panned by critics and was also a commercial failure, though Rai received positive reviews from critics. In the same year she appeared as a female Indian warrior from Kerala named Mira in Doug Lefler's epic film The Last Legion alongside Sir Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth and Thomas Sangster. The film was a critical failure.

In 2008, she starred alongside Hrithik Roshan in Ashutosh Gowariker's historical drama Jodhaa Akbar, a partly fictionalised account of the life of Muslim Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, played by Roshan and his Hindu wife Jodha Bai, played by Rai. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning revenues of over Rs 590 million domestically. Rai's performance in the film was praised by critics, with Rajeev Masand writing, "Aishwarya Rai is wonderfully restrained and uses her eyes expertly to communicate so much, making this one of her finest outings on screen".She earned her eighth nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare for her performance. Later that year she co-starred with husband Abhishek Bachchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan in Ram Gopal Verma's Sarkar Raj, a sequel to his previous film Sarkar. She played the CEO of a major power company proposing to establish a new power plant in rural Maharashtra.

In 2009 she appeared in Harald Zwart's spy comedy film The Pink Panther 2 playing the role of criminology expert, Sonia Solandres. Like its predecessor, the sequel received negative reviews from critics and did a moderate business of $75,871,032 worldwide. In 2010, she collaborated with Mani Ratnam for a bilingual, with both versions featuring Rai portraying a character based on the goddess Sita. Both films were shot simultaneously, with Rai's role being one of the only roles which were played by the same performer in both versions.Though her portrayal of Ragini in both languages were praised, the Hindi Raavan alongside Abhishek Bachchan failed commercially, whilst the Tamil Raavanan, became a massive success.

On October 1, 2010, she appeared with Rajinikanth in the Tamil film Enthiran, directed by S. Shankar which has become the biggest blockbuster in India ever. She will also appear in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish opposite Hrithik Roshan, Vipul Shah's Action Replay opposite Akshay Kumar, Abhinay Deo's next film produced by Farhan Akhtar and Vishal Bharadwaj's next directorial venture.

In 2009 Rai was awarded the Padma Shri for her contributions to Indian cinema. In the same year she refused to accept the second-highest Order Of France, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres as her father was suffering from serious illness, and she wanted her whole family to attend the award function. She is only the fourth Indian actor after Amitabh Bachchan, Nandita Das and Shahrukh Khan to be chosen for an Order Of France. In June 2009, she was declared the Female Star of The Decade at the tenth International Indian Film Academy Awards held in Macau.

RAVEENA TANDON TURNS 36 TODAY

Today, Bollywood Actress, Raveena Tandon turns 36 who born on 26 October 1974 is a National Film Award winning Indian actress, producer, and a former model. She has primarily worked in Bollywood films, though she appeared in a few Tamil, Kannada and Telugu movies as well.

Raveena made her acting debut with Patthar Ke Phool (1991), and won a Filmfare Lux New Face Award for her performance in the film. During the 90s, she was part of several commercial successes such as Mohra (1994), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996) and Ziddi (1997), among others. Despite attaining popularity, she was not particularly recognised as an actor. This however changed in the early 2000s, when she ventured into more serious roles and turned towards arthouse and parallel cinema. She got high critical acclaim for her performances in films like Aks (2001) and Satta (2003), and had the peak of her career in 2002, when she won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kalpana Lazmi's Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence (2001).

EARLY LIFE:-

Raveena Tandon was born in Mumbai, to filmmaker Ravi Tandon and Veena. Her name is an amalgamation of her parents' name. She attended Jamnabai Narsee School inJuhu and studied at Mithibai College. She completed her first and second years at the college. During her time as an intern, she got her first film offer from Shantanu Sheorey which she accepted. She dropped out of college and decided to pursue her film career.Her father was a producer and director of some films in the 1970s and 1980s. She has a brother named Rajiv Tandon. Her cousin, Kiran Rathod is a South Indian actress.

HER CAREER:-

Raveena Tandon debuted with the film Patthar Ke Phool (1991) which was a hit; she received the Filmfare Lux New Face Award for her debut performance. Her next films Mohra (1994) and Dilwale (1994) were big hits at the box office whilst Laadla (1994), although an average performer, still earned her a Filmfare nomination as best supporting actress. Mohra was the second biggest hit of 1994.Her other releases of that year included the thriller Imtihaan and the comedy Andaz Apna Apna. The former was an average performer whilst the latter was unsuccessful at the box office but has since gained a strong cult following over the years. She reportedly got into a fight with her co-star Karisma Kapoor on the sets of the film. In 1995, she starred with Shahrukh Khan for the first time in Zamana Deewana; the film failed to do well.Her next few films also failed to do well at the box office and her career saw a drop in her success. Her career was back on track with hit films like Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996)and Ziddi (1997), both being big hits each of its respective year.In 1997, she was to play her first villainous role in Dus but the film was shelved after the director's death when 40% of the film's shooting had been completed.

In 1998, Tandon had eight releases. Her last release of that year Bade Miyan Chote Miyan co-starring Amitabh Bachchan and Govinda turned out to the second biggest hit of the year.Coincidentally, Tandon was offered the second lead in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai which went on to be the biggest hit of 1998, but she turned it down.In the 2000s, Tandon turned her career professionally. She went on to work more with art film directors and realistic cinema. It proved to be a good turning as films like Shool (1999), Bulandi (2000) and Aks (2001) won her huge acclaim. She won many awards as well as the Filmfare Special Performance Award for her performance in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Aks.

Her years in the industry paid off when she won the coveted National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kalpana Lazmi's Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence (2001), where she played a battered wife to an abusive husband.She surprised critics and audiences with her performance in the film and received much appreciation for her work. Critic, Taran Adarsh said, "Raveena Tandon lends credibility to the role of a battered wife and walks away with the honours. The pathos she conveys through her expressions makes you realise that she's a performer of substance".

Since then, she has starred in a number of critically acclaimed films, such as Satta (2003) and Dobara (2004), but has not had much box office success. Her role as a middle class woman thrust into the world of politics in the former was praised. Critic, Taran Adarsh wrote, "Raveena Tandon delivers a bravura performance. The actress takes giant strides as a performer, giving the right touches to her character. Here's a performance that's bound to be noticed".Her role as a schizophrenic in Dobara was also praised with one critic saying, "Raveena is in sync with her character, essaying her part with elaan".Her last release was Sandwich in 2006 which opened to poor reviews and reception.She has not acted in films since. Tandon has also produced the films Stumped (2003) and Pehchaan: The Face of Truth (2005), neither of which had much success at the box office.

PERONAL LIFE:-

She adopted two children Pooja and Chhaya as a single mother in the 1990s. Tandon previously dated actor Akshay Kumar and was set to be engaged to him, however they broke up soon after.
Tandon began dating film distributor Anil Thadani during the making of her film Stumped (2003). Their engagement was announced in November 2003.She married Thadani on 22 February 2004 in Jag Mandir Palace in Udaipur, Rajasthan according to Punjabi style.She gave birth to a baby girl called Rasha on 16 March 2005. She gave birth to her second child, a baby boy named Ranbir on 12 July 2007.

AWARDS:-

1992: Filmfare Lux New Face Award, Patthar Ke Phool
2002: Bengal Film Journalists' Association Awards Best Supporting Actress, Aks
2002: National Film Award for Best Actress, Daman: A Victim of Marital Violence
2002: Filmfare Special Performance Award, Aks
2002: Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress, Aks
2002: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Supporting Actress, Aks
2002: Bollywood Movie Award - Critics Award Female, Aks
2002: Awadh Samman by the Government of Uttar Pradesh

APARNA SEN TURNS 65 TODAY

Today Aparna Sen turns 65 who born on 25 October, 1945 in Kolkata, is a critically acclaimed Indian filmmaker, script writer, and actress. She is the winner of three National Film Awards and eight international film festival awards. BIOGRAPHY:- Aparna Sen was born in Calcutta to a Bengali family, originally from East Bengal. Her father is the veteran critic and film-maker Chidananda Dasgupta. Her mother Supriya Dasgupta is the cousin of renowned Bengali poet Jibanananda Das. She spent her childhood in Hazaribagh and Kolkata and had her schooling initially in South Point and later mostly in Modern High School for Girls, Kolkata. She studied her B.A. English honors in Presidency College, Calcutta but did not complete the degree. HER CAREER:- Sen made her film debut at the age of 16, when she played the role of Mrinmoyee in the Samapti portion of the 1961 film Teen Kanya (Three Daughters) directed by Satyajit Ray (who was a long time friend of her father's). She then studied at Kolkata's Presidency College. Later in life she would work with Satyajit Ray in several of his films, including the short Pikoo (1981) where she played the role of an adulterous wife and mother. In 1965, Sen resumed her film career in Mrinal Sen's Akash whicKusum h was later remade into a Hindi film Manzil starring Amitabh Bachchan and Moushumi Chatterjee.Later she also brought out the different nuances of a widow in SenMahaprithibi'. From then until the end of the 1970s, she worked steadily in the Bengali film industry, as leading heroine of the time. She acted in a number of Hindi films as well during this time including Imaan Dharam (1977) with Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Sanjeev Kumar and Rekha. Aparna Sen was equally successful in the mainstream Bengali films.Her chemistry both with Soumitra Chatterjee in films such as Basanta Bilap, Baksa Badal, Chutir Fande were loved as much as her films with Uttam Kumar in Joy Jayanti, Alor Thikana etc. In 1969, Sen appeared in The Guru, an English-language feature by Merchant Ivory Productions. She would make two more films with Merchant-Ivory, Bombay Talkie (1970), and Hullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (1978). In 2009, Sen appeared with Sharmila Tagore and Rahul Bose in Annirudh Roy-Chowdhary's Bengali film Antaheen. The film went on to win four National Awards. AS A DIRECTOR:- In 1981, Sen made her debut as a film director with 36 Chowringhee Lane. She also wrote its screenplay. The film, about an aged Anglo-Indian teacher living in Calcutta, won positive reviews from critics. For her debut feature, Sen won the Best Director award at the Indian National Film Awards. 36 Chowringhee Lane also won the Grand Prix (the Golden Eagle) at the Manila International Film Festival. She followed up this early success with several other films, notably Paroma (1984), Sati (1989) and Yugant (1995). These examined the feminine condition in modern-day India from different perspectives. She also starred in Unishe April (1994), the film by Bengali cinema's Rituparno Ghosh. Aparna's next directorial effort Paromitar Ek Din (2000) was a critical hit and recalled the success of her first film. The film explored the relationship between a divorced woman (Rituparna Sengupta) and her mother-in-law, played by Aparna herself. It won a number of awards on the international festival circuit. Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002), was a love story set against the harsh backdrop of Hindu-Muslim sectarian violence in India. The film won a National Film Award for Sen's direction, and an acting award for Konkona Sen Sharma, the director's daughter. The film won more awards at the Locarno, Hawaii and Manila film festivals. 15, Park Avenue (2005) starred her daughter and the actors Shabana Azmi, Dhritiman Chaterji, Waheeda Rehman, Rahul Bose and Soumitra Chatterjee. The film deals with a girl (Konkona Sen Sharma) who is a schizophrenic and her relations with her elder stepsister, played by Shabana Azmi. Her next film named "The Japanese Wife" (2010), stars Raima Sen, Rahul Bose and Chigusa Takaku. This film focuses on two women and is based on a short story by West Bengal author Kunal Basu. Aparna has made selective films and in the last 28 years, she has made only seven films. In 2009, Sen announced her next Bengali film Iti Mrinalini, which stars Konkona Sen Sharma, Aparna Sen, Rajat Kapoor, Koushik Sen, and Priyanshu Chatterjee. Sen's last Bengali film was Paromitar Ek Din (2000). First-time screenwriter Ranjan Ghosh[3] has co-authored Iti Mrinalini. Incidentally this is the first time that Aparna Sen has collaborated with any film writer or become attached to the curriculum of a film institute. The screenplay of Iti Mrinalini was an assignment in the Screenwriting syllabus at the Mumbai-based film school Whistling Woods International. This was the first time in Indian screenwriting that any assigned screenplay of any Indian film institute has actually been filmed. The film is in post-production and is slated for release in mid 2010. PERSONAL LIFE:- Sen has been married three times. Her first marriage, to Sanjay Sen, was when she was quite young. Her second husband was the science writer and journalist, Mukul Sharma. They later divorced amicably. Sen is presently married to Kalyan Ray, an author and professor of English who teaches at County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey, in the United States. She has two daughters, Kamalini and Konkona—who is also an actress—and two grandchildren.

MALAIKA ARORA CELEBRATES HER BIRTHDAY WITH ARBAAZ KHAN

Today is birthday of "Chaiyya Chaiyya" lady, Malaika Arora who born to a Punjabi father, Anil Arora, and a Malayali mother, Joyce Polycarp. She has a younger sister, Amrita Arora. Malaika schooled at Swami Vivekananda School in Mumbai.

She is married to actor Arbaaz Khan, who is Salman Khan’s brother. They have a son Arhaan. She has been a VJ on MTV and continues to be a sought-after model. Malaika recently did an item number in Dabangg, which got the entire nation dancing to the tunes of 'Munni Badnaam Hui!'

FAMILY BACKGROUND:-
 
Sister(s):  Amrita Arora
Spouse:  Arbaaz Khan
Son:  Arhaan

FILM BACKGROUND:-
 
Debut Film:  Aaja Meri Jaan
Famous Movies:  Kaal, The Hero, Kaante, Maa Tujhhe Salaam, Indian, Bichhoo, Dil Se, Aaja Meri Jaan
Latest Movies:  Kaal 

BOLLYWOOD COMEDIAN, KADER KHAN TURNS 73 TODAY

Today bollywood famous comedian, script and dialogue actor Kader Khan turns 73 who born in circa 1937 in Pishin (Pakistan).

EARLY LIFE:-

Kader Khan is an ethnic Pashtun. He is originally from Pishin, which is in the Balochistan province of Pakistan and from Kakar tribe. Kakar tribe is one of the famous tribes of pashtuns residing in Balochistan. Kader Khan was originally a lecturer in a engineering college in Mumbai. On the annual day function of the college Kader Khan took part in a play. Dilip Kmar, present at the event, was so impressed by his acting that he signed him for his next film.

CAREER:-

He has acted in over 300 films in the Hindi & Urdu languages, and has written dialogue for over 1,000 Indian films, from the 1970s up to the turn of the 21st century. He is most popularly recognized for working with comedian actor Govinda in comedic films by director David Dhawan. He has also worked side by side with other comedic legends like Shakti Kapoor and Johnny Lever in over 300 films. He played a large variety of parts in films like a supporting role of a father, uncle, brother, relative, the main villain or the side villain, guest actor and comedian.

Khan is said to be as responsible for Amitabh Bachchan's success as a Bollywood icon as writer duo Salim-Javed. He wrote many memorable dialogues for Amitabh's films, including Mr. Natwarlal, Amar Akbar Anthony, Agneepath, Muqaddar Ka Sikander, Laawaris and Naseeb, which were huge hits at the box office.

He recently appeared in Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Lucky (2006) and Family: Ties of Blood (2006). He had also starred in his own comedy television series titled Hasna Mat, which aired on Star Plus.

Kader Khan is reportedly writing a sequel to the famous Aamir Khan - Salman Khan comedy Andaaz Apna Apna. Pre-production is scheduled to begin in September 2009 in Mumbai's Film City studio.

PERSONAL LIFE:-

He lives in Mumbai, the home of the Indian film industry. His son Sarfaraz Khan has also acted in some films.

KIM KARDASHIAN GETTING SEXY DIAMONDS ON HER 30TH BIRTHDAY

Kim Kardashian will be getting a sexy diamond for her 30th birthday. But it isn’t an engagement ring!

The sexy socialite — who recently split from boyfriend Miles Austin — celebrates the milestone birthday today, October 21.

And according to RadarOnline, Kim will be getting a pair of huge diamond earrings as a surprise gift. She’s definitely going to be excited about.

“She’s going to love the earrings, they’re gorgeous,” a source said.

Meanwhile, sources close to Kim insist her other ex-boyfriend, Reggie Bush, won’t be at the star’s birthday bash — despite recent rumors of a reconciliation.

“Reggie is 100 percent not invited to the party,” a source said.

“As much as she would want Reggie to share in her birthday celebration, it would become a talking point, plus he is injured, so it was decided they would mark the occasion at another time.”

Kim told recently that she thinks turning 30 will be “nerve-wrecking” even though she is proud of her achievements so far.

“It’s nerve-wracking because now when someone says ‘How old are you?’ I have to say 30,” she confessed.

“It scares me a little bit. But I do feel accomplished, and I feel like I’ve gotten a lot done before 30. I feel good!”

SHAMMI KAPOOR TURNS 79 TODAY

Today Shammi Kapoor turns 79 who born on 21 October 1931,in a Punjabi Khatri family is an Indian film actor and director.

He was born with the given name Shamsher Raj Kapoor in Mumbai to film and theatre actor Prithviraj Kapoor. Shammi was the second of three sons born to Prithviraj (the other two being Raj Kapoor and Shashi Kapoor), all of whom were, like their father, successful Bollywood actors. Though he was born in Mumbai, he spent a major portion of his childhood in Kolkata, where his father was involved with New Theatres Studios, acting in films. It was in Kolkata only that he did his Montessory and Kindergarten. After coming back to Mumbai, he first went to St. Joseph's Convent (Wadala) and then, to Don Bosco School. Shammi Kapoor finished his schooling from New Era School, at Hughes Road.

EARLY LIFE:-

Shammi Kapoor had a short stint at the Ruia College, after which he joined his father’s theatrical company "Prithvi Theatres". He entered the world of cinema in 1948, as a junior artiste, at a salary of Rs.50 per month. Kapoor stayed with Prithvi Theatres for the next four years and collected his last paycheck, being Rs.300, in the year 1952. He made his debut in Bollywood in the year 1953, when the film Jeevan Jyoti was released. It was directed by Mr. Mahesh Kaul and Chand Usmani was Kapoor’s first heroine.

HIS CAREER IN FILM INDUSTRY:-

Kapoor started out with serious roles but with Filmistan's Nasir Hussain directed Tumsa Nahin Dekha (1957) opposite Ameeta and Dil Deke Dekho (1959) with Asha Parekh, he attained the image of a light hearted stylish playboy. With Junglee (1961) his new image was cemented and subsequent films were all in this genre. He particularly chose Mohammed Rafi as his playback voice. Though in his early career he had often played second fiddle to established heroines like Madhubala in films such as Rail Ka Dibba (1953), producers now loved pairing Shammi with new heroines, but only four became huge stars: Asha Parekh, Sadhna, Saira Banu, and Sharmila Tagore^.f all his heroines, he said that Sharmila Tagore, Rajshree, and Asha Parekh were easy to work with.He and Asha Parekh were paired together in four films, the most successful being the murder mystery Teesri Manzil (1966).

During first half of the 1960s, Kapoor was seen in successful films like Professor, Char Dil Char Rahen, Raat ke Raahi, Dil Tera Diwana, ‘Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya’, China Town, Kashmir Ki Kali, Bluff Master, Janwar and Rajkumar. Although nominated before, in 1968, he received the first Filmfare Best Actor award of his career for the film Bramhachari.

At the peak of his career, Shammi Kapoor - tall, athletic, lively, fair complexioned, green-eyed and with handsome features- was a heartthrob and his good looks and physique complemented his image.

In the 1970s, Kapoor’s weight problem proved an obstacle in his path of success and ended his career as a romantic hero. One of his last hits, in which he played the lead role, was Andaz (1971). With time, he moved to carecter roles and acted in films like Zameer, Hero and Vidhaata. In 1974, he donned the hat of a director and made Manoranjan, a film based on Irma La Douce. Two years later, he made Bandalbaaz (1976). However, both the films failed to create magic at the box office. His last appearance, as a character actor, was in the delayed 2006 film, Sandwich.Recently he has decided to act with Ranbir Kapoor, the grandson/great-nephew of his brother Raj Kapoor, in Imitiaz Ali's next movie.

PERSONAL LIFE:-

Shammi Kapoor met Geeta Bali in the year 1955, during the shooting of the film ‘Rangeen Raaten’, in which he was the main lead and she played a cameo. They fell in love, but since she was a year older to him and had acted with his elder brother and father, they were skeptical. Four months after they first met, they decided to get married. Shammi and Geeta went to Banganga Temples, near Napean Sea Road of Mumbai, and got married, with Hari Walia as the sole witness. It was only after the marriage that they informed their parents.
The couple lived a life of bliss in the coming years and had a son the following year. Aditya Raj Kapoor was born on 1 July 1956, at Shirodkar's Hospital, Mumbai. Five years later, in 1961, they had another child. This time, it was a daughter, Kanchan. Tragedy struck the Kapoor family during the filming of Teesri Manzil (1966) and Geeta died of small pox leaving him with two small children. It led to a failed romance with Mumtaz, his co-star from Brahmchari (1968).

In 1969, he married his second wife Neela Devi Gohil from the Royal Family of Bhavnagar in Gujarat , and his significant weight gain ended his career as a romantic hero in the early 1970s, with Andaz (1971) being one of his last hits. He turned into a successful supporting actor in the 70's, playing Saira Banu's father in Zameer (1975), when he had been her leading man a decade earlier in Junglee (1961) and Bluff Master (1964) and playing Amitabh Bachchan's foster father in Parvarish. He also directed Manoranjan (1974) a copy of Irma La Douce and in which he played a supporting role himself and Bandalbaaz (1976), but neither were successful. In the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to play supporting roles in many films and won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in Vidhaata (1982). He eventually cut down on film appearances by the late 1990s and early 2000s and made his last appearance in the delayed 2006 release Sandwich.

Shammi Kapoor is one of the leading internet users in India. He is the founder and chairman of Internet Users Community of India (IUCI). Apart from that, he has also played a major role in setting up internet organizations like the Ethical Hackers Association. Kapoor also maintains a website dedicated to the ‘Kapoor family’. In 2006, he told interviewers that he goes to dialysis three times a week. Even that has failed to depress him. Rather, he is thankful to God for giving him so much.