name	Preity Zinta
birth date	January 31, 1975
birth place	Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
years active	1998–present
partner	Ness Wadia (2005–09)
occupation	Film actress }}

Preity Zinta (, pronounced ; born 31 January 1975) is an Indian film actress. She has appeared in Hindi films of Bollywood, as well as Telugu, Punjabi and English language films. After graduating with a degree in criminal psychology, Zinta made her acting debut in ''Dil Se'' in 1998 followed by a role in ''Soldier'' the same year. These performances earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, and she was later recognised for her role as a teenage single mother in ''Kya Kehna'' (2000). She subsequently played a variety of character types; her film roles along with her screen persona contributed to a change in the concept of a Hindi film heroine.

Zinta received a Filmfare Award for Best Actress in 2003 for her performance in the drama ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''. She went on to play the lead female role in two consecutive annual top-grossing films in India: the science fiction film ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' (2003), her biggest commercial success, and the star-crossed romance ''Veer-Zaara'' (2004), which earned her critical acclaim. She was later noted for her portrayal of independent, modern Indian women in ''Salaam Namaste'' (2005) and ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' (2006), top-grossing productions in overseas markets. These accomplishments have established her as a leading actress of Hindi cinema. Her first international film role was in the Canadian film ''Heaven on Earth'', for which she was awarded the Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival.

In addition to movie acting, Zinta has written a series of columns for BBC News Online South Asia, is a social activist, a television presenter, and a regular stage performer. She is the founder of the production company PZNZ Media and, along with ex-boyfriend Ness Wadia, a co-owner of the Indian Premier League cricket team Kings XI Punjab. She is known in the Indian media for publicly speaking her mind and openly expressing her opinions, and consequently has sparked the occasional controversy. These controversies include her being the only witness not to retract in court her earlier statements against the Indian mafia during the 2003 Bharat Shah case, for which she was awarded the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Award.

Early life and background

Zinta was born into a Hindu Rajput family from Rohru in Shimla district, Himachal Pradesh. Her father, Durganand Zinta, was an officer in the Indian Army. He died in a car accident when she was 13 years old; the accident also involved her mother, Nilprabha, who was severely injured and consequently remained bedridden for two years. Zinta called the tragic accident and her father's death a significant turning point in her life, which forced her to mature rapidly. She has two brothers; Deepankar and Manish, a year older and a year younger respectively. Deepankar is a commissioned officer in the Indian Army, while Manish lives in California.

Zinta, who describes herself as a tomboy as a child, has emphasised her father's military background as having a lasting impression on how family life was conducted. He asserted the importance of discipline and punctuality to the children. She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary boarding school in Shimla. Although she confesses to loneliness in the boarding school, she noted that it was compensated by her finding a "... perfect set of friends" there. As a student, she developed a love for literature, particularly the works of William Shakespeare and poetry. According to Zinta, she enjoyed schoolwork and received good grades; in her free time she played sports, especially basketball.

Upon graduating from the boarding school at age 18, Zinta enrolled at St Bede's College in Shimla. She graduated college with an English honours degree, and then started a graduate programme in psychology. She earned a postgraduate degree in criminal psychology, but later took up modelling. Zinta's first television commercial was for ''Perk chocolates'', the result of a chance meeting with a director at a friend's birthday party in 1996. The director persuaded Zinta to audition for the spot, and she was selected. Afterwards, she appeared in other catalogues and commercials, including one for the soap Liril.

Acting career

Early work (1997–99)

In 1997, Zinta met film-maker Shekhar Kapur when she accompanied a friend to an audition, and was asked if she would audition too. Upon seeing her audition, Kapur insisted that she become an actress. She was originally scheduled to make her screen debut in Kapur's ''Tara Rum Pum Pum'' opposite Hrithik Roshan, but the filming was cancelled. Kapur later recommended her for director Mani Ratnam's movie ''Dil Se''. Zinta often recalls that when she joined the film industry, her friends teased her that she would typically "wear white saris and dance in the rain", thereby motivating her to play different parts.

Zinta commenced shooting for Kundan Shah's ''Kya Kehna'', whose release was delayed until 2000. The delay of another film, ''Soldier'', meant that her first release was ''Dil Se'' (1998) opposite Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. She was introduced as Preeti Nair, a middle-class Delhi girl and Khan's fiancée. The film was considered an unusual launch for a newcomer, as her role called for only 20 minutes of screen time. However, she was eventually noticed for her role, particularly for the forthright character she played. Her scene with Khan, in which she asked him, "Are you a virgin?", became well-known, and her portrayal earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award nomination. She played her first leading role in the action-drama ''Soldier'' (1998), a commercial hit of the year. She won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for her performance in both ''Dil Se'' and ''Soldier''.

Zinta next acted in two Telugu films, ''Premante Idera'' (1998), opposite Venkatesh; and ''Raja Kumarudu'' (1999), opposite Mahesh Babu. She followed with the leading role in the thriller ''Sangharsh'', alongside Akshay Kumar. The film, based on ''The Silence of the Lambs'' (1991), was directed by Tanuja Chandra and written by Mahesh Bhatt. Zinta portrayed the character of Reet Oberoi, a CBI officer who falls in love with a captured killer played by Kumar. The film was not a box-office success, although Zinta's performance was appreciated by critics.

Breakthrough (2000–02)

Zinta's first role in 2000 was in the drama ''Kya Kehna'', which unexpectedly became a box-office success. The film addressed themes of single parenthood and teenage pregnancy, and gained Zinta wider recognition from the public as well as film critics. Her portrayal of a teenage single mother who fights social prejudice earned her several award nominations, including her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards. ''India Today'' reported that Zinta belonged to a new breed of Hindi film actors that breaks away from character stereotypes.

Later that year, Zinta starred in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's drama ''Mission Kashmir'' alongside Sanjay Dutt and Hrithik Roshan. Set in the valley of Kashmir during the Indo-Pakistani conflicts, the film dealt with the topic of terrorism and crime. Zinta's role was that of Sufiya Parvez, a TV reporter and Roshan's childhood love. A review in ''The Hindu'' said about her performance, "Preity Zinta is her usual cherubic self and lends colour to the otherwise serious proceedings". It was an economic success, becoming the third-highest grossing film of the year in India.

In 2001, Zinta earned positive reviews for her role in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning ''Dil Chahta Hai'', co-starring Aamir Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Akshaye Khanna. Depicting the contemporary routine life of Indian affluent youth, it is set in modern-day urban Mumbai and focuses on a major period of transition in the lives of three young friends. Zinta starred as Aamir Khan's love interest, Shalini. According to critics, the film broke new ground by showing Indian youth as they are today. Despite the critical reception, it was only a moderate box office success in India; it performed well in the big cities but failed in the rural areas, which was attributed by critics to the urban-oriented lifestyle depicted in the movie. Rediff.com wrote of Zinta that she "... is beautiful and vibrant, wavering between endearingly naive and confused".

Three more 2001 releases featured Zinta, including Abbas-Mustan's romantic drama ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', which was released after a one-year delay due to the trial of producer Bharat Shah. This film was one of the first Bollywood movies to address the controversial issue of surrogate childbirth. Zinta's performance as Madhubala, a golden-hearted prostitute hired as a surrogate mother, earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination. Rediff.com noted, "Preity Zinta, who clearly has the meatiest part of all, makes the best of it. Her transformation from the cocky and unabashed prostitute to a sensitive and warm person is amazingly believable." Following her portrayal of a range of characters in ''Kya Kehna'', ''Sangharsh'' and ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', Zinta gained a reputation for playing roles that go against Indian traditional mores and was often recognised for her versatility as an actress. Critics attributed her roles in these films as to establishing a new image for leading actresses in Bollywood.

In 2002, Zinta collaborated once again with director Kundan Shah, as the protagonist in the family drama ''Dil Hai Tumhaara'', alongside Rekha, Mahima Chaudhry and Arjun Rampal. Although the film did not succeed at the box office, her portrayal of Shalu, an adopted daughter craving love, was critically acclaimed. Taran Adarsh from ''indiaFM'' noted, "... Preity Zinta, in an author-backed role ... steals the show with a sterling performance. Her scenes with Rekha (second half) and Alok Nath (pre-climax) are simply outstanding. Here's a performance that is sure to win accolades from the junta and critics whole-heartedly."

Success (2003–07)

Zinta was the female lead in India's three highest-grossing films of 2003: ''The Hero: Love Story of a Spy'', ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' and ''Kal Ho Naa Ho''. ''The Hero'', co-starring Sunny Deol and Priyanka Chopra, is a patriotic drama about a spy network involving terrorists and an Indian army officer. Zinta played the part of Reshma, a villager who falls in love with the officer and becomes part of this network. The film, involving stunts never seen before in the cinematic history of Bollywood, became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced at the time. Despite being the third highest-grossing film of that year, it failed to recover its production costs at the box office. She next starred in Honey Irani's directorial debut, ''Armaan'', alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. This drama is set in a hospital and follows the travails of its personnel and its principal, Dr. Akash, who struggles arduously to sustain the institution financially. Zinta played Akash's schizophrenic wife Sonia Kapoor. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Zinta was particularly praised. ''The Tribune'' concluded, "Zinta has outclassed everyone with her convincing performance." For her performance, she received nominations for Best Villain at different award ceremonies, including Filmfare.

Rakesh Roshan's science-fiction film ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', about a developmentally disabled young man, followed. Co-starring with Rekha and Hrithik Roshan, Zinta played the role of Nisha, a young woman whom Roshan befriends. She received another Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare for the role. The movie was a financial and critical success and became the most popular film of the year, as well as Zinta's highest-grossing movie, with a domestic total of Rs 425 million; it won the Filmfare Award for Best Movie, among others.

Zinta's final release of 2003 was ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'', a tearjerker set in New York City. It was directed by Nikhil Advani and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Saif Ali Khan. The film was received favourably by critics and became India's second-biggest hit of the year after ''Koi... Mil Gaya''. It also did well internationally and became India's top-grossing film of the year overseas, earning over Rs 750 million worldwide. Zinta played the role of Naina Catherine Kapur, an insecure and angry young Indian-American woman who falls in love with a man who has a fatal heart disease. She won several awards for her performance, including the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Derek Elley from ''Variety'' wrote, "Zinta, who's been carving a growing following the past three years or so, has never been better, definitively moving from juve roles to a charismatic young woman with her sexy, assured Naina."

In 2004 she starred as TV journalist Romila Dutta in Farhan Akhtar's war drama ''Lakshya'', co-starring with Hrithik Roshan. The film was based on the historical events of the 1999 Kargil Conflict; Zinta's character was modelled after TV journalist Barkha Dutt, the only female reporter assigned to the story. The film was a critical success, yet her performance received mixed reviews; Rediff.com noted, "Zinta has quite a good role and a good deal of footage in the film, and she does a fairly decent job of it without ever being spectacular." Later that year, Yash Chopra cast her opposite Shahrukh Khan as the female lead in the love saga ''Veer-Zaara'', the top-grossing Hindi film of that year in both India and abroad, with revenues of over Rs 900 million worldwide. The film, which relates the love story of an Indian officer, Veer Pratap Singh, and a Pakistani woman, Zaara Haayat Khan, had a strong international release, including a screening at the Berlin Film Festival, and won several Best Movie awards at major Indian award functions. For her portrayal of Zaara, a smart Pakistani girl, Zinta received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. ''Variety'' hailed her as "the most interesting young actress of her generation," writing that she "is her usual lively self as the willful Zaara." ''Veer-Zaara'' was Zinta's second highest-grossing film and third major success in two consecutive years. It marked the beginning of her work with Yash Raj Films, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.

In 2005, Zinta appeared in two movies. Her first release was the folk comedy ''Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen'', co-starring Govinda, a production that had been delayed since 2002. The film garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns. Zinta's role was small, and was not well received. Her next release was Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama ''Salaam Namaste'', co-starring Saif Ali Khan. Produced by Yash Raj Films, it was the first Indian feature to be filmed entirely in Australia and went on to become the year's highest-grossing Bollywood production outside of India, earning Rs 570 million internationally. The film tells the story of a contemporary cohabiting Indian couple and their subsequent struggle with an unexpected pregnancy. Zinta played the female protagonist Ambar Malhotra, a single modern young woman who leaves India to make her own life in Australia. The film was well received by critics, and Zinta's performance earned her nominations for Best Actress at a number of award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh wrote, "After ''Kya Kehna'', Preity Zinta accepts the challenge of portraying an unwed mother yet again in ''Salaam Namaste''. The actor is terrific, delivering her most accomplished performance to date." ''The New York Times'' noted, "She is cheerleader-homecoming queen-fraternity sweetheart pretty, so even when her characters are being unkind it's hard not to like her."

Zinta received further success in 2006, starring in Karan Johar's drama ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' with an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher. The film became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning Rs 458 million, and grossed over Rs 480 million abroad, the biggest Bollywood success of all-time in the overseas market up until then. It was her fourth overseas top-earner in four consecutive years. The film tells the story of two unhappily married couples in New York, and an ensuing extramarital affair. Zinta played the role of Rhea Saran, an ambitious fashion magazine editor. She described the role as an attempt to shed her vivacious public image. ''The Indian Express'' concurred that this was successful: "The lady has not just looked glamorous but she has walked with poise, sat with grace, smiled with composure and spoke with calmness. Who would have thought that the bubbly girl could so skilfully shed her age-old tag and walk away as the don't-mess-with-me lass. So all those who are in search of the peppy Preity, well guys you've dialed the wrong number this time."

She then starred in Shirish Kunder's romantic musical ''Jaan-E-Mann'', a story set in the United States about two men, played by Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar, who love the same woman. The film opened to mixed reviews from critics and its eventual box-office profit was poor. Zinta played the role of Piya, the cynosure of two men. She was mostly criticised for taking a role of minimal importance, though her performance was generally well-received. Raja Sen labelled her role an "ornament throughout," but further stated that she "comes vividly alive in the film's last scene, a moment that makes you lament why filmmakers today don't let the babyfaced actress have more fun instead of forcing her to sob copiously. She doesn't have much to do in ''Jaan-E-Mann'', but looks appropriately attractive." Zinta said that the film was a great relief after the more emotionally intense ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', as ''Jaan-E-Mann'' was "easy, happy and much more simple".

In 2007 Zinta portrayed a British Pakistani woman, Alvira Khan, in her third project with Yash Raj Films, Shaad Ali's comedy ''Jhoom Barabar Jhoom'', alongside Abhishek Bachchan, Bobby Deol and Lara Dutta. The film was a critical and commercial failure in India. She was criticised for her performance; ''The Times of India'' described her as "too plastic" and Rediff.com concluded, "From accent to emotion, Preity is plain and simple insufferable in this film."

New career prospects (2007–present)

In 2007, following the failure of two of her commercial releases, Zinta began working with art film directors, and turned towards neo-realistic movies, known in India as parallel cinema. She acted in her first English film, Rituparno Ghosh's ''The Last Lear'', as a struggling film actress opposite Amitabh Bachchan. The film premiered at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, and was received well. The first reviews were approving, with Rajeev Masand writing, "Preity Zinta gets through her scenes competently, never allowing her cute-as-a-button image to take away from the impact she makes here as a conflicted, mature woman." Zinta said about her first art film, "I did think with art films that they don't pay you, they don't feed you, but I was wrong, and I'm so happy to be here."

Zinta next starred in Samir Karnik's ''Heroes'' (2008), a road movie about two final-year film students who, as a part of their assignment, travel a thousand miles across North India to deliver three un-posted letters written by army personnel who lost their lives during the 1999 Kargil war to their families. The story unfolds the journey of these students in three chapters and follows how they meet and are inspired by the families of the soldiers. Zinta is featured in the first chapter as Salman Khan's war widow, Kuljeet Kaur, a woman who becomes the sole breadwinner of the family and single-handedly raises her son. In preparation for the role, Zinta attended Anupam Kher's acting school, "Actor Prepares", to learn the dialect and mannerisms of a Punjabi woman. The film was released to a mixed critical reaction, but her performance received rave reviews; Anand Singh of ''Hindustan Times'' wrote, "Karnik is merely interested in wringing tears the old-fashioned way, and not in starting a debate. He succeeds—mainly because Preity Zinta brings to a role a gravitas and dignity that is seen on the faces of ordinary women—this may be her coming of age as an actress."

By April 2008, Zinta completed shooting for Jahnu Barua's drama ''Har Pal''. In the same year she played the leading role of Chand in Deepa Mehta's Canadian film ''Heaven on Earth'', a Punjabi language drama based on the true story of a young Indian woman who, post an arranged marriage to a non-resident Indian man from Canada, migrates to Toronto and becomes a victim of severe domestic abuse. The film displays magical realism and mysticism through Chand's isolation and suffering as she creates an alternative reality in order to survive. Zinta described Mehta as one director she had been longing to work with. To prepare for the role, she read and watched several books and documentaries on domestic violence. As the film was to be shot entirely in Punjabi, a language that was totally alien to her, she learnt it in a crash course of fifty days. She was emotional during the making of the film: "I never knew a character would effect me so deeply. I've become completely withdrawn and introspective... I can't snap out of the character." She eventually termed it as her most challenging project, as it helped her "shed everything that Preity Zinta was about." ''Heaven on Earth'' was first screened at several film festivals and, upon release, garnered career-best reviews for Zinta. Her performance earned her the Best Actress (Silver Hugo) award at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival, for "her strong yet subtle performance as a woman struggling to keep her dreams despite brutal realities." Among other awards, she was acknowledged with Best Actress nominations at several award functions in Canada, including the Genie Award by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, and the Vancouver Film Critics Circle.

Following ''Heaven On Earth'', Zinta took a two-year sabbatical from movies, later explaining that she had chosen to focus on her work with her cricket team. In 2011 she launched her own production company, PZNZ Media. She is set to star in the first film produced under the banner, ''Ishkq in Paris'', a romantic comedy directed by Prem Soni. An Indo-French collaboration, the film will have Zinta portraying a half-Indian half-French Parisian woman and will co-star several Indian and French actors. Zinta's role required her to learn French and follow a strict diet and fitness regime, for which she hired the services of celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson. As of August 2011, ''Ishkq in Paris'' is slated for release in 2012.

Other work

Column writing

In 2004, Zinta joined a group of South Asian commentators for BBC News Online. She expressed joy at participating in the project, saying, "I am pretty outspoken and have my own view on every subject. So it will be a good platform for me to air my views." Her first column, "The changing face of Bollywood", published in January 2004, discussed the evolution of Bollywood in the past decade. The column became one of the site's ten most read stories of the day. In her second column, "Odds stacked against Indian women", Zinta analysed the eve teasing phenomenon in India, and criticised those who practice it. She wrote, "Incidences like these take away a woman's dignity, her space and her freedom ... why the state is so helpless in protecting the women. Why should women feel unsafe in a country which had an internationally revered woman prime minister?" The column caught the attention of readers worldwide, and she received thousands of e-mails about it. It was applauded particularly by women for its stand against abuse of Indian women. Her third column, "The darkness that all actors fear", was a more personal column and dealt with her stardom, fans, insecurity and fears as an actor. Her fourth and final column, titled "Facing death in Sri Lanka and Thailand", described her two near-death experiences in late 2004.

Stage performances

Zinta has taken part in several stage shows and world tours since 2001. Her first world tour, a series of concerts called ''Craze 2001'', was performed across the U.S. alongside Anil Kapoor, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Gracy Singh. The show faced early cancellation due to the 11 September 2001 attacks, and the team prepared to return to India as soon as possible. However, the shows continued successfully in Canada. In 2002, she participated in the show ''From India With Love'' in the UK, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai. It took place at two outdoor venues, Manchester's Old Trafford and London's Hyde Park, with over 100,000 spectators. Zinta's largest world tour was in 2004, when she joined a group of stars (Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra) in the ''Temptation 2004'' tour. Showcased in over 22 countries across the world, it became Bollywood's most prominent international concert. In 2006, Zinta was part of the ''Heat 2006'' world tour, along with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley. ''The Unforgettable Tour'' (2008) saw Zinta performing with the Bachchan family and Ritesh Deshmukh in a 40-day show staged in 11 cities across North America, Europe and the Caribbean.

Humanitarian work

During her years in the film industry, Zinta has been involved with different charities, and has particularly supported women's causes in India, for instance protesting against female infanticide. She has also participated in AIDS awareness drives and campaigns to clean up Mumbai.

In 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, Zinta performed at the ''HELP! Telethon Concert'' raising money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. The following year, as an ambassador of the Godfrey Phillips National Bravery Movement, Zinta attended a blood donation camp organised by the Rotary Club of Delhi and the Godfrey Phillips Awards. She lent her support to the cause of women's empowerment and promoted blood donation. She said, "Donating blood doesn't kill one but goes on to save somebody's life .... Once blood is donated it becomes universal and might be used by anyone in need, irrespective of community, caste or region. It binds people together."

In 2007, Zinta along with Rani Mukerji, donated Rs 250,000 of her winnings from ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' to the Shimla District Red Cross Society in Himachal Pradesh. In January, Zinta visited Hisar, Haryana, where she spent a day at the army training base to boost the morale of the jawan troops. The visit was conducted for an NDTV show, ''Jai Jawan'', on which entertainers and actors visit Indian troops. While there, she also met children with disabilities at a special school maintained by the army. In August, along with Mumbai-based artist Gurcharan Singh, Zinta painted for the cause of street children for the non-governmental organisation ''Khushi''. In December, she joined the efforts of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to curb human trafficking in India. She spoke on behalf of awareness against the practice, the need for protection and rehabilitation for those rescued from it, and punishment for perpetrators.

Ownership of IPL cricket team

Along with Ness Wadia and others, Zinta acquired ownership rights in 2008 for the Mohali-based Twenty20 cricket team of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The group paid $76 million to acquire the franchise, and have since named the team Kings XI Punjab. Until 2009, Zinta was the only woman to own an IPL team, and was the league's youngest owner. She has been involved with launching ticket sales and promoting the team. She said, "My involvement with the team is total. I am extremely passionate about our team and I do believe that I am the team's good luck factor, so I want to be there for everything."

Personal life

Zinta used to visit her native town Shimla when not busy in shooting. In 2006, she moved into her own home in Mumbai. She does not identify with any particular religion. In an interview with ''The Times of India'', she comments, "I believe in good deeds, in karma, I don't believe in going to temples. For me, religion is very personal. It's all about having faith ... We have heard and read that all religions are equal. Now I am increasingly believing in this." She narrowly escaped death twice in late 2004: first after an explosion at a Temptation concert in Colombo, Sri Lanka; and second during the Indian Ocean earthquake.

Zinta has been the subject of several controversies. In 2003, as a witness in the Bharat Shah case, she testified against the Indian mafia. Bharat Shah, the financer of one of her movies, ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', was arrested in 2000 for having connections with Chhota Shakeel, a Mumbai underworld boss. Unlike several of her colleagues, Zinta repeated in court her earlier statement that she had received extortion threats from the mafia during the shooting of the film. After her testimony, she was given witness protection and was forced to stay out of the public eye for two months. Thirteen other witnesses before her, including celebrities Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, were witnesses in the case but later retracted their earlier statements. Zinta was the only witness who did not become hostile to the prosecution; the nation responded positively to her actions. Consequently, she was the first recipient of Godfrey's Mind of Steel Award at the annual Red and White Bravery Awards, given to her for the "courageous act" of standing against the Mumbai Underworld. On receiving the award, she said, "To be brave is not to be fearless. It is when you fear and you get over it, then you can be called brave. I am human. It is not that I fear nothing. But getting over a fear is a continuous process and I have been successful so far." Since 2006, Zinta has been the brand ambassador for the Godfrey Phillips Bravery awards.

Tabloids have often linked Zinta romantically with other Bollywood stars, but she has strongly denied any such rumours. In 2000, Zinta began dating model Marc Robinson. They separated the following year, and according to Zinta remained on good terms. Asked in ''Filmfare'' about their break-up, she spoke of "very, very fond memories of the times we were together and I'd like to keep it to that". Zinta dated the Bombay Dyeing heir, businessman Ness Wadia from February 2005 until May 2009. Their relationship was often reported on by the media, with frequent speculation about an engagement or a break-up. In December 2006, another controversy featured Zinta when Ness Wadia was reported to have attacked construction workers at her residence in Bandra. Reportedly, a woman was critically injured and a child was hurt in the incident. Zinta reacted angrily at hearing these rumours reported in the national news and confronted journalists, criticising their conduct. She challenged the press to deliver proof, and offered Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) if an injured woman was found. No evidence was found and the rumour has subsequently been regarded as false.

In March 2007, Zinta was involved in a scandal when actress and singer Suchitra Krishnamurthy cited her as the cause of her divorce from Shekhar Kapur, alleging that Zinta was having an affair with him. Although initially silent on the issue, after another accusation by Krishnamurthy, Zinta retorted, "It is unfortunate that I am bearing the brunt of someone else's paranoia. She's clearly unstable and I wish her a speedy recovery." She issued a statement that she had met Kapur only five times in ten years and publicly demanded that he step forward and clear her of the accusation. Thereafter, the controversy came to an end.

In the media

Zinta is particularly known in the Indian media for her straightforwardness and for honestly expressing her outspoken views and forthright opinions in public, be it about her on-screen or off-screen life or raising a voice against any social injustice. These features were noted during the Bharat Shah Case, when she testified against the underworld; following this incident she was described by journalists as "The only man in Bollywood". Her characteristic dimple has been cited by the media as her trademark. She is often described by the press as having a vivacious personality and a bubbly, outgoing persona, an image she has confessed to disliking.

In 2003, Zinta appeared in the number one spot on Rediff's "Top Bollywood Female Stars". She was ranked second for the following three years. She has been featured frequently on other Rediff lists, including "Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses", "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women" and "Woman of Many Faces". In September 2006, the UK magazine ''Eastern Eye'' ranked her at 41 in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women".

On 15 July 2005, Zinta filed a defamation suit against leading Mumbai tabloid ''Mid-Day'' after tapes emerged alleging that Salman Khan had made derogatory comments about her. The tabloid published transcripts indicating that she had a sexual relationship with Khan, and she was cross-examined as a chief witness in January 2007. She said about the case, "I felt humiliated as it spoiled my reputation and character in public." She told of disparaging phone calls she received from individuals pretending to be Salman Khan, and that she had been repeatedly questioned in a derogatory fashion by the media. Zinta further stated that the events affected her professionally as well; a planned film with Khan was abandoned. The tape was examined by the Government's forensic laboratory in Chandigarh which concluded that it was a fake.

Between 2004 and 2007, Zinta made three appearances on the Indian talk show ''Koffee with Karan'', hosted by Karan Johar, appearing with Saif Ali Khan, Abhishek Bachchan and Bobby Deol, respectively. In 2006, she was a guest judge in the singing talent contest ''Indian Idol 2''. She returned briefly to her occupation as a model when she walked the ramp for Manish Malhotra's display ''Fashion Week 2006'', along with actress Kajol. Later that year, Zinta and filmmaker Karan Johar represented Bollywood at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival to promote Johar's forthcoming ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', which featured Zinta in a leading role.

In May 2007, Zinta returned to Cannes for the 60th Film Festival to attend the premiere of ''My Blueberry Nights'', which opened the gathering. She co-hosted the 52nd Filmfare Awards ceremony alongside Shahrukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and Karan Johar. She was selected as the first brand ambassador for GoAir, a new airline service owned by Jehangir Wadia from Wadia Group. Speculation arose in the press that she endorsed the brand as a favour to Jeh, who is Ness Wadia's brother, a suggestion that Zinta quickly denied. May 2008 saw Zinta making her third consecutive appearance at Cannes; she attended the 61st Film Festival as the brand ambassador of Chopard, the maker of luxury watches and jewellery.

Filmography

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1998	''Dil Se''	Preeti Nair
1998		Preeti Singh	Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut (also for ''Dil Se'')
1998	''Premante Idera''	Shailu
1999	''Raja Kumarudu''	Rani
1999		CBI Officer Reet Oberoi
1999		Rani	Guest appearance
2000	''Kya Kehna''	Priya Bakshi	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2000	''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega''	Jahnvi
2000	''Mission Kashmir''	Sufiya Parvez
2001		Kajal Singh
2001	''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke''	Madhubala	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
2001	''Dil Chahta Hai''	Shalini
2001	''Yeh Raaste Hain Pyaar Ke''	Sakshi
2002	''Dil Hai Tumhaara''	Shalu
2003	''''	Reshma/Ruksar
2003		Sonia Kapoor	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
2003	''Koi... Mil Gaya''	Nisha	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2003	''Kal Ho Naa Ho''	Naina Catherine Kapur	Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2004		Romila Dutta
2004	''Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa''	Dr. Parineeta
2004	''Veer-Zaara''	Zaara Haayat Khan	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2005	''Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen''	Priti Damani
2005	''Salaam Namaste''	Ambar 'Amby' Malhotra	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress
2006	''Alag''		Special appearance in song "Sabse Alag"
2006	''Krrish''	Nisha	Special appearance
2006	''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''	Rhea Saran	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
2006	''Jaan-E-Mann''	Piya Goyal
2007	''Jhoom Barabar Jhoom''	Alvira Khan
2007	''''	Shabnam	First English-language film
2007	''Om Shanti Om''	Herself	Special appearance in song "Deewangi Deewangi"
2008		Chand
2008		Kuljeet Kaur
2008	''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi''		Special appearance in song "Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte"
2009	''Main Aurr Mrs Khanna''	Haseena Jagmagia	Cameo
2012	''Har Pal''	Runa	Delayed

See also

List of Indian film actresses

List of military brats

List of people from Himachal Pradesh

List of Rajputs

References

Further reading

Gangadhar V. Preity magic. ''The Tribune''. 24 July 2004. Retrieved on 8 October 2007.

Hahn, Lorraine. Bollywood Actress, Preity Zinta Talk Asia Interview Transcript. CNN.com, 18 December 2004. Retrieved on 26 September 2007.

Khubchandani, Lata. 'I had this illusion that filmstars are like kings and queens'. Rediff.com, 22 May 2000. Retrieved on 15 September 2007.

Peschardt, Michael. What Preity Zinta wants in the new India. Rediff.com, 24 April 2006. Retrieved on 7 November 2007.

Pillai, Jitesh. Freedom at midnight...Preity Zinta. Indiatimes.com. April 2001. Retrieved on 27 September 2007.

Verma, Sukanya. Preity purrfect!. Rediff.com, 2001. Retrieved on 15 September 2007.

External links

Category:Indian film actors Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian female models Category:Indian Premier League franchise owners Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Military brats Category:People from Shimla Category:People from Himachal Pradesh Category:1975 births Category:Living people Category:Indian actors Category:Indian Hindus

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name	Salman Khan
birth name	Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan
birth place	Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
birth date	December 27, 1965
occupation	Film actor, television presenter and philanthropist
yearsactive	1988–present
residence	Bandra, Mumbai
othername	Sallu }}

Salman Khan (, pronounced ; born Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan on 27 December 1965) is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.

Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama ''Biwi Ho To Aisi'' (1988) with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster ''Maine Pyar Kiya'' (1989), for which he won a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. He went on to star in some of Hindi cinema's most successful films of those times, such as ''Saajan'' (1991), ''Hum Aapke Hain Kaun'' (1994), ''Karan Arjun'' (1995), ''Judwaa'' (1997), ''Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya'' (1998) and ''Biwi No.1'' (1999), having appeared in the highest earning films of six separate years during his career.

In 1999, Khan won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his extended appearance in ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998), and since then has starred in several critical and commercial successes, including ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'' (1999), ''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'' (2004), ''No Entry'' (2005), ''Partner'' (2007), ''Wanted'' (2009), ''Dabangg'' (2010), ''Ready'' (2011) and ''Bodyguard'' (2011), which has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all-time. Khan has thus established himself as one of the most successful actors of Hindi cinema.

Early life

Khan is the eldest son of screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma (''née'' Sushila Charak), his paternal grandfather came to India from Afghanistan and settled in Madhya Pradesh whereas his mother is a Marathi Hindu. Khan himself had once said that he is half Hindu and half Muslim. His stepmother is Helen, a former actress, who has co-starred with him in a few films. He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, and two sisters, Alvira and Arpita. Alvira is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri. Khan finished his schooling through St. Stanislaus High School in Bandra, Mumbai, as did his younger brothers Arbaaz and Sohail. Earlier, he studied at The Scindia School, Gwalior for a few years along with younger brother Arbaaz.

Career

1980s

Salman Khan made his acting debut with a supporting role in the 1988 film ''Biwi Ho To Aisi''. His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romantic family drama ''Maine Pyar Kiya'' (1989), one of India's highest grossing films. It earned him a Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut, as well as his first nomination for a Best Actor at Filmfare.

1990s

1990 saw one film release starring Khan, ''Baaghi: A Rebel for Love''. The film was a box office success, followed by four hit films in 1991, ''Patthar Ke Phool'', ''Sanam Bewafa'', ''Kurbaan'' and ''Saajan''. Despite these early successes, nearly all of his 1992–1993 releases resulted in box office failures. In 1995 he starred in Rakesh Roshan's ''Karan Arjun'' alongside Shahrukh Khan.

In 1996, Khan performed in two movies, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut ''Khamoshi: The Musical'', a box office failure, but critically acclaimed; and Raj Kanwar's action hit ''Jeet''. He had two releases in 1997: ''Judwaa'' and ''Auzaar''. The former was a comedy directed by David Dhawan where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth.

Khan worked in five different films in 1998, his first release being the comedy ''Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya'' opposite Kajol, one of the biggest commercial successes of that year. This was followed by the moderately successful drama ''Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai''. and ''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam'', which earned another Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare.

2000s

In 2000, Khan acted in films including ''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega'' and ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke''. ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'' addressed the issue of surrogate childbirth; Khan played the role of a rich industrialist, who hires a surrogate mother after his wife becomes infertile. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles. In 2002 he starred in the delayed release ''Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam''.

For ''Tere Naam'', (2003) Taran Adarsh said of him, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid..." He subsequently continued his success at the box office, with comedies like ''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'' (2004) and ''No Entry'' ''(2005)''. He next appeared in the Hollywood movie, ''Marigold: An Adventure in India'' which told the love story of an Indian man and an American woman.

Khan starred in three films throughout 2008, all of which underperformed.

Khan hosted the second season of ''10 Ka Dum'' in year 2009 which turned out to be even more successful than his first season as host of the game show in year 2008. The show got very high TRPs for Sony Entertainment Television and according to reports, the show helped Sony TV regain its third position in the Indian television ratings.

Khan's first film of 2009, ''Wanted'' directed by choreographer turned director Prabhu Deva. In the same year, he appeared in two other films, ''Main Aurr Mrs Khanna'' and ''London Dreams''. While ''London Dreams'' doing average business, only due to the uninspiring music, but ''Main Aurr Mrs Khanna'' made 21 crores through DTH Premiere.

2010s

Khan's first release of 2010 was Anil Sharma's commercially and critically unsuccessful film ''Veer''. His next release, ''Dabangg'', was produced by his brother Arbaaz Khan, and released on 10 September 2010. It made a record opening at the box office and Box Office India declared it an all-time blockbuster. For his performance in ''Dabangg'', Khan received a Star Screen Award for Best Actor and a Stardust Award for Star of the Year – Male and was nominated for his sixth Filmfare Award for Best Actor. Anupama Chopra from NDTV wrote about his performance, "It's the role of a lifetime and Salman Khan bites into it like a starving man devours a feast. He inhabits it fully, strutting and swaggering and even, spoofing himself." Khan's first release of 2011 was ''Ready'' which released on 3 June. The film broke several box office records and is currently the fourth highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. He next appeared in ''Bodyguard''. Upon release, the film Became a Blockbuster at the box office, with Khan's performance receiving favourable comments from critics and is currently the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time.

Personal life

In 2004, he was voted seventh-best-looking man in the world and the best looking man in India by ''People'' magazine, US. Khan has been involved in several charities during his career.

On 11 October 2007, Khan accepted an offer from Madame Tussauds wax museum in London to have a wax replica made of himself. His life-size wax figure was installed there on 15 January 2008, making him the fourth Indian actor to have been replicated as a wax statue in the museum.

Khan has been the subject of several controversies, including certain legal troubles. On 28 September 2002, Khan was arrested for rash and negligent driving. His car had run into a bakery in Mumbai; one person who was sleeping on the pavement outside the bakery died and three others were injured in the mishap. Charges of culpable homicide were laid against him, but later dropped, and he was found not guilty. On 17 February 2006, Khan was sentenced to one year in prison for hunting the Chinkara, an endangered species. The sentence was stayed by a higher court during appeal. On 10 April 2006, he was handed a five year jail term and remanded to Jodhpur jail until 13 April when he was granted bail.

On September 2010, Khan was reported to have claimed during an interview to a Pakistani channel that the 26/11 attacks were hyped because the "elite" were targeted. During the interview the actor had said - "''It was the elite that was targeted this time. Five star hotels and all. So they panicked. Then they got up and spoke about it. My question is why not before. Attacks have happened in trains and small towns too, but no one talked about it so much."'' Khan also said that Pakistan was not to be blamed for it, and that the Indian security forces had failed. Khan's comments had drawn strong reactions from Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Chagan Bhujbal, Shiv Sena, BJP and other political parties. The comments were also condemned by Ujwal Nikam, Special Prosecutor in the 26/11 trial. Khan later apologised for his comments.

His relationship with actress Aishwarya Rai was a well publicised topic in the Indian media. After their break-up in March 2002, Rai accused him of harassing her. She claimed that Khan had not been able to come to terms with their break-up and was hounding her; her parents lodged a complaint against him. In 2005, news outlets released what was said to be an illicit copy of a mobile phone call recorded in 2001 by the Mumbai police. It appeared to be a call in which he threatened Rai, in an effort to force her to appear at social events held by Mumbai crime figures. The call featured boasts of connections to organised crime and derogatory comments about other actors. However, the alleged tape was tested in the government's Forensic lab in Chandigarh, which concluded that it was fake.

After years of speculations, actress Katrina Kaif admitted in an 2011 interview for a magazine that she was in a serious relationship with Salman Khan for several years, which ended in 2010.

In August 2011 he admitted he suffers from trigeminal neuralgia, a facial nerve disorder commonly known as the suicide disease. In an interview he said that he has been quietly suffering it for the past seven years, but now the pain’s become unbearable. It has even affected his voice, making it much harsher.

Non film work

Khan has started an NGO called 'Being Human' which will sell T-shirts and other products online and in stores. A portion of the sales will go to a worthy cause supporting the underprivileged.

In January 2012, Khan has offered to pay for releasing around 400 prisoners from around 63 prisons in the state of Uttar Pradesh via his NGO. The prisoners had completed their term but due to economical reasons, they were unable to pay a legal fine for their charges.

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Actor

! Year	! Title	! Role	Other notes
1988	''Biwi Ho To Aisi''	Vicky Bhandari
1989	''Maine Pyar Kiya''	Prem Choudhary	Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
1990	''Baaghi: A Rebel for Love''	Saajan Sood
1991	''Sanam Bewafa''	Salman Khan
1991	''Patthar Ke Phool''	Inspector Suraj
1991		Akash Singh
1991		Prithvi
1991	''Saajan''	Akash Varma
1992		Vicky/Suryavanshi Vikram Singh
1992	''Ek Ladka Ek Ladki''	Raja
1992	''Jaagruti''	Jugnu
1992	''Nishchaiy''	Rohan Yadav/Vasudev Gujral
1993	''Chandra Mukhi''	Raja Rai
1993	''Dil Tera Aashiq''	Vijay
1994	''Andaz Apna Apna''	Prem Bhopali
1994	''Hum Aapke Hain Kaun...!''	Prem
1994	''Chaand Kaa Tukdaa''	Shyam Malhotra
1994	''Sangdil Sanam''	Kishan
1995	''Karan Arjun''	Karan Singh/Ajay	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
1995	''Veergati''	Ajay
1996	''Majhdhaar''	Gopal
1996	''Khamoshi: The Musical''	Raj
1996		Raju	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
1996	''Dushman Duniya Ka''		Special appearance
1997	''Judwaa''	Raja/Prem Malhotra
1997	''Auzaar''	Inspector Suraj Prakash
1997		Captain Jeet Sharma	Incomplete film
1997	''Deewana Mastana''	Prem Kumar	Special appearance
1998		Suraj Khanna	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
1998	''Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai''	Suraj Dhanrajgir
1998			Special appearance
1998		Raju
1998	''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai''	Aman Mehra	Extended guest appearanceFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
1999	''Jaanam Samjha Karo''	Rahul
1999	''Biwi No.1''	Prem	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
1999	''Sirf Tum''	Prem	Special appearance
1999	''Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam''	Sameer Rafillini	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
1999		Hero
1999	''Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United''	Prem
2000	''Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge''	Raja Oberoi
2000	''Chal Mere Bhai''	Prem Oberoi
2000	''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega''	Raj/Romi
2000	''Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke''		Special appearance
2000		Prem Kapoor
2001	''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke''	Raj Malhotra
2002	''Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge''	Veer Singh Thakur/Ali
2002	''Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam''	Suraj
2002	''Yeh Hai Jalwa''	Raj 'Raju' Saxena/Raj Mittal
2003	''Love at Times Square''		Special appearance
2003			Special appearance
2003	''Tere Naam''	Radhe Mohan	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
2003		Alok Raj	Special appearanceNominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor
2004	''Garv: Pride and Honour''	Inspector Arjun Ranavat
2004	''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi''	Sameer Malhotra
2004	''Phir Milenge''	Rohit Manchanda	Extended guest appearance
2004	''Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa''	Rishabh
2005	''Lucky: No Time for Love''	Aditya
2005	''Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?''	Dr. Samir Malhotra
2005	''No Entry''	Prem	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
2005	''Kyon Ki''	Anand
2006	''Saawan... The Love Season''	Sameer Sam	Extended guest appearance
2006	''Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar''	Ayaan
2006	''Jaan-E-Mann''	Suhaan Kapoor
2006		Avinash Kapoor
2007	''Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love''	Rahul
2007		Prem Love Guru
2007	''Marigold: An Adventure in India''	Prem	English language film
2007	''Om Shanti Om''	Himself	Special appearance in song "Deewangi Deewangi"
2007	''Saawariya''	Imaan	Extended guest appearance
2008	''God Tussi Great Ho''	Arun Prajapati
2008		Chetan Bhagat	Special appearance
2008		Balkar Singh/Jassvinder Singh
2008	''Yuvvraaj''	Deven Yuvvraaj
2009		Radhe/Rajveer Shikhawat
2009	''Main Aurr Mrs Khanna''	Samir Khanna
2009	''London Dreams''	Mannu (Manjit Khosla)
2009	''Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani''	Himself	Special appearance
2010		Veer
2010	''Prem Kaa Game''	The Sutradhaar (Narrator)	Special appearance
2010	''Dabangg''	Inspector Chulbul Pandey(Robinhood Pandey)	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
2010	''Tees Maar Khan''	Himself	Special appearance in song "Wallah Re Wallah"
2010	''Isi Life Mein''	Himself	Special appearance
2011		Prem Kapoor
2011		Lovely Singh	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
2011	''Tell Me O Kkhuda''		Cameo
2011	''Do Aur Do Paanch''		Extended guest appearance
2012	''Ek Tha Tiger''		Filming
2012			Pre-production
2012	''Dabangg 2''	Inspector Chulbul Pandey(Robinhood Pandey)	Pre-production
2012	''Kick (2012 film)''		Announced

Television presenter

''10 Ka Dum'' (Seasons 1 & 2)

''Bigg Boss'' (Seasons 4 & 5)

Writer

''Baaghi: A Rebel for Love'' (1990)

''Veer'' (2010)

Producer

''Chillar Party'' (2011)

See also

List of Indian Actors

List of people from Madhya Pradesh

References

Further reading

External links

Category:1965 births Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian television presenters Category:People from Indore Category:Hindi film actors Category:Living people Category:Scindia School alumni Category:Bigg Boss Category:Indian people of Afghan descent Category:Marathi people

ar:سلمان خان az:Salman Xan bn:সলমান খান bg:Салман Хан ca:Salman Khan da:Salman Khan de:Salman Khan es:Salman Khan (actor) fr:Salman Khan gu:સલમાન ખાન hi:सलमान ख़ान id:Salman Khan it:Salman Khan he:סלמן ח'אן jv:Salman Khan kn:ಸಲ್ಮಾನ್‌ ಖಾನ್‌ kk:Салман Хан hu:Szalmán Khán ml:സൽമാൻ ഖാൻ mr:सलमान खान ms:Salman Khan no:Salman Khan ps:سلمان خان pl:Salman Khan ru:Хан, Салман si:සල්මන් ඛාන් fi:Salman Khan sv:Salman Khan ta:சல்மான் கான் te:సల్మాన్ ఖాన్ th:ซัลมาน ข่าน tg:Салмонхон ur:سلمان خان zh:沙萊曼·罕

name	Arjun Rampal
birth date	November 26, 1972
birth place	Jabalpur, India
occupation	Model, Actor, Producer
years active	2001 – present
spouse	Mehr Jesia }}

Arjun Rampal (), born 26 November 1972, is an award-winning Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films, as well as a fashion model.

Film career

His debut movie - ''Moksha'' was released in 2001 and was directed by Ashok Mehta. However, this film was released after his second film, ''Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat'', in which he appeared with Sunil Shetty and Aftab Shivdasani. Although both films did not perform well at the box office, his performances in both films were lauded by critics. In 2002, he won the Award from the International Indian Film Academy for ''Face of the Year''.

Since his debut, he has worked steadily in films, some successful and some not. He has also appeared in the Temptations 2004 concert with stars Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, and Priyanka Chopra.

In 2006 he made an extended appearance in the multi-starrer ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' and played a supporting role in ''Don - The Chase Begins Again'', a remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer ''Don''. Rampal donned the role of Jasjit who was played by Pran in the original version. And this film, like the original version turned out to be a huge hit.

He then decided to produce as well as act in the film ''I See You'' (2006) which released on 29 December 2006. Arjun produced it with his own production company, ''Chasing Ganesha Films''. His wife, Mehr Jesia, was the co-producer. The film starred Rampal, Vipasha Agarwal, Sonali Kulkarni and Boman Irani. Bollywood actors Shahrukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan made cameos in the film. ''I See You'' was shot entirely in London. The film received poor reviews and was a failure at the box office. He, however, received positive reviews for his villainous role in Farah Khan's ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007), which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Bollywood. And his biggest hit till date. He also won several awards for the film.

The actor has recently opened up a hotel named LAP Lounge And Party in Delhi as joint venture with Restaurateur AD Singh.

He also appeared in an international Schweppes Drink commercial along with Nicole Kidman, produced by Sir Ridley Scott (Gladiator fame director) and directed by famous international director Shekhar Kapur (Mr.India, Bandit Queen, Elizabeth).

Recently he has become the brand ambassador of a famous clothing brand named Thomas Scott. It was recently reported that in the beginning of 2010 he started shooting for the sequel film to the highly successful remake of the movie Don, alongside SRK and Kunal Avdana of ABCL production with Big B and will also be in next Abhisekh Kapoor's movie.

In 2008 Arjun starred in Rituparno Ghosh's English-language arthouse film ''The Last Lear'', alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and was received well at a number of other film festivals. Upon its theatrical release in India, Rampal got favourable reviews for his performance. In 2008, Rampal starred in ''Rock On!!'', in which his role as the lead guitarist of the band was widely acclaimed, getting him several awards, including the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor and Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award.

In 2010, Arjun won critical acclaim for his portrayal of 'Prithvi' in the Prakash Jha multi-starrer blockbuster, ''Raajneeti''. His upcoming film is ''Ra.One'', in which he will play the title character.

Personal life

Arjun Rampal was born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India on 26 November 1972 to a Punjabi family from Delhi. His father’s name is Amarjeet Rampal and his mother’s name is Gwen Rampal. Arjun along with his sister attended the Kodaikanal International School situated at Palani Hills in Tamil Nadu. His mother was a teacher in the school at the time. Arjun went on to complete his Bachelor’s degree in Economics stream from the highly regarded Hindu College in Delhi. Actress Kim Sharma is his cousin.

Arjun Rampal married former Miss India and supermodel Mehr Jesia and they have two daughters, Mahikaa, born on 17 January 2002 and Myra, born June 2005.

Filmography

''Moksha'' ''Deewaanapan'' ''Aankhen (2002 film) ''Dil Hai Tumhaara'' ''Dil Ka Rishta'' ''Tehzeeb (2003 film) ''Asambhav'' ''Elaan'' ''Yakeen (2005 film) ''Ek Ajnabee'' ''Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai'' ''Darna Zaroori Hai'' ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' ''Don - The Chase Begins Again'' ''Alag'' ''I See You (film) ''Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.'' ''Om Shanti Om'' ''The Last Lear'' ''EMI (film) ''Rock On!!'' ''Fox (film) ''Housefull (film) ''Raajneeti'' ''We Are Family (2010 film) ''Ra.One'' ''The Legend of Kunal'' ''Rascals (2011 film)

style="background:#B0C4DE;"	Year	Film	Role	Awards
2001	''Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat''	Gaurav
2001	|	Vikram Sehgal
2002	|	Suraj Saxena
2002	Aankhen'' ||	Arjun Verma
2002	|	Dev Khanna
2003	|	Jai
2003	Tehzeeb'' ||	Salim Mirza
2004	|	Captain Aadit Arya
2005	''Vaada'' ||	Rahul
2005	|	Arjun
2005	Yakeen'' ||	Nikhil Oberoi
2005	|	Shekhar Verma
2006	|	Rohit
2006	|	Kunal
2006	|	Jai	Cameo
2006	|	Jasjeet
2006	|		Special appearance
2006	I See You'' ||	Raj Jaiswal (British Raj)
2007	|	Jignesh	Special appearance
2007	|	Mukesh Mehra
2008	|	Siddharth
2008	EMI'' ||	Ryan
2008	|	Joe Mascarenhas	Double Winner, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardNational Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
2009	Fox'' ||	Arjun Kapoor
2010	Housefull'' ||	Major Krishna Rao
2010	|	Prithviraj Pratap	Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actor AwardWinner, IIFA Award for Best Supporting Actor
2010	We Are Family'' ||	Aman
2011	|	Ra.One
2011	|	Veera Kunal
2011	Rascals'' ||		Filming

References

External links

Category:1972 births Category:Kodaikanal International School alumni Category:Hindu College, University of Delhi alumni Category:Indian film actors Category:Living people Category:Indian male models Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian actors Category:Indian Hindus Category:Indian film producers Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:People from Jabalpur Category:University of Delhi alumni

ar:ارجون رامبال de:Arjun Rampal fr:Arjun Rampal hi:अर्जुन रामपाल it:Arjun Rampal ml:അർജുൻ രാം‌പാൽ mr:अर्जुन रामपाल ms:Arjun Rampal pl:Arjun Rampal fi:Arjun Rampal sv:Arjun Rampal ta:அர்ஜூன் ராம்பால்

name	Shahrukh Khan
other names	Shah Rukh Khan, King Khan, SRK
birth date	November 02, 1965
birth place	New Delhi, India
years active	1988–present
spouse	Gauri Khan (1991–present)
occupation	Actor, producer, television presenter }}

Shahrukh Khan (; born 2 November 1965), often credited as Shah Rukh Khan, is an Indian film actor, as well as a film producer and television host. Often referred to as "The King of Bollywood", Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films.

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 fourteen Filmfare Awards for his work in Indian films, eight of which are in the Best Actor category (a record). 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, thus 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. Globally, Khan is considered to be one of the biggest movie stars, with a fan following numbering in the billions and a net worth estimated at over . 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.

Film career

Background

Khan studied acting under celebrated Theatre Director Barry John at Delhi's Theatre Action Group (TAG). In 2007, John commented thus on his former pupil, "The credit for the phenomenally successful development and management of Shahrukh's career goes to the superstar himself." Khan made his acting debut in 1988 with the television series, ''Fauji'', playing the role of Commando Abhimanyu Rai. He went on to appear in other television serials, such as the 1989 serial, Aziz Mirza's ''Circus'', which depicted the life of circus performers. The same year, Khan also had a minor role in the made-for-television English-language film, ''In Which Annie Gives it Those Ones'', which was based on life at Delhi University and was written by Arundhati Roy. When Khan appeared in those teleserials, people found in him some resemblance with legendary actor Dilip Kumar and also compared his acting style with the thespian.

1990s

Upon moving from New Delhi to Mumbai in 1991, Khan made his Bollywood movie debut in ''Deewana'' (1992). The movie became a box office hit, and launched his career in Bollywood. His performance won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award. He went on to star in ''Maya Memsaab'', which generated some controversy because of his appearance in an "explicit" sex scene in the movie.

In 1993, Khan won acclaim for his performances in villainous roles as an obsessive lover and a murderer, respectively, in the box office hits, ''Darr'' and ''Baazigar''. In Khan's entry in Encyclopedia Britannica's "Encyclopedia of Hindi Cinema" it was stated that "he defied the image of the conventional hero in both these films and created his own version of the revisionist hero." ''Darr'' marked his first collaboration with renowned film-maker Yash Chopra and his banner Yash Raj Films, the largest production company in Bollywood. ''Baazigar'', which saw Khan portraying an ambiguous avenger who murders his girlfriend, shocked its Indian audience with an unexpected violation of the standard Bollywood formula. His performance won him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award. In that same year, Khan played the role of a young musician in Kundan Shah's ''Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa'', a performance that earned him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance. Khan maintains that this is his all-time favourite among the movies he has acted in. In 1994, Khan once again played an obsessive lover/psycho's role in ''Anjaam'', co-starring alongside Madhuri Dixit. Though the movie was not a box office success, Khan's performance earned him the Filmfare Best Villain Award.

In 1995, Khan starred in the two biggest hits of the year in India. His first release was Rakesh Roshan's ''Karan Arjun''. The film, which dealt with reincarnation, became the second-highest grossing film of the year. He followed it with Aditya Chopra's directorial debut, the romance ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge''. A major critical and commercial success, the movie became the year's top-grossing production in India. In 2007, it entered its twelfth year in Mumbai cinemas. By then the movie had grossed over 12 billion rupees, making it one of India's biggest movie blockbusters. ''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'' won ten Filmfare Awards, and Khan's performance as a young NRI who falls for Kajol's character while on a college vacation, won him his second Best Actor Award. In 2005, ''Indiatimes Movies'' ranked the movie amongst the ''25 Must See Bollywood Films'', citing it as a "trendsetter of sorts". In that same year's retrospective review by Rediff, Raja Sen stated, "Khan gives a fabulous performance, redefining the Lover for the 1990s with great panache. He's cool and flippant, but sincere enough to appeal to the junta. The performance itself is, like the best in the business, played well enough to come across as effortless, as non-acting."

1996 was a disappointing year for Khan as all his movies released that year failed to do well at the box office. This was, however, followed by a comeback in 1997. He saw success with Subhash Ghai's social drama ''Pardes'' – one of the biggest hits of the year – and Aziz Mirza's comedy ''Yes Boss'', a moderately successful feature. His second project with Yash Chopra as a director, ''Dil to Pagal Hai'' became that year's second highest-grossing movie, and he won his third Filmfare Best Actor Award for his role as a stage director who falls in love with one of his new actresses.

In 1998, Khan starred in Karan Johar's directorial debut, ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'', which was the biggest hit of the year. His performance won him his fourth Best Actor award at the Filmfare. He won critical praise for his performance in Mani Ratnam's ''Dil Se''. The movie did not do well at the Indian box office, though it was a commercial success overseas. Khan's only release in 1999, ''Baadshah'', was an average grosser.

2000s

Khan's success continued with Aditya Chopra's 2000 film, ''Mohabbatein'', co-starring Amitabh Bachchan. It did well at the box office, and Khan's performance as a college teacher won him his second Critics Award for Best Performance. He also starred in Mansoor Khan's action film ''Josh''. The film starred Khan as the leader of a Christian gang in Goa and Aishwarya Rai as his twin sister, and was also a box office success. In that same year, Khan set up his own production house, ''Dreamz Unlimited'' with Juhi Chawla (see below). Both Khan and Chawla starred in the first movie of their production house, ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani''. His collaboration with Karan Johar continued in 2001 with the family drama ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'' which was the second biggest hit of the year. He also received favourable reviews for his performance as Emperor Asoka in the historical epic, ''Asoka'', a partly fictionalised account of the life of Ashoka the Great (304 BC–232 BC).

In 2002, Khan received acclaim for playing the title role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's award-winning period romance, ''Devdas''. This was the third Hindi movie adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's well-known novel of the same name, and surfaced as one of the biggest hits of that year. Khan also starred opposite Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit in the family-drama ''Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam'', which did well at the box office. In 2003, Khan starred in the moderately successful romantic drama, ''Chalte Chalte''. That same year, he starred in the tearjerker, ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'', written by Karan Johar and directed by Nikhil Advani. Khan's performance in this movie as a man with a fatal heart disease was appreciated. The movie proved to be one of the year's biggest hits in India and Bollywood's biggest hit in the overseas markets.

2004 was a particularly good year for Khan, both commercially and critically. He starred in Farah Khan's directorial debut, the action comedy ''Main Hoon Na''. The movie did well at the box office. He then played the role of an Indian officer, Veer Pratap Singh in Yash Chopra's love saga ''Veer-Zaara'', which was the biggest hit of 2004 in both India and overseas. The film relates the love story of Veer and a Pakistani woman Zaara Haayat Khan, played by Preity Zinta. Khan's performance in the film won him awards at several award ceremonies. In that same year, he received critical acclaim for his performance in Ashutosh Gowariker's drama ''Swades''. He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for all three of his releases in 2004, winning it for ''Swades''.

In 2006, Khan collaborated with Karan Johar for the fourth time with the melodrama ''Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna''. It did well in India and much more so in the overseas market, becoming the biggest Bollywood hit in the overseas market of all-time. His second release that year saw him playing the title role in the action film ''Don: The Chase Begins Again'', a remake of the 1978 hit ''Don''. The movie was a success.

Khan's success continued with a few more highly popular films. One of his most successful works was the multiple award-winning 2007 film, ''Chak De! India'', about the Indian women's national hockey team. Earning over Rs 639 million, ''Chak De! India'' became the third highest grossing movie of 2007 in India and won yet another Filmfare Best Actor Award for Khan. The film was a major critical success. In the same year Khan also starred in Farah Khan's 2007 film, ''Om Shanti Om''. The film emerged as the year's highest grossing film in India and the overseas market, and became India's highest grossing production ever up to that point. It earned him another nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare ceremony. His 2008 release, the romantic drama ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' was a box office success. His only 2009 release was ''Billu'' where he played film superstar Saahil Khan who is reunited with his childhood friend Billu played by Irrfan Khan.

2010s

Khan's next film was ''My Name Is Khan'', his fourth collaboration with director Karan Johar and the sixth movie in which he is paired with Kajol. Filming commenced in December 2008 in Los Angeles and ended in October 2009. While on one shoot in Los Angeles, along with his wife Gauri and director Karan Johar, he took a break from filming to attend the 66th Golden Globe Awards, held in Los Angeles, on 11 January 2009, where he was introduced as the ''King of Bollywood''. Khan introduced ''Slumdog Millionaire'', a movie he had previously turned down, along with a star from the film, Freida Pinto. ''My Name Is Khan'' was released on 12 February 2010. Based on a true story, and set against the backdrop of perceptions on Islam post 11 September attacks, ''My Name Is Khan'' stars Khan as Rizwan Khan, a Muslim man suffering from Asperger syndrome who sets out on a journey across America on a mission to meet the country's President and clear his name. During a promotional visit to the United States, Khan was detained at Newark Airport, New Jersey because of the similarity of his last name to known terrorists. Upon release, the film received positive reviews from critics and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time in the overseas market. Khan won his eighth Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his portrayal, thereby joining Dilip Kumar as the record holder in this category. He has completed filming for Anubhav Sinha's science fiction ''Ra.One'' opposite Kareena Kapoor, which is due for release on 26 October 2011. While shooting for the film, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Yash Raj Studios, to watch Khan at work.

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 further gone on to produce ''Om Shanti Om'' (2007), ''Billu'' (2009), ''Always Kabhi Kabhi'' (2011), as well as his forthcoming releases ''Ra.One'' and ''Don 2: The Chase Continues''.

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.

Television

In 2007, Khan replaced Amitabh Bachchan as the host of the third series of the popular game show ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'', the Indian version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?''. The previous had hosted the show for five years from 2000–05. On 22 January 2007, ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' aired with Khan as the new host and later ended on 19 April 2007.

On 25 April 2008, Khan began hosting the game show ''Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?'', the Indian version of ''Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?'', whose last episode was telecasted on 27 July 2008, with Lalu Prasad Yadav as the special guest.

In February 2011, he began hosting Zor Ka Jhatka, the Indian version of the American game show Wipeout, on Imagine TV.

Awards and nominations

Apart from acting awards, Khan has been awarded several honours which include 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.

Filmography

Film actor

''Maya Memsaab'' ''Anjaam'' ''Karan Arjun'' ''English Babu Desi Mem'' ''Gudgudee'' ''Duplicate (1998 film) ''Baadshah'' ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' ''One 2 Ka 4'' ''Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam'' ''Chalte Chalte (2003 film) ''Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke '' ''Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye'' ''Alag'' ''Chak De ''Krazzy 4'' ''Luck by Chance'' ''Dulha Mil Gaya'' ''Always Kabhi Kabhi'' ''Koochie Koochie Hota Hain''

style="background:#B0C4DE;"	Year	Film	Role	Notes
rowspan="5"	1992	Deewana (1992 film)>Deewana''	Raja Sahai
''Idiot (1992 film)	Idiot''	Pawan Raghujan
''Chamatkar''	Sunder Srivastava
''Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman''	Raju (Raj Mathur)
''Dil Aashna Hai''	Karan
rowspan="5"	1993	|	Lalit Kumar
''King Uncle''	Anil Bhansal
''Baazigar''	Ajay Sharma/Vicky Malhotra
''Darr''	Rahul Mehra
''Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa''	Sunil
1994	|	Vijay Agnihotri	Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role
rowspan="7"	1995	|	Arjun Singh/Vijay
''Zamana Deewana''	Rahul Malhotra
''Guddu''	Guddu Bahadur
''Oh Darling	Yeh Hai India!''	Hero
''Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge''	Raj Malhotra
''Ram Jaane''	Ram Jaane
''Trimurti (film)	Trimurti''	Romi Singh
rowspan="4"	1996	|	Vikram/Hari/Gopal Mayur
''Chaahat''	Roop Rathore
''Army (film)	Army''	Arjun
''Dushman Duniya Ka''	Badru
rowspan="5"	1997	|		Special appearance
''Koyla''	Shankar
''Yes Boss''	Rahul Joshi
''Pardes (film)	Pardes''	Arjun Saagar
''Dil To Pagal Hai''	Rahul
rowspan="4"	1998	Duplicate'' ||	Bablu Chaudhry/Manu Dada	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role
''Achanak (1998 film)	Achanak''	Himself
''Dil Se''	Amarkant Varma
''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai''	Rahul Khanna
1999	|	Raj Heera/Baadshah	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role
rowspan="6"	2000	|	Ajay Bakshi
''Hey Ram''	Amjad Ali Khan
''Josh (2000 film)	Josh''	Max
''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega''	Rahul
''Mohabbatein''	Raj Aryan Malhotra
''Gaja Gamini''	Himself
rowspan="3"	2001	|	Arun Verma
''Asoka (2001 film)	Asoka''	Asoka
''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...''	Rahul Raichand
rowspan="4"	2002	|	Gopal
''Devdas (2002 film)	Devdas''	Devdas Mukherjee
''Shakti (2002 film)	Shakti: The Power''	Jaisingh
''Saathiya''	Yeshwant Rao
rowspan="2"	2003	Chalte Chalte'' ||	Raj Mathur
''Kal Ho Naa Ho''	Aman Mathur
rowspan="4"	2004	|	Dushant
''Main Hoon Na''	Maj. Ram Prasad Sharma
''Veer-Zaara''	Veer Pratap Singh
''Swades''	Mohan Bhargava
rowspan="5"	2005	|	Himself	Special appearance
''Kaal (2005 film)	Kaal''
''Silsilay''	Sutradhar
''Paheli''	Kishenlal/The Ghost
''The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan	The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan''	Himself (Biopic)
rowspan="4"	2006	|		Special appearance in song "Sabse Alag"
''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna''	Dev Saran
''Don: The Chase Begins Again''
''I See You (film)	I See You''
rowspan="3"	2007	India''	Kabir Khan
''Heyy Babyy''	Raj Malhotra
''Om Shanti Om''	Om Prakash Makhija/ Om Kapoor
rowspan="4"	2008	|		Special appearance in song "Break Free"
''Bhoothnath''	Aditya Sharma
''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi''	Surinder Sahni/Raj
''Kismat Konnection''	Narrator
rowspan="2"	2009	|	Himself	Guest appearance
''Billu''	Sahir Khan
rowspan="3"	2010	|	Pawan Raj Gandhi (PRG)	Extended appearance
''My Name Is Khan''	Rizwan Khan
''Shahrukh Bola Khoobsurat Hai Tu''	Himself
rowspan="3"	2011	|		Special appearance in song "Antenna"
''Ra.One''	G.One
''Don 2: The Chase Continues''	Don
2012	|	Rocky	Post-production

Producer

''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' (2000)

''Asoka'' (2001)

''Chalte Chalte'' (2003)

''Main Hoon Na'' (2004)

''Kaal'' (2005)

''Paheli'' (2005)

''Om Shanti Om'' (2007)

''Billu'' (2009)

''Always Kabhi Kabhi'' (2011)

''Ra.One'' (2011)

''Don 2: The Chase Continues'' (2011)

Television appearances

''Dil Dariya'' (1988)

''Fauji'' (1988) ... Abhimanyu Rai

''Doosra Keval'' (1989) ... Keval

''Circus'' (1989)

''In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones'' (1989)

''Kareena Kareena'' (2004) ... Special appearance

''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' (2007) ... Host

''Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?'' (2008)  .... Host

''Zor Ka Jhatka: Total Wipeout'' (2011) ... Host

See also

List of Indian Actors

Newark Airport Incident

Notes

Bibliography

Nasreen Munni Kabir. ''The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan'' (Documentary, 2005).

''Shahrukh Khan – Still Reading Khan''. A1Books Distributor 2007. ISBN 9788187107798.

Gahlot, Deepa; Agarwal, Amit. ''King Khan SRK''. Augsburg Weltbild 2007. ISBN 9783828988699.

Ghosh, Biswadeep. ''Hall of fame: Shahrukh Khan'' (in English). Mumbai: Magna Books, 2004. ISBN 8178092379.

Chopra, Anupama. ''King of Bollywood : Shah Rukh Khan and the seductive world of Indian cinema'' (English). New York: Warner Books, 2007. ISBN 9780446578585.

External links

Category:1965 births Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Indian film producers Category:Indian Muslims Category:Indian Premier League franchise owners Category:Indian singers Category:Indian television actors Category:Indian voice actors Category:Indian television presenters Category:Indian people of Afghan descent Category:Jamia Millia Islamia alumni Category:Living people Category:Officiers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres Category:Pashtun people Category:People from Delhi Category:People from Peshawar Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri Category:University of Delhi alumni Category:Indian game show hosts

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name	Hrithik Roshan
birth name	Hrithik Roshan
birth date	January 10, 1974
birth place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
yearsactive	1980–1986 ''(child artist)'' 2000–present
spouse	Suzanne Khan (2000 – present)
children	Hrehaan Roshan, Hridhaan Roshan
occupation	Actor }}

Hrithik Roshan (Hindi: ऋतिक रोशन ; born 10 January 1974) is an Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.

After having appeared in films as a child actor in the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in ''Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' (2000) for which Roshan earned his Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut. In 2001, he went on to appear in the melodrama ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'', which became India's highest-grossing film in the overseas market and his biggest commercial success to date.

Following through with several unnoticed performances from 2002–03, he starred in the commercially successful ''Koi... Mil Gaya'' and its sequel ''Krrish'', both of which won him numerous ''Best Actor'' awards. Roshan received his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor in 2006 for his performance in the action film ''Dhoom 2''. He later received critical acclaim for his performance in ''Jodhaa Akbar'', for which he received his first international award at the Golden Minbar International Film Festival. These accomplishments have established him as a leading contemporary actor of Hindi cinema.

Biography

Early career, until 1999

Roshan's first movie role was as a child artist when he was six years old in the 1980s movie ''Aasha'', where he appeared in a dance sequence as an extra. Roshan went on to play minor roles in ''Aap Ke Deewane'' (1980) and ''Bhagwan Dada'' (1986) both of which starred his father Rakesh Roshan in the leading role. He then became an assistant director assisting in the production of his father's films ''Karan Arjun'' (1995) and ''Koyla'' (1997).

Breakthrough, 2000–2002

In 2000, Roshan made his film debut as the leading man in the film ''Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' opposite another debutante actress Amisha Patel. The film, which was directed by his father and saw him playing a double role, proved to be very successful at the box office, becoming the highest grossing film of 2000 and winner of the Filmfare Best Movie Award. Roshan's performance was well-received, and the film made him an overnight star. He eventually received both the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award and the Filmfare Best Actor Award for the role. The film entered the Limca Book of Records in 2003 for the most number of awards won by a Bollywood film – 102 awards.

Later that year, Roshan starred in Khalid Mohammed's ''Fiza''. Although the film did poorly at the box office, his performance was praised, earning him another nomination for ''Best Actor'' at the Filmfare ceremony. Taran Adarsh from ''indiaFM'' noted, "The mainstay of the film is undoubtedly Hrithik Roshan. His body language, his diction, his expressions, his overall persona deserves great praise. With this film, Hrithik proves that there is more to him than just being a fashionable rage, a Mills & Boon lover-boy and a sex symbol. His talent comes to the fore in several scenes, especially those with Karisma. All said and done, the show belongs to Hrithik, who saves ''Fiza'' to a major extent. A brilliant performance undoubtedly!"

Roshan's last release of the year, ''Mission Kashmir'', became the third highest grossing film of the year. His performance was once again acclaimed with one critic praising him, "Hrithik once again cuts a splendid performance as a youngster sucked in the vortex of terrorism. He is portrayed as anti-government in the early part of the film-- a bold role to play for even a seasoned actor, leave alone a budding superstar." All these achievements promoted him as one of the biggest stars in the industry.

Subhash Ghai's ''Yaadein'' was his first release in 2001. This was followed by Karan Johar's melodramatic ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'', which did extremely well at the box office, becoming the second-highest grossing film of 2001 and the biggest hit overseas. Roshan's performance was well received and his performance earned him a nomination for ''Best Supporting Actor'' at various award ceremonies.

Roshan had an unsuccessful year in 2002 when all three of his releases – ''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!'', ''Na Tum Jaano Na Hum'' and ''Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage'' – failed to make an impact the box office and were declared flops.

Success, 2003–present

In 2003, he made a comeback with the science-fiction film ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', which saw him playing a mentally disabled young man. The film was the highest grosser of the year and won him many awards, including his second Filmfare Best Actor Award and his first Filmfare Best Actor (Critics) Award. Taran Adarsh noted, "Hrithik Roshan dominates the show and packs in a power-packed performance. The role of a mentally challenged person is no cakewalk, but the actor takes to it like a fish takes to water. He manages to pull off the zero to hero routine exceptionally well. As an actor, he scales dizzier heights with this splendid performance."

Farhan Akhtar's ''Lakshya'' was Roshan's only release in 2004; the film did not do well at the box office. However, his performance was praised by critics.

Roshan took a two-year break from acting before resurfacing with the superhero film ''Krrish'' opposite Priyanka Chopra. A sequel to his 2003 film ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', the film was a major box office success and became the second highest grosser of 2006. His performance as a superhero was praised, earning him many ''Best Actor'' awards at various award ceremonies, including Star Screen and the International Indian Film Academy. ''IndiaFM'' wrote, "To state that Hrithik is the soul of ''Krrish'' would be an understatement. If the actor walked away with all noteworthy awards in ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', it's going to be an encore with ''Krrish''. You cannot imagine any other actor enacting the role of a gifted child with aplomb. If his mask and robe look is splendid, watch his makeup, gait and mannerisms as the aged father and you had agree, he's one of the finest talents on the Indian screen today. ''Krrish'' is yet another ground-breaking film in his dazzling repertoire!"

His next film that year was ''Dhoom 2'', a sequel to the 2004 ''Dhoom''. Featured opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Roshan's performance in the movie not only earned him widespread critical acclaim, but also his third Filmfare Best Actor Award. The film went on to become the highest grossing film of 2006, as well as one of the most successful films of Bollywood.

In 2008, Roshan featured in Ashutosh Gowariker's ''Jodhaa Akbar'' opposite Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. He played the historical role of Akbar the Great. The movie did very good business, both in India and abroad. His performance in the movie was widely appreciated by critics, earning him his fourth Filmfare Best Actor Award as well as his first international award for Best Actor at the Golden Minbar International Film Festival in Kazan, Russia.

Roshan then appeared in Zoya Akhtar's ''Luck by Chance'' (2009), in which he made a guest appearance. The following year, he was seen in Anurag Basu's ''Kites'' along with Mexican actress Bárbara Mori and Kangna Ranaut. The film failed to do well at the box office after taking a huge start and was eventually declared a flop. He next acted in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ''Guzaarish'' opposite Aishwarya Rai. Upon release, the film received overwhelmingly positive reviews and Roshan's portrayal of Ethan Mascarenhas, a quadriplegic patient earned him several ''Best Actor'' nominations at various award ceremonies.

In July 2011, he appeared in Zoya Akhtar's ''Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'' alongside Farhan Akhtar Abhay Deol, Katrina Kaif, Kalki Koechlin. The film opened to positive reviews, and Roshan's portrayal was praised. According to Rajeev Masand, "Hrithik Roshan once again brings real depth to his character with a spectacular performance. He’s shy and restrained, then lets go with such fantastic intensity that you make the inward journey with his character". The film was declared as "super-hit" in both in India and Overseas. In the same year Roshan featured as a judge for the dance competition reality show, ''Just Dance'' along with Farah Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant. He is currently filming for the remake of 1990 release ''Agneepath'' in which he will reprise the role of Vijay Deenanath Chauhan opposite Priyanka Chopra.

Besides acting, Roshan made his debut as a singer in ''Kites'', and has also sung in the films ''Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'' and ''Guzaarish''.

Personal life

Roshan was born in Mumbai to a family of cinema personalities. His father, film director Rakesh Roshan, is the son of music director Roshan, while his mother, Pinky, is the daughter of producer and director J. Om Prakash. Hrithik has an ''elder'' sister, Sunaina. His uncle Rajesh Roshan is a famous music director. As a child, Roshan attended the Bombay Scottish School. He later attended Sydenham College, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Commerce.

During an interview he revealed that his childhood was traumatized because of stammering, a defect that surfaced when he was around six years old and plagues him even today. "For oral tests at school, I used to bunk school, I used to fall sick, I used to break my hand, I used to get a sprain" the actor said. He however said that things improved for him gradually, after he started practicing speech therapies on a daily basis.

Roshan is married to Suzanne Roshan, owner of ''Suzanne Roshan's House of Design'' and daughter of actor Sanjay Khan. The couple have two sons, Hrehaan, born in 2006 and Hridhaan born in 2008. Roshan has two thumbs on his right hand. Although it is usually hidden in his films, it was not hidden in ''Koi... Mil Gaya'', and was even used as a minor plot point, as the alien was also designed to have two thumbs.

Awards and honours

Among other awards, Roshan has won six Filmfare Awards, four of which are in the Best Actor category.

His life-size wax figure was installed at London's prestigious Madame Tussauds Wax Museum on 20 January 2011, making him the fifth Indian actor to have been replicated as a wax statue in the museum.

Filmography

''Bhagwan Dada (film) ''Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai'' ''Yaadein (2001 film) ''Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage'' ''Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon'' ''Lakshya (film) ''Krrish'' ''Om Shanti Om'' ''Jodhaa Akbar'' ''Luck by Chance'' ''Kites (film) ''Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara'' ''Agneepath (2011 film)

Year !! Film !! Role !! Other notes
rowspan="2"	1980	''Aasha''	Child artist
''Aap Ke Deewane''	Child artist
1986	Bhagwan Dada'' ||	Govinda (Child artist)
rowspan="3"	2000	|	Rohit/Raj Chopra	Filmfare Award for Best Actor Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut
''Fiza''	Amaan Ikramullah
''Mission Kashmir''	Altaaf Khan
rowspan="2"	2001	Yaadein'' ||	Ronit Malhotra
''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...''	Rohan Raichand
rowspan="3"	2002	|	Rohit
''Na Tum Jaano Na Hum''	Rahul Sharma
''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!''	Raj Khanna
rowspan="2"	2003	|	Prem Kishen Mathur
''Koi... Mil Gaya''	Rohit Mehra
2004	Lakshya'' ||	Karan Shergill	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
rowspan="3"	2006	|	Krishna Mehra (Krrish)/ Rohit Mehra	Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actor
''Dhoom 2''	Aryan
''I See You (film)	I See You''
2007	|	Himself	Special appearance
rowspan="2"	2008	|	Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar	Filmfare Award for Best Actor Golden Minbar International Film Festival>Golden Minbar International Award for Best Actor
''Krazzy 4''
2009	|	Zaffar Khan	Special appearance
rowspan="2"	2010	Kites'' ||	Jai
''Guzaarish''	Ethan Mascarenhas
2011	|	Arjun
rowspan="2"	2012	Agneepath'' ||	Vijay Deenanath Chavan	Scheduled for released on January 13, 2012
''Krrish 2''	Krishna Mehra/Krrish

See also

List of Indian Actors

References

External links

Category:1974 births Category:Indian film actors Category:Living people Category:Indian child actors Category:People from Mumbai Category:Punjabi people Category:Indian actors Category:Indian Hindus Category:Hindi film actors Category:Filmfare Awards winners

ar:هريتيك روشان bn:ঋত্বিক রোশন bg:Ритик Рошан de:Hrithik Roshan es:Hrithik Roshan fr:Hrithik Roshan gu:ઋત્વિક રોશન hi:ऋतिक रोशन id:Hrithik Roshan it:Hrithik Roshan jv:Hrithik Roshan kn:ಹೃತಿಕ್‌ ರೋಷನ್‌ hu:Hritik Rosan ml:ഋത്വിക് റോഷൻ mr:ॠतिक रोशन ms:Hrithik Roshan nl:Hrithik Roshan ja:リティク・ローシャン pnb:ہریتھک روشن pl:Hrithik Roshan pt:Hrithik Roshan ru:Рошан, Ритик fi:Hrithik Roshan sv:Hrithik Roshan ta:கிருத்திக் ரோஷன் te:హ్రితిక్ రోషన్ th:ฤติก โรศัน zh:李提克·羅森