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Mamta Kulkarni born 20 April 1972^[1] is a former Bollywood Actress. During the 90s, she was part of several commercial successes such as Karan Arjun (1995), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995), Aashiq Awara (1993), Krantiveer (1994) among others.

Career[link]

Acting career[link]

Kulkarni made her debut through the Tamil film Nanbargal which was directed by S. A. Chandrasekhar. She made her Bollywood debut with the 1992 movie Tirangaa. In 1993 she starred in Aashiq Awara, which won her a Filmfare Lux New Face Award. She went to appear in many other popular films such as Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Krantiveer (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995), Ghatak: Lethal (1996), Beqabu, Baazi, Gangstar, Chupa Rustam, Qila, Andolan, which did well at the box office.

Things seemed to change when Rajkumar Santoshi, in whose earlier movie Ghatak: Lethal (1996), she had a cameo appearance, cast her as the female lead in his 1998 movie China Gate, an ambitious remake of Seven Samurai. In a glamorized role and sharing screen space with some of Hindi cinemas finest actors, she had the perfect opportunity to showcase her acting talent.

However, things did not go as planned. Relations between Santoshi and the actress soured, and rumours began circulating that Kulkarni was dropped from the movie, and reinstated only after gangster Chhota Rajan intervened on her behalf.^[2] When the movie was finally released, it was also a huge flop. Furthermore, the only song in the movie, the item number Chamma Chamma, was picturised on Urmila Matondkar, even though Kulkarni had built her reputation with such numbers. To add insult to injury, the song turned out to be a chartbuster, and was even used in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!, and greatly increased Urmila's popularity.

Angered at the turn of events, Kulkarni lashed out at Santoshi, accusing him of cutting her screen time because she had refused his advances.^[3] Santoshi denied all rumours related to the movie, and the matter was given a quiet burial. However, this proved to be the death blow to Kulkarni's career. She only appeared in a handful of movies after that, and new offers dried up. She quit movies after her last appearance in the 2002 film Divine Temple Khajuraho. Mamta also did few movies in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and Malayalam.^[4]

During her career she was offered many other films with Mithun Chakraborty, Ajay Devgn, Bobby Deol, Shahrukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Khanna. She turned down many big films such as Sapoot, Agnaary, Mr and Mrs Khiladi, Bandahan, Aunty No.1, Dulhe Raja, Davaa, Shikari and Hogi Pyar Ki Jeet because her role was not substantial.^[5]

Controversies[link]

She gained fame after posing topless for a photograph that appeared on the cover of Stardust, a popular Indian film magazine in March 1995.^[6] She was charged under many India's obscenity laws, and found herself under attack from both conservative religious groups, and women's groups. The outspoken actress lashed out at protesters, calling them hypocrites.^{[citation needed]}

Kulkarni was finally convicted in July 2000, and fined Rs. 15,000. However, this caused yet another controversy because she appeared in court in a burqa to evade photographers, which led to death threats and protests from the local Islamic community.^[7] However, she was held innocent by the Bombay High Court in January 2004.^[6]

At the same time, she continued to be dogged by controversy. In 1997, she was reportedly paid a large amount to perform at a private function by a legislator from Bihar, who was later arrested after investigations into the Fodder Scam case. Kulkarni was interrogated, but she denied any knowledge of the legislator's antecedents.^[8]

Personal life[link]

Kulkarni married an NRI from USA.^[9] But ,now Mamta has shifted in with her boyfriend Vicky Goswami in Dubai,UAE.^[10]

Filmography[link]

Bengali[link]

• Bangshadhar (Ronit Roy and Mamta) (2001)

Kannada[link]

Vishnu Vijaya 1993

Malayalam[link]

• Chandamama (1999) - Guest appearance in the song "Roja Poo Kavilatthu"

Tamil[link]

• Nanbargal (1991)

Telugu[link]

• Donga Police (1992)
• Premasikharam (1992)
• ' 'Bramha (1997)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mamta Kulkarni at the Internet Movie Database

Alka Yagnik
Background information
Born	(1966-03-20) 20 March 1966 (age 46) Kolkata, West Bengal
Genres	Bollywood and regional filmi playback singing
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1979–present

Alka Yagnik (born March 20, 1966^[1] in Kolkata, West Bengal, India) is an Indian singer.^[2] Among the best-known playback singers of Hindi cinema, she is a record seven-time winner of the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer from a record of 35 nominations, a two-time recipient of the National Film Award as well as several other music awards listed below. Further, as many as 20 of her tracks feature in BBC's "Top 40 Bollywood Soundtracks of all time" review.^[3]

Early life and background[link]

Alka Yagnik was born in Kolkata on March 20, 1966. Her mother Shubha Yagnik was a singer of Indian classical music. She received her school education from Modern High School for Girls. At the age of 6, she started singing for Akashvani (All India Radio), Calcutta.^[4] At age 10, her mother brought her to Bombay as a child singer. She was advised to wait until her voice matured, but her mother remained determined. On a subsequent visit, Alka got a letter of introduction to Raj Kapoor from his Kolkata distributor. Kapoor heard the girl and sent her with a letter to noted music director Laxmikant. Impressed, Laxmikant gave her two alternatives — an immediate start as a dubbing artist or a later break as a singer; they settled for the latter.

Career[link]

Alka Yagnik is classically trained and has been one of the leading playback singers in Bollywood since the late 1980s. She began singing bhajans for Akashvani (All India Radio), Calcutta.^[4] at the age of six. Her first song was for the film Payal Ki Jhankaar in (1979), followed by Laawaris (1981) with the hit song "Mere Angene Mein", followed by the film Hamari Bahu Alka (1982). She got her big break with the song "Ek Do Teen" from the film Tezaab (1988). The song turned her into a star overnight and went on to become a pop hit, also winning her a Filmfare Best Female Playback Award. Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak was also a career maker for her, as she along with Udit Narayan became household names.

She has sung in many languages other than Hindi, including Gujarati, Oriya, Assamese, Manipuri, Nepali, Rajasthani, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam. She has worked with Indian composers such as Kalyanji-Anandji, Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Rajesh Roshan, Nadeem-Shravan, Jatin Lalit, Anu Malik, A. R. Rahman, Anand-Milind, Himesh Reshammiya, Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Ismail Darbar, Aadesh Shrivastava, Viju Shah, M.M. Keeravani, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and many others.

She has also sung in many notable albums such as "Tum Yaad Aaye", as well as "Tum Aaye" and "Shairana" in which she worked in close collaboration with award-winning lyricist Javed Akhtar and noted singer Hariharan. She has also rendered the Hanuman Chalisa and various devotional songs.^[5]

She has lent her voice for three generation of actresses ranging from Hema Malini, Rekha, Shabana Azmi, Rakhi Gulzar, Sridevi to Madhuri Dixit, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, Juhi Chawla, Kajol, Tabu, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Karisma Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai to Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Sushmita Sen, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and many others.^[6]

Alka shares the title with Asha Bhosle for the greatest number of Filmfare Awards won (7) by a single female playback singer. Alka has also been the judge of various Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge shows, and Star Voice of India, both singing competition shows, in which children or adults of various age groups compete with one another to win the award for best vocals. In addition to this, her song "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate was featured in the song "Hindi Sad Diamonds" from the soundtrack of the film Moulin Rouge!. She has also been performing in live concerts around the world .

In 2012 she along with Sonu Nigam sang a song 'Shiksha Ka Suraj' as part of National Literacy Mission of India. ^[7] She has also been involved in various projects pertaining to empowerment of the girl child . ^[8]

Significant collaborations[link]

Laxmikant-Pyarelal

Veteran composers Laxmikant-Pyarelal who were instrumental in launching Alka have created several musical hits with her in movies such as Tezaab, Hum (film), Khalnayak, Khuda Gawah and many others.

Nadeem-Shravan

Alka Yagnik's collaboration with Nadeem-Shravan in movies such as Saajan (1991),Phool Aur Kaante (1991), Deewana (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Dilwale (1994), Raja (1995), Barsaat (1995), Agni Sakshi (1996), Jeet (1996), Raja Hindustani (1996), Pardes (1997), Sirf Tum (1999), Dhadkan (2000), Kasoor (2001), Raaz (2002), Andaaz (2003), Dil Hai Tumhaara (2003), etc. has created several chartbuster hits over the years.

Jatin Lalit

Alka Yagnik has often collaborated with Jatin Lalit in movies such as Khiladi, Ghulam, Khamoshi: The Musical, Sarfarosh, Yes Boss, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chalte Chalte, Hum Tum creating hugely popular scores.

Anu Malik

Alka's collaborations with Anu Malik over the years in films such as Baazigar, Phir Teri Kahani Yaad Aayee, Imtihaan, Refugee, Vijaypath, Main Khiladi Tu Anari, Akele Hum Akele Tum, Duplicate, Soldier, Aarzoo, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, Asoka, Umrao Jaan, Fiza, Josh, Ishq Vishk, LOC: Kargil, etc. have all been immensely successful.

A. R. Rahman

Alka's collaborations with A. R. Rahman in movies such as Taal, Lagaan, Zubeidaa, Swades, Yuvvraaj, Ada... A Way of Life, Slumdog Millionaire are all critically acclaimed.

Rajesh Roshan

Alka's work with Rajesh Roshan in films such as Karan Arjun, Sabse Bada Khiladi, Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai (2000), Koi Mil Gaya (2003), Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage, Koyla, Krrish has been immensely popular.

Anand-Milind

Alka has worked in several films with Anand-Milind notably Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Anjaam, Suhaag, Coolie No. 1 (Hindi film), Loafer, Jaan, Hero No. 1, Mrityudand & Jaanwar.

Himesh Reshammiya

Alka gave Himesh Reshammiya his first break in the movie Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya . Thereafter the duo has worked together creating poplar scores in several movies such as Hello Brother, Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye, Humraaz, Chura Liyaa Hai Tumne, Tere Naam, Bardaasht, Aitraaz, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, Kyon Ki, Banaras, 36 China Town, Milenge Milenge, etc.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

Alka's collaboration with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy in films such as Dil Chahta Hai, Mission Kashmir, Armaan (2003 film), Kal Ho Naa Ho, Lakshya (film) & Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna has been immensely successful.

Awards and nominations[link]

Alka Yagnik has won several prestigious music awards for best female playback such as Filmfare Awards, National Awards, IIFA Awards, Star Screen Awards,Zee Cine Awards, etc. She also holds the record for most awards won (7) as well as maximum nominations (35) in Best Female Playback category at the Filmfare Awards.^[9]

Notable Bollywood filmography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Alka Yagnik at the Internet Movie Database

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Vinod Rathod
Background information
Born	Mumbai, India
Genres	Playback singing
Occupations	Singer
Years active	1987–present
Website	http://www.vinodrathod.com

Vinod Rathod with his Fan , Orissa

Vinod Rathod, the son of singer Pandit Chhaturbhuj Rathod, is a Bollywood playback singer. He has sung in numerous popular Bollywood films including Chal Mere Bhai, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Mission Kashmir and Baazigar.^[1]

Rathod sang the song "Baa Bahu Aur Baby" in the Baa Bahu Aur Baby serial. His guru's name is Aksh Bhardwaj, son of Mr. Tarsem Lal Bhardwaj his father used to be in Indian Air Force and his mother an air hostess.

Early life[link]

Vinod Rathod was born to the late learned classical musician, Pandit Chaturbhuj Rathod. His father knew that Vinod is very talented and interested in music. Vinod could grasp the essentials of music and has shown a distinct flair for singing. Hence his father gave him basic training.

Career in Music[link]

His career started when Usha Khanna [after listening to his voice in a cassette] called him on April 1986, to sing a qawwali, “Mere Dil Main Hai Andhera, Koi Shamma To Jala De” in Bedaag. Mohammed Aziz was his co-singer. Vinod recorded no less than 40 songs for the composer, and also sang for composers like Ajay Swami and Surinder Kohli in his struggle phase. His TV serial title song, “Yeh Jeevan Hai Akash Ganga” for the serial Akash Ganga proved very successful amongst viewers.

He entered the big films league when composers Shiv-Hari called him to record “Baadal Pe Chalke Aa” with Lata Mangeshkar and Suresh Wadekar which proved popular and “Zindagi Har Janam Pyar Ki Dastan” with Lata Mangeshkar in Yash Chopra's Vijay in 1988 proved to be a greater success. Vinod was the voice of Rishi Kapoor in this multi-starer film. He then sang for Rishi-Yash-Shiv-Hari again in Chandni in 1989. This song, “Parbat Se Kaali Ghata Takrai” with Asha Bhosle also proved a hit along with “Sheharon Mein Ek Shehar Suna” with Lata Mangeshkar.

However, he got his real break in 1992 when Laxmikant Pyarelal offered him “Romeo Naam Mera” for Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja. It has proven to be one of the biggest hit of 1992. Laxmikant Pyarelal rapidly called him for more films, which instilled confidence for Vinod among the other composers like Anu Malik, Bappi Lahiri and Anand-Milind. As luck would have it, Nadeem-Shravan [Shravan is Vinod's elder brother] were at the crest of popularity, and though Nadeem favored Kumar Sanu, he gave Vinod Rathod the onus of being the voice of Shah Rukh Khan in Deewana. “Aisi Deewangi” with Alka Yagnik proved a rage and “Koi Na Koi Chahiye Pyar Karne Wala” too proved popular. This film was also released in 1992. By 1993, Vinod Rathod was a busy man. Laxmikant Pyarelal gave him excellent songs in several films like Bedardi, Dilbar and many other films, and decided that he would be the major voice of Rishi Kapoor in the R K film Prem Granth. Their hits with him included “Jab Se Main Jara Sa Badnam Ho Gaya’ - Gumrah and “Nayak Nahin Khalnayak Hoon Main” - Khal-Nayak. Anu Malik swept aside Nadeem-Shravan by late 1993-94 and Vinod Rathod was very much there in hits like “Ae Mere Humsafar”, “Kitabein Bahut Si”, “Samajhkar Chand Jisko” and “Chupana Bhi Nahin Aata’ - Baazigar. Followed Ladla, Elaan, Agnisakshi, Muhabbat Ki Arzoo, Chahoonga Main Tujhe, Gambler, Parampara, The Gentleman, Zamana Deewana, Shreemaan Aashique, Maidan-E-Jung, Policewala Gunda, Hum Sab Chor Hain, Chaahat, Vastav and the hits “Duniya Ye Duniya Very Good Very Good” - Trimurti and “Dil Dene Ki Rut Aayi” – Prem Granth.

Vinod had a triumph of sorts in the Zee Telefilm, Mr. Shrimati, in which he sang “Aashiq Ki Hai Baraat”. His other hits include his songs from Deewana Mastana, Army, Hero No. 1 and Dulhe Raja, Tere Mere Sapne, and his latest chartbuster, “Dholi Taro Dhol Baje” - Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, “Chalak Chalak” – Devdas, “M Bole To” - Munna Bhai MBBS which has given his career a new boost after 1999. His songs from Chal Mere Bhai have proved popular too.

“Main Hoon Number Ek Gawaiya” from Saajan Chale Sasural proved his classical excellence which he has incorporated from his father. He has sung for all the leading composers and his list also includes Jatin-Lalit, Ravindra Jain, Bappi Lahiri, Viju Shah, Rajesh Roshan, Dilip Sen-Sameer Sen, Shantanu Moitra and A.R.Rahman.

His voice is flexible and suits from Dharmendra, Rishi Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan, Mithun Chakraborty, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Nana Patekar, Govinda, Jackie Shroff, to Shahrukh Khan, Sanjay Dutt, Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Salman Khan.

An unabashed Kishore Kumar fan, Vinod's singing replicates the punch, energy and throw of Kishore Kumar. His great voice and strong classical learnings has impressed mentors like Laxmikant Pyarelal. His regret is that could never sing for Rajesh Khanna, despite getting his first big film Vijay, whose cast was headed by the ex-superstar.

Vinod has worked for almost all reputed production houses of India. To mention a few : R K Films, Yash Raj Productions, Factory, Ramesh Sippy Productions, K C Bokadia Productions, Boney Kapoor Productions, Manmohan Desai Productions, Rajshree Productions, Mukta Arts, Bhansali Productions, Vidhu Vinod Chopra Productions etc.

Not only a huge list of production houses Vinod has sung more than 3500 songs in various languages such as Hindi, English, Gujarati, Marathi, Sindhi, Punjabi, Bengali, Oriya, Tamil, Kannad, Telugu, Rajasthani, Bhojpuri and Persian.

Personal life[link]

Vinod is happily married to Prerna who is his lifelong inspiration. He is the brother of singer Roop Kumar Rathod and music director Shravan Rathod.

Filmography[link]

• Munnabhai Chale Amerika (2011)
• Zamaanat (2008)
• Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (2007)
• Traffic Signal (2007)
• Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006)
• Meri Majboori... (2006)
• Vissfoth... [Music : Rituraj](2005)
• Pandit... Ek Yodha (2005)
• Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003)
• Chal Mere Bhai (2000)
• Jeet (1996)
• Baazigar (1993)
• Deewana (1992)

For complete list of his films check out http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0711757/

International Performances[link]

• Grand Diwali concert at Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, 420-450 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale, CA, USA, on Saturday, October 25, 2008 was attended by thousands of fans, lovers of Vinod Rathod, a unique experience for the devotees, visitors of the temple.
• Vinod Rathod is a rare person with his own style, the unique stylish entrance in the concert hall touched all his fans, greeting and reaching more hearts than anyone ever. Second performance on Sunday, October 26, 2008 was again enjoyed with same enthusiasm by everyone.
• Vinod Rathod performed packed, successful solo concerts in Dallas and Houston. During this solo tour new round started at Deepawali festival in the largest temple in Bay Area, he will be reaching millions of his fans during various concerts in US and Canada.

References[link]

• Amarjit Oct 26, 2008 Our Digital Vision
• Renu Oct 27, 2008 UPANA

External links[link]

• Vinod Rathod at the Internet Movie Database
• Diwali 2008 Sunnyvale, US concert updates at UPANA
• US, Canada 2008 Tour updates at Our Digital Vision

Saif Ali Khan
Khan at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.
Born	(1970-08-16) 16 August 1970 (age 41) New Delhi, India
Occupation	Actor, Producer
Years active	1992–present
Spouse	Amrita Singh (m. 1991–2004) «start: (1991)–end+1: (2005)»"Marriage: Amrita Singh to Saif Ali Khan" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Saif_Ali_Khan) (divorced)
Partner	Kareena Kapoor (2007-present)
Children	2

Saif Ali Khan (pronounced [ˈsɛːf əˈli ˈxaːn]; born 16 August 1970) is an Indian actor known for his work in Bollywood films. He is the son of the cricket player and last titular Nawab of Pataudi, late Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, and actress Sharmila Tagore, a great-grandniece of poet Rabindranath Tagore.^[1]

Having made his acting debut in 1992 with Parampara, Khan had his first success with the 1994 films Main Khiladi Tu Anari and Yeh Dillagi. After going through several years of decline throughout the 1990s, he rose into prominence with his performance in Dil Chahta Hai (2001), which marked his professional turning point.^[2] His work in Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003) won him the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor, and he was awarded the National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Hum Tum (2004).

Khan subsequently had further mainstream success with films like Salaam Namaste (2005) and Race (2008) and starred in critically acclaimed projects such as Parineeta (2005), Being Cyrus and Omkara (2006).^[3] In 2009, Khan branched out into film production with his company Illuminati Films' first film Love Aaj Kal, which became a box-office success. These accomplishments have established him as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema.^[4] He was awarded the Padma Shri civilian award by the Government of India in 2010.^[5]

Khan was married to actress Amrita Singh from 1991 to 2004, having two children together. His sister, Soha Ali Khan, is also a film actress.

Life[link]

Saif Ali Khan has Muslim ancestry through Nawabs of Pataudi lineage from his father's side and Hindu Bengali Tagore ancestry from his mother's side.^[6][7] His paternal grandfather, Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, was the Nawab of Pataudi as well as an accomplished cricketer who played for England and then for India as the captain of the team.^[7] His paternal grandmother was Sajida Sultan, Begum of Bhopal and his great-uncle was Pakistani general Nawabzada Sher Ali Khan Pataudi. His father was Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, a former captain of the Indian cricket team and the ninth Nawab of Pataudi until the abolition of titles by India in 1971.^[6][7] Following the death of his father, Saif Ali Khan was proclaimed the Nawab of Pataudi by villagers of Pataudi State in deference to tradition, although the title carries no official or legal significance.^[8]

Khan has two sisters Saba Ali Khan and Soha Ali Khan. Khan's mother is Sharmila Tagore, a Bengali Indian film actress and a member of Bengal's Tagore family. She is also the head of the Indian film censorship board^[9] and the grand-niece of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.^[1] Tagore converted to Islam from Hinduism after her marriage to Khan's father, and changed her name to Begum Ayesha Sultana.^[7] Khan spent his childhood in a Muslim atmosphere, reading the Quran, with his grandmother being the centre of his religious education. Khan says that "Religion played a major role in my upbringing."^[6] Khan also states that his family is "cool or rather massively open–minded about religious matters." For example, he acknowledges that his daughter is born into a Muslim family, however he states that he will not decide her religion for her.^[6]

Initially Khan studied at the Lawrence School Sanawar^[10] and later attended Lockers Park School in Hertfordshire. He followed in his father's footsteps by attending Winchester College, an independent school for boys in the UK. Khan can speak his native languages of Hindi and Bengali fluently, as well as English.^[11]

Acting career[link]

Early work, until 2000[link]

In 1993, he won the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Aashiq Awara. His breakthrough role came in 1994 with Yeh Dillagi starring opposite Akshay Kumar and Kajol which was his first major hit.^[12] Khan went on to star in many films but they failed at the box office. He only had success with multi-starrer hits like Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Imtihaan (1995),^[13] Kachche Dhaage (1999) and Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United (1999).^[14] After some box office failures he had a hit with the film Kya Kehna (2000).^[15]

Turning point, 2001-03[link]

His acting career, more or less, went through a relative slump until 2001, when he was cast in Farhan Akhtar's National Film Award-winning Dil Chahta Hai, co-starring Aamir Khan and Akshaye Khanna.^[16] 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. Despite receiving a positive critical reception, it was only a moderate box office success in India;^[17] 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.^[18] He received much acclaim for his role as Sameer with critic Taran Adarsh calling it his career-best performance.^[19]

He has since had many box office successes, starting with Nikhil Advani's drama Kal Ho Na Ho (2003), co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The film, set in New York, starred Saif as Rohit, Zinta's best friend, who later realises that he loves her.^[20] The film was the second top-grossing film of the year, and Khan's performance was praised by critics. He won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award, as well as other awards in that category in other award ceremonies.

Solo success and critical acclaim, 2004–08[link]

To date, Khan's films have often featured him as the supporting cast, though following the success of Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, producers began signing him on for the main lead.^[21] In early 2004, Khan was approached by Sriram Raghavan to star as the globe-trotting bachelor, Karan Singh Rathod, in his directorial debut, Ek Hasina Thi. The film tells the story of a young woman (played by Urmila Matondkar) who meets with Khan's character, and is subsequently arrested for having links with the underworld. When Khan was initially offered the project, he was unable to do it due to his busy schedule.^[21] However, when the director approached him several months later, he agreed to do the film.^[21] Upon release, the film was critically embraced, with Khan's performing earning praise. The Deccan Herald reported, "From suave loverboy to self-serving skunk, he (Khan) moves with such brilliance that he leaves you breathless [...] He holds his own in a movie that is completely Urmila's."^[22] For his performance, Khan received nominations at the Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies.

He followed it with the leading role in Kunal Kohli's romantic comedy Hum Tum. Featured opposite Rani Mukerji, the film follows the encounters of the two main characters until they, after several years and various meetings, become friends and finally fall in love. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films, with a domestic box office of 210 million (US$4.19 million).^[23] Khan played the role of Karan Kapoor, a young cartoonist and womaniser whose relationship with Rhea Prakash (played by Mukerji) changes his perception of women and life. Rediff.com wrote about his performance: "Saif reprises his urbane self from Dil Chahta Hai and Kal Ho Naa Ho, peppering it with occasional fits of introspection and angst, and marking himself as an actor whose time has come."^[24] He won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Comic Role and was conferred the coveted National Film Award for Best Actor in 2005 among much controversy.^[25] It marked the beginning of his work with Yash Raj Films, one of the largest production houses in Bollywood.

In 2005, Khan appeared in two movies. His first release was Pradeep Sarkar's Parineeta (2005), an adaptation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1914 Bengali novella by the same name.^[26] Prior to being cast, the film's producer, Vidhu Vinod Chopra was initially reluctant in casting Khan as the male protagonist because he felt that "I could not manage it".^[27] After much deliberation, Chopra was persuaded by Sarkar who felt that Khan was perfect for the role.^[28] The film garnered critical acclaim upon release and Khan's portrayal of Shekhar Rai earned him nominations for Best Actor at a number of award ceremonies. Derek Elley from Variety wrote, "Khan, who has gradually been developing away from light comedy, again shows smarts as a substantial actor."^[26] His next release was Siddharth Anand's comedy-drama Salaam Namaste opposite Preity Zinta. 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 570 million (US$11.37 million) internationally.^[29] Khan played the role of the egotistic, laid-back chef, Nikhil Arora. According to Khalid Mohamed, "Salaam Namaste is unthinkable without Saif Ali Khan. He rescues several untidily written scenes with his neat wit and that flustered 'how-did-I-get-into-this-soup?' facial expression."^[30]

He next played the protagonist in the English language art film, Being Cyrus (2006), co-starring alongside Naseeruddin Shah and Dimple Kapadia. Directed by debutant Homi Adajania, the psychological drama revolves around a dysfunctional Parsi family with who Khan's character moves into. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Khan was particularly praised.^[31] Later in the year, he portrayed the character of Iago in Omkara, the Indian adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh.^[32] The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival.^[32][33] Omkara was embraced by critics and Khan went on to receive major acclaim earning the awards for Best Actor in a Negative Role at the Filmfare, Star Screen, Zee Cine and IIFA ceremonies; his performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare.^[34] Variety described his performance as "powerhouse" and further wrote, "It is Khan's movie through and through, in a performance of rugged, contained malevolence which trades on his previous screen persona as a likable best friend as well as his stint as the manipulative outsider in Being Cyrus. It is smart casting, superbly realized."^[35]

In 2007, Khan collaborated once again with producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra in the epic drama Eklavya: The Royal Guard, alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Boman Irani, Sharmila Tagore and Vidya Balan. Set in the state of Rajasthan during the early years of Indian independence, the movie revolves around a jealous and ungrateful ruler who will not let his wife die in peace because she is uttering the name of Eklavya. Although the film did not succeed at the box office,^[36] it was chosen as India's official entry to the Oscars. The Full Hyderabad described Khan's performance of Harshwardhan as "sombre and understated," played with a "brooding and contemplative sensibility."^[37] He next appeared in the action comedy Nehlle Pe Dehlla, a production that had been delayed since 2001.^[38] The film garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns.^[39] Khan's role was small, and was not well received.^[39] His final release of the year was the family drama, Ta Ra Rum Pum. Directed by Siddharth Anand, it went on to become an economic success at the box office, earning 646 million (US$12.89 million) internationally.^[29]

Khan received further success in 2008, starring in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Race with an ensemble cast including Anil Kapoor, Akshaye Khanna, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif and Sameera Reddy. The feature was loosely adapted from the 1998 American film Goodbye Lover, and became one of the biggest box office hits in India, earning 617 million (US$12.31 million)^[40] and grossed over 200 million (US$3.99 million) abroad.^[41] Critic Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN wrote, "Of the cast, Saif Ali Khan stands out as the chap with the least dialogue but the one who makes the best impression."^[42] This was followed by three projects produced by Yash Raj Films: Tashan, Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic and Roadside Romeo, all of which were not successful.^[40]

Producer and other works, 2009–present[link]

2009 saw Khan branch out into film producing when he setup his own production company, Illuminati Films, along with Dinesh Vijan.^[43] The company's first release was marked by the romantic comedy Love Aaj Kal. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film portrays the feeling of pure love which never changes over time, although the perspective of realizing one's soulmate has changed. It received mostly positive reviews by critics and became one of the highest-grossing films of the year.^[44] For his portrayal of Jai Vardhan Singh and the younger Veer Singh, Khan went on to receive several Best Actor nominations at a number of award ceremonies, including Filmfare. A review in The Economic Times described his performance as "refreshing natural" and "outstanding".^[45] He then starred in the dramatic thriller Kurbaan, alongside Kareena Kapoor and Vivek Oberoi. Produced by Dharma Productions, the film marked the directorial debut of Rensil D'Silva and featured Khan in the role of a terrorist. Upon release, Kurbaan was received favourably by critics and Khan's performance was critically acclaimed. Critic Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote: "Saif is extraordinary in a role that only proves his versatility once again. If he won your heart with a winning performance in Love Aaj Kal a few months ago, you need to watch this supremely talented actor underplay his part so beautifully in Kurbaan.^[46]

In 2011, he appeared in Prakash Jha's multi-starrer drama Aarakshan. Set in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, the film deals with the policy of caste-based reservations in government jobs and educational institutions.^[47] Khan portrayed the character of Deepak Kumar, a rebellious student who joins the mafia. To prepare for the role, Khan was required to take acting workshops along with the rest of the cast.^[48] Prior to its release, the film was banned from releasing in select cities across India due to its controversial subject.^[47] While the film received a mixed critical reaction, his performance was generally well-received.^[49] The following year, Khan collaborated once again with director Sriram Raghavan, as the protagonist in the action thriller Agent Vinod. The film, which was produced under his own banner, opened to mixed reviews and eventually under-performed at the box office.^[50]

By May 2012, Khan completed working on Cocktail, a romantic comedy directed by Homi Adjania.^[51] Co-starring alongside Deepika Padukone and Diana Penty, the film is scheduled to release on 13 July 2012. He is currently filming for the sequel to his 2008 release, Race.

Personal life[link]

Khan with Kareena Kapoor at the 53rd Annual Filmfare Awards (2008).

Khan married actress Amrita Singh in October 1991.^[52] After thirteen years of marriage and two children (son Ibrahim Ali Khan and daughter Sara Ali Khan), the couple divorced in 2004. The children live with their mother.^[53]

He then dated Rosa Catalano a Swiss model born in Italy, whom he met in Kenya, for three years. Catalano later revealed that he had not told her about his earlier marriage and children, and that she learnt about them only after she came to India.^[54] They were later said to be considering marriage,^[55] but then broke off.^{[56][57][58][59]}

On 18 February 2007, Khan was hospitalised at Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai due to experiencing chest pain while rehearsing for his performance at the Stardust Awards, to be held that night.^[60] After hospitalization, he stated he would quit smoking.^[61]

Khan has been dating actress Kareena Kapoor since October 2007.^[62][63] In October 2009 he publicly spoke of his relationship with Kapoor and the prospect of marriage stating, that in his opinion people said that marriage does not affect one's career but in fact it does and that today the whole definition of marriage has changed. He said, that he and Kareena were so well connected, so close that marriage is just a stamp of validation for the society.^[64]

On 22 September 2011 Khan's father Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi passed away,^[65] which led Saif to formally assume the title of 10th Nawab of Pataudi.^[66] Although the title has no legal or official status after 1971, Saif assumed the title in order to please the sentiments of the villagers. The 'pagri' ceremony was even attended by the incumbent Chief Minister of Haryana.^[66]

Other work[link]

In 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, Khan performed at the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.^[67]

Khan took part in two major world tours. He was part of a troupe that included Shahrukh Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra, which went on the Temptations 2004 world tour.^[68] Two years later, he toured again, participating and performing in the Heat 2006 concert around the world, along with Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, Sushmita Sen and Celina Jaitley.^[69]

In 2006, Khan appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, as part of a performance showcasing Indian culture along with Rani Mukerji, and Aishwarya Rai on behalf of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, held in Delhi.^[70]

Controversy[link]

In 1998, Khan was charged with poaching two blackbucks in Kankani during the filming of Hum Saath Saath Hain along with co-stars Salman Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam.^[71] The charges were dropped soon after Salman Khan was acquitted.^[72]

Khan was also involved in assaulting a photographer, Pawan Sharma, in 2008 during a film shoot at Patiala railway station.^[73][74]

In 2012, Khan was dining with his friends including Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora at the Wasabi restaurant in Taj, Mumbai and making a din and was repeatedly requested by the restaurant management to be quieter. Khan then allegedly assaulted the complainants, Iqbal Sharma, a businessman, who suffered a fractured nose, and an elderly man.^{[73][75][76][77][78]} Khan was arrested under article 325 of the Indian Penal Court, and released on bail on a surety of 3,000 (US$59.85) by the Mumbai Police.^[79][80]

Awards and nomination[link]

Filmography[link]

See also[link]

• List of Indian Actors

References[link]