Pantene is a brand of hair care products owned by Procter & Gamble. The product line was first introduced in Europe in 1947 by Hoffman-LaRoche of Switzerland, which branded the name based on panthenol as a shampoo ingredient. It was purchased by Procter & Gamble (P&G) in 1985 in order for P&G to compete in the "beauty product" market rather than only functional products.^[1]

The brand's best-known product became the conditioning shampoo Pantene Pro-V (Pantene Pro-Vitamin). The product became most noted due to an advertising campaign in the late 1980s in which fashion models said, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful."^[2][3] Kelly LeBrock gained notoriety as the first television spokeswoman to speak the line.^[4] The line was criticized by feminists and became a pop-culture catchphrase for "annoying" narcissistic behavior.^[5][6]

See also[link]

• Protane for budget alternative

References[link]

External links[link]

• Pantene official site

v t e Procter & Gamble Co. Corporate directors Norman Augustine · A. G. Lafley · Lynn M. Martin · W. James McNerney, Jr. · John F. Smith, Jr. · Ralph Snyderman · Margaret Whitman · Ernesto Zedillo Brands Always · Ambi Pur · Ariel · Aussie · Bold · Bounty · Braun · Camay · Charmin · Cheer · Clairol · CoverGirl · Crest · Dawn · DayQuil · Daz  · Downy · Dreft · Duracell · Eukanuba · Fairy · Febreze · Gain · Gillette · Head & Shoulders · Herbal Essences · Iams · Ivory · Joy · Luvs · Max Factor · Metamucil · Mr. Clean · Nice 'n Easy · NyQuil · Olay · Old Spice · Oral-B · Pampers · Pantene · Pepto-Bismol · Puffs · Pur · Safeguard · Secret  · SK-II · Scope · Swiffer · Tampax · Tide · Vicks · Wella Annual revenue: US$79.03 billion (10% FY 2009) · Employees: 127,000 · Stock symbol: NYSE: PG · Website: pg.com

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Shilpa Shetty
Shilpa Shetty at the 2007 IIFA Awards in Sheffield.
Born	Shilpa Shetty (1975-06-08) 8 June 1975 (age 37) Mangalore, Karnataka, India
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	1993–present
Spouse	Raj Kundra (2009–present)[1]
Website
www.shilpashettylive.com

Shilpa Shetty (born 8 June 1975)^[2] is an Indian film actress and model. Since making her debut in the film Baazigar (1993), she has appeared in nearly 40 Bollywood, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films, her first leading role being in the 1994 film Aag. Although she has been through years of decline during her career, Shetty has been willing to reinvent herself quite often. Her performances in Dhadkan (2000) and Rishtey (2002) were appreciated, while her portrayal of an AIDS patient in Phir Milenge (2004) won her many accolades. Her younger sister Shamita Shetty is also a Bollywood film actress.

After taking part in the British Celebrity Big Brother TV show in 2007, Shetty was crowned the winner with 63% of the final vote,^[3] after an international racism controversy involving her and fellow contestants Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd. This was followed by a re-establishment of her status in the film industry in 2007 when she appeared in two successive movies, Life in a... Metro and Apne, with her performance in the former drawing positive reviews.^[4]

Life[link]

Shilpa Shetty was born in a traditional family in Mangalore^[5] that hails from the Bunt community. She is the elder daughter of Surendra and Sunanda Shetty, manufacturers of tamper-proof caps for the pharmaceutical industry,^[5] In Mumbai, she attended St. Anthony Girls' High School in Chembur, and later attended Podar College in Matunga. A trained Bharatanatyam dancer, she was also into sports and was the captain of the volleyball team in schools. She has a black belt in karate and is currently a dancesport expert and enthusiast.^[6] Shetty's younger sister Shamita Shetty is also a Bollywood actress. They worked together once in the film Fareb (2005).

^[7] Shetty is 5 ft. 10 inches tall. It was revealed on 29 March 2009 that Shilpa had purchased a house on St. George's Hill in Weybridge, Surrey, England with her husband Raj Kundra.^[1] She gave birth to a baby boy on May 21, 2012.^[8]

Acting career[link]

1990s[link]

Shetty at the musical Miss Bollywood

Shetty started her career by modelling for Limca in 1991 at age 16^[9] and made her film debut in 1993 with Baazigar, portraying a woman murdered by her psychopathic boyfriend. Shetty took the supporting role of Seema, co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Kajol; the film was a major success and earned her a nomination for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.^[10]

Her first leading role was in the film Aag in 1994, which was averagely received at the box office. She had a hit that same year with the film Main Khiladi Tu Anari opposite Akshay Kumar.^[11] This was followed by many films which were average to poor performers at the box office. Shetty starred in another big film that year, Aao Pyaar Karen, followed in 1995 by Hathkadi, where she was working alongside actors such as Saif Ali Khan, Govinda and Madhoo, but they failed at the box office. 1997 was one of her busiest years: she appeared in six different films, beginning with the Telugu language film Veedeva Dani Babu. Her first major Bollywood film of that year was the action thriller Auzaar. Shilpa portrayed the character of Prathna Thakur alongside actors Salman Khan and Sanjay Kapoor. In 1998, she had one release, Pardesi Babu, for which she received critical acclaim and won the Bollywood Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress.

2000s[link]

In 2000, Shetty received much acclaim for her role in Dhadkan which earned reasonable takings at the Indian box office.^[12] She received several nominations under the Best Actress category in award ceremonies. She would later go on to star with Anil Kapoor and Karisma Kapoor in the film Rishtey (2002). Her comic performance as an eccentric fisherwoman was appreciated and she received a nomination under the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award category and nominations for Best Comedian as well.^[13]

2004 was a good year for Shetty with the release of Garv in which she portrayed a Muslim orphan and disillusioned table dancer starring opposite Salman Khan. According to Shetty, she chose to do the film because she liked the subject. The film was a cop drama.^[14] She received much acclaim for her performance in Phir Milenge, where she made a sensitive portrayal of a successful city high-flyer who contracts HIV from unprotected sex and becomes a social outcast as a result. The film, based on 1993's Philadelphia, was perceived to have tackled a social taboo as yet unaddressed by Bollywood.^[15] The film earned Shetty a Filmfare Best Actress nomination, and provided an impetus for her HIV-related charity work (see below). Film critic Taran Adarsh from indiaFM noted, "Phir Milenge belongs to Shilpa Shetty completely. She delivers, what can be rightly called, the performance of her career. The viewer feels and empathises with the character mainly because of her effective portrayal. She conveys the pain and the emotional upheaval through her expressive eyes, making it amongst the most memorable performances the year has seen so far."^[16] Shetty stated that she had taken the role to reinvent herself by portraying the rather unconventional character of an anti-terrorist squad member.^[14]

She starred with her sister in the film Fareb in 2005. Shilpa had one release in 2006, the much delayed Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar. The film was a box office flop, but she got good reviews for her role as a not entirely likeable wife.^[17] In 2006, she was a judge on Jhalak Dikhlaja, a Sony Entertainment Television dance show based on the original UK show Strictly Come Dancing.

Shetty was once featured in Mani Ratnam's stage show, Netru, Indru, Naalai.

2007 proved to be Shetty's most successful year at the box office so far. Her first release, Life in a... Metro, won a significant reception and became the first Bollywood movie to premiere at Leicester Square.^[18] The film performed well at the box office and was declared a semi-hit within three weeks. Additionally, the film was critically acclaimed and Shetty's performance was appreciated, with Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN writing, "It's a terrific performance and unquestionably Shilpa's best to date."^[19] Her second release, alongside three Deols (Dharmendra, Sunny and Bobby), the drama Apne, was also a box office success.

Other projects[link]

Celebrity Big Brother[link]

Shetty was a contestant in and the winner of Celebrity Big Brother UK.^[20] and was the first Indian celebrity included in the Celebrity version. Reportedly paid Rs.31.5 m (£367,500 GBP) for her participation,^[21] she said to presenter Davina McCall, "I just want every Indian to be extremely proud that I'm in here".^[22] As for her participation, she stated: "I have zero expectations. The only thing I really hope to keep is my self-respect and my dignity."^[23] Her sister Shamita told the Times of India that this "is the boldest decision Shilpa has taken hitherto."^[24]

During her time, Shetty instructed fellow housemates Carole Malone and Ken Russell in meditation,^[25] and flirted with Dirk Benedict^[26] but tempers started to fray by Day 7 as a clique formed in the house disapproving of Shilpa's presence.^[27][28] Following a worldwide controversy that publicised her as a target of racist bullying within the house (see below), Shetty won the contest after gaining 63% of the public vote and described the experience as "incredible and overwhelming". She further thanked the public for "a fantastic opportunity to make my country proud".^[29]

Post Celebrity Big Brother[link]

In February 2007, Shetty attended a reception at the House of Commons by invitation of Keith Vaz MP to meet with then Prime Minister Tony Blair. She was also invited to meet with Queen Elizabeth II at Marlborough House in London in March 2007. During an interview on This Morning, Shetty confirmed that she had been asked to act in the British EastEnders soap opera, and turned it down as it would mean all her other arrangements would have to go on hold.^[30]

She was the subject of a Sky One documentary entitled The Real Shilpa Shetty, which was produced by British television production company Twofour. The large number of commercial offers that Shilpa received after winning Celebrity Big Brother themselves became reason for controversy with an increasing number of accusations about her riding the 'racism' wave to commercial gain.^[31] She was on the cover of the first issue of OK! Magazine to be sold in India.^[32]

In early September 2007 she modelled at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, which also displayed some famous Bollywood actresses including Lara Dutta and Celina Jaitley.^[33] As of October 2007, Shilpa will be seen in a musical titled Miss Bollywood. On her agenda next is a cookery book titled Soul Curry and the role of Sita in Uru Patel's international venture Hanuman.^[34]

Bigg Boss[link]

In August 2008, Shetty began hosting the second season of Bigg Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother. Controversially, Jade Goody was one of the initial housemates. Goody left the Bigg Boss House early in the series after receiving news that she had cervical cancer, of which she later died on 22 March 2009.

Indian Premier League[link]

In February 2009 Shilpa and her husband Raj Kundra became part owners of the Indian Premier League franchise cricket team Rajasthan Royals by paying approximately US $15.4 million for a 11.7% stake.

HIV-AIDS[link]

In February 2006 Shetty lent support to a BBC World Service Trust television show designed to tackle the problem of HIV-AIDS in India.^[35] The project, which also involved other celebrities Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, and Raveena Tandon in separate episodes, featured Shetty as she shadowed a young achiever whose work involved raising awareness about the condition. According to reports, she participated in order to show solidarity with HIV-AIDS sufferers.^[35]

The issue is particularly close to Shetty's heart as she had portrayed an HIV-positive sufferer in her 2004 movie Phir Milenge. Speaking about the movie and HIV in general, Shetty said: "Why not a film on HIV positive patients? It is a social stigma in our society. We made this film to highlight this problem ... This film will bring about a social awareness about AIDS in our country. It is high time we talked about this in our society".^[14]

PETA[link]

In March 2006 various sources reported Shetty's joining PETA as part of an advertising campaign against the use of wild animals in circuses.^[36] According to a PETA India press release, Shetty is a long-time PETA supporter and has assisted the campaign by posing for photographs in a figure-hugging tiger costume. She explained that her crouching in a cage was uncomfortable during the photoshoot, but that her discomfort was insignificant compared to the pain suffered by the creatures. "These once dignified animals only leave their cages, which are barely larger than the size of their bodies, for a few minutes each day to be forced into the ring to perform tricks which make no sense and are upsetting to them. The best way to help animals suffering in circuses is to boycott the circus".^[37]

Shetty revealed in a later interview that she felt strongly about this cause and that she was appalled to hear of the cruel treatment suffered by such animals. "I thought I should stop that. If I can make a little difference to their lives, why not go for it?"^[14]

Personal life[link]

Shilpa Shetty with husband Raj Kundra. On May 21st 2012, the couple welcomed a baby boy!

Shetty married Raj Kundra on 22 November 2009 and announced on her web site that "I am officially Shilpa Shetty Kundra now!!"^[38][39]. Shilpa gave birth to baby boy on 21 May 2012 early in the morning.^[40]

Controversies[link]

Obscenity charges[link]

In April 2006, a Madurai court issued non-bailable warrants against Shetty and Reema Sen for "posing in an obscene manner" in photographs published by a Tamil newspaper.^[41] The report stated that the two actresses had failed to comply with earlier summons for the same reason, hence the issuance of the warrants.^[41] The petitioner submitted that the paper had published "very sexy blow-ups and medium blow-ups" in its December 2005 and January 2006 issues, and alleged that these violated the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986, Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act 1956, and the Indian Penal Code Section 292 (Sale of Obscene Books). The petitioner further demanded that the images be confiscated under the terms of the Press and Registration of Book Act 1867.

Shetty responded that she had not received any court summons and also discounted the charges. She further claimed that the pictures were freeze-frame shots from a recent movie that only exposed her navel. "As far as my photographs go, what is obscene about it? If navel-showing is obscenity, then our traditional Indian outfit – the traditional sari – should be banned in the first place."^[42]

In January 2007 outgoing Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal confirmed that Shetty had written to him requesting that he enunciate guidelines against frivolous lawsuits against artists, but that he had refused her plea on the grounds that she should have filed a formal petition instead of writing a letter.^[43]

Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy[link]

Shetty in 2007

During her time on Celebrity Big Brother, Shetty was the target of racism and bullying by other housemates, chiefly by Jade Goody, Jo O'Meara and Danielle Lloyd.^[44] After mocking the east London dialect of Jade Goody's mother, who mispronounced her name as 'Shiwpa', Shetty was mocked for her Indian accent and was branded "The Indian" and a "dog". Disparaging conversations took place among the other housemates about Indian eating habits, and Shetty's cooking was criticised for giving O'Meara diarrhoea.^[45] After Shetty attempted to dispose of left-over chicken soup down the toilet and caused a blockage, Jack Tweed suggested that she should pick the bones out with her teeth^[45] and allegedly referred to her as a "fucking Paki",^[46] although show producers denied this and stated that the word used was "cunt".^[47][48] During a fierce argument, Goody told Shetty that she needed to "spend a day in the slums", although the media falsely reported this as "go back to the slums".^[49] Claiming that she did not know Shilpa's surname, Jade referred to her as "Shilpa Fuckawallah", "Shilpa Durupa", and "Shilpa Poppadom", later claiming that they were non-racist references to Indian food.^[50][51] Lloyd had opined that Shetty's English-speaking skills were lacking and verbally indicated her desire that Shetty would "fuck off home".^[52] Shetty had been reduced to tears on several occasions, confiding to fellow housemate Ian Watkins: "I feel like I'm losing my dignity."^[45]

Shetty speculated that she might be a victim of racism,^[53] but later retracted it by claiming: "People say things in anger."^[50] A record 40,000 complaints were received jointly by OFCOM and Channel 4 about the treatment of Shetty, 30 of which were formally investigated by Hertfordshire police.^[47][54] Carphone Warehouse suspended its sponsorship of the show^[55] and Louise Burfitt-Dons, the founder of the Act Against Bullying charity, branded Jade Goody's behaviour as "unforgivable".^[56][57] The controversy reached the British Parliament as an early day motion in the House of Commons was tabled.^[58][59] The row then escalated into an international diplomatic incident after a formal complaint from Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma lodged with then British PM Tony Blair that threatened to sour relations and damage trade between the two countries. In the city of Patna in Bihar, India, angry protestors marched in the streets and burned effigies in protest of the show, terming it 'Bigot Brother'.^[60][61]

During a parliamentary Prime Minister's Question Time session Blair responded that "We should oppose racism in all its forms."^[60] Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, who was in India on a goodwill visit, condemned the controversy as "offensive" and the opposite of what Britain stood for: "I want Britain to be seen as a country of fairness and tolerance. Anything that detracts from that I condemn."^[47][62] In an official statement, Channel 4 denied that overt racial abuse or behaviour had been directed at Shetty, but acknowledged that a "cultural and class clash" was responsible for the disputes.^[53] After a thorough investigation, OFCOM made an unprecedented move and issued a ruling that Channel 4 were guilty of broadcasting potentially racist material, and required them to make multiple apologies on air during the next Big Brother season.^[63][64]

Richard Gere kissing incident[link]

On 15 April 2007, Richard Gere kissed Shetty on the cheek several times in jest during an AIDS-awareness event.^[65] The pair were appearing at a press conference in New Delhi as part of a campaign to preach safe sex to truck drivers in India and promote AIDS awareness.^[66] The kiss, considered an attack on India's cultural and moral values^[who?], prompted protesters – alleged members of the extremist Hindu group Shiv Sena – to beat burning effigies of Gere with sticks.^[67] Others set fire to glamour shots of Shetty. Some groups demanded an apology from her and threatened to ban her movies in the state.^[68] Shiv Sena leaders denied involvement in the protests, but Shiv Sena member of parliament Sanjay Raut observed that the protests are "just a manifestation of the anger of the general public" and that there was "nothing wrong with expressing contempt at such an act".^[69]

Similar protests broke out in other cities, including Varanasi, Hinduism's holiest city, and the northern town of Meerut, where crowds of hundreds of thousands chanted "Down with Shilpa Shetty!" The STAR News office was also attacked. The protests did not take any violent turn and the situation was quickly brought under control, with some activists being detained.^[70]

Shetty responded to these protests by saying, "I understand this (kissing) is his (Gere's) culture, not ours. But this was not such a big thing or so obscene for people to overreact in such a manner. I understand people's sentiments, but I do not want a foreigner to take bad memories from here."^[70]

On 26 April 2007, an Indian court in Rajasthan issued a warrant for Shetty and Gere's arrest.^[71]

The legal action against both Shetty and Gere has been suspended by the Indian Supreme Court until the court decides on the case's proper jurisdiction. Gere has since expressed regret for causing any offence and Shetty has said, "so much has been blown out of proportion."^[72]

Awards and nominations[link]

Filmography[link]

See also[link]

• List of Indian film actresses

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Shilpa Shetty

• Shilpa Shetty at the Internet Movie Database
• Profile Page at BBC News

v t e Big Brother in the United Kingdom Big Brother Series Regular 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 Celebrity 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 Special Teen · Panto · Celebrity Hijack · Ultimate Winners Regular Craig Phillips · Brian Dowling · Kate Lawler · Cameron Stout · Nadia Almada · Anthony Hutton · Pete Bennett · Brian Belo · Rachel Rice · Sophie Reade · Josie Gibson · Aaron Allard-Morgan Celebrity Jack Dee · Mark Owen · Bez · Chantelle Houghton · Shilpa Shetty · Ulrika Jonsson · Alex Reid · Paddy Doherty · Denise Welch Special Paul Brennan · John Loughton · Brian Dowling Main presenters Current Marcus Bentley · Brian Dowling · Emma Willis · Alice Levine · Jamie East Former Davina McCall · George Lamb · Dermot O'Leary · Russell Brand · James Corden · Mathew Horne · Zezi Ifore · Jack Whitehall Related articles Endemol · John de Mol · Channel 4/E4 · Channel 5/5* · Controversy and criticism · Housemates · Celebrity housemates · Jade Goody · Celebrity Big Brother racism controversy · Dead Set · "Bad Wolf" (Doctor Who episode) Category ·  Commons

Katrina Kaif
Katrina Kaif in 2012
Born	(1984-07-16) 16 July 1984 (age 27) Hong Kong
Residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Nationality	British[1]
Ethnicity	British Indian
Occupation	Model, Actress
Years active	2003 – present

Katrina Kaif (born 16 July 1984^[2]) is a British Indian actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi-language film industry.^[3][4] She has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. She was voted the sexiest Asian woman in the world by Eastern Eye in the years 2008, 2009 and 2010.^[5][6] Being a British citizen, she works in India on an employment visa.^[1]

Kaif made her acting debut with Kaizad Gustad's box office bomb Boom (2003). She tasted success in 2007 with Vipul Shah's Namastey London and followed with such films as Anees Bazmee's Welcome (2007), Abbas-Mustan's Race (2008) and Kabir Khan's New York (2009).^[7] She has since appeared in critically and commercially successful films like Prakash Jha's political thriller Rajneeti (2010) and Zoya Akhtar's dramedy Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011).^[8]

Early years and personal life[link]

Kaif was born in Hong Kong,^[9] to an Indian Kashmiri father,^[10][11][12] Mohammed Kaif, and an English mother, Susanna Turquotte,^[13] both of whom are British citizens. Her parents divorced when she was very young. Kaif once stated, "My dad, unfortunately, and not out of choice, has had no influence on our upbringing, on our religious or social or moral bearings."^[14] When she came to India, she changed her surname to Kaif, because it was Indian in origin.^[15] Furthermore, Ayesha Shroff has maintained that the actress' original name is Katrina Turquotte.^[15] Kaif has seven siblings; a brother and six sisters.^[16] From Hong Kong, she and her family moved to China, then to Japan. From there she went to France when she was 8, and thereafter lived for a few months at a time in Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Belgium, and other European countries.^[17] Then she moved with her family to Hawaii, and eventually to her mother's home country of England. Although it is often assumed that Kaif is from London, she lived there only for three years before finally moving to Mumbai.^[17]

Religious views[link]

Kaif is known to have secular religious views, and has been to various religious places in India,^[18] including Hindu, Sikh and Islamic places of worship.^[19] She has been seen worshipping at Siddhivinayak temple, Hindu temples in Haridwar, Shirdi, Amritsar's Golden temple and Ajmer Sharif dargah.^[19][20][21]

Career[link]

Modeling and early film career (1998–2004)[link]

Kaif began her modeling career at age fourteen; her first assignment was for a jewelry campaign. She continued modeling in London under a contract with the Models 1 Agency and did campaigns for houses such as La Senza and Arcadius, and even walked on the London Fashion Week.^[22]

Kaif's modeling work led to her discovery by London-based filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, who gave her a part in his film Boom (2003). The film, which starred Amitabh Bachchan and Gulshan Grover, failed to make an impact. She then moved to Mumbai and was offered a number of modeling assignments, but filmmakers were hesitant to cast Kaif due to her poor command of Hindi.^[23][24]

Breakthrough (2005–2006)[link]

In 2005, Kaif made a cameo in Ram Gopal Verma's drama Sarkar, as Abhishek Bachchan's girlfriend. The same year, she landed her first major role in David Dhawan's adaptation of Cactus Flower, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, where she was paired opposite Salman Khan. The film also featured Sushmita Sen, Arshad Warsi, Isha Koppikar and Sohail Khan in leading roles. Upon release, the film became a moderate success with Taran Adarsh, a prominent film critic, mentioning Kaif as a "complete revelation".^[25] The following year, she was paired opposite Akshay Kumar for the first time in Raj Kanwar's box-office flop Humko Deewana Kar Gaye. However, for her portrayal of Jia A. Yashvardhan, Adarsh wrote, "Taking giant strides as an actor, Katrina is, without doubt, the star of the show. It's her magnetic presence and dependable performance that you carry home once the show has ended." ^[26]

Success (2007– present)[link]

Katrina Kaif at Book launch of 'Raajneeti - The Film & Beyond, 2012

In 2007, Kaif appeared in four films, all of which were successful at the box office. Her first release was Vipul Shah's romantic-comedy Namastey London. Kaif portrayed the character of a British Indian girl named Jasmeet "Jazz" Malhotra, alongside Rishi Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Clive Standen. Upon its release, the film became a major hit, with Nikhat Kazmi, of the The Times Of India praising the chemistry between the leading couple.^[27] She next played a supporting role in Anil Sharma's melodrama Apne. Featuring Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Kirron Kher and Shilpa Shetty, the film was a box-office hit.^[28] Her next release was David Dhawan's unofficial remake of Hitch, Partner, where she starred alongside Salman Khan, Govinda, and Lara Dutta. Her final film of 2007, Welcome, directed by Anees Bazmee and co-starring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Anil Kapoor, was declared a blockbuster in India,^[28] despite negative reviews from critics.

Her first release of 2008 was Abbas-Mustan's action-thriller Race; she played Saif Ali Khan's secretary, Sophia, who is secretly in love with his hostile stepbrother (played by Akshay Khanna). The film also featured Anil Kapoor, Bipasha Basu and Sameera Reddy in leading roles. Despite its success, Kazmi wrote, "Katrina is too pale as the blousy secretary who comes into her own only when she gets seductive with a Touch me, kiss me tenor. " ^[29]

Kaif was next seen in Anees Bazmee's action comedy Singh Is Kinng, portraying Akshay Kumar's love interest and Ranvir Shorey's fiancée. After its release, the film was declared a blockbuster, making it Kaif's sixth consecutive success at the box office. The movie also emerged as the third highest grossing film of 2008.^[30] Kaif's final release of the year, Subhash Ghai's Yuvvraaj, was a commercial failure,^[31] but its script made its way into the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for artistic merit, original screenplay with a substance, and the film as a whole.^[32][33]

In 2009, she featured in Kabir Khan's terrorism drama New York, with John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh. It was a critical and commercial success in both India and overseas.^[34] Kaif's performance was highly praised: Taran Adarsh wrote, "Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time."^[35] For her performance, Kaif received her first Filmfare nomination in the Best Actress category.^[7] She next had a cameo in the star-studded action-thriller Blue, popularly known as India's first underwater thriller, with Akshay Kumar and Zayed Khan.^[36] However, it was declared a flop. In November 2009, she appeared along with Ranbir Kapoor, in Rajkumar Santoshi's blockbuster comedy Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, as Jennifer Pinto. Critics mostly praised her fresh chemistry with Kapoor rather than her performance as a whole.^[37] Her final release that year was Priyadarshan's star-studded De Dana Dan with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal and Neha Dhupia. Despite a good opening, the film failed to do well at the box office.^[38]

Kaif's first release of 2010 was Prakash Jha's political thriller Raajneeti, where she appeared opposite Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. The film was a modern-day adaptation of The Mahabharata set against the political backdrop of Delhi. Nana Patekar, Manoj Bajpai and Shruti Seth also played starring roles. Upon release, the film performed extremely well at the box office, and earned Kaif favourable reviews for her portrayal of the dynamic Indu Sakseria.^[39] Her final release that year was Farah Khan's brainless comedy Tees Maar Khan with Akshay Kumar.^[40] The film received unanimous negative reviews from critics and was declared a flop. However, Kaif's item number Sheila Ki Jawani became a major chartbuster.^[41]

Kaif (second from left) promoting ZNMD in Chandigarh with the cast of the film

In 2011, she was seen alongside Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin in Zoya Akhtar's dramedy Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara,^[42] which emerged as a major critical and commercial success. Kaif was praised for her portrayal of a fun-loving diving instructor Laila. Taran Adarsh wrote, "Katrina is a revelation...the actress continues to surprise you with her performances in film after film."^[43] She next featured in Yash Raj Films' comedy Mere Brother Ki Dulhan opposite Imran Khan and Ali Zafar.^[44] The film was successful at the box office, and earned Kaif positive notice for her portrayal of vivacious punk-rock girl Dimple Dixit, with Rahul Gangwani saying "the film ultimately belongs to Katrina Kaif. She sparkles, sizzles and infuses energy into the film."^[45] Consequently, she received her second Filmfare nomination in the Best Actress category.

As of January 2012, Kaif is set to appear in three high-profile productions under the Yash Raj Films banner such as Kabir Khan's spy thriller Ek Tha Tiger opposite Salman Khan, Yash Chopra's Untitled Project alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Anushka Sharma and Vijay Krishna Acharya's adventure film Dhoom 3 alongside Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Uday Chopra and Rimi Sen.

Voice dubbing[link]

It should be noted that due to her poor knowledge of Hindi (and other Indian languages), Kaif's voice was often dubbed by another actress. However, with the exception of De Dana Dan she has used her own voice for all of her films since New York. Earlier, she had dubbed for films like Namastey London and Singh Is Kinng.^[46]

Brand endorsements[link]

In the year 2002, Katrina Kaif was chosen as Coca-Cola's brand ambassador in Tamil Nadu along with Tamil leading actor Vijay. The Coca-Cola advertisement was popular in Tamil Nadu, with Katrina Kaif and Vijay dancing to a Tamil song called "Gullu Gullu".^[47] She has also worked for several skin products companies, particularly Veet, as well as several multi-national brands, such as Panasonic.^[48] Katrina is now the brand ambassador of the national airline of the United Arab Emirates – Etihad Airways.^[49]

Awards[link]

She has won 14 awards including Filmfare awards and also nominated for 13 awards till now.

Filmography[link]

See also[link]

Bollywood portal

• British Indian

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Katrina Kaif

• Katrina Kaif at the Internet Movie Database

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2012)

Neha Dhupia
Neha Dhupia at Manish Malhotra - Lilavati Save & Empower Girl Child show, 2012
Born	(1980-08-27) 27 August 1980 (age 31) Cochin, Kerala, India
Other names	Chhotu or Chotu
Occupation	Actress, model
Years active	2000–present
Website
nehadhupia.net

Neha Dhupia (Punjabi: ਨੇਹਾ ਧੂਪੀਆ) is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. She is a former beauty queen and winner of Femina Miss India 2002.

Early life[link]

Dhupia was born in Cochin, Kerala to a Punjabi Sikh family.^[1] Her father, Commander Pradip Singh Dhupia, served in the Indian Navy and mother, Manpinder, is a homemaker. She went to Naval Public School then transferred to Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi.^[2] She graduated from Jesus and Mary College, Delhi University majoring in History.^[3]

Career[link]

Dhupia made her acting debut in a play in New Delhi called Graffiti. Thereafter she appeared in a music video for Indipop band Euphoria and also modeled for various advertisement campaigns. She then appeared in the TV serial "Rajdhani ^{[disambiguation needed ]}". In 2002 she entered the Femina Miss India pageant finishing in first place, winning the Femina Miss India Universe title, and was subsequently sent to the Miss Universe 2002 pageant in Puerto Rico. She was placed in the top 10.

Film career[link]

Dhupia made her film debut in the 2003 Bollywood film Qayamat: City Under Threat (2003), which performed averagely at the box office. She rose to fame with her role in the film Julie and then appeared in Sheesha (2005) in a dual role of twin sisters, but the film did not do well at the box office. She then starred in films such as Kyaa Kool Hai Hum (2005) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (2007), which did well at the box office, and also featured in a segment of the anthology film Dus Kahaniyaan (2007).

In the following years, Dhupia appeared in supporting roles in multiple critically and commercially acclaimed films including Chup Chup Ke (2006), Ek Chalis Ki Last Local (2007), Mithya (2008), Maharathi (2008), Singh Is Kinng (2008) and Dasvidaniya (2008). In 2011, she plays Eva Braun in the film Dear Friend Hitler -a film about Mahatma Gandhi.

Her most recent films are Paying Guest, Action Replayy De Dana Dan and Pappu cant dance sala . She has also worked on her first international project with Chris Kattan in IFC's Bollywood Hero.

Charity work[link]

Dhupia is involved with the Concern India Foundation, an NGO which assists lower income women and children as well as the elderly. She has run in the Mumbai Marathon to support the charity and helped to raise over 5 lakhs.^[4] She also helped to raise money for victims of the 2011 Sikkim earthquake.^[5]

Filmography[link]

She performed in the GR8 Womens Award 2012.

See also[link]

• List of Indian film actresses
• Femina Miss India

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Neha Dhupia

• Neha Dhupia at the Internet Movie Database
• Detailed Profile
• Neha Dhupia Home Page

Zhang Ziyi
Zhang Ziyi in May 2011
Chinese name	章子怡
Pinyin	Zhāng Zǐyí (Mandarin)
Born	(1979-02-09) 9 February 1979 (age 33) Beijing, China
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1996–present
Parents	Zhang Yuanxiao (father) Li Zhousheng (mother)
Official Website	www.helloziyi.com

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Zhang Ziyi (born 9 February 1979), sometimes credited as Ziyi Zhang, is a Chinese film actress. Chinese media have called her one of the Four Young Dan Actresses (四小花旦) in China's film industry, along with Zhao Wei, Xu Jinglei and Zhou Xun.^[1]

Her first major role was in The Road Home (1999). She achieved fame in the West after leading roles in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Rush Hour 2 (2001), House of Flying Daggers (2004), and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005). She has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards and a Golden Globe Award.

Early life[link]

Zhang was born and raised in Beijing to Zhang Yuanxiao, an accountant and later economist, and Li Zhousheng, a kindergarten teacher.^[2][3] She is very close to her older brother, Zhang Zinan (Chinese: 章子男; pinyin: Zhāng Zǐnán; born 1973). Zhang began studying dance when she was 8 years old; subsequently, she joined the Beijing Dance Academy by her parents' suggestion at the age of 11.^[4] While at this boarding school, she noticed how mean the other girls were to each other while competing for status amongst the teachers. Zhang disliked the attitudes of her peers and teachers so much that, on one occasion, she ran away from the school.^[3] At the age of 15, Zhang won the national youth dance championship and began appearing in television commercials in Hong Kong.^[5]

In 1996, Zhang entered China's prestigious Central Academy of Drama (regarded as the top acting college in China) at the age of 17.

Career[link]

1999–2002[link]

She rose to further fame in 2000 with her role as Jen (Chinese version: Yu Jiao Long) in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for which she won several awards in the Western world, such as Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, Toronto Film Critics Association Awards and Independent Spirit Awards. Zhang's first appearance in an American movie was in Rush Hour 2.^[6] In the movie, her character's name is "Hu Li", which is Mandarin Chinese for "Fox".

Zhang then appeared in Hero (2002), with her early mentor Zhang Yimou. This was a huge success in the English-speaking world and was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe award in the category of Best Foreign Language Film.

2003–2006[link]

She then signed on to film an avant-garde drama, Purple Butterfly (2003), which competed in the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. Zhang went back to the martial arts genre in House of Flying Daggers (2004), which earned her a Best Actress nomination from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. In 2046 (2004), directed by Wong Kar-wai, starring many of the best-known Chinese actors and actresses, Zhang was the female lead and won the Hong Kong Film Critics' Best Actress Award and the Hong Kong Film Academy's Best Actress Award.

Showing her whimsical musical tap-dancing side, Zhang starred in Princess Raccoon, directed by Japanese legend Seijun Suzuki, who was honored at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. She then accepted the lead role of Sayuri in the film adaptation based on the international bestseller Memoirs of a Geisha. Controversy arose in Japan and China about having a Chinese woman portray a Japanese geisha. For this film, she was reunited with her 2046 co-star Gong Li and with Crouching Tiger co-star Michelle Yeoh. For the role, Zhang received a 2006 Golden Globe Award nomination, a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and a BAFTA nomination.

Zhang has also been known to sing, and was featured on the House of Flying Daggers soundtrack with her own musical rendition of the ancient Chinese poem, Jia Rén Qu (佳人曲, The Beauty Song). The song was also featured in two scenes in the film.

On 27 June 2005, it was announced that Zhang had accepted an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), placing her among the ranks of those able to vote on the Academy Awards.^[7] She then appeared as Empress Wan in The Banquet (2006), a film set in the Tang Dynasty.

2007–present[link]

Zhang provided the voice of Karai in TMNT (2007). She later starred in Forever Enthralled (2008) and appeared in The Horsemen (2009) with Dennis Quaid.

In January 2010, it was announced she had plans to produce a film adaptation of Snow Flower and the Secret Fan; however, it was announced that she had turned down the role due to a busy schedule.^[8]

In July 2010, plans were revealed for a live-action version of the Chinese folk tale of Hua Mulan, previously popularized by Disney through their 1998 animated movie.^[9] The film was to be directed by Jan de Bont, and would star Zhang as the titular heroine. Shootings were scheduled to begin in September 2010,^[10] but ultimately did not commence due to insufficient financial resources.^[11] The current status of the project is unknown.

Zhang has been cast in the role of Lin Huiyin in a 2011 film.^[12]

Along with Aaron Kwok, Zhang stars in an AIDS-themed film "Love for Life" premiering on 10 May 2011.^[13]

In September 2011, the Chinese-Korean co-production of the film 'Liaisons' (Weixian Guanxi) begins, where Zhang will star next to Cecilia Cheung and Zhang Dongjian. Zhang Ziyi is reported to earn 20 million RMB (approximately $3.5 million) for her role, in an adaptation of the French novel 'Les Liaisons Dangereuses', narrating Shanghai of the 1930s.^[14] The film is expected to be released in late 2012.

Ambassadorship and representation[link]

Advertising billboard in Hong Kong of Zhang Ziyi fronting Omega SA watches

Zhang is the face of Maybelline, Garnier, Omega Watches and Shangri-la Hotel and Resort Group. She is also a Global Ambassador for the Special Olympics and a spokesperson for "Care for Children," a foster-home program in China.

Personal life[link]

Soon after Zhang's debut in Zhang Yimou's The Road Home, rumors arose regarding a possible affair between the actress and the older director. Yimou was previously rumored to be involved in an affair with actress Gong Li, whom he similarly debuted and with whom Ziyi was quickly compared. However, no relationships were ever confirmed.^[15]

Zhang was engaged to Aviv "Vivi" Nevo, a venture capitalist. They separated in late 2010:

In the July 2006 issue of Interview magazine, Zhang Ziyi spoke of her movies' contents and being careful about the roles she takes on, especially in Hollywood:

Zhang obtained Hong Kong residentship through the Quality Migrant Admission Scheme for her contribution to the local film industry.^[18] After several screen performances in 2010 and beginning of 2011, in May 2011 Zhang was named ambassador for the ScreenSingapore 2011 film festival, joining American director Oliver Stone.^[19]

Controversy[link]

On May 29th 2012, Zhang was named in a report linking her to Bo Xilai, a prominent Chinese politician and the former Chongqing party secretary of China, in which the two were involved in a prostitution ring where Zhang provided sexual services in exchange for money and claims of a secret relationship between Bo and herself. American-based Chinese-language news Website Boxun.com reported saying that Bo’s associate, Chinese business tycoon, Xu Ming, founder and chairman of Dalian Shide F.C., arranged secretive meetings for the two more than 10 times between 2007 to 2011. It is reported that Zhang had slept with two high ranking Chinese government officials for a total of 46 million Taiwanese dollars (approx. $1.55 million USD for each service). On May 30th 2012, Zhang said on her personal microblog that many people “can take wind as rain” using their imaginations implying a denial of allegations of her interactions with Bo Xilai.^[20]

Zhang has initiated legal action against Apple Daily, a Hong Kong tabloid which published the report, for defamation.^[21][22]

Filmography[link]

Awards and nominations[link]

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