Karan Johar
Karan Johar at Fox Star Studios' Press Conference for My Name Is Khan.
Born	Karan Dharma Kama Johar (1972-05-25) 25 May 1972 (age 40) Mumbai, Maharastra, India
Occupation	Actor, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, Costume designer, Television host
Years active	1995–present
Parents	Yash Johar Hiroo Johar

Karan Johar (born 25 May 1972) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, Costume designer and Television host based in Bollywood. He is the son of Hiroo Johar and Yash Johar.^[1][2] He is also the head of the production company Dharma Productions. He is most known for directing and producing some of Bollywood's highest grossing films in India and abroad. The four films he has directed, all starring Shahrukh Khan, have been India's highest grossing productions in the overseas market.^[3] The success of those films resulted in crediting Johar for changing the way Indian cinema has been perceived in the West.^[3]

Johar entered the film industry as an actor in Aditya Chopra's Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. He later made his directorial debut with the highly successful romantic comedy, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai which won him a Filmfare Award For Best Director and Filmfare Best Screenplay Award. His following directorial efforts were the family drama, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001) and the romantic drama, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006), a movie which dealt with the theme of adultery. Both films were major financial successes in India and abroad. Johar thus established himself as one of the most successful filmmakers in Bollywood.^[4][5] His fourth film, My Name Is Khan (2010) was met with positive reviews and grossed over 2 billion worldwide.^[6] It earned him his second Best Director award at the Filmfare ceremony.

Early life[link]

Karan Johar was born in Mumbai, India to Indian Bollywood film producer Yash Johar, founder of Dharma Productions and Hiroo Johar. He studied at the Greenlawns High School and attended H.R. College of Commerce and Economics, both in Mumbai. He received a Masters degree in French.^[7]

As a child, he was influenced by commercial Indian cinema and he cites Raj Kapoor, Yash Chopra and Sooraj R. Barjatya as his inspirations.^[2][8] For a period of time, Johar followed numerology, creating film titles in which the first word and a number of others in the title began with the letter "K." After watching the 2006 film, Lage Raho Munna Bhai which was critical of numerology, Johar decided to stop this practice.^[9]

Career[link]

Acting and directing[link]

Johar formally entered the film industry as an actor, portraying Raj's (Shahrukh Khan) close friend in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995). He was also assistant director on the film and helped director Aditya Chopra in writing the screenplay.^[2] In addition, he selected Shahrukh Khan's costumes, something he continued to do for Shahrukh Khan's other movies like Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Duplicate (1998), Mohabbatein (2000), Main Hoon Na and Veer-Zaara (2004) and Om Shanti Om (2007).^[2]

Johar made his directorial debut at the age of 25 with the cult film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998 which he also wrote the story and screenplay for. Johar first wrote a story about a love triangle between a tomboy, a very pretty looking girl and a slightly insensitive boy but he shelved the idea because he was not satisfied with it. Then he wrote an other plot about a widower and his child. which he shelved as well. Eventually he decided to merge the two stories into one. He explained in an interview with Rediff: "It was about the trauma of a widower and his little child. How the child really wants a mother and how she brings her mother into her father's life. Then I thought: Why not bring an youth aspect to the story? Why not a flashback? That's how the story got made." ^[10] Starring Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji, the film was well received by critics and audience alike. It won a National awards, eight Filmfare Awards in 1998 including Best Movie, Best Director and all four Best Actor awards for both leading and supporting roles.^[2][11] It was also the highest grossing Indian movie of the year in India and abroad and was declared an all time blockbuster by Box Office India.^[12]

Johar with Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, with whom he forms the famous trio of Indian cinema

Johar's second directorial effort was the family drama, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, released in 2001. It featured an ensemble star-cast that included Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan. It was the fifth film to star Khan and Kajol and their last together in the decade until their next cast, again by Johar, in 2010. Johar stated that he make the film because of his desire to create a saga like Yash Chopra's Kabhi Kabhie which dealt with parent-child relationships.^[13] He also added that "The posters of all those big stars glittering on a banner had entranced me in childhood. I said one day I will make a film with big stars standing together in one frame. I integrated both ideas in K3G."^[13] The film was a major financial success and became India's second highest-grossing film of the year and one of the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over 1 billion worldwide.^[14] Box Office India called it "one of the true Worldwide blockbusters of Hindi cinema".^[15] It was also critically well received, winning five Filmfare Awards.^[16]

In May 2005, after taking a four-year break from directing, Johar began working on his third film as a director and fourth film as writer; Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, (Never Say Goodbye). With an ensemble cast including Shahrukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Rani Mukerji and Kirron Kher. The film told the story of two unhappily married couples in New York, which later results in an extramarital affair. On its release in 11 August 2006, the film received generally mixed reviews because it dealt with themes that were considered taboo in the Indian society. Johar, in an interview with CNN-IBN clarified: "When it’s called a film about adultery and infidelity, I’d like to say that it has not been treated frivolously at all. There is a lot of dignity and intensity given to the plot, even though it deals with slightly gray areas of life (...) Though this one treads on gray areas, it never veers towards the black."^[17] The film however, opened to strong box office numbers and became the sixth highest grossing film of the year in India and the highest grossing overseas film of all time.^[18][19] It grossed over 1.13 billion worldwide.^[14]

Although the content of the film was deemed controversial, Johar's work as director and writer was applauded, Rajeev Masand noted: "Few writers have such solid control over their screenplay as Karan Johar does. Few understand the intricacies of narrative as well as he does. Johar goes from highs to lows, from plateaus to peaks with the ease of a pro. He knows exactly how to turn a seemingly ordinary scene into something special with just that one line of dialogue, or that hint of background music."^[20] And Taran Adarsh added: "In a nutshell, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna bears the unmistakable stamp of a genius -- Karan Johar. The master storyteller only polishes his skills further, proving yet again that he's a forward-thinker and also, a progressive storyteller."^[21] The film was shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival and its script was invited to be included in the library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.^[22] It was eventually nominated for ten Filmfare awards, including Best Director and Best Film.

In November 2009, Johar ended shooting for his film My Name Is Khan starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol Devgan, reuniting them after eight years. The film debuted in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 10 February 2010. It was also screened as part of the 60th Berlin International Film Festival's official selection the same month.^[23] Critics noted that with the film, Johar has broken away from his typical style of film making - lavish sets, filmi songs and dance sequences and designer cloths.^[24][25] The filmmaker himself confirmed that, stating: "in all my 11 years as a filmmaker I’ve never felt the experience to be so different. The content of My Name Is Khan is diametrically opposite to whatever I’ve done in the past."^[26] There were also discussion about its content, which was "serious" and "thinking", not a satirical entertainer like his previous films. Speaking about the film, he said in an interview with Bollywood Hungama:"MNIK is an unusual Bollywood film, if at all, and doesn't have those quintessential pre-requisite elements that any Bollywood film has (...) All I can say is that MNIK is going to open windows and doors to many people who have stories to tell and are shy to put their story on the celluloid"^[27] Upon release, the film was met with overwhelmingly positive reviews and strong box office reports; My Name is Khan was the highest-grossing Bollywood film overseas at the time, grosseing over 2 billion worldwide.^[6] Rajeev Masand, in a positive review, noted: "Johar crafts an engaging, stirring saga that is earnest and noble. With this message movie in the mainstream format, the director takes a step in the right direction."^[24] It earned him his second Best Director award at the Filmfare ceremony.

Producer[link]

Dharma Productions, founded by his father, is Johar's production company. He became the main producer of the company after his father's death. In a 2003 interview with The Hindu, he explained his production strategy: "I wanted my production house to walk before running. I need to be streamlined, build my infrastructure. I do want to make all kinds of movies because I have watched all kinds of movies."^[13]

Johar wrote and produced the 2003 film, Kal Ho Naa Ho which was directed by Nikhil Advani. A drama set in New York City, starring Shahrukh Khan, Jaya Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Saif Ali Khan. The film was received favorably by critics and became a box office success in India and the highest grossing film in the overseas that year.^[28] It has won eight Filmfare awards and two National film awards. His 2005 film, Kaal was directed by Soham Shah, Johar's assistant director from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.^[18] He produced two films in 2009, first Ayan Mukerji's coming of age romantic drama Wake Up Sid and the thriller Kurbaan. He is also responsible for the official Hindi-language remake of Stepmom, called We Are Family featuring Kajol, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal in the lead roles which was shot in Mumbai and Sydney, Australia. When Johar first decided to adapt the movie for an Indian audience, he initially intended to buy the rights to the film but eventually opted to co-produce it with Sony Pictures.^[29] The same year, he co-produced the Imran Khan and Sonam Kapoor, starter I Hate Luv Storys with UTV Motion Pictures. The film went on to become a box office hit.^[30]

In an interview with The Times Of India, Johar explained that he had the intention of remaking the 1990 thriller Agneepath which was then produced by his father, because the commercial failure of the film broke his father's heart. The idea of the remake materialized on the sets of his film My Name Is Khan when Johar asked his assistant director Karan Malhotra to revisit it again.^[31] The remake was released in January 2012 to both critical and commercial success. He further produced the 2012 romantic comedy, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. Starring both Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan, the film was met with positive critical reception and moderate box office success.^[32] He will also be producing Dostana 2. and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani.

Television[link]

In 2004, Johar became the host of the celebrity-based chat show, Koffee with Karan, in which he interviewed renowned celebrities from Bollywood and India's glamour world.^[33] The first season of the shown which began airing on Star TV and Star World on November 19, 2004. The programme was met with huge success and became the first English entertainment show to score a huge rating in India.^[34] The season lasted for twenty five episodes. The show was then put on hold due to Johar's commitment to his directorial project, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna but returned for a second season in February 2007. It was then renewed for a third season which commenced in November 2010 after Johar's fourth film, My Name Is Khan was released.^[33] The show is noted for its fresh and witty appeal, and it is very popular with the younger audiences.

Johar's second television outing was the 2010 show Lift Kara De. The concept of the show was to introduce nineteen of the biggest stars of Bollywood to their biggest fan. The Show choses three fans for a superstar. They will perform a task and who ever gathers more money wins the contests and get the opportunity to meet his idol. The money is then multiplied 500 times by the Show and the star and is used to "lift" a life of a very poor family who is in need. It premiered on January 2010 on Sony TV and ended on May 2010 lasting for 28 episodes.

After the third season of the show concluded, Johar stated in an interview with Mid-Day that he will be taking a long hiatus from the show, explaining: "I'm done with Koffee and my other extra-curricular activities for now. In case people have forgotten, I'm a filmmaker."^[35] He further noted: “We should just leave Koffee With Karan where it is. Instead of doing season four, I’d like the audience to remember me as the host of three unforgettable editions.”^[36] However, in February 2012, he confirmed his return to hosting a fourth edition of the show after being approached by the channel as it has been flooded with requests for the show to come back.^[36] Johar announced that he will start working on the new season after he finishes directing Student Of The Year.^[36] The fourth season will start airing from June and will feature a new format.^[36]

Filmography[link]

Actor

• Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) – Rocky
• Main Hoon Na (2004) – Credits
• Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak (2005) – Himself
• Alag (2006) – (himself/voice in the song "Sabse Alag")
• Salaam-e-Ishq (2007) – (himself/voice)
• Om Shanti Om (2007) – (cameo as himself)
• C Kkompany (2008) – (cameo as the Game show host)
• Fashion (2008) – (cameo as himself)
• Luck by Chance (2009) – (cameo as himself)

Awards[link]

National Film Awards[link]

Won

• 1999: National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment (Director) - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai

Filmfare Awards[link]

Won

• 1999: Best Director - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
• 1999: Best Screenplay – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
• 2002: Best Dialogue – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
• 2011: Best Director – My Name Is Khan

Nominated

• 2002: Best Director – Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
• 2004: Best Movie – Kal Ho Na Ho
• 2008: Best Director – Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna
• 2009: Best Movie - Dostana
• 2010: Best Movie - Wake Up Sid

IIFA Awards[link]

Won

• 2001: Best Costume Designer – Mohabbatein
• 2002: Best Dialogue – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
• 2004: Best Story – Kal Ho Na Ho
• 2011: Best Director - My Name Is Khan

Nominated

• 2002: Best Director – Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
• 2008: Best Director – Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna

Star Screen Awards[link]

Won

• 1999: Best Director – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
• 2004: Best Screenplay – Kal Ho Naa Ho

Nominated

• 2002: Best Director – Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
• 2004: Best Movie – Kal Ho Na Ho

Zee Cine Awards[link]

• 1999: Best Director – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
• 2011: Best Director – My Name Is Khan
• 2011: Best Story – My Name Is Khan^[37]

Honors[link]

• In 2007, Johar was chosen as one of 250 Global Young Leaders by the Geneva-based World Economic Forum 2006.^[38]
• On 30 September 2006, Johar became the first Indian filmmaker to be a jury member in the Miss World competition, in Warsaw, Poland.^[39]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Karan Johar

• My Name Is Karan – Karan Johar's Official Blog
• Karan Johar at the Internet Movie Database

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Komal Nahta is the editor and publisher of "Film Information", India's largest film trade journal. He is also an anchor of the Trade show ETC Bollywood Business on the Bollywood TV channels ETC and Zee Cinema. ^[1] He is also the co-owner of koimoi.com which is a joint foray into the Online Entertainment & News segment in partnership with Mr. Alok Kejriwal (CEO, Games2Win India Pvt. Ltd.). He is also the Chairman of Eros International.

Career[link]

His interviews are carried by many satellite channels, including CNBC, STAR, Zee, B4U, NDTV, Zoom and Doordarshan. He was also the Bollywood representative of the BBC for almost 10 years. The Asian Development bank(ADB) has appointed him advisor for its film financing division, the first person from the film industry to be so appointed. He has recently launched a new tabloid called "The Film Street Journal".^[2]

On 26 April 2010, Nahta replaced Taran Adarsh as the host of ETC Bollywood Business on the indian TV channels ETC (India) and Zee Cinema (UK). The show airs daily on weekdays at 8:30 pm in India^[3] and at 7:30 pm in the UK. On Mondays, the show is about the previous fridays collections. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Nahta speaks to various artists from the film industry. Thursdays preview films releasing on Friday. On Fridays, Nahta will be review films released on that day.^[4][5] The show launched the first episode with Sajid Nadiadwala as the guest. He is also the Editor of Entertainment website www.koimoi.com^[6] He has also given a special appearance in the 2010 comedy, Tees Maar Khan, along with Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif and Akshaye Khanna.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Profile from Sify.com
• Komal Nahta on Twitter
• Box Office Half-Yearly Report Card: RED MARKS ALL THE WAY!
• Alliance Against Copyright Theft To Combat Piracy: A Joke
• Google search results

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Priyanka Chopra
Chopra unveils the new range of Nikon cameras, April 2012.
Born	(1982-07-18) 18 July 1982 (age 29) Jamshedpur, Bihar, India (now in Jharkhand, India)
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	actress, model, singer-songwriter
Years active	2002–present
Relatives	Parineeti Chopra (Cousin)
Website
iampriyankachopra.com

Priyanka Chopra (pronounced [prɪˈjəŋkaː ˈtʃoːpɽaː]; born 18 July 1982)^[1] is an Indian actress, singer-songwriter and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000.^[2] She is often referred to by the nickname "Piggy Chops", which was given to her by co-stars on the set of the film Bluffmaster!^[3] During her career, Chopra has received four Filmfare Awards, among seven nominations and one National Film Award for Best Actress.

Chopra made her acting debut with the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan. The following year, she made her Bollywood film debut with The Hero: Love Story of a Spy and followed it with the hit Andaaz, for which she won a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. In 2004, she became the second woman to win the Filmfare Best Villain Award, which she received for her critically acclaimed performance in Aitraaz. She subsequently appeared in successful films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005), Krrish (2006) and Don (2006).^[4]

2008 marked the beginning of a new phase in Chopra's career. Her portrayal of a troubled model in Fashion earned her a National Film Award for Best Actress, as well as a Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She received further critical acclaim for roles in films like Kaminey (2009), What's Your Raashee? (2009) and 7 Khoon Maaf (2011), for which she won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and followed it with commercially successful films such as Don 2 (2011) and Agneepath (2012).^[5][6] Having done so, Chopra established herself as one of the leading contemporary actresses in Bollywood.^[7][8]

In addition to movie acting, Chopra is a trained western classical singer. She signed a worldwide recording agreement with Universal Music and Desi Hits to record and release her first music album. The first single is expected to release in June 2012.^[9]

Early life and background[link]

Chopra was born in Jamshedpur, Bihar,(now in Jharkhand) to Ashok Chopra and Madhu Akhauri, both physicians by profession in the Indian Army. She spent 7 years in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh; Newton, Massachusetts; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.^[10] Her father hails from a family of Punjabi origin, settled in Ambala district in the state of Haryana and her mother, from a (Bhagalpur) Bihari family settled in Jamshedpur. She also has a brother, Siddharth, who is seven years younger than her. Her cousin Parineeti Chopra is also an actress.^[11]

Chopra studied at La Martiniere Girls' School in Lucknow as a young girl. She subsequently re-located to the U.S. where she studied in Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts and then in John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.^[12] She returned to India and finished her high school at Army Public School in Bareilly. She registered for her college studies at Jai Hind College in Mumbai.^[13]

Acting career[link]

Debut and breakthrough (2002–03)[link]

Chopra made her debut in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan playing the role of Priya, the love interest of the protaginist in the film played by Vijay. The film was praised for its wit, although the depth of Chopra's character was seen as lacking.^[14] Chopra also sang playback in the film, singing "Ullathai Killadhe" along with Vijay. In 2003, she appeared in her first Bollywood film, opposite Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in the Anil Sharma film The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. She played a supporting role as a doctor named Shaheen in the film that The New York Times described as "ripping its text from the seething border tensions between India and Pakistan, spicing its conflict with hot-tempered religious zealots bent on nuclear havoc".^[15] Despite being one of the highest grossing films of that year, the overall film was not well received by critics.^[16] Chopra was awarded mostly good reviews for her debut Hindi performance.^[17] Later that year she appeared in Raj Kanwar's Andaaz, playing the character of Jiya who falls in love with Raj Malhotra, played by Akshay Kumar. The film was a success at the box office,^[16] earning her a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and a nomination for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Rediff.com said of her role, "Priyanka Chopra alone clicks with the audience, thanks to her skimpy outfits."^[18]

Initial success and professional setbacks (2004–08)[link]

Her next few films released in 2004 Plan opposite Sanjay Dutt, Kismat opposite Bobby Deol and Asambhav opposite Arjun Rampal performed poorly at the box office.^[19] Later that year she appeared in David Dhawan's romantic comedy Mujhse Shaadi Karogi playing the role of a young fashion designer Rani along with Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar. The film turned out to be the third-highest grossing film of that year.^[20] She next starred in Abbas-Mustan's thriller Aitraaz alongside Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor. It was her first negative role and her performance was critically acclaimed.^[21] She earned a Filmfare Best Villain Award, becoming the second and last female actor to win the award after Kajol (the category has been retired since 2008). She also received a second nomination for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for the role. Film critic Subhash K. Jha noted, "A star is born! As the predatory social-climbing seductress who can go to any length to satiate her lust for life, Priyanka Chopra rocks the scene like never before. The film is undoubtedly a triumph for Priyanka Chopra. With half a smile, a twitch of her lip and a movement of her eyebrow she seems to slip into her man-eater's role with captivating ease".^[22] Taran Adarsh wrote, "AITRAAZ belongs to Priyanka Chopra completely. No two opinions on that! Be it her first appearance [in the story] or the sequence when she openly asks Akshay for sexual favours or the sequence with Kareena, Priyanka gets an opportunity to bear her claws and she does it with complete understanding of the character. She sneaks her way through the role like an expert, drawing audience hatred the way a magnet collects iron filings."^[23]

In 2005, she starred in six films. Four of them, Blackmail, Karam, Yakeen and Barsaat failed to do well.^[19] However, her performance in Yakeen garnered mostly good reviews from critics. Rediff.com noted, "Priyanka does well, though her part is restricted to crying."^[24] and Taran Adarsh wrote, "Priyanka Chopra is bound to win laurels yet again, the actor is emerging as one of the finest talents in these fast-changing times."^[25][26][27] Her other two 2005 releases, Waqt: The Race Against Time and Bluffmaster! were moderately successful at the box office. Subhash K Jha wrote about her performance in Bluffmaster!, "Chopra has little to do. But she does it with eye-catching aplomb."^[19][28][29]

In 2006, Chopra starred in Rakesh Roshan's Krrish which was a sequel to the 2004 sci-fi film Koi... Mil Gaya. She shared the screen with Hrithik Roshan and Rekha. The film was declared a blockbuster and was one of the highest grossing films of the year. She also appeared in Aap Ki Khatir opposite Akshaye Khanna and Dino Morea. Her last release was Farhan Akhtar's Don, alongside Shahrukh Khan which was a remake of the 1978 film of the same name. She was cast to play Roma, a role which was played by Zeenat Aman in the original movie. Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra underwent special martial arts training for their roles in the movie and both performed their own stunts. Upon release, The film was generally well received both in India and abroad. A week after its theatrical run, Box Office India declared the film a hit in India, and a "blockbuster" overseas.^[30]

In 2007, she appeared in Nikhil Advani's ensemble piece Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love. Despite a promising opening, the movie was a financial failure. Chopra received mixed to negative reviews for her performance in the film.^[31] Her next release, the much-delayed^[32] Big Brother, also underperformed at the box-office.

In 2008, Chopra acted in six films. Her first four films, Love Story 2050, God Tussi Great Ho, Chamku and Drona, were critically and commercially unsuccessful.^[33] Critics started panning her for choosing the wrong movies and criticising her performances.^[34] Still, she was noted for her physical performance in Drona. The Times of India critic Nikhat Kazmi wrote, "Priyanka Chopra kicks butt like never before."^[35]

[edit] Fashion and recent work (2008–present)

After a series of flops, Chopra was cast in Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion (2008) for the lead role of Meghna Mathur. Revolving around the fashion world through Chopra's role of an ambitious model, the film was a critical success. Her performance in the film was appreciated and earned her several awards for Best Actress including the National Film Award for Best Actress, as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.^[36][37] Subhash K Jha said of her performance, "Her transformation from the bubbly Chandigarh girl to the super-ambitious supermodel, who dumps her boyfriend and conscience to pursue her dreams, is achieved with a gentle subtlety and bridled passion. This is Priyanka’s coming-of-age film. She looks like a zillion bucks. And acts like a woman who connects with the darkest, most desperate human emotions without wallowing in them." Rajeev Masand wrote, "Chopra turns in a respectable performance, one that will inevitably go down as her best." The film became a major turning point in her career.^[38] Chopra's final release of the year was Tarun Mansukhani's romantic comedy Dostana alongside Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham. The film explores the story of two men who pretend to be gay, so that they can rent an apartment from an older lady. Both the men fall in love with the same girl, their roommate, but are unable to express their feelings because she is related to the old landlady. The film was a financial success and went on to become the eight-highest grossing film at the Indian box office in 2008.^[33] Chopra received positive reviews for her performance. Khalid Mohamed wrote, "Priyanka Chopra is in form, pretty convincing as a working woman who’s trying to deal with professional pressures." She was also praised for her overall look in the film.^[39][40]

In 2009, she appeared in Vishal Bhardwaj's caper thriller Kaminey alongside Shahid Kapoor, playing the role of a feisty Marathi girl named Sweety. The film was a critical and commercial success. Her performance received positive reviews with Taran Adarsh describing it as "first-rate", He further stated, "She's so much in sync with her character... [and] gets the Maharashtrian accent perfect". Anupama Chopra wrote, "Sweety is this year’s most exciting heroine after Paro in Dev D, and Priyanka plays her with aplomb."^[41] Her work in the film brought her several awards and nominations including a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination and a second consecutive Apsara Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.^[42] She subsequently appeared in Ashutosh Gowariker's romantic comedy What's Your Raashee?, a film which made Chopra the first actress in cinema history to portray 12 distinct characters in one film.^[43] She was reportedly being considered for inclusion in the upcoming edition of Guinness World Records for this feat.^[44] The film itself was a financial and critical failure, but Chopra's performance was appreciated by the critics. Rediff wrote, "Priyanka Chopra transforms into 12 new skins with astonishing distinction, voice and spirit. The actress reinvents herself into this unique individual every single time ranging from batty, bashful and boisterous. This is simply her show."^[45] Film critic Subhash K Jha noted, "It's an amazing achievement. Priyanka gives soul to all the 12 characters she plays. In the climactic song, she brings all of them together, quirks and mannerisms all on display in one unified flow of feelings and body-language. The actress achieves individuality for all her characters while giving the plot a homogenous flow." ^[46][47]

In 2010, Chopra appeared in Jugal Hansraj's Pyaar Impossible! opposite Uday Chopra where she portrayed the role of a college beauty who eventually falls in love with a geek. The film was a commercial and critical failure.^[48] Her next release, Siddharth Anand's Anjaana Anjaani alongside Ranbir Kapoor, got a good initial response at the box office,^[48] but was not well-received by the critics. She received positive to mixed comments from critics for her performance. Komal Nahta mentioned, "Priyanka Chopra looks sexy and performs well." ^[49][50]

Chopra at the audio release of 7 Khoon Maaf (2011). Her performance in the film received critical acclaim and among other wins, fetched her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress.

Chopra's first release of 2011 was Vishal Bhardwaj's black comedy 7 Khoon Maaf, in which she portrayed the role of Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, an Anglo-Indian woman who murders her seven husbands in an unending quest for love. The film was a commercial failure and received mixed response from the critics, however her performance received good reviews. Mayank Shekhar wrote, "For Priyanka Chopra, who plays the Anglo-Indian protagonist, this is unquestionably a role of a lifetime. She has you by the eyeballs."^[51] and Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India noted, "7 Khoon Maaf would undoubtedly end up as a milestone in Priyanka Chopra's career graph. The actor displays exquisite command over a complex character that is definitely a first in Indian cinema. She renders a subtle and restrained portrayal of a lonely and wronged woman who wanted love and only love from life." Chopra eventually earned the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination.^[52][53][54] Her next release was Farhan Akhtar's Don 2 alongside Shahrukh Khan, in which she reprised her role of Roma. The film was a sequel to the 2006 action thriller Don. Upon release, while Indian critics gave positive to mixed reviews, overseas film critics praised it. Chopra's performance received positive feedback from the overseas critics with the reviewer from The Express Tribune writing, "Priyanka Chopra pulls of her role with aplomb and seems to be the perfect choice for an action heroine. As you watch her effortlessly beat up some thugs in the movie, you come to the realisation that she may be the first proper female action hero in Bollywood. I wouldn’t be surprised if her next venture is as the next Lara Croft or the fourth Charlie’s Angel." Divanee South Asian News also wrote, "Chopra surprises with a Lara Croft-esque demeanor. It is so refreshing to finally see a female character kick ass and take names in a Hindi film. The actress can easily add this to her growing repertoire, alongside “Fashion”, “Kaminey” and “7 Khoon Maaf”." ^[55][56] The film was a major success in India and a blockbuster overseas. It went on to break multiple box-office records in India and overseas, including highest opening day grosser ever on a non-holiday Friday and the highest grossing Bollywood movie overseas in 2011.^[57][58]

In early 2012, Chopra became the first Bollywood actor to be signed by Creative Artists Agency, a prominent entertainment and sports agency headquartered in Los Angeles. The agency will handle her acting career in Hollywood.^[59] Her first release of the year was Karan Johar's Agneepath alongside Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt and Rishi Kapoor. The film was a remake of the 1990 classic of the same name. Upon release, the film broke the highest opening day collections record and became a critical and commercial success.^[60] Her performance in the film was appreciated by most critics. Mayank Shekhar noted, "Chopra stands out in a male-centric movie."^[61][62] and Komal Nahta wrote, "Chopra shines in a comparatively short role. She makes the character of Kaali very endearing. Her dances are extremely graceful and she shines in emotional scenes."^[63][64] Her next release is Kunal Kohli's Teri Meri Kahaani opposite Shahid Kapoor. The tagline reads, "thrice upon a love story", as the premise is set in 1910, 1960, and 2012. Chopra plays a different role in each time period. The movie is scheduled to release in June 2012. She will also appear in Anurag Basu's Barfi! alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz, in which she portrays the character of an autistic woman. Chopra claims it is her toughest role yet. In an effort to get into the skin of the character, she had to visit and spend time with autistic people. The movie is set to release in July 2012.^[65][66] She is currently filming Krrish 3 alongside Hrithik Roshan, Vivek Oberoi and Kangna Ranaut in which she is respring her role of Priya. The film is a sequel to the 2006 superhero film Krrish.^[67]

Other work[link]

Beauty pageants[link]

Chopra entered the world of beauty pageants when her mother sent in pictures of her for the Femina Miss India contest without her knowledge. When she got called to participate, she was encouraged by her father, and entered.^[68] She came in second place at the Femina Miss India 2000 competition, behind Lara Dutta and ahead of Dia Mirza, winning the Femina Miss India World title. She was subsequently sent to the Miss World pageant, where she was crowned Miss World 2000, along with Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty − Asia & Oceania.^[69] She impressed the judges with her effortless speech on behalf of humanity and charity, as she expressed admiration of Mother Teresa.^[70] In the same year, her Miss India co-winners Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza, won the Miss Universe and Miss Asia Pacific crowns respectively, in a rare triple victory for one country.^[70] When Chopra won the Miss World crown, she became the fifth Indian woman to win the title, and the fourth Indian woman to win in a span of seven years.

In 2007, Chopra returned to the Miss India pageant as a judge for the first time. She stated, "Miss India will always remain special. That's where it all started for me. And maybe that's where it would've ended if I hadn't won the crown."^[71] She came back again to Miss India in 2009 as a performer, and also became a judge at Miss World 2009.^[72][73][74]

Television and stage performances[link]

Chopra declined an opportunity to sing "Tinka Tinka" in her film Karam (2005) as she wanted to concentrate on acting. She later sang live on the TV program Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.^[75] She became a television host with the reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi in Colors, replacing Akshay Kumar. The show beat the opening ratings of the previous two seasons.^[76]

Chopra performing at the 5th edition of Indian Premier League in Chennai

Chopra is a regular stage performer and has participated in various concerts and award ceremonies. She took part in a concert tour titled Temptations 2004 and performed alongside other Bollywood actors and actresses, including Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Arjun Rampal in nineteen stage shows worldwide.^[77] In 2011, Chopra participated in the Friendship Concert along with Shahid Kapoor and Shahrukh Khan, celebrating 150 years of the India-South Africa friendship in Durban, South Africa. The concert was hosted by actor Anil Kapoor.^[78]

In 2012, Chopra performed at the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of IPL - Indian Premier League alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor and international pop star Katty Perry. The Event was held in M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.^[79] Like the IPL opening nite, Pune had its own opening nite for its newly constructed Sahara Stadium in which Chopra performed along with other Bollywood actresses, including Bipasha Basu and Priety Zinta.^[80]

Music career[link]

Chopra is a trained western classical singer. In August 2011, she signed a worldwide recording agreement with Universal Music and Desi Hits to record and release her first music album.^[9] The album will be released in North America with Desi Hits through Interscope Records and in other international markets on UK's Island Records. Her music career will be managed by Troy Carter chief executive officer of Atom Factory, who is also Lady Gaga's manager. The album, which will be produced by Universal Music Group and Desi Hits will contain about ten pop songs and will release worldwide, sometime in 2012. Chopra is currently writing and recording the album in English.^[81][82]

The UK-born singer Jay Sean who has had international success with his single Down, has written three songs for the Album.^[83]

Humanitarian work[link]

Chopra supports various charities including NDTV's Greenathon, an initiative to make people go eco-friendly and look into lack of electricity in multiple rural villages.^[84][85] In February 2005, Chopra participated in the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake with other Bollywood stars.^[86] In 2006, An auction on eBay India, the online auction house, opened bids to help the auction winner spend a day with Chopra. All proceeds from the auction were donated to a reputed NGO called Nanhi Kali which helps educate the girl child in rural and urban India.^[87] In 2007, she visited the historic Tenga, an important location for the 1960 Indo-China war to boost the morale of the jawan troops for a special episode on the NDTV show, Jai Jawan.^[88] In 2009, Chopra shot a documentary for an organization, Alert India, to spread awareness about leprosy. Later, the documentary was presented at a charity dinner which was hosted by chopra herself.^[89]

In 2010, Chopra joined hands with `Wave', a philanthropic organization that works for the cause of women. She has been given the onus of supporting them in realizing their mission, one of which is to set up schools.^[90] She was also appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010, joining Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and actress Sharmila Tagore for supporting UNICEF’s work regarding children all over the world. Chopra started her collaboration with UNICEF in 2008. Since then, she has recorded a series of public service announcements championing girls education and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the convention on the Rights of the Child. She has also participated in a media panel discussion to promote child rights.^[91][92]

In 2012, Chopra and Priya Dutt pledged their dedication towards the cause of curing addiction at the launch of Awakening Youth, a program to make mankind addiction free. She was a hit among the crowds and gave the audience a touching speech about the future of the youth of India.^[93] To kick start the fourth edition of NDTV's Greenathon, Chopra cleaned the Yamuna river in Agra in a symbolic gesture as part of an initiative to create awareness for environmental issues. She said, "This time we began our campaign from Agra because tourist inflow is maximum here. Taj Mahal is on the bank of river Yamuna, which has become a dumping zone of waste materials now. If we do not protect our environment our future will be dark." Model-actor Milind Soman and Abhishek Mishra, Minister of State for Protocol, UP, along with local environmental organizations and school children joined her in the effort. The whole exercise took about an hour.^[94]

Modelling and endorsements[link]

Chopra continues to walk the ramp for various fashion designers. In 2010, she appeared for Ritu Kumar's collection at HDIL India Couture Week.^[95] She appeared on the cover of the inaugural issue of Inda's edition of Maxim.^[96] She has a number of endorsements and is one of the top paid Bollywood actresses in this respect.^[97] She has represented brands including Lux, Ponds, Sunsilk, Hero Honda, Nokia, Tag Heuer, J. Hampsted, Virgin Comic, Asmi Jewelry, Levis, Bru, Nikon, Samsung^[98] and Garnier.^{[99][100][101]} In 2006, Chopra was one of four Bollywood actors including Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan whose miniature dolls were launched by Shameen Jivraj and toy distributors, Spin Master Toys UK. Chopra's doll was dressed in a traditional Indian outfit.^[102]

Awards and honours[link]

Chopra has won several movie awards, including the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award in 2003 for Andaaz, the Filmfare Best Villain Award in 2005 for Aitraaz, the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 2009 for Fashion, the National Film Award for Best Actress in 2009 for Fashion and the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress in 2012 for 7 Khoon Maaf.

Apart from awards, she has also received several honors. In 2006, the UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her first on their list of "Asia's Sexiest Women". Rediff wrote, "This babe has attitude, talent and seems tough enough to go the distance.".^[103] An eBay online poll crowned her "Style Diva of the Year" in 2006.^[104] In 2011, Chopra who is known for her simple yet stylish wardrobe was declared by People Magazine India as the Best Dressed Woman of the year^[105] and Maxim Magazine named her the Hottest Girl of the year.^[106]

In early 2012, Chopra was named India's Glam Diva. The title was given as a part of Big CBS Love's show of the same name. She won on the basis of public voting. Jury member and choreographer Shiamak Davar said: "She wants to be number one; she wants to conquer the world; she wants to make it not only in India but globally - which is great."^[107] In April 2012, Chopra was declared as the Topmost influential Indian in the social media circuit by a survey conducted by Pinstorm India.^[108] Chopra was honored with Punjabi Icons Award at a Baisakhi celebration in Mumbai. Others to be honored at the ceremony with Punjabi Icons Awards were cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and veteran actor Om Puri. Charan Singh Sapra, Punjabi Cultural Heritage Board head and Congress legislator said at the occasion, “These eminent personalities were selected for the honours for their sterling contribution in their respective fields.”^[109]

Filmography[link]