An item number or an item song, (Hindi: आइटम नंबर) in Indian cinema, is a musical performance that has little to do with the film in which it appears, but is presented to showcase beautiful dancing women in revealing clothes, to lend support to the marketability of the film.^[1] The term is commonly used in connection with Hindi, Tamil and Telugu cinema, to describe a catchy, upbeat, often sexually provocative dance sequence for a song in a movie.^[2] However, the term as understood in Bollywood parlance has entered the Kathmandu entertainment industry scenario as well.^{[citation needed]} Item numbers are usually added to Indian movies in order to generate publicity^[1] by featuring them in the trailers. Item numbers are favoured by filmmakers for the reason that since they do not add to the plot, they afford the filmmakers with the opportunity to pick potential hit songs from the stocks.^[3] It is thus a vehicle for commercial success which ensures repeat viewing.^[4]

A female actor, singer or dancer, especially someone who is poised to become a star, who appears in an item number is known as an item girl. There are item boys as well.^[1] However, second generation South Asian females are more commonly featured in item numbers than males.^[5][6] Item numbers usually feature one or more persons other than the lead actors. Sometimes established female and male actors will lend a "special appearance" to an item number.

Although, the origin of the term "item number" is obscure, it is likely that it derives its meaning from objectification of sexually attractive women. This is because item in filmy Mumbai slang is a sexy woman.^[3] The classic meaning of "item number" refers to highly sexualized songs with racy imagery and suggestive lyrics. The "item number" would feature an "item girl" who appeared in the film as a dancer, usually in a bar or nightclub, and was only in the film for the length of that song. It was often frowned upon at that point in time.^[when?]

History[link]

Item number was introduced in Bollywood by Vyjayanthimala and Padmini, however the former was the one who establish the item numbers in films.^[7] She introduced semi-classical dance in her film featuring herself.^[7] Some of her famous songs which predated the concept of item number are "Man dole mera tan dole" from Nagin, "Ab Aage Teri Marzi" and "O Jaanewale Ruk Jaa" from Devdas,^[8] "Kaho Ji Tum Kya Kya Kharidoge" from Sadhna,^[9] "Chadh Gayo Paapi Bichhua" from Madhumati, "Neele Gagan Ki Chaoon Tale" from Amrapali and "Hothon pe aisi baat" from Jewel Thief.^[7] Besides that, her dance number with Padmini in "Kannum Kannum Kalanthu" and "Aaja To Aaja" from Vanjikottai Valiban and Raj Tilak respectively were critically acclaimed,^[10] where the popularity of the songs surpasses the popularity of the films^[10] and was regarded as the best dance sequence in Indian cinema,^[11] similarly her dance number with Helen in "Aaye Haaye Dilruba" and "Muqabala Humse Naa Karo" from Dr. Vidya and Prince respectively was also popular.^[12] Her dance number was still adored by actresses, such as Hema Malini^[13] and Madhuri Dixit,^[14] choreographers, such as Prabhu Deva^[15] and Saroj Khan.^[16]

Up to the 1970s, Bollywood often relied on the figure of the vamp, usually a cabaret dancer, or a tawaif (prostitute) or a gangster's moll, to provide sexually explicit musical entertainment. While the heroine too did sing and dance, it was the vamp who wore more revealing clothes, smoked, drank and sang in bold terms of sexual desire.^[3] She was portrayed not as being wicked but as the naughty, sexually alluring, immodest woman, erotic in her dance performances. The trend was started by Chuckoo in films like Aan (1952) and Shabistan (1951).^[17]

Helen was by far the most popular vamp of that era,^[18] having had performed in scores of item numbers including such popular songs as "Mera Naam Chin-Chin Choo" from the film Howrah Bridge (1958), "Piya Tu Ab To Aaja" from Caravan (1971), "Mehbooba Mehbooba" from Sholay (1975) and "Yeh Mera Dil" from Don (1978). In films like Gunga Jumna and Zindagi the actor performed semi-classical Indian dances in songs like "Tora man bada paapi" and "Ghungarwa mora chham chham baaje". A desi bar number, "Mungra Mungra" from Inkaar was also immensely popular. In addition to her skillful dancing, her anglicised looks too helped further the vamp image.^[19]

In the early part of the 1970s actresses Bindu, Aruna Irani and Padma Khanna entered into what was Helen's monopoly. Thereafter, Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi too entered the arena.^[19] Both Aman and Babi have been credited for bringing the Western heroine look to Hindi cinema.^[20][21] Female actors such as her have brought about modernity with their portrayal of westernised liberated young women. Another noted feature of this era was the "tribal and banjara" item numbers such as the one in the Dharmendra, Zeenat Aman and Rex Harrison starer Shalimar. Such songs provided the necessary settings for the lead couple's love to bloom.^[22]

Actress Madhuri Dixit is a formally trained dancer,^[23] who has numerous hit item numbers to her credit.

Around the 1980s the vamp and the heroine merged into one figure and the lead actress had begun to perform the bolder numbers. The vampy item girls were thus outpaced by the heroines performing item numbers.^[3] This eventual demise of the vamp marked the increasing social acceptance of sexually explicit dancing for the morally respected heroine.^[24]

The craze for "tribal and banjara" item numbers were soon gave way to slick choreography.^[22] In the late 1990s, with the proliferation of film songs based television shows, film producers had come to realise that an exceptional way to entice audiences into theaters was by spending excessively on the visualization of songs. Hence regardless of the theme and plot, an elaborate song and dance routine involving spectacularly lavish sets, costumes, special effects, extras and dancers would invariably be featured in a film. It was asserted that this contributed highly to the film's "repeat value".^[25]

Madhuri Dixit is often considered to be the pioneer of the modern trend. In the late 1980s, the song "Ek Do Teen" was added to the movie Tezaab as an afterthought, but it transformed Dixit and made her a superstar.^[25] Her partnership with choreographer Saroj Khan has resulted in numerous hits including the controversial "Choli ke peeche kya hai" and "Dhak dhak" (Beta).^[26] Soon after the release of the film Khalnayak, there were press reports stating that people were seeing the film again and again but only till the song "Choli ke peeche kya hai" that featured Dixit.^[25]

Although there have been many songs that fit the descriptions of item numbers in the early and mid-1990s, the term itself was coined when Shilpa Shetty danced for "Main Aai Hoon UP Bihar Lootne" in the movie Shool. This is perhaps the first time the media actually referred to Shetty as an "item girl" and the scene as an "item number".^[27]

Recent developments[link]

Many top stars in Bollywood now do item numbers, and many new women entering Bollywood find item numbers a more amenable shortcut to success, as opposed to more traditional roles with no guarantee of eventual stardom.^{[citation needed]} Former item girls in pop songs outside films, Rakhi Sawant and Meghna Naidu, for example, are now quite in demand and very popular. Today, they are even being given lead roles in commercially successful movies.^[when?] As of 2007, Mallika Sherawat has become the most expensive "Item Girl", as she charged Rs. 15 million (roughly US$375,000) for the song "Mehbooba Mehbooba" in Aap Ka Suroor - The Real Love Story.^{[citation needed]} Actress Urmila Matondkar is one of the most successful item girls.^{[original research?]} She was featured in "Chamma Chamma" in the 1998 film China Gate. Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film musical, Moulin Rouge! used a westernized version of this song.

Model-actress Yana Gupta in an advertisement poster that concedes her recognition as an item girl.

Malaika Arora Khan and Yana Gupta are "official" item number dancers. They have said they don't want to act in movies since they earn sufficient amount of money by just doing one song.^{[citation needed]}

Abhishek Bachchan became the first "item boy" with his performance in Rakht; Shahrukh Khan also performed an item number during the opening credits of Kaal but had an item numbers in a truer sense of the word with "Dard-e-Disco" in Om Shanti Om, where he was shot in typical "item girl" manner with bare six pack abs (though this number did have a tenuous connexion with the plot of a [[film within the film^{[original research?]}), and in Krazzy 4. Also in Krazzy 4, Hrithik Roshan has an item number during the end credits. Ranbir Kapoor, son of legendary Bollywood stars Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, made his debut in an item number in Chillar Party (2011); the song draws inspiration from Rishi Kapoor's Quawalli song "Parda" from Amar Akbar Anthony.

Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone are featured in three different songs in Red Chillies Entertainment's 2009 film Billu. The items are justified as part of a film within a film.

In the 2007 film Om Shanti Om, the song "Deewangi Deewangi" had guest appearances by over 30 Bollywood stars. In 2008, the makers of Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi featured Kajol, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Priety Zinta, and Rani Mukerji playing as five classic leading ladies, opposite Shahrukh Khan on the song "Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte".

In 2010, Katrina Kaif featured in "Sheila Ki Jawani" in Tees Maar Khan, and Malaika Arora Khan featured in "Munni Badnam" in Dabangg.

In 2011, Mallika Sherawat featured in "Jalebi Bai" in Double Dhamaal and "Razia" in Thank You, while Deepika Padukone featured in "Mit Jaaye Gham" in Dum Maaro Dum and Zarine Khan had "Character Dheela" from Ready to her credit. Yana Gupta also made a guest appearance in Murder 2 with the item number "Aa Zara". Katrina Kaif had another item number in the movie Agneepath.Malaika Arora Khan recently did an item number "Anarkali Disco Chali" in the film Housefull 2.

Although Kareena Kapoor was the leading Actress in Shah Rukh Khan's dream project Ra.One ,she did a superhit item number "Chammak Challo" oppossite Shah Rukh Khan.

Criticism and controversies[link]

Item numbers have been criticized for their gratuitous objectification of the female body.^{[citation needed]} Item numbers have also been imitated in Mumbai's bar dancers. In respect of the ban on bar dancers in Mumbai, it has even been argued that the morality of bar dancer's imitation of item numbers cannot be questioned without questioning the morality of screening of item numbers in a film in public theatres. It has been argued that the two are equally amoral as both objectify women for commercial gain.^[28]

Khalnayak was controversial right from the day it released. While the lyrics of "Choli ke peeche kya hai?" (translation: "What's behind the blouse?") were considered vulgar by some, others defended the song on the ground that it was based on folk traditions. The song eventually set off protests all over the country and a potential ban on the song was debated in the Indian Parliament. Such turn of events, however, only helped the song and the film become more popular, as many came to the movie just to see Madhuri Dixit perform the song.^[25]

See also[link]

• List of item numbers in Indian cinema

References[link]

External links[link]

• Rajshri's list of top 10 item girls
• Bhojpuri item numbers ZindaDil.com, 13 February 2011
• History of Item Girls in Tamil Cinema

Kashmira Shah
Kashmera Shah at her Calendar Launch
Born	(1970-12-02) December 2, 1970 (age 41)[1] Mumbai, India
Other names	Kashmera, Kash
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1994-Present
Spouse	Brad Listermann (2006-07)[2]
Partner	Krushna Abhishek

Kashmira Shah (born 2 December 1970 in Mumbai) is an Indian actress and model. She is the granddaughter of noted Hindustani classical singer, Anjanibai Lolekar. She has appeared in numerous Hindi and Marathi films. Shah is a half Maharashtrian and half Gujarati. She has also won many beauty contests such as Miss University World and Miss India talent winner.^[1]

Career[link]

She has appeared in many Hindi films, most notably, Yes Boss, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, Jungle and My Bollywood Bride.^[3] She also made a special appearance in a song in the film, Murder. She is known for her dancing numbers in films like Vaastav and Aankhen.^[1] She was nominated for 'Best Female in a Negative Role' for the film, Jungle at Screen Videocon Awards in 2000.^[4]

In 2006, she appeared in Big Boss, the Indian version of Big Brother, where she was eliminated quickly. She also appeared with her boyfriend, Krushna Abhishek, a Bhojpuri film star, in Nach Baliye 3 He participated in the celebrity couple dance-reality shows, starting with Nach Baliye (Season 3) (2007)^[1][5][6] In 2008, she won the dance reality show, Kabhi Kabhii Pyaar Kabhi Kabhii Yaar along with partner Krushna Abhishek. 2009:wake up sid as sonia In 2010, Kashmira appeared on TV Drama show Baat Hamari Pakki Hai.

As a celebrity couple she and Krushna Abhishek took part in reality show Love Lock Up in 2011,^[7] in which actress Priyanka Chopra played the role of narrator.^[8][9]

In February 2011, she announced that she had posed topless for a calendar shoot.^{[citation needed]}

She appeared in the French globe-trotter Antoine de Maximy movie "J'irai dormir à Bollywood" (I will sleep in Bollywood), when he came to Film City during his trip around India.

Filmography[link]

Films[link]

Television[link]

• Hello Bollywood (1994) (TV mini-series) .... Mona Darling
• Private Detective: Two Plus Two Plus One (1997) .... Amrita
• Big Boss (2006)
• Nach Baliye 3 (2007) (TV mini-series) .... Jodi 8
• Kabhi Kabhii Pyaar Kabhi Kabhii Yaar (2008)
• Dil Jeetegi Desi Girl (2010) .... As Herself (Reality Show)
• Baat Hamari Pakki Hai (2010) .... As Herself ( Drama Serial )
• [V] Steal Ur Girlfriend (2011) ....As Herself (Reality Show)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Kashmira Shah at the Internet Movie Database

Sunny Deol
Born	Ajay Singh Deol (1956-10-19) 19 October 1956 (age 55) New Delhi, India[1]
Residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Ethnicity	Punjabi
Occupation	Actor, Director, Producer
Years active	1983-Present
Spouse	Pooja Deol ਪੂਜਾ ਦਿਓਲ
Parents	Dharmendra, Prakash Kaur
Relatives	Bobby Deol (younger brother) Hema Malini (step-mother) Esha Deol (half-sister) Ahana Deol (half-sister) Abhay Deol (first cousin)

Sunny Deol is an Indian film actor, producer and director. Often referred to as "Action King of Bollywood".^[2] Deol was born to Bollywood actor Dharmendra.^[3] He has won two National Film Awards^[4] and two Filmfare Awards.^[5] He went to England to study acting. He joined theater called the Old Web Theater in Birmingham, England where he studied theatre and acting^[1]

Deol's films such as Border (1997) and Gadar: Ek Prem Katha (2001) remain some of Bollywood's biggest hits.,^[6] while films like Betaab (1983), Arjun (1985), Paap Ki Duniya (1988), Tridev (1989), Ghayal (1990), Damini – Lightning (1993), Darr (1993), Jeet (1996), Ghatak: Lethal (1996), Ziddi (1997), Indian (2001), The Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003), Apne (2007), Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011) are other successful films thus making him successful leading actors of Bollywood.^[7][8] Gadar: Ek Prem Katha is the second-highest grossing movie of Indian film history, if inflation is taken into account ^[9] and also most watched of modern era in theaters.^[10]

Early life[link]

Deol was born into a Punjabi -Sikh family in Sahnewal village of East Punjab (India) to Bollywood actor Dharmendra^[11] and Prakash Kaur. Sunny is eldest son of Dharmendra. His stepmother is Hema Malini.^[12] He has a brother Bobby Deol and two sisters Vijayta Deol and Ajeeta Deol who are settled in California, he also has two half-sisters, Esha Deol and Ahana Deol.^[13] The former being an actress, has worked in some successful Bollywood flicks.His cousin Abhay Deol is also a successful actor.

Career[link]

1980s[link]

Sunny Deol made his film debut opposite debutant Amrita Singh in Betaab (1983) which was a blockbuster & launched both Sunny & Amrita Singh's career's. His performance won him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award Nomination.^[14] He then went through a lean phase for a couple of years until Rahul Rawail's Arjun (1985) came. He played the titular role of an unemployed youngster in Arjun. The film went on to become a major hit and established Sunny’s status as an action hero. What followed were a bunch of hits like Dacait (1987), Yateem (1988) and Paap Ki Duniya (1988)^[15] In 1989, he had back to back hits with Rajiv Rai's Tridev and Pankaj Parashar's Chaalbaaz^[16][17]

1990s[link]

With his portrayal of an amateur boxer wrongly accused of his brother’s murder in Rajkumar Santoshi's Ghayal, Sunny proved that he still ruled the industry when it came to action sequences. Produced by the home banner Vijayta Films, the movie was an instant hit with the masses and went on to win seven Filmfare Awards.^[18] His performance won him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award and also his first National Film Award.^[19] In 1991, Sunny starred in about 5 films but only Narsimha was a success. Rajiv Rai's Vishwatma was Sunny's only release in 1992. His role of a lawyer in Damini – Lightning (1993) fetched him several awards and accolades in Bollywood. He shared screen space with Juhi Chawla and Shah Rukh Khan in Yash Chopra’s blockbuster Darr. In the mid-nineties he delivered four big hits in a row Jeet (1996), Ghatak: Lethal (1996), Ziddi (1997) and Border (1997)^[20] In 1999, after starring opposite Juhi Chawla in Arjun Pandit, Sunny Deol tried his hand at direction and helmed Dillagi. He also acted alongside younger brother Bobby Deol and Urmila Matondkar in his directorial debut, which was very well appreciated by critics^[21]

2000s[link]

In 2001, he starred in the film Farz opposite Preity Zinta.^[22] Sunny played the role of lorry driver Tara Singh who falls in love with a Muslim girl in Anil Sharma’s Gadar: Ek Prem Katha. The partition saga went to become an all time blockbuster and was the highest grossing Bollywood film ever that time^[23] and currently 5th highest grossing Bollywood film.^[24][25] He was nominated for the Filmfare Best Actor Award for his portrayal.^[26] His third release that year saw him playing the title role in the action film Indian, a remake of the Tamil film Vallarasu in which Sunny essayed the character of DCP Rajshekhar Azad, an honest police officer. The movie was a success.^[22] Sunny’s next few projects were extremely patriotic in nature and struck a chord with audiences across the country. He played the role of an Indian military officer in Maa Tujhhe Salaam and essayed the character of freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad in 23rd March 1931: Shaheed.

In 2003 Sunny Deol teamed up with director Anil Sharma yet again for The Hero: Love Story of a Spy, which also starred Preity Zinta and Priyanka Chopra in her first onscreen appearance.^[27] which released on 11 April and was billed as Bollywood's most expensive film that time with an estimated budget of 60 crore (US$11.97 million)^[28] The film received mostly positive reviews from critics and became the third highest-grossing Bollywood film of that year^[29] Sunny made an appearance alongside Dharmendra and Bobby Deol in Apne (2007)^[30] and then yet again in Yamla Pagla Deewana^[31][32]