Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U.S. editions as The Guinness Book of World Records), is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. The book itself holds a world record, as the best-selling copyrighted book series of all time. It is also one of the most frequently stolen books from public libraries in the United States.

The franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records - the organization employs official record adjudicators authorized to verify the setting and breaking of records.

On 4 May 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Breweries, went on a shooting party in the North Slob, by the River Slaney in County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the koshin golden plover or the grouse. That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird. Beaver knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs throughout Ireland, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular.

A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond. The website RecordSetter has begun to take on the same territory, but with a more inclusive policy.

In the United States the form World's Record was formerly more common. The term World Best was also briefly in use.^{[citation needed]} The latter term is still used in athletics events, including track and field and road running) to describe performances not recognized as an official world record: either because the event is a non-qualifying event (e.g. the 150 m run or individual events in a decathlon), or because it does not fulfil other criteria of an otherwise qualifying event (e.g. the Great North Run half-marathon, which has an excessive downhill gradient).

Malaysia is one country where world record-breaking has become something of a national fad. In India the setting and breaking of records is popular: the country has a local version of the Guinness Book of Records, called the Limca Book of Records, after a local soft drink.

Salman Khan (pronunciation : [səlˈmaːn ˈxaːn]; born Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan on 27 December 1965) is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.

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

In 1999, Khan won a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his extended appearance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and since then has starred in several critical and commercial successes, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Tere Naam (2003), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), No Entry (2005), Partner (2007), Wanted (2009), Dabangg (2010), Ready (2011) and Bodyguard (2011), which has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of all-time. Khan has thus established himself as one of the most successful actors of Hindi cinema.

Shraddha Kapoor (Hindi: श्रद्धा कपूर) is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood films. In 2011, she was signed by Aditya Chopra for a three-film contract with Yash Raj Films she starred in Y-Films's venture Luv Ka The End.

Shraddha Kapoor was born in Mumbai to actor Shakti Kapoor and Shivangi Kapoor. She is the niece of actress Padmini Kolhapure. Her older brother Siddhanth is a Disc Jockey and an assistant director.

She did her schooling at Jamnabai Narsee School in Juhu and then enrolled at Boston University, taking up theatre studies. She quit during her freshman year in order to pursue acting.

Shraddha Kapoor made her acting debut in 2010 with the film Teen Patti alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Madhavan, and Raima Sen. The film tanked at the box office, and her performance went partially unnoticed. For her role as college rockstar Aparna, she had workshops with Royston Abel, Ashley Lobo and Barry John. Shraddha described her character as "a studious girl and is also a guitarist in her college’s music band" and "a very intriguing person."