Bollywood

Bollywood is the sobriquet for the Hindi language film industry, based in Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, the second most populous state of the Republic of India. The term is often incorrectly used as a synecdoche to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; however, it is only a part of the large Indian film industry, which includes other production centres producing films in many languages.

Bollywood is one of the largest film producers in India, representing 43% of net box office revenue, while Telugu cinema, and Tamil cinema representing 36%, and rest of the regional cinema constitutes 21% as of 2014, bollywood is also one of the largest centers of film production in the world. It is more formally referred to as Hindi cinema. Bollywood is classified as the biggest movie industry in the world in terms of amount of people employed and number of films produced. In just 2011 alone, over 3.5 billion tickets were sold across the globe which in comparison is 900,000 tickets more than Hollywood. Also in comparison, Bollywood makes approximately 1,041 films yearly, as opposed to less than 500 films made by Hollywood yearly.

Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif (pronounced [kəˈʈriːnaː ˈkɛːf], born Katrina Turquotte; 16 July 1983) is a British-Indian film actress and model. Primarily known for her work in Bollywood films, Kaif has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. In addition to being one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses, she is considered one of India's most attractive celebrities by the media.

Born in British Hong Kong, Kaif and her family lived in several countries before she moved to India. She received her first modelling assignment as a teenager and later pursued a career as a fashion model. At a fashion show in London, filmmaker Kaizad Gustad spotted Kaif and decided to cast her in Boom (2003), a critical and commercial failure. While filming in India, Kaif received modelling assignments and established a successful modelling career. However, filmmakers were hesitant to cast her due to her poor command of Hindi. After appearing in the Telugu film, Malliswari (2004), Kaif earned commercial success in Bollywood with the romantic comedies Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? (2005) and Namastey London (2007). She followed with a series of box-office hits, but was criticised for her acting, repetitive roles and inclination to male-dominated films.

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor (pronounced [kəˈriːnaː kəˈpuːr]; born 21 September 1980), also known by her married name Kareena Kapoor Khan, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for playing a variety of characters in a range of film genres—from romantic comedies to crime dramas—Kapoor is the recipient of several awards, including six Filmfare Awards, and is one of Bollywood's most popular and highest-paid actresses.

After making her acting debut in the 2000 war film Refugee, Kapoor established herself in Hindi cinema with roles in the historical drama Aśoka, and the blockbuster melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (both 2001). This initial success was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. The year 2004 marked a turning point for Kapoor when she played against type in the role of a sex worker in the drama Chameli. She subsequently earned wide critical recognition for her portrayal of a riot victim in the 2004 drama Dev and a character based on William Shakespeare's heroine Desdemona in the 2006 crime film Omkara. She went on to receive Filmfare Awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her performances in the 2007 romantic comedy Jab We Met and the 2010 drama We Are Family, respectively. Kapoor achieved further success by featuring as the female lead in four of India's top-grossing productions—the 2009 comedy-drama 3 Idiots, the 2011 romantic drama Bodyguard, the 2011 science fiction Ra.One, and the 2015 social drama Bajrangi Bhaijaan—and received praise for her roles in the 2009 thriller Kurbaan and the 2012 drama Heroine.

Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor (pronounced [soːnəm kəˈpuːr]; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. Kapoor is one of highest-paid actresses in the industry, and is ranked as one of the most fashionable celebrities in India. She has been nominated for four Filmfare Awards.

The daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, Kapoor studied theatre and arts at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore. She became an assistant director to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Black (2005). Kapoor made her acting debut in 2007 in Bhansali's romantic drama, Saawariya, which earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. She subsequently appeared in the drama Delhi-6 (2009), and had her first commercial success in the 2010 romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys.

After a series of commercial failures, the financially successful Raanjhanaa (2013) marked a turning point in her career, earning her several Best Actress nominations. She then featured in the 2014 romantic comedy Khoobsurat and the 2015 comedy drama Dolly Ki Doli, for which she was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. In 2015, Kapoor played a princess in the melodrama Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time.

Bipasha Basu

Bipasha Basu (born 7 January 1979) is an Indian model and actress who appears primarily in Hindi language films. Basu is particularly known for her work in the thriller and horror film genres, and is cited in the media as a "sex symbol". Through her film career, she has become one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses and one of the most popular and high-profile celebrities in India.

After a successful career as a fashion model, Basu made her film debut with a supporting role in the thriller Ajnabee (2001), which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. Her first leading role was in the horror film Raaz (2002), which earned her a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination. She was noted for playing a seductress in the erotic thriller Jism (2003). She has starred in top-grossing films like No Entry (2005), Phir Hera Pheri (2006), Dhoom 2 (2006), her biggest commercial success to date, and Race (2008). Her performances in Apaharan (2005), Corporate (2006) and Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008) garnered critical praise. Other notable work include lead roles in the films All the Best: Fun Begins (2009) and Raaz 3 (2012).