Chitrangada Singh

Chitrangada Singh (born 30 August 1976) is an Indian film actress who works primarily in Bollywood. She has starred in critically applauded films like Yeh Saali Zindagi and Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi besides films like Desi Boyz, Inkaar, and I, Me Aur Main.

Early life

Chitrangada Singh is from Jodhpur in Rajasthan. She was born in Jodhpur to an Indian Army officer (Col Niranjan Singh) in a Jat family. Her brother Digvijay Singh is a golfer. After her schooling in Meerut at Sophia Girl's School, graduation in Home Science (food and nutrition) from Lady Irwin College, New Delhi. She has received formal training in Kathak.

Career

Debut and sabbatical (2003 to 2010)

She began her career as a model before making the transition to the silver screen. After completing her college education she began modeling with brands like ICICI bank and Alukkas Jewellery among others.

She drew attention when she performed in a music video Sunset Point by Gulzar.

A music video of singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya followed. Subsequently, she made her much acclaimed debut with Sudhir Mishra's film Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2003. The role got her wide acclaim: a Washington Post review noted her for giving "her character a deep sense of dignity and decency." After that Chitrangada acted in the 2005 film Kal: Yesterday and Tomorrow. Chitrangada made her debut as a special song girl in Shirish Kunder's Joker. Also she is to lend her voice to a score in the movie.

Shiney Ahuja

Shiney Ahuja (born 15 May 1973) is an Indian actor who won the Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi in 2003.

Early life

Shiney Ahuja was born in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, to Col. Suraj Prakash Ahuja, an officer of the Indian Army, and his wife Seema Ahuja. He has an elder sister who is settled in Texas.

Ahuja studied at numerous army schools across the country, wherever his father was posted, including several years at St. Xavier's School, Ranchi and Army Public School (APS), Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi. A quintessential sportsman, Ahuja was adjudged the ‘Best Sports Boy’ in school and eventually was elected the Sports Captain (Pratap House) at APS. He excelled in football, volleyball and cricket. In particular, he was very fond of cricket and took coaching classes from Mr. Gursharan Singh at the National Stadium, New Delhi.

During this time he discovered an equally strong passion in Theatre as in Sports. It was this passion that would win him admission to Hansraj College, Delhi University, through the dramatics quota. After a series of auditions, Shiney was among the three who got selected from over 300 aspirants. While in college, Shiney began to pursue acting seriously. He attended several acting workshops held at the National School of Drama, New Delhi. Later, he joined the theatre group 'Tag' where he met Barry John (a theatre director). Shortly thereafter, he joined Barry John’s Acting School in Delhi.