studied 2
List activity
336 views
• 2 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
302 people
- Actor
- Music Department
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Abhishek Bachchan, is an actor, producer, singer, voice-over artiste and an entrepreneur. He has done over 70 films. He won critical acclaim for his portrayal of an angsty young goon in 'Yuva' (2004). He received the Filmfare 'Best Supporting Actor' Award for this role and continued this winning streak with 'Sarkar' (2005), 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' (2006), 'Dostana' (2008), 'Paa' (2009) and 'Bol Bachchan' (2012).
Born in Mumbai, India on February 5th 1976 to Bollywood legends Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan (née Bhaduri). After schooling in the Bombay Scottish school, then Jamnabai Narsee school and then Modern school (Vasant Vihar, New Delhi), he was sent to Aiglon College an international boarding school in Switzerland. After which he enrolled in Boston University to study Arts. He dropped out of college and moved back to Mumbai to pursue his acting career. Making his debut in JP Dutta's Refugee (2000).
Abhishek lives in Mumbai, India with his wife, actor Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and their daughter Aaradhya Bachchan. Time Magazine (2007) listed them on its list of most influential Indians. And they made quite a splash when they appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show (2009).
Over the years he has become famous for his versatility and the variety of films that he has been a part of; ranging from 'Yuva' (2004), The 'Dhoom' series (2004, 2006, 2013), Sarkar (2005), 'Bluffmaster' (2005), the highly acclaimed 'Guru' (2007), 'Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna' (2006), 'Paa' (2009, which he produced and won a National Award for Best Film - Hindi), to the blockbusters 'Bol Bachchan' (2012) and 'Happy New Year' (2014).
In 2016 he took a sabbatical from acting to re-evaluate himself and concentrate on his other passion, sports. He owns teams in the Pro Kabaddi League (Jaipur Pink Panthers) and in the Indian Super League (Chennaiyin Football Club). He has always maintained, "Entrepreneurship and acting can't be taught. They have to be done with passion."
He returned to films in 2018 with the critically acclaimed 'Manmarziyaan' (2018). As audiences for streaming platforms began growing, he did the Hindi voice of Bagheera for Mowgli on Netflix (voiced by Christian Bale in English); and plays the lead in season two of Breathe, one of the biggest shows on Amazon Prime Video.
He turned film producer with R. Balki's National-Award Winning comedy-drama, 'Paa', in which he played father to Amitabh Bachchan (his real-life father). Since then, he has produced several films through his production company, 'Saraswati Entertainment'.
Trying his hand at rapping, Abhishek hit all the right notes with the song 'Right Here Right Now' from 'Bluffmaster'.
Continuing to essay strong roles in his quest of great characters and films, Bachchan continues to be one of the most sought after and dependable actors in the industry.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Adi Irani was born on 3 October 1955 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and director, known for Baazigar (1993), Raqt (2013) and Baadshah (1999).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
- Actress
Amardeep Jha was born on 14 June 1960. She is an actress, known for PK (2014), Devdas (2002) and 3 Idiots (2009).- Producer
- Actor
- Director
Anand Tiwari was born on 29 May 1983 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is a producer and actor, known for Slumdog Millionaire (2008), Fair Game (2010) and Go Goa Gone (2013). He has been married to Angira Dhar since 30 April 2021.- Actor
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Arshad Warsi was born on April 19, 1968 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and did his schooling at a boarding school, Barnes School, Deolali in Nashik district, Maharashtra. He was orphaned at the age of 14 and struggled for a living in Mumbai during his early days. He is an actor, dancer, film producer, television personality, choreographer and playback singer.
Financial circumstances forced Warsi to start work as a door-to-door cosmetics salesman at age 17. Later he worked in a photo lab. Meanwhile, he had a keen interest in dancing and received an offer to join Akbar Sami's Dance group in Mumbai, which started his dancing and choreographing career. He also assisted Mahesh Bhatt in Thikana (1987) and Kaash (1987). Then in 1991, he won the Indian dance competition, followed by the fourth prize in the Modern Jazz category in 1992 World Dance championship, London, at the age of 21. Soon, he started his own dance studio, 'Awesome' with that money and also formed a dance troupe. It was here, his future wife, Maria Goretti, a St. Andrew's College student joined him, before she became a VJ. He was also associated with English theater group in Mumbai, choreographing shows for Bharat Dabholkar and got an opportunity to choreograph the title track for the film, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993). He made his screen debut with the 1996-film Tere Mere Sapne where he starred opposite Simran & Chandrachur Singh.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Asif Basra was an Indian film and theatre actor. He has appeared in several international English-language productions, such as the acclaimed 2006 movie Outsourced (United States), Tandoori Love (Switzerland/ Germany) and One Night with the King (United States) with Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole.
Asif has starred in a number of popular Hindi movies, including Once Upon a Time in Mumbai, Jab We Met and Kai Po Che. His performance in Rahul Dholakia's Parzania received much critical acclaim. In 2014, he starred in the Tamil film Anjaan, and most recently he has acted alongside Ranbir Kapoor in his new film Roy. He also worked in the first Himachali language film Saanjh.
Asif has also worked with some of India's leading directors, including Anurag Kashyap on his film Black Friday. Other film roles have included playing the tailor in Hindi movie Lamhaa: The Untold Story of Kashmir and a fakir in Janaki Vishwanathan's Yeh Hai Bakrapur.
Asif has starred in many plays in India and abroad, performing in English, Hindi and Urdu theatre productions. He toured India, the United States, the UK and Dubai playing five characters in Feroz Khan's production of Mahatma V/s Gandhi. He performed the title role in Manav Kaul's acclaimed Mamtaz Bhai Patang Waale, and played a 12-year old child with Spina Bifida in Main Bhi Superman.
Asif Basra was born in Amravati on 27th July 1967. In 1989 he moved to Mumbai to pursue his acting career, and continues to live and work there. On 12 November 2020, he was found hanging in his apartment in Dharamshala with the causes of his suicide being investigated.- Atul Srivastava was born on 12 August 1961 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor, known for Stree (2018), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003).
- Bob Christo was born in 1938 in Sydney, NSW, Australia. He was an actor, known for Kali Basti (1985), Namak Halaal (1982) and Mr. India (1987). He was married to Nargis and Helga. He died on 20 March 2011 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
- Denzil Smith is a versatile Anglo-Indian actor, known for playing the role of Jinnah in Viceroy's House (2017), The Lunchbox (2013), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) and The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015), the Emmy award-winning television series Delhi Crime (2019) and P.O.W. Bandi Yuddh Ke (2016-17) as Lala for which he won the Indian Television Academy Award Best Actor in a Negative Role (2017).
Based in Mumbai, Smith began his acting career on stage in 1988 with Pearl Padamsee's Les Liaisons Dangereuse where he first worked with Naseeruddin Shah, becoming a member of Shah's Motley Productions. By 1998, he also began working extensively with Lilette Dubey's PrimeTime Theatre in productions such as On a Muggy Night in Mumbai, Sammy, August: Osage County and "Gauhar". These plays toured both India and various cities in North America, UK and Europe, South-East Asia and Australia.
One of Smith's early films was Mango Soufflé (2002), which was promoted as "first gay male film from India." He then went on to play a range of characters from a Tibetan Monk in Paap (2003), a gangster against Amitabh Bachchan in Ek Ajnabee (2005), a professor in Braman Naman (2016) and Marathi film Manjha (2017), Manipuri militant in Disney's Jagga Jasoos (2017), the comedic villain in Disney's Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi (2018), detective in Badla (2019) and Dimple Kapadia's spouse in Sanjay in Christopher Nolan's Tenet (2020).
More recently, Smith has returned to the small screen as the Maharaja of Kalyan in the British series Beecham House (2019). - Music Artist
- Actor
- Music Department
Daljit Singh Dosanjh, popularly known as Diljit Dosanjh, is a singer, actor, and television presenter who works in the Hindi and Punjabi film industry. He is a leading artiste in the music industry in Punjab.
Dosanjh spent the initial days of his life in Dosanjh Kalan before moving to Ludhiana, Punjab. He was a student of Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School in Ludhiana.
Dosanjh performed Kirtan and sang devotional songs at local Gurdwaras during his school days. His first music album was Ishq Da Uda Ada, released in 2004. He followed it up with a second album named Dil which was released in the same year. He gained wide popularity with his third album, Smile, released in 2005.
Dosanjh began his acting career with the Punjabi movie Mel Karade Rabba (2010), starring Jimmy Shergill and Gippy Grewal, directed by Navaniat Singh. He made a cameo appearance in the film.
The following year, he debuted in a lead role in the action film The Lion of Punjab (2011), directed by Guddu Dhanoa. His third Punjabi film was Jihne Mera Dil Luteya (2011), co-starring Gippy Grewal and Neeru Bajwa. Dosanjh sang six of the total 12 songs in the movie. He won the Punjabi International Film Academy Awards 2012 for Best Actor for his performance in the movie.
Dosanjh's music album Sikh was released in 2012. It was his first album featuring devotional songs.
Dosanjh's next big screen venture was in 2012 with Anurag Singh's romantic comedy Jatt & Juliet (2012), in which he played the lead role opposite Neeru Bajwa. The film received a positive response from critics and became a huge box office hit. He bagged the PTC Punjabi Film Award 2013 for Best Actor for the movie. Its success led to the making of its sequel.
In 2013, its sequel, Jatt & Juliet 2 (2013), was released. Dosanjh and Neeru Bajwa formed the lead pair of this movie as well. The film was a critical and commercial success. He received the PTC Punjabi Film Award 2014 for Best Actor for this movie.
Dosanjh next saw him teaming up with Surveen Chawla to play the lead pair in Disco Singh (2014). He next appeared in Anurag Singh's period drama Punjab 1984 (2014). The movie also starred Kirron Kher in a pivotal role. The film was a huge success at the box office. Dosanjh bagged the PTC Punjabi Film Award 2015 for Best Actor for the film.
He essayed the role of a ghost hunter in his next film, Sardarji (2015). The movie also starred Neeru Bajwa and Mandy Takhar. Dosanjh was next seen in the comedy thriller Ambarsariya (2016) opposite Monica Gill and Navneet Kaur Dhillon.
In the same year, he debuted in Hindi films with Udta Punjab (2016), co-starring Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, and Kareena Kapoor. This crime drama, directed by Abhishek Chaubey, dealt with the issue of substance abuse in Punjab. It gained critical acclaim and commercial success.
Dosanjh was next seen in Anshai Lal's fantasy-comedy Phillauri (2017). He went on to act in films like Sardaarji 2 (2016), Super Singh (2017), Welcome to New York (2018), Arjun Patiala (2019), Shadaa (2019), Good Newwz (2019), Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari (2020), and Honsla Rakh (2021).
Dosanjh played the lead role in Babe Bhangra Paunde Ne (2022), a comedy movie about three friends who try to get rich by following a shortcut. Dosanjh produced the film along with Daljit Singh Thind.- Fatima Sana Shaikh was born in Mumbai, India, to Hindu Brahman Father, Vipen Sharma, and Muslim Mother, Raj Tabassum. She was enrolled to St. Xavier High School in Mumbai for her primary education and later to Mithibai College, Mumbai for higher education.
Shaikh began her film career with the 1997 film Chachi 420 with Kamal Hasan. She played the role of Bharti, Jaiprakash Paswan a.k.a. Jai and Janki Paswan's daughter. Though she has been acting since 1997, she has scaled new heights of fame and success now after playing the role of Geeta Phogat in Aamir Khan's movie and also sharing the screen with the star.
Her hobbies include dancing, reading, sketching and photography. - Geetanjali Kulkarni was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. She is known for Gullak (2019), Unpaused: Naya Safar (2022) and Karkhanisanchi Waari: Ashes on a road trip (2021).
- Actor
- Director
Goga Kapoor was born on 15 December 1940. He was an actor and director, known for Coolie (1983), Zanjeer (1973) and Hera Pheri (1976). He died on 3 March 2011 in Malad, Maharashtra, India.- Actor
- Casting Director
- Production Designer
Gufi Paintal is an Indian actor who appeared in some notable Bollywood movies in 1980s, as well as television serials and plays. He was born in a Sikh Family.His most well-known role is that of Mama (Maternal Uncle) Shakuni in the Mahabharat adaptation by B.R. Chopra and his son Ravi Chopra which Paintal himself recognizes as his best role.- Director
- Editor
- Writer
By no means is he any glamorous director, yet Hrishikesh Mukherjee is one of the most popular and beloved filmmakers in Indian cinema. His magic lay not in the glamor or largeness so often associated with cinema, but in its simplicity and warmth.
He began his career in Bombay, 1951, as an editor and assistant director to Bimal Roy, another great director himself. His first directorial venture, Musafir (1957), centering on an old house where three unrelated stories dealing with birth, marriage and death occur in a series, was a disaster. But director Raj Kapoor was impressed and strongly recommended Hrishida as director for Anari (1959). Starring Kapoor himself and Nutan, the film was a critical and commercial success.
His next film, Anuradha (1960), about an idealistic doctor who neglects his wife to focus on his work, got him the President's Medal Award. But from then on throughout the 1960s decade, none of Hrishida films were particularly distinguishable, barring Asli-Naqli (1962), a Muslim melodrama; Anupama (1966), which was based on a true incident; Aashirwad (1968), a family drama; and Satyakam (1969), about an idealist seeing his dreams crumble after Indian independence.
Then Hrishida made what is considered his masterpiece - Anand (1971). This classic film gave a complex but compassionate look at the balance between hope, fear, life and death and saw Rajesh Khanna's greatest performance as a terminally ill man who wishes to live life to the full before he dies. It was an auspicious beginning to the 1970s, for that time proved to be an exceptionally good time for Hrishida as he gave the public excellent films like Guddi (1971), a semi-satiric look at the film industry and generally considered as Jaya Bhaduri's debut film; Abhimaan (1973), the Bachchans' greatest ever performance together; and Chupke Chupke (1975), a comedy about a newlywed professor's joke on his pompous brother-in-law. These films gave an extremely skilled and detailed look at the middle-class mentality.
Few people understood human nature as well as Hrishida - in all his films he examined their aspects, particularly their failings and foibles and the outworn values people always seem to hold on to. However in the 1980s, the advent of the superstar Amitabh Bachchan and of larger-than-life films saw Hrishida's brand of filmmaking die out. Recently he attempted a comeback with _Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate (1999)_, but sadly it was a futile effort as the film was a commercial and critical failure. However, the magic of his films still lingers after three decades, and he will be best remembered for his film Anand (1971), which told that people who die but remain in heart and mind do not die, but become immortal. No one justifies this truth more than Hrishida.- Isha Talwar is an Indian film actress and model in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu films. Born and raised in Mumbai, she is an alumna of St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.
At age 10, she debuted as a child actress in the Bollywood film Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai (2000). However, her first full-length film was Thattathin Marayathu (2012) in Malayalam, for which she won the Asianet Film Award for Best Star Pair and Vanitha Film Award for Best Debut (Female). She was next seen in I Love Me (2012).
Talwar made her debut in Telugu movies with Gunde Jaari Gallanthayyinde (2013) and Tamil movies with Thillu Mullu (2013). She has also been a part of many Malayalam films, including Balyakalasakhi (2014), Ulsaha Committee (2014), God's Own Country (2014), and Bangalore Days (2014). She also did a cameo in Bhaskar the Rascal (2015).
Talwar has also acted in the Tamil remake of Thattathin Marayathu, titled Meendum Oru Kadhal Kadhai (2016). She was next seen in the Bollywood film Tubelight (2017), Kaalakaandi (2018), Article 15 (2019), Har Kisse Ke Hisse: Kaamyaab (2018) and did a cameo in Ginny Weds Sunny (2020).
Talwar has also been a part of many web series like Mirzapur (2018) . She also has been a part of Theerppu (2022) and Sharmaji Namkeen (2022). - Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Syed Jaaved Ahmed Jaaferi was born on December 04, 1963 in Malliwala to comedian Jagdeep and his wife Begam Jaffry. He is an actor, dancer and comedian. He married Zebi Bhaktiar in 1989 and this marriage ended in 1990. He married second time to Habiba Jaffrey and has 4 children, including actor Meezaan Jafri.- Kali Prasad Mukherjee was born and brought up in a Bengali family in Jamshedpur, a district in the Indian state of Jharkhand. After completing his education and a brief stint with local theater groups, he moved to Delhi to pursue a career in the art he was most passionate about, acting. There he joined Shri Ram Center for Performing Arts, New Delhi, a Theater Repertory as a professional actor from 1989 to 1994. During this period, he worked with eminent directors such as Late/Habib Tanvir, Fritz Bennewitz, B.V. Karanth, Shri/ Bansi Kaul, Ranjit Kapoor, Anamika Haksar, C.R. Jambe, Feisal Alkazi, Rajinder Nath, Sanjay Upadhyay to name a few. He featured in pivotal roles in major plays such as 'Jis Lahore Nahin Dekhya Woh Janmya Nahin', 'Dakghar', 'Bhogi Yogi', 'Bargad', 'Babuji', 'Chanakya Prapanch', 'Company Ustaad', 'The Tempest', 'Janpat Kiss', 'Chekov ki Duniya', 'Uchchakon ka Chorus', 'Gadhe ki Baraat' and so on. After completing six years in Shri Ram Theater Repertory, the actor went on to feature in many teleplays and short series for Doordarshan in New Delhi. Mukherjee later shifted to Mumbai where he joined mainstream Hindi Cinema and television where he featured in strong character roles in numerous projects. The actor has worked with many talented movie directors such as Neeraj Pandey, Anurag Basu, Ram Gopal Verma, Kabir Kaushik, Pradeep Sarkar, Nikhil Allug to name a few. He has featured in hit films like 'A Wednesday', 'M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story', 'Sehar', 'Agyaat', 'Kanaa', 'Shehjar', 'Lafangey Parindey'. The actor has been a prominent face in several Indian Television shows mainly for Balaji Telefilms and other popular production houses. Kali Prasad Mukherjee has featured in numerous episodic stories for famous shows such as 'Rishtey', 'Saturday Suspense', 'X-Zone' and 'Best Sellers'.
- Actress
- Producer
Kirti Kulhari is an Indian actor and model who predominantly works in Hindi-language films. She made her acting debut with the Bollywood film Khichdi: The Movie in 2010 immediately followed by Shaitan in June 2011. She then appeared in commercially successful and critically acclaimed films like Jal (2013), Pink (2016), Indu Sarkar (2017), Blackmail (2018), Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019), Mission Mangal (2019), and Shaadisthan (2021). In the last three to four years Kirti Kulhari has emerged as one of the leading names on OTT platforms with back-to-back successes - Four More Shots Please! (Season 1 and Season 2) on Amazon Prime Video, Criminal Justice (Season 2), and Human on Disney+Hotstar.- Kulbhushan Kharbanda, born in Hasan Abdal, Punjab, British India (now in Pakistan), is a highly acclaimed Indian actor who has left an indelible mark on both mainstream Bollywood and parallel cinema. Known for his versatility and ability to portray a wide range of characters, Kulbhushan Kharbanda is regarded as one of the finest actors in the Indian film industry.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda began his acting career in the theater, honing his skills before transitioning to films. He made his mark in Bollywood with Shyam Benegal's critically acclaimed film "Nishant" (1975). The film marked the beginning of Kharbanda's association with parallel cinema, where he often collaborated with directors who focused on socially relevant and thought-provoking themes.
One of his most memorable performances came in the iconic film "Shatranj Ke Khilari" (1977), directed by Satyajit Ray. In the film, based on a short story by Munshi Premchand, Kharbanda played the role of Mir Roshan Ali, showcasing his ability to bring depth to historical characters.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda continued to deliver stellar performances in films like "Junoon" (1978), "Kalyug" (1981), and "Aghaat" (1985). His association with directors like Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, and Gulzar highlighted his commitment to meaningful and impactful storytelling.
Apart from parallel cinema, Kharbanda also made a mark in mainstream Bollywood with films like "Muqaddar Ka Sikandar" (1978), "Shaan" (1980), and "Ram Lakhan" (1989). He portrayed a variety of roles, including memorable negative characters, showcasing his versatility as an actor.
Kulbhushan Kharbanda's talent and dedication to his craft extended beyond Hindi cinema, as he also worked in Punjabi, Kannada, and other regional films. He is recognized for his contribution to Indian cinema and has received accolades for his performances.
In addition to his film career, Kulbhushan Kharbanda has been associated with theater and television, contributing to various facets of the entertainment industry. His distinctive voice, commanding screen presence, and ability to immerse himself in diverse characters have made him a respected and admired figure in Indian cinema. - Actress
With seventy years in the film businesses, Lalita Pawar's long career began as a child in the silent era and continued into leading lady roles, but she is best remembered for her years as a character actor.
Lalita was born Amba Laxman Rao Sagun, the daughter of a wealthy silk merchant. While visiting a film studio, young Lalita requested being photographed so she could see herself on film. The director was so impressed with her screen presence that he asked for her to take a role in his next movie.
In 1942, while filming a scene which required her character to be slapped, she was struck too hard across the face. The accident compounded with a severe reaction to the medication administered, damaged her eye and left her with a noticeable permanent squint. This event marked the end of her leading lady status.
In her late twenties, she began taking on character roles. She eventually became known and praised for portraying overly-domineering matriarchs. She won the Filmfare Award for her supporting role in Anari (1959), and was nominated a further three times in the best supporting actress category.- Actress
- Writer
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Motilal was born on 4 December 1910 in Shimla, Punjab, British India. He was an actor and director, known for Devdas (1955), Chhoti Chhoti Baatein (1965) and Sach Hai (1939). He died on 17 June 1965 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India.- Actor
- Music Department
Mukri was born on 5 January 1922 in Alibag, Bombay Presidency, British India. He was an actor, known for The Savage Princess (1952), Milan (1967) and Mera Saaya (1966). He was married to Mumtaz. He died on 4 September 2000 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Nagesh Kukunoor was born on 30 March 1967 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He is a director and writer, known for Rainbow (2015), Iqbal (2005) and 3 Deewarein (2003).- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Nawazuddin Siddiqui (born 1974) is an Indian film actor who has appeared in some of Bollywood's major films including, Black Friday (2004), New York (2009), Peepli Live (2010), Kahani (2012), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 (2012).
Early life and education
Nawazuddin Siddiqui is from Budhana a small town of Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh, where his father is a farmer. [2][3][4] Siddiqui grew up amongst nine siblings, seven brothers and two sisters. [5][2]
After graduating in science from a local college, he worked as a chemist in a petrochemical company for a short while. But boredom set in soon, and he moved to Delhi, here in the next one and a half year period, he started watching plays, while working a watchman at an office. He got associated with Sakshi Theatre Group and worked with actors like Manoj Bajpai and Saurabh Shukla.
Eventually he graduated from the The National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi in 1996.Now he is a well known actor. Career
After graduating from NSD, he moved to Mumbai. Nawazuddin made his Bollywood debut in 1999, with a small role in Sarfarosh starring Aamir Khan. After moving to Mumbai he tried to get work in television, but did not achieve much success. After his debut, he appeared in short roles, where he remained unnoticed, despite his strong performances. He did a short film, The Bypass in 2003, where he appeared with actor, Irrfan Khan. Between 2002 and 2005, he was out of work, and lived in an apartment where he shared with four others, and struggled through his acting carrier by conducting occasional acting workshops. His appearance in Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday (2007) paved way for other powerful roles. His first lead role in a feature film was in Prashant Bhargava's PATANG, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, for which Nawazuddin's performance was praised by the world renowned film critic Roger Ebert (awarding the film 4 stars), a role which 'transformed his acting styles'. In 2009, he appeared in a cameo role in hit song "emotional attyachar" in a movie Dev D, in his moniker as Rangila along with his duo Rasila (known together as Patna ke Presley). However it was his role of a journalist in Aamir Khan Productions's Peepli Live (2010). That movie first got him a recognition as an actor. This was followed by a role as police informer Gopi in biopic, Paan Singh Tomar, directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, also in the same year.
He, however became a household name post Kahaani (2012), where he played the archetypal short tempered cop Khan. Gangs of Wasseypur followed which furthered his fame. He played his first lead role as Sonu Duggal in Ashim Ahluwalia's Miss Lovely that premiered at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, a role Nawazuddin describes as his "most real performance so far." Nawazuddin also played a lead role in his following films, Gangs of Wasseypur - Part II and Aatma. He appeared in Aamir Khan's 2012 release, Talash. Gangs of Wasseypur has been touted as a career defining film for Nawazuddin, where he played the role of Faizal Khan, a second son of Sardar Khan, played by Manoj Bajpai. His gaudy style of dress, magnificent accent and out-of-the-way mannerism in Gangs of Wasseypur left an impression on Bollywood critics. His film PATANG, initially released in the U.S. and Canada, garnered much attention for Nawazuddin with rave reviews from the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Roger Ebert.
Siddiqui is best known for his roles in The Lunchbox (2013), which premiered as part of the International Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and won him multiple awards, Manto (2018), for which his groundbreaking performance won him Best Actor at the 2018 Asian Pacific Screen Awards[8] and Raman Raghav 2.0 for which he won the Fancine Malaga Award in Spain[9] and in Asia Pacific Screen Awards[10] both in the category of Best Actor. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the only Actor in the world having 8 films officially selected and screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.[11] Inspite of being very busy with film shoots, Siddiqui continues to take time out to do farming in his native place in Uttar Pradesh (North India).[12] He is an active motivational speaker, drawing on his struggles and experiences to inspire. He stars in two Emmy nominated series, Sacred Games (2019), a two-season Netflix original series for which he was conferred with the GQ - Men of the Year Award 2018 for the second time[13] and United Kingdom's McMafia directed by James Watkins. Recently Nawazuddin Siddiqui was awarded with the highest honorary, The Lesley Ho Asian Film Talent Award at the prestigious Singapore International Film Festival[14] for his globally appreciated series Sacred Games duology.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
Neeraj Pandey (born 17 December 1973) is an acclaimed Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. In his first movie A Wednesday, his work was largely praised by audiences as well as the critics. A Wednesday also won many awards in different categories. His second film Special 26 (2013) was equally appreciated by the public and the critics. Not just a filmmaker but a writer too, Neeraj has written a novel named 'Ghalib Danger' in 2013. He also directed the movie Baby (2015) starring Akshay Kumar which received critical acclaim from the audience and was a huge success.The movie Rustom which was produced by Neeraj, was released on 12 August 2016 and received mixed reviews by critics but was a runaway commercial success. His last movie was a biopic on cricketer M.S.Dhoni titled M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story which was loved by the audience.. He aims at making more commercial content in the sports genre. Neeraj has carved a niche for himself in the film industry with his adept handling of different topics and is one of the most sought after Directors of his generation.
In 2016, his Production House Friday Filmworks and Reliance Entertainment entered into a joint venture and formed Plan C Studios.
He has also directed a Web Short 'Ouch' with Manoj Bajpayee and Pooja Chopra which is nominated for Filmfare Short Film Award 2017. As the co-producer, his recent blockbuster Toilet- Ek Prem Katha is getting critical appreciation from the film industry and the audience. His upcoming movie is Aiyaary which is set to release on 2018 starring Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Music Department
Actor Prashant Narayanan is known for his roles in Hindi movies and TV shows. He completed his education at Kirori Mal College, Delhi University. Before beginning his acting career, he worked as an assistant art director and costume director for a while.
Narayanan has appeared in many television shows, including Phulwa (2011), Bandini (2009), and Shagun (2001). He debuted in the film industry with the role of a hitman in Hansal Mehta's Chhal (2002). He played a similar role in his following film It Happens That Way Too: Part II (2003).
Narayanan's dedication and sincerity toward his craft were highlighted by his performance in the German movie Schatten der Zeit (2004). He next ventured into the Malayalam film industry with the movie Idavappathi (2016).
Some of his most popular movies include Yeh Saali Zindagi (2011), Murder 2 (2011), The Goa Run (2014), Manjhi: The Mountain Man (2015), and Fredrick (2016).
He won the Screen Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role for his performance in Murder 2.- Director
- Writer
- Music Department
Priyadarshan is an Indian film director and screenwriter. He has worked in the Hindi and Malayalam film industry for almost 40 years and has directed over 90 films.
He completed his early education at Government Model School in Thiruvananthapuram. He later pursued his bachelor's degree from Mahatma Gandhi College and Master of Arts in Philosophy from University College Thiruvananthapuram. Priyadarshan was a voracious reader, which sparked his interest in writing and led him to write short plays and skits for All India Radio in college.
He began his career in the Malayalam Film Industry in the early 1980s. He started his career as a director with Poochakkoru Mookkuthi (1984) in 1984. The film did surprisingly well and ran for almost 100 days in theatres across Kerala. He continued this slapstick comedy style and later made Oodarathuammava Aalariyam (1984) and Onnanam Kunnil Oradi Kunnil (1985).
Later that year, he demonstrated versatility by directing the crime drama Parayanumvayya Parayathirikkanumvayya (1985). In the same year, Priyadarshan made his first film with Mohanlal titled Punnaram Cholli Cholli (1985).
1988 was a landmark year in Priyadarshan's career. He directed Vellanakalude Naadu (1988) with Mohanlal in the lead role. It was a political satire crime film that revolved around the prevalent corruption in the country. The film was the biggest hit of that year and successfully ran for 200 days in theatres.
Later that year, he directed and released Chithram (1988), his career's biggest hit. The film completed 366 days in the theatres and broke all the records of his previous collections.
Later, these records were broken by his other film, Kilukkam (1991), released in 1991. Kilukkam starred Mohanlal, Revathi, and Jagathy Sreekumar in lead roles. Priyadarshan's next three releases - Abhimanyu (1991), Advaitham (1991), and Thenmavin Kombath (1994) were also commercially successful and ran for 100 days in the theatres.
Priyadarshan actively worked in the Malayalam film industry for almost two decades (the 1980s and 1990s). After this, he took a short break from Malayalam cinema. He then started focusing on Hindi cinema. He worked as a director and screenwriter in Hindi cinema for nearly a decade.
Priyadarshan debuted in Hindi cinema with Muskurahat (1992), a remake of his film Kilukkam. While the movie didn't perform well at the box office, he made a comeback with the action-crime film Gardish (1993), starring Jackie Shroff. The film was a massive hit, earning two Filmfare Awards for Best Action and Best Art Direction.
In 2000, Priyadarshan directed the comedy movie Hera Pheri (2000) starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal. The movie is an Indian cult classic and is considered one of the best comedy films in the history of Hindi cinema. Priyadarshan's career in Bollywood took off after Hera Pheri (2000), and he went on to direct comedy blockbusters such as Hungama (2003), Garam Masala (2005), and Phir Hera Pheri (2006).
In 2021, he directed the period drama Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (2021), set in the 16th century. The film, starring Mohanlal, earned Priyadarshan the National Film Award for Best Feature Film.
Priyadarshan has been awarded several state and national awards for his work in Hindi and Malayalam cinema. He won the Filmfare Award for Best Film (Critics) for Virasat (1997) in 1997 and the Filmfare Award for Best Director in 2009 for his movie Kanchivaram (2008). In addition to his cinema accolades, the then President of India also awarded Priyadarshan a Padma Shri in 2012 for his contribution to Indian cinema.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Puneet Issar is an Indian actor and director. He is most famous for his role as Duryodhana in the Mahabharat TV show (1988-1990), and directing Garv: Pride and Honour (2004) starring Salman Khan.His other notable roles are in Border directed by J. P. Dutta, and second lead in the cult Indian horror film Purana Mandir in 1983.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Raj Kapoor was the son of well-known Indian actor Prithviraj Kapoor, who acted both in film and on stage. After apprenticing in the Bollywood production studios of the 1940's, at 24 years of age Raj Kapoor produced, directed and acted in Aag (1948), with his new company, RK Films. His next production, Barsaat (1949), was a smash hit. In 1951, he also produced, directed and starred in Awaara (1951), which was another megahit, and costarred Nargis, who had appeared in Aag and Barsaat. Awaara also gained popular acclaim in Russia, where the movie and songs were dubbed into Russian. The theme song, Awaara Hoon, was popular in the East for many years. Kapoor has been dubbed "a great showman," and a filmmaker in the purest Romantic tradition, as he strove to entertain as well as address social themes close to his heart. Awaara dealt with the question of what forms an individual's moral grounding, ("nurture or nature") while incorporating comedy and stirring love scenes; in Shree 420 (1955) he addressed issues of poverty, unemployment and national pride in the new Indian state at the same time maintaining the audience's interest in the romantic plot. While never revolutionary in tone, many of his films explore the ability of the individual to overcome economic and environmental injustice while maintaining his/her innocence and integrity. He is quoted as believing that the individual's struggles ultimately lead to the desire for love, to care and be cared for. This is consistent with his admiration of Charles Chaplin, and Kapoor's own "tramp" (Awaara, Shree 420, Mera Naam Joker (1970) is modeled somewhat on his mentor, though with a definite individual flair.
His films demonstrate an understanding of music and direction that continue to influence Bollywood filmmaking today. Also a musician, his understanding of the musical feel of his movies gives them a storytelling fluidity equal to that of the best American movie musicals. He surrounded himself with the foremost talents in filmmaking, acting, writing (Kwaja Ahmad Abbas'), music composition (Jaikishan Dayabhai Panchal, 'Shankarsinh Raguwanshi'), and playback singers, including Mukesh, 'Mohamed Rafi', and Lata Mangeshkar. Kapoor continued to make films of varying critical and popular success up until his death in 1988, and apparently considered Mera Naam Joker his personal favorite. He is still a well-known name not only in India, but in the Middle East, SE Asia, and Eastern Europe. His descendants have attempted to continue the RK Films banner.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Ram Gopal Varma was born in Hyderabad, the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. He initially was a video store owner before eventually becoming one of India's leading film directors. A film buff during his youth, Varma would watch both American and Indian cinema regularly. As a young man, he attended Siddhartha Engineering College in Vijayawada. Varma started his career in telugu cinema (the Hyderabad film industry), where he made a huge mark with his debut film Shiva, a violent and stylized actioner set in a college backdrop. At the age of 28, with little film training, Varma was able to convince Nagarjuna, a young Telugu star, to act in his debut picture. Nagarjuna was drawn by the narration of the script and intelligence displayed by the young Varma. Shiva was a landmark hit for the industry and was remade by Varma in the hindi language a year later.
His next was the exciting adventure film, Kshana Kshanam, starring Venkatesh and Sridevi. Varma followed this up with such films as - Raatri, a homage to 'The Exorcist' starring Revati and Om Puri (which Varma would remake over a decade later in Hindi as Bhoot) and Antham, a stylized crime drama, with Nagarjuna and Urmila Matondkar (which Varma would also rework later as Satya) - but was not able to attain the commercial success of his first feature. His next release Gaayam, with Jagapathi Babu and Urmila Matondkar, was a violent crime drama set in Hyderabad. The screenplay was co-written by tamil film director Mani Ratnam, and the script based on 'The Godfather'. It became a success for Varma. He then decided to start his own production banner, Varma Corporation Limited, and produced successful telugu films such as Money (remade later as Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega), Money Money (its sequel), Gulabi and Anaganaga Oka Roju.
His first huge success in hindi cinema (the Mumbai film industry) was the commercial blockbuster Rangeela, a stylish romantic drama with Aamir Khan and Urmila Matondkar. A.R. Rahman, a tamil music composer, was introduced to hindi audiences by Varma with this film and won the award for best film music.
Varma followed up with the ground breaking gangster saga Satya, a violent crime epic set in the Mumbai underworld. The film was gritty and realistic, reinventing the crime genre in Indian cinema. Varma had done extensive research for the film, and reworked certain elements of his earlier film Antham. Satya was widely considered Varma's first true masterwork. Made on a shoestring budget and with new faces, the film won awards for actor Manoj Bajpai and music composer Vishal Bharadwaj. Satya became a turning point in Varma's career, winning best picture of the year, and Varma would be forever associated with Mumbai noirs.
Varma then, with fellow director Shekhar Kapur, created a joint film production company in 1998 called India Talkies. The first venture of the production house was the ambitious terrorist drama 'Dil Se', with Shahrukh Khan and Manisha Koirala. The film was a box office dud, and India Talkies would be short lived. Varma would return to focusing on his own production house Varma Corp.
The hard hitting masterpiece 'Shool' followed shortly after, written and produced by Varma. The film depicted the life of an honest police officer in the violent and harsh rural setting of Bihar. The film was a commercial and critical success with both Manoj Bajpai and Sayaji Shinde winning awards for their performances. Varma lightened things up next with the romantic drama 'Mast'. The film was inspired by Varma's own college days, and featured Aftab Shivdasani in an award-winning turn as a film crazy college student.
Varma decided afterwards to only direct films in the Mumbai film industry. He believed there was more talent in Mumbai than in southern film cities like Chennai and Hyderabad. Varma had always admired directors such as Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihlani, and Gulzar. He considers Kalyug, Ardh Satya, and Mere Apne among his favorite Indian films of all time. At a time when popular Indian Cinema featured either over the top action films or glamorous love stories, Varma's films were more rooted and realistic. Varma is known to frequently cut out song and dance sequences in his films, which are usually commonplace in Bollywood. His films almost always deal with the contemporary and urban, usually set in the city of Mumbai. He often uses Indian stage actors in his films rather than established bollywood stars. Mainly known for creating the 'Mumbai noir', Varma brought psychological depth and cinematic virtuosity to genre films.
More recently, Varma returned with the organized crime masterpiece 'Company'. The film was again set in the Mumbai underworld, and was based on real life Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his criminal outfit D-Company. The film featured award-winning performances by Ajay Devgan, Vivek Oberoi and Manisha Koirala. The film also won awards for best editing by Chandan Arora and best story by Jaideep Sahni. The film was lauded by critics and audiences alike.
His latest release Naach, which Varma called his best film yet, was a largely self reflective piece, about the relationship between an idealistic choreographer and an ambitious actor. The film had a weak commercial run but was liked by critics. In a recent interview with the Indian Express newspaper, the filmmaker criticized Indian audiences saying "I gave Ayn Rand to a Municipal School."
He spends most of his time these days producing small budget films for his successful production house Varma Corp. Though not always credited, he is involved in all aspects of his productions, often believed to 'ghost direct' many of the films. He produces films at a fast speed that is unfamiliar to the Indian Film Industry. He has had many recent successes including - 'Ab Tak Chhappan', based on the experiences of famed Mumbai police Daya Naik, 'D', a prequel to his earlier hit Company based on the early years of Dawood Ibrahim during his days under Pathan underworld boss Karim Lala, 'Ek Hasina Thi', a female revenge thriller, and finally 'Road'. He has also produced lighter films such as 'Love Ke Liye Kuchh Bhi Karega' and 'Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon'.- Actress
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Rasika Dugal was born in Jamshedpur and did her schooling from Sacred Heart Convent. She pursued a bachelors degree in Mathematics (Hons) from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi. After completing her bachelors, she attended the Sophia Polytechnic (Mumbai) for a Post Graduate Diploma in 'Social Communications Media' and then went on to pursue a Post Graduate Diploma in Acting at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII, Pune).
Rasika has played significant roles in films, original series and short films, exploring the nuances of diverse characters in artistically challenging and socially relevant productions. She is known for her performance in feature films 'Manto' (directed by Nandita Das), 'Hamid' (directed by Aijaz Khan), 'Qissa' (directed by Anup Singh), 'Kshay'( directed by Karan Gour), Lootcase (directed by Rajesh Krishnan) and short films 'Chutney', 'The School Bag' and 'Banana Bread'.
In digital series, her varied roles as the feisty Beena Tripathi in 'Mirzapur' (Amazon Prime), the idealistic cop Neeti Singh in 'Delhi Crime' (Netflix) have won her many accolades and much popularity amongst audiences. She was also seen in 'Out of love' (Hotstar) headlining the series as Dr Meera Kapoor.
She enjoys reading Urdu poetry, learning music and listening to podcasts. She lives in Mumbai.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Richa began her career as a model and then she moved to theater. She has performed plays touring in India and Pakistan. Later, she also received her training under Barry John
Richa acted in the critically acclaimed movie Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! as the character of Dolly, both the movie and her role were well appreciated. She was cast by Anurag Kashyap for his movies Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 1 and Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2 wherein she plays the pivotal character of Nagma Khatoon in the narrative. In the movie, she matured from 16 to 60 years of age. She got the name "Ms. Fire" for her spirited portrayal in the epic movie. This performance was well appreciated by the Critics. The movie was premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012 and the entire cast was present at the event.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Born in south Mumbai, Kapoor is the second son of film director and actor Raj Kapoor. He did his schooling with his brothers at Mumbai's Campion School. His brothers are well-known actors, Randhir Kapoor and Rajiv Kapoor.
Rishi Kapoor debuted in his father's 1970 film Mera Naam Joker, playing his father's role as a child. Rishi Kapoor had his first lead role opposite Dimple Kapadia in the popular 1973 film Bobby which became an instant hit among youngsters. He made a popular pairing with future wife Neetu Singh in 1974-1981 but the pair was successful only in films with big casts, since films with Rishi as the lead - like Zehreela Insaan, Zinda Dil, Doosara Aadmi, Anjane Mein, Jhoota Kahin Ka, Dhan Daulat - were box office flops. Rishi Neetu pair was successful in multi-star films like Khel Khel Mein, Kabhie Kabhie, Amar Akbar Anthony, Pati Patni Aur Woh, Duniya Meri Jeb Mein. The only solo hit of the Rishi Neetu was Rafoo Chakkar. Rishi Kapoor got 51 films as the solo lead hero from 1974-1997 but of them 40 were box office flops, and he managed only 11 hits: Bobby, Laila Majnu, Rafoo Chakkar, Sargam, Karz, Prem Rog, Nagina, Honeymoon, Banjaran, Heena and Bol Radha Bol. So, he was offered the role of playing younger brother to lead heroes in movies with big casts from 1977-1994. Rishi Kapoor did 41 films with big casts from 1976-2000 where Rishi was cast as 2nd or 3rd lead hero. Of them, 16 were flops and 25 were hits. He was often offered the role of younger brother to main lead heroes in the multi-hero films he did where his character would be a romantic one and the story would revolve on the main lead hero of the film. In the '90s, his 2 hero films Deewana, Damini and Eena Meena Dika were hits. He got the plum lead hero roles in two-hero films only few times like in Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin, Badalte Roshtey, Aap Ke Deewane, Saagar then in the '90s with Chandni, Deewana (1992), Damini (1993) and Gurudev (1994); otherwise in the 2 hero films Rishi did in the late 70s and throughout the '80s, it was his other co-star whose character overshadowed Rishi's and the other co-star was appreciated more like in case of Katilon Ke Kaatil, Coolie, Sitamgar, Zamana. After several box office failures from in 1990s, he eventually moved on to supporting roles in the 2000s. In 1999 he directed the film Aa Ab Laut Chalen. His last film as a romantic lead was the 5-year delayed release Karobaar: The Business of Love (2000), which was unsuccessful. He has since then played supporting roles in films like Yeh Hai Jalwa, Hum Tum, Fanaa, Namaste London, Love Aaj Kal and Patiala House. He also appeared in the British films Don't Stop Dreaming and Sambar Salsa. He was paired with Neetu Singh in the film Do Dooni Chaar (2010). Rishi has acted in the movie Chintu Ji in which he plays himself. In 2012 he appeared in a villainous role in Agneepath and in the multi-starer Housefull 2 where he appeared with brother Randhir for the first time.- Writer
- Producer
- Director
S.S.Rajamouli is an Indian filmmaker who primarily works in Telugu cinema. He is one of the most celebrated filmmakers ever of the Indian film industry and pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. Rajamouli was born in a Telugu family to V. Vijayendra Prasad and Raja Nandini. Both his parents hail from Andhra Pradesh.
Rajamouli has directed 12 feature films so far, including mega blockbusters like Baahubali: The Beginning, Baahubali: The Conclusion, and RRR. Through his Baahubali series, Rajamouli pioneered the Pan-Indian films movement. His next film, tentatively called SSMB29, is a globetrotting action adventure & first collaboration with "Superstar" Mahesh Babu which is is expected to begin its production in 2024.
Eega (2012) won nine awards at the Toronto After Dark Film Festival, including the Most Original Film. Baahubali films have received six Saturn Award nominations with Baahubali 2 (2017) winning the Best International Film. His latest directorial "RRR" (2022) received various international accolades including the 1st Academy Award for India, a Golden Globe Award for the song "Naatu Naatu" & nomination for Best Foreign language film, and a Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
A self confessed "film freak", Rajamouli's penchant for filmmaking is best captured by the word "emotion". He has often stated that his films are based on stories driven by human emotions. While scaling up his work with "larger-than-life" themes over the years, Rajamouli maintained his signature style of filmmaking that allows audience to simmer in the thrills and emotions of the story with less dialogue.
He is a recipient of various national and international honors including a prestigious New York Film Critics Circle award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award, two Saturn Awards, and four National Film Awards. In 2016, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri (fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India), for his contributions in the field of art. In 2023, he was included on the Time's list of the 100 most influential people in the world- Producer
- Editor
- Writer
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is among the most celebrated Film Makers of the Bollywood. Having worked with the biggest stars of Indian Film Industry, Bhansali is the most sought-for director of the Bollywood. He started his career as an assistant director to Vidhu Vinod Chopra. If one has to name his 'niche' genre, it would definitely be Mega-Musicals. From Devdas to Bajirao Mastani, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam to Saawariya, love of cinema and music, proclaims through every movie he writes or direct.
His 1999 Romantic-Drama, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, starring heartthrob duo Salman-Aishwarya became one of the most critically cherished movies of the Genre. Amitabh Bachan, starrer Black was equally appreciated by the critics. But he made his presence felt with 2002 adaptation of the Hindi literary masterpiece, Devdas, for a silver-screen experience. He received a nomination for Best Foreign Film at BAFTA for the movie.
Devdas has become a name synonymous with a passionate, intense love that does not find consummation. This similar theme has been repeated numerous time in the literary work. And one of them is Romeo & Juliet. He translated this classic tale into Indian Folk Idiom.- Sharat Saxena is an Indian actor working in Bollywood films. He has acted in nearly 160 Bollywood films. Saxena started his career in the early 70s and has mainly played either supporting roles of a father, uncle or villainous roles. He has starred in some of the most successful films of Bollywood like Mr India, Tridev, Ghayal, Khiladi, Gupt: The Hidden Truth, Soldier, Baghban, Fanaa, Krrish, Ek Hi Raasta (1993) and many more. His performances in these films have established him as one of the finest supporting actors in Bollywood. He has also appeared in many Telugu, Malayalam and Tamil films. He played the role of Kichaka in the popular television serial Mahabharat. He was also nominated for Filmfare Best Villain Award for Ghulam (1998). He currently (2011) lives in Madh Island, a colony on the outskirts of Mumbai. He lives with his wife Shobha and two children, Veera and Vishal and dog Razor.
Sharat hails from Jabalpur city of madhya pradesh in India. After doing Engineering in Electronics & Telecommunication from Jabalpur Engineering College, he wanted to become an actor. So, in 1972, he came to Mumbai. The going was tough because of his built, so he easily got the role of a henchman. Benaam (1974 film), was his first release. Then followed Dil Dewana, Agent Vinod, Kaala Pathar and others. - Actress
- Director
- Producer
It was only natural that Shobha Khote strayed into show business. Her father, Nandu Khote, was a star on stage and in the silent movies. Durga Khote, a famous movie personality of the yesteryear, was her aunt. The huge family home at Bombay's Chowpatty was always full of guests.
"I had a happy, carefree childhood," she says. "Ours was a big, joint family and most of my cousins were boys. I used to play with them, run around, climb trees and was an acknowledged tomboy." She studied at St Teresa's Convent, Girgaum, and graduated in English Literature from Wilson College.
Life in college was quite exciting to Khote and her brother Viju, another well-known stage, TV and screen actor. She took to swimming and cycling, excelled in both games and set up a new record for the one mile in cycling.
"My family was sports-minded," recalls Khote. "Father had built a gymnasium in the house itself. Many of his friends spent time there exercising. I Lent a lot from him. He taught that one can learn hard work, sincerity and team spirit from sports."
Both at school and college, Khote made occasional appearances on stage.
It was fun, but I just took it casually," she says. As Khote made her name in sports, her photographs began appearing in the newspapers and magazines. Well-known director Amiya Chakraborty sent his distributor friend, Kamath, to invite Khote for a screen test. Khote recalls with a giggle, "When Kamathsaab arrived, I was in tomboy outfit, with hair flying all round. He did not think much of me and reported back to Amiyada," Fortunately, Amiya Chakraborty was not convinced and after meeting her, cast her in his Seema.
The role was a challenge. Seema, which starred Nutan and Balraj Sahni was not the run-of-the-mill Hindi movie, and Khote was pitted against two highly sensitive and intelligent artists. But she came out with flying colors. "Amiyada told me he wanted a different kind of actress for the role, who would be natural. I fitted the bill. In fact, he did not even give me screen test," says Khote.
She also had a score to settle with veteran actress Leela Chitnis, who along with her two songs, was producing a movie. Chitnis offered Khote the lead role, on condition she would not work elsewhere for the next five years.
"My father did not agree to this condition," she recalled. "In fact, I had cut my hair for the role and even rehearsed enthusiastically for some weeks. And when they dropped me, I wanted to show them the loss was theirs."
Filmistan offered her roles in Paying Guest and Champakali. PG was a big hit but Khote did not enjoy her role, which was too negative for her liking. "I disliked the role so much that I refused to watch the movie?" She saw it on video much later.
A sportswomen, did she enjoy acting?
Okay, she nods. "Basically, I was fun-loving and liked to be with people. Because of my family background, I had no problems in the film world."
She did another film, Dekh Kabira Na Roya with Amiya Chakraborty, who later died of a heart attack. It wasa shattering blow, because Chakraborty had been her friend, philosopher and guide.
"He was very good in casting," recalls Khote. "Even top stars like Dilip Kumar wanted to work with him and gave off their best in his films."
It was Chakraborty also who found she had a flair for comedy. Even her serious roles in his films had comic touches which were highly appreciated. And when Chhoti Bahen, an L V Prasad release from Madras, turned out to be a mega hit, Khote was earmarked for comic roles. And her famous pairing with comedian Mehmood began.
For the next six years, films starring Shobha Khote, Mehmood and Dhumal were highly popular and did roaring business at the box office. Sasural, Dil Ek Mandir, Dil Tera Diwana, Bharosa and several other films celebrated jubilees.
Even Khote's negative role have often been tinged with comedy, a case in point being the super hit, Ek Duje Ke Liye.
Her constant pairing with Mehmood were also grist for film industry gossip. Khote laughed.
"I know about it," she admitted. "Yes, we were together in so many films that people gossiped about us. But there was a wide cultural differences between us. Of course, I knew him very well but we were nothing but co-stars."
As tea arrived, we discussed the changing role for comedy on Hindi screen. Khote pointed out that comedians like Gope, Yakub and Bhagwan had been popular them having to resort to buffoonery. Again, during the 1960's and 1970's, the comedy on the Hindi screen was clean and depended mostly on comic situations.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Shreya Dhanwantary, is an Indian actress, model and author who works predominantly in the Hindi and Tamil film industries. After her birth, Dhanwanthary's family moved to Dubai, where she spent most of her childhood. She was raised in both the Middle East and Delhi before graduating with a degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from NIT Warangal.
When she first moved to Mumbai, Dhanwantary appeared in many commercials for popular brands like Fastrack, Samsung, Safi, Vogue Eyewear, and D'damas to support herself financially.
Before entering the film industry, Dhanwantary participated in the Pantaloons Femina Miss India South in 2008, where she was the first runner-up. The same year, she also participated in the Miss India contest, where she was one of the finalists.
Dhanwantary's acting career began when she got her first break in the Telugu movie Sneha Geetham (2010) in 2010. However, she made her Bollywood debut in Why Cheat India (2019), starring alongside Emraan Hashmi.
She was later recognized for her appearance in the web series [link=tt8555892, where she played the role of Devanshi Taylor. Dhanwantary also garnered attention for her role as Zoya in the Amazon Prime web series The Family Man (2019). She even won the Fan Favourite Supporting Actress Award at the Indian Telly Streaming Awards for her role in Mumbai Diaries (2021).
Her role as journalist Sucheta Dalal in Sony LIV's web series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) earned her several nominations and critical acclaim. She was nominated for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her films Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (2020) and Looop Lapeta (2022), respectively, for the Filmfare OTT Awards. She won the Hit List OTT Awards and The Indian Film and Television Awards in the Best Actor-Female category for her role in Scam 1992.
Alongside her acting career, Dhanwantary is also a writer and author of the novel 'Fade to White', published in 2016. Dhanwantary also wrote, directed, produced, and even acted in the first-of-its-kind zoom show called the Viral Wedding.- Sonali was born in the Marathi-speaking Kulkarni family in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Her dad is an Engineer, and she has two brothers, Sandeep and Sandesh.
Even she was a child her passion was acting, and got her chance to act during the Ganesh Mahotsav celebrations. She was enrolled in the Abhinav Vidhyalaya in Pune, and after completing schooling attended Ferguson College, where she majored in Political Science and got a scholarship in Marathi literature. She used to speak Hindi, Marathi and English fluently, but since then also picked-up Gujarati, Italian, and Tamil.
After attending a workshop by Satyadev Dubey she and Sandesh formed a theater group and called it 'Samanvay'.
She first made her appearance on the tinsel screen in a Tamil movie titled 'Cheluvi', and thereafter has appeared in a total of 32 movies, including one in Italian titled 'Fuoco Si Di Me'.
Apart from acting, she is also an Editor with 'Viva', a supplement of 'Loksatta', and pens a weekly column called 'So Kool'. - Director
- Actor
- Writer
Tigmanshu Dhulia was born on 3 July 1967 in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is a director and actor, known for Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Paan Singh Tomar (2012) and Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Tiku Talsania was born on 7 June 1954 in Bombay, State of Bombay, India. He is an actor, known for Devdas (2002), Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and Special 26 (2013).- Actress
- Music Department
Waheeda Rehmaan combined the classic Tamil-Islamic beauty with an extraordinary grace, talent and a truly transcendent appeal that ranked her among the pantheon of Bollywood's elite actresses. And few could dance better than she could!
She was born into a traditional Tamil Urdu speaking Muslim family on 3 February 1938, in Chengalpattu,Tamil Nadu. Growing up, she was trained in dancing, especially the Bharatnatyam dance. Her first films were Jayasimha (1955) and Rojulu Marayi (1955), both in Telegu and Kalam Mari Pochu in Tamil. These films became a huge success and established her as a hit-heroine, but it was a song Eruvaaka Sagaroranno Chinnanna in the Rojulu Marayi that got Rehman recognition in South. During success party of Rojulu Marayi, Guru Dutt noticed her and cast her in CID. The result was one of the most stunning debuts ever made in a Hindi film. As a mysterious woman named Kamini, she added a thrill to the whole film and it remains one of the most seductive and memorable roles of her career.
Amazed (and enraptured) by her beauty and talent, Guru Dutt cast her in 5 films. Thus, Rehman gave a mesmerizing performance in Thirst (1957) as Gulab, the prostitute with a heart of gold, and she stole the hearts of audiences as Jameela, a shy Muslim girl in the romance Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1960). But by then she was involved in an affair with Guru Dutt and this affair led to the disintegration of Dutt's marriage - and soon the two of them broke apart after their last collaboration, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962).
Moving on after Guru Dutt, Rehman worked with the acclaimed director Satyajit Ray in The Expedition (1962) and consolidated her position as a top Bollywood star with her commercial successes Bees Saal Baad (1962) and _Kohra (1964)_. With Devanand she did 7 films and 5 were super-hits. Then she did _Guide (1965/I)_ - a film that took her to the peak of her career. In the conservative 1960s, Rosie was a daring role for Waheeda to play, and yet the gamble paid off - her performance as Rosie, a woman who leaves her husband for her lover, is ranked as her best ever! And to think that when she did the film, she was certain she would never, ever be able to do another film again!
She had commercial films like Ram Aur Shyam (1967) and Patthar Ke Sanam (1967) proved to be huge successes and had 4 hits with Sunil Dutt in 60's Ek Phool Char Kaante, Mujhe Jeene Do, Meri Bhabhi and Darpan but her offbeat films Teesri Kasam (1966) and Reshma Aur Shera (1971) bombed, in spite of her critically acclaimed performances in those films. Her 3 films with Rajendra Kumar though critically acclaimed became box-office flops and her films with Dharmendra between 1967-1973 bombed. Then she acted in Khamoshi opposite Rajesh Khanna which became her career's biggest hit.In 1974, Rehman married Kamaljit, her hero in Shagoon(1964) a businessman who had earlier tried to make it in films and moved to Bangalore.
After her marriage she cut down acting assignments, preferring to market her own brand of breakfast cereal and lead a contented life in a Bangalore farmhouse. She turned to supporting roles and did 24 films as supporting actress from 1976-1994. After her husband's death in 2000, she again started appearing in 9 films as elderly woman.- Actor
- Writer
- Music Department
Vinay Pathak is an accomplished Indian actor known for his versatile performances in Bollywood films. Born in Bhojpur, Bihar, India, Vinay initially pursued a career in advertising before making a successful transition to acting.
Vinay Pathak's journey in the entertainment industry began with theater, where he honed his acting skills and gained recognition for his talent. He later ventured into television and found success with shows like "Hip Hip Hurray," where his natural acting style and comedic timing became evident.
His breakthrough in Bollywood came with the critically acclaimed film "Bheja Fry" (2007), directed by Sagar Ballary. Vinay played the lead role of Bharat Bhushan, a quirky tax inspector, and his impeccable comic timing earned him widespread acclaim. The success of "Bheja Fry" established Vinay as a talented actor in the industry, particularly in the genre of comedy.
Vinay Pathak went on to deliver notable performances in films like "Khoya Khoya Chand" (2007), "Dasvidaniya" (2008), and "Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi" (2008), showcasing his ability to portray diverse characters with depth and authenticity. "Dasvidaniya," in particular, where he played a terminally ill man fulfilling his bucket list, earned him critical acclaim for his nuanced portrayal.
Apart from his prowess in comedy and drama, Vinay Pathak has also demonstrated his versatility in various genres, including suspense thriller "Johnny Gaddaar" (2007) and romantic drama "Antardwand" (2010).
In addition to his film career, Vinay Pathak has continued his association with theater and has been a part of several successful plays. His commitment to his craft and ability to immerse himself into a wide range of characters have made him a respected and sought-after actor in the Indian film industry.- Yamini Das was born on 8 February 1964. She is an actress, known for Haseen Dillruba (2021), Kadakh (2019) and Saas Bahu Achaar Pvt. Ltd. (2022).
- Actor
- Writer
Lilliput is an Indian actor and writer, known for the TV series Vikram Vetaal and Bollywood films. His real name is M. M. Faruqui. He adopted the screen name taking a cue from Lilliput and Blefuscu, two island nations in Jonathan Swift's novel Gulliver's Travels where Gulliver lands onto an island inhabited by little people. He is best known for writing Doordarshan's popular science fiction series Indradhanush and acted in films such as Bunty Aur Babli (2005), Saagar (1985), and popular 90s sitcoms like Dekh Bhai Dekh , Natkht and Mr. Funtoos, and for starring in Woh (1998) as Woh. He plays Dadda Tyagi in famous web series Mirzapur Season 2. He made his Tamil film debut in Vijay starrer Beast. He has two daughter's Grisha who is a model and aspiring actress and Isha.- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Priyanka Chopra Jonas (née Chopra) was born on July 18, 1982 in Jamshedpur, India, to the family of Capt. Dr. Ashok Chopra and Dr. Madhu Chopra, both Indian Army physicians. She had a very varied upbringing. She started her education at La Martinière Girls College in Lucknow as a resident student; a short stay at Maria Goretti College in Bareilly prepared her for further studies in the U.S. Having completed tenth grade in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., she decided to become a software engineer or a criminal psychologist. She enjoys Indian music and dance; flair for writing poetry and short stories; reading, especially biographies; and has worked for a lot of social welfare programs.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Chandrashekhar Vaidya was born on 7 July 1922 in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Cha Cha Cha (1964), Street Singer (1966) and Hulchul (1971). He died on 16 June 2021 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.- Ajit Vachani was born on 10 August 1951 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. He was an actor, known for Insaniyat Ke Devta (1993), Kayda Kanoon (1993) and Mr. India (1987). He was married to Charushila. He died on 25 August 2003 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
- Raghuvaran was born on 10 December 1958 in Kollankod, Palakkad, Kerala, India. He was an actor, known for Mudhalvan (1999), Amarkalam (1999) and Anaganaga Oka Roju (1997). He was married to Rohini. He died on 19 March 2008 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Tinnu Anand is an Indian actor and director from Bollywood, who is most known as the director of Amitabh Bachchan's movies including, Kaalia (1981), Shahenshah (1988), Main Azaad Hoon (1989) and Major Saab (1998).He is the son of veteran writer Inder Raj Anand and uncle of director Siddharth Anand. Anand recently portrayed an important role in Ghajini. He did his schooling from Mayo College in India.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Tisca is known for carefully choosing to be part of stories that needed to be brought to the people. With the burning desire to act, every endeavor of hers has been respected and applauded. Tisca has acted in over 50 feature films in different languages with many eminent directors like Aamir Khan, Prakash Jha, Sudhir Mishra, Abhinay Deo and others.
As someone who's always refused to settle for the mediocre, Tisca's persistence and passion not only won her acclaim and fame, but also two Filmfare Awards for a film she wrote, produced and starred in, called "Chutney". Taare Zameen Par, one of her sterling performances, was Indian cinema's official entry to the League of Academy Awards. Another film where Tisca played a refugee, "Qissa", premiered at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) in 2013 and was featured in over 20 festivals.
Tisca was nominated at the New York Indian Film Festival in the Best Actress category for her work in '10Ml Love', a film based on "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Her intense performance in the Indian adaptation of the American series "24" was much lauded and made her a household name. "Hostages", her debut on the web, proved to be a runaway hit, endearing her even more to the audiences. "Good Newwz", where she played a key role as a doctor, was also one of the biggest hits of 2020.
Tisca also starred in the Pulitzer-winning play "Dinner with Friends", which deals with the state of the modern marriage. She's been on the jury of the prestigious MAMI Film Festival. Adding another feather to her illustrious hat, Tisca herself created a path to showcase the idea of rising above barriers through filmmaking. Each of her short films have been about breaking barriers: "Chutney" breaks the 'thought barriers' where youth and beauty are prime parameters of how women are perceived; "Chhuri" breaks barriers about preconceived notions of what an Indian housewife should be like; "Socha Na Tha", was a film made at the time when everyone was getting depressed and didn't know how to go about filming (Tisca created this last film by breaking barriers, directing it over the phone and creating it when everyone was in lockdown); "Rubaru", a short that she co-wrote, directed, acted in and produced, was set for release in November 2020.
Beyond her acting career, Tisca has worked with Sam Pitroda on the National Knowledge Commission, to help revamp the Education system. She works consistently with NGOs and small business to give a leg up to entrepreneurs. She authored a book called 'Acting Smart', which talks about the ingredients needed to make a successful career as an actor.- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Kamal Haasan was born November 7, 1954 in Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu. He debuted as a child artiste in the film "Kalathoor Kannamma" (1960). Since then, he has starred in nearly 220 films in the major Indian languages - Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi. He has been a part of the film industry for 60 years, as of 2020. His journey in cinema has seen him do various roles - from child artiste, to romantic lead to one of the most respected and revered heroes of the film industry today.
He has famously said that he is a reluctant actor. He has an avid interest in every aspect of film making and is known for his work as a choreographer, director, and writer, as well.
He wrote his first script at age 18 for the film "Unarchigal" (1976), which was then followed by films that have gone on to become cult classics - Rajapaarvai (1981), Sathya (1988), Apoorva Sahotharargal (1989), Thevar Magan (1992), Mahanadi (1994), Kurudhippunal (1995), Avvai Shanmugi (1996), Hey Ram (2000), Pammal K Sambandam (2002), Panchathanthiram (2002), Anbe Sivam (2003), are a few of the films etched in popular memory for having set the bar for craftsmanship in the fields of screenplay, script, and dialogue.
He is also a prolific writer of fiction and non-fiction in Tamil and his published work is testament to his constant exploration of structure and form.
Kamal Haasan's strong convictions in his art have led to some of Indian cinema's most path-breaking films like Pushpak / Pushpaka Vimaanam / Pesum Padam (1987). Kamal Haasan also worked as a choreographer while transitioning as a well-known child artiste to the lead actor in a feature length film. Some of his best-known work as a dancer can be seen in Saagara Sangamam (1983) and the popular hit Punnagai Mannan (1986).
Kamal Haasan is also a student of Carnatic music, studying under musical maestro Dr. Balamuralikrishna. One of his biggest hits as a playback singer was the song "Inji Iduppazhagi" for the film Thevar Magan.
His career as a director began with the film Chachi 420 (1997), the Hindi remake of Avvai Shanmugi. Since then he has called the shots for critically acclaimed films like "Hey Ram" and "Virumaandi".
He has never hesitated to state his opinions and encourage debate about topics that are socially relevant. He is a rationalist in thought and moderate in opinion and a humanist in philosophy. The need to be socially conscious is seen in the way his fan clubs have revamped themselves into entities that carry out charity and volunteer work.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Mita Vashisht is an Indian television, film and theater actress, who graduated from National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1987.
She was born in Pune, Maharashtra, India to Rajeshwar Dutt Vasisht, a retired Colonel in the Indian Army and Meenakshi Mehta Vasisht, a teacher and musician.
She had her post-graduate in literature from Punjab University, Chandigarh before graduating from the National School of Drama (New Delhi).
She has worked in off-beat cinema as well as in commercial roles. She has worked in theater and has written scripts as well. Since 2004, she has performed her solo play in English and Hindi, titled, 'Lal Ded', based on life of medieval Kashmiri mystic Lal Ded{Lalleshwari(1320-1392)}.
She has written and produced three short films, as well as a serial. She has worked as an executive producer on the award winning film 'The name of a River'.
In June 2001, Vashisht established Mandala, space for arts collaborations research and education.She is also visiting faculty to some of the premier design, film and theater institutes of India.Apart from acting,she is also actively involved in social and humanitarian work.
She currently plays the role of the uptight principal on the hit show 'Suvreen Guggal'(an Indian TV drama series).- Deepak Dobriyal (born 1 September 1975) is an Indian film and theatre actor. he was born in Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand. His parents are from Kabra village near Rithakhal and Satpuli village, Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand. There, Deepak completed his studies at Govt. Boys Senior Secondary School Begumpur. In Delhi, he lived in Katwariya Saray.
He started his acting career in 1994 with eminent theatre director Arvind Gaur. His major plays with Gaur are Tughlaq, Andha Yug, Final Solutions, Desire Under the Elms, Rakt Kalyan, Court Martial, Dario Fo's Operation Three Star, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Good Person of Szechwan, Neil Simon's The Good Doctor and Ashok Lal's Ek Mamooli Aadmi. After six years with Asmita theatre, he joined Act One with director Pt. N. K. Sharma. He acted in Aao Saathi Sapna Dekhen, Hamaar Baabuji ki chhattri and Aksar Maine Socha Hai.
He has received recognition for his role in Omkara as "Rajju" and as a side-kick to the protagonist "Pappi" in Tanu Weds Manu (2011), a role he reprised in 2015 sequel Tanu Weds Manu: Returns and again received critical acclaims. - Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Alia Bhatt (born 15 March 1993) is an India actress. The recipient of several accolades, including one National Award, six Filmfare Awards and three IIFA Awards. Bhatt is one of the highest-paid actresses in India. She has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014 and was featured by Forbes Asia in their 30 Under 30 list of 2017.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Shefali is a National Award-winning actress with a career spanning over two decades across various genres and formats. She has given power packed performances in films such as Satya, Monsoon Wedding, Gandhi, My Father, Dil Dhadakne Do and Once Again. Shefali has won numerous awards including the Filmfare Award, Stardust Award, Tokyo International Film Festival Award and Asian Academy Creative Award. She received the National Award (Best Supporting Actress) at the 55th National Film Awards for her work in The Last Lear. Shefali was lauded for her restrained and layered performance in director Neeraj Ghaywan's short film Juice, which won multiple awards, including the Filmfare Best Actress Award. She also lent her voice for the character of Raksha in the Hindi version of Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book. Her performance in the Netflix Original Delhi Crime garnered wide critical acclaim with the show winning the Best Drama series at the 48th International Emmy Awards. Shefali recently donned the director's hat with her two short films Someday and Happy Birthday Mummy Ji both dealing with the theme of isolation. Audiences unanimously loved her characterizations of Natasha in Ankahi, part of the Ajeeb Daastaans anthology on Netflix; Gauri Nath in Human and Rukhsana in Jalsa. She was recently seen in multiple films and series such as Darlings, Doctor G and Delhi Crime Season 2 among others.- Actor
- Writer
Vijay Varma began his acting journey as a theatre artist, who went on to work in both Hindi and Telegu films. He was nominated for a Filmfare award for his exceptional performance in Gully Boy (2019), a coming of age story about an aspiring street rapper from the Dharavi slums of Mumbai, directed by Zoya Akhtar. It was India's official entry at the Academy Awards, 2020.
Vijay was born in a Marwari family in Hyderabad, the youngest of three siblings. After finishing his postgraduate course in Hyderabad, he shifted base to Mumbai to become an actor against his family's wishes. He secretly did theatre and secured a seat at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and for which he ran away to Pune. His friend paid the fees for the two year acting course and also helped with his monthly allowance.
Vijay's first acting job was a short film titled 'Shor', which was highly acclaimed at festivals and won the Best Short Film at the MIAAC festival, New York. He then went onto play the role of a young revolutionary in the critically acclaimed period drama 'Chittagong' (was shot in 2010, released in 2012), which won two National awards. He played the leading role in Monsoon Shootout (2013). The film was an official selection at Cannes Film Festival 2013, (however the film found theatrical release only in 2017). He captured the critics' and audience attention for his portrayal of a violent and abusive boy in the sleeper hit Pink (2016). Though it was Gully Boy (2019) that brought Vijay into the limelight! With a breakout performance of a cunning yet empathetic street hustler, he made it to the list of '100 best acting performances of the decade' by Film Companion. Soon after that he was seen playing a part of a narrator in Super 30 (2019). In 2020, Vijay saw more commercial success with Baaghi 3 (2020). He was also part of the Hindi-language anthology horror film Ghost Stories (2020), where he was paired opposite Janhvi Kapoor, the film was directed by Zoya Akhtar and was aired on Netflix. Vijay gave a tour de force performance of a psychopathic narcotics kingpin in the widely watched Netflix series She (2020). Vijay's portrayal of 'Sasya', impressed the audience and critics. He was recently seen in Tigmanshu Dhulia's Yaara (2020).
Vijay's upcoming projects include Mira Nair's A Suitable Boy (2020) (based on the novel by Vikram Seth) for the BBC, and Anand Gandhi's mini-series, a sci-fi mockumentary 'OK Computer'.
Vijay is an avid video gamer and lives on the mantra, 'watch one film every day'.- Rajesh Sharma was born on 8 October 1980 in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. He is an actor, known for The Dirty Picture (2011), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) and The Tashkent Files (2019). He has been married to Sangeeta Sharma since 2011. He was previously married to Sudipta Chakraborty.
- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Rajiv Hari "Akshay Kumar" Om Bhatia was born on September 09, 1967, in Amritsar, Punjab to Aruna Bhatia and Hari Om Bhatia. He is an Indian actor, film producer, former model, and television personality. He went to Bangkok to learn how to use a sword and also worked as a waiter in a restaurant. He studied martial arts in Hong Kong. It was a student who suggested that he should try modeling. Because of his success as model, he was offered films. Along with his good looks and excellent martial art skills, he was always the first choice to do adventurous movies. He does his own stunts in his films. His breakthrough performance was in Saugandh (1991). He was well known for his Khiladi series, an Indian version of James Bond, such as Mr. Bond (1992), Khiladi (1992), Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Mr. & Mrs. Khiladi (1997) and Khiladi 420 (2000). He dated strings of his co-stars including Raveena Tandon, Shilpa Shetty Kundra, Pooja Batra and Rekha. His recent critically acclaimed performances include Airlift (2016), Baby (2015) and Rustom (2016). He is married to former actress and now author Twinkle Khanna with whom he has two children.- Manav Vij was born on 2 January 1977 in Firozpur, Punjab, India. He is an actor, known for Andhadhun (2018), Udta Punjab (2016) and Tanaav (2022). He has been married to Meher Vij since 5 July 2009.
- Manoj Joshi is an India film and television actor. Joshi began his career in Marathi theatre, also putting up performances in Gujarati and Hindi theatre. He has also acted in over 60 films since 1998, many of his roles being comedic. His earliest well known serials include Chanakya, Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka, Rau (Marathi), Sangdil, Kabhi Souten Kabhi Saheli, Khichdi (Occasional), Mura Raska Mai La (Marathi). This was followed by film roles in Sarfarosh (SI Bajju) alongside his brother who played the well known Bala Thakur in the film. Joshi's break came as a comedian in the priyadarshan flick Hungama which was followed by Hulchul, Dhoom, Bhagam Bhag, Phir Hera Pheri, Chup Chup Ke, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, and Billo Barber. Manoj Joshi is also in the Star Plus series Gulaal. His father is Navneet Joshi, and his younger brother was late actor Rajesh Joshi (d. 1998). Manoj Joshi hails from Adapodara Village, Near from Himatnagar City, District Sabarkantha, Gujarat.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Sanjay Dutt, son of Nargis and Sunil Dutt, was first featured in Rocky (1981), the movie was a box office hit.
He emerged as a sensitive actor, alongside being the top prominent action hero of 80s & 90s Bollywood, whilst also finding noteworthy praise in the comedic genre.
Sanjay's personal life was exacerbated by drug problems, and he later lost his wife Richa Sharma, to cancer. He was also arrested for having illegal weapons, and was imprisoned. After his release, he appeared in three consecutive hits; Daag: The Fire (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999), His performance in Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999) earned him many Best Actor Popular awards, including FilmFare.
Sanjay then appeared in many movies such as Mission Kashmir (2000), Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) which also earned him many awards.
Recently a biopic on his life was made called Sanju (2018).- Arun Bali was born on 23 December 1942 in Jalandhar, Punjab, India. He was an actor, known for 3 Idiots (2009), PK (2014) and OMG: Oh My God! (2012). He died on 7 October 2022 in Mumbai, India.
- Rajendra Gupta was born on 17 October 1947 in Panipat, Punjab, India. He is an actor, known for Paan Singh Tomar (2012), Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011).
- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Neena Gupta is an Indian actress, producer, and director. Her repertoire of films includes art-house films, commercial films, and several international films as well.
Gupta attended The Lawrence School in Sanawar in Himachal Pradesh. And she pursued her graduation from Janki Devi Memorial College in Delhi. She earned her Master's degree in Sanskrit and completed her M.Phil in the same subject.
While studying at Janki Devi Memorial College in Delhi, Gupta started taking part in college plays. Gupta's first appearance on the big screen was in 1982 in Saath Saath (1982), an endearing love story directed by Raman Kumar.
In the same year, she was seen in the international film Gandhi (1982), based on the life of Mahatma Gandhi, directed by Richard Attenborough. She played the role of Gandhi's grandniece Abha in the film.
She followed it up with Yeh Nazdeekiyan (1982), helmed by Vinod Pande. The storyline was based on an extra-marital relationship.
In 1983, Gupta made her mark by acting in Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), a dark satire directed by Kundan Shah that revolved around corruption in India.
She was next seen in Shyam Benegal's dark comedy Mandi (1983). She essayed the role of a classical dancer in the film that centred around politics and prostitution in society.
In Trikal (Past, Present, Future) (1985), another movie helmed by Shyam Benegal, she played the role of a maid who acted as a medium for seances.
She went on to act in Aruna Raje's Rihaee (1988), a film that dealt with women's choice and sexual frustration when faced with male promiscuity.
Her next international appearance on the big screen was in The Deceivers (1988), an adventure movie helmed by Nicholas Meyer that starred Pierce Brosnan, Shashi Kapoor, and Saeed Jaffrey.
In 1989, she was seen in Daddy (1989), a television movie directed by Mahesh Bhatt. Gupta appeared in a couple of Malayalam movies, such as Vasthuhara (1991) and Aham (1992).
In 1992, she acted in Bollywood action films like Zulm Ki Hukumat (1992), directed by Bharat Rangachary, and Balwaan (1992), directed by Deepak Anand.
In the same year, she appeared in The Seventh Horse of the Sun (1992), directed by Shyam Benegal.
Her acting in Woh Chokri (1994), directed by Subhankar Ghosh, won her the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1993.
She also appeared in Badhaai Ho (2018), a comedy-drama helmed by Amit Ravindernath Sharma Amit Ravindernath Sharma. She essayed the role of a middle-aged woman who gets pregnant. Gupta won the Screen Award for Best Actress (Critics) 2019 and Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress 2019 for her acting in this film.
She played the role of a mother in Hitesh Kewalya's romantic comedy Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (2020).
In 2022, she acted in the adventure drama film Misogyny (2009), directed by Sooraj R. Barjatya. The film starred Amitabh Bachchan, Anupam Kher, and Boman Irani in lead roles.
Gupta has been a part of several TV series, including Gul Gulshan Gulfam (1987), Junoon (1994), Saans (1999), and Panchayat (2020).- Neil is a television, stage, and film actor known for his versatile acting skills across all formats. Neil received tremendous praise for his roles in Shaitan and No One Killed Jessica. He has also acted in the Indian adaptation of the international hit series 24, alongside Anil Kapoor and Shabana Azmi. He played the lead role in NH10 opposite Anushka Sharma, which won praise from both audiences and critics. Most recently he starred in Kaalakaandi with Saif Ali Khan and Lust Stories with Bhoomi Pednekar, and was also a part of an Amazon series - 4 More Shots Please directed by Anu Menon. He is presently shooting for a film for Drishyam Films.
- Born in a Gujerati-speaking family on June 8, 1957, daughter to businessman, Chunnibhai and Betty, Dimple has a younger sister, Simple, who was born on 15 August 1958.
She was discovered by Raj Kapoor, who signed her up opposite his son, Rishi, in the 1973 hit 'Bobby'. The film made Rishi and her stars overnight, at the time of the film's she was just 16 years old.
Exactly 6 months before the release of 'Bobby' Dimple who was a mad fan of super-star Rajesh Khanna, met and married the actor. Rajesh was 15 years older than her. After her marriage she quit films.
On Rajesh's 32nd birthday, a daughter, Twinkle nicknamed as Tina, was born to them. Then on July 27, 1977, Dimple and Rajesh became parents of Rinke, who would later also become an actress in her own right.
Dimple and Rajesh separated in 1982, enabling her to make a come-back to the tinsel screen with 'Zakhmi Sher'. She continues to act and has over 69 movies to her credit, some of them the more popular ones being 'Saagar', 'Insaaf', 'Zakhmi Aurat', 'Ram Lakhan', & 'Batwara'. - Actress
- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sunita Rajwar is an Indian actress graduated from the National School of Drama (NSD) from New Delhi in 1997.
A perfectionist in her craft and meticulous & painstaking in her preparation of her roles, Sunita turned out a string of highly acclaimed performances in films like 'Ek Chalis Ki Last Local 'Kedarnath', 'Stree', 'Bala', 'Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan', 'The Great Weddings Of Munnes'. Web Series 'Gullak', Panchayat, The Railway man.
Sunita nominated for Filmfare Award an astonishing 4 times and won Filmfare OTT award 2021 for Best Actor In Supporting Role for web series 'Gullak' & Iconic Gold Award for Panchayat in 2023.
Sunita Rajwar played a pivotal role in feature film Kaphal - The Wild Berries produced by Children's Film Society, India (CFSI) that won the best children's film award in the 61st National Film Awards.
The actress' upcoming feature film 'Santosh' has been officially selected for Cannes Film Festival 2024.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Amitabh Bachchan was born on October 11, 1942 in Allahabad, British India (present-day Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India) to legendary poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan & Teji Bachchan. He also has a brother named Ajitabh. He completed his education from Uttar Pradesh and moved to Bombay to find work as a film star, in vain though, as film-makers preferred someone with a fairer skin, and he was not quite fair enough. But they did use one of his other assets, his deep baritone voice, which was used for narration and background commentary. He was successful in being cast in Saat Hindustani. He got his break in Bollywood after a letter of introduction from the then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, as he was a friend of her son, Rajiv Gandhi. This is how Bachchan made an entry in Bollywood, starting with Zanjeer, co-starred with his future wife Jaya Bhaduri, and since then there has been no looking back.
He married Jaya Bhaduri, an accomplished actress in her own right, and they had two children, Shweta and Abhishek. Shweta is married, lives a non-filmy life and has two children.
Being friends with Rajiv Gandhi, got him to decide to run for seat in the Indian National Congress (political party) from his home town but had to leave mid-term because of controversies, particularly after Rajiv and he were implicated in the now infamous "Bofors" case along with the U. K. based Hinduja Brothers.
After a four year break, he was back in the unsuccessful Mrityudaata (1997), a comeback which the actor wanted to forget. Critics written him off but his career was saved with Bade Miyan Chote Miyan (1998). But four flops in 1999 and incurring debt of over 90 crore rupees of his sinking company ABCL saw him at an all-time low. To make matters worse, after the defeat of the Congress party, Bachchan lost considerable political support, the opposition made him a target, and his credit rating deteriorated to such an extent that a leading nationalized bank, Canara Bank, sued him for outstanding loans. He did bounce back, presenting the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire called Kaun Banega Crorepati? (2000). After a series of hits with Mohabbatein (2000), Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001) and Baghban (2003) and Khakee (2004), Bachchan is showing no signs of slowing down and proving the critics wrong once again.
Amitabh and Jaya were interested in getting their son Abhishek married to Karisma Kapoor, the daughter of Babita and Randhir Kapoor, they went through a formal engagement, but later broke it off.
The former Miss World and Bollywood actress, Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek, were formally engaged on Sunday January 14, 2007, at the Bachchan residence in Juhu, Bombay, with the marriage taking place at the Bachchan residence on April 20, 2007.
On November 16, 2011, he became a Dada (paternal grandfather) when Aishwarya gave birth to a daughter in a Mumbai Hospital. He is already a Nana (maternal grandfather) to Navya and Agastye - Shweta's children.
He continues to be one of the busiest actors and singers in Bollywood as well as on TV, as can be seen from the commercials that he appears on, especially on Sahara One. Looks like there are no limits for this super-star and once the "Angry Young Man" of Bollywood.- Actor
- Music Department
Ashutosh Rana born in Gadarwara, Madhya Pradesh is an Indian actor working in the Hindi Film and Telugu Film industry. He finished his Primary School education in Gadarwara and used to play the role of ravana in the city Ramleela. Later, he went to National School of Drama (New Delhi) for acting. He started his career with the Television Serial "Swabhimaan" and after that appeared in many serials like Farz, Saazish, Kabhi Kabhi, Waris etc. He started his film career with the movie Dushman", playing a psychopath killer, and after that worked in many films such as Raaz, Haasil, Kasoor, LOC, Ab ke baras, Gunaah.
He is married to the actress Renuka Shahane and has two sons.- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Born and brought up in Mumbai, India, John Abraham is one of the most successful male models in India. John grew up in a middle class family. His father Abraham John is a Syrian Christian (Nasrani or Saint Thomas Christian) from Aluva, Kerala, India and his mother Firoza Irani is a Zoroastrian Parsi from India's Parsi community. His father is an architect and his mother is a homemaker and charity worker. He has a younger brother named Alan Abraham. John's Parsi name given to him by his mother's family is Farhan. Being a Syrian Christian from Kerala, his father gave him John, a biblical name, as his first name and Abraham as his last name from the Nasrani naming system by receiving the father's first name as a last name. A Syrian Christian person from Kerala receives their surname from their paternal grandfather, father, or family house.
John studied at Bombay Scottish School, Mahim in Mumbai. He got his bachelor's degree in honors economics from Jai Hind College and got his MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai. John also received an MMS from Mumbai Educational Trust (MET). He was the captain of his football team at Jai Hind College. He also ran track at Bombay Scottish School, where he was a champion in the 100 and 200 meter dashes. John trained in Tae Kwon Do under master Javed Khan.
After college, he worked in media at Time & Space Media Entertainment Promotions Ltd and Enterprise Nexus. His big break came when he entered the Gladrags Manhunt competition in March of 1999. He almost missed the deadline, but luckily, he was allowed in. John won Gladrags Manhunt and went on to compete for Gladrags Manhunt International in the Philippines, where he finished first runner-up. After that, he began working on many modeling assignments. He got signed by Cary Models in Singapore and did a fair amount of work there, and later in Hong Kong, London, and New York.
With a name like John Abraham, it gave him a noted stand when he entered the modeling field. His revolutionary looks, macho body, baby smiles, and nice character made him the highest-paid supermodel in India. Being a hot star in the modeling world, he made his film debut in 2003. Not like usual Bollywood heroes who debut in male-oriented action features, he accepted the erotic and emotional Jism (2003). Unfortunately the film did not do well, but his work was noticed widely. Later the same year came the paranormal Saaya (2003) and romantic Paap (2003), neither of which did well at the box office.
His first blockbuster smash hit came in the year 2004 when he played the antihero Kabir in Dhoom (2004).- Raj Kumar is also known as Rajkummar Rao. He was born in Gurgaon. He finished his schooling in Gurgaon and graduated in Arts from Delhi University. He was simultaneously doing theatre with Kshitij Repertory and SRC in Delhi. He is an Acting graduate from Pune's Film and Television Institute of India. Raj Kumar's debut film was Dibakar Banerjee's Love Sex aur Dhokha in 2010.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Sanya Malhotra was born on February 25, 1992 in Delhi. She is an Indian actress and a trained contemporary and ballet dancer. She is recognized for her noteworthy debut as Babita Kumari in a sports biopic film 'Dangal (2016)' starring alongside Aamir Khan and Fatima Sana Shaikh which ranks among the highest-grossing Indian films. Malhotra has also choreographed Khan in the song 'Sexy Baliye' from the film 'Secret Superstar (2017)'. (This is a lesser known fact)
Sanya's performance in Vishal Bhardwaj's drama 'Pataakha (2018)', Ritesh Batra's 'Photograph (2019)', and Amir Sharma's 'Badhaai Ho (2018)' was highly appreciated. She was also seen in 'Shakuntala Devi (2020)', 'Ludo (2020)' in the year 2020, both of which had an OTT release. Her work in the latest Netflix release 'Pagglait (2021)' garnered a lot of compliments across the film industry and among the viewers. Her upcoming projects include a Netflix original, 'Meenakshi Sundareshwar (2021)' starring opposite Abhimanyu Dasani and 'Love Hostel (2022)' alongside Vikrant Massey and Bobby Deol.- Milind Gunaji was born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India an Indian actor, model, television presenter, writer, and author, most known for his roles in Marathi and Hindi cinema. Films in all languages Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Bengali, Kannada, Telugu, Marathi, English, Gujarati, etc. Acting for 4 decades..from 90's till date..has done 4 Hindi and 1 Marathi lead films. He made his first film appearance in 1993's Drohkal and first gained widespread notice in the 1996's Fareb in the role of Inspector Indrajeet Saxena. The role earned him a Filmfare Award nomination for Best Performance in a Negative Role. Since then he has acted in more than 250 films. He has his own travel show Bhatakanti and Discover Maharashtra which ran on Zee Marathi for many years.. Gunaji has served as the Brand Ambassador of Forests and Wildlife for the Government of Maharashtra. Currently, he is the brand ambassador of hill station Mahabaleshwar. He also briefly appeared in South Indian cinema, playing important roles in two films Alaavandan (Tamil) and Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum (Telugu).
Mr.Milind did Everest, which aired on Star Plus in November 2014. Received best literature Maharashtra government state award for literature for the book 'Anvat'.Gunaji has held many solo photo exhibitions as a photographer, including in Balgandharva Pune, Kalidas Hall in Nashik, and Prabodhankar Thackeray Hall in Vile Parle.
He has served as a travel writer, and brand ambassador of Intiamatkat Tours and writes a weekly column in the Lokprabha supplement of the Marathi daily Loksatta. As an author, Gunaji has penned 12 books. In 1998, he published his first book, Majhi Mulukhgiri, a compilation of his Lokprabha columns. Gunaji has modeled, stating that it "satisfies my ego and gives good monetary returns. - Actor
- Director
- Producer
Sanjay Narvekar is an Indian actor who is primarily known for his work in the Marathi and Hindi film industry. He first rose to prominence through his supporting role in the 1999 Bollywood crime drama Vaastav, for which he was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. Notable film credits include Fiza (2000), Hungama (2003), and Fakta Ladh Mhana (2011). One of his notable movies was the Marathi comedy Khabardar, in which he plays the role of a truck driver who is accused of a murder and runs for his life. He was then seen in the 2008 thriller Checkmate, written and directed by Sanjay Jadhav, followed by Aata Pita in 2010, in which Sanjay plays the role of an ambitious bank officer. His 2018 venture includes Ye Re Ye Re Paisa, directed by Sanjay Jadhav, starring Umesh Kamat, Siddharth Jadhav and Tejaswini Pandit in the lead roles.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Dalip Tahil was born on 30 October 1952 in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), Baazigar (1993) and Ra.One (2011). He is married to Amrita.- Writer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Subhash Kapoor was born in New Delhi, India. He is known for Jolly LLB 2 (2017), Jolly LLB (2013) and Maharani (2021).- Dibyendu Bhattacharya is an Indian actor who works in Hindi, and Bengali cinema and has also been seen in famous web series. After finishing his studies at Behala Arya Vidya Mandir High School, he went on to attend Vivekananda College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. Dibyendu is also a proud holder of a certificate from the prestigious National School of Drama.
In 2001, Bhattacharya entered the film industry with the comedy-drama Monsoon Wedding (2001), in which he co-starred with Naseeruddin Shah and Lillete Dubey. In 2005, Bhattacharya was cast alongside Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji in the historical drama Mangal Pandey (2005) (2005), directed by Ketan Mehta.
Since then, he has acted in several Bengali and Hindi films and television shows. He is recognised for his role as Chunni in the movie Dev.D (2009) and the Hotstar web series Criminal Justice (2019) (2019), in which he plays Layak Talukdar. He has also appeared in cameos for popular mainstream movies like Black Friday (2004) (2004), Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal (2007) (2007), and Chittagong (2012) (2012).
In the following years, he made appearances in films, including Ab Tak Chhappan (2004) (2004), Maqbool (2003) (2003), Robber (2013) (2013), B.A. Pass (2012) (2012), and Guddu Rangeela (2015) (2015). Bhattacharya also starred in the Emmy-nominated Netflix thriller Sacred Games (2018) (2018) alongside Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
He also appeared in the Netflix anthology drama Ray (2021) (2021), starring Manoj Bajpayee, Ali Fazal, and Kay Kay Menon. The same year, Bhattacharya accepted the role of inspector Biswa in the TV drama Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega (2020) (2021), directed by Soumendra Padhi. Bhattacharya was nominated for Most Popular Supporting Actor in a Web Series in the IWM Digital Awards for this role.
He has also appeared in the following web series: Selection Day (2018) (2018), Criminal Justice (2019) (2019), The Gone Game (2020) (2020), Mirzapur (2018) (2020), Rocket Boys (2022) (2022), and 24: India (2013) (2013).
Bhattacharya has also worked in movies like Incomplete (2017) (2017), Do Writers ki Maut (2018) (2018), Section 375 (2019) (2019), and Doll's House (Based on a play by Henrik Ibsen) (2018) (2019), and TV shows including Aar Ya Paar (2022) (2022), Thinkistan (2019) (2019), Maharani (2021) (2021) and Code Name: Tiranga (2022). - Actor
- Writer
- Cinematographer
Atul Tiwari was born in India. He is known for 3 Idiots (2009), Mission Kashmir (2000) and Dasavatharam (2008).- Vineet Kumar was born on 22 February 1957 in Patna, India. He is an actor, known for Masaan (2015), Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi (2019) and Soch (2002). He is married to Manoranjan Dhaliwal.
- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Born in a small town near Jaipur, Sohum shifted to Mumbai to make films. He started his own production house, Recyclewala Films, in order to make content-driven film. Its first film was the critically-acclaimed Ship of Theseus, in which he played the role of a socially incognizant stockbroker. He even won a National Award for Best Producer for this film. He was then offered the role of a cop in Talvar, based on the 2008 Noida double murder case. His role was much appreciated by the audience.
He will next be seen in Simran, playing the love interest of National Award winning actress, Kangana Ranaut.- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Born and raised Kanpur, India, Amit Sial discovered acting at the age of eight, and since then, has appeared in numerous stage productions across India, including in particular the lead role of Tim Supple's adapted version of Salman Rushdie's Haround and the Sea of Stories, directed by noted Mumbai-based experimental theatre director, Neeraj Kabi.
Sial also has directed two short adaptations of Shakespeare's MacBeth and Romeo & Juliet for the short play festival organized by the Prithvi Theatre in Mumbai.
Sial studied at Delhi University (B.Com. with Honours) and Swinbourne University of Technology in Australia (International Business). Back in India, he has worked with several theatre directors, including the acclaimed Barry John.
Hope & a Little Sugar (2006) marks his feature film debut.- Actor
- Writer
An alumnus of National School of Drama, Inaamulhaq was born on Nov 14, 1979 in Saharanpur-Uttar Pradesh. He first appeared on stage at the age of twelve. Later, he joined the 'Indian People's Theatre Association' and acted in numerous plays as a lead.
In Mumbai he started his career as a writer for TV shows. After working as a 'Creative Consultant' with "Comedy Circus" for two and a half years, he moved on to films and wrote Dialogues for 'Bbuddha Hoga Terra Baap'(2011).
While earning his livelihood by writing for television, he kept his passion alive by appearing in self-written TV shows. He got his first film break with critically acclaimed 'Firaaq' (2008). His first Major role in a feature film was, as the Pakistani national, in Nitin Kakkar's National award winner 'Filmistaan' (2014), for which he got listed in "Top 10 Stand-Out Actors of 2014" by Mid-Day, and "The Most Prominent Debuts of 2014" by IBNlive.com in their Yearender. He is also listed in IMDB'S "Top 200 Best Indian Actors and Actresses".
Inaamulhaq also appeared in Askhay Kumar starer 'Airlift'. He played the main antagonist Major Khalaf Bin Zayd in the evacuation drama based on Iraq's invasion on Kuwait. His performance in Airlift received a grand reception from the audience and the critics as well.
His cameo in Jolly LLB 2 caught the eyeballs of him as a Kashmiri. He also appeared in 'Lucknow Central' and 'Firangi' in essential role and got praised for his performance in both films.
Inaamulhaq won Best Actor award for his Recently released film Nakkash where he played the title role at DCSAIF (Washington DC) and IIFFB (Boston) The poster of Nakkash was launched at Cannes Film Festival 2018.- Actor
- Director
- Camera and Electrical Department
Pramod Pathak was born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. He is known for Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), Raazi (2018) and Raees (2017).- Actress
- Producer
Among very few actresses, Shilpa Shetty was nominated for her first film Baazigar (1993). The following year she delivered another blockbuster hit Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994) where she starred with Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan. However, the proceeding years her movies failed to succeed at the box office, though she did receive critical acclaim for some of her performances. Then in 1998, 'Pardesi Babu' was released and people noticed her again. Two years after that she finally delivered a super hit, 'Dhadkan'. Since then her career has taken an up turn. In 2002, she had several releases and films like 'Hathyar' and 'Rishtey'. They solidified her status as a brilliant actress. In 'Rishtey' she stole the show from superstars Anil Kapoor and Karishma Kapoor. However, it was in 2004 that her performance in 'Phir Milenge' that brought her to the top actress list. In 2005, she delivered modest hits like 'Fareb' (where she costarred with sister Shamita Shetty and Manoj Bajpayee) and Dus.
Though she has worked with top actors, unlike many Bollywood actresses who are either scared of or shy away from working with top actresses, Shilpa has worked with numerous talented actresses (such as Juhi Chawla, Raveena Tandon, Manisha Koirala, Tabu, Kajol, Mahima Chaudhry and Konkona Sen Sharma) and is said to share a great rapport with her co-stars.
Today her career boasts of her versatility. In 'Baazigar' she played a naive college student, in 'Aag' a charming village girl, in 'Main Khiladi Tu Anari' a street dancer, in 'Himmat' a seductive cop, in 'Dus' an anti-terrorist agent, in 'Fareb' a doctor and housewife, in 'Phir Milenge' an HIV positive, in 'Pardesi Babu' a charming city lass, in 'Dhadkan' she is forced to betray her lover, in 'Khamosh' a prostitute, in 'Jung' a sensational club dancer, in 'Tarkieb' a promiscuous military nurse, in 'Rishtey' a comical and tragic performance as a fisher woman, in 'Darna Mana Hai' a housewife haunted by apples and in 'Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar' a negative role where she plays a model turned housewife.
In 2000, Shilpa reinvented herself and became known as one of the hottest actresses in the industry! She is the only Bollywood actress who has been seen to do a split on screen and is known today to have the best body in Bollywood. She is also recognized as a graceful dancer.
Shilpa Shetty laughed a lot when she was young. She still laughs most of the time. According to Shilpa's mother (Sunanda), Shilpa was a naughty child and was called a "fightercock" as she mostly fought with her younger sister (Shamita). Her mom also acknowledges that she was a very bubbly and vivacious child and her pet name is "Manya" but her mom calls her "babucha" or "Honeybunch". Shilpa went to school at St. Anthony's Girl's convent in Chembur, then she went to Podar College.
Shilpa was her school team's baseball captain. She is a black belt karate champion. She actively participated in her father's chemical business. Acting was the only thing she had not tried her hand at.
Shilpa is known to have a great sense of humor and has the capacity to crack jokes on herself. She'll start laughing even before you crack a joke. Shilpa's favorite actors include Tom Cruise and Jackie Chan. Shilpa's method of spending a holiday would be to wake up late, cook, watch movies, work out and spend time with her family. She is also a huge fan of prints, especially Tiger and Leopard prints. Her room is filled with all the different kind of prints. Even her pillow case.she got married to Raj Kundra in 2009 and after that, she entered the Married life- Actor
- Writer
Abhimanyu Singh is a film actor who has worked in the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati and Kannada films film industries.
Although Singh was born in Sonpur, Bihar, his family hail from Daudpur in Jehanabad, Bihar. His father was an employee at RBI in Patna, while his mother was a homemaker.
He married his girlfriend Sargam in 2006 and has two children, a son, Zulu, and a daughter, Amelie.
Singh started his acting career with the movie Aks (2001) in 2001. However, his first impactful role was in Anurag Kashyap's movie Gulaal (2009).
In 2010, he played the role of Bukka Reddy in Ram Gopal Varma's Rakta Charitra (2010), for which he gained much appreciation.
Some of the other notable films that Singh worked in include Lakshya (2004), Dhol (2007), Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela (2013), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Dobara (2013) and so on.
Singh made his debut in the Tamil film industry with his role in Velayudham (2011). He debuted in the Telugu film industry with his performance in Rakta Charitra (2010), which was a bilingual film.
He entered the Gujarati film industry with Premji rise of a warrior (2015), and his first Kannada film was Chakravyuha (2016).
Singh worked in the mythological series Upanishad Ganga (2012), which was nominated in the Best Mythological/Historical Series category at the Indian Telly Awards 2013. It also won the technical awards for Best Dialogues.
Singh has also played multiple roles as a Television actor in serials like Kumkum: Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan (2002), Saara Akaash (2003), and Kkusum: Ek Aam Ladki Ki Kahaani (2001).- Actress
- Producer
Taapsee Pannu was born on August 1, 1987 in Delhi, India. She made her acting debut with the 2010 Telugu film Jhummandi Naadam, directed by K. Raghavendra Rao. Since then, she has appeared in a number of critically acclaimed films such as Aadukalam, Vastadu Naa Raju and Mr. Perfect. Her Tamil film Aadukalam won six National Film Awards at the 58th National Film Awards. She has also worked in a Malayalam film and has been signed on for three Telugu films and several Hindi films. She was awarded Most Enthusiastic Performer-Female Award at the 2014 Edison Awards for her performance in the Tamil film Arrambam (2013). Taapsee went on to star in several commercially successful films including Pink (2016), Badla (2019) and Game Over (2019), and received critical acclaim for her performances in Naam Shabana (2017), Mulk (2018), Manmarziyaan (2018) and Saand Ki Aankh (2019).- Actor
- Writer
He began his acting career in films in 2005 with a credited role in the film 'Haasil' directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. His major breakthrough came in 2012 film 'Paan Singh Tomar' in which he played the role of a local reporter. In both 'Paan Singh Tomar' and Haasil' he worked with Tigmanshu Dhulia (director) and Irrfan Khan (actor).Kala spent his childhood & studied in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh where his father worked in a veterinary Collage.[ His family belongs to Pauri, Garhwal in Uttarakhand.. He performed theatre in Mathura with a theatre group named Swastik Rang Mandal for as long as 19 years. He lived in Lala Lallumal ki kothi in, Junction Road, Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. He graduated from Agra university , in B.Sc bio chemistry, from Kishori Raman Degree College, Mathura.- Actor
- Director
Vijay Raaz was born and raised in Delhi where he attended Kirori Mal College. While at college he was a part of the dramatic society The Players. He also appeared in plays at the National School of Drama. He decided to focus on a film career and moved to Mumbai where he received a role in Ram Gopal Varma's Jungle. Naseeruddin Shah had seen him perform at the NSD and recommended him to Mahesh Mathai for Bhopal Express and to Mira Nair for Monsoon Wedding. After the success of Monsoon Wedding, Raaz received many roles. His first mainstream film cast as the leading actor was Raghu Romeo, a box office success where Raaz depicts the life of a confused lower-class Indian fellow. He came into light for his memorable performance in the movie Run. In which his Kauwa Biriyaani act became highly acclaimed. His performance in the movie got the cult status and was praised by the masses. He also played a major role in the film Delhi belly, where he played a drug mafia. As a villain in the movie he has received much critical applause for his performance.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Harsh Chhaya was born on 20 December 1970 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is an actor and director, known for Undekhi (2020), Khajoor Pe Atke (2018) and Astitva Ek Prem Kahani (2002). He has been married to Suneeta Sengupta since 2003. He was previously married to Shefali Shah.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Ankur Rathee is an Indian-American actor and dancer best known for his roles in the Amazon Prime series Four More Shots Please (2019), Zoya Akhtar's Made in Heaven (2019), the Hindi films Thappad (2020) and The Tashkent Files (2019) opposite Naseeruddin Shah, and as a finalist on Dance India Dance (2013).
He graduated from Princeton University where he trained under artists like Tony Award winner John Rando, Tony Award nominee Leigh Silverman, and Academy Award nominee Christina Lazaridi. He also briefly studied filmmaking at USC School of Cinematic Arts.
After moving to New York City, he continued his training with Alice Spivak in the Stanislavsky Technique and began doing off-Broadway theater. His notable performances include "Jade Emperor" in the martial arts opera "Journey Beyond the West", an Iraqi soldier in "Between the Tigris and the Euphrates", and an ancient Cordoba poet in "My Heart is in the East" at the historic LaMaMa Theater. In 2018 he found his way back to the stage as the lead in Ila Arun and K.K. Raina's rendition of "Baby's Blues".
Ankur began training as dancer at the age of 8 in styles including Bollywood, hip-hop, contemporary, jazz, and acrobatic adage. He discovered his passion for singing and acting in his teens through musical theater. In 2015 he became a dance faculty member at "Steps on Broadway".
A native of Haryana, Ankur is fluent in Hindi, Haryanvi, and English. He is also a devotee of Paramahansa Yogananda and practices Kriya Yoga meditation. Ankur is based in Mumbai, but travels between Los Angeles and New York City frequently for his films and web series.- Actor
- Producer
Tej Sapru was born on 5 April 1955 in Bombay, State of Bombay, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Tridev (1989), Aadmi (1993) and The Far Pavilions (1984). He is married to Dhanalakshmi Sapru.- Ashwini Kalsekar is an Indian actress who has worked in the Marathi and Hindi television and film industries. She completed her B.A. in Mumbai and graduated in 1991.
After completing her studies, she started theatre from 1991 to 1994, during which she was under the mentorship of actress Neena Gupta (1992 - 1993) to upskill her acting skills. From 1992 to 1995, she also trained under a theatre acting coach, Mohammed Vakil.
Kalsekar made her debut on TV with Shanti (1994) and was next seen in C.I.D. (1998), a popular TV show where she played the role of a cop, Inspector Asha.
She then bagged the lead role in the comedy serial Mr Gayab (1999), directed by Suhas Kadav, which also starred Saurav Chakraborty. Her role as Shalaka Catwoman in Shaktimaan (1997), a superhero serial, made her popular, especially among kids, as the Indian Catwoman.
She also played popular roles as Jigyasa Walia in Ekta Kapoor's Kasamh Se (2006). The role got her the Indian Television Academy Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, and other major awards.
Kalsekar also played the role of Sikka Thakuriaan in Episode #1.252 (2012) and was a judge in the Marathi reality show Fu Bai Fu (2009) in 2013. Her other popular roles include playing Maham Anga in Jodha Akbar (2013) and playing an evil witch, Saudamini, in Kavach... Kaali Shaktiyon Se (2016).
For her role in Jodha Akbar, Kalsekar got critical acclaim and major awards like the Indian Telly Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, the Zee Gold Award for Best Actress in a Negative Role, and other major awards.
She has appeared in OTT series like Chargesheet - The Shuttlecock Murder (2019), along with Anupam Gahoi, which was featured on Zee5. Kalsekar also appeared in the Hotstar Specials show Rudra: The Edge of Darkness (2022), along with stars like Ajay Devgn, Raashi Khanna, and Esha Deol.
Kalsekar's film career has been quite noticeable, as she has worked with big names and banners like Rohit Shetty, Ram Gopal Varma, and Sriram Raghavan. In 1996, she entered the film industry with the Marathi film Tula Jhapar La. In 2003, she appeared as an intelligence officer in the movie The Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003).
Other popular Bollywood performances include Khakee (2004), directed by Rajkumar Santoshi and starring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and the movie Kisna: The Warrior Poet (2005). She then appeared in Apaharan (2005), Johnny Gaddaar (2007), starring Dharmendra and Rimi Sen and Golmaal Returns (2008), starring Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor, and Arshad Warsi.
In 2010, Kalsekar's top performances included Rakta Charitra (2010), in which she played the role of Inspector Ashwini. She also appeared in Golmaal 3 (2010) starring Mithun Chakraborty, Ajay Devgn, and Kareena Kapoor.
Kalsekar made her Tollywood debut in the movie Badrinath (2011), in which she played the role of Sarkar's wife.
She has also been a part of Singham Returns (2014), where she plays the character of TV journalist Meera Shori. In 2015, she got the role of Detective Joshi in Badlapur (2015). Kalsekar was next seen in Golmaal Again (2017), Andhadhun (2018) and Simmba (2018).
She also appeared in a comical role as Ashwini in Laxmii (2020), Bade Pandit's Wife in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 (2022), and Shakuntala Devi in Cirkus (2022).
Kalsekar married Murli Sharma (2009 - present), a film and TV actor. - Actor
- Writer
- Director
Shukla's family left Gorakhpur for Delhi when he was two years old. After completing his schooling, he graduated from Khalsa College, Delhi. His professional career began in 1984 with his entry into theater.
Shukla began serious theater in 1986 with roles in plays like A View From The Bridge (Arthur Miller), Look Back In Anger (John Osborne), Ghashiram Kotwal (Vijay Tendulkar) and Hayvadan. In 1991, he joined the NSD Repertoire Company - the professional wing of the National School of Drama - as an actor. The next year, he got his first break when Shekhar Kapur, impressed with his work, created a role for him in Bandit Queen. Shukla also took the role of Vijay Anand's sidekick Gopi in the 1994 Doordarshan crime drama Tehkikat. The series was directed by Karan Razdan, but Shekhar Kapur directed the first episode.
Shukla's biggest break came when he co-wrote the script for Ram Gopal Varma's 1998 cult classic Satya and essayed the role of gangster Kallu Mama in the film. He won the Star Screen Award for Best Screenplay alongside Anurag Kashyap.
In 2003, he wrote the screenplay for Calcutta Mail. He received his first award for this film, the Zee Cine Award for Best Screenplay. In 2008, he acted in his first international film, the Golden Globe and Academy Award winning Slumdog Millionaire, as the character Constable Srinivas.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Madhur Bhandarkar was born on 26 August 1966 in Bombay, Maharashtra, India. He is a director and writer, known for Chandni Bar (2001), Babli Bouncer (2022) and Page 3 (2005). He has been married to Renu Namboodiri since 15 December 2003. They have one child.