2012 End Of the World

With 2012, as you probably could have guessed from the poster art of tidal waves crashing over the Himalayas, Emmerich is letting go of whatever restraint he might have had before. Clocking in at nearly three hours, boasting about a dozen major characters and at least half a dozen emotional death scenes, 2012 operates on the assumption that, if we liked seeing New York destroyed in The Day After Tomorrow and Washington D.C. zapped in Independence Day, we'll really love witnessing the wholesale destruction of the globe.

I hate to say it, but Emmerich is pretty much right. Far from conveying the horrors that might befall us should anything remotely so destructive happen, 2012 feels more like a soothing bath of Hollywood tropes and cliches, allowing us to witness Los Angeles slide into the ocean like Atlantis, but then warming us with a Woody Harrelson wisecrack and a rousing speech from Chiwetel Ejiofor. It's numbing, sure, especially when the first half is nothing but CGI explosion after another, but on some level it's exactly what we expect out of Hollywood-- shallow spectacle and a crowd of stars, an adventure and a few moral lessons, a giant budget spent guaranteeing we won't feel a bit different than we did when walking into the theater.

Billions of people die in the ensuing melee, but there are only a few we're instructed to care about. Chief among them is Cusack and his family, who start driving out of Los Angeles seconds before the destruction begins thanks to a tip from Woody Harrelson, who plays a Yellowstone-residing conspiracy theorist who saw the whole thing coming and made a YouTube video about it (Emmerich's nods toward modern concerns, like casting Danny Glover as the President and having characters constantly complain about cell service, head toward parody when Harrelson demands that Cusack "download my blog.") Plot mechanics too silly to describe require Cusack, his ex-wife (Amanda Peet), her new boyfriend (Tom McCarthy) and their cutesy kids (Liam James and Morgan Lily) to fly a series of planes on their way to China, where they intend to save their own skins in a manner that's best left revealed in the theater.

Somewhere along the way George Segal perishes on a cruise ship, Danny Glover does the heroic Presidential thing, a Russian oligarch and his bratty kids team up with Cusack and company, and the main players in Washington-- plus the President's comely daughter (Thandie Newton)-- all make their way to a souped-up description of Dick Cheney's undisclosed location. The final section of the film, while utterly avoidable to the tragedy elements, is also the best section, finally abandoning generic and plasticine CGI for situations that feel real and dangerous. There's no villain here, unless you count the merely loathsome Platt character, so it takes a lot of effort to keep putting the characters in danger, and by the end of the movie, Emmerich has most surely run out ideas. But there's something about the scale of it all, or maybe the way seemingly random characters tie into the main plot, that keeps the train chugging along. When Ejiofor gets to make his hero speech, and certain bad characters make good at the eleventh hour, it's not quite a "This is our Independence Day!" moment, but it does come closer than any of Emmerich's films since then. Somehow he's got a real heart beating inside his movie, and no amount of groaner one-liners or thunderous explosions can take that away.

Happy Birthday Nov

Nov 18

Zubeen Garg

Nov 19

Sushmita Sen


Dara Singh

Nov 20

Tusshar Kapoor

Nov 21

Aarti Chhabria

Vidya Balan

Aamir Khan

Aamir Khan This actor had the privilege of being born in a noted film family. But we have seen that being born with a silver spoon in mouth is not enough to guarantee success in life.
There are many actors who had silver spoons at their disposal all through their lives. Bobby Deol, Kumar Gaurav, Mohnish Bahl, and Abhishekh Bachchan in recent times, had opportunities laid out in platters for them, yet the going never really was strong for these star-sons.
Aamir too did not have to strive for an opportunity to be a hero in films, at the same time he was humble enough to boost his prospects with talent and a lot of hard work. He started his career in films with a runaway success called Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, a film directed by his cousin, Mansoor Khan.
Aamir has come a long way since QSQT. Even after spending nearly 15 years in the film industry the desi version of Tom Hanks manages to retain freshness in his performances.
There were hits like Dil, Dil Hai Ke Maanta Nahin, Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander, Rangeela, Raja Hindustaani, Ghulam, Sarfarosh and there were the offbeat, critically acclaimed ones like Raakh, Earth-1947.
A seasoned artiste now, Aamir is slowly turning to production. His first film as a producer is a period film titled Lagaan. The film was done at a huge level and Aamir is said to have spent quite a handful in making the film.

Jhanvi, Daughter of Sridevi

Bollywood and South superhit actress Sridevi is going to introduce her daughter Jhanvi to the film industry. As Sri first stepped into Kollywood and then Bollywood, she is going to do the same with her daughter.

Jhanvi will be paired opposite Nagarjuna’s younger son Akil in a Telugu film. Boney and Sridevi’s eldest daughter Jhanvi still reflects a child look and so Sri will wait till she grows up and develops a mature look to suit the Hindi film industry.

Filmi Gossip

The film in case is debutant director Bejoy Nambiar’s Shaitaan which Shruti Hassan was supposed to do. A source tells us that Shruti loved the script that Bijoy had written and was keen to be part of the film.

But it is learnt that Kalki Koechlin, Indian born French Actress, has replaced Shruti Hassan.

============================

Sources insist that Rani and Aditya Chopra tied the knot a very long time ago and that has been kept under wraps because they don’t want it to affect her career which she is so desperately trying to revive. Insiders swear that she is called ‘maalkin’ at her favourite production house.

Beyonce Knowles signed contract

On SEp 15,2009, famous American R&B singer, dancer, actress and designer Beyonce Knowles signed a contract with a Coty Inc., the fragrance giant. In collaboration with Coty she’s going to launch a line of her own perfumes. According to rumors, Beyonce could earn about $20 million over the next three years selling her exclusive fragrance. She is already the face of Emporio Armani’s Diamonds perfume and previously fronted the promotional campaign for Tommy Hilfiger’s True Star fragrances.

Beyonce commented: “For me, fragrance reflects a woman’s attitude and unique sense of style. While I love various perfumes, I haven’t found a scent that truly personifies me as a woman. Working with Coty, I was able to turn my ideal fragrance into a reality by creating an alluring and sophisticated fragrance; one that’s reflective of my inner power.” Beyonce & Coty will launch their new fragrance in early 2010 in North and South America with subsequent plans to debut in Europe and key markets throughout the world later that year.

Prachi Desai

Television’s golden girl, Prachi Desai’s demure and pretty looks catch the eye at first sight. She showed that she was an actress to watch out for in Rock On.

Basics on Prachi
Prachi Desai was born on 12th September 1988 in Surat, Gujarat, India. Prachi’s father was involved in theater. Her mother is Ameeta Desai.
Part of her school years were spent in Surat and part of it at St Joseph Convent in Panchgani. She studied at the Sinhgad College of Arts, Science & Commerce in Pune.
She did a course in modeling and was seventeen years old when she got her first role in television.

Prachi on TV

Prachi Desai’s first role in television was with Balaji Telefilms’ "Kasam Se" on Zee TV as Bani. She was part of the serial until 2008. She became the surprise winner of "Jhalak Dikhla Ja2" after returning back to the show as a wild card entry.

In Vodafone’s "Yeh Hai Jalwa", she was seen as a mentor for the team ‘Masti Ki Paathshaala’.
She won the Sabse Favourite Kaun’s Best Newcomer Award as as well as Best Actress on Television at the Kalakar’s Awards.

Prachi Desai’s Movies

Prachi Desai’s debut in movies was in the role of Sakshi in Rock On (2008) opposite Farhan Akhtar. She was convincing in her portrayal of a wife who is trying to make their marriage work.
Another movie is a comedy "Life Partner" with Tusshar Kapoor and her upcoming movie is "Once Upon A Time In Mumbai" with Emraan Hashmi.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez, who is struggling to get into shape post pregnancy, has refused to go under knife for the perfect figure. The singer-actress says she is a "more natural" person.
Lopez gave birth to twins Max and Emme in February 2008 and gained around 60 pounds during her pregnancy.
"I thought the weight was going to drop off easily because I had been in shape my whole life. But it wasn't easy. It was an uphill struggle I had gained about 60 pounds during pregnancy," said Lopez.
"I don't see myself having any plastic surgery. I don't know how I will feel when I am older. But I am more of a natural person and I believe in beauty not being an outside, physical thing. Luckily, I'm used to seeing myself everywhere now that I am no longer obsessed about the way I look," she added.
"I have to say I feel awesome! I feel the same way I felt when I was in my 20s," said the 40-year-old who is married to Marc Anthony.

Saroj Khan

Saroj khan (maiden name Nirmala Sadhu Khan) was born in 1950. She comes from the Sindhi Punjabi parentage. Her father, Kishanchand Sadhu Singh was a Punjabi, while her mother, Noni, a Sindhi. Her father had a flourishing business in Pakistan but he had to leave everything behind when he came to India. Saroj khan was born in India. Even as a two-year old child, she loved to dance. Since they were facing a financial crisis then, her parents put her in films.

She was three when she got her first break in Nazrana. She played the little Shyama, sitting on the moon and singing a song. She hasn't taken any formal training in dance. She learned dance from the well-known dance master B Sohanlal. He taught her the basics of Kathak, Kathakali, Manipuri, Bharata Natyam etc. She was only 13, a schoolgirl, when she got married to master Sohanlal. He was 43 then. From a child-artiste, she became a group dancer and then graduated to being an assistant dance master and finally dance master.

She is one of the most reputed choreographers or dance directors of the Indian film industry. She remains the queen of Indian dance even today.

Rekha, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Karishma Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar to Aishwarya Rai. She has taught all of them. There's hardly a star in Bollywood who hasn’t danced to her tunes. She has made her directorial debut with a Bhojpuri film titled Dil Diwana Tohar Ho Gayil starring Ravi Kishan and Naghma. The lady has also lent her voice to songs in films like Aatish and Koi Aap Sa. And to top it all she also starred in Naseeruddin Shah’s film Yun Hota To Kya Hota.

She got her ever famous recognition from the song ‘choli ke peeche kya hai…’ from the film khalnayak released in 1983. A few of her performances ‘ghoonghat ki aad se…’ ‘dhak dhak karne laga…’ ‘chandni mein teri chandni…’ are still so admired by the dance lovers. She worked with the top brass of actors and actresses, directors and producers. The dances she choreographed became a part of Indian culture. She directed the dances of Madhuri for movies Beta, Khal Nayak, Ram Lakhan, Sailab and Tezab. She worked on Sri Devi in movies such as Chalbaz, Chandni, Nagina. She directed Aishawarya in Devdas and Guru.

Amrita Rao

Amrita Rao was born in Mumbai, to a well-to-do Saraswat Brahmin family, on June 7th 1981. In Sanskrit "Amrita" is a drink which gives you immortality. This model-turned-actress has got the talent and beauty to be immortal in viewers mind.

Amrita never really dreamed to be an actress because she thought that with no contacts in the film industry, it would be a tough battle to establish her there. But she made it to Bollywood. Even though she has just acted in ten films so far, one of them is from Sooraj Barjatya. Her beauty bowled over acclaimed international painter M.F Husain and inspired him to make a series of paintings depicting her and her film "Vivah".

It all started when, while studying psychology at the Sophia College in Mumbai, she auditioned for "Fairever Cream" and to her surprise, got selected from among 60 other contestants. The close-up Ad campaign followed and it became a big success, granting her loads of offers. Within a year, she became one of the most sought-after models in India.

Her Cadbury's Perk and Nestle Bru Coffee advertisements fetched her offers from top directors, but she was apprehensive at first, as she wanted to complete her studies. After completing her studies, she signed Raj Kanwar's "Ab Ke Baras" which was also Raj Babbar's son Aarya's launch vehicle. The film didn't do as well as expected; she also got an offer to act in a historical film directed by Rajkumar Santoshi's "The legend of Bagath Singh", even though it was a small role.

"Ishq Vishk", with Shahid Kapur became a huge hit and earned her the girl-next-door image. She also won the best debutante award from Filmfare, Stardust and IIFA for the movie. She followed up the success with "Masti", a sex-comedy and "Main Hoon Na", which featured Shah Rukh Khan and gave her worldwide popularity. She also acted in "Deewaar", "Vaah! Life Ho To Aisi", "Shikhar", and "Pyare Mohan".

"Vivah", the Sooraj Barjatya movie is a big turning point of her career. Not only is the film a big success worldwide, but she has also gained a huge fan following of all ages through it. She and her co-star in the film, Shahid Kapur are considered the most promising pair after Shah Rukh Khan-Kajol.

The best thing about Amrita is that not only is she beautiful and talented, but she also has no hang-ups and is very down-to-earth, which makes her easy to work with. After "Vivah" she has lots of offers coming her way, but like before, she is taking it slow, waiting for the right scripts, because she knows "Slow and steady wins the race!"

Lara Dutta

Lara Dutta, Miss Universe 2000, was crowned the first Miss Universe of the new millennium on May 12, 2000 in Cyprus. The 5' 8'' Femina Miss India Universe was also judged Miss Photogenic at the preliminary round in Hyderabad on January 8.Lara Dutta, A student of Mass Communications, Mumbai University, beat out an incredible 60,000 applicants to take the Femina Miss India crown. High spirited and very adventurous by nature she cannot refuse a dare. Her fascination with astrology at an early age made Lara interested in being an astronomer or astronaut. An adventurous girl who is fearless and has done it all seeks more adventure. She is an established model by profession and has appeared in several advertisements like Synergie, Ceat, Coke, Sprite, etc.

Lara was born the youngest of three children to Wg. Cdr. L.K. Dutta (retired) and Jennifer Dutta in Ghaziabad, India on April 16,1978. In 1981, her family moved to Bangalore, India where she attended high school. After receiving the highest score in India on the English section of her National Board Exams, Lara continued her education at Bombay University and completed a degree in economics and a minor in communications.

As a representative of the Miss Universe Organization, Lara travels the world on behalf of the organization's sponsors and official cause, AIDS/HIV awareness. Lara is involved in AmFar (Americans for AIDS Research) and Hale House, a home for children born with HIV and drug addiction. Lara also works with the Harvard AIDS Institute by hosting forums and participating in events throughout the year. In addition, recently named UN Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Lara will work with Face to Face International. This international campaign is focused on increasing global awareness of woman's rights, especially access to reproductive health care and family planning services.

Megan Fox

Megan began her professional acting and modeling career at the age of 13 after winning several awards at the 1999 American Modeling and Talent Convention in Hilton Head, South Carolina. With these new awards, Megan started seeking a future acting career and moved to Los Angeles to help pursue this dream. In 2001, Megan made her feature film debut in the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movie, Holiday in the Sun, where she played the spoiled, stuck-up antagonist, Brianna Wallace.

She went on to garner recurring roles in the low-key soap opera Ocean Ave. and appeared in an episode of the Amanda Bynes sitcom What I Like About You.

In 2004, Megan co-starred alongside Lindsay Lohan in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, where she gained mainstream recognition. She also appeared in a TV movie called Crimes of Fashion and secured a spot on the Kelly Ripa-led sitcom Hope & Faith.

Megan was named #68 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006". She also appeared in her own five-page spread in FHM's November 2005 issue. In 2008, she was voted the Sexiest Woman in the World by FHM.

Megan stared as the female lead in the Michael Bay-helmed movie Transformers, released on July 7th, 2007. Her character, Kylea, plays the love interest of Shia LeBeouf’s character Sam "Spike" Witwicky. She has signed on for two more Transformer sequals. Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen is due out in 2010.

Fox will also star in Diablo Cody's Jennifer's Body, which is due to be released in 2009.

Megan currently resides in Los Angeles, California. She has one older sister. Megan has 9 tattoos. In November 2006, Megan announced her engagement to Beverly Hills 90201 star Brian Austin Green.

Kavita Krishnamurti

Born in Delhi, she began her vocal training under Sr. Balram Puri, (a reputed teacher in the Hindustani style of music) at a very young age. Her incredible talent was evident by age eight.

Kavita enrolled at St. Xaviers College, Bombay where she obtained an Honours Degree in Economics. Kavita started singing professionally on stage with the great music directors and singer Hemant Kumar, and Manna Dey. Later, she started dubbing for Lata Mangeshkar in Hindi films. Kavita began her recording career singing for commercial advertisements like Amul, Complan and Nirma in the early stages of her career. Initially, Kavita's exemplary voice took her to the UK, the US, Middle East, the West Indies, South Africa and Australia. This was later followed by several international concert tours.

Her first recording for a Bengali film song was done with Lata Mangeshkar. "Maang Bharo Sajna" was her first Hindi film under Laxmikant Pyarelal followed by "Pyar Jhukta Nahin". Since then, she has sung for many more films like Mr. India, Karma, Saudagar, Khuda Gawah, Chaalbaaz, 1942 - A Love Story, Yaarana, Mohara, Bombay, Saaz, Khamoshi, Pardesh, Bhairavi, Agnisakshi, Prem Agan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Bade Miyan Chhote Miyan, Wajood, Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam, Taal, Hum Saath Saath Hain, Vastav, Khoobsurat, Gaja Gamini, Pukar, Dil Chahta Hai, Devdas, Dil Vil Pyar Vyar and Jeena Sirf Tere Liye.

She has sung for regional films in many Indian languages such as Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Oriya, Assamese, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. Kavita has sung more than 1500 songs in several languages.

Apart from films, she has to her credit many non-films albums such as Koi Akela Kahan (Plus Music), Meera Ka Ram (BMG), Pop Time (Magna Sound) and Devotional Melodies (HMV).

Kavita Subramaniam's undaunted efforts to excel in the field of singing have brought her several accolades, and a large fan following the world over. Prestigious awards include three Film Fare awards, in 1995 for the film "1942 - A Love Story", in 1996 for the film "Yaarana" and in 1997 for "Khamoshi".

The 1997 Screen Award for "Khamoshi" and the 1998 Sansui Viewers Choice Award were won by her. She also won the 1999 Screen Videocon Award for "Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam" and 1999 Lux Zee Cine Award for "Hum Dil de Chuke Sanam". She is the recipient of the Priyadarshini Award, the Lion's Club Awards - Kala Sangam, the Lion's Award!

She won the "Best singer" award at the Stardust Millennium 2000 Awards … and the list continues! She was twice the recipient of the Bollywood Award, once in 2000 and 2002, held in New York. She also won the Kishore Kumar Journalists'/Critics' Award for the 2002 in Kolkata.

Following her wedding to Dr. L. Subramaniam, Kavita has been working on new fusion projects and exploring new avenues in music. Her husband, apart from being a serious classical musician, is also a maestro of global fusion music and western orchestral compositions. She has been featured as a Soloist in the latest Global Fusion album of Dr. L. Subramaniam, distributed by Warner Bros. The husband and wife team performed their fusion concert in Hyderabad on 31 December 1999 at the start of the annual Lakshminarayana Global Music Festival, which was attended by close to 200,000 people.

They have been touring and collaborating on a joint album to be released soon.

To commemorate 100 years of the Nobel Peace Prize, an album has been released bringing together the best from music and excerpts from speeches of Nobel laureates. For this project featuring artists from all around the world, Dr. Subramaniam and Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam were chosen to represent the Asian continent. Their composition, Trancedental Peace features Dr. Subramaniam on the violin, Mrs. Subramaniam singing and the words of Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela. This historical compact disc also features the music of Kris Kristofferson, Sinead O'Conner Brilliant and Knut Reiersrud and the words of, Matrin Luther King Jr, Dalai Lama, Kofi Annan, Yitzhak Rabin and Yaseer Arafat among others.

Kajol

Actress: Kajol

Address: Usha Kiran, Altamount Road, Mumbai 400 026, India

Date of Birth: 5th August 1975

Kajol

Kajol is not so beautiful, but there is some magnet in her personality, that attracts people.

Born to the producer-actress duo of Shomu Mukherjee and Tanuja on August 5, 1975, Kajol grew up in an influential setting. Her father and uncles ruled in the arena of producing films and her mother, Tanuja, aunt Nutan and grandmother Shobhana Samarth were established actresses par excellence.

Kajol took up films more as a hobby pursuit than a career choice. Rooted firmly in a family of film people, Kajol has strong financial support. Therefore, the actress was fortunate to never having to compromise on the kind of films she wanted to do for the sake of money.

The pre-requisites of a Bollywood actress, like a light complexion, dancing abilities, a slim and slender silhouette, chiseled features, all this Kajol did not enjoy. But she was an individual who did not fear to voice her thoughts and opinions, had loads of confidence, and oozed talent.

Kajol stepped into filmdom with Rahul Rawaail as her director and Kamal Sadaana as her co-star in a film titled Bekhudi. The film flopped but Kajol's draw continued to rise. Yeh Dillagi established her credentials as an actress. Her performance in the film made people sit up and notice the spontaneity and confidence she oozed.

There was no looking back. Hits or flops, Kajol remained unaffected. With every passing day her order rose and she became a star. She is the only actress in the recent crop on whom distributors and producers could bank on for returns.

At the peak of her career, in her usual carefree approach to making decisions in life, she decided to tie the nuptial knot and move away from the camera for sometime. Not even once did the thought of the consequences marriage could mean to her career irk her. She was in love and wanted to marry. It was that simple.

Kajol is back from her sabbatical and ready for work. But she is sure of one thing. That her schedules are going to be relaxed. Remember she treats films as a leisure pursuit, not a medium for money. That she in any case has plenty. Plus there are hubby Ajay Devgan's Production Company, a dotcom enterprise and a distribution company.

In future, Kajol will be seen in projects of her home production company and in a select few ventures from outside.

Karishma Kapoor

Karisma made her debut in the 1991 movie Prem Qaidi, which was a semi-hit. Although most of her multiple releases from 1992-1996 failed to do well at the box office, she had some success with films like Jigar (1992), Anari (1993), Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), Saajan Chale Sasural (1996) and Jeet (1996).

In 1996, Kapoor played the female lead in Dharmesh Darshan's Raja Hindustani opposite Aamir Khan. The movie was the highest grossing film of the yearand she won her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. The following year, she won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award and the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Yash Chopra's super-hit,Dil To Pagal Hai opposite Shahrukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit.

In 2000, she won her second Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in Khalid Mohammed's Fiza. Her performance in the film was much appreciated as she surprised the audiences and the critics showing great emotional range and depth. She also achieved critical acclaim for her role in the film, Zubeidaa (2001), which garnered her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance. Her performance in Shakti - The Power (2002) was highly appreciated and earned her many nominations in the Best Actress category.

In 2003 she played the leading role in the television series Karishma: A Miracle of Destiny. After her film, Baaz: A Bird In Danger which also released in 2003, she took a sabbatical from full time acting for three years.

Her most recent release was the delayed film, Mere Jeevan Saathi (2006) in which she played a negative role.

Kareena Kapoor is sister of Karishma Kapoor.

Rani Mukherjee

Actress: Rani Mukherjee

Date of Birth: Mar 4

Address: B/404, Shakti Building, Kalyan Complex, Yari Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai - 400061

Karishma Kapoor

Actress: Karishma Kapoor

Date of Birth: Jun 25

Address: 2-B/110/1201, Excellency, 4th Cross Road, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (West), Mumbai - 400058.

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong on April 7th, 1954. His parents, Charles and Lee-lee Chan named him Chan Kong-sang which means "born in Hong Kong." Jackie weighed 12 pounds when he was born and his mother required surgery to deliver him. Jackie's parents were so poor that they had to borrow money from friends to pay the doctor.

Charles was a cook and Lee-lee was a housekeeper at French embassy in Hong Kong. Charles Chan believed that learning kung fu would help build Jackie's character, teaching him patience, strength, and courage.

During Jackie's time at the school, he learned martial arts, acrobatics, singing, and acting. The school was meant to prepare boys for a life in the Peking Opera. Chinese opera was very different from any other kind of opera. It included singing, tumbling, and acrobatics as well as martial arts skills and acting. Students at the school were severely disciplined and were beaten if they disobeyed or made mistakes. It was a very harsh and difficult life but Jackie had nowhere else to go, so he stayed. He rarely saw his parents for many years.

When Jackie was 17, he graduated from the China Drama Academy. Unfortunately the Chinese opera was no longer very popular, so Jackie and his classmates had to find other work. This was difficult because at the school they were never taught how to read or write. The only work available to them was unskilled labor or stunt work. Each year many movies were made in Hong Kong and there was always a need for young, strong stuntmen. Jackie was extraordinarily athletic and inventive, and soon gained a reputation for being fearless; Jackie Chan would try anything. Soon he was in demand.

Over the next few years, Jackie worked as a stuntman, but when the Hong Kong movie industry began to fail, he was forced to go to Australia to live with his parents. He worked in a restaurant and on a construction site. It was there that he got the name "Jackie." A worker named Jack had trouble pronouncing "Kong-sang" and started calling Jackie "little Jack." That soon became “Jackie” and the name stuck.

Willie Chan worked in the Hong Kong movie industry and was looking for someone to star in a new movie being made by Lo Wei, a famous Hong Kong producer/director. Willie had seen Jackie at work as a stuntman and had been impressed. Jackie called Willie and they talked. Jackie didn't know it but Willie would end up becoming his best friend and manager. Soon Jackie was on his way back to Hong Kong to star in "New Fist of Fury." It was 1976 and Jackie Chan was 21 years old.

Once Jackie got back to Hong Kong, Willie Chan took control over Jackie's career. To this day Jackie is quick to point out that he owes his success to Willie. However, the movies that Jackie made for Lo Wei were not very successful. The problem was that Jackie's talents were not being used properly. It was only when Jackie was able to contribute his own ideas that he became a star. He brought humor to martial arts movies; his first success was "Snake in Eagle's Shadow." This was followed by "Drunken Master" (another blockbuster) and Jackie's first ever directing job, "Fearless Hyena." All were big hits.

Madhuri Dixit

Madhuri Dixit’s allure lies in her classic good looks and poise. The much sought after actress was the muse of artist M.F.Hussain and is tagged as an outstanding dancer adding that extra bit of spice to the film screens.

Madhuri Shankar Dixit was born on 15th May 1967 into a Marathi Brahmin family in Mumbai, India. Her parents are Shankar and Snehalata Dixit. She is the youngest of four children. She has two older sisters Rupa and Bharati and an older brother Ajit.

Madhuri studied at the Parle College and considered a future in micro-biology. She also trained in Kathak for over eight years.

She was linked with actor Sanjay Dutt before she married Sriram Madhav Nene, a surgeon based in the USA in 1999. They have two sons, Arin born in 2003 and Ryan in 2005. The family lives in Denver, Colorado.

The Government of India conferred Madhuri the Padma Shri Award, the highest civilian award in 2008.

Queen of Hearts

It took Madhuri Dixit a little over three years before she shot to fame. Madhuri’s first movie was Abodh in 1984 and after a few forgettable performances, she appeared in Dayavan. Tezaab with Anil Kapoor became a box office hit and she followed this with performances in Ram Lakhan, Prem Prathiyaga, Tridev and Parinda which became India’s official entry to the Oscars. Madhuri Dixit and Anil Kapoor enjoyed a successful chemistry on screen and worked together in many movies.

1990 to 1995 Madhuri won the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1990 for her role as Madhu in Indra Kumar’s Dil opposite Aamir Khan. Saajan, a love triangle, starring Salman Khan and Sanjay Dutt did good business in 1991. She starred with Anil Kapoor in 1992 in movies like Khel, Zindagi Ek Jua and Beta. One of Madhuri’s most famous dance sequences Dhak Dhak Karne Laga was from Beta. She won another Filmfare Best Actress Award.

In 1993, Khalnayak with Sanjay Dutt and Jackie Shroff was a blockbuster while her dance sequence Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai created ripples as she sets off to trap the criminal Ballu. If Anjaam with Shah Rukh Khan in 1994 failed to do well, Hum Aapke Hai Kaun with Salman Khan broke records and added another feather, a rather bright one, in her cap. She won her third Filmfare Best Actress Award. She had two releases in 1995, Raja and Yaarana.

Madhuri’s success rate tapered until the 1997 release Yash Chopra’s Dil to Paagal Hai as Pooja, a dancer. In 2000, she faced Anil Kapoor once again in Rajkumar Santoshi’s Pukar as Anjali who wreaks havoc in the life of Major Jaidev Rajvansh. She was also seen in M.F.Hussain’s Gaja Gamini. The movie famously inspired by her, explores the different facets of a woman.

In 2001, she played Jhanki in Lajja that centered around strong female characters. In Devdas, a much anticipated release in 2002, Madhuri donned the role of a courtesan Chandramukhi whose love for Devdas doesn’t save him. Her portrayal of the courtesan won her the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.

She moved away from Bollywood for five years and returned back in Aaja Nachle in 2007 as Dia who is trying to bring the Ajanta Theater back on to its feet. The movie didn’t earned as expected.

Madhubala

The collective gasp that went up in theatres this week as Madhubala unveiled her magnetic beauty to an entirely new generation of moviegoers can be heard all over the country.

The Madhubala magic has reawakened, thanks to the enchantment created by the newly coloured version of K. Asif's timeless "Mughal-e-Azam" which opened this week.

The magic of Madhubala in "Mughal-e-Azam" is the magic of Hindi cinema. She epitomises all the grace and feminine beauty that make those flickering images on screen come alive as a collective emblem of the life force.

And to think that she died so young. Thirty-six is no age to die. Not for one of the most beautiful women god ever created... or maybe he needed to have her up there to beautify heaven.

Madhubala is as much synonymous with beauty as Lata Mangeshkar is with melody.

Short-lived as her stardom was, Madhubala's reign at the top was swift and splendid.

Born in a conservative Muslim family, Madhubala started her career in 1942 at the age of nine in "Basant". Her first hit as a grown-up leading lady was Kidar Sharma's "Neel Kamal" where both she and Raj Kapoor were introduced.

It was Kamal Amrohi's "Mahal" in 1949 which gave Madhubala the image of an ethereal, unattainable yet warm and gregarious beauty who could be diva and she-devil at the same time. Lata Mangeshkar's haunting melody "Ayega aanewala" added immense allure to Madhubala's screen persona. The actress and the singer remained associated throughout Madhubala's life and career.

Lata Mangeshkar recalls meeting Madhubala socially. "She was always warm and friendly. Though everyone stressed on her breathtaking beauty, Madhubala never took her looks seriously."

Michale Jackson dies at 50

The Bio History of Michael Joseph Jackson began when he was born on the 29th of August 1958 in Gary, Indiana. He was the 7th of nine children. (brothers: Sigmund "Jackie", Toriano "Tito", Jermaine, Marlon, Steven "Randy", and sisters Rebbie, Janet and La-Toya Jackson.

Michael began his musical career at the age of 5 as the lead singer of the Jackson 5 who formed in 1964. In these early years the Jackson 5, Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon and lead singer Michael played local clubs and bars in Gary Indiana and moving further afield as there talents grew and they could compete in bigger competitions. From these early days Michael would be at the same clubs as big talented stars of there days, such as Jackie Wilson and would be learning from them even back then. In 1968 the Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers discovered the Jackson five and from there they got an audition for Berry Gordy of Motown Records. The Jackson 5 signed for Motown and moved to California. Their first 4 singles, "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There" all made US No1 hits. The Jackson 5 recorded 14 albums and Michael recorded 4 solo albums with Motown.

The Jackson 5 stayed with Motown until 1976, wanting more artistic freedom they felt they had to move on and signed up with Epic. The group name Jackson 5 had to be changed as it was owned by Motown, so they reverted to The Jacksons as they had be known in the early days. Brother Jermaine married Berry Gordy's daughter and stayed with Motown. Youngest brother Randy joined in his place. The Jacksons had a number of hit recordsand in total made 6 albums between the years of 1976 and 1984.

In 1977 Michael made his first film debut when he starred in the musical Michael teamed up with Quincey Jones as his producer for his first solo album with Epic Records. The album titled "Off The Wall" was a big success around the world and the first ever album to release a record breaking 4 No1 singles in the US.

In 1982 Michael Jackson released the world's largest selling album of all time, 'Thriller'. This album produced 7 hit singles, breaking yet again more records, and went on to sell over 50 million copies worldwide. He worked with the best directors and producers, using the latest technology and special effects for the hit song 'Billie Jean' The short film 'Thriller' used the latest make-up artists technolgy combined with fantastic dancing and cherography, to produce a 14 minute video, with a start, a middle and an ending. So successful was this video that 'The Making Of Michael Jackson's Thriller' became the world's largest selling home video combined with soaring album sales. In 1983 Michael performed the now legendary moonwalk for the first time on the 'Motown 25 years' anniversary show. This performance alone set Michael undoubtable into the realm of a superstar. In 1984 Michael won a record breaking 8 Grammy awards in one night. The awards were for his work on the 'Thriller' album and his work on the narrative for the 'ET Storybook'. On December 9th 1984 at the last concert of the Jackson's Victory Tour, Michael announced he was splitting from the group and going solo.In 1987 Michael released his much awaited third solo album, titled 'Bad', and launched his record breaking first solo world tour. 1988, Michael wrote his first autobiography talking for the first time on his childhood and his career. At the end of the 1980s Michael was named 'Artist Of The Decade' for his success off of his 'Thriller' and 'Bad' albums.

In 1991 Michael signed with Sony Music the largest ever recording contract and released his fourth solo album, 'Dangerous'. He toured world again in 1992, taking his concerts to countries that had never before been visited by a pop/rock artist. Also Michael founded the 'Heal the World Foundation' to help improve the lives of children across the world.

In 1994 Michael married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock legend Elvis Presley. The marriage only lasted for 19 months, as they divorced in 1996.

1995 saw Michael release a fifth solo album, 'HIStory', which was a double album, first half new material and second half half greatest hits. Michael toured again over a legs covering a 2 year period. In between legs of the tour on November 14th 1996, Michael married for his second time to Debbie Rowe who was a nurse that Michael had met in the treatment of his skin pigment disorder. Together they had their first child Prince Michael Joseph Jackson jr born on February 13 1997 and a daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson born on April 3rd 1998. In 1997 Michael released the remix album 'Blood On The Dance Floor' which also contained 5 new song linked with a 38min film "Ghosts". This film Michael played 5 roles using the latest special effects and make-up artistry, combined with his dance and music.

In September, 2001 Michael celebrated his 30th anniversary as a solo artist with two concerts to be held in New York, USA. Many artists such as Whitney Houston, Usher, Destinys Child, Shaggy and many more performed there own and Michael Jacksons past songs. Michael then reunited with all of his brothers performed there biggest hits. Michael then went onto perform solo some of his biggest hits. In October 2001 Michael released the album 'Invincible' so far releasing only 2 singles including the big hit "You Rock My World". Since the release of this first single the album has been surrounded by rumours of a rift with Sony Music and a clear lack of promotion of the album.

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor (born on September 21, 1980), often informally referred to as Bebo, is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood films. Born into a film family where both her parents, Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and her elder sister Karisma were actors, Kapoor faced the media spotlight from a very young age. However, she did not make her acting debut until the 2000 film Refugee, which earned her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. Her melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham became India’s highest grossing film in the overseas market in 2001 and is her biggest commercial success to date.

After receiving negative reviews for a series of repetitive roles between 2002 and 2003, Kapoor accepted more demanding roles to avoid being typecast, and consequently was recognized by critics for displaying greater versatility between 2004 and 2006. Her portrayal of a sex worker in Chameli (2004) proved to be the turning point in her career and garnered her the Filmfare Special Performance Award. She later received two Critics Awards for Best Actress at the Filmfare ceremony for her performances in the critically acclaimed Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006).

In 2007, Kapoor earned a Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in the Imtiaz Ali directed romantic comedy film, Jab We Met. Although the box office earnings of her films have varied considerably, Kapoor has established herself as one of the leading contemporary actresses in the Hindi film industry. Kapoor’s off-screen life is subject to wide media coverage in India with frequent press coverage of her and boyfriend, actor Saif Ali Khan and speculation of a possible marriage.

In 2007, Kapoor starred opposite Shahid Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s romantic comedy Jab We Met. Relating the story of two people with contrasting personalities who meet on a train and eventually fall in love, Kapoor played the female protagonist Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a strong zest for life. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year’s most successful films, earning a domestic total of Rs 303 million (US$ 6.45 million). Kapoor won several awards for her performance, including a Filmfare Best Actress Award and her second Star Screen Award for Best Actress. Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN noted, "Uninhibited and spontaneous, Kareena Kapoor is the soul of this picture, its biggest strength, as she brings alive her character with not just those smart lines, but with the kind of candor actors seldom invest in their work."

Following Jab We Met, Kapoor featured alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, and Anil Kapoor in the action-thriller Tashan (2008). Though an indiaFM poll named it the most anticipated film of the year, Tashan eventually became a commercial and critical failure. Kapoor next provided her voice for the character of Laila, the love interest of a street dog named Romeo, in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film Roadside Romeo. It was the second Bollywood film to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio. In preparation for her role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors delivered their dialogues. Kapoor was criticised for failing to promote the film as she ventured into other projects.

Kapoor next starred in Rohit Shetty’s comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal. A part of an ensemble cast that included Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Arora, Celina Jaitley, and Anjana Sukhani, Kapoor played a distrustful wife who believed her husband to be unfaithful. The film received a mixed reception from critics and Kapoor herself received mixed reviews. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was unoriginal, concluding, "There is nothing particularly new about a suspicious wife keeping tabs on her husband, and there is nothing particularly new in the way Kareena plays it." Golmaal Returns was nonetheless a major financial success, with revenues of over Rs 500 million (US$ 10.65 million) domestically.

As of March 2009, Kapoor has completed filming for the romantic drama Kambakkht Ishq alongside Akshay Kumar. It is the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California and features several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors. She has also completed filming Prem Soni’s drama Main Aur Mrs. Khanna in which she is to star alongside Salman Khan. Kapoor was also cast as the lead in Rajkumar Hirani’s Three Idiots, which began principal photography in July 2008. The romantic comedy film Milenge Milenge is also scheduled for a late 2009 release, having been postponed since 2005.

During her years in the film industry, Kapoor has also devoted time to other commitments, from being involved with humanitarian causes to participating in stage shows. In 2002, Kapoor set off on her first world tour, the Heartthrobs Concert, alongside Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, and Aftab Shivdasani. The show was performed throughout the US and Canada and went on to become a success. In November 2003, Kapoor performed at the Marco Ricci Each One Reach One Benefit Concert, a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit, whilst in 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, she took part in the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Later that year, she visited the desert heartland of Rajasthan to boost the morale of the jawans for a special Holi weekend episode on the NDTV show, Jai Jawan. The show consists of entertainers and stars visiting Indian troops in isolated regions along with the NDTV team.

In 2006, Kapoor took part in the Rockstars Concert world tour, along with Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, John Abraham, Shahid Kapoor, Esha Deol and Mallika Sherawat. The following year, Kapoor, along with Priyanka Chopra, donated her half-share of five million rupees from her winnings on Kaun Banega Crorepati (India’s version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) to St. Anthony’s Old Age Home and Mount Mary’s Bandra. In June 2008, Kapoor appeared on the game show Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? alongside boyfriend Saif Ali Khan, and donated half of her Rs. 5,000,000 (US$ 106,500) winnings to St. Anthony’s Old Age Home, Bandra. In 2009, she once again donated her winnings of Rs. 1,000,000 (US$ 21,300) from 10 Ka Dum to St. Anthony’s Old Age Home.

Kapoor has endorsed several brands, including Kurkure and the clothing chain Globus. Kapoor is the Globus brand ambassador and features in its advertisements; since her start, the brand has experienced a 75 percent increase in sales.

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra (born July 18, 1982) is an Indian film actress and former Miss World, who acts in Bollywood films.

After winning the title of Miss India World and later becoming Miss World 2000, Chopra made her acting debut with the Tamil film Thamizhan (2002). The following year, she made her Bollywood debut with Anil Sharma’s The Hero: Love Story of a Spy and had her first commercial success with her second release, Andaaz from the same year, for which she won a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. Becoming the second woman to win the Filmfare Best Villain Award for her critically acclaimed performance in Abbas-Mustan’s Aitraaz (2004), Chopra later went on to deliver commercial success with films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Krrish (2006), her biggest commercial success so far, and Don - The Chase Begins Again (2006). In 2008, Chopra earned the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in Fashion, thus establishing herself as a popular actress.
She was born in Jamshedpur, Jharkand to Ashok Chopra and Madhu Akhauri, both doctors by profession. Chopra spent her childhood in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh; Newton, Massachusetts; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her father was in the army and thus her family moved quite frequently. Her father hailed from a family of Punjabi Khatri origin, settled in Bareilly and her mother comes from a Bihari Kayastha family settled in Jamshedpur. She also has a brother, Siddharth, who is seven years younger than she.

Chopra studied at St. Maria Goretti in Bareilly and La Martiniere Girls’ School in Lucknow as a young girl. These frequent re-locations took place as Ashok was a doctor in the Indian Army. She subsequently re-located to the U.S. where she studied in Newton’s Newton South High School in Newton, Massachusetts and then in John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She returned to India and did her high school at Army School in Bareilly. She began college at Jai Hind College in Mumbai but left after winning the Miss World pageant.

Chopra was crowned Miss India World and later Miss World in 2000. In the same year, Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza, both also from India, won the Miss Universe and Miss Asia Pacific crowns, in a rare triple victory for one country.

When Chopra won the Miss World crown, she became the fifth Indian woman to win the title, and the fourth Indian woman to win in a span of seven years.After winning the Miss World title, Chopra became an actress. She made her debut in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan alongside Vijay, in which she also sung playback, before moving on to Bollywood. In 2003, her first Bollywood film, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy released and won her good reviews. Despite being given a below average status, the film went on to become one of the highest grossing films of that year.

Her next film, Andaaz opposite Akshay Kumar was a success, earning her a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and a nomination for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.
In 2004, her film Mujhse Shaadi Karogi was released, and became the third highest grossing film of that year. Her next release, Aitraaz, was a Hindi remake of the Demi Moore vehicle Disclosure. It was her first "negative" role, where she played the villain. Her performance won critical acclaim and earned a Filmfare Best Villain Award. She also received a second nomination for Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. In the same year, she participated in a world tour titled Temptations 2004 with several of Bollywood’s leading stars, including Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Arjun Rampal.

In 2005, several of her films were released, though most did not do well at the box office.

In 2006, Chopra starred in two of the most successful films of the year - Krrish and Don - The Chase Begins Again.

Nikhil Advani’s ensemble piece, Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love was Chopra’s first release in 2007. The movie failed to do well at the box office. Chopra’s next release, Big Brother also underperformed. Her other releases in 2008 included Love Story 2050, God Tussi Great Ho, Chamku and Drona, all of which were considered flops. However, her most recent releases, Fashion and Dostana, have succeeded at the box office, and her performance in the former garnered her critical acclaim, winning her the Filmfare Best Actress Award as well as numerous other awards.

In 2009 she will be appearing in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminey, Ashutosh Gowariker’s What’s Your Raashee? and Jugal Hansraj’s Pyaar Impossible.

Rani Mukherjee

Member of the same illustrious film family from which Kajol draws her lineage Rani Mukherjee may still be at a distance from the citadel that houses her cousin. But there is no doubt about the light-eyed Bengali girl's mass appeal. Moreover, she is putting all her efforts and working hard to reach there.

Precocious yet innocently oblivious of it, it is the actress's unassuming self which draw friends and well-wishers to her.

Producers made a beeline for Rani's door (she was riding high on the success of Ghulam and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai) and just as she was gradually shifting positions towards the top in the popularity charts, she started getting the jolts. Good nature did not really help Rani in gaining stronghold and consolidating her position in Mumbai.

Films like Baadal cast a shadow on her prospects. The film left theatres in India without a whimper. Hope was alive in the form of Hadh Kar Di Aapne, which was in the pipeline. Rani had faith in Govinda and David Dhawan's saleability at the box office. Unfortunately, the film failed to raise a laugh and the cash boxes did not ring.

Rani tried to remain unfazed. She was looking towards the future and Hey Ram. As an actress, Rani was proud to be associated with an actor-director of Kamal Haasan's caliber and was thrilled to have Hey Ram in her lap. Even Hey Ram did not propel her career to the extent she had expected. There wasn't any critical appreciation of her performance in the film. Infact, Rani's fans became aloof when they saw their favorite actress locked in a passionate kiss in the film.

The actress does not regret though. ''I wanted to work with Mr. Kamal Haasan. The rest did not matter'' she said in an interview some time ago.

Rani still is excited about the projects that are lined up as her next films. A series of unsuccessful runs have not dampened the giggly self. She continues to be sprightly.