Two decades in the Indian entertainment industry, has seen him from a television actor to a Bollywood superstar and producer. When he stepped back into television again in 2007, it was as the host to Kaun Banega Crorepati, one of the most popular TV shows of all times. Throw in several awards of recognition and his unquestioned popularity and there you have it – Shah Rukh Khan, the stuff legends are made of and then some.
Beginnings
Shah Rukh Khan was born in Delhi on Nov 2 1965, to Taj Mohammed Khan, a freedom fighter from Peshawar and Lateefa Mohammed, from Rawalpindi, who was the adopted daughter of Major General Shah Nawaz Khan of the Janjua Rajput clan, who served as a General in the Indian National Army of Subash Chandra Bose. His father and mother moved to India before the Partition. Khan has an older sister Shehnaz, fondly known as LalaRukh.
Khan did his schooling at St.Columbus where he excelled in academics, sports and drama. While here he won the Sword of Honor, a recognition given to students who embodied the spirit of the school. He went on to acquire an Honors degree in Economics from the Hansraj College. He also started out to obtain a Masters degree in Mass Communications from Jamia Millia Islamia, before looking the Bollywood way.
He moved to Mumbai in 1991 after the death of his parents. He married Gauri Khan, a Hindu, and they have two children Aryan and Suhana and live in a palatial home called Mannat in Bandra, Mumbai.
Journey
Khan’s debut as an actor was in 1988, in a TV serial called Fauji, about life in the Indian Army, where he played the role of Commander Abhimanyu Rai. He appeared in another serial called Circus, about performers in a circus, in 1989. He also played a small part in a TV film written by Arundhati Roy called In which Annie gives it to those ones.
His debut into Bollywood was with Deewana, in 1992, which was an instant hit. His performance stood out despite sharing screen space with accomplished actors like Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharati. He went on to win the Best Debut category of the Filmfare Awards, a beginning of many more to come.
Deewana was followed by Maya Memsaab which created some amount of controversy over ‘explicit’ scenes. In 1993 he came out with two movies both of which were successful and in both movies he portrayed negative characters, which most top actors at that time considered risqué. In Darr he played the role of an obsessive man who stalks and terrorizes a woman he loves. In Baazigar, where he was cast as a murderer motivated by revenge, won him the Filmfare Best Actor Award. He won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance for his role as young musician in Kabhie Haan Kabhie Naan.
In 1994, we saw him winning the Filmfare Best Villain Award for Anjaam where he once again played a negative role. In 1995, he played the part of Raj in one of the biggest blockbusters of Hindi cinema, which is still running in Mumbai theaters, Aditya Chopra’s Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. He took home another Filmfare Best Actor Award. He didn’t see a lot of successes in 1996. However, it took a turn for the better in 1997, when Dil To Pagal Hai released, a movie about a love triangle between three dancers, and he walked away, yet again, with the Filmfare Best Actor Award. The same year he was also nominated for Yes Boss. Karan Johar’s directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in 1998 received a huge audience response and won Khan another Filmfare Best Actor Award. His performance in Mani Rathnam’s Dil Se, which revolved around terrorism, was also critically acclaimed.
At the turn of the century, he saw successful releases in Mohabbatein, where he worked alongside Amitabh Bacchan and Josh with Aishwarya Rai. He won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance for Mohabbatein. He, along with Juhi Chawla, started their production company Dreamz Unlimited and produced and starred in Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, which didn’t fare very well. The epic movie Asoka, where he played the Emperor Asoka and the multi-starrer Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham, made their mark in 2001. He was cast as the tragic lover Devdas, in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s remake of the award winning Devdas, in 2002. It won him the Filmfare Best Actor Award. In 2003, he received nominations for his performance in Kal Ho Na Ho and his production house saw it’s first success in Chalte Chalte.
His second production house, Red Chillies Entertainment, saw light in 2004 and it’s first release Farah Khan’s debut Main Hoon Na, was one of the biggest successes of the year, alongside his other movie the same year, Veer-Zaara. He walked away with the Filmfare Best Actor Award for his role in Swades though the movie created hardly any ripples in the box-office. Another big release from Red Chillies Entertainment in 2005 was Paheli in which he played a ghost. It was India’s entry to the Oscars. A documentary on Khan titled The Inner and Outer World of Shah Rukh Khan was produced by Nasreen Munni Kabir in 2005. Another multi-starrer directed by Karan Johar in 2006 was Kabhie Alvida Na Kehna that made a splash in India and overseas. He also starred in the remake of the seventies hit Don. The Filmfare Best Actor Award landed in his hand yet again in 2007 for his role as Kabir Khan in Chak De India where he is the tough coach for the girls’ hockey team. His performance in Farah Khan’s Om Shanthi Om also won him nominations.
Khan was back again on the small screen, after KBC, in 2008 as the host of Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain?, which is the desi version of Are you smarter than a fifth grader? There are more movies lined up to release in the later part of 2008 and 2009, like Billo Barber and My Name Is Khan, as he shows no signs of slowing down.
Other worthy achievements
Khan is one of the Bollywood actors whose life size wax statue was created and displayed at Madame Tussaud’s Museum in London. He has been honored with the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) award by the French government in recognition for the mark he has made in the industry.
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Shahrukh Khan
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B-Town photographer Dabboo Ratnani unveils his 2009 calendar today amidst the starry brigade. He is celebrating the 10th year of his work of art. To mark the decade, Dabboo has indulged in two things he has never done with the camera — shooting an actress in a sari and working with Sushmita Sen, who graces his calendar for the first time.
Who's in it
Apart from Sush, it features Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Kangana Ranaut, Sushmita Sen, Sanjay Dutt, Kajol, Riteish Desh-mukh, Deepika Padukone, Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan.
Mixed hues
"I have not restricted myself to any dramatic theme for 2009. Some are in black and white, some are in reds while the rest are in vivid colours," says Dabboo who begins work on his annual ritual in September every year. "Initially, I used to collect snaps of the stars I had shot and put them together for the calendar. But later, I began shooting them exclusively for it."
Kajol
Initially, it was supposed to be shot in a rundown garage. But when I saw Kajol in the gown and in keeping with her bindaas image, I put her on top of a cab. We shot for it on the streets of Oshiwara and despite the crowd, she was gung-ho. The concept is the morning after a party with the glass and her footwear carelessly thrown in.
Riteish Deshmukh
A Beatles-inspired black-and-white '60s look. I wanted to give the picture an extremely retro feel. In stead of having him strumming the guitar, I had him chucking it — just to make it look more cool. And check out Riteish's suit.
Deepika Padukone
This is the first time in all these years that I have shot an actress for the calendar in a sari. That is why the warrior queen/devi look with the sword in hand. The picture is sensual but has a lot of mood in it.
Sunjay Dutt
I had gone over to Sanjay's place to shoot him. But when I saw his Ferrari, I changed my mind. He had just bought it and as he is crazy about cars, it had to be him and his new pair of wheels.
Pin-up art
Kajol
Deepika Padukone
Sanjay Dutt
Ritesh Deshmukh
One such calendar of 2009 is that of the 'Edward Shutter Hands' Dabboo Ratnani. It features the brightest Bollywood stars like Akshay Kumar, Kangna Ranaut, Sushmita Sen, Abhishek Bachchan, Hrithik Roshan, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kajol, Riteish Deshmukh and Deepika Padukone.
One look at Kajol who's atop a Mumbai taxi in a flaming red dress seems like giving an open challenge to fire. Some Mind blowing stuff this!
Same goes for the oooh-so-haute looking Deepika Padukone, who seems to be all set to slain someone with her (designer) sword.
Riteish, who has been carrying the missing tag in Bollywood, looks awesomely striking with his Beatles-inspired sixties' black and white look. Must admit, after this snap-shot, even the non-Riteish fans will turn into his devotees!
We are at a staggering loss of words when it comes to describe the snap that has got the deadly Sanjay Dutt, who is on his dream possession, the gleaming red Ferrari with some killer minced look while at the wheels. If this isn't deadly enough, then nothing else in the world is!
Let us also add that this is just a teaser to whet your appetite for more, as Bollywood Hungama will soon be unveiling Daboo Ratnani's 2009 calendar exclusively for you. Don't miss that!
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Daboo ratnani Calender 2009
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The serene beauty Raima Sen maybe miles apart from her more outrageous sister and mother but her acting skills in movies like Choker Bali, Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd and The Japanese Wife have got critics raving.
Basics on Raima
Raima Dev Varma was born on 11th November 1979 in Mumbai, India. Her parents are the blue blooded Bharat Dev Varma and the actress Moon Moon Sen. Both Raima and her sister Riya use their mother’s surname onscreen.
Her maternal grandmother is Suchitra Sen, an actress while her paternal grandmother is Ila Devi, the princess of Cooch Behar whose younger sister Gayatri Devi is the Maharani of Jaipur.
Raima Sen’s Movies
1999 to 2003 Raima Sen’s debut was Vinay Shukla’s Godmother (1999) which starred Shabana Azmi as Sejal. In Rituparno Ghosh’s Choker Bali (2003), which was based on Rabindranath Tagore’s book, she played Ashalatha, a naïve bride. Her performance got many positive reviews.
2004 to 2007 Raima was seen in Bengali movies like Buddhadev Dasgupta’s Swapner Din and Nishijapon. She took on the role of Koel in the Hindi movie Parineeta (2005). In the comedy Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd (2007) she again gave a convincing performance as Milly, a spirited bride, taking her husband, played by Kay Kay Menon, by surprise during their honeymoon. She was also seen in Manorama Six Feet Under (2007) with Abhay Deol and Gul Panag.
2008 to 2009 In 2008, she played Sandhya, a widow, in Aparna Sen’s The Japanese Wife (2008) which was based on a story by Kunal Basu. C Kkompany failed at the box office.
Her first release in 2009 was mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye which fell flat with the audience. Raima Sen will be seen next in Teen Patti and Rituparno Ghosh’s Sunglass which also stars Konkana Sen Sharma and Madhavan.
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Raima Sen
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Mirza was born to a sports journalist Imran Mirza and Nasima in Mumbai. She was brought up in Hyderabad. Mirza began playing tennis at the age of six, turning professional in 2003. She was trained by her father, as well as her other family members and was sponsored by the industrialist GV Krishna Reddy. She went to Nasr school in Hyderabad.And later joined St.Mary's college for her graduation.
Mirza won the 2003 Wimbledon Championships Girls' Doubles title, teaming up with Alisa Kleybanova of Russia.
Mirza is the highest ranked female tennis player ever from India, with a career high ranking of 27 in singles and 18 in doubles. . She holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman to be seeded in a Grand Slam tennis tournament . Earlier in 2005, she had become the first Indian woman to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament at the 2005 U.S. Open, defeating Mashona Washington, Maria Elena Camerin and Marion Bartoli. In 2004, she finished runner up at the Asian Tennis Championship.
In 2005, Mirza reached the third round of the Australian Open, losing to eventual champion Serena Williams. On February 12, 2005, she became the first Indian woman to win a WTA singles title, defeating Alyona Bondarenko of Ukraine in the Hyderabad Open Finals. As of September 2006, Mirza has notched up three top 10 wins; against Svetlana Kuznetsova, Nadia Petrova and Martina Hingis. At the 2006 Doha Asian Games, Mirza won the silver in the women's singles category and the gold in the mixed doubles partnering Leander Paes. She was also part of the Indian women's team that won the silver in the team event.
Mirza had the best results of her career during the 2007 summer hardcourt season, finishing eighth in the 2007 U.S. Open Series standings. She reached the final of the Bank of the West Classic and won the doubles event with Shahar Pe'er, and reached the quarterfinals of the Tier 1 Acura Classic.
At the 2007 U.S. Open, she reached the third round before losing to Anna Chakvetadze for the third time in recent weeks. She fared much better in the doubles, reaching the quarterfinals in mixed with her partner Mahesh Bhupathi and the quarterfinals in the women's doubles with Bethanie Mattek, including an impressive win over number two seeds Lisa Raymond and Samantha Stosur.
She represented India at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, in the women's singles and doubles events. In singles, she retired in the round of 64, while she was trailing 1-6, 1-2 against Iveta Benešová of Czech Republic. She teamed up with Sunitha Rao for the doubles event. They got a walk-over in the round of 32, but lost to Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina by 4-6, 4-6, in the round of 16.
Mirza received an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from MGR Educational and Research Institute University in Chennai on 2008-12-11
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Sania Mirza
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