Aishwarya Rai Bachchan - 'The International Beauty'
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan ( born 1 November 1973) is an Indian film actress. She worked as a model before starting her acting career, and ultimately won the Miss World pageant in 1994. Aishwarya Rai has featured in films in various languages including Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.She is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan.
* Birth Name-------- Aishwarya Krishnaraj Rai
* Present Name----- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
* Screen Name------ Aishwarya Rai
* Nick Name-------- Ash, Gullu
* Date of Birth ----- 1 November 1973
* Place Of Birth ---- Mangalore, Karnataka
* Height ----------- 5' 7" (1.70 m)
* Color of eyes ----- Emerald
* Husband ---------- Abhishek Bachchan
* Father-in-law------ Amitabh Bachchan
* Mother-in-law---- Jaya Bachchan
* Daughter ----------Baby Aaradhya Bachchan
* Father ------------- Krishnaraj Rai
* Mother ------------ Vrinda Rai
* Sister-in-law ----- Shweta Nanda
* Brother-in-law --- Nikhil Nanda
* Brother -------- Aditya Rai
* Sister-in-law------ Shrima Rai
* Niece ------------- Navya Naveli Nanda
* Nephews --------- Agatsya Nanda & Vihaan Rai
For Aaradhya's First Birthday go to my link http://cinegeet.blogspot.in/2012/11/aaradhya-bachchan.html
Early life
Aishwarya Rai was born into a Tulu-speaking Bunt family in Mangalore, Karnataka.Her father, Krishnaraj, was a marine biologist, while her mother, Brindya, is a housewife.
She has one elder brother, Aditya Rai, who is an engineer in the merchant navy.He is married to Shrima and has a son Vihaan.
The family moved to Mumbai, where Aishwarya Rai attended the Arya Vidya Mandir High School.Rai did her intermediate schooling at Jai Hind College for a year, and then joined DG Ruparel College in Matunga, securing 90 percent in the HSC exams. She trained in classical dance and music for five years during her teens. Her favourite subject was zoology, so she initially considered a career in medicine. With plans to become an architect, she enrolled at Raheja College, but later gave up her education to pursue a career in modelling.
Modelling career
One of her earliest modelling assignment was, when Aishwarya was in the ninth grade, for Camlin Pencils. In 1991 she took part in the Ford Supermodel Contest and also appeared in Vogue Magazine. She has been on the cover of Vogue three times.
Aishwarya Rai became popular after appearing in a Pepsi commercial with actor Aamir Khan. She modelled for Longines watches, Coca-Cola, Lakmé Cosmetics, Casio pager, Philips, Palmolive, Lux, and Fuji films. She continued to model while pursuing her studies in architecture. She was named the official brand ambassador for De Beers diamonds in India.
In the 1994 Miss India contest, Aishwarya won second place, behind Sushmita Sen, and was crowned Miss India World.
Aishwarya went on to win the Miss World title the same year, where she also won the Miss Photogenic award. After winning the pageant, she gave up her studies and spent one year reigning as Miss World in London. She continued to pursue a career as a model until she became an actress.
Personal life
Wedding of Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan in 2007
Aishwarya Rai is married to actor Abhishek Bachchan, they met in 1997.Their engagement was announced on 14 January 2007 and later confirmed by his father, Amitabh Bachchan.The couple married on 20 April 2007 according to traditional Hindu rites of the Bunt community, to which she belongs. Token North Indian and Bengali ceremonies were also performed. The wedding took place in a private ceremony at the Bachchan residence, "Prateeksha", in Juhu, Mumbai.They have been described as a supercouple in the Indian media.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan gave birth to a baby girl on 16 November 2011.
Abhishek and Aishwarya with their daughter Aaradhya on her first birthday
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Film career
Films (1997-2002)
Aishwarya Rai made her acting debut in Mani Ratnam's Tamil biopic film Iruvar (1997), where she worked alongside Mohanlal.
The film was a critical success and won many awards, including Best Film award at the Belgrade International Film Festival, and two National Film Awards. She appeared in dual roles, one of which was a depiction of political leader and former actress J. Jayalalithaa.
* Aishwarya Rai made her Bollywood debut in the film in Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya, opposite Bobby Deol, which released the same year; the film was unsuccessful at the box office.
* Her third project, Jeans (1998), a high-budget Tamil film directed by S. Shankar, was a commercial success. The film was India's official entry to the Academy Awards in that year.
* In 1999 Aishwarya Rai starred in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, opposite Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan. Rai's portrayal won her critical acclaim.The film was her first box office success in Bollywood, and earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award.
* In the same year she appeared in Subhash Ghai's Taal,her costar was Akshay Khanna. The film was an average grosser in India but was a big success outside India, especially in the United States, where it became the first Indian film in the top 20 on Variety's box office list. Her performance was praised.She received another Best Actress nomination from the Filmfare Awards for her work in the film.
* In 2000 she appeared in Mansoor Khan's Josh alongside Shahrukh Khan and Chandrachur Singh.The film was a commercial success.
* Later that year she appeared in Satish Kaushik's Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, opposite Anil Kapoor. It was a moderate success, and her performance earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award nomination.
* Later that year she played a supporting role in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein, alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh Khan. The second-highest grosser of the year, the film was a major commercial success, and earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award nomination.
* Later that year, Aishwarya starred in the Tamil film Kandukondain Kandukondain, alongside Mammooty, Ajith Kumar, and Tabu.Directed by Rajiv Menon, the movie was a successful venture commercially.
* In 2002 Aishwarya Rai appeared alongside Shahrukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Devdas, an adaptation of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel of the same name. She played the role of Paro (Parvati), the love interest of the protagonist, played by Khan. The film received a special screening at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. It became the highest-grossing film of the year in India and overseas, earning a revenue of Rs 390 million domestically. Devdas won numerous awards, including 10 Filmfare Awards, and Aishwarya received her second Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance.
Films (2003–05)
* In 2003 Aishwarya acted in Rituparno Ghosh's Bengali film Chokher Bali, an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's novel of the same name. The film was critically acclaimed and did well at the box office.
* That year she appeared in the Bollywood film Dil Ka Rishta, with Arjun Rampal, and Rohan Sippy's Kuch Na Kaho, alongside Abhishek Bachchan,neither of which fared well at the box office.
* In 2004 she appeared alongside Martin Henderson in Bride and Prejudice, Gurinder Chadha's Bollywood-style English adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
* She played a negative role for the first time in Rajkumar Santoshi's Khakee, which also featured Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, and Jayapradha. The film was a box office success.
* In the same year she worked with director Rituparno Ghosh for the second time, in Raincoat, where she starred alongside Ajay Devgan. The film was highly acclaimed by critics, with Aishwarya receiving rave reviews for her performance.
* In 2005 she appeared in Shabd, a film based on a love triangle, alongside Sanjay Dutt and Zayed Khan. The film was unsuccessful at the box office.
* Her next release was Paul Mayeda Berges's The Mistress of Spices, based on the novel of the same name by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni in which she starred alongside Dylan McDermott. The film received negative reviews from critics, and was a commercial failure.
* The same year she made a special appearance in a hugely popular seven-minute dance sequence for the song "Kajrare-Kajrare", with Amitabh Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, in Shaad Ali's Bunty Aur Babli.
Recent Films (2006–present)
* In 2006 Aishwarya portrayed the title role in J P Dutta's Umrao Jaan, the story of a courtesan and poetess from 19th-century Lucknow. The movie is the second adaptation of the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada (1905), by Mirza Hadi Ruswa. Her work received mixed reviews, and the film was a critical and commercial failure.
* Later that year she appeared as a master thief, Sunheri, in the Yash Raj Films production of Dhoom 2, directed by Sanjay Gadhvi. The ensemble cast included Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu, and Uday Chopra. The movie was a blockbuster, and became the highest grossing film of the year in India, earning revenues of over Rs 770 million domestically.
* In 2007 she appeared in Mani Ratnam's Guru as Sujata.The film was critically acclaimed, and performed well at the box office.Aishwarya received her seventh Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance.
* In the same year she starred alongside Naveen Andrews and Miranda Richardson in Jag Mundhra's British film Provoked, as Kiranjit Ahluwalia, an Non-resident Indian woman who kills her abusive husband after facing severe domestic violence. Rai received mostly positive reviews for her portrayal. It was screened in the Marché du Film Cannes Film Market during the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
* In the same year she appeared as a warrior from Kerala named Mira in Doug Lefler's epic film 'The Last Legion', alongside Sir Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth, and Thomas Sangster. The film was a critical failure.
* In 2008 she starred alongside Hrithik Roshan in Ashutosh Gowariker's historical drama Jodhaa Akbar. The story is a partly fictionalised account of the life of Muslim Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar, played by Roshan, and his Hindu wife Jodha Bai, played by Rai. The film was a critical and commercial success, earning revenues of over Rs 590 million domestically. Rai's performance in the film was praised by critics. She earned her eighth nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards for her performance.
* Later that year she co-starred with husband Abhishek Bachchan and father-in-law Amitabh Bachchan in Ram Gopal Verma's Sarkar Raj, a sequel to his previous film, Sarkar. She plays the CEO of a major power company that is proposing a new power plant in rural Maharashtra. The film was a critical and commercial success.
* In 2009 she appeared in Harald Zwart's spy comedy film The Pink Panther 2, playing the role of criminology expert Sonia Solandres. Like its predecessor, the sequel received negative reviews from critics.
* In 2010 she collaborated with Mani Ratnam for a bilingual project, two films featuring Rai portraying a character based on the goddess Sita. The films were shot simultaneously, with Rai's role being one of the only roles which were played by the same performer in both versions. Upon release, the project received mixed reviews. Though both her portrayals of Ragini were praised, the Hindi version—Raavan, alongside Abhishek Bachchan—failed commercially, whilst the Tamil version—Raavanan—was successful.
* Aishwarya Rai paired with Rajinikanth in the science fiction Tamil film Enthiran (2010), directed by S. Shankar. The film—the most expensive ever made in India—was released worldwide in 2010, and is the highest-grossing Indian film when all its versions are totalled.
* She appeared in Vipul Shah's Action Replayy opposite Akshay Kumar, which received mixed reviews from critics.
* Aishwarya Rai's final release in 2010 was Guzaarish, her third collaboration with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and actor Hrithik Roshan.
* Her forthcoming film is Rajkumar Santoshi's 'Ladies and Gentlemen', costarred by Abhishek Bachchan.
* The shooting of Madhur Bhandarkar's next directorial venture 'Heroine' was postponed due to Rai's pregnancy.She will not appear in Heroine, which is going forward with Kareena Kapoor.
Social work
* In 1999 Aishwarya Rai was appointed as Longines Ambassador of Elegance.
* In 2003 she became the first Indian actress to be a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival.
* In 2003 she became a global brand ambassador of L'Oreal, alongside Andie Macdowell, Eva Longoria, and Penelope Cruz.
* She is the brand ambassador for The Eye Bank Association of India's nationwide campaign to promote eye donation in India.
* In 2005 she became a brand ambassador for Pulse Polio, a campaign established by the Government of India in 1994 to eradicate polio in India.
* Along with other members of the Bachchan family, she laid the foundation of a special school for underprivileged girls in Daulatpur village in Uttar Pradesh in 2008. Construction is being funded by the Bachchan family, and the school will be named after her.
* In 2009 she was appointed as the first Goodwill Ambassador of Smile Train, an international charity that provides free Cleft lip and palate surgery to children in need. Her work with Smile Train will focus not only on India, but on 76 different developing countries around the world.
Awards and honours
* In October 2004 a wax figure of Aishwarya Rai was put on display in London's Madame Tussaud's wax museum. She was the sixth Indian and the second Bollywood personality—after her father-in-law, Amitabh Bachchan—to get this honour. In 2007 the same figure was displayed at Madame Tussaud's Museum in Times Square in New York.
* In 2005 she was the subject of a 60 Minutes profile on 2 January, which said that "at least according to thousands of Web sites, Internet polls and even Julia Roberts", she was "the world's most beautiful woman".
* The same year, a tulip in the Netherlands was named "Aishwarya Rai" after her.
* In 2005, Mattel released a limited edition of Barbie dolls of Aishwarya Rai in the United Kingdom. The British magazine Maxim ranked Aishwarya Rai first on their list of "Hottest Women of India".
* She appeared on such shows as Late Show with David Letterman, and was the first Bollywood personality to appear on Oprah's "Women Across the Globe" segment.
* In 2005 Harpers and Queen's list of "Most Beautiful Women in The World" ranked her ninth.
* In May 2006 Aishwarya was featured in People Magazine as one of the "World's Most Beautiful People".
* The UK magazine Eastern Eye ranked her third in the list of "Asia's Sexiest Women" in 2006,and she was ranked eighth in
* 2008 American television channel E!: Entertainment listed Aishwarya's eyes as the sexiest on their Sexiest Body Parts list.
* In 2009 she made appearances on Martha Stewart's show Martha and on the The Tyra Banks Show.
* In the same year Forbes listed Aishwarya at 387th out of 1,411 actors on their list of the most bankable stars in Hollywood. She is the highest-ranked Indian actor on the list.
* In 2009, she refused to accept the second-highest Order Of France, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, as her father was suffering from a serious illness, and she wanted her whole family to attend the award ceremony.She is the fourth Indian actor—after Sivaji Ganesan, Nandita Das, and Shahrukh Khan—to be chosen for the award.
* In June 2009 she was declared the Female Star of The Decade at the tenth International Indian Film Academy Awards, held in Macau.
* In December 2010 she was declared the "Actress of the Decade" at the BIG Star Entertainment Awards.
* In March 2011 she was honoured by Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa at World Kannada Meet (Vishwa Kannada Sammelana) for her contributions to the arts.
* Later that month she was presented with the "Decade of Global Achievement Honour" by FICCI.
Filmography
Hindi Films
1997 Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya Hindi
1999 Aa Ab Laut Chalen
1999 Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
1999 Taal [Dubbed into Tamil as Thaalam]
2000 Mela
2000 Josh
2000 Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai
2000 Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke
2000 Mohabbatein
2000 Sanam Tere Hain Hum
2001 Albela
2002 Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam
2002 Hum Kisi Se Kum Nahin
2002 23 March 1931: Shaheed
2002 Devdas
2002 Shakti: The Power
2003 Dil Ka Rishta
2003 Kuch Naa Kaho
2004 Khakee
2004 Kyun...! Ho Gaya Na
2004 Raincoat
2005 Shabd
2005 Bunty Aur Babli [in song "Kajrare-Kajrare"]
2006 Umrao Jaan
2006 Dhoom 2
2007 Guru Hindi [Dubbed into Tamil as Guru and Telugu as Gurukanth]
2008 Jodhaa Akbar [Dubbed into Tamil and Telugu with the same title]
2008 Sarkar Raj
2010 Raavan
2010 Action Replayy
2010 Guzaarish
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Tamil Films
1997 Iruvar Tamil [ Dubbed into Telugu as Iddaru]
1998 Jeans Tamil [ Dubbed into Telugu and Hindi with the same title]
2000 Kandukondain Kandukondain Tamil [Dubbed into Telugu as Priyuralu Pilichindi]
2010 Raavanan Tamil [Dubbed into Telugu as Villain]
2010 Enthiran Tamil [Dubbed into Telugu as Robo and Hindi as Robot]
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Telugu Films
1999 Ravoyi Chandamama
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Bengali Films
2003 Chokher Bali
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English Films
2004 Bride & Prejudice [Dubbed into Hindi as Balle Balle Amritsar to LA]
2005 Mistress of Spices
2007 Provoked [ Dubbed into Hindi as Provoked ]
2007 The Last Legion
2009 The Pink Panther 2 [Dubbed into French as La Pantera Rosa 2]
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Interesting Facts
** Ash launched her Official Website www.AishwaryaWorld.com
** Her nick name is Gullu.
** She loves collecting watches.
** She made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when she was in the 9th grade.
** She is fluent in the languages English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Urdu.
** She loves reading books. Some of her favourite writers are - Danielle Steel, Ken Follet, Mario Puzo, Fredrick Forysth,Bridget Jones, Ayn Rand, Vikram Seth, Richard Bach.
** Some of her favourite designers are - Shahab Durrazi, Rohit Bal, Ritu Beri. In the filmi designers it's Neeta Lulla for her.
** She practises yoga for getting rid of stress.
** She takes good care of her skin. She washes it three times a day with a baby soap and applies a moisturizer before going to sleep.
** Some of her favourite cosmetic brands are - Mac, Lakme, Ravlon, Maybeline.
** Her favourite perfume is Eternity by Calvin Klein.
** She loved to watch Chhayageet.
** She was trained in Bharatanatyam.
** She learnt Hindustani, Classical and Carnatic music for five years while in her teens.
** Before she was famous, she auditioned to do voice-dubbing for a television serial and was rejected.
** She admires -- Strength of character.
** She believes in God first and then herself.
** Her favourite colour is black.
** Her favourite movie is Casablanca.
** During the filming of the song 'Dola Re Dola' from the movie _Devdas (2002)_, Aishwarya's ears were bleeding because to the heavy earrings she had to wear, but she continued to perform anyway.
** Due to her popularity, a second wax statue of Aishwarya was added to Madame Tussauds in Blackpool, UK in October 2011. This new statue took inspiration from Ash's look at Cannes in an Ellie Saab gown. The previous one had Aishwarya's statue draped in a sari. It was made exclusively for the Blackpool's new Bollywood world tour.
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Personal Quotes
*** " Life will take its toll on all of us. We get injured, we get old. It's really sad to try to run away from these harsh realities of life. Looks are not everything. I am not going to look beautiful all the time."
*** "You give to the world your greatest gift when you're being yourself."
*** "I don't believe in proving a point to anybody. Nobody is that important."
*** " Success is a state of mind."
*** "Be kind, there are battles being fought and not all of them are on the battlefield."
*** On donating her eyes after death - "People know me more because of my eyes. So, I decided to donate my eyes. But before that, I acquired all the information about the campaign. Within what time after death one has to donate eyes, and all other information. Only then I decided to donate my eyes. It's not that just for doing something, I donated my eyes. I found that useful so I did it. I like to do social service from my heart. Whatever is possible I do, but I don't speak of that. But I would like to give more time to it in the near future."
*** About the sari on the Oprah show: "I thought I'd wear one on the show, and packed two of them, in case Oprah wanted to wear one too. As luck would have it, my flight was delayed and I reached minutes before the show went on air! So I had no time to change, which is a pity. Americans love the garment but have no clue how it's tied. Oprah is very respectful and appreciative of all cultures. She was very curious about the sari and I helped her put it on, on air! She has sent me an autographed picture saying, 'Next time we change the blouse.' She was very sweet." (Rediff, May 18, 2005)
*** About being on the Oprah show: "Yes, I was extremely happy to be on her show. I absolutely admire her. I never thought I'd actually be meeting her -- and that too, on her show! It's so strange. But prior to our meeting, during my visit to the US for the premiere of Bride & Prejudice, I had some afternoons off and I watched Oprah. I thought how wonderful it would be to be on her show. And within a month, I was!" (Rediff, May 18, 2005)
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National Awards and Honours
* IIFA-FICCI Frames, one of ten actors to receive Most Powerful Entertainer of the Decade Award
* 2009 - Padma Shri - India's fourth highest civilian award from the Government of India.
* 2004 - GR8! Women Award for Contribution to Cinema
* 2002 - Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellence in Field of Entertainment
International Honours and Achievements
* 2009
France's second highest civilian honor, Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Literature) by the French government for her “exceptional career” in 2009
* 2007
Wax New York's Madame Tussauds Wax museum at Time Square
* 2005
Received British Govt’s Next Step World Diversity Champion Award Voted number 12 on VH1's 50 Sexiest Actresses of the Last 20 Years Only Bollywood personality to appear on CBS 60 mins, Oprah Winfrey's show, Good Morning America, The Tyra Banks Show and The David Letterman Show.
* 2005
British Govt's Next Step World Diversity Champion Award
Appeared on CBS 60 mins, Oprah Winfrey, Good Morning America and The David Letterman Show
* 2004
Life-like statue installed in London's prestigious Madame Tussauds Wax museum Listed in Time Magazine’s "100 Most Influential People in the World" Featured in the 2004 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
* 2004
Ran to Olympic Torch
Hello Magazine's Yearly Most Beautiful Poll, Winner
* 2003
TIME magazine put her picture on its cover page Only Bollywood star to appear in Rolling Stone (Issue 932, October 2, 2003)
* 2003 - Cover of Time Magazine - Official Cannes Jury Member
* 2000
Most Beautiful International Titleholder of All Times Gold Medal Winner
Most Beautiful Miss World of All Times-Received the highest score of 9.911
* 1994
Miss World 1994
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** Filmfare Awards
* Won
2002 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Devdas
1999 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
1998 - Filmfare Best Actress Award South for Jeans
* Nominated
2007 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Guru
2006 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Dhoom 2
2004 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Raincoat
2000 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai
2000 - Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Mohabbatein
1999 - Filmfare Best Actress Award for Taal
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** International Indian Film Academy Awards
* Won
2009 - IIFA Outstanding Achievement by an Indian in International Cinema
2009 - IIFA Star of the Decade - Female
2008 - IIFA Best Female Acting Award for Guru
2007 - IIFA Most Searched Personality on MSN India
2007 - IIFA Glamorous Star Award
2005 - IIFA Global Indian Media Personality Award
2003 - IIFA Best Actress Award for Devdas
2000 - IIFA Best Actress Award for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
* Nominated
2008 - IIFA Best Actress Award for Guru
2005 - IIFA Best Actress Award for Raincoat
2000 - IIFA Best Actress Award for Taal
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** Star Screen Awards
* Won
2008 - Star Screen Award 2008 - Best Popular Actress Award forJodhaa Akbar
2002 - Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Shahrukh Khan for Devdas
2002 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Devdas
1999 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
1997 - Star Screen Award Most Promising Newcomer - Female for Aur Pyar Ho Gaya
* Nominated
2007 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Guru
2006 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Dhoom 2
2006 - Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Hrithik Roshan for Dhoom 2
2004 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Raincoat
2000 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai
2000 - Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress for Mohabbatein
1998 - Star Screen Award Best Actress for Taal
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** Zee Cine Awards
* Won
2005 - Zee Cine Critics' Best Actor Award- Female for Raincoat
2003 - Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female for Devdas
2003 - Zee Cine True Indian Beauty Award
2000 - Lux Face of the Year
2000 - Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
* Nominated
2007 - Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female for Umrao Jaan
2000 - Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female for Taal
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** Awards
* Femina Miss India
1994 - Miss Catwalk
1994 - Miss Miraculous
1994 - Miss Photogenic
1994 - Miss Perfect Ten
1994 - Miss Popular
1994 - Miss India World (Winner of the title)
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** Other awards
* Won
2009 - V. Shantaram Awards: Best Actress for Jodhaa Akbar
2008 - Central European Bollywood Awards: Best Actress Award for Guru
2008 - Reebok Zoom Glam Awards: Glam Couple Award along with Abhishek Bachchan
2008 - Central European Bollywood Awards: Best Actress Award for Guru
2007- Stardust Star of the Year Award - Female for Dhoom 2
2007- MTV Lycra Style Awards: Most Stylish Female for Dhoom 2
2007 - MTV Lycra Style Awards: Most Stylish Couple along with Hrithik Roshan for Dhoom 2
2005 - MTV Immies Best Performance in a Song - Kajra Re
2005 - Voted The Most Desired Dream Date
2004 - Global Foreign Artiste Debutantes to Mainstream Media Award
2004 - F Awards-For Excellence in Indian Fashion - Female Celebrity Model of the Year
2001 - BWSX Fantasy Award for Best Supporting Actress Mohabbatein
2000 - Rupa Filmgoers Millennium Best Actress Award for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
2000 - Priyadarshini International Best Actress Award for Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
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THREE MEMORABLE FILMS OF AISHWARYA
(1) JODHAA-AKBAR (2008)
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Jodhaa-Akbar is an Indian epic film released on 15 February 2008.It is directed and produced by Ashutosh Gowariker, the director of the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan . It stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in lead roles.
This film also marks the debut of newcomer Abir Abrar. Extensive research went into the making of this film which began shooting at Karjat.
The film centers around the romance between the Muslim Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, played by Hrithik Roshan, and the Hindu Rajput Princess Jodhabai who becomes his wife, played by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The music is composed by acclaimed music composer A. R. Rahman.
The film was a critical and commercial success, earning revenues of over Rs 590 million domestically. Rai's performance in the film was praised by critics.
The film has won the Audience Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the São Paulo International Film Festival,two awards at the Golden Minbar International Film Festival, seven Star Screen Awards and five Filmfare Awards, in addition to two nominations at the 3rd Asian Film Awards.
Details
Directed by ..........Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced by .........Ronnie Screwvala
.........Ashutosh Gowariker
Screenplay by .......Haider Ali
..........Ashutosh Gowariker
Story by ...............Haider Ali
...........Ashutosh Gowariker
Music by..................A. R. Rahman
Lyrics by.................Javed Akhtar
Cinematography......Kiran Deohans
Editing by...............Ballu Saluja
Dialogues................K.P.Saxena
Make-up Artist........Jamie Wilson
Production Design...Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Visual Effects..........Pankaj Khandpur (Tata Elxsi - Visual Computing Labs)
Ch.Asst Director......Karan Malhotra
Distributed by..........UTV Motion Pictures & Ashutosh Gowariker Productions
Release date(s)........February 15, 2008
Running time ...........213 minutes
Country ....................India
Language .................Hindi / Urdu
Budget ....................40 crore (US$8.8 million)
Box office................120 crore (US$26.4 million)
Star Cast
Hrithik Roshan................Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar
Aishwarya Rai................Rajkumari Jodhaa
Sonu Sood.......................Rajkumar Sujamal
Kulbhushan Kharbanda...Raja Bharmal
Suhasini Mulay...............Rani Padmawati
Raza Murad....................Shamsuddin Atka Khan
Poonam Sinha.................Mallika Hamida Banu Begum
Rajesh Vivek..................Chugtai Khan
Pramod Moutho..............Todar Mal
Ila Arun...........................Maham Anga
Surendra Pal....................Rana Uday Singh
Visshwa Badola..............Saadir Adaasi
Prathmesh Mehta.............Chandrabhan Singh
Shaji Chaudhary..............Adham Khan
Manava Naik...................Neelakshi
Disha Vakani...................Madhavi
Abeer Abrar....................Bakshi Banu Begum
Indrajit Sarkar.................Maheshdas / Birbal
Aman Dhaliwal...............Rajkumar Ratan Singh
Nikitin Dheer..................Sharifuddin Hussain
Pradeep Sharma..............Sheikh Mubarak
Balraj..............................Raja Balraj Singh
Sudhanshu Hakku............Raja Shimalgarh
Digvijay Purohit.............Rajkumar Bhagwan Das
Yuri Suri.........................Bairam Khan
Sayed Badrul Hasan.......Mullah Do Pyaaza
Dilnaaz Irani...................Salima
Tejpal Singh Rawat........Ni'Mat
Shehzor Ali.....................Raja Hemu
Ulhas Barve....................Raja Mankeshwar
Jassi Singh......................Raja Bhadra
Raju Pandit.....................Raja Bhaati
Bharat Kumar.................Raja Chauhan
Rajiv Sehgal..................Raja Viraat
Gurmmeet Singh............Raja Shundi
Story
Jodhaa Akbar is a sixteenth century love story about a political marriage of convenience between a Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa.
Political success knew no bounds for Emperor Akbar (Hrithik Roshan). After having secured the Hindu Kush, his empire extends from Afghanistan to the Bay of Bengal, and from the Himalayas to the Narmada River.
Through a shrewd blend of diplomacy, intimidation and brute force, Akbar won the allegiance of the Rajputs. This allegiance was not universal. Maharana Pratap and many other Rajputs always considered Akbar as a foreign invader. Maharana Pratap also banned inter marriages between Rajputs who had given their daughters to the Mughals and the ones who did not.
The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer, Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now lies in winning the love of Jodhaa – a love hidden deep below resentment and extreme prejudice.
Production
Ashutosh Gowariker hired a research team of historians and scholars from New Delhi, Aligarh, Lucknow, Agra and Jaipur to guide him on this film and help him keep things historically accurate. Over 80 elephants, 100 horses and 55 camels were used in the movie. Name Of Main Titled “Azeem O Shan, Shahenshah”, the song featured about one thousand dancers in traditional costumes, wielding swords and shields at a grand location in Karjat.
The budget of the film was initially Rs. 37 cr., which shot up to Rs. 40 crore.The first television promo was aired on 9 December 2007.
The movie used much gold and kundan jewellery made by Tanishq, including 2 kg of gold for the sword case alone.
Box office Reception
In North America, the film grossed $1.3 million in the first weekend and went on to gross $3,440,718 in its lifetime. The film had a slow start at the Indian box office. The movie netted Rs 24.75 crores in the first weekwith good word of mouth publicity, it went on to cross the coveted Rs 100 crore Nett milestone by the fourth weekend.The movie has been estimated to end its theatrical run in India with total business of 120 crores Nett,without being released in Rajasthan due to political unrest.
Critical Reception
* The film received a critics rating of 69 on Metacritics.
* Rotten Tomatoes has given the film a 78% rating with 7 fresh and 2 rotten reviews.
* Anil Sinanan of The Times gave the film four out of five stars stating, "The film ends with a passionate plea for tolerance of all religions in India, a resonant message for modern India."
* Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN also gave the film four out of five stars.
* Tajpal Rathore of the BBC gave the film four out of five stars.
* Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India gave the film three stars, stating that, "Jodhaa Akbar works only because its heart is in the right place. The film talks about a love that transcends all barriers -- gender, religion, culture -- and dreams of an India where secularism and tolerance are the twin towers that should never ever crumble. And Akbar and Jodhaa are the alluring exponents of this dream."
* While suggesting that the film is "too long" and that it is "not a history lesson," Rachel Saltz of The New York Times also notes, "in choosing to tell the tale of this emperor and a Muslim-Hindu love story, Mr. Gowariker makes a clear point. As Akbar says, 'Respect for each other’s religion will enrich Hindustan.' "
Soundtrack Of Jodhaa-Akbar
Soundtrack album by.............A. R. Rahman
Lyrics by...............................Javed Akhtar
"Khwaja Mere Khwaja"by....Kashif
Released................................9 January 2008 (music launch)
CD release............................18 January 2008
Recorded ..............................Panchathan Record Inn and A.M. Studios, Nirvana Studio
Genre ....................................Feature film soundtrack
Label.....................................UTV Music
Track listing
No. Title Artist(s)
1. "Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah".......Mohd. Aslam, Bonnie Chakraborty, Chorus
2. "Jashn-E-Bahaara"..........................Javed Ali
3. "Khwaja Mere Khwaja".................A. R. Rahman
4. "In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein"........Sonu Nigam, Madhushree
5. "Mann Mohana"..............................Bela Shende
6. "Jashn-e-Baharaa"...........................Instrumental
7. "Khwaja Mere Khawaja"................Instrumental
Music awards
The film emerged out as the biggest winner in many music awards.However in the best music direction category, it lost many mainly to Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na, composed by Rahman himself. The fine background score and soundtrack were also nominated in numerous categories.
* Mirchi Music Awards
Song Of The Year -- "Jashn-e-Bahara"
Male Vocalist Of The Year - Javed Ali for "Jashn-e-Bahara"
Female Vocalist Of The Year - Bela Shende for "Manmohana"
Lyricist Of The Year - Javed Akhtar for "Jashn-e-Bahara"
Technical Award For Film Background Score - A. R. Rahman
Technical Award For Song Mixing - H. Sridhar
Technical Award For Programming and Arranging - TR Krishna Chetan for "Jashn-e-Bahara"
* Others
Filmfare Best Background Score - A. R. Rahman
Filmfare Best Lyricist Award - Javed Akthar
Star Screen Award for Best Background Music - A. R. Rahman
Star Screen Award for Best Choreographer - Raju Khan for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
IIFA Best Music Director Award - A. R. Rahman
IIFA Best Lyricist Award - Javed Akthar
IIFA Best Male Playback Award - Javed Ali for "Jashn-e-Bahara"
IIFA Best Background Score - A. R. Rahman
V. Shantaram Award for Best Music
A. R. Rahman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Film Awards
Filmfare Awards
Won Best Film - Ronnie Screwvala and Ashutosh Gowariker
Won Best Director - Ashutosh Gowariker
Won Best Actor - Hrithik Roshan
Won Best Lyricist - Javed Akhtar
Won Best Background Score - A. R. Rahman
Screen Awards
Won
Best Film - Ronnie Screwvala and Ashutosh Gowariker
Best Actor - Hrithik Roshan
Best Background Music - A. R. Rahman
Best Choreographer - Raju Khan for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
Best Director - Ashutosh Gowarikar
Best Actress (Popular Choice) - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Nominated
Best Actress - Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
Best Action - Ravi Dewan
Best Actor in a Negative Role - Ila Arun
Best Art Direction - Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Best Lyrics - Kashif for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
Best Music - A. R. Rahman
Best Male Playback Singer - A. R. Rahman for "Khwaja Mere Khwaja"
Best Special Effects - Pankaj Khandpur
Stardust Awards
Won, Star of the year - Hrithik Roshan
Won, Dream director - Ashutosh Gowariker
Won, The New Menace - Nikitin Dheer
IIFA Awards
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Music Director
Best Lyricist
Best Male Playback
Best Art Direction
Best Background Score
Best Costume Design
Best Editing
Best Makeup
V Shantaram Awards
Won
Best Director Bronze Award - Ashutosh Gowariker
Best Actress - Aishwarya Rai
Best Music - A. R. Rahman
* InternationalGolden Minbar International Film Festival of Muslim Cinema (Kazan, Russia)
Won
Best Film (Grand Prix) - Ashutosh Gowarikar
Best Actor Award - Hrithik Roshan
* 32nd São Paulo International Film Festival (Brazil, South America)
Won
Audience Award for Best Foreign Language Film - Ashutosh Gowarikar
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
Nominated
Achievement in Cinematography - Kiiran Deohans
3rd Asian Film Awards
Nominated
Best Production Designer - Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Best Composer - A. R. Rahman
**************************************************
(2) DEVDAS (2002)
*******************
Devdas is a 2002 Bollywood film based on the 1917 Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay novella Devdas. This is the third Hindi version and the first colour film version of the story in Hindi. The film is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and stars Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, and Aishwarya Rai in the leading roles.
At the time of its release, Devdas was the most expensive Bollywood film ever produced, with a reported budget of Rs 50 crores.The film was released in six alternative language versions: English, French, German, Mandarin, Thai, and Punjabi.
Shahrukh Khan's performance as the rebellious alcoholic Devdas is often considered one of his best performances, and won him a Filmfare Award.
The song "Dola Re Dola" became a hit with its unique dance duet between Aishwarya Rai and Madhuri Dixit.
The film won five National Awards, ten Filmfare Awards including Best Film, and received a BAFTA nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. It was also India's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. It was ranked #74 in Empire magazines "The 100 Best Films Of World Cinema" in 2010. Time Magazine named Devdas as the best movie of 2002 among all the movies released around the world in 2002.
Details
Directed by......... Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Produced by......... Bharat Shah
Story by............ Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Based on............ Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (novel)
Cinematography...... Binod Pradhan
Editing by.......... Bela Sehgal
Distributed by...... Mega Bollywood
Release date........ July 12, 2002
Running time........ 183 minutes
Country............. India
Language............ Hindi
Budget.............. 50 crore (US$11 million)
Box office.......... 84.30 crore (US$18.55 million)
Star Cast
Shahrukh Khan........Devdas Mukherjee
Aishwarya Rai........Parvati "Paro" Chakraborty
Madhuri Dixit........Chandramukhi
Jackie Shroff........Chunnilal ("Chunnibabu")
Smita Jaykar.........Kaushalya Mukherjee
Manoj Joshi..........Dwijdas Mukherjee
Ananya Khare.........Kumud Mukherjee
Ava Mukherji.........Dev's Badi-ma
Kirron Kher..........Sumitra Chakraborty
Sunil Rege...........Neelkanth Chakraborty
Vijay Crishna........Sir Narayan Mukherjee
Tiku Talsania........Dharamdas
Jaya Bhattacharya....Manorama
Disha Vakani.........Sakhi
Milind Gunaji........Kalibabu
Dina Pathak..........Bhuvan's mother
Vijayendra Ghatge....Bhuvan Chaudhry
Amardeep Jha.........Kalibabu's mother
Radhika Singh........Yashomati
Apara Mehta..........Badi Aapa
Muni Jha.............Kaka
StorySir Narayan Mukherjee (Vijay Crishna), a zamindar, and his wife Kaushalya (Smita Jaykar) have heard that their younger son, Devdas (Shahrukh Khan), is coming home from a law school in England to their mansion in Tal Sonapur, Bengal after an absence of ten years.
When Kaushalya tells her neighbor Sumitra about Devdas' impending return, Sumitra is as overjoyed as Devdas' own mother, and with tears in her eyes she reminisces with Kaushalya about Devdas' and her daughter's deep childhood friendship. She describes how when Devdas was sent off to England at the age of ten, her daughter Paro had chased his carriage weeping, trying to return to him 3 rupees that she owed. The young girl Paro had then lit a lamp for Devdas, which she tended throughout her childhood in honor of her dear friend and never allowed to extinguish.
On the day of his return, Kaushalya insists everyone in the family close their eyes so that she will be the first person to see her son. Her plan backfires, however, when instead of coming straight home, Devdas goes to see "Paro" Parvati Chakraborty (Aishwarya Rai), his childhood sweetheart, first.
This incident makes Kaushalya jealous and at first she refuses to receive her son when he arrives, but he cajoles her and they joyfully reunite. In the ensuing weeks it becomes clear that the years apart have turned Devdas' and Paro's friendship into love. It seems to everyone, including Paro's mother Sumitra (Kirron Kher), that Devdas and Paro will get married, but Devdas's scheming sister-in-law Kumud (Ananya Khare) reminds Kaushalya of Paro's maternal lineage, which consists of mujra dancers. This is considered inappropriate for an alliance with the Mukherjee family. When Sumitra announces her desire for Devdas and Paro to marry, Kaushalya rejects and humiliates her in public. Devastated, Sumitra vows to ensure that Paro will get an even better marriage, and soon arranges for Paro to marry Thakur Bhuvan Chaudhry (Vijayendra Ghatge), a forty-year-old widowed aristocrat with three grown children.
Meanwhile, Devdas' harsh and ambitious father also rejects Paro and tells Devdas that both Paro and her mother belong in a brothel. Devdas leaves his parents' house and takes refuge at a brothel with his college friend Chunnibabu (Jackie Shroff). He leaves a letter for Paro, falsely stating that love had never existed between them. At the brothel, Devdas meets a good-hearted tawaif (courtesan) named Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit), who falls in love with him.
Soon, Devdas realizes his mistake in abandoning Paro. He returns to Paro at the time of her wedding to Bhuvan Chaudhry and asks her to elope with him. Paro refuses, reminding him of the way he had discarded her so easily. Grieved, Dev leads Paro to her bridal procession and Paro, still holding the lamp, sobs as she is carried away.
Paro learns from her new aristocrat husband that he has married her only to be mother to his children and lady of the estate, but that his love is only for his late first wife and he has no plan to have a true love relationship with her. Paro dutifully fulfills all her responsibilities, serving as a kind mother to the children and exemplary lady. Devdas, having lost Paro, is heartbroken. He moves to Chandramukhi's brothel permanently and becomes an alcoholic.
When Paro hears that Devdas' father is on his death bed, despite his past cruelties to Devdas and herself, she rushes to his bedside to offer comfort. He asks to see his son Devdas, but Devdas only arrives later, drunk, at his father's funeral.
Eventually, Devdas becomes so ill that the slightest dose of alcohol could kill him. He returns to the family home to heal, and discovers that his sister-in-law has stolen his mother's keys to the family safe. He confronts his sister-in-law and brother demanding they return the keys. An altercation ensues, and when his mother appears asking what is going on, the sister-in-law claims that Devdas had stolen the keys. His mother again believes the sister-in-law and sides against Devdas. Without denouncing the true culprits, Devdas leaves, banished.
News of Dev's alcoholism reaches Paro, who arrives at Chandramukhi's brothel and angrily accuses her of manipulating Devdas into drinking.
She soon realizes, however, that Chandramukhi deeply cares for Devdas. Chandramukhi urges Paro to convince Devdas to stop drinking; Paro attempts to persuade him, but Devdas remains stubborn. He promises Paro that before he dies, he will come to her doorstep one last time.
Paro invites Chandramukhi, whom she has befriended, to a celebration of Durga Puja at her husband's home and introduces Chandramukhi to her in-laws without revealing her profession. However, Bhuvan's ill-natured son-in-law Kalibabu (Milind Gunaji), a frequent visitor to Chandramukhi's brothel who made inappropriate advances towards Paro, reveals Chandramukhi's background and humiliates her in front of Bhuvan and the guests. He also tells Bhuvan of Paro's relationship with Devdas. As a result, Bhuvan punishes Paro by permanently forbidding her from leaving the mansion.
Devdas tells Chandramukhi that he loves her but that she must let him go. He decides to travel the country; while on a train, he meets his old friend Chunnibabu, who urges him to drink in the name of friendship. Devdas drinks knowing fully well it will be fatal.
On the verge of death, Devdas travels to Paro's house to honor his promise, collapsing under a tree in front of the main gate. Paro at first is only told that the man outside is an anonymous traveller. She performs prayers inside the house, and as she throws flower petals on the icon, flower petals likewise fall on Devdas outside. Paro then learns that it is Devdas outside the gates, and, screaming his name, runs through the mansion and grounds attempting to reach him. Bhuvan sees this and orders the servants to close the gates, leaving her sobbing inside the gates. Devdas sees a blurred image of Paro running to him, but the gates close before she can reach him and Devdas dies. At the same time, the lamp that Paro had lit for him flickers out.
Location and sets
The major part of the movie was filmed at Film City, Mumbai, recreating the early 20th century Calcutta.The six sets cost about Rs. 200 million. Chandramukhi's kotha was constructed next to an artificial lake, to make it look like a set in Benaras on the Ganges.
A temple city surrounded the set, for which inspiration was taken from the Dilwara Temples in Rajasthan. For the creation of Paro's room in a haveli 12,200 pieces of stained glass were used.
Soundtrack
Devdas
Studio album by..........Ismail Darbar
lyrics are penned by...Nusrat Badr, Prakash Kapadi and Pandit Birju Maharaj and Sameer
Released ...................March 2002
Genre.........................Soundtrack/Filmi
Label ........................Universal
* Shreya Ghoshal made her Bollywood debut through this film. She caught the attention of Ismail Darbar when she participated in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa competition. She was also able to impress Bhansali when she sang bhajan of Lata Mangeshkar.
* "Morey Piya"was penned by Sameer
* "The Theme" music was by Monty Sharma
Track # Song .............................Singer(s)
01 "Silsila Ye"........................ Shreya Ghoshal
02 "Maar Dala"....................... Kavita Krishnamurthy & K.K... Prakash Kapadia
03 "Bairi Piya"........................ Udit Narayan & Shreya Ghoshal
04 "Kaahe Chhed"................... Pt. Birju Maharaj, Kavita Krishnamurthy & Madhuri Dixit
05 "Chalak Chalak"................. Udit Narayan, Vinod Rathod & Shreya Ghoshal
06 "Hamesha Tumko Chaha"... Kavita Krishnamurthy & Udit Narayan
07 "Woh Chand Jaisi Ladki"... Udit Narayan
08 "Morey Piya" .................... Jaspinder Narula & Shreya Ghoshal
09 "Dola Re Dola"................. Kavita Krishnamurthy, Shreya Ghoshal & Kay Kay
10 "Dev's Last"The Theme"... Rashmi Sharma, Supriya Raghav Chatterji. Music...Monty
** Awards
* Devdas was India's entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars in 2003.
* The film was also screened at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival,though it was not eligible for an award.
* Filmfare Awards
Devdas won ten awards at the 2002 Filmfare Awards.
Best Film ---------------- Bharat Shah
Best Actor --------------- Shahrukh Khan
Best Actress ------------- Aishwarya Rai
Best Director ------------ Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Best Support Actress --- Madhuri Dixit
Best Female Playback -- Kavita Krishnamurthy & Shreya Ghosal for "Dola Re"
Best Cinematographer -- Binod Pradhan
Best Art Direction ------ Nitin Chandrakant Desai
Best Choreography ----- Saroj Khan
Best Scene of the Year--Confrontation scene between Paro and Chandramukhi.
* National Film AwardsNational Film Award for Best Popular Film (Wholesome Entertainment)
National Film Award for Best Art Direction------ Nitin Chandrakant Desai
National Film Award for Best Female Playback-- Shreya Ghoshal
National Film Award for Best Choreography ----- Saroj Khan
National Film Award for Best Costume Design
* Star Screen Awards
Best Actor ---------------------- Shahrukh Khan (shared with Ajay Devgan)
Best Actress -------------------- Aishwarya Rai
Best Support Actress ---------- Madhuri Dixit
Star Screen Award Jodi No.1- Aishwarya Rai & Shahrukh Khan
Star Screen Award Best Male Playback-- Udit Narayan for "Woh Chand Jaisi Ladki"
* IIFA Awards
Best Movie - Devdas --------------------------- Bharat Shah
IIFA Best Director Award --------------------- Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Best Actor In Leading Role Devdas ----------- Shahrukh Khan
Best Actress In Leading Role Devdas --------- Aishwarya Rai
Best Actress In A Supporting Role Devdas --- Kirron Kher
IIFA Best Female Playback Award Devdas --- Shreya Ghosal,
& Kavita Krishnamurthy for'Dola Re Dola'
* MTV Asia Awards
Devdas won the 2003 Asian Film Award.
* British Academy Film Awards [BAFTA]
Devdas was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film, 2003.
*Box office
Devdas was a big hit at the box office. The film grossed 53.5 crore (US$11.77 million) in India thus becoming the highest grossing film of 2002 . It grossed 84.30 crore (US$18.55 million) worldwide.When adjusted for inflation its total gross worldwide is 151.51 crore (US$33.33 million).
*****************************************************
(3) GURU (2007)
**********************************
Guru is a 2007 Indian biographical film co-written and directed by Mani Ratnam. It stars Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, Arya Babbar, Mithun Chakraborty, R. Madhavan, Vidya Balan in the leading roles.The score and soundtrack for the film is composed by A. R. Rahman.
The movie was dubbed and released simultaneously in Tamil as Guru and in Telugu as Gurukanth.The film was released on 12 January 2007, and premièred at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, making it the first Indian film to have a mainstream international premiere in Canada.
Speculated to be based on the life of Indian businessman Dhirubhai Ambani, it is a rag to riches story about an ambitious small-town man who ends up as the owner of the biggest corporation in India. The film premièred at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto, Canada, the first Indian film to have a mainstream international premiere in that country. The film was critically acclaimed, and performed well at the box office.Aishwarya received her seventh Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance.
Details
Directed by............... Mani Ratnam
Produced by.............. Mani Ratnam & G. Srinivasan
Screenplay by........... Mani Ratnam
Story by.................... Mani Ratnam
Music by................... A. R. Rahman
Cinematography........ Rajiv Menon
Editing by................. A. Sreekar Prasad
Distributed by........... Madras Talkies
Release date(s)......... January 12, 2007
Country..................... India
Language.................. Hindi
Box office................ INR 81.24 crore
Star Cast
Abhishek Bachchan ............. Gurukant "Guru" Desai
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan .... Sujata Desai
Arya Babbar ........................ Jignesh
Mithun Chakraborty ............. Manik Dasgupta
Vidya Balan ......................... Meenakshi "Meenu" Saxena
R. Madhavan ........................ Shyam Saxena
Rajendra Gupta..................... Guru's father
Sarita Joshi .......................... Guru's mother
Mallika Shrawat................... Guest Appearance
Story
The start of the film is set in 1951. In a small village of Idar in Sabarkantha District North Gujarat, a young man named Gurukant Desai (Abhishek Bachchan) dreams of making it big some day. His father (Rajendra Gupta), the headmaster of the village school, tells him that dreams never come true. Gurukant a.k.a. "Guru" decides to go to Turkey and enter the spice trade; later, he is promoted but refuses the job because he wants to work for himself.
Back in his village, he marries Sujata (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan), mainly because of the dowry she brings him.
Along with Sujata and her brother Jignesh (Arya Babbar), Guru migrates to Mumbai and starts trading in cloth. Gradually, he expands his business and sets up manufacturing units of his own, under the name Shakti Corporation.
Manik Dasgupta a.k.a. Nanaji (Mithun Chakraborty), who publishes a newspaper Swatantra, treats Guru as his son. Guru likewise looks to him as a father figure who gives him support during his early days of struggle in Bombay. He also develops a strong friendship with Meenu (Vidya Balan), granddaughter of Dasgupta. Meenu develops multiple sclerosis as she grows up, and begins using a wheelchair.
As Gurukant Desai's business grows into one of the largest in India, he ruthlessly pursues success. He smuggles machine parts for his polyester mills, illegally creates goods, and manipulates stocks to make a higher profit. But when Manik Dasgupta learns that Guru's means of success are not always honest, he, along with a reporter of his newspaper, Shyam (Madhavan), decide to expose Guru's increasingly corrupt ways.
The stress of his battle with the newspaper causes Guru to have a stroke, and he is paralyzed on his right side. Meanwhile, Meenu (Vidya Balan), who is now married to Shyam, is slowly weakening from her illness, and eventually dies. In the end, Guru is brought before a government inquiry into his unethical actions, but delivers a speech in front of the press that forces the government to clear him of most of the charges. He is charged with lesser offences and is allowed to return to his company. The story ends with Guru continuing to dream of the future and even greater success for the Shakti companies.
Production
Guru was written and directed by Mani Ratnam, while Vijay Krishna Acharya wrote the Hindi dialogues. Shooting for the film took place in Mumbai, Turkey, Badami and Melkote (both in Karnataka), as well as in Chennai, Pollachi, Madurai, Chettinad region Tamil Nadu, and Athirapilly in Kerala. Much of the film was shot on the Express Estates, the former home of The New Indian Express and Dinamani.The music is composed by A. R. Rahman, with lyrics by Gulzar. Cinematography for the film is handled by Rajiv Menon.
Sound Track
Music by A. R. Rahman
Lyrics by Gulzar
Track #.Song...................... Singer(s)
1 "Barso Re" ............. Shreya Ghoshal, Uday Mazumdar
2 "Tere Bina" ............ A. R. Rahman, Murtuza Khan, Quadir Khan, Chinmayee
3 "Ek Lo Ek Muft....... Bappi Lahiri, K. S. Chithra
4 "Mayya".................. Maryem Tollar, Chinmayee, Keerthi
5 "Ay Hairathe"......... Hariharan, Alka Yagnik, A. R. Rahman
6 "Baazi Laga"........... Udit Narayan, Madhushree, Shweta Mohan, Bhargavi Pillai
7 "Jaage Hain"........... K. S. Chithra, A. R. Rahman, Madras Chorale Group
8 "Shauk Hai"............ Sowmya Raoh
9 "Dhoom Dhamaka"..Chorus
Response
Box Office
Guru opened well upon release, gaining momentum over time.In the United States, Guru, opening on a limited release, registered very good collections in its opening weekend, fetching 3 crores during this period, with a very high screen average. By its seventh week, the film has netted 41.65 crores in India, collecting 13 crores in the US and the UK. As of 23 February 2007 Guru, released 12 January has grossed more than 80 crores across the world and was declared as "Super Hit". In the United States,it was a blockbuster.
Critical Reception
* Guru has generally received positive reviews from critics. Abhishek Bachchan received almost unanimous praise for his performance.
* The film has a rating of 90 percent at the review website Rotten Tomatoes.
* The New York Times said of the film "You might think it would be difficult to fashion an entertaining account of the life of a polyester manufacturer, even a fictitious one. But the Tamil director Mani Ratnam, known for intelligent political dramas, has done so with “Guru,” an epic paean to can-do spirit and Mumbai capitalism."
* The New York Post gave it three out of four stars.
* The Los Angeles Weekly called it the best Hindi film since Lagaan.
* Richard Corliss of TIME Magazine compared the film to Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life and said that one of the main highlights of the film was its climax. This Guru is more like a fine polyester. He further noted, "Ash's film eminence remains a mystery. No question she's pretty, but she's more an actress-model than a model actress. In Guru she's mainly ornamentation".
* The Hindustan Times reviewer gave it a three and half stars and noted " Ratnam and Bachchan Jr have given you a film that’s as close to life as say, business is to politics. For the discerning viewer, satisfaction is guaranteed.. and some more. Aishwarya Rai is marvellous, handling complex scenes with grace and empathy. Above all, the enterprise belongs to Abhishek Bachchan. He is astonishingly nuanced and unwaveringly forceful in his career-best performance after Yuva. "
* Critic Taran Adarsh from Bollywood Hungama gave a four star rating and claimed in his review that "Guru ranks as one of Mani Ratnam's finest efforts and one of the best to come out of Hindi cinema," and praised actors performances writing "Reserve all the awards for Abhishek. No two opinions on that! His performance in GURU is world class and without doubt. From a sharp teenager in Turkey to the biggest entrepreneur of the country, Abhishek handles the various shades this character demands with adroitness."
* Raja Sen from Rediff gave a three stars said that "Guru is fuelled by a slew of strong performances. Abhishek Bachchan owns the movie, forcing audiences to sit up straight as it begins and making us laugh and applaud as he carries on. He's impressive in every frame, as he ebulliently takes over an alien room by hopping onto a chair, or when he's trying to be ever so slightly slimy, polishing his spectacles and showing off his smarminess".
* Daily News and Analysis reviewer gave a three star rating and cited " Guru is a film that enthralls you for most of its running time as it traces the life of the uncannily forward seeing bumpkin from Gujarat who turns every disadvantage into an advantage. With Guru, Abhishek Bachchan has finally learnt the nuances of the grammar of cinema, in what will very likely be his defining film".
* Sify gave its verdict as "Very Good" and stated "Mani Ratnam’s Guru is undoubtedly a gutsy and outstanding film. Outstanding performance is extracted from everyone in the cast."
* The Hindu cited that "'Guru' is vintage Mani Ratnam. It encapsulates his characteristic canniness about human nature, specifically relationships. This is considered Abhishek Bachchan's role of a lifetime."
* Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave four stars explaining "The beauty of Mani Ratnam's cinema is truly in its unpredictability. Few filmmakers can translate their personal vision onto screen the way Mani Ratnam can. So that's two thumbs up for Guru - it's a must-watch for all. Of the film's cast, Mithun Chakraborty playing the Gandhian newspaper baron, deserves mention for the dignity which he brings to the part, one that's clearly inspired by Indian Express founder Ramnath Goenka. The actor in this film who truly blew my mind, is Aishwarya Rai. There is a silent grace, quiet nobility to her performance,which I have to admit I've never seen before. Of course the film belongs to Abhishek Bachchan, the protagonist, Guru himself. And in all honesty, Abhishek rises to the challenge like never before. "
* The Sunday Times stated "It is certainly one of the best Bollywood movies you will see. Performances attract admiration: Bachchan does a De Niro, piling on the dosas to show the ageing and overweight Guru and he is, surprisingly, impressive. Rai sheds her usual doe-eyed expressions and is endearing as the supportive but fiery wife, who looks and dances like an angel. Chakraborty and Tamil superstar Madhavan shine equally brightly in underwritten supporting roles".
* BBC reviewer Jaspreet Pandohar gave it a three star rating and noted "Ratnam's absorbing screenplay ensures that Guru rises above the usual rags to riches story, by weaving in meaty subplots involving the protagonist's complex relationships with his loyal wife (Aishwarya Rai), friends and foes".
Awards
Filmfare Awards
Winner - Best Art Direction --------------- Samir Chanda
Winner - Best Background Score --------- A. R. Rahman
Winner - Best Music ----------------------- A. R. Rahman
Winner - Best Choreography -------------- Saroj Khan for "Barso Re"
Winner - Best Playback Singer (Female) - Shreya Ghoshal for "Barso Re"
Nominated - Best Film ---------------------- Mani Ratnam
Nominated - Best Director ------------------ Mani Ratnam
Nominated - Best Actor --------------------- Abhishek Bachchan
Nominated - Best Actress ------------------- Aishwarya Rai
Nominated - Best Supporting Actor -------- Mithun Chakraborty
Nominated - Best Lyrics -------------------- Gulzar for "Tere Bina"
Nominated - Best Playback Singer (Male)- A. R. Rahman
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Interesting Facts
* During one musical number, Aishwarya Rai fell from a bicycle and received bruises on her hands and feet. Filming had to be suspended for a few hours while she received first aidand the number was cut from the film and eventually replaced with "Barso Re".
* Several scenes were deleted from the final theatrical version, including a scene in which Sujata first gives birth to a stillborn child and a scene in which Guru becomes angry with his wife for visiting Manik Dasgupta.
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External Links: Wikipedia
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