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FILM THEORY & PRACTICES

SUMMER PROJECT
Golden Era of Bollywood

Submitted by: Subrat Aziz Burney BJ&MC Submitted to: Mr. Tushar Madhav Amity School of Communication

CONTENTS
I Acknowledgment II About Bollywood III History IV Golden Era: Introduction V Songs & Dances in Golden Era VI Dialogues & Lyrics in Golden Era VII Actors of Golden Era VIII Actresses of Golden Era IX Directors of Golden Era X Modern Cinema XI Actors of Modern Cinema XII Actresses of Modern Cinema 3 4 5 6 8 9 10 21 32 42 44 55

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
It was not easy for me to complete my Term Paper without so many supports. Its not only me because of whom I have come out with this full detailed information about the Golden Era of Bollywood. I would like to thank my FTP (Film Theory & Practices) Sir, Mr. Tushar Madhav who helped me at every step and guide me throughout this Term Paper. I also want to thank my library teacher who guides me to refer a right book for Bollywood history and at last internet which helped me to know more about the Golden Era of Bollywood. This Term Paper have given me opportunity to know more about the Golden Era of Bollywood and the history of Bollywood and will help me in future in my professional life.

ABOUT BOLLYWOOD
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai (Bombay), Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; however, it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centres producing films in multiple languages. Bollywood is the largest film producer in India and one of the largest centres of film production in the world. Bollywood is formally referred to as Hindi cinema.There has been a growing presence of Indian English in dialogue and songs as well. It is common to see films that feature dialogue with English words (also known as Hinglish), phrases, or even whole sentences. The name "Bollywood" is a portmanteau derived from Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and Hollywood, the center of the American film industry. However, unlike Hollywood, Bollywood does not exist as a physical place. Though some deplore the name, arguing that it makes the industry look like a poor cousin to Hollywood, it has its own entry in the Oxford English Dictionary. The naming scheme for "Bollywood" was inspired by "Tollywood", the name that was used to refer to the cinema of West Bengal. Dating back to 1932, "Tollywood" was the earliest Hollywood-inspired name, referring to the Bengali film industry based in Tollygunge, Calcutta, whose name is reminiscent of "Hollywood" and was the center of the cinema of India at the time. It was this "chance juxtaposition of two pairs of rhyming syllables," Holly and Tolly, that led to the portmanteau name "Tollywood" being coined. The name "Tollywood" went on to be used as a nickname for the Bengali film industry by the popular Kolkata-based Junior Statesman youth magazine, establishing a precedent for other film industries to use similar-sounding names, eventually leading to the term "Bollywood" being coined. However, more popularly, Tollywood is now used to refer to the Telugu Film Industry in Andhra Pradesh. The term "Bollywood" itself has origins in the 1970s, when India overtook America as the world's largest film producer. Credit for the term has been claimed by several different people, including the lyricist, filmmaker and scholar Amit Khanna, and the journalist Bevinda Collaco.

HISTORY
Raja Harishchandra (1913), by Dadasaheb Phalke, was the first silent feature film made in India. By the 1930s, the industry was producing over 200 films per annum. The first Indian sound film, Ardeshir Irani's Alam Ara (1931), was a major commercial success. There was clearly a huge market for talkies and musicals; Bollywood and all the regional film industries quickly switched to sound filming. The 1930s and 1940s were tumultuous times: India was buffeted by the Great Depression, World War II, the Indian independence movement, and the violence of the Partition. Most Bollywood films were unabashedly escapist, but there were also a number of filmmakers who tackled tough social issues, or used the struggle for Indian independence as a backdrop for their plots. In 1937, Ardeshir Irani, of Alam Ara fame, made the first colour film in Hindi, Kisan Kanya. The next year, he made another colour film, a version of Mother India. However, colour did not become a popular feature until the late 1950s. At this time, lavish romantic musicals and melodramas were the staple fare at the cinema.

GOLDEN ERA
Following India's independence, the period from the late 1940s to the 1960s is regarded by film historians as the "Golden Age" of Hindi cinema. Some of the most critically acclaimed Hindi films of all time were produced during this period. Examples include the Guru Dutt films Pyaasa (1957) and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) and the Raj Kapoor films Awaara (1951) and Shree 420 (1955). These films expressed social themes mainly dealing with working-class urban life in India; Awaara presented the city as both a nightmare and a dream, while Pyaasa critiqued the unreality of city life. Some of the most famous epic films of Hindi cinema were also produced at the time, including Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957), which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and K. Asif's Mughal-e-Azam (1960). Madhumati (1958), directed by Bimal Roy and written by Ritwik Ghatak, popularised the theme of reincarnation in Western popular culture. Other acclaimed mainstream Hindi filmmakers at the time included Kamal Amrohi and Vijay Bhatt. Successful actors at the time included Dev Anand, Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt, while successful actresses included Nargis, Vyjayanthimala, Meena Kumari, Nutan, Madhubala, Waheeda Rehman and Mala Sinha. While commercial Hindi cinema was thriving, the 1950s also saw the emergence of a new Parallel Cinema movement. Though the movement was mainly led by Bengali cinema, it also began gaining prominence in Hindi cinema. Early examples of Hindi films in this movement include Chetan Anand's Neecha Nagar (1946) and Bimal Roy's Do Bigha Zamin (1953). Their critical acclaim, as well as the latter's commercial success, paved the way for Indian neorealism and the Indian New Wave. Some of the internationally acclaimed Hindi filmmakers involved in the movement included Mani Kaul, Kumar Shahani, Ketan Mehta, Govind Nihalani, Shyam Benegal and Vijaya Mehta. Ever since the social realist film Neecha Nagar won the Grand Prize at the first Cannes Film Festival, Hindi films were frequently in competition for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival throughout the 1950s and early 1960s, with some of them winning major prizes at the festival. Guru Dutt, while overlooked in his own lifetime, had belatedly generated international recognition much later in the 1980s. Dutt is now regarded as one of the greatest Asian filmmakers of all time, alongside the more famous Indian Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray. The 2002 Sight & Sound critics' and directors' poll of greatest filmmakers ranked Dutt at No. 73 on the list. Some of his films are now included among the greatest films of all time, with Pyaasa (1957) being featured in Time magazine's "All-TIME" 100 best movies list, and with both Pyaasa and Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959) tied at #160 in the 2002 Sight & Sound critics' and directors' poll of all-time greatest films. Several other Hindi films from this era were also ranked in the Sight & Sound poll, including Raj Kapoor's Awaara (1951), Vijay Bhatt's Baiju Bawra (1952), Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957) and K. Asif's Mughal-e-Azam (1960) all tied at #346 on the list.

Songs & Dances in Golden Era


Bollywood film music is called filmi music (from Hindi, meaning "of films"). Songs from Bollywood movies are generally pre-recorded by professional playback singers, with the actors then lip synching the words to the song on-screen, often while dancing. While most actors, especially today, are excellent dancers, few are also singers. One notable exception was Kishore Kumar, who starred in several major films in the 1950s while also having a stellar career as a playback singer. K. L. Saigal, Suraiyya, and Noor Jehan were also known as both singers and actors. Some actors in the last thirty years have sung one or more songs themselves. Playback singers are prominently featured in the opening credits and have their own fans who will go to an otherwise lackluster movie just to hear their favourites. Going by the quality as well as the quantity of the songs they rendered, most notable singers of Bollywood are Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, Shamshad Begum and Alka Yagnik among female playback singers; and K. L. Saigal, Talat Mahmood, Mukesh, Mohammed Rafi,Manna Dey, Hemant Kumar, Kishore Kumar, Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and Sonu Nigam among male playback singers. Kishore Kumar and Mohammed Rafi are often considered arguably the finest of the singers that have lent their voice to Bollywood songs, followed by Lata Mangeshkar, who, through the course of a career spanning over six decades, has recorded thousands of songs for Indian movies. The dancing in Golden Era films, especially older ones, is primarily modelled on Indian dance: classical dance styles, dances of historic northern Indian courtesans (tawaif), or folk dances. Previously song and dance scenes often used to be shot in Kashmir, but due to political unrest in Kashmir since the end of the 1980s, those scenes have since then often been shot in Western Europe, particularly in Switzerland and Austria.

Lata Mangeshkar

Mohammed Rafi

Dialogues & Lyrics in Golden Era


Dialogues are usually written in an unadorned Hindi that would be understood by the largest possible audience. Some movies, however, have used regional dialects to evoke a village setting, or oldfashioned, courtly, Persian-influenced Urdu in Mughal era historical films. Jyotika Virdi, in her book The cinematic imagiNation, wrote about the presence of Urdu in Hindi films: "Urdu is often used in film titles, screenplay, lyrics, the language of love, war, and martyrdom." However, she further discussed its decline over the years: "The extent of Urdu used in commercial Hindi cinema has not been stable ... the decline of Urdu is mirrored in Hindi films ... It is true that many Urdu words have survived and have become part of Hindi cinema's popular vocabulary. But that is as far as it goes."Contemporary mainstream movies also make great use of English. According to Bollywood Audiences Editorial, "English has begun to challenge the ideological work done by Urdu."Some movie scripts are first written in Latin script. Characters may shift from one language to the other to express a certain atmosphere (for example, English in a business setting and Hindi in an informal one). From Golden Era of Bollywood dialogues and lyrics of movies are written in Urdu and Hindi.Cinematic language, whether in dialogues or lyrics, is often melodramatic and invokes God, family, mother, duty, and self-sacrifice liberally. Song lyrics are often about love. Bollywood song lyrics, especially in the old movies, frequently use the poetic vocabulary of court Urdu, with many Persian loanwords. Another source for love lyrics is the long Hindu tradition of poetry about the amours of Krishna, Radha, and the gopis, as referenced in films such as Jhanak Jhanak Payal Baje and Lagaan.

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Actors of Golden Era

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Raj Kapoor

12 Ranbirraj "Raj" Kapoor , also known as The Show-Man, was an Indian film actor, producer and director of Hindi cinema. He was the winner of two National Film Awards and nine Filmfare Awards in India, and a two-time nominee for the Palme d'Or grand prize at the Cannes Film Festival for his films Awaara (1951) and Boot Polish (1954). The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1971 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1987 for his contributions towards Indian cinema. At the age of eleven, he appeared in films for the first time, in the 1935 film Inquilab. After acting in several films over the next 12 years, Raj Kapoor's big break came with the lead role in Neel Kamal (1947) opposite Madhubala in her first role as a leading lady. In 1948, at the age of twenty-four, he established his own studio, R. K. Films, and became the youngest film director of his time making his directorial debut with the film Aag starring himself, Nargis, Kamini Kaushal and Premnath. In 1949 he co-starred alongside Dilip Kumar and Nargis in Mehboob Khan's blockbuster Andaz which was his first major success as an actor. He went on to produce, direct/or star in many box office hits such as Barsaat (1949), Awaara (1951), Shree 420 (1955), Chori Chori (1956), Jagte Raho (1956) and Jis Desh Men Ganga Behti Hai (1960)

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Dilip Kumar

14 Dilip Kumar as Muhammad Yousuf Khan is an Indian film actor. He debuted as an actor in the movie Jwar Bhata (1944), produced by Bombay Talkies. He is known as Tragedy King, and was described as "the ultimate method actor" by Satyajit Ray. In a blog post,Amitabh Bachchan has described Dilip Kumar as the greatest actor ever. Dilip Kumar's career has spanned six decades and over 60 films. Critics acclaimed him among one of the greatest actors in the history of Hindi cinema. Dilip Kumar is the first actor to receive a Filmfare Best Actor Award (1954) and shares the record for the most number of Filmfare awards won for that category with Shahrukh Khan, (eight wins). The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan award in 1991 and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1994 for his contributions towards Indian cinema and nominated him to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian parliament for a term. He starred in films of a variety of genres such as the romantic Andaz (1949), the swashbuckling Aan (1952), the dramatic Devdas (1955), the comical Azaad (1955), the historical Mughal-e-Azam (1960) and the social Ganga Jamuna (1961). In 1976, Dilip Kumar took a five-year break from film performances and returned with a character role in the film Kranti (1981) and continued his career playing character roles in films such as Shakti (1982), Karma (1986) and Saudagar (1991). His last film was Qila (1998). Dilip Kumar has acted with actress Vyjayanthimala the most, where they both had acted seven films together including the former's home production Gunga Jamuna resulting in great on-screen chemistry and an alleged affair between them.

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Raaj Kumar

16 Raaj Kumar, born Kulbushan Pandit was an Hindi film actor. Raaj Kumar started out as subinspector of Mumbai Police in the late 1940s before he turned to acting with the 1952 film Rangeeli. He appeared in the Oscar-nominated 1957 film Mother India and went onto star in over 70 Hindi films in a career that spanned over four decades. Raaj Kumar was noticed in his earlier films like Rangeeli, Aabshar, Ghamand, and Lakhon Mein Ek, but it was as Prince Naushazad in Sohrab Modis Naushervan-e-Adil that he became famous. In his brief role as the husband of Nargis in Mother India, he achieved prominence. He followed this with the unglamorous role of a mill worker in Paigham. He was cast with Sunil Dutt, Shashi Kapoor and Balraj Sahni in B.R. Chopras Waqt. In Sridhars Dil Ek Mandir, Raaj Kumar essayed the role of a cancer patient.He also won the Filmfare Award in Best supporting actor category for movies Dil Ek Mandir and Waqt. From his screen debut in Rangeeli to God & Gun, his played memorable characters in 60-odd films.

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Amitabh Bachchan

18 Amitabh Harivansh Bachchan is an Indian film actor. He first gained popularity in the early 1970s as the "angry young man" of Hindi cinema, and has since appeared in over 180 Indian films in a career spanning more than four decades. Bachchan is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. Bachchan made his film debut in 1969 as a voice narrator in Mrinal Sen's National Award winning film Bhuvan Shome. Thereafter he got his first acting role as one of the seven protagonists in Saat Hindustani, a film directed by Khwaja Ahmad Abbas and featuring Utpal Dutt, Madhu and Jalal Agha. Anand (1971) followed, where he starred alongside Rajesh Khanna. Bachchans role as a doctor with a cynical view of life garnered him his first Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award. He then played his first negative role as an infatuated lover-turned-murderer in Parwaana (1971). This was followed by several films including Reshma Aur Shera (1971). During this time, he made a guest appearance in the film Guddi which starred his future wife Jaya Bhaduri. He narrated part of the film Bawarchi. In 1972, he made an appearance in the road action comedy Bombay to Goa, directed by S. Ramanathan. Director Prakash Mehra cast him in the leading role for the film Zanjeer (1973) as Inspector Vijay Khanna.

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Dharmendra

20 Dharam Singh Deol , better known as Dharmendra, is an award-winning Hindi film actor who has appeared in more than 247 Hindi-language films as of 2011. Dharmendra is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema. In 1997, he received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Hindi cinema. Dharmendra won the Filmfare new talent award and came to Mumbai from Punjab looking for work. Starting with Arjun Hingorani's Dil Bhi Tera Hum Bhi Tere (1960), he worked in several romantic black and white films in the early 1960s, hitting solo hero stardom with the blockbuster, Phool Aur Patthar (1966). At the start of his career, he was usually cast as a romantic hero and later, from 1974 onwards, as an action hero. He starred with several leading actresses at the beginning of his career. He worked with Nutan in Soorat Aur Seerat (1962) and Bandini (1963),Mala Sinha in Anpadh (1962) and Pooja Ke Phool (1964), Saira Banu in Shaadi (1962) and Ayee Milan Ki Bela (1964) and with Meena Kumari in Main Bhi Ladki Hoon (1964), Kaajal (1965),Poornima (1965) and Phool Aur Paththar (1966). Dharmendra's most notable acting performance was Satyakam with Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Sholay, where he appeared as the inimitable Veeru. Dharmendra went on to star in numerous successful Bollywood films in the 1970s and '80s including Pratigya, Dharam Veer, Charas, Azaad, Katilon Ke Kaatil, Ghazab, Bagwig, Dharam Aur Kanoon, Hukumat, Raaj Tilak, Watan Ke Rakhwale, Aag Hi Aag, Ghulami, Hathyar and Loha.

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Actresses of Golden Era

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Meena Kumari

23 Meena Kumari born Mahjabeen Bano, was an Indian movie actress and poetess. She is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema. During a career spanning 30 years from her childhood to her death, she starred in more than ninety films, many of which have achieved classic and cult status today. Kumari gained a reputation for playing grief-stricken and tragic roles, and her performances have been praised and reminisced throughout the years. Like one of her best-known roles, Chhoti Bahu, in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962). Meena Kumari gained fame with her role as a heroine in Vijay Bhatt's Baiju Bawra (1952). This heroine always negated herself for the material and spiritual advancement of the man she loved and was even willing to annihilate herself to provide him the experience of pain so that his music would be enriched. She became the first actress to win the Filmfare Best Actress Award in 1953 for this performance. Meena Kumari highly successfully played the roles of a suffering woman in Parineeta (1953), Daera (1953), Ek Hi Raasta (1956), Sharda (1957), and Dil Apna Aur Preet Parayi (1960). Though she cultivated the image of a tragedienne, she also performed commendably in a few light-hearted movies like Azaad (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat (1959), and Kohinoor (1960).

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Madhubala

25 Madhubala , born Mumtaz Jahan Dehlavi, was an Indian Bollywood actress who appeared in film classics Mahal (1949), Mr. & Mrs. '55 (1955), Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi (1958) and Mughal-eAzam (1960). She was active between 1949 and 1960, after which illness shortened her career. With her contemporaries Nargis and Meena Kumari she is regarded as one of the influential Hindi movie actresses. Madhubala's first movie, Basant (1942), was a box-office success. She acted as the daughter to a mother played by actress Mumtaz Shanti. As a child actress she went on to play in several movies. Actress Devika Rani was impressed by her performance and potential, and advised her to assume the screen name 'Madhubala', meaning 'a woman of honey'. Madhubala achieved a reputation as a reliable professional performer, and by adolescence she was being groomed for lead roles. Her lead role break, at 14-years-old, was with producer Kidar Sharma when he cast her opposite Raj Kapoor in Neel Kamal (1947). The film was not a commercial success but her performance was well received. This was the last film in which she was credited as Mumtaz before assuming her screen name 'Madhubala'. She achieved popularity in 1949 when she was cast as the lead in Bombay Talkies studio's Mahal a role intended for well-known star Suraiya

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Nutan

27 Nutan Behl , better known as Nutan, was an Indian actress. She appeared in more than 70 Hindi films in a career spanning over four decades. Regarded as one of the finest female actors in the history of Hindi cinema, Nutan was noted for playing unconventional parts, and her performances often received praise and accolades. Nutan started her career at the age of 14 in the 1950 film Hamari Beti, directed by her mother Shobhna Samarth. She subsequently starred in such films as Nagina and Humlog (both 1951). Her role in Seema (1955) garnered her wider recognition and a Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She continued playing leading roles through the 1960s until the late 1970s and went on win the award on four other occasions for her roles in Sujata (1959), Bandini (1963), Milan (1967) and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki (1978). Some of her other films of this period include Sone Ki Chidiya (1958), Anari (1959), Chhalia (1960), Tere Ghar Ke Saamne (1963), Saraswatichandra (1968), Anuraag (1972) and Saudagar (1973). In the 1980s, Nutan started playing character roles and continued working until shortly before her death. She portrayed mostly motherly roles in such films as Saajan Ki Saheli (1981), Meri Jung (1985) and Naam (1986). Her performance in Meri Jung earned her a sixth and last Filmfare Award, this time in the Best Supporting Actress category. Nutan holds the record of five wins of the Best Actress Award at Filmfare, which was held only by her for over 30 years until it was matched by her niece Kajol in 2011; she is overall the most-awarded actress in the female acting categories at Filmfare, with six awards alongside Jaya Bachchan. In 1974, she was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India.

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Nargis

29 Nargis Dutt born Fatima Rashid but known by her screen name, Nargis, was an Indian film actress. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in the history of Hindi cinema. She made her screen debut as a child in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her acting career began in 1942 with Tamanna. During a career that spanned from the 1940s to the 60s, Nargis appeared in numerous commercially successful as well as critically appreciated films, many of which featured her alongside actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor. One of her best-known roles was that of Radha in the Academy Award-nominated Mother India (1957), a performance that won her Best Actress trophy at the Filmfare Awards. She would appear infrequently in films during the 60s. Some of her films of this period include the drama Raat Aur Din (1967), for which she got the inaugural National Film Award for Best Actress. Nargis appeared in numerous movies after her film debut; she won lasting fame for her later, adult, roles, starting with at the age of 14, in Mehboob Khan's Taqdeer in 1943 opposite, Motilal. She starred in many popular Hindi movies of the late 1940s and 1950s such as Barsaat (1949), Andaz (1949), Awaara (1951), Deedar (1951), Shree 420 (1955), and Chori Chori (1956). In most of her films she starred alongside Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar.

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Waheeda Rehman

31 Waheeda Rehman is an Indian film actress who appears in Bollywood movies and is known for many successful and critically acclaimed movies from the 1950s, 60s and early 70s most notably C.I.D. (1956) and 5 Guru Dutt classics - Pyaasa (1957), 12 O'Clock (1958), Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1961). Her other notable works include Solva Saal (1958), Baat Ek Raat Ki (1962), Kohra (1964), Bees Sal Baad (1962), Guide (1965), Teesri Kasam, Mujhe Jeene Do (1966), Neel Kamal and Khamoshi (1969). Waheeda Rehman, started her career in films in 1954 and her first successful films were the Telugu films Jayasimha (1955), Rojulu Marayi (1956) and Tamil film Kaalam Maari Pochu (1955). In the success party of Rojulu Maaraayi, Guru Dutt noticed her and decided to groom her and have her act in Hindi films. Waheeda considered Guru Dutt as her mentor. Dutt brought her to Bombay (now Mumbai) and cast as a vamp in his production C.I.D. (1956), directed by Raj Khosla. A few years after joining the Hindi film industry, she lost her mother. After the success of C.I.D., Dutt gave her a leading role in Pyaasa (1957). Their next venture together, Kaagaz Ke Phool (1959), depicted the story of a successful director's decline after he falls for his leading lady. Dutt's existing marriage and her film successes with other directors caused them to drift apart personally and professionally, although they continued to work together into the 1960s (Chaudhvin Ka Chand). She completed Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) under some strain. They broke away from each other after its indifferent reception at the Berlin Film Festival in 1963.

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Directors of Golden Era

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Raj Kapoor

34 Ranbir Raj Prithviraj Kapoor one of the most famous actor of Indian Cinema was also very famous director of Golden Era. In 1948, at the age of twenty-four, he established his own studio, R. K. Films, and became the youngest film director of his time making his directorial debut with the film Aag starring himself, Nargis, Kamini Kaushal and Premnath.

Year

Film

Notes

1948 Aag

1949 Barsaat

1951 Awaara

1955 Shree 420

1964 Sangam

Winner, Filmfare Best Movie Award Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award

1970 Mera Naam Joker

Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award Nomination, Filmfare Best Movie Award

1973 Bobby

Nomination, Filmfare Best Movie Award Nomination, Filmfare Best Director Award

1978 Satyam Shivam Sundaram Nomination, Filmfare Best Director Award

1982 Prem Rog

Winner, Filmfare Best Movie Award Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award

1985 Ram Teri Ganga Maili

Winner, Filmfare Best Movie Award Winner, Filmfare Best Director Award

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Shaheed Latif

Shaheed Latif or Shahid Latif was Hindi film director, writer, and producer. He was the maker of films like Ziddi(1948) with launched Dev Anand's career and Arzoo (1950) starring Dilip Kumar and Kamini Kaushal. Noted Urdu poet Kaifi Azmi started his career as a lyricist with his film Buzdil in 1951. Latif shifted to Bombay (now Mumbai) and started his career with Bombay Talkies, a noted film studio of Hindi film industry, where he wrote dialogues for Ashok Kumar-starrer, Naya Sansar(1941), followed by Amiya Chakrabarty's Anjaan (1941) and Gyan Mukherjee's Jhoola (1941). This lead to his directorial debut with Ziddi (1948), on a story by Ismat Chughtai. The film also established the career of actor Dev Anand. The husband wife duo worked together on many films, where Ismat was sometimes a scenarist, a writer or at times even producer. He died in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 16 April 1967. His some famous work includes: Jawab Ayega (1968) Director Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966) Director Picnic (1966) Director Sone Ki Chidiya (1958) Director Society (1955) Director Darwaza (1954) Director Faraib (1953) Director Sheesha (1952) Directo Buzdil (1951) Director Arzoo (1950) Director Shikayat (1948) Director Ziddi (1948) - Director

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Devendra Goel

Devendra Goel was an Indian film director and producer of Bollywood films and best known for his work in the 1950s and early 1960s. He directed Aankhen on his debut. Devendra Goel also directed the Marathi film, Dost Asava Tar Asa with Ramesh Deo, Deven Varma and Padma Chavan. He won a silver jubilee award for his direction and production of the famous movie dus lakh. Filmoraphy: Aankhen (1950) Adaa (1951) Aas (1953) Albeli (1955) Vachan (1955) Narsi Bhagat (1957) Ek-Saal (1957) Chirag Kahan Roshni Kahan (1959) Razia Sultana (1961) Pyaar Ka Saagar (1961) Door Ki Awaaz (1964) Dus Lakh (1966) Ek Phool Do Mali (1969) Dharkan (1972) Ek Mahal Ho Sapno Ka (1975) Aadmi Sadak Ka (1977) Do Musafir (1978) Dost Asava Tar Asa (Marathi Film)

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Yash Chopra

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Yash Raj Chopra was an Indian film director, script writer and film producer, predominantly working in Hindi cinema. Chopra began his career as an assistant director to I.S. Johar and his elder brother, B.R. Chopra. He made his directorial debut with Dhool Ka Phool in 1959, a melodrama about illegitimacy, and followed it with the social drama Dharmputra (1961). Encouraged by the success of both films, the Chopra brothers made several more movies together during the late fifties and sixties. Chopra rose to prominence after his commercially and critically successful drama, Waqt (1965), which pioneered the concept of ensemble casts in Bollywood. Chopra directed and produced the cult classic Lamhe in 1991. Considered by critics and Chopra as his best work to date, the film became one of the biggest Bollywood hits in the overseas market, although underperformed at the domestic box office. In 1992 he directed Parampara which was critically panned as well as being a box office failure. Chopra succeeded with the box-office hit and trend setter Darr (1993). Starring Shahrukh Khan, it was a sympathetic look at obsessive love and defied the image of the conventional hero. Since then, Chopra directed three more romantic films, all starring Khan; Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), Veer-Zaara (2004), and Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012), before he announced his retirement from directing in 2012.

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S. No

Movie Name

Year of Release

Cast

Dhool Ka Phool

1959

Mala Sinha, Rajendra Kumar

Dharmputra

1961

Mala Sinha, Shashi Kapoor

Waqt

1965

Balraj Sahni, Sunil Dutt, Sadhana, Raaj Kumar

Aadmi Aur Insaan 1969

Dharmendra, Saira Banu, Feroze Khan

Ittefaq

1969

Rajesh Khanna, Nanda, Madan Puri

Daag

1973

Sharmila Tagore, Rajesh Khanna, Raakhee

Joshila

1973

Dev Anand, Raakhee, Hema Malini

Deewaar

1975

Shashi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, Neetu Singh

Kabhi Kabhie

1976

Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman

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Trishul

1978

Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor

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Kaala Patthar

1979

Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Kapoor, Shatrughan Sinha, Raakhe

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Baldev Raj Chopra

41 Baldev Raj Chopra (B.R. Chopra) was an Indian director and producer of Bollywood movies and television serials. Best known for making Hindi films like Naya Daur (1957), Sadhna (1958), Kanoon (1961), Gumrah (1963) and Humrz (1967) and the TV Series, Mahabharat in the late 1980s, he was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 1998. National Film Awards: 1960: Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film in Hindi Kanoon 1961: President's Silver Medal for Best Feature Film in Hindi - Dharmputra (Producer) 1998: Dadasaheb Phalke Award

Filmography: Naya Daur (1957) Sadhna (1958) Kanoon (1961) Gumrah (1963) Humrz (1967) Dastn (1972) Dhund (1973) Karm (1977) Pati Patni Aur Woh (1978) Insf K Tarzoo (1980) Nikaah (1982)

42

Modern Cinema
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, romance movies and action films starred actors like Rajesh Khanna, Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar and Shashi Kapoor and actresses like Sharmila Tagore, Mumtaz and Asha Parekh. In the mid-1970s, romantic confections made way for gritty, violent films about gangsters (see Indian mafia) and bandits. Amitabh Bachchan, the star known for his "angry young man" roles, rode the crest of this trend with actors like Mithun Chakraborty and Anil Kapoor, which lasted into the early 1990s. Actresses from this era included Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan and Rekha. Some Hindi filmmakers such as Shyam Benegal continued to produce realistic Parallel Cinema throughout the 1970s, alongside Mani Kaul, Kumar Shahani, Ketan Mehta, Govind Nihalani and Vijaya Mehta. However, the 'art film' bent of the Film Finance Corporation came under criticism during a Committee on Public Undertakings investigation in 1976, which accused the body of not doing enough to encourage commercial cinema. The 1970s thus saw the rise of commercial cinema in the form of enduring films such as Sholay (1975), which solidified Amitabh Bachchan's position as a lead actor. The devotional classic Jai Santoshi Ma was also released in 1975. Another important film from 1975 was Deewar, directed by Yash Chopra and written by Salim-Javed. A crime film pitting "a policeman against his brother, a gang leader based on real-life smuggler Haji Mastan", portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan, it was described as being "absolutely key to Indian cinema" by Danny Boyle. The most internationally acclaimed Hindi film of the 1980s was Mira Nair's Salaam Bombay! (1988), which won the Camera d'Or at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the pendulum swung back toward family-centric romantic musicals with the success of such films as Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), Maine Pyar Kiya(1989), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994) and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), making stars out of a new generation of actors (such as Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan) and actresses (such as Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla and Kajol). In that point of time, action and comedy films were also successful, with actors like Govinda and actresses such as Raveena Tandon and Karisma Kapoor appearing in popular comedy films, and stunt actor Akshay Kumar gaining popularity for performing dangerous stunts in action films in his well known Khiladi (film series) and other action films. Furthermore, this decade marked the entry of new performers in arthouse and independent films, some of which succeeded commercially, the most influential example being Satya (1998), directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Anurag Kashyap. The critical and commercial success of Satya led to the emergence of a distinct genre known as Mumbai noir, urban films reflecting social problems in the city of Mumbai. This led to a resurgence of Parallel Cinema by the end of the decade.These films often featured actors like Nana Patekar, Manoj Bajpai, Manisha Koirala, Tabu and Urmila Matondkar, whose performances were usually critically acclaimed. The 2000s saw a growth in Bollywood's popularity in the world. This led the nation's filmmaking to new heights in terms of quality, cinematography and innovative story lines as well as technical advances in areas such as special effects, animation, and so on. Some of the largest production houses, among them Yash Raj Films and Dharma Productions were the producers of new modern films. The opening up of the overseas market, more Bollywood releases abroad and the explosion of multiplexes in big cities, led to wider box office successes in India and abroad, including Lagaan (2001), Devdas (2002), Koi... Mil Gaya (2003), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004), Rang De Basanti (2006), Lage Raho Munnabhai (2006), Krrish (2006), Dhoom 2 (2006),Om Shanti Om (2007), Chak De India (2007), Rab

43 Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008), Ghajini (2008), 3 Idiots (2009), My Name is Khan (2010),Dabangg (2010) and The Dirty Picture delivering a new generation of popular actors (Hrithik Roshan, Abhishek Bachchan) and actresses (Aishwarya Rai, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Vidya Balan), and keeping the popularity of actors of the previous decade. Among the mainstream films, Lagaan won the Audience Award at the Locarno International Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards, while Devdas and Rang De Basanti were both nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The Hindi film industry has preferred films that appeal to all segments of the audience (see the discussion in Ganti, 2004, cited in references), and has resisted making films that target narrow audiences. It was believed that aiming for a broad spectrum would maximise box office receipts. However, filmmakers may be moving towards accepting some box-office segmentation, between films that appeal to rural Indians, and films that appeal to urban and overseas audiences.

44

Actors of Modern Cinema

45

Aamir Khan

46 Aamir Khan is an Indian film actor, director, and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema. Starting his career as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Khan began his professional career eleven years later with Holi (1984) and had his first commercial success with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). He received his first National Film Award as a Special Jury Award for his roles in the films Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Raakh (1989). After eight previous nominations during the 1980s and 1990s, Khan received his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in the major grosser Raja Hindustani (1996) and later earned his second Best Actor award for his performance in the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan, which also marked the debut of his own production company. Following a four-year break from acting, Khan made his comeback playing the title role in the historical drama Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), and later won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his role in Rang De Basanti (2006). The following year, he made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par, for which he received the Filmfare Award for Best Director. This was followed by the thriller Ghajini (2008), which became the highest grossing film of that year, and the comedy 3 Idiots (2009), which became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all-time. On 30 November 2011, Khan was appointed as national brand ambassador of UNICEF to promote child nutrition. He is part of the government organised IEC campaign to raise awareness about malnutrition. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010 for his contributions towards the arts. In April 2013, he was among TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World List.

47

Salman Khan

48 Salman Khan is an Indian film actor, producer, television presenter, and philanthropist. The son of actor and screenwriter Salim Khan, Khan began his acting career with Biwi Ho To Aisi but it was his second film Maine Pyar Kiya in which he acted in a lead role that garnered him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut. Khan has starred in several commercially successful films, such as Saajan (1991), Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), Karan Arjun (1995), Judwaa (1997), Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), Biwi No.1 (1999), and Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), having appeared in the highest grossing film nine separate years during his career, a record that remains unbroken. In 1999, Khan won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his extended guest appearance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). In 2011, he won the Screen Award for Best Actor for his performance in Dabangg and in 2012, he won the Best Actor Popular Choice for his performances in Ek Tha Tiger and Dabangg 2. Eight of the films he has acted in, have accumulated gross earnings of over 100 crore (US$17 million) worldwide. He played leading roles in five consecutive blockbusters including Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, and Dabangg 2. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films and thus far has established himself as a leading actor of Hindi cinema.

49

Shahrukh Khan

50 Shahrukh Khan often credited as Shah Rukh Khan and informally referred as SRK, is an Indian film actor. Referred to in the media as "Badshah of Bollywood", "King Khan" and "King of Romance", Khan has acted in 75 Hindi films in genres ranging from romantic dramas to action thrillers. His contributions to the film industry have garnered him numerous achievements, including fourteen Filmfare Awards from thirty nominations. His eighth Filmfare Best Actor Award win made him the most awarded Bollywood actor of all time in that category, tied only with actor Dilip Kumar. In 2005, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri for his contributions towards Indian cinema. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics, he started his career appearing in theatre and several television serials in the late 1980s and later made his Hindi film debut in 1992 with Deewana. Early in his career, Khan was recognised for his unconventional choice of portraying negative roles in films such as Darr (1993), Baazigar (1993), and Anjaam (1994). He later rose to prominence by playing a series of romantic roles in the films Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Khan is considered to be one of the biggest film stars in cinematic history, with a fan following claimed to number in the billions; in 2011, the Los Angeles Times called him "the world's biggest movie star." He has also been regularly featured in the listing of the most powerful names in Indian Cinema and in 2008, Newsweek named him one of the 50 most powerful people in the world. Khan has an estimated net worth of over US $600 million ( 25 billion).

51

Hrithik Roshan

52 Hrithik Roshan (born on 10 January 1974) is an Indian film actor and professional dancer. Having appeared as a child actor in several films throughout the 1980s, Roshan made his film debut in a leading role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai in 2000. His performance in the film earned him Filmfare Awards for Best Actor and Best Male Debut. He followed it with leading roles in Fiza and Mission Kashmir (both released in 2000) and a supporting part in the blockbuster Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001). Following through with several unnoticed performances from 2002 to 2003, he starred in the blockbusters Koi... Mil Gaya (2003) and its sequel Krrish (2006), both of which won him numerous Best Actor awards. Roshan received his third Filmfare Award for Best Actor in 2006 for his performance in the action film Dhoom 2, and his fourth for Jodhaa Akbar for which he was also awarded at the Golden Minbar International Film Festival. He later received further acclaim for his work in Guzaarish (2010), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011) and Agneepath (2012), his biggest commercial success so far. These accomplishments have established him as a leading contemporary actor of Hindi cinema.

53

Akshay Kumar

54 Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. He has been nominated for Filmfare Awards several times, winning it two times. He has appeared in over 125 films.[ When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series", which included Khiladi (1992), Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994), Sabse Bada Khiladi (1995), Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi (1996), Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi (1997), International Khiladi (1999), Khiladi 420 (2000) and Khiladi 786 (2012), as well as other action films such as Waqt HamaraHai (1993), Mohra (1994), Elaan (1994), Suhaag (1994), Sapoot (1996), Angaaray (1998), Kee mat They Are Back (1998) and Sangharsh (1999). Later he also gained fame for his drama, romance and comic roles. He started becoming known for his performances in romance films like Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dhadkan (2000) and Namastey London (2007), as well as drama films such as Waqt: The Race Against Time (2005) and Patiala House(2011). His comic performances in comedy films such as Hera Pheri (2000), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Garam Masala (2005), Bhool Bhulaiyaa(2007), and Singh Is Kinng (2008) met with acclaim. His success had soared in 2007, when he starred in four consecutive commercial hits. Kumar hit a rough patch since 2009 to 2011 but came back with two successes, Housefull 2 (2012) and Rowdy Rathore (2012) with both of them grossing over 100 crore (US$17 million). His other films like OMG (2012) and Special 26 (2013) were highly successful critically and commercially. On February 16, 2013, many media outlets reported that the boxoffice collection of Kumar films has crossed 2,000 crore (US$340 million) and till date is the only Bollywood actor to do so. Having done so, he has established himself as a leading contemporary actor of Hindi cinema. In 2008, the University of Windsor conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Law on Kumar in recognition of his contribution to Indian cinema. The following year he was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India. In 2011 The Asian Awards honored Kumar for his outstanding achievement in Cinema.

55

Actresses of Modern Cinema

56

Katrina Kaif

57 Katrina Kaif is a British Indian actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi film industry.She has also appeared in Telugu and Malayalam films. Being a British citizen, she works in India on an employment visa. Kaif made her acting debut in 2003 with Kaizad Gustad's box office bomb Boom. The following year, she starred in the Telugu blockbuster romantic comedy Malliswari. In 2007, she earned bollywood commercial success with Vipul Shah's Namastey London and later she earned recognition for playing glamorous roles in male-centric films such as Partner (2007), Race (2007) and Singh Is Kinng (2008); all of which were box office successes. Kaif subsequently played more prominent roles in films like New York (2009), Rajneeti (2010), Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), and Ek Tha Tiger(2012), which has become the second highest-grossing Bollywood film. Despite earning mixed reviews from critics for her acting prowess, she has established herself as a commercially successful actress of Hindi cinema.

58

Kareena Kapoor

59 Kareena Kapoor also known as Kareena Kapoor Khan, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for playing a variety of characters in a range of film genresfrom contemporary romantic dramas to comediesKapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, and has established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema. After making her acting debut in the 2000 war drama Refugee, Kapoor's early years in the film industry were successful; she received a Filmfare nomination for Asoka (2001) and appeared in the melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... the same year, one of her biggest commercial successes to date. This was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. She portrayed a sex worker in Chameli (2004), the turning point in her career, and starred in the critically acclaimed films Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006). Kapoor played the lead female role in the romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007, which earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress) and the dramedy 3 Idiots (2009, the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time). Kapoor's final release of 2001 was Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... in which she featured part of an ensemble cast. Directed by Karan Johar, the melodrama became India's second highest-grossing film of the year and Kapoor's highest-grossing film to that point. It also became one of the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over 1 billion (US$17 million) worldwide. Kapoor's performance as Poo (a good-natured, superficial girl) was described by Taran Adarsh as "one of the main highlights of the film", and earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination. During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor experienced a setback in her career. All six films in which she starred Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, Talaash: The Hunt Begins..., Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and the four-hour war epic LOC Kargil were critically and commercially unsuccessful. Critics described Kapoor's performances as unoriginal, repetitive, an uninspired they expressed concern that she was becoming typecast. These negative reviews motivated her to accept more challenging roles

60

Vidya Balan

61 Vidya Balan an Indian film actress who appears in Hindi and Bengali language films. At age sixteen, Vidya landed her first acting role in the sitcom Hum Paanch (1995). After making several unsuccessful attempts to start a career in film, she acted in television commercials and music videos. In 2003 she made her feature film debut with the independent Bengali drama Bhalo Theko. In 2005 Vidya garnered praise for her first Hindi film, the musical drama Parineeta, and followed it with a leading role in the blockbuster comedy film Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006). Her subsequent portrayal of glamorous characters in the romantic comedies Heyy Babyy (2007) and Kismat Konnection (2008) met with negative comments from film critics. The year 2009, however, marked the beginning of the most successful period in Vidya's career as she portrayed five consecutive roles to wide critical acclaim in the 2009 drama Paa, the 2010 black comedy Ishqiya, the 2011 semi-biographical thriller No One Killed Jessica, the 2011 biopic The Dirty Picture, and the 2012 thriller Kahaani. These roles have earned her the tag of a "female hero" and established her as a leading contemporary actress of Hindi cinema. Vidya has received one National Film Award, five Filmfare Awards and five Screen Awards. She initially drew criticism for her fluctuating weight and poor dress sense, but was later credited in the media for retaining her individuality and breaking stereotypes of a Hindi film heroine. Vidya is a social activist and supports the empowerment of women.

62

Anushka Sharma

63 Anushka Sharma an Indian actress and former model who appears in Hindi films. In 2008, she was signed by Aditya Chopra for a three-film contract with Yash Raj Films and made her acting debut in Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. She received critical appreciation for portraying a vivacious wedding planner in the romantic comedy Band Baaja Baaraat (2010). Both films fetched her a Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare Awards ceremony. She later won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Yash Chopra's romance Jab Tak Hai Jaan (2012). Her first acting role was in Aditya Chopra's Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008) opposite Shahrukh Khan. Her performance was appreciated with film critic Taran Adarsh stating, "Anushka looks the character and surprises you with a confident performance. It's no small achievement to share screen space with an actor of the caliber of SRK and Anushka manages it very well from start to end." The film received positive reviews and was declared a blockbuster, and had been concluded as the second-highest grossing film of all-time to that point by the end of the year. Her second film, Badmaash Company, also under Yash Raj Films, was released on May 7, 2010. While Adarsh added, "Anushka is a revelation. She looks stunning, her performance is livewire and the chemistry with Shahid is electrifying. Band Baaja Baaraat was released on December 10, 2010 to positive reviews and went on to become a sleeper hit. Box Office India website reported that the film grossed approximately 21.44 crore after five weeks, making it a moderate box office success. Sharma's performance was praised by critics, many of whom called it her best work up to that point. Taran Adarsh described her as "truly wonderful," noting that it is "the first time in her 3-film career, a film rests mainly on Anushka's shoulders, and she handles the responsibility so well." For her work in the film, Sharma received her second nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and earned several awards and nominations at different award ceremonies. It has often been noted that the film has acted as a major career move for the actress, as it brought her much recognition.

64

Priyanka Chopra

65 Priyanka Chopra an Indian film actress, singer, and songwriter. The winner of the Miss World pageant of 2000, through her successful film career Chopra has become one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses and one of the most popular celebrities in India. She has won a National Film Award for Best Actress and Filmfare Awards in four categories. In 2000, her mother entered her into the Femina Miss India contest, in which she finished second and took the Miss India World title. She was then entered into the Miss World pageant, where she was crowned Miss World 2000 and Miss World Continental Queen of BeautyAsia & Oceania, becoming the fifth Indian to win the competition. Although Chopra had aspirations to graduate with a degree in engineering or psychiatry, she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry, making her acting debut in the Tamil film Thamizhan in 2002. The following year, she starred in The Hero, her first Hindi film release, and followed it with the boxoffice hit Andaaz, which won her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. She subsequently earned wide critical recognition for the role of a seductress in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz, winning her the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. By 2006, Chopra had established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema with starring roles in the highly successful films Krrish and Don. After receiving mixed reviews for a series of unsuccessful films, she was praised for her portrayal of unconventional characters, including a troubled model in the 2008 drama Fashion, a feisty Marathi woman in the 2009 caper thriller Kaminey, a serial killer in the 2011 neo-noir 7 Khoon Maaf, and an autistic woman in the 2012 romantic comedy Barfi! In addition to acting in films, she has participated in stage shows, hosted a reality show on television, and written columns for India's national newspapers. Chopra has engaged in philanthropic activities, and was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights on 10 August 2010. In 2012, she released her first single "In My City", which, although a commercial success in India, was met with mixed reactions from the critics.

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