ROBERT DENERO

The most celebrated American film actor of his era, Robert De Niro won an Oscar as best supporting actor for The Godfather, Part II in 1974. Over the next few decades he became known for his intense portrayals of mobsters, tough guys, loners and other not-quite-socially-adjusted characters, and equally well known for his single-minded commitment to acting. (The latter reputation was sealed when he packed on 50 pounds to play boxer Jake LaMotta in Scorsese's 1980 film Raging Bull, for which he won another Oscar as best actor.) De Niro has worked often with Scorsese, in films including Mean Streets (1973), the now-famous Taxi Driver (1976, with De Niro as the scary loner Travis Bickle), Goodfellas (1990, with Pesci and Casino (1995, with . He has also done comedy in films like Midnight Run (1988) and Wag The Dog (1997, with Dustin Hoffman, and spoofed his tough-guy reputation in Analyze This (1999) and as an ex-CIA father-in-law in Meet The Parents .

Not lacking whimsy, De Niro has also played character roles of all sorts, including an offbeat ex-con in Jackie Brown and a comical fantasy pirate in Stardust (2007). He directed the family drama A Bronx Tale (1993) and the modern spy story The Good Shepherd (2006, with Matt Damon). He founded the TriBeCa Film Center in Manhattan in 1989, and created the TriBeCa film festival in 2002 as a response to the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.

De Niro played young Vito Corleone in The Godfather, Part II; an older version of Corleone was played by Marlon Brando in The Godfather (1972). Brando also won an Oscar, as best actor, for the role.


Robert De Niro

Born: Aug 17, 1943 in New York City, New York

Occupation: Actor, Director

Active: '70s-2000s

Major Genres: Drama, Comedy

Career Highlights: GoodFellas, Brazil, Raging Bull

First Major Screen Credit: Greetings (1968)

Biography: Considered the best actor of his generation, Robert De Niro has built a durable star career out of his formidable ability to disappear into a character, whether tempering his charisma to become a believable everyman or imbuing his renowned gallery of mobsters and psychopaths with a compelling, frightening authority. After rising to stardom in the 1970s with landmark performances as violent New York brutes in (1973),Taxi Driver(1976), Raging Bull (1980), not to mention his quietly bravura turn in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II(1974), De Niro appeared to falter in the 1980s. Rejuvenated after The Untouchables (1987) and Goodfellas (1990), as well as the founding of the Tribeca Film Center, De Niro picked up his pace in the 1990s, strengthening his fame into the 2000s with his hilarious self-parodies in the blockbuster comedies Analyze This(1999) and Meet the Parents (2000).The son of artists, De Niro was raised in New York's Greenwich Village by his mother after his parents split up when he was two. Nicknamed "Bobby Milk" for his pallor, the youthful De Niro joined a Little Italy street gang, but the direction of his future had already been determined by his stage debut at age ten playing the Cowardly Lion in his school's production of The Wizard of Oz. Along with finding relief from shyness through performing, De Niro was also entranced by the movies, and he quit high school at age 16 to pursue acting. Studying under Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg, De Niro espoused the Method tenets that guided the work of such trailblazing 1950s stars as Marlon Brando, learning how to immerse himself in a character emotionally and physically. While he labored in off-off-Broadway productions in the early '60s, De Niro was cast alongside fellow novice Jill Clayburgh in film school graduate Brian De Palma's The Wedding Party (1969). It didn't see the light of theaters, however, until the late '60s. His movie breakthrough seemingly limited to a brief walk-on in Marcel Carné's Trois Chambres à Manhattan (1965), De Niro returned to theater in the mid-'60s. His luck began to change when De Palma asked De Niro to star as one of three friends trying to dodge the Vietnam draft in his low-budget satire Greetings (1968). A small indie success, Greetings spawned a sequel, Hi, Mom! (1970), featuring De Niro as an oddball downtown voyeur-turned-quasi-radical bomber. With another small movie, Sam's Song (1969), to his credit and the backing of friend Shelley Winters, De Niro got a shot at "going Hollywood" late-'60s style with a role as one of the murderous Barker clan in the Bonnie and Clyde (1967) rip-off Bloody Mama (1970), a well-acted Roger Corman special. Though he followed Bloody Mama with three more movies, including playing a taxi driver in drug drama Jennifer on My Mind (1971) and replacing Al Pacino in the ill-conceived farce The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971), De Niro found himself back doing off-Broadway theater by 1972.De Niro's professional life took an auspicious turn, however, when he was re-introduced to former Little Italy acquaintance Martin Scorsese at a party in 1972. Sharing a love of movies as well as their neighborhood background, De Niro and Scorsese hit it off; De Niro was immediately interested when Scorsese asked him about appearing in his new film, Mean Streets. Conceived as a grittier, more authentic portrait of the Mafia as a collection of petty street hoods rather than The Godfather's (1972) wealthy dons, Mean Streets drew on Scorsese's neighborhood experiences in its story of Harvey Keitel's conflicted striver Charlie and his ruinous friendship with De Niro's volatile Johnny Boy. Though he initially didn't want the part, De Niro transformed Johnny Boy into an indelible combination of anarchic energy and violent stupidity, from the moment he blew up a mail box onscreen, through his humorous improvised monologue about Joey Clams to his bloody end. Though Mean Streets failed to catch on outside of cities, its assured style and superb acting turned Scorsese and De Niro into rising artistic stars. De Niro caught the critics' attention again that same year with his completely different performance as a dying, simple-minded catcher in the quiet baseball drama Bang the Drum Slowly (1973). Though the New York Film Critics' Circle gave De Niro the Best Supporting Actor prize for both roles, the Academy ignored him. Nevertheless, Francis Ford Coppola was impressed enough by Mean Streets to cast De Niro as the young Vito Corleone in the early 1900s portion of The Godfather Pt. II. Closely studying Brando's Oscar-winning performance as Don Corleone in The Godfather, and perfecting his accent for speaking his lines in subtitled Sicilian, De Niro was so effective as the lethally ambitious and lovingly paternal Corleone that he created Oscar history when he took home an acting prize, albeit Best Supporting, for playing Vito.Rather than cash in on his Godfather success, however, De Niro headed to Europe to star in Bernardo Bertolucci's opus 1900 (1976). A sprawling allegory about class struggle in 20th century Italy, 1900's expansive story hinged on the lifelong relationship between De Niro's rich landowner and his proletarian best friend (Gérard Depardieu). Cut down to a mere four hours for its American release in 1977, 1900 impressed critics more with its sumptuous visuals than its content; the restored five-hour, 20-minute version attracted more kudos in 1991. After 1900's equally epic shoot, De Niro returned to the U.S. to collaborate with Scorsese on the far leaner (and meaner) production Taxi Driver. After working for two weeks as a Manhattan cabbie and losing weight, De Niro transformed himself into disturbed "God's lonely man" Travis Bickle. An extreme study in urban alienation, De Niro's Vietnam vet Bickle was painfully awkward with people, whether hanging out with fellow cabbie Peter Boyle, disastrously courting Cybill Shepherd, or trying to verbally save Jodie Foster. Once he began preening in front of the mirror with his weapons and issuing his reflection the signature "You talkin' to me?" challenge, however, Bickle became frighteningly alive before descending into the climactic ultra-violent bloodbath. One of the definitive films of the decade, Taxi Driver earned the Cannes Film Festival's top prize, good box office, and several Oscar nominations including Best Picture and De Niro's first nod for Best Actor. Controversy erupted about the film's violence, however, when would-be Presidential assassin John W. Hinckley cited Taxi Driver as a formative influence in 1981. Seeking a change of pace, De Niro next starred as refined, doomed Irving Thalberg-esque movie producer Monroe Stahr in Elia Kazan's final movie, the adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Last Tycoon (1976). Though the film failed, it was De Niro, along with Scorsese, who faced a potentially hostile audience to present Kazan with his honorary Oscar in 1999. De Niro and Scorsese met with another brand of hostility in 1977 with the release of Scorsese's lavish, underrated musical New York, New York (1977). Though De Niro and co-star Liza Minnelli made an excellent, contentious pair, New York, New York's downbeat take on the genre found little audience favor. De Niro quickly recovered with another risky, ambitious project, Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter (1978). One of the first wave of Vietnam movies, The Deer Hunter starred De Niro as one of three Pennsylvania steel-town friends thrown into the war's inferno, emerging as profoundly changed men. Though the film provoked an uproar over its portrayal of Viet Cong violence as (literally) Russian roulette, The Deer Hunter won several Oscars including Best Picture; De Niro lost Best Actor to Jon Voight's turn as a Vietnam vet in Coming Home (1978). Returning to the realm of more personal violence, De Niro followed The Deer Hunter with his and Scorsese's masterpiece, Raging Bull. Though Scorsese suffered a physical breakdown after New York, New York, De Niro convinced his friend that Raging Bull could be the de facto cure, and the pair reworked Paul Schrader and Mardik Martin's initial adaptation of boxer Jake La Motta's autobiography. With Rocky's (1976) producers backing them, Scorsese and De Niro went to creative extremes to do justice to La Motta's capacity for taking a beating in the ring and living brutally outside it, revealing the blood on the ropes and refusing to gloss over Jake's spousal abuse. Along with his notorious 60-pound weight gain that rendered him unrecognizable as the middle-aged Jake, De Niro also trained so intensely for the outstanding fight scenes that La Motta himself averred that De Niro could have boxed professionally. Along with his physical dedication, De Niro won over critics with his ability to humanize La Motta without softening him; though some were put off by La Motta's repugnance, none could deny that Scorsese and De Niro had created an extraordinary biopic and Raging Bull received eight Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. After Hinckley shot President Ronald Reagan the day of the Oscars, De Niro attended the re-scheduled ceremony and pointedly noted at the end of his acceptance speech for his richly deserved Best Actor statuette, "I love everybody." Not coincidentally, De Niro's next film with Scorsese, The King of Comedy (1983), delved into the dark recesses of fandom. Though De Niro was remarkable as creepy comedian wannabe Rupert Pupkin, The King of Comedy's incisive dissection of celebrity and TV proved too bleakly acerbic for audiences; Scorsese and De Niro decided to part creative ways afterwards. De Niro's subsequent mid-'80s movies continued to fall short. Though he was well suited to star in Sergio Leone's epic homage to gangster films, Once Upon a Time in America (1984), Leone's tough, transcendent vision couldn't survive the studio's decision to hack 88 minutes out of the American release version, and it bombed. De Niro's cameo as a militant repairman was also subsumed by the offscreen theatrics attending the production and release of Terry Gilliam's fantasy Brazil (1985). De Niro's attempt at playing a "normal" romantic lead opposite Meryl Streep in Falling in Love (1984) failed to attract an audience; noble subject matter, spectacular visuals, and Cannes' Palme D'Or couldn't turn The Mission (1986) into an American hit. After his turn as the Devil in the controversial disappointment Angel Heart (1987), De Niro took a breather from films to return to the stage, playing a drug dealer in the New York Public Theater production Cuba and His Teddy Bear. During his theater stint, De Palma made De Niro a movie offer he couldn't refuse when he asked him to play a small role in his film version of The Untouchables (1987). As the rotund, charismatic, bat-wielding Al Capone, De Niro was a memorable adversary for Kevin Costner's upstanding Elliot Ness, and The Untouchables became De Niro's first hit in almost a decade. De Niro followed The Untouchables with his first comedy success, Midnight Run (1988). Co-starring as a bounty hunter opposite Charles Grodin's bail-jumping accountant, De Niro finally got to show his lighter side, and the hilarious pair turned Midnight Run into a summer sleeper hit. De Niro's next foray into comedy in We're No Angels (1989), however, was not so appealing. His movie stardom revitalized, De Niro founded Manhattan's Tribeca Film Center in 1989. Housing ascendant indie Miramax as well as De Niro's own Tribeca Productions, the Film Center also included a restaurant co-owned by De Niro and decorated with his father's art. From this base of operations, De Niro launched into the most prolific period of his career. Though he earned an Oscar nomination for his touching performance as a coma patient in Penny Marshall's popular drama Awakenings (1990), movie fans were perhaps more thrilled by De Niro's return to the Scorsese fold, playing cruelly duplicitous Irish mobster Jimmy "The Gent" opposite Ray Liotta's turncoat Henry Hill in the critically lauded Mafia film Goodfellas (1990). Along with appearing onscreen with Scorsese as directors fighting the black list in Guilty by Suspicion (1991), De Niro worked with Scorsese again in the thriller remake Cape Fear (1991). Sporting a hillbilly accent and pumped-up physique, De Niro's vengeful rapist Max Cady was a terrifying creation, particularly in his quietly creepy seduction scene with Juliette Lewis. Despite critics' grumblings that De Niro was perhaps too flamboyant, Cape Fear became Scorsese and De Niro's biggest hit together and earned another Oscar nod for the star. De Niro subsequently co-starred as a geeky cop in the Scorsese-produced Mad Dog and Glory (1993) and reunited with Cape Fear's Jessica Lange for the noir remake Night and the City (1992). De Niro also revealed that he had learned a great deal from his work with Scorsese with his own directorial debut, A Bronx Tale (1993). A well-observed story of a boy torn between his father and the local Mob, A Bronx Tale earned praise, but De Niro opted to stick with acting and producing afterwards. De Niro made his third Scorsese film of the decade when he starred as Vegas kingpin Sam Rothstein in Casino (1995). Though it was staged with Scorsese's customary visual brilliance and paired De Niro with his Raging Bull brother and Goodfellas associate Joe Pesci, Casino received mixed notices and failed to score financially. De Niro passed on another opportunity to collaborate with Scorsese, as well as another co-starring turn with his This Boy's Life (1993) and Marvin's Room (1996) colleague Leonardo Di Caprio, when he dropped out of Gangs of New York (2002).Appearing in as many as three films a year after 1990, including his Scorsese work, De Niro's output garnered as many bad notices as good, but every time he appeared to take a wrong turn, he quickly managed to recover. Any doubts raised by the failed romance Stanley and Iris (1990) and the Hollywood schlock Backdraft (1991) were allayed by Goodfellas and Cape Fear; De Niro's too-psychotic abusive stepfather in This Boy's Life and bizarre eponymous monster in the flop Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994) were offset by his polished reserve in Michael Mann's glossy policer Heat (1995). Starring De Niro as a cool bank robber opposite Al Pacino's fervid cop, Heat offered the rare spectacle of De Niro and Pacino sharing the screen, if only in two scenes. After indifferently received turns in The Fan (1996), Sleepers (1996), and Cop Land (1997), De Niro stepped outside his usual gallery of cops and criminals to play a puckish, amoral political strategist in Barry Levinson's sharp satire Wag the Dog (1997). Though co-stars Pam Grier and Robert Forster received more attention, De Niro also rose to the acting occasion as a dangerously dimwitted crook in Quentin Tarantino's laid-back crime story Jackie Brown (1997). John Frankenheimer's smooth Euro-style espionage thriller Ronin (1998) allowed De Niro to headline a topnotch international cast; he took a back seat, however, to the young lovers and the lush green production design in Alfonso Cuarón's contemporary adaptation of Great Expectations (1998).De Niro was front and center once again in the comedy Analyze This (1999). As teary, stressed-out Mafia boss Paul Vitti, De Niro acknowledged and goofed on his esteemed collection of screen mobsters, aided and abetted by a nicely low-key Billy Crystal as his reluctant psychiatrist; the pair's humorous chemistry turned Analyze This into a major hit. De Niro's more serious, "actorly" turns as a homophobic stroke victim in Flawless (1999) and a prejudiced Navy officer in Men of Honor (2000) were further eclipsed by De Niro the new comic star with Meet the Parents (2000). Playing off of De Niro's renowned history of screen menace, Meet the Parents pitted the absurdly stern De Niro as the potential father-in-law from hell against Ben Stiller's increasingly hapless male nurse Greg Focker, and became a blockbuster success. Not surprisingly, both films spawned sequels, Analyze That (2002) and Meet the Fockers (2004). De Niro's comic outing opposite Eddie Murphy in Showtime (2002), however, bombed. Along with the comedies, De Niro still continued to take on his customary dramatic roles. His potentially interesting opportunity to co-star with his Godfather model and youthful inspiration Marlon Brando and his gifted young counterpart Edward Norton in the crime drama The Score (2001), however, was undermined by the ordinariness of the heist plot. Covering familiar territory, De Niro played troubled N.Y. cops in 15 Minutes (2001) and City by the Sea (2002). His daughter, Drena De Niro, from his first marriage to Diahnne Abbott, also appeared in City by the Sea (his second marriage ended in 2002).As a New Yorker and downtown resident, De Niro took time from his packed movie schedule to contribute to the commemoration of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the revitalization of downtown Manhattan. Working closely with Scorsese, De Niro co-organized the first Tribeca Film Festival in May 2002. Reaching the national audience, De Niro also made a rare TV appearance, in footage shot in his Tribeca neighborhood a few blocks from the Trade Center site, to narrate the award-winning CBS documentary 9/11 (2002).As the decade wore on, De Niro continued to take on roles that failed to live up to his acclaimed earlier work. 2004 saw him staying in the comedy vein, parodying himself as the voice of a shark mobster in the animated Shark Tale and starring in the aforementioned Meet the Fockers. Meanwhile, he also served up a pair of critically-maligned thrillers with Godsend and Hide and Seek. All the while, De Niro continued to work on his ambitious and long-planned next foray behind the camera, the CIA drama The Good Shepherd. ~ Lucia Bozzola, All Movie Guide






sachin tendulkar biography

AAMIRKHAN

Aamir was first introduced as a child artiste in the 1970's hit Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) -- he was the youngest child in the trio. He 'quit' movies and went on to become the state tennis champion for Maharashtra. Aamir also fell in love with the girl next door in the meantime. He proposed to her the day he turned 21, and she accepted. But apparently, there was opposition since she was from a Hindu family and he, from a devout Islamic one. So, they eloped, got married and returned to their homes. Aamir's wife Reena even appears in the song "Papa Kehte Hain" that made him the darling of the nation. From the tremendous success of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), which was released when he was 23, he has blossomed into India's finest actor. His list of sterling performances include Dil (1990), _Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1990)_, _Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikander (1992)_, Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Rangeela (1995), Raja Hindustani (1996), Ishq (1997), Ghulam (1998) and Sarfarosh (1999).His performance in Earth (1998) as the Ice-Candy man has received rave reviews from Indian and International critics. Using classic "method acting", Aamir acts in all genres of Indian films - comedy, action, drama and romance. Though he performs in few films, Aamir Khan is acknowleged today as the most complete Indian actor for his diverse choice of roles and films.IMDb Mini Biography By: http://www.imdb.com/SearchBios?apmisy1325@hotmail.com
Spouse
Kiran Rao
(December 2005 - present)
Reena Dutta
OnThisDay?day=18&month=April 18 MarriedInYear?1986">1986 - December 2002) 2 children
Trivia
Was offered Shahrukh Khan role in _Darr (1994)_.
Refuses to accept the usual awards from Indian trade magazines such as Filmfare.
Known as perfectionist who insists on getting a finished script before committing to a film and also refuses to work on more than one film at a time, both very unusual for Bollywood where actors usually work in several films at a time and script details are often improvised on the day of shooting.
One of the three Khans that ruled Bollywood in the 90s. The other two are Salman khan and Shahrukh Khan.
Son of Tahir Hussain, brother of Faisal Khan, Farhat Khan and Nikhat Khan
Nephew of Nasir Hussain
Cousin of Mansoor Khan
Files for divorce from wife Reena on December 9, 2002.
Awarded Padma Bhushan for the year 2003 by the Government of India.
Recently had another child with his ex-girlfriend, English writer Jessica Hines, who delivered their son, Jaan Harry Hines, on September 14 2003.
Uncle of Imran Khan.
Aamir has two children, Junaid age 9, and Aira age 4, both from Reena, his first wife.
Has 2 children with ex-wife Reena: a son, Junaid, and a daughter, Ira.
Mother is Zeenat Hussain. Sometimes she is referred to as Zeena Hussain.
After his first marriage he took another flat in the same building where he lived with his parents, and started living there.
Has been a big fan of Alfred Hitchkock stories.
Visited Pakistan for fund raising of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital on invitation by the cricketer Imran Khan.
Formed a popular on-screen pair with Juhi Chawla
Shares a birthday with Michael Caine,Mercedes McNab,Kylie Tyndall, Quincy Jones,Chris Klein, & Jamie Bell
The Press Trust of India reported Khan will marry girlfriend Kiran Rao in Panchgani, India on 1 January 2006. It later reported Khan and Rao married in a small ceremony at his home in Mumbai, India on 28 December 2005.
Personal Quotes
"Every film I do means a lot to me. The failure of Mela, definitely made a difference to me. I am not comfortable with the idea of my films not releasing to their full potential."
"There's a lot of talent both in India and Pakistan. I think the talent in both these two countries should come together and entertain the world audience. If the right offer and opportunity comes my way, I'd love to do a movie in Pakistan." (12 May 2006)
Salary
The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005)
INR 60,000,000
Dil Chahta Hai(2001)
INR 30,000,000
Where Are They Now
(2005) Busy shooting for Rakyesh Om Prakash's Rang De Basanti
(February 2006) Currently busy shooting for Kunal Kohli's Fanaah, opposite Kajol.
(February 2006) Shooting for 'Fanaah'
(July 2007) In Chennai, shooting for the remake of Ghajini

21 May 2007 (Sawf News) - Following irreconcilable differences with his director Amol Gupte, Aamir Khan the perfectionist, took over the direction of his film Tare Zameen Par.

The film, says Mumbai Mirror, is a sensitive story of a child and his teacher and for the first time, Aamir Khan will feature as the official director in the credits.

"When Aamir saw the rushes after a few weeks, he was not happy with the film and Amol Gupte's work," says a source from Aamir Khan Productions.

"Aamir bluntly expressed his displeasure. He lost faith in Amol as a director when he saw the rushes. He offered to return the script to Amol to choose another producer if he so wished. But Amol and Aamir had worked on it so long, that the former requested Aamir to take over the director's cap.

Aamir could not delay the shooting of the film beyond end of 2007 as the film's child protagonist, Darsheel Safary, would look grown up considerably and the production house would have had to look for another child star.

Aamir believed that Darsheel was the perfect choice for the role and he therefore completed the film on time. The film is now in the post-production phase and will be released by Dec

sachin tendulkar biography

AISHWARYA RAI

Aishwarya Rai (Ash) is one of Bollywood's pre-eminent leading ladies. This Indian darling burst upon the world stage when her striking beauty, poise and commanding intelligence won her the Miss World crown in 1994. This former architecture major soon became one of India's most famous models landing a prestigious Pepsi campaign and appearing in Vogue Magazine. India's top Bollywood directors were soon lining up to work with Ash. Her film Mani Rathnam's 'Iruvar' (1997) received critical acclaim and her performance in Aur Paar Ho Gaya' (1997) directed by Rahul Rawail garnered her the Best Female award. In 2000 she was Best Actress by FilmFare and Zee Cine for her work in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's "Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam", in that same year, nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her special appearance in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein(2000). In 2001 Ash was nominated for FilmFare's Best Actress for Satish Kaushik's "Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai".Ash's star continued to rise in 2002 working again with Sajay Leela Bhansali in 'Devdas'. 'Devdas' is the most ambitious and most successful film in Bollywood history. It became the first Bollywood picture to ever receive a special screening at this year's Cannes Film Festival and broke box-office records in India and the United States.2003 brought even more exciting opportunities. Ash became the first Indian actor to be a member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. She is also the latest member of the elite L'Oreal Dream Team, joining beauties Catherine Deneuve & Andie MacDowell as their international ambassador. She graced the covers of India Today and the prestigious TIME Magazine. Time Magazine has also listed her on their list of the "100 Most Influential People in the World Today". She has graced numerous covers worldwide including USA, UK, China, Russia, Israel, United Emerites, Italy, Spain and France. Ash was also listed on Rolling Stone Magazine's annual "Hot List", Hello Magazine's Most Attractive Women in the World", Stuff Magazine, FHM magazine, V-Life from Variety Magazine, GQ Magazine, New York Times Magazine, Harper's & Queen and countless others.2004 saw Aishwarya take on the leading role in her first English language film for Gurinder Chadha in "Bride & Prejudice". She also became the first Indian female to be immortalized in wax at the world famous Madame Tussaud's wax museum in London.With over 17,000 websites dedicated to her, Ash finally launched her "Official Website" www.AishwaryaWorld.com2005 started with appearances on "60 Minutes", "David Letterman Show" and the most watched television program in the world the "Oprah Winfrey Show". Aishwarya's career continues to grow even stronger - she will soon be seen in Mistress of Spices for director Paul Berges, Jag Mundhra's Provoked, Sanjay Gadhvi's Dhoom 2 and legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis's The Last Legion opposite Colin Firth and Sir Ben Kingsley. The Queen of Bollywood is already becoming the talk of tinseltown and is currently in negotiations on two major motion pictures.
Spouse
Abhishek Bachchan
Trade Mark
Her blue-green eyes
Trivia
Wanted to study medicine, but circumstances prevented her.
Miss World 1994.
Dated
Was offered Rani Mukherjee's role in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998).
Runner up, Miss India 1994
Ambassador (spokesperson) for Longines watches since 1999.
Daughter of Vrinda Rai
Sister of Aditya Rai
In April 2003, she suffered an accident on the sets of Khakee (2004) when a car driven by a stuntman got out of control, hit her, took her down a crevice, and slammed her into a cactus plant. She broke a bone in one foot and suffered severe cuts, and she was rushed to a hospital. The incident rekindled the discussion about poor safety standards on Bollywood film sets.
The first Indian actress to be on the jury of the Cannes International Film Festival.
Has made over 50 music videos in only seven years.
Despite the fact that she is adorned with jewelry in her music videos and movies, she is apparently not too fond of it.
Is the highest paid actress in Bollywood.
Created a frenzy at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival when she arrived at the premiere of her film _Devdas (2002)_ in a coach and wearing a beautiful yellow-orange-embroidered sari.
Was originally cast in the role of Jwala in the film _The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005)_, but dropped out before filming started due to contract problems. The role was later given to Amisha Patel
Loves collecting watches.
Made her first commercial for Camlin pencils when she was in the 9th grade.
Was the Coca Cola Girl for the Middle East and south Asia.
Favorite subject in college was Zoology.
Has achieved iconic status all over South Asia.
Is featured in the 2004 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.
In a poll conducted by Hello magazine, she was voted the number-one attractive woman of 2003
In April 2003, L'Oréal signed her as its new international brand ambassador (spokesperson).
The first Bollywood star to appear in Rolling Stone magazine (Issue 932, October 2, 2003)
Gained 20 pounds for Bride and Prejudice(2004) because she didn't want her character to look like a supermodel and also felt that it would add a sense of realism to the character.
Is a Bunt, like fellow actors Shilpa Shetty and Sunil Shetty. The Bunts are a South Indian community who mainly speak Tulu, which is Aishwarya's mother tongue.
Turned down the lead in Munnabhai M.B.B.S.(2003). The role was given to Gracy Singh.
Turned down the role of Mastani in the film _Bajirao Mastani (2005)_.
The first movie star she ever met was Rekha. Aishwarya was still in high school at the time and was a model. While at a grocery store with her mother, Aishwarya was tapped on the shoulder by none other than Rekha herself. Rekha recognized Aishwarya from her modeling ads. She complimented the young Aishwarya on her good looks and wished her all the best.
Is fluent in the languages English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, and Urdu.
Receives at least two movie offers every day.
Was originally intended for the role of Priya in the film _Chalte Chalte (2003)_.
Aamir Khan and Aishwarya Rai are the only stars to advertise for both Coca Cola and Pepsi.
Before she was famous, she auditioned to do voice-dubbing for a television serial and was rejected.
Shahrukh Khan recommended her to play Kaurwaki in the film Asoka (2001). But the director wanted to cast someone who hadn't already been paired with Shahrukh as a leading lady.
After winning the title of Miss World in 1994, the host of the event,Richard Steinmetz, actually asked Aishwarya out. But being a professional, she refused right away.
Sued the magazine Star and Style for a sum of Rs 20 million (2 crore) for printing an article claiming that actress had caught her and Akshay Kuma in a compromising position at the poolside of a five- star hotel.
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.
Is a trained classical dancer. She learnt classical dance and music for five years while in her teens.
Has a puppy named Sunshine, which was given to her as a gift by friend.
Won the title of Miss Photogenic in the 1994 Miss World Pageant.
Has won over 100 awards since 1994 when she was 20.
Is good friends with actress Preity Zinta.
Has gained a cult following in Pakistan.
Was listed in Time magazine as one of 100 most influential people in the world (The 2004 TIME 100).
Ran the Olympic-torch relay in June 2004.
Turned down a role in San wa (2005) due to her touring schedule. The role was eventually given to Mallika Sherawat.
Has refused to work with Salman Khan after their break-up, in spite of several offers.
Has over 17,000 Web sites dedicated to her.
In 2004, Aishwarya became the first Bollywood and Indian actress to have her own statue at London's Madame Tussauds museum.
On January 2nd, 2005, she became the first Indian actress to be interviewd on 60 Minutes (1968).
Voted #9 in Harpers and Queen magazine's list of the 100 most beautiful women of today. (Harpers and Queen, June 6, 2005)
A tulip produced in 2005 was named for her.
Member of the jury at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.
When Oprah Winfrey saw Aishwarya's interview on "60 Minutes"(1968), she was so fascinated by her that she got a hold of Ash and invited her to be a guest on her show. On April 25, 2005, Aishwarya became the first Indian and South Asian actress to be featured on _"Oprah Winfrey Show, The" (1986)_.
Turned down the role of Helen in the film Troy (2004).
Director Andy Tennant offered her a part in _Hitch (2005)_, but she turned it down because she was so busy with other films.
Turned down the role of Anna in Barsaat (2005).
In the summer of 2005, Mattel released limited-edition Barbie dolls inspired by Aishwarya and her costumes. They were released only in Britain and sold out within minutes. These dolls are now considered rare collectibles among fans.
Her favourite film is Casablanca.
Was voted number 12 on VH1's 50 Sexiest Actresses of the Last 20 Years. (December 2005)
Roger Ebert has said he considers her the most beautiful actress in the world.
Was voted as E's 7th sexiest celebrity in the world
The first actress from India to get signed on with the American Library Association and also have a poster made of her for schools and library's all across America.
Was originally signed on to play the part of Simmi in Bluff Master (2005), but was replaced without any notice by Priyanka Chopra. Director Rohan Sippy then gave Aishwarya a "special thanks" in the end credits as an apology.
Turned down the part of Sandhya in _Saamna (2006)_.
When President George W. Bush visited India in March 2006, he invited Aishwarya, along with Aamir Khan, to a luncheon. Aishwarya could not attend because she was in Brazil at the time filming for Dhoom: (2006).
Was considered for the role of Priya in Krrish (2006).
Turned down the lead in Corporate (2006) because she didn't have any dates available for filming. The role was given to Bipasha Basu.
In mid 2001, Aishwarya started work on two films titled Radheshyam Seetaram and Hum Panchhi Ek Daal Ke. For reasons unknown, filming stopped on these films in February 2002. Filming was never completed and the films have now been shelved. The only glimpse of the movies that exist for the public to see are photographs from the sets and publicity shots.
Performed to an audience of 85,000 in Melbourne, Australia at the closing ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games with 800 backup dancers. (March 2006)
Was cast with a small role in Lajja (2001), but was dropped because there were already too many major stars in the film.
When Karan Johar asked Aishwarya on his talk show which film she wishes she could have been a part of, she responded _Khamoshi: The Musical (1996)_.
Is the second Indian actress to appear on the cover of TIME magazine in 2003. The first was Parveen Babi,in 1976.
Is very popular in many Arab countries.
Featured in People Magazine as one of the 100 Most Beautiful People in the World. (Issue May,8,2006)
Was considered for the role of Kalyani in Water (2005).
Got her education at Arya Vidya Mandir and DG Ruparel College, both in Bombay, India. She was also accepted into Raheja College of Architecture in Bombay, but never went.
Good friends with fellow Indian superstar and icon, Madhuri Dixit. The two worked together in the super-hit and widely acclaimed Devdas.
Listed as number 3 of 'Top Bollywood Actresses' of 2006. (rediff.com, 8-25- 2006)
Caused a day long traffic jam in Dubai, United Arab Emirates while filming a soap commercial. People would stop for hours just to catch a glimpse of their favorite actress. (September 5, 2006)
Listed #3 by UK magazine Eastern Eye one of "Asia's Sexiest Women" (Sept/ 2006).
Is the most photographed woman in India.
She was the first choice for the role of Jane Smith in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), but she turned it down due to filming conflicts.
She secured 90% marks in HSC at Ruparel college in Mumbai.
her Pepsi ad with Aamir Khan was shot in one night during the infamous Bombay riots.
Has been in six movies with Abhishek Bachchan, more than with any other actor.
Came in #1 in BollySpice.com Magazine's list of "Top 10 Actresses of 2006".
Turned down the part of Malvika Talwar in Baabul (2006).
In January 2007, she announced that she has accepted a marriage proposal from current boyfriend, actor Abhishek Bachchan.
Is often referred to as "the most beautiful woman in the world".
In 2005, Hugh M. Hefner attempted to create and Indian version of Playboy for India, which would feature South Asian women and Indian pop culture articles, but no nudity. He wanted to have Aishwarya on the cover of the first issue. The magazine was rejected.
Twice turned down the lead in the Hindi version of Chandramukhi (2005).
Was invited in 2005 to be a presenter at The 77th Annual Academy Awards (2005) (TV), but was unable to attend because she was busy filming for The Mistress of Spices (2005).
Is active in various charities and often visits orphanages.
Her favorite Western designer is Giorgio Armani. Whenever she is in London, clothes are taken to her hotel for her to choose from.
Is the second of five Indian women to win the Miss World title. The first was Reita Faria, who won in 1966. Others include Diana hayden who won in 1997, Yukta Mookhey in 1999, and Priyanka Chopra in 2000.
Ranked #30 in TIME magazines issue of '100 Most Influential People of the Year'. This is her second time making the list, her first being in 2004. (The Time 100, 2007).
Has appeared on more magazine covers worldwide than any other Bollywood or Indian star.
Director Brett Ratner is a fan of Aishwarya's and he wanted her to be cast in Rush Hour (2007), but she turned down the offer.
Was considered for the part of Vesper Lynd in Casino Royale(2006).
Her wax statue at Madame Tussauds Museum in London was borrowed by the museum in New York for six weeks. The statue was flown to New York and made its debut on August 15, 2007, making her the first Indian actress in the American version of the museum.
About 15 kilos of henna was special ordered from Sojat in Rajasthan for the henna ceremony before her wedding.
Her wedding invitations were embossed with two entwined As and delivered along with a box of chocolate meringues. Within the invitation was also a poem about new beginnings written by Amitabh Bachchan's father and renowned poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan.
Her wedding ceremony lasted a total of three days. It was the most awaited and talked about wedding in years and the press followed it like Princess Diana's wedding.
Personal Quotes
"I'm just average woman with average concerns."
"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 believe that as an actress all my fears and phobias exist till I sign on the dotted line for a film."
"I don't believe in proving a point to anybody. Nobody is that important."
"It's strange that Rakesh Roshan thinks I look older than Hrithik. In fact, he's approached me for all his home productions."
"I always knew I would be successful. So there was no element of surprise."
"I know for a fact that if there's a role which I am suited for, I'll be signed on. I'll never go begging."
"I only entered Miss India after pressure from friends and because I thought it would be a laugh".
"Comedy is difficult for an actor. But I think I have a good sense of humor and manage to make people laugh and make them happy."
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."
"Women in the industry have been exploited very often, but there are some actors who belive that the short cut to stardom is through nudity or exposure. Such success is, in fact, very short-lived."
"I have never done a kissing scene nor do I have intentions to."
About her film Chaos (2006): When this came to be early this year, I was ecstatic. I couldn't believe that I was actually going to work with Meryl Streep, someone I've always admired. In all my interviews 10 years ago people used to ask who is your favourite actor and actress and I would mention Robert de Niro and Meryl Streep. On my first trip there I met up with de Niro and my first film is with Meryl Streep, and I said, 'Oh God that's really, really cool. Really wonderful.
Ever since I went to the Cannes festival, the media overseas really encouraged me to consider the possibilities of working in the West. Then I got a call from some people who worked in the business in America, who asked me to first obviously get an agent so that they could have direct access because that's the way they work.
About turning down the role opposite Jackie Chan in the movie _Time Breaker (2004)_, "I did not have the required dates as I was busy with the shows abroad. I had to turn down the film. I have no regrets because there is always a next time."
"Indian cinema has begun to be recognized globally. And it's very important for us to make our presence felt at important events such as Cannes. I feel there should be more Indian representation at festivals. India is producing such a large cross section of films. We need to be part of world cinema, and we need to do that now."
"Someone asked me why I'm politically correct, even when people hit out so openly at me. But the truth is, I've never been brought up to behave any other way. I can't say anything hurtful about anyone. I just don't believe in saying mean things. I won't feel good doing that. It's strange why being well behaved is perceived as being too 'propah' and staid. This is the way I am. I'm amazed how many people feel good hitting out at me. They're welcome to do it. Earlier, they had more leeway to deny their indiscretions in print. But now on television they look pretty ridiculous denying what they say."
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)
"I am not comfortable about kissing or nudity. I am clear about what I want. I'll work only with good directors who'll offer me two-dimensional roles. The director and the role are most important." (Movie Mag International, September 2004)
About her long career in entertainment: "This is my tenth year now, so things have changed within this span of time - so drastically that when I look at the work done when I just joined, it's like, "Oh my God!" So much has changed in these ten years. You get to see how you're part of the process of change within the Indian film industry. That's all positive, that's all a good sign." (Forbes Magazine, August 25th 2005)
Her advice to aspiring professionals: "My biggest concern is always the students who are working toward a certain career - when they limit themselves to just that one option. They need to know that the world is huge - it's an ocean, and there are so many options. It's not the end of the world if they don't get to pursue an apparent childhood dream. That's really important, because you find a lot of kids who believe that they want to become a doctor or an aeronautical engineer or something, and if they don't manage to make their degree, that's the end. They feel so defeated, which is very disheartening. It's sad to know that people let themselves be limited by these aspirations." (Forbes Magazine, August 25th 2005)
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Life is a stage, and we are all characters. So play your part and play it well!
On why she participated in the Miss World Pageant in 1994: "For me, it went beyond being a beauty queen. For me, it was about being the 20-year-old girl from India on international platform and a lot of people actually would assume that I wasn't even educated in India because of the way I'd speak. And they'd be like, 'Have you studied in India? Do you actually speak English out there?' and, I was like, 'This is so interesting that so many people know so little about my country.' and this is exactly what I wanted to do when I set out on this little mission in my head." (Jan 2005, 60 Minutes Interview)
"Good films are good films regardless of being made in India or abroad. I believe a great story transcends cultural lines and language barriers." (American Way Magazine, 3-15-06)
I choose films with characters that I feel are relative to a woman's growth for me. In The Last Legion, I play a warrior. This was a first for me and it was a fantastic experience. I would like very much to do more action films. As for the right direction, I make my choices and always move forward one step at a time. (4-26- 06)
On her character in _Mistress of Spices (2005)_: "I have related to each character I have performed thus far, including Tilo. I am very sensitive to moods and one's inward feelings and emotions. I am a true people person and people watcher. I look forward to meeting interesting people and understanding their experiences in life." (4-26-06)
On her character in Dhoom:2 (2006): "It's the kind of character I have never essayed before. Sunehiri, my character in the film, is distinctly different from any other character you have seen me play. That's what makes her exciting to me. For the first time in my life I went through a bit of a fitness regime. Contrary to popular belief, right since modeling, to the (Miss World) title, to films, I have never been a fitness freak or exercised." (October 2006)
About director _J.P. Dutta_: "J P Dutta is a committed taskmaster. I have danced to songs before. But he always added to choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant's steps, and that was quite challenging. He would shoot an entire mukhda in one shot. To do all the songs at that level required remaining focused at all times. In that moment, I felt I became Umrao Jaan. It was interesting to deliver a performance that shows her passionate but tragic story. The film is also reflective of the art that was at its zenith in that era. The sex trade was called the performing arts then and not prostitution." (October 2006)
On Umrao Jaan (2006) being her first Urdu language film: "Since our generation speaks English, we are not very fluent in Hindi, leave alone Urdu. I loved those dialogs and the experience to work and know about that era. For me, it was a study of Urdu on the sets under the guidance of JP and Javed saab."
About Rekha: "Rekha is very inspiring. It is not necessarily relative to just one performance, but her entire career, the span of characters that she has essayed, the performances that she has delivered itself is extremely inspiring. I am inspired by her performance. But I cannot ape her." (October 2006)
On her role in Umrao Jaan (2006) :"Playing Umrao Jaan was a demanding emotional journey. When a story takes that course, it is following an entire arc; it goes through all the possible emotions. The process was satisfying, inspiring and challenging. It forced me to deliver the best in every moment." (October 2006)
On being compared to Rekha in the original version of Umrao Jaan (1981): "For me, as an actor, it's a special experience to get the opportunity to play Umrao Jaan who has been already iconised on our celluloid. When I played Paro in Devdas, I went through the same area of questioning about how my role will be compared with the ones played earlier." (rediff.com,October 2006)
"My reason for choosing a film is not to impress people. I don't choose films for the box office." (November 2006)
"The audiences feel I am part of their life so they worry about me. I think that is very sweet of them and I tell them that when I will marry I will announce it. When I get married, you'll know. I believe in marriage and it is a beautiful institution." (November 2006)
"It is a very tricky situation when you get the chance to work in English films. I do films based on characters, not to get an entry into Hollywood or whatever. In English, my Bride & Prejudice did well world over. I don't know how it did in Hindi, but I know Jurassic Park too didn't do well in Hindi. I was glad audiences worldwide liked an English film that was Indian. When I did Mistress of Spices, I did it for Paul [Mayeda Berges, the director and husband of Gurinder Chadha] as a team. The film found its audiences. When the Provoked script came to me, I felt it was a very important story of an Indian woman based in London who killed her husband because of marital abuse. Kiranjit Ahluwalia made a big impression in England, and so I did this film because I felt it was an important story to be told. Provoked is an important film for many other Kirans in the world." (November 2006)
"As far as The Last Legion (2007) is concerned, it is a film based on a book [A novel by Valerio Manfredi]. I don't think the character of Meera [her role] is there in the book. I did the film for the new experience and it is for the first time that I was with a complete foreign crew. Working with Ben Kingsley was a great experience. Meera is an Indian in the film and she has great roots and you will identify with her strength. I feel for Indian audiences, and want them to feel pride in what I am doing: I am not doing films just to be there as guest appearances."
On celebrating her 33rd birthday: "I am just not the birthday bash kind. My day will start with a visit to the Siddhivinayak temple with my family, something I do every year. There will be no loud parties... my birthday is a very private affair. Concidering I have to leave for Dubai tomorrow, it will be over early too. Only family and friends will be there." (November 1, 2006)
On the rumors that her black eye was the result of abuse by Salman Khan: "For some perverse reason, no one wants to believe me, that I fell down the stairs. First the media calls me the woman of the millennium, a woman of substance. Then how can the same media make me out to be such a doormat? I'm a self-respecting woman, I don't take nonsense from anyone. No one tries caveman tactics on me. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger can fall and get hurt, so why should I be any different?"
"I have never deliberately driven attention to the fact that I am working in Hollywood films. I have categorically stated that I am working in different kinds of films, be it British, Hindi, Tamil or Bengali. It's all about doing films, which are my passion."
On meeting producer Harvey Weinstein for the first time at the 2005 Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People: "He is a big fan of Indian films. He has seen Devdas (2002/I), and said he respected my work. It's a big compliment coming from somebody who has such an immense body of work and yet is so humble from him? He discussed a few ideas and scripts with me. He is starting his own company. We are discussing projects. Time will tell all."
On attending the dinner for Time Magazines 100 Most Influential People of the Year in 2005: "I am surprised at my life's turn of events. Six of us were asked to raise the toast for the evening. And I raised it for my parents and for my fans, without whom I wouldn't have reached where I am today. Nicole Kidman had to rush out for some premiere, but she said that she and her son loved Bride and Prejudice and I told her how I loved all her performances. Sean Penn told me that I spoke well and I told him that I've always been his fan!"
Upon hearing that Julia Roberts had said that Aishwarya was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen: "That was embarrassing; at first I didn't believe she said that. I thought it was a rumor started by a journalist. But it's sweet. She's an incredible actor and she seems like a wonderful person, so all you can do is say, Thank you." (April 2007)
"I am not comfortable about kissing or nudity. I've never said I'd never kiss, or whatever on screen. I've always maintained I'd cross that bridge when I come to it. Again, I'm accused of playing it safe. The truth is, I don't know what tomorrow holds. So I can't make a close ended principle about it." (2007)

sachin tendulkar biography

SHAHRUKH THE LEGEND

My mother was born and brought up in Hyderabad. She was a strong and beautiful woman. She resemble Waheeda Rehman. My father also was extremely handsome. I don't think I'm good-looking but they were a very good-looking couple. The met incidentally under strange circumstances. Injured in a car accident, my mother needed blood. My father who happened to be at the hospital at that time gave her blood. In this process of helping my mother to revive, they fell in love. And though my father was about eleven years older than my mother, her family consented because he had sort of saved the family. In bringing up my sister Shehnaz and me, my parents never made any difference, though I think my sister was closed to my parents because she is six years older to me. I was born at a time when my parents weren't doing well financially. But I don't remember facing any hardship on that account. My father was a chief engineer. My mother was a social worker, a first class magistrate. She had studied in Oxford. She was among the first few Muslim women to have achieved so much. She has been an executive magistrate for the longest tenure recorded. She used to deal with juvenile delinquents. I was not a stubborn kid.
But if I wanted something badly enough I would go out and get it. I was exposed to the Ram Leela, I acted in it as one of the monkey. I wrote short stories.. shairis.. my father made me recite them. I remember once there was this aunt who wore horrendously pink lipstick and I composed a corny poem in praise of her lipstick. I think she was secretly pleased. My parents let me do my own thing, they only wanted me to do well in my studies...which I did. There were no restrictions. I could sleep at any time, go out anytime. If I bashed up some child's teeth, my father saw to it that I dealt with the child's father myself... I realized that parents weren't authority but they were friends. I would imitate Mumtaz, I would mimic people. I'm doing all this even today. And guess what? I'm being paid handsomely for it.
An outgoing kind of person, mom took a lot of initiative in everything. I remember when my father was ill, he had cancer for eight months, we lost everything we had. One injection used to cost about Rs 5000 and we had to organise about 23 injections in ten days. It was an expensive affair and our business went down. At that time my mother would work day and night. She would get the money some way. She really looked after my father. After his death in '81 she revived his business and ran it proficiently. I inherited workaholism from her. She never said no to anything. Like when I went to college, I said I wanted a car. And the next day, there was a car outside. She never forced me to do anything. She never even forced me to take over the big business that we had finally when she died.
When I told her I wanted to act, join films she did not stop me. I wanted to do my masters in film making. I was very good. I had got admission in NSD. I didn't want to do it but she told me, "just get admission". So I gave my admission test and got in. I remember I used to be very bad in Hindi. I would get zero on ten. And she used to tell me, "If you get ten on ten, I'll take you for a film". And from that day to date I have topped in Hindi at all times I remember the first film she took me to see was Dev Anand's Joshilaa. Her favourite actors were Bishwajeet and Joy Mukherji.
I think I inherited my sense of humour from my father, who too had a lot of respect for women. I remember once I had gone and blown somebody's letterbox. And this south indian lady came down and complained to my father, "Your son troubles my daughter". He looked at her and said, "If she is as pretty as you are and if I was as young as my son, I'd probably do the same thing". She started laughing. He said it so gently and nicely. He was very respectful to women because he had an older sister and a mother whom he was very close to. He taught me how to be gentle with women. When my father died, I didn't cry. I thought it was heroic. I was one of the pall-bearers, I thought I had become a little big man. But I felt cheated despite the fact that he had prepared me for his death... And my mother's death made me realize that nothing is permanent. I stopped hoping for anything. I cried a lot. Nothing shocks me anymore.
It was the most painful moment of my life, when my mother died in my arms. She had become alright and suddenly she died. Just like Dad. Her blood had become septic. It was very painful. The first time I prayed to God was when she lay dying. I never prayed, that's the kind of family we were. A Muslim family that never forced you to pray. And it was the first time, I really prayed, but she died all the same.
I imbibed my basic values from her, learned a number of things from my mother. Like never cut down on your expenditure, increase your income. That's why I'm a spendthrift. Never acquire or want anything that has a bad feeling in it. In Urdu it is called manhoosiyat. Like if you ask someone for money and he says, "nahin yaar kal de dunga," just forget it. That's the reason why I still have not touched my mother's money. Because I know she would not want it that way. I only took a television set she had given me last when I came to Bombay. My property, my business, my cars, everything is still in Delhi. I haven't taken anything because if she's not there to give it to me, I don't want it. And she'll be happy if I don't take them and instead get the all on my own. She also taught me not to hurt anyone. Like I said she would slap people if she got angry with them, but she would love them at the same time. Neither she nor my father have ever hit me. They were very gentle people. My mother behaved like a true friend, when I told her I wanted to marry Gauri. Is she Muslim or Chinese? Nothing was asked.
My mother taught me how to act, some really sweet expressions. But what's most important, she has given me my present philosophy of life. She has taught me that nothing is permanent, including herself. So, enjoy what you have this moment, for it can be taken away from you the next. Everything is transient. That is why I don't give a damn to anything. It's a very macho way of putting it. But the whole rationale is that if she could be taken away from me, then everything else can be taken away also. If I can leave with her absence then I can live with the absence of stardom, money or anything. And that is the closest you can come to being contended, you die. People say the only cure for life is death. May be at that moment, that one second, when all thoughts of worry leave your mind, you die. I kept giving my mother a lot of worry, so she couldn't die. I kept pleading, "please don't go".
I still believe she's there and she looks over me. Otherwise I would not have had all that I have. She is my STD to God because there is nothing in this world that I want and I don't get. I don't ask for anything for myself because she wouldn't like it. But whenever I have to pray for someone who is poor, unwell or sad, I just tell my mother and I'm sure she does something because most of the time something good works out. Whenever I'm very happy I cry, because I can't share my happiness with her.
My sister Shehnaz is very naïve and sweet. She is also very spoilt and pampered. I love her a lot. I've grown in her shadow, as she was the older child in the house. I'd look up to her. She is very quite now, after my parents demise. She stays with me. She is an educated girl. She has done a management course; she used to work as an officer for the Indira Gandhi memorial. She has also done her MBA in psychology. She was extremely affected by our father's death. I was younger, so I think I got over Dad's death sooner. By the time she accepted our Dad's absence, our mother died. She went through a bad phase. She is my only connection to my parents. I see my father and mother in her. I keep telling Shehnaz, "you are just like mummy". Even she has her fits of anger. My mother still remains with me and my mother always taught me to work, she said, "it will help to tide you over anything". I retained that. As for my sister, before she could pick up this invaluable lesson, our mother expired. So she got very clammed. She was an outgoing girl before, now she has become very quite and silent. I still look up to her.
My one regret is that my mother never really saw my work as an actor. She wasn't there when I won my first award. No, but she must have seen it. I miss her a lot. I think she is a star. Whenever I feel too sad, I just go to the terrace and cry. And I know she is watching me from somewhere. Because I wouldn't be what I am, had it not been for her blessings.
Gauri's parents were dead against the marriage. Her mother had threatened to commit suicide. Her father called me over and said it wouldn't work out. For six years, we carried on our relationship clandestinely. Once I even went to her birthday party incognito. I used the name I was falled in Fauji - Abhimanyu. Her parents innocently remarked that I looked like a distant relative of Mr Dilip Kumar. But when they got to know my identity later, all hell broke loose.
The're a typical Punjabi family. I was told that one of her uncle are very aggro. He kept a sword hidden in his underclothes. But when I got to know him he turned out to be a lamb. I managed to patao all her relatives one by one. I would take Gauri's cousins to the disco. Gradually everyone liked me and all her mamas and mamis kept assuring me that her parents would come around.
Things weren't working out, Gauri was locked up at home, she would keep on telling me, "Shah Rukh, you don't know my parents.. you take things so lightly" and I would tell her that things would be allright. I'd tell her that 10 years down the line, we'd be laughing about all the trying times. And that's just what we do today. Sometimes in the nights, we sit and think about all that had happened and have a good laugh. But at one point, the pressure did get to Gauri. She felt that I was stifling her with my possessiveness..
At one point of time, I was extremely possessive about Gauri. I would fight with her if she wore a swimsuit to the pool or even if she left her hair loose. She looked very pretty when she opened her hair and I didn't want other boys to look at her. It was basically insecurity because we couldn't talk about our relationship. We didn't meet so often. But I was extremely insanely possessive.
Eventually she could not take it. She needed a break. So in 89, she just came down to Mumbai with her friend without telling me. When I got to know I was frantic. The day before she left, she came to meet me. It was her birthday and I had decorated my room with balloons and bought her a lot of presents. When she came to meet me she cried and I thought maybe she was overwrought because of all the tension. I confided in my friends Ashish and Benny. I told my mother about it.. she told me to go and bring back the girl I loved. She gave me Rs.10,000 and we all came to Mumbai. We spent the first two days at a friend's house. The rest of the time we slept on the footpath near Oberoi. I still remember we used to wash up in the Taj, the bathroom behind 1900's was being done up at that time and we used to sneak in early mornings for a wash.
We spent most of the time walking around looking for her everywhere especially the beaches. Gauri loves beaches. But I didn't know much about Bombay then. On our last day, here a met s Sardar taxiwala who spoke to us about Aksa beach. We took a chance and went there. By then we had run out of money. I had sold off my camera too. The cab dropped us to Aksa and we were left with 20 odd rupees. Then someone told us of a beach called Gorai. So we took a ferry across, searched a lot but couldn't find her. And then when we were coming back by rickshaw to reah the ferry on time, around 12, I heard some people shouting. The rickshaw driver told us it was a private beach (I was describing her to people, telling them about her hair, saying she's a friend and I've lost her. I used to love her hairstyle. But she cut it just to spite me). I told the rickshaw driver to take me to this beach. So we went and there she was. Standing in the water, wearing a T-shirt. By then it didn't matter even if she wasn't wearing anything. She came over and we hugged, and cried. It was then that I realised I was being unreasonably possessive. I also realised that no one could ever love Gauri the way I loved her and that gave me tremendous confidence.
Our wedding took place in the strangest circumstances. We had already rung up Gauri's parents from her aunt's place and told them that we were married. Pandemonium broke loose, her mother stopped eating and the whole atmosphere at their place was like a house in mourning. I entered to meet her father. I felt guilty. I think when I spoke to them they realised that they had no other go but to take this risk. I really identify with this feeling when I do a film like Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge.
I can understand Gauri's parents apprehension. After all they were a Punjabi joint family. About 15 people and Gauri was the youngest, the most sheltered one. Imagineshe anounces that she wants to get married to this ruffled looking guy belonging to the wrong religion having a wrong attitude and working in the wrong profession. There wasn't a right thing going for me. I don't blame them. They may have thought that any day they would have got a better deal for Gauri. Let's put it this way. If my daughter brought in somebody like me, I would hit the ceiling.
Her parents had seen me on television and were quite fond of me. But they thought my name was Abhimanyu and then they got to know that I am Shah Rukh Khan. Then her brother would keep on threatening me in his best Amrish Puri voice "Keep away from my sister of else..." Finally when I saw him I was in for a shock. He was this fair kid with blue eyes not even remotely intimidating. In fact when my friend Ashok saw him he said "There must be more to him yaar, he sounds real deadly on the phone."
We never wanted to go against the wishes of our parents. The thought of eloping never crossed our minds. But we knew that we'd get married for sure. When I met Gauri's parents I just couldn't get myself to say that I loved their daughter. That I thought was a stupid thing to say... because I could never love their daughter as much as they loved her. They had given birth to and brough up Gauri... my love could never be a substitute for their love.
I had a Hindu style wedding as well as a court marriage. Court marriage is a must if it's an inter-religion marriage. You are supposed todo in on the sly and then wait for a month or so but it was out within three days that I am getting married to a girl called Gauri. There was a problem because some Muslim organizations thought that I shouldn't get married to a Hindu so there were morchas outside my house. This was very ironic because my mom was a social worker and special executive magistrate so she used to organise about 25 intercaste marriages at our house. We wanted it to be a short and sweet wedding but Gauri's parents wanted it in a typical Hindu fashion. And then I relented because I thought what the hell you get married only once in a lifetime. At least I thought I will.
Normally the dulha comes on the ghoda and he isn't supposed to see his bride till the pheras are over. But the car that was supposed to pick her up after her make-up was done, conked out. Then panick struck because the mahurat was at a fixed time so I picked her up, dropped her, went back and returned on a horse. And then halfway through, I changed over from the horse to an elephant. Climbing the elephant was a major problem, my friends pushed me up.
When my mother was alive, she used to call me anti-social, I used to never attend any functions or weddings. My mother used to always warn me that nobody would come for my wedding. I decided to have all the fun I could at my own wedding so I danced for the one kilometer stretch to the venue. At the wedding I stood on my toes and wouldn't let Gauri put the haar round my neck. All my friends know I have a sense of humour so they kept warning me repeatedly "Shah Rukh don't poke any fun there because you won't mean anything but people will misunderstand." As this was my only chance to see a wedding from such close proximity, whatever the pandit said I'd ask him to explain. And the whole ritual went on for hours. So my friend who'd warned me earlier kept telling me not to get this serious. Then there was some ritual that required Gauri to wash my feet and I didn't want her to do it. When it was time for the bidaai Gauri sat in the car and started crying. Soon her mother started crying, her father and brother followed. So then in all seriousness I said if you are all feeling so bad then you can keep her I'll come and see her regularly.
Since we are from different religions and me being the way I am (when they look at me nobody can ever think that I can be responsible about life) I could imagine how insecure her parents were feeling.
For the first time after knowing eachother for seven years we spent the night together. Before this we'd always be worried whenever we went out even if it was for a stroll, as to what if somebody sees us. It was quite an exciting feeling that we were sleeping together and that when I wake up in the morning, she will be there.
Can you believe the next evening I took a flight back Bombay and the day after that I shot for Dil Aashna Hai. Actually I had gone on the sets because the unit wanted to congratulate me but they asked me to shoot one shot and before I knew it, one shot became five and I was late in coming back home and we had a big fight.
Very few guests came from the film industry - Rajiv Mehra, Vivek Vaswani, Aziz Mirza and G.P. Sippy. Juhi and her mom had a party for us when we came to Bombay. All Gauri's friends came for the marriage. Mine was a house-in-mourning, so there wasn't any festivity.
I wore my Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman suits. At the sangeet and all I was the life of the party because the atmosphere was so gloomy I really decided to make things look a little more cheerful. In fact Gauri's mom is a good dancer and the life of any party but she wasn't dancing at her own daughter's sangeet. By the end of the wedding everyone grew very fond of me.
In the gifts there were none of the things that I wanted. No computer games. People are so stupid, they should give me what I want. Instead, they gave a lot of crystal.
Gauri's father had arranged an army band that played the songs from my forthcoming releases, mainly Deewana and Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman.
It was the first time I wore suits and the first sign of Gauri's mother thawing was when she told me that we never thought you were so nice looking. I wore a tuxedo for my reception and I gelled my hair.
My logic was that the person who should enjoy the most at my wedding should be me.......
I respect Gauri, because she is a woman and she is going to be a mother soon. If it's a boy, I want him to be a badmash. He should do all the bad things by the time he is 16, so that he can sober down after that. If I have a daughter, I'll give her all the love that's stored within me. Though my wife thinks I'm mad, I know I'll drop my daughter to the parties she's invited to. I'll want her friends to say, "Wow what a handsome father you have!" When she's with her
boyfriend in the backseat of our car, I'll be at the wheel, driving her around. My parents were my yaars. Similarly, I'll be my baby's best buddy. I love Gaurima because she is so honest and she complements me. Gauri teaches me how to be diplomatic. She keeps telling me that I say too many things and that I should not. Because people don't know me well enough and then they completely misconstrue what I've said. So, it's better to keep shut. She had taught me to switch the lights off before going to bed, To have dinner at the proper place, to put my clothes in the proper place, she has taught me how to dress up well too. She has turned me from an animal to a man. She spoils me a lot. She is the stabilizing factor in my life. I would go haywire because I am an extremist. And its not my achievements, for which she respects or likes me. She likes me because I make her laugh. And boy, do I make her laugh?

sachin tendulkar biography