My Name Is Khan (Hindi: माई नेम इज़ ख़ान)

My Name Is Khan (Hindi: माई नेम इज़ ख़ान) is an upcoming 2010 Bollywood film starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol. It is directed by Karan Johar, with a screenplay by Shibani Bathija, and produced by Hiroo Yash Johar and Gauri Khan. It is overseen by both Dharma Productions and Red Chillies Entertainment and will be distributed by FOX Star Entertainment. Cinematography is by Ravi K. Chandran, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composed the film's score, choreography is by Farah Khan, and lyrics were written by Niranjan Iyengar. Visual Effects are by Red Chillies VFX. The film is slated for global release in theaters on 12 February 2010.

PLOT
The film begins with the child, Rizwan Khan (Tanay Chheda), a Muslim who has Asperger syndrome, growing up with his mother (Zarina Wahab) in the Borivali section of Mumbai. Later as an adult (Shahrukh Khan), Rizwan moves to San Francisco and lives with his brother and sister-in-law. While there, he falls in love with Mandira (Kajol). They eventually marry and begin a business.

After the events of 9/11, Rizwan and Mandira begin to face a number of difficulties. Following a tragedy, they separate. In order to win her back, Rizwan embarks on a long journey across the United States.



THEMES
In an August 2009 interview, Shah Rukh Khan stated that My Name Is Khan is "not about terrorism, or 9/11. It’s about a relationship between two people, between an individual and the State, and between an individual and the country. In short, there the three important components: love story, Islam and a mild form of autism."

In an earlier July 2009 interview, Khan also noted that the film focuses on themes concerning "the relationship between the Western world and Islam and how that has changed over the past few years." He describes the film as about "the journey of one family and how it changes because of 9/11" and suggests "we touch upon that in a very unbiased and educated way." In another early interview, he also stated that, "it’s not about a disabled man’s fight against disability. It’s a disabled man’s fight against the disability that exists in the world — terrorism, hatred, fighting ... My Name is Khan is also about Islam and the way the world looks at Islam but we are not taking any sides. We are only trying to say that there are only good people and bad people. There are no good Hindus, bad Hindus, good Christians, bad Christians. Either you are a good person or a bad person. Religion is not the criterion, humanity is."

In late 2008, journalist Madhureeta Mukherjee (referring to the post - 2008 Mumbai attacks atmosphere in India) suggested in an interview with Karan Johar that, "My Name Is Khan starts at a time when Hindus and Muslims in India have united like never before." In response, Johar stated: "I think it’s an exceptionally relevant time, as the unity of our nation is of paramount importance, and I am very happy to witness such a movement in front of my eyes. We are all coming together to fight for a common cause – called humanity. Everyone knows that terrorism has no religion and it will never have a religion. As a filmmaker, I believe that I have a social responsibility and I promise to fulfill that."

3 Idiots (Hindi: थ्री इडीयट्स)

3 Idiots (Hindi: थ्री इडीयट्स) is a 2009 Bollywood comedy film directed by Rajkumar Hirani, with a screenplay by Abhijat Joshi, and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It was loosely adapted from the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat. 3 Idiots stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, Omi Vaidya, Parikshit Sahni and Boman Irani.

3 Idiots is the "highest grossing Bollywood movie of all time." The film set a box office record for the Indian film industry, grossing Rs 315 crore ($70 million) worldwide within 18 days of release and grossing Rs 375 crore in 4 weeks. It is expected to be the first Indian film to be officially released on YouTube, within 12 weeks of releasing in theatres.

PLOT:
Farhan Qureshi (R. Madhavan), Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi), and Rancchoddas "Rancho" Shyamaldas Chanchad (Aamir Khan) are three engineering students who share a room in a hostel at the fictional Imperial College of Engineering, one of the best colleges in India. While Farhan and Raju are mediocre students from modest backgrounds who want to lift their families out of poverty, Rancho is a wealthy genius who studies for the sheer joy of it. However, Rancho's passion for knowledge and taking apart and building machines rather than the conventional obsession of the other students with exam ranks, conformational behavior and climbing the social ladder, incurs the wrath of Professor Viru Sahastrabudhhe (ViruS) (Boman Irani). Rancho irritates his lecturers by giving creative and unorthodox answers, and confronts ViruS after fellow student Joy Lobo hangs himself in his dormitory room. Joy had requested an extension on his major project on compassionate grounds—his father had suffered a stroke—but ViruS refused, saying that he himself was completely unmoved by his own son's accidental death after being hit by a train. The professor then proceeds to phone Lobo's ill father and inform him that his son will not be graduating. Rancho denounces the rat race, dog-eat-dog, mindless rote learning mentality of the institution, blaming it for Lobo's death, after which ViruS hauls his rebellious student into Rancho's own classroom and forces him to lecture the other students. Rancho then embarrasses the staff and students by asking them questions about non-existent concepts (Farhanitrate and Prerajulization), prompting them to feverishly search through textbooks trying to find a definition.

Threatened by Rancho's talent and free spirit, ViruS labels him an "idiot" and attempts on a number of occasions to destroy his friendship with Farhan and Raju, warning them and their parents to steer clear of Rancho. In contrast, ViruS’ model student is Chatur Ramalingam or "Silencer", (Omi Vaidya) who sees a high rank at the prestigious college as his ticket to higher social status, corporate power, and therefore wealth. Chatur conforms to the expectations of the system, and works by mindless rote learning, and unethical means of destroying his competition, such as trying to distract his classmates by feeding them pornographic magazines. Rancho humiliates Chatur, who is awarded the honour of making a speech at an award ceremony, by substituting obscenities into the text, which has been written by the librarian. Chatur mindlessly memorises the speech, without noticing that anything is amiss, directing frequent vulgar language at ViruS and the federal education minister, much to their horror, and to the students' uproarious laughter.

Meanwhile, Rancho also falls in love with ViruS' medical student daughter Pia (Kareena Kapoor) when he, Raju and Farhan crash her sister's wedding banquet in order to get a free meal. This incident provokes further run-ins with ViruS, but Rancho wins over Pia after first insulting her fiancee Suhas and then demonstrating that Suhas only sees Pia's hand in marriage as a means of furthering his career by marrying into an influential family. Pia saves Raju's ill father by administering emergency treatment after he collapses.

Meanwhile, the three students continue to anger ViruS, although Rancho continues to come first in every exam, while Chatur is always second, and Farhan and Raju are inevitably in the last two positions. The tensions come to a head when the three friends, who are already drunk, break into ViruS's house at night to allow Rancho to propose to Pia, and then urinate on a door inside the compound before running away when ViruS senses intruders. The next day, ViruS tells Raju that he is being expelled. This devastates Raju, who is afraid that his ill father will die of the shock of his only son being cast aside and being unable to support the family and earn a dowry for his unmarried sister. ViruS sees an opportunity to break Raju's friendship with Rancho by offering to expel the latter instead. Unable to choose between betraying his friend or letting down his family, Raju jumps out of the window and lands on a courtyard, but after extensive care from Pia and his roommates, awakes from a coma.

The experience has changed Farhan and Raju, and they adopt Rancho's outlook. Farhan decides to pursue his love of photography, while Raju is unexpectedly given an interview for a corporate job. He attends in plaster and a wheelchair and gives a series of non-conformal and frank answers. After making a show of turning Raju down and offering him a job if he changes his straightforward attitude (which Raju refuses), the stunned recruitment personnel ask Raju to name his salary. However, ViruS is unsympathetic and vows to make the final exam as hard as possible so that Raju is unable to graduate. Pia hears him and angrily confronts him, and when ViruS gives the same ruthless reply he gives to his students, she denounces him in the same way that Rancho did over the suicide of Lobo. Pia reveals that Viru's son and her brother was not killed in an accident but committed suicide in front of a train and left a letter because ViruS had forced him to pursue a career in engineering over his love for literature; ViruS always mentioned that he unsympathetically failed his son on the ICE entrance exams over and over to every new intake of ICE students. After this, Pia walks out on the family home, and takes ViruS's spare keys with her. She tells Rancho of the exam, and he and Farhan break into ViruS's office and steals the exam and give it to Raju, who with his new-found attitude, is unconcerned with the prospect of failing, and refuses to cheat and throws the paper away. However, ViruS catches the trio and expels them on the spot. However, they earn a reprieve when Viru's pregnant elder daughter Mona (Mona Singh) goes into labour at the same time. A heavy storm cuts all power and traffic, and Pia is still in self-imposed exile, so she instructs Rancho to deliver the baby in the college common room via VOIP , after Rancho restores power using car batteries and a power inverter that Rancho had dreamed up and ViruS had mocked. Rancho then delivers the baby with the help of a cobbled-together Vacuum extractor.

After the baby is apparently stillborn, Rancho resuscitates it. ViruS reconciles with Rancho and his friends and allows them to take their final exams and they graduate. Rancho comes first and is awarded ViruS's pen, which the professor had been keeping for decades before finding a brilliant enough student to gift it to.

Their story is framed as intermittent flashbacks from the present day, ten years after Chatur vowed revenge on Rancho for embarrassing him at the speech night and promised to become more successful than Rancho a decade later. Having lost contact with Rancho, who disappeared during the graduation party and went into seclusion, Raju and Farhan begin a journey to find him. They are joined by Chatur, now a wealthy and successful businessman, who joins them, brazenly confident that he has surpassed Rancho. Chatur is also looking to seal a deal with a famous scientist and prospective business associate named Phunsukh Wangdu. Chatur sees Wangdu, who has hundreds of patents, as his ticket to further social prestige. When they find Rancho's house, they walk into his father's funeral, and find a completely different Rancho Jaaved Jaffrey. After accusing the new man of stealing their friend's identity and profiting from his intellect, the host pulls a gun on them, but Farhan and Raju turn the tables by seizing the father's ashes and threatening to flush them down the toilet. The householder capitulates and says that their friend was a destitute servant boy who loved learning, while he, the real Rancho, was a lazy wealthy child who disliked study, so the family agreed to let the servant boy study in Rancho's place instead of labouring. In return, the real Rancho would pocket the qualifications and the benefits thereof, while the impersonator would sever all contact with the world and start a new life. The real Rancho reveals that his impersonator is now a schoolteacher in Ladakh.

Raju and Farhan then find Pia, and take her from her wedding day to Suhas by performing the same tricks with his material possessions, and having Raju turn up to the ceremony disguised as the groom and eloping with Pia in public. When they arrive in Ladakh, they see a group of enthusiastic ethnic Tibetan children who are motivated by love of knowledge. Pia and the fake Rancho rekindle their love, while Chatur mocks and abuses Rancho the schoolteacher before walking away. When his friends ask what his real name is, he reveals that it Phunsukh Wangdu and phones Chatur, who has turned his back, to turn around and meet his prospective business partner. Chatur is horrified and falls to his knees, accepts his defeat and continues to plead his case with Phunsukh to establish the business relationship he was after.

Sami Yusuf (Nasheed)

Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and accomplished musician.

He was born in July 1980 into a musical family of Azeri origin, learning to play several instruments at a very young age and demonstrating a keen interest in singing and composing. He studied music at several institutions and with renowned composers and musicians including composers from the Royal Academy of Music in London, one of the world’s most prestigious music institutions. In addition to his education in Western harmonics and composition, Sami has a solid understanding of the Middle Eastern modes (or Maqams) and is thoroughly acquainted and familiar with both East and Western musical traditions.



Since 2003, Sami’s debut album ‘al-Mu’allim’ and his second album ‘My Ummah’ have sold over five million copies worldwide (with a third album nearing completion). His concerts have attracted huge audiences across the Middle East, Europe and the United States, including a staggering 250,000 attendance in Istanbul. Sami has been featured by Time Magazine and has appeared on the covers of dozens of other mainstream publications around the world. Sami is devoutly spiritual and often uses his art and music as a means of promoting the messages of love, mercy, peace and tolerance, whilst encouraging the youth to be proud of their identity.

My Name Is Khan

My Name Is Khan ( माई नेम इज़ खान) is an upcoming 2010 Bollywood film based upon a true story. It is directed by Karan Johar, co-produced by Johar (Dharma Productions) and Shahrukh Khan, (Red Chillies Entertainment) has a screenplay by Shibani Bathija, and stars Khan and Kajol. The musical trio Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy composed the film's score. Cinematography is by Ravi K Chandran.

The film is slated for a February 2010 release. On 7th August, 2009, Shahrukh Khan signed a deal for 1 billion INR with Fox Studios, who will market and distribute the film in India (FOXSTAR) and worldwide (Fox Searchlight).

"My Name Is Khan" is about a Muslim who suffers from the Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that impacts social interaction abilities, and he is arrested as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles after authorities mistake his disability for suspicious behaviour.

Hissss....

The Curse of the Cobra Goddess - anytime man desecrates or violates the cobra, they are doomed to suffer the petrifying curse of the snake woman, of death and infertility. Only respect and worship can keep the population safe and the women fertile.

Over 4000 years ago the inhabitants of the Indus Valley sculpted the image of the shape shifting snake. These half cobras, half human creatures were said to inhabit an awesome, mysterious temple, made of material unknown to mankind, deep within the jungles, far, far away in the legendary spice forests of the Malabar Coast.



Children grew up hearing about the story recounted to their grandfathers, by their forefathers about an ancestor, who had journeyed to the edge of the world, and came back to recount a frightening story about the Snake Goddess and her mate.... and from here the legend travelled across India, and the far east along the silk route - passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years until this day.

It is the year 2008, an American man, named George, packing high tech gear, and evil intentions, makes the arduous journey into the heart of the forbidden forest. He captures a male cobra the size of a large python when he's at his weakest, while mating. Little does he realize when they embark on testing this mysterious creature in their high-tech lab, what horror and destruction awaits him....

Todo Sobre Camila

Todo Sobre Camila (All About Camila),is a spanish soap opera , which airs on LTV 9:30 am to 10 am and on MBI 8:30pm to 9pm (repeat) . it is a story of passion in which two men – Alejandro and Eduardo – fall in love with one woman, Camila Montes.

Original Soundtrack "Y Tu Te Vas" by Chayanne.

Camila Montes de Alba is a young, attractive 23-year-old who has inherited her family's sense of style, elegance and power. The love story between Camila and Alejandro will be marked from the beginning of a bet.

Alejandro Novoa Albear, a young brilliant and attractive lawyer burdened by family duties, is the heir of a hotel empire. He thinks that he can only face up to his duties with Camila in his life.



Eduardo Bonfil sets things in motion as the unscrupulous character who bets one million dollars that he will be the first man in Camila's life. But Camila meets Alejandro and in him she finds the love of her life.

Eduardo begins a game of seduction and conquest, and manages to get Camila’s mother to fall into his trap.

A victim of desire and ambition, she ends up turning her daughter over to the arms of the corrupt Eduardo who, to succeed in his plans, does not hold back on expenses.

He gives the young woman a very special ring, that will be Camila’s perdition and that will make her run away and change her life totally.

Mañana Es Para Siempre

Mañana Es Para Siempre (Tomorrow Is Forever) is a Mexican soap opera that began transmission on October 20, 2008 by XEW Canal de las Estrellas. Univision started transmission of the soap in the United States on February 23, 2009. It is produced by the Televisa television network and is a production of Nicandro Diaz Gonzalez. The primary actors in the drama are Lucero, Fernando Colunga and Silvia Navarro.

Original Soundtrack "Mañana Es Para Siempre" by Alejandro Frenandez.

Synopsis:
The love of Fernanda Elizalde and Eduardo Juarez is born in childhood, but social classes separate them. Eduardo is the son of Soledad, the cook of the Elizalde’s, Fernanda’s family. Eduardo is sent off to study out of the country and Soledad intercepts the letters her son sent to Fernanda.



Fernanda grows up and turns into a beautiful woman. Disillusioned in light of Eduardo’s silence and absence, she gets engaged to Damian, a young man of her social station. Eduardo returns without notifying anyone in order to see his dying mother. She tells him the reason that he has been kept away. Inside the Elizalde family lives a viper named Barbara Greco whose end is to cause harm, and because of ambition, she hasn’t hesitated in committing the worst crimes. Soledad dies and Eduardo swears vengeance against Barbara. He appears before the Elizalde family the day of Fernanda’s wedding, under the identity of Franco Santoro. Everybody thinks he’s a millionaire ready to become a partner in Syndicated Dairy Products, the Elizalde’s company.

Fernando feels an immediate attraction for Franco, but she doesn’t suspect that she’s dealing with Eduardo, whom she believes to be dead. Eduardo begins his plan for revenge, but it will be difficult since Barbara is the puppet of Artemio Bravo, a mysterious individual determined to destroy the Elizalde’s.

Dil Bole Hadippa

Yash Raj Films’ next release, DIL BOLE HADIPPA, is a romantic comedy set in Punjab which brings together for the first time Rani Mukherjee and Shahid Kapoor. It is the story of a girl who has to become a man to fulfil her dreams.

The first look of DIL BOLE HADIPPA is now out! The movie has Rani Mukherjee in a completely new look as the latest sardar in town.

The versatile Rani, having played several demanding roles over the years, now takes on the challenging role of a sardar who, though from a small village, dreams in 70mm in this full-on musical romantic comedy entertainer based in Punjab. Mike Stringer, who was responsible for all the disguises in DHOOM 2, was specially flown in from London to design her look for the film. The costumes have been designed by Manish Malhotra.



The film, directed by Anurag Singh and produced by Aditya Chopra, stars Shahid Kapoor, Rani Mukherjee, Anupam Kher along with Rakhi Sawant & Sherlyn Chopra and others.

RELEASING: 18 September '09

Free MP3 Download at 4shared

I want to share my stuff with you and hope you will find something useful here.
I hope you enjoy my MP3 collection and come back again and again.
Just click the link below:
* MP3 Asian TV Series
* MP3 Bollywood
* MP3 Telenovela (Spanish)
I will do my best to make the content ever more interesting.
Thank you for your time!

Dhoom:2 (Movie)

The world’s oldest desert, the Namib…

A solitary railway line…

A royal family on a royal journey…

From the sky, like lightning… a FLASH!

The centuries old Royal Crown is stolen!

BACK IN ACTION... DHOOM:2 reinvents the action comedy genre and propels it into the 21st century.

Ali’s (Uday Chopra) dream of becoming a police officer has come true. He is now ACP Jai Dixit’s (Abhishek Bachchan) ‘right hand man’. Together, they are trying to keep a tight leash on the crime in India. Little do they know what they are going to be up against.

Enter Aryan - Mr. A (Hrithik Roshan) - A hi-tech international thief. After pulling off a series of impossible heists all over the world, his next target is Mumbai, India. The case is given to ACP Jai and Ali. Helping them put the pieces of the puzzle together is ACP Shonali Bose (Bipasha Basu), Jai’s college mate, now a police officer in her own right. For the last two years Shonali has been tracking these amazing thefts and is now an expert on this thief, who no one has seen.

Once in Mumbai, Mr. A finds his match in Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai), a petty yet clever thief. She makes him an offer he finds very hard to refuse. A partnership! Aryan accepts.

And so the game begins – a game of cat and mouse – a game of good v/s bad.

The “COPS” - Jai, Shonali and Ali; and they are after Aryan and Sunehri – “The ROBBERS”.

From the desert of Namibia to the backwaters of Goa, the mean streets of Mumbai and the ancient forts of Rajasthan, and finally to “Wild n Exotic” Rio, Brazil.

Does ACP Jai Dixit manage to nab Mr. A? Or does Mr. A prove to be too much for him?

Never-Seen-Before Action Sequences, Hi-Tech Heists, Breathtaking Hi-Speed Chases, Non-Stop Laughter and Excitement will lead you to the answer to these questions.

Go On…! Enjoy the RIDE…!! ONCE AGAIN…!!!

Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic (Movie)

Ranbeer Talwar (Saif Ali Khan), one of the country's top industrialists, is a loner, not by choice, but because he lost everyone he ever loved. He is now faced with a very peculiar and uncomfortable situation. In a rare and landmark court verdict, he is to look after 4 orphan children.
The orphans hate him and want revenge from him.
The children do not want to live with a man they hate; he too cannot face them or look them in the eye for certain reasons.



Their life together is very unhappy, one day they pray to God for help and he does help them. He sends his most mischievous, childlike, lovable angel to the rescue, with a mission to bring Ranbeer and the kids together.
Geeta (Rani Mukerji) comes bicycling down a rainbow… and bursts into Ranbeer's house as the self-proclaimed new nanny.
And then starts the roller coaster ride of fun, emotions, magic and love.
An angel who doesn't know what love is.
A man who always lost love.
Four orphans who need love.
All come together to bring you a film with fun, excitement, masti, tears, magic and love
Truly……
Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Magic!

Stairway to Heaven (2003-2004, Korean TV Series)

2003 could be said to be a pretty fulfilling year for Korean dramas. From All In to Mermaid Lady, Yellow Handkerchief to Damo, these dramas have garnered a pretty faithful following when played on TV. To top off the moving year of titillating Korean dramas, SBS broadcast Stairway to Heaven, starring current heartthrob Kwon Sang-woo and entrancing actress Choi Ji-woo.
This show was a big hit, considering that it could absorb a viewership of anything from 25%- 45%. Of course, one of its main reasons could be the star-studded cast. Starring Kwon Sang-woo, who returns to the screen after his major movie hit My Tutor Friend, fans can't seem to get enough of him. Also, Choi Ji-woo, the awe-aspiring actress from Winter Sonata, has not been in any productions since Winter Sonata, except a Hong Kong-Korea production, 101 Proposals. Another of its lead actors, Shin Hyun-joon has also been missing from drama productions since 1999. With a cast like that, it's no wonder that it was one of the most anticipated dramas of the year, even in its pre-production stage.
Alas, this drama is not exactly captivating or exciting. The storyline is too cliche. Most of the plot seems to have been copied from other dramas such as Autumn Fairy Tale and Winter Sonata. Certain parts of it also parallel the storyline of Beautiful Days, which might be due to the fact that the PD of this drama Lee Jang Soo was the PD of Beautiful Days.
Like any other melodrama, this story opens with two childhood friends: Cha Song Joo (Kwon Sang-woo) and Han Jung Suh (Choi Ji-woo). However, as Jung Suh's father remarries, her new stepmother Tae Mira, brings her two children along, Han Tae Hwa and Han Yuri (Kim Tae-hee). An introvert, Han Tae Hwa (Shin Hyun-joon) is touched by Jung Suh's kindness towards him and gradually falls in love with her. On the other hand, Jung Suh and Song Joo have an inseparable relationship. At the same time, Yuri also likes Song Joo. So you can see that there's pretty complicated relationship triangle, or rather, rectangle here.
The show than fast-forwards years later, when the children have all grown up. However, due to a freak accident, Jung Suh is run over by Yuri's car, which leaves her suffering from memory loss and living with Tae Hwa under a pseudonym. Song Joo is devastated, but never forgets about Jung Suh even though the irritating Yuri tries at all times to get his attention. When the lovers finally reunite, another cruel misfortune occurs...
Like Autumn Fairy Tale, this story also depicts two children who grew up together and become lovers. Kwon Sang-woo is captivating as Song Joo. In fact, the media reported that Kwon shed so much tears in one of the scenes of the show that even the production crew became teary. In fact, this seems to be his best production to date, having acted in pretty minor roles before. Choi Ji-woo is also charismatic in her role as Han Jung Suh. However, it seems like she has become so fixated in playing pathetic, damsel in distress roles (recall: Beautiful Days, Truth, Winter Sonata) that it is becoming numbing for the audience to see her in such pitiful renditions.
However, it was refreshing to see Shin Hyun-joon in dramas again. Taking a five year hiatus in drama productions to concentrate on his movie career, there have been significant changes in his acting style, becoming more mature and in-depth in his character portrayal. Another actress Kim Tae-hee, who plays the evil Yuri, failed to impress with her bad-girl impersonation. Going by the same few expressions, Kim clearly shows her weakness in portraying the inner feelings of Han Yuri, especially since the four main characters in the drama focus a lot on inner feelings. Lee Wan could be said to have brought in a breath of fresh air. Acting as the younger Tae Hwa, Lee Wan is considered one of the most prominent up-and-coming actors to look out for. In fact, he is Kim Tae-hee's brother in real life.
To conclude, Stairs to Heaven is typical Korean melodrama. Unless you are a big fan of Kwon Sang-woo or Choi Ji-woo, you would most probably find this story boring, since the storyline has been used in so many other high profile drama productions before. Watching the last episode, one feels not forlorn, but rather, melancholic. (Review by Kit Lim)

Stairway to Heaven ("Cheon-guk-ui gyedan"). 20 episodes. Written by Park Hye-kyung. Produced by Lee Jang-soo. Starring Kwon Sang-woo, Choi Ji-woo, Shin Hyun-joon, Kim Tae-hee, Ha Jae-young, Kim Ji-sook, Jung Han-yong. Aired on SBS in Korea from December 3, 2003 - February 5, 2004.

Winter Sonata (2002, Korean TV Series)

Another masterpiece by Korea's revered director, Yoon Suk-ho, Winter Sonata is the second installment of his famous four season series, the previous being Autumn Fairy Tale and the latest, Scent of Summer. Like its predecessor, Autumn Fairy Tale, Winter Sonata has a huge following in many parts of Asia, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. Its two leading stars, Bae Yong-jun (Untold Scandal) and Choi Ji-woo also gained international fame because of the series.
Bae Yong-jun takes up the role of Kang Joon-sang, an illegitimate child whose mother is an accomplished pianist. Due to his parental background, he is an introvert who does not like to interact with people, and often does not take the initiative to express himself. Even though his mother has told him his father is dead, as a child, Joon-sang believes that he is still alive. Hence, when he becomes older, he decides to return to his mother's hometown, where his parents were lovers, in a bid to look for his biological father.
Joon-sang then transfers to the high school where Yoo-jin (Choi Ji-woo) studies. A couple of entertaining anecdotes then happen between the two protagonists and through these incidents, they grow to like each other. However, as Joon-sang investigates, he realizes that his biological father might be Yoo-jin's late father. Flustered by his new findings, he decides to leave. However, as he decides to rush to see Yoo-jin for one last time, he is knocked down by a car...
Meanwhile, as the rest of his schoolmates including Yoo-jin think that he is dead after the accident, he is in fact alive, but he has lost his memory. In a bid to let him lead a happier life, his mother decides to erase his previous memories and give him new memories with a new identity, Lee Min-hyung.
The show than fast forwards 10 years later, as Joon-sang and Yoo-jin have both grown up. Joon-sang returns as Min-hyung and as Chae-rin's boyfriend (Chae-rin was Yoo-jin and Joon-sang's classmate in high school, but later went to France for further studies). During this time, Yoo-jin was about to get engaged to her childhood playmate Sang-hyuk, played by up-and-coming actor Park Yong-ha. However, due to a twist of fate, Joon-sang and Yoo-jin meet again and become attracted to each other once more. As the fate of the four intertwines, the show goes on to tell of the enthralling love story between Joon-sang and Yoo-jin.
Winter Sonata is a captivating story. The chemistry between Bae Yong-jun and Choi Ji-woo is terrific. In fact, many people were so impressed by them that rumours surfaced that they were a real-life couple. Bae Yong-jun certainly impressed many with his gripping performance of Joon-sang and Min-hyung. This could be said to be his breakthrough drama, as it was through this show that he shot to great fame. Choi Ji-woo also proves herself as an A-list actress with her overwhelming performance as Yoo-jin. One of her scenes which enthralled me was when she was confronting Joon-sang, urging him not to fire an old worker. The feeling of urgency then topped 100%.
As for the supporting leads, Park Sol-mi did a good impersonation of Chae-rin. Park Yong-ha did fairly well, but acting alongside veteran actors Bae Yong-jun and Choi Ji-woo, he clearly showed his inexperience in this field. Finally, it would be almost unjust to leave Kim Hae-sook out of the picture. Acting as Yoo-jin's mother, her performance as the Korean "ajumma" added flavour and colour throughout the whole show.
Again, Yoon Suk-ho has proven himself as one of Korea's best drama tellers. With an impressive portfolio, many audience members certainly do look forward to his subsequent dramas. Winter Sonata is an original love story. It's definitely not-to-be-missed! (Review by Kit Lim)

Winter Sonata ("Gyeoul yeonga"). Alternative titles: "Winter Love Song" or "Winter Ballad." 20 episodes. Written by Kim Eun-hee and Yoon Eun-kyung. Produced by Yoon Suk-ho. Starring Bae Yong-jun, Choi Ji-woo, Park Yong-ha, Park Sol-mi, Lee Hye-eun, Ryu Seung-soo, and Kim Hye-sook. First aired on KBS2 in Korea from January 14 - March 19, 2002.

U Me Aur Hum (Movie)

Aamir Khan has raised the bar with TAARE ZAMEEN PAR. Comparisons between Aamir and Ajay Devgan, who makes his directorial debut with U ME AUR HUM, would be erroneous, but you can't turn a blind eye to the fact that the viewer would expect an encore with U ME AUR HUM. Will U ME AUR HUM live up to the humungous hype and expectations? Does Devgan have the trappings of a fine storyteller? Oh yes, he does!

Let's come to the point right away. Devgan needs to be lauded for choosing a daringly different theme in his debut film and most importantly, doing justice to it, handling it with extreme care. We know him as a powerful actor, now there's yet another designation added to his name -- avant-garde director.
Let's move on to the next query! Is the real-life couple -- Ajay and Kajol -- as dynamic yet again? The answer is, they're electrifying. Both pitch in bravura performances, reaffirming the fact that this jodi is amongst the finest of this generation.

One of the prime reasons why U ME AUR HUM works, and works big time, is because it's aimed at the heart. Anyone who's into relationships, anyone who believes in love, anyone who thinks from the heart, anyone who has watched his/her partner grapple a grave disease, will identify with a film like U ME AUR HUM.

To cut a long story short, U ME AUR HUM marks the birth of a powerhouse of talent. Watch U ME AUR HUM for various reasons, but most importantly, watch it for a new director who respects your 2.30 hours and the hard-earned bucks that you invest on watching his movie. It's time to fall in love with love… again!

The first time Ajay [Ajay Devgan] saw Pia [Kajol], she served him drinks. She affected him more than the alcohol, it was love at first sight. The first time Pia saw Ajay, he had a drink too many. She watched him make a fool of himself and was relieved when he passed out.

Kisah Si Burung Pipit

Saya dapet kisah berikut dari atasan saya, Pak "AS", melalui email. Saya pikir, hikmah yang dapat dipetik dari kisah itu bagus sekali. Mudah-mudahan kisah berikut, bermanfaaat bagi kita semua.

Ketika musim kemarau baru saja mulai, seekor Burung Pipit mulai merasakan tubuhnya kepanasan, lalu mengumpat pada lingkungan yang dituduhnya tidak bersahabat.Dia lalu memutuskan untuk meninggalkan tempat yang sejak dahulu menjadi habitatnya, terbang jauh ke utara yang konon kabarnya, udaranya selalu dingin dan sejuk.

Benar, pelan pelan dia merasakan kesejukan udara, makin ke utara makin sejuk, dia semakin bersemangat memacu terbangnya lebih ke utara lagi.Terbawa oleh nafsu, dia tak merasakan sayapnya yang mulai tertempel salju, makin lama makin tebal, dan akhirnya dia jatuh ke tanah karena tubuhnya terbungkus salju.

Sampai ke tanah, salju yang menempel di sayapnya justru bertambah tebal.Si Burung pipit tak mampu berbuat apa apa, menyangka bahwa riwayatnya telah tamat. Dia merintih menyesali nasibnya.

Mendengar suara rintihan, seekor Kerbau yang kebetulan lewat datang menghampirinya. Namun si Burung kecewa mengapa yang datang hanya seekor Kerbau, dia menghardik si Kerbau agar menjauh dan mengatakan bahwa makhluk yang tolol tak mungkin mampu berbuat sesuatu untuk menolongnya. Si Kerbau tidak banyak bicara, dia hanya berdiri, kemudian kencing tepat diatas burung tersebut. Si Burung Pipit semakin marah dan memaki maki si Kerbau. Lagi-lagi Si Kerbau tidak bicara, dia maju satu langkah lagi, dan mengeluarkan kotoran ke atas tubuh si burung.

Seketika itu si Burung tidak dapat bicara karena tertimbun kotoran kerbau. Si Burung mengira lagi bahwa dia pasti akan mati tak bisa bernapas.Namun perlahan lahan, dia merasakan kehangatan, salju yang membeku pada bulunya pelan pelan meleleh oleh hangatnya tahi kerbau, dia dapat bernapas lega dan melihat kembali langit yang cerah. Si Burung Pipit berteriak kegirangan, bernyanyi keras sepuas puasnya-nya.

Mendengar ada suara burung bernyanyi, seekor anak kucing menghampiri sumber suara, mengulurkan tangannya, mengais tubuh si burung dan kemudian menimang nimang, menjilati, mengelus dan membersihkan sisa-sisa salju yang masih menempel pada bulu si burung. Begitu bulunya bersih, Si Burung bernyanyi dan menari kegirangan, dia mengira telah mendapatkan teman yang ramah dan baik hati.

Namun apa yang terjadi kemudian, seketika itu juga dunia terasa gelap gulita bagi si Burung, dan tamatlah riwayat si Burung Pipit ditelan oleh si Kucing.

Dari kisah ini, banyak pesan moral yang dapat dipakai sebagai pelajaran:

1. Halaman tetangga selalu tampak lebih hijau,dari halaman kita sediri, namun Halaman tetangga yang nampak lebih hijau, belum tentu cocok buat kita.

2. Janganlah penampilan dipakai sebagai satu satunya ukuran.

3. Apa yang pada mulanya terasa pahit dan tidak enak, kadang kadang bisa berbalik membawa hikmah yang menyenangkan, dan demikian pula sebaliknya.

4. Ketika kita baru saja mendapatkan kenikmatan, jangan lupa dan jangan terburu nafsu, agar tidak kebablasan.

5. Waspadalah terhadap Orang yang memberikan janji yang berlebihan.

Jodhaa Akbar (Movie)

Jodha Akbar directed by Oscar nominated film (Lagaan) director Ashutosh Gowarikar is a historical love story featuring superstar Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Akbar and Jodha. The movie has been in the making for the last 2 and a half years. The first release date was October 12th 2007, but soon postponed to January 25th 2008. Ashutosh suffered from a back problem and again the movie was postponed to a day after Valentines day, February 15th. The movie was also surrounded by a lot of controversy which helped build up the curiosity level. Jodha Akbar is Hrithik Roshan’s first release after Dhoom 2 (2006) and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s first release post her marriage to Abhishek Bachchan.

Let’s get one thing straight: You haven’t watched anything so opulent, so magnificent like this in a long, long time on the Hindi screen. It’s not just body beautiful, but there’s soul as well.

It requires courage, prowess, patience, aptitude, knowledge, passion and of course, loads of currency to attempt a movie like Jodhaa Akbar. But more than anything else, it requires your firm belief in the subject, the belief to attempt a historical when historicals are considered an absolute no-no in the industry, the belief to spend almost Rs 40 crore in a film that could go either ways.

Only when you’re convinced yourself can you convince millions of moviegoers. And convinced you are after watching Jodhaa Akbar, a film of epic proportions.

Now let’s clear a few misconceptions pertaining to the film…

It’s blasphemous to compare Mughal-E-Azam and Jodhaa Akbar. While Mughal-E-Azam was primarily about the legendary romance between Salim and Anarkali, a subject that has been attempted quite a few times on the Hindi screen before, Jodhaa Akbar is about the relationship that the young Akbar shared with Jodhaa.

A lot has been said and written about its length [3.20 hours]. Does the viewer of today have the patience to watch a really lengthy film in today’s times? But once into Jodhaa Akbar, the sequence of events, the drama, the romance, the war… every aspect keeps you mesmerized. Oh yes, the length does pinch you at one crucial point [second hour, which is relatively shorter], when a song breaks out. Otherwise, the 3 + hours are very well spent.

When you watch historicals like Mughal-E-Azam and Razia Sultan, the usage of chaste Urdu is difficult to comprehend at times. Not here! The language is simplified - Akbar speaks in Urdu, Jodhaa in Hindi - and it’s easy to decipher.

As a cinematic experience, it would be wrong to compare Jodhaa Akbar to any of Ashutosh Gowariker’s previous endeavors. Why, it would be erroneous to compare the film with any film ever made before in this genre. This one stands out and stands out the tallest.

To sum up, Jodhaa Akbar leaves you spellbound, enthralled, entranced and awestruck. Ashutosh Gowariker makes the legendary characters come alive on screen.

Set in the sixteenth century, Jodhaa Akbar is a love story about a marriage of alliance that gave birth to true love between a great Mughal emperor, Akbar, and a Rajput princess, Jodhaa. Little did Akbar [Hrithik Roshan] know that when he married Jodhaa [Aishwarya Rai Bachchan], he would be embarking upon a new journey — the journey of true love.

The daughter of King Bharmal of Amer [Kulbhushan Kharbanda], Jodhaa resented being reduced to a mere political pawn in this marriage of alliance, and Akbar’s biggest challenge now did not merely lie in winning battles, but in winning the love of this defiant princess.

One of the prime reasons why Jodhaa Akbar works is because the present-day viewer is unaware of the romance between Akbar and Jodhaa. Sure, we all know of Akbar as a great emperor, but the love story makes for a refreshing subject. And the execution of a number of sequences makes Jodhaa Akbar extremely special.

Some instances:
The war sequence at the very outset. You realise the scale and magnitude of the film at the very beginning.
Hrithik taming an out-of-control elephant. It’s hair-raising.
The two pre-conditions set by Jodhaa, before her marriage to Akbar. Very interesting.
The confrontation between Ila Arun and Ash at the kitchen, when Ash decides to make the meal herself.
The immediate sequence, when Ash is asked to taste the food herself by Ila before she’s about to serve the food to the Emperor and his associates. Once done, Hrithik demanding that he be served the meal from the same platter that Jodhaa had used.
The intermission point, which sows the seeds of a misunderstanding between Hrithik and Ash.
Post-interval, Hrithik returning to Amer to get Ash back to Agra and the welcome ceremony by his mother-in-law [Suhasini Mulay].
The sword fight the very next morning, between Hrithik and Ash.
The Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah track, when the entire kingdom hails Hrithik.
The fight in the climax [reminds you of the fight between Brad Pitt and Eric Bana in Troy].

Amazing moments indeed…

Ashutosh Gowariker knows that historicals have to be simplified while narrating on celluloid so that the moviegoer is able to grasp and comprehend the plotline and the sequence of events. Thankfully, Jodhaa Akbar is not in the least difficult to decipher. Gowariker’s handling of the subject deserves the highest praise, for it’s not everyday that you come across a film like Jodhaa Akbar.

A.R. Rahman’s music is not the type that you take to instantly, but yes, it gels beautifully with the mood of the film. Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah and Jashn-e-Bahara are the best tracks in terms of tune. In terms of choreography, Azeem-o-Shaan Shahenshah is awe-inspiring, while the execution of Khwaja Mere Khwaja is outstanding. Rahman’s background score is simply extra-ordinary.

There’s no room for dullness in Haider Ali and Gowariker’s screenplay. The writing is tight, the drama keeps you hooked and the romantic track is wonderful. The film also talks of secularism, an issue so vital in today’s times. K.P. Saxena’s dialogues are amazing. At places, soaked in acid.

The writer comes up with several gems, yet again. Kiran Deohans’ cinematography matches international standards. The movement of camera at various places, especially in the battlefield, is breath-taking. Also, the D.O.P. captures the grandeur to the fullest. The production design [Nitin Chandrakant Desai] is, again, awesome. Recreating the bygone era requires not just money, but also the vision and Desai proves his supremacy yet again.

Be it the war sequences or the sword fights or general action, Ravi Dewan’s contribution to the film is incredible. Especially noteworthy is the fight between Hrithik and Nikitin Dheer in the climax. It’s simply outstanding! Editing [Ballu Saluja] is perfect, although the romantic song between Hrithik and Ash can be shortened in the second hour. The costumes [Neeta Lulla] as also the jewelry also deserve special mention.

Jodhaa Akbar also works because of the right casting. It’s difficult to imagine anyone else in the role of Emperor Akbar. Hrithik seems born to play this role and he enacts it with such precision, such flourish, such confidence that it leaves you asking for more. A mind-boggling performance without doubt!

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is superb. Oh yes, she looks ethereal — a compliment she has heard a trillion times before. What’s new in that? But watch her emote in this film. You realise the amazing talent that has hitherto not been tapped by any movie maker. A flawless performance indeed!

Jodhaa Akbar has a host of characters, but the ones whom you carry home, besides Hrithik and Ash, are Sonu Sood [excellent], Nikitin Dheer [fantastic], Ila Arun [electrifying; her finest work so far], Punam S. Sinha [graceful], Kulbhushan Kharbanda [perfect], Raza Murad [effective] and Rajesh Vivek [good]. Amitabh Bachchan’s rich barritone voice adds lustre to the magnum opus.

On the whole, Jodhaa Akbar is, without a shred of doubt, a brilliant film in all respects. This historical has all it takes to prove the first blockbuster of 2008. Very strongly recommended!

Tales Within Tales (Book)

Taj: A Story of Mughal India By Timeri N. Murari

It is ironical that the Taj Mahal, the marble mausoleum hailed as the most splendid emblem of love came to be erected in the Mughal period — tarred by hatred, cruelty, torture, and fratricide. Timeri N. Murari’s novel, Taj, plays out this irony, highlighting the paranoia which gripped the minds of Mughal princes and emperors confronted with the bewildering choice of “takt ya takhta” (throne or coffin). The novel cuts a swathe of 59 years (1607-1666 AD) from Mughal history. It is conspicuously marked by a warped time sequence as Murari does not stick to the linear pattern of historical time. This time-tampering in the narrative is coupled with the epilogue predating the prologue. The monkey and the blind, old man episode of the prologue projects the entire novel as a flashback, underscoring the futility of power-struggles and individual glories represented in history.

The two parallel narratives contrived by Murari progress with varied pace in alternating chapters. The odd-numbered chapters are titled “the love story” and touch on events like Shah Jahan’s courtship, his marriage with Arjumand Banu (later named Mumtaz-i-mahal), Mehrunissa’s conspiracy, Shah Jahan’s flight from the Mahabat Khan-led Mughal force and his eventual accession to throne, culminating in Arjumand’s death — all happening in the years between 1607 and 1630 AD. The even-numbered chapters, titled “the Taj Mahal”, are devoted to chronicling the story of Murthi, a Hindu idol-carver who is somewhat mysteriously employed to fashion the famous marble jali around Arjumand’s sarcophagus. The mystery is later resolved as the full identity of Isa, Arjumand’s favourite eunuch and Shah Jahan’s trusted attendant, is revealed. This second narrative covers the time period 1632-66 AD.

Another feature that distinguishes the two sections is the difference in the narrative voices. While the first proceeds through monologues of Shah Jahan, Arjumand and Isa, the second is basically a narrative. As a result, the immediacy of intimate personal details contrasts with the suspenseful narrative which brings alive the tricky twists and turns of politics. Each narrative has its own climactic points which are discreetly played against each other. Often the content of one narrative seeps into the other and the overlap turns up interesting perspectives.

In the final analysis, Taj remains an expertly crafted novel with richly textured details, especially of violence and erotocism. It takes the reader through the corridors of history, pointing out lanes and by-lanes hitherto uncharted. Here the refrain of Mughal history “The Kingship has no Kinship” rings loud, reminding one of the life of those 22,000 architects “who lived and died building” the proud monument of love. The filmic quality of the novel may tempt a filmmaker to put it on the celluloid in near future.

Cast of Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Movie)

Shahrukh Khan as Dev Saran
Overtly sensitive, sharp of tongue and cynical Dev Saran has a rather uneasy relationship with the world owing to an unfortunate mishap that turns his dreams upside down.
He is unable to come to terms with the unfairness of life or his handicap and his bitterness only cripples his mind further. He resents his wife, Rhea�s growing success and in the process ends up hating himself for feeling that way. To make matters worse he ends up turning all his anger towards his loved ones. Under these circumstances, Maya enters his life with her own wounds and together they take on a journey to heal each other�

Preity Zinta as Rhea Saran
Confident, savvy and with a strong sense of right and wrong�
Rhea Saran leads a straight forward life where her promises and expectations are clearly chalked out. Her independence is of prime importance to her and she believes in the importance of material luxuries. There are moments when she realizes that she is not playing the traditional role of a wife or a mother owing to her busy career but she refuses to feel guilty about it and strongly believes in her right to pursue success as much as a man. Her belief in her marriage is strong even during its turbulent phase and she tries every means in her power to save it until she realizes the enormity of the situation and is forced to take a stand�

Abhishek Bachchan as Rishi Talwar
Sophisticated, stylish with a gift of the gab, Rishi Talwar, upcoming public relations professional, has inherited his father�s fun-loving nature and his sense of humor.
While his childlike demeanor is endearing, his volatile reaction to situations often cause his wife, Maya to believe that he is childish. He is patient and loving to Maya but is unable to comprehend her complexity especially when it rears its ugly head in the most intimate moments of their personal relationship. His entire being is devoted to Maya and that�s perhaps why he falls apart when exposed to the harsh truth of his marriage�

Rani Mukherjee as Maya Talwar
Beautiful, sensitive and a compulsive cleanliness freak�
Maya Talwar compensates for her inability to have children by teaching in a nursery. Her relationship with her husband Rishi is layered with a lot of self-doubt and question. However, while she is ready to discuss and analyze everything small or big, she fights this area of her life with remarkable silence. She is unable to whip up enough passion for Rishi and is disappointed that her love for him does not match her own expectations of what it ought to be. This dilemma pulls her further apart from him thereby causing a strain on their marital life. To add to this complication, she encounters Dev in whom she finds all the ingredients to fire the passion she lacks in her marriage�

Amitabh Bachchan as Samarjit Singh Talwar
Samarjit Singh Talwar a.k.a. Sam is a flamboyant and fun-loving man who believes in living his life to the fullest.
His life revolves around the happiness of his son, Rishi and daughter-in-law, Maya. And despite indulging in all sensual pleasures, Sam does not lose focus on the ground realities of life and beneath his colorful exterior there lies a wise and sensitive parent who dispenses, at times, brutal but practical solutions to his family.

Kirron Kher as Kamaljit Saran
A self-reliant woman with a combination of strong traditional values and a progressive mindset, Kamaljit Saran is an example of a parent who has molded herself to the changing world without losing her roots. While she is a silent spectator to her son, Dev and daughter-in-law Rhea�s changing equations, she does not hesitate to voice her opinion as an elder when required. She is fearless in her decisions and takes a rather progressive stand for her daughter-in-law when the situation worsens

Beneath a Marble Sky (Book)

Synopsis

In 1632, the Emperor of Hindustan, Shah Jahan, consumed by grief over the death of his empress, Mumtaz Mahal, ordered the building of a grand mausoleum to symbolize the greatness of their love. Against scenes of unimaginable wealth and power, murderous sibling rivalries, and cruel despotism, Princess Jahanara tells the extraordinary story of how the Taj Mahal came to be, describing her own life as an agent in its creation and as a witness to the fateful events surrounding its completion. To escape a brutal arranged marriage, Jahanara must become the court liaison to Isa, architect of the Taj Mahal. She is soon caught between her duty to her mother's memory, the rigid strictures imposed upon women, and a new, though forbidden, love. With exceptional courage, Jahanara dares to challenge the bigotry and blindness at court in an effort to spare the empire from civil war, and to save her father from his bellicose son, Aurangzeb, a man whose hatred would extinguish the Islamic enlightenment from the Mughal Empire.
To do so, she must enlist her Hindu friend, Ladli, and her guardian, Nizam, as spies, and urge her brother Dara, the designated heir to the throne, down from the ivory tower of his philosophical inquiries. The stakes become ever greater when Jahanara must deceive her husband as to the true father of her child, and must protect those closest to her from her enemies' retaliation. As a princess and a mother, as a sister and a daughter, Jahanara will find herself faced time and again with impossible choices, and will discover the real meaning of her regal birthright. In "Beneath a Marble Sky", John Shors re-creates an historical Hindustan brimming with breathtaking intrigue and containing the secret truth of the Taj Mahal for a world still in awe of its enduring majesty.

Hrithik Roshan (Actor)

A star was born on January 10th 1974 to Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan and his wife Pinky Roshan. Hrithik was born with six fingers on his left hand, which is considered to be quite lucky and so is his birth number ‘1’, which he is superstitious about.
Hrithik faced the camera for the first time at the age of six and it was for ‘Asha’- a movie, which was being produced by his maternal grandfather. The actor was paid Rs.100 ($2.5) for it which he still treasures. Hrithik’s second movie as a kid was his dad’s ‘Aap Ke Deewane’ which was followed by ‘Bhagwan Dada’, which was being produced by his dad and directed by his maternal grand father J Om Prakash. As a kid, Hrithik was an introvert and stammered while talking. Hrithik’s will, determination and vocal therapy helped him to get over his stammering problem.
Hrithik always wanted to become an actor and when he expressed his desire to Rakesh Roshan, his dad advised him to go abroad for further studies as Hrithik was a bright student. Hrithik was however; too determined to pursue a career as an actor and started assisting his dad on ‘Koyla’. After shoot pack-up, Hrithik would stay back and enact Shahrukh Khan’s scenes from the movie in front of his dad.
Hrithik started dating Suzzane Khan- Sanjay Khan’s daughter while he was still in college. Hrithik was offered ‘Tara Rum Pum’ by Shekhar Kapoor and the actor was to make his debut opposite Preity Zinta in the movie however; Shekhar Kapoor got busy with his International project and the movie was put on hold. Rakesh Roshan had written a new script and titled the movie ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’ and was inclined to cast Shahrukh Khan for the project however; Hrithik was skeptic about the idea as he felt that a love story of that twist would suit a new comer, so his dad proposed to launch Hrithik and gave him four months to prepare for the movie. Hrithik joined Anupam Kher’s acting workshop, took Urdu diction classes and actor Salman Khan helped Hrithik in building a good physique for his debut movie. Hrithik also took dance classes to capitalize on his skills in the movie.
Hrithik Roshan made his debut in ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’ and Kareena Kapoor was to be casted opposite him, but on the fourth day of the shoot there was a fallout between Rakesh Roshan and Kareena’s mom Babita and that lead to Kareena’s exit from the movie. The shooting of the movie came to a standstill as they had to find a new actress and Rakesh Roshan spotted his family friend’s daughter Amisha Patel at a wedding and offered her the lead role. ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’ went on to become one of the biggest blockbusters of the year and Hrithik’s fan following was in millions. Hrithik also won the Filmfare Best Actor and the Best Debut Award that year. Hrithik was however; shocked when his dad was shot by the underworld and many producers started receiving threats on not to sign the star. Year 2000 saw the release of ‘Fiza’ and ‘Mission Kashmir’ and Hrithik got some rave reviews for his performance in both the movies.
Hrithik was signed by ‘Coke’ to endorse their brand for Rs. 3 crores ($750,000) which was the highest amount paid by the company those days. The same year Hrithik got married to his longtime love Suzzane Khan in Bangalore at his father-in-law’s Golden Palms Resort.
Hrithik was riding high on his success until his five big movies ‘Yaadien’, ‘Mujse Dosti Karoge’, ‘Aap Mujhe Aache Lagne Lage’, ‘Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon’ and ‘Na Tum Jano Na Hum’ flopped, and people started writing him off. Hrithik bounced back with ‘Koi Mil Gaya’, but critics started commenting that he could only perform in his dad’s movies. Hrithik proved them wrong by giving a competent performance in ‘Lakshya’.
Hrithik is India’s first Super hero and his movie ‘Krrish’ was one of the record breakers. Hrithik also acted in Yash Chopra’s ‘Dhoom:2’ and is currently shooting for Ashutosh Gowariker’s ‘Akbar Jodha’. Hrithik is one of the most talented and best actors of this era in Bollywood and has a huge fan following, which keeps getting stronger with every movie.