Kamini Kaushal

Kamini Kaushal (born 1927) is an Indian film actress. Her original name was Uma. Her father was a Botanist and Professor at Lahore University . She did her college at Kinnaird College in Lahore, British India. Her sister died leaving behind very young children and Uma married ( or was made to marry) her sister’s husband. Her husband, Mr. Sood was an officer in the Bombay port trust.



Uma came from a well-to-do background, she was an honours graduate in literature, which was very rare in the world of films in those days. There is also a mention of her having been a stage actress in Delhi. She worked as a radio artist before she was discovered by Chetan Anand as the lead for his film Neecha Nagar. This movie was shot before her marriage and released in 1946.

After Neecha Nagar and marriage, Kamini Kaushal worked with all the top leading men of her time such as Ashok Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Dilip Kumar.

In 1965 she moved to playing character roles with a film called Shaheed starring Manoj Kumar (not to be confused with the 1948 film Shaheed in which she was the lead with Dilip Kumar). As a character artist she was a fixture in 7 Manoj Kumar films right up to Dus Numbari in 1976. She has had a long stint in films with releases right up to 2003. She made the transition to character roles very easily and has excelled in them ever since.

Dilip Kumar in his biography has admitted his attraction to her. He said that she was his first love. There were rumors of an affair between the two. But there is no source giving her side of the story or of her acknowledgement of the same.

She also stepped into writing children’s stories. Her stories used to be published in the children's magazine Paraag and she dabbled in television doing serials like Chand Sitare on Doordarshan. At present she works in the highly popular serial Shanno Ki Shaadi on STAR Plus. She plays the role of Bebe, the grandmother of Shanno, the main protagonist played by Divya Dutta.

Nargis Dutt

Nargis Dutt was born on June 1, 1929. Nargis who was considered as the greatest actress in the history of Hindi cinema made her screen debut as a child artist in Talash-E-Haq in 1935, but her career in acting began in 1942 with the film Tamanna.




During her career one of her best-known roles was that of Radha in the Academy Award-nominated Mother India (1957), for which the actress won Best Actress trophies at the Filmfare Awards and the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. For the film Raat Aur Din that came in 1967, the actress won the National Film Award for Best Actress.

Nargis died in 1981 of pancreatic cancer. Nargis Dutt appeared in numerous movies after her film debut. The actress starred in many popular Hindi-Urdu movies of the late 1940s and 1950s such as Barsaat (1949), Andaz (1949), Awaara (1951), Deedar (1951),Shree 420 (1955), and Chori Chori (1956).

Some of the noted films of the actress were Mela (1948), Anokha Pyar (1948), Anjuman (1948), Aag (1948), Roomal (1949), Lahore (1949), Darogaji (1949) etc.

Diana Hayden

The gorgeous model Diana Hayden was born on May 1, 1973. Diana is an Indian model, bollywood actress and former Miss World. Diana Hayden became popular when she was crowned as Miss World in the year 1997. Diana Hayden became the third Indian woman to win the Miss World pageant and soon after that the actress entered Bollywood industry.





Diana Hayden moved to the UK and studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. The actress also studied at Drama Studio London, where she concentrated on the works of Shakespeare and earned a Best Actress nomination from the studio. In 2001, she made her screen debut in the film version of Shakespeare’s Othello in South Africa.

In 2006, Diana was signed by the Avalon Academy as the face of the Academy and currently serves as a celebrity guest lecturer for airline personnel training programs. After failing to make a mark in Bollywood, Hayden moved to Los Angeles and devoted herself to social causes. In 2008, Diana Hayden alos became a part of the most popular reality show Bigg Boss.

Vidya Sinha Biography

Vidya Sinha is an Indian actress born on November 15, 1947. She hailed from a humble family of Mumbai. Her father, S. Maan Singh was an assistant director. She began modelling at an early age of 18 and debuted opposite Kiran Kumar in Raja Kaka.




However, fame came to her through a low-budget, alternative cinema break-away hit Rajnigandha, directed by her mentor Basu Chatterjee. The movie, although having none of the trappings of a typical Bollywood blockbuster, was a major box office success. This was followed by many more small-budget art-house films like Choti Si Baat (1975), and later by more mainstream, bigger budget Bollywood productions like Pati Patni Aur Woh (1977).

She was married before entering films. She later quit the industry in the eighties. During this time, she raised her daughter, Janhavi .After her husband Venkateshwaran Iyer (1968-1996) died, she returned to acting, on her daughter's encouragement. She returned to acting via working in TV serials like Bahu Rani (2000), followed by Kavyanjali (2004), Hum do hain na etc.

She had married second time to a Netaji Salunkhe, a doctor based in Australia. She had met him on the internet after her first husband's death in 1996. They have been living together in Versova, India. In January 2009, she filed a complaint against her 70-year old husband, claiming that he tortured her.

She is currently seen on prime time soaps like Zaara and Bhabhi.

Anita Guha "Silver Screen Ki Sita" Biography

Anita Guha was an Indian actress who usually played mythological characters in films. She became most famous for playing the title role in Jai Santoshi Maa (1975). Previously, she had played Sita in mythological films like "Sampoorna Ramayana" (1961), "Shree Ram Bharat milap" (1965) and, "Tulsi vivah" (1971).




She came to Mumbai in the 1950s when she was only 15 years old. She became an actress there and made her film debut in "Tangewali" (1955). She moved onto hit films like "Sharada" (1957) and "Goonj Uthi Shehnai" (1959), for which she earned her only Filmfare nomination of her career as Best Supporting Actress.

But it was her title role in Jai Santoshi Maa (1975) that brought her the most fame. She had never even heard of goddess Santoshi until she was offered the role, as this was a little-known goddess. It was only a guest appearance, and her scenes were shot 10-12 days. She fasted during the shooting. The low-budget pic was a surprise hit, and broke box office records while becoming a cultural phenomenon.

Other mythological films she acted in include "Dekh Kabira roya" (1957), "Kavi Kalidas (1959) "Jai Dwarkadesh" (1977) and "Krishna Krishna" (1986). She wasn't happy that she became typecast as a mythological actress, because acting offers eventually stopped coming her way.

Her earlier credits include period films such as "Sangeet samrat Tansen" (1962), "Kan kan mein bhagwan" (1963), "Veer Bhimsen" (1964). She played Rajesh Khanna's adoptive mother in the huge hit Aradhana (1969 film). Guha played major roles in films like 'Purnima' (1965), 'Pyar Ki Rahen' (1959), 'Gateway of India' (1957), 'Dekh Kabira Roya' (1957) and 'Sanjog' (1961). The last film had the memorable track by Madan Mohan sung by Lata Mangeshkar -- 'who bhooli dastan lo phir yaad aa gayee.'

She was married to actor Manik Dutt.She lived alone in Mumbai where she died of cardiac failure on June 20, 2007.

Anupama Verma-Biography

Model cum bollywood actress Anupama Verma got her first modeling assignment with Shekhar Kapur for Digjam suiting. It was rumored that she was the reason for the split between Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. In 2006 she starred in the Indian reality show Bigg Boss later, Anupama was evicted and replaced with Rakhi Sawant.




On the show Bigg Boss, Anupama was linked up with model Aryan Vaid. The actress has worked in many films like Ittefaq (2001), Grahan (2001), Pitaah (2002), Vadh (2002), Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai (2002), Chameli where she did a song.

Another films of the actress include Footpath (2003), Asambhav (2004), Mohabbat Ho Gayi Hai Tumse (2005), Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav (2005), With Luv Tumhaara (2006) and Woodstock Villa (2008).

Sonu Walia- Biography

Sonu Walia the gorgeous bollywood actress was born on 19 February 1964 and the actress was also honoured with the title of Miss India pageant and was a great model. Sonu Walia was a daughter of an Indian army Officer.




Sonu Walia won the Miss India contest in 1985 and in 1985 went on to compete in Miss Universe. Sonu took over from Juhi Chawla, Miss India 1984.

The charming actress did less amount of films like Khoon Bhari Maang in 1988, Apna Desh Paraye Log (1989), Mahasangram(1990), Dil Aashna Hai (1992), Sahibaan(1993), Anari Dada (1994), Jallad (1995), Yash, Kasam (2001), Suryakaant (2005), Mahadaav(1989), Nischaiy (1990), Aakarshan (1988) and Dalapathi (1990).

Sonu Walia also won the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for Khoon Bhari Maang which came in 1988 also starring Rekha and Kabir Bedi. Along with Tom Alter and Shahbaz Khan she also acted in a TV serial titled Betaal Pachisi.

Bollywood actress Jayshree T- Biography

The Bollywood famous Actress and dancer Jayshree T is still active in the bollywood and Gujarati movies. Jayshree began her career in the mid 1960s as a supporting actress and comedian alongside actors like Mehmood and Jagdeep.




Jayshree T became more popular when she started performing item dances in Big-Budget films. Some of her famous dances are Reshmi ujala hai-Sharmilee(1971), Naach meri jaan phataphat-Main Sundar hoon(1971), and Sultana Sultana-Tarana(1979).

Jayshree performed dances in more than 100 films, really a huge number in the 1970s and early 1980s. The actress was one of the most popular dancers of the time along with Aruna Irani, Kalpana Iyer, Padma Khanna, Asha Sachdev and Prema Narayan.

Some of her notable films in which she gave her outstanding performances were Raaz (1967), Chanda aur bijlee(1970), Jaani Dushman(1979), Shoukeen (1982), Andar Bahar (1985), Ghar Ghar ki kahani (1988), Ghar ho to aisa (1990). In the year 2001 the actress also did Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke and Chalte Chalte in 2005.

Vidya Balan Biography

Vidya Balan is a Tamilian of Iyer community who hails from Kerala. She comes from a middle-class family from Palghat, on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. She did her schooling from St. Antony's School and later on joined St Xavier's College, Mumbai from where she graduated in sociology.

When she was doing her MA from Mumbai University, she was offered a role in a Malayalam film titled Chakram with Mohanlal, one of Vidya’s favorite actors. However, the project was shelved mid-way and Vidya had to wait for few more years to make her filmy debut.

She made her debut as a model in a Surf Excel advertisement in 1998. She has acted in an array of commercial films, most of which were directed by Pradeep Sarkar.

A couple of months later, she featured in three music videos (again directed by Sarkar) for ‘Euphoria’, Shubha Mudgal and Pankaj Udhas.

Image via Wikipedia

Vidya also acted in Ashok Pandit’s TV serial Hanste Khelte and Ektaa Kapoor's Hum Paanch. She has acted in Bengali movie Bhaalo Theko with actor Joy Sengupta much before her hindi film debut. She even won the ‘best actress’ Anand Lok Puraskar in Kolkata for her acting in the movie.

It was in Mumbai, during a pop concert, when filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra approached her to play the female lead in his movie Parineeta, to be directed by Pradeep Sarkar. Vidya had to go through 40 screen tests and 17 make-up shoots before she was finally chosen for the lead the film.

Vidya has worked in a number of noted films as of now with almost all big star actors that are Kismat Konnection,Halla Bol ,Bhool Bhulaiyaa , Eklavya, Guru , Salaam-e-Ishq and Lage Raho Munnabhai.

Vidya's upcoming films are Paa and Ishqiya in 2009.

Anjana Sukhani-Bollywood Actress

Anjana Sukhani was born on December 10, 1978. She is a Bollywood Indian actress. Anjana Sukhani was born to a Sindhi family in Jaipuron. Anjana did her schooling from Bombay at Kamla High School, Khar.



Anjana Sukhani holds a Management Degree in International Business. Her sister Meena Sukhani made her debut in the movie Bachna Ae Haseeno; she was one of Minisha Lamba's friends.

Anjana Sukhani put her academic pursuits behind to pursue acting. During the early years of her career, Anjana was cast in a television advertisement for Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolates with the Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan.

Anjana was also noted for her performance in the remixed Hindi music video for the song 'ghar jayegi'. Even though she does not have a film industry related background, she has figured in sizeable roles in multi-starrer block buster movies such as Salaam-e-ishq.

Anjana has acted in Golmaal Returns, sequel to the 2006 hit movie Golmaal. Her latest projects are Jai-Veeru (2009), Allah ke Banday (2009) and Jashn (2009) and MaLeyali Jotheyali (2010).

Deepa Sahi-Biography

Deepa Sahi was born in India in Dehradun. She is an Indian actress and producer. In Deepa's early film career she collaborated with noted auteur Govind Nihalani and made her debut with the 1984 film Party. This was well-received and she subsequently acted in Aghaat (1985). Deepa Sahi's thespian achievement, no doubt, will always remain her role as the independent-minded and empowered lower-caste Punjabi woman she played in the highly acclaimed television film Tamas (1986).




If we talk about the commercial cinema, after marrying film director Ketan Mehta Deepa Sahi acted in several of his films including Hero Hiralal (1988), Maya Memsaab (1992) and Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India (1995).

Deepa's other notable films include Hum (1991) and Ek Doctor Ki Maut (1991). Her last film appearance was in Aar ya Paar (1998).

In 2005 she co-produced her husband's film Mangal Pandey: The Rising - which was a moderate success at the box office. Deepa also wrote the screenplay for Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India which was written and directed by her husband.

Deepa Sahi became a producer in 1993 and she has produced 7 films to date which were Maya Memsaab, Oh Darling! Yeh Hai India, Aar ya Paar, Rules pyaar ka super hit formula, Mangal Panday (co-proudcer), Rang Rasiya and Phir Zindagi.

Besides this, Deepa has produced 12 TV series and is promotor of Maya Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. India's leading animation studio.

Leena Chandavarkar's biography

Image via Wikipedia

Leena Chandavarkar was born in North Karnataka in the Karwar–Dharwar region. She is from the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community. Leena studied at Bassel Mission Girl's high school, Dharwar for some years. She won a talent competition when she was 15 and after that she went to Mumbai to try her luck in acting.

In 1974, after several successful films like Humjoli, Manchali and a total of some 40 films, the actress married Siddharth Bandodkar, the son of Dayanand Bandodkar the first chief minister of Goa.

Unfortunately, Leena's husband died in an accident. Later Leena married the singer actor Kishore Kumar in 1980 until his death in October 1987. She has son with him Sumeet Kumar.

Leena also appeared as a guest judge for the first 2 episodes of "K for Kishore", a new reality TV singing show launched by Sony TV during December 2007.

Initially Leena Chandavarkar worked in advertisements but eventually ventured into films. The actress made her debut in Man Ka Meet. Between 1969-1979, Leena acted in many films. Leena gave one of her best acting performances in Mehboob Ki Mehndi with Rajesh Khanna in 1971.

Bairaag is another example where Leena acted against the great screen legend Dilip Kumar and a mighty star cast like Saira Bano,Prem Chopra and the lovely Helen.

Leena made her remarkable presence in the bollywood industry during her film career by giving outstanding performances.

Bhumika Chawla - Biography

Image via Wikipedia

Bhumika Chawla, born on 21st August 1978, is the youngest daughter of Ajit Singh Chawla.
Her birth name is Rachna and she is affectionately called 'Gudiya'.

Bhumika Chawla completed her schooling from Delhi and then shifted to Mumbai to pursue her acting career.

She started her campaign in glamour world with" Ponds" talcum powder advertisement. Bhumika Chawla's charming smile in Ponds advertisement made her popular and she was noticed by film makers.

Her debut film was "Yuvakudu" (Telugu) but Bhumika Chawala got recognition as an actress through her second film "Khushi" (Telugu). Bhumika won best actress award for "Khushi". Since then she hasn't looked back and has done five films in Telugu and two in Tamil.

In Bollywood, she made a striking entry with" Tere Naam" opposite Salman Khan. She won Zee Cine Best New Comer (Female) Award for the film "Tere Naam".

Her other noted Hindi films are- "Run", "Dil Jo Bhi Kahey", "Family - Ties of Blood" and "Gandhi My Father".

Bhumika has keen interest in writing and has written more than 100 poems in English and she is planning to release a poem book.She also has keen interest in bikes and cars. Thus, Jaguar XK and Yamaha Gladiator are her hot favorite vehicles.



Filmography
Tamil Movies: Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, Badri, Roja Kootam.
Hindi Movies: Gandhi My Father, Family - Ties of Blood. Dil Jo Bhi Kahey, Dil Jise Apna Kahaa, Run, Tere Naam. Telugu Movies: Satyabhaama, Maya Bazaar, Jai Chiranjeeva, Samba, Missamma , Simhadri Okkadu, Aadento Adho Type Vasu , Rojapoolu, Snehamanthe Ideraa , Khushi, Yuvakudu.

Bhumika Chawla tied the nuptial knot with her long time friend Bharat Thakur (Yoga guru) on 9th December 2007. The marriage was performed in a simple ceremony attended by close relatives and friends of Chawla and Thakur.

She is currently taking a hiatus from her film career.

Bhumika Chawla - Biography

Image via Wikipedia

Bhumika Chawla, born on 21st August 1978, is the youngest daughter of Ajit Singh Chawla.
Her birth name is Rachna and she is affectionately called 'Gudiya'.

Bhumika Chawla completed her schooling from Delhi and then shifted to Mumbai to pursue her acting career.

She started her campaign in glamour world with" Ponds" talcum powder advertisement. Bhumika Chawla's charming smile in Ponds advertisement made her popular and she was noticed by film makers.

Her debut film was "Yuvakudu" (Telugu) but Bhumika Chawala got recognition as an actress through her second film "Khushi" (Telugu). Bhumika won best actress award for "Khushi". Since then she hasn't looked back and has done five films in Telugu and two in Tamil.

In Bollywood, she made a striking entry with" Tere Naam" opposite Salman Khan. She won Zee Cine Best New Comer (Female) Award for the film "Tere Naam".

Her other noted Hindi films are- "Run", "Dil Jo Bhi Kahey", "Family - Ties of Blood" and "Gandhi My Father".

Bhumika has keen interest in writing and has written more than 100 poems in English and she is planning to release a poem book.She also has keen interest in bikes and cars. Thus, Jaguar XK and Yamaha Gladiator are her hot favorite vehicles.



Filmography
Tamil Movies: Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, Badri, Roja Kootam.
Hindi Movies: Gandhi My Father, Family - Ties of Blood. Dil Jo Bhi Kahey, Dil Jise Apna Kahaa, Run, Tere Naam. Telugu Movies: Satyabhaama, Maya Bazaar, Jai Chiranjeeva, Samba, Missamma , Simhadri Okkadu, Aadento Adho Type Vasu , Rojapoolu, Snehamanthe Ideraa , Khushi, Yuvakudu.

Bhumika Chawla tied the nuptial knot with her long time friend Bharat Thakur (Yoga guru) on 9th December 2007. The marriage was performed in a simple ceremony attended by close relatives and friends of Chawla and Thakur.

She is currently taking a hiatus from her film career.

Instinctual Beauty-Saira Banu

Saira Banu was born on August 23, 1944 in India to actress Naseem Banu of 30s-40s, and the granddaughter of a courtesan Chamiyan Bai, also known as Shamshad Begum. Saira had spent a significant part of her childhood in London, and went to finish school.

Saira Banu's niece Shaheen Banu was also an actress who was married to former actor Sumeet Saigal and since divorced and remarried to Atul Patel and IFA in London. Always a fashion plate, Saira was forever encased in the pearl strings, chokers, mink stoles and mathapatti saris designed by mother Naseem.

Saira Banu also known as Saira Bano made her acting debut opposite Shammi Kapoor in the 1961 hit film Junglee for which she earned her first Filmfare nomination as Best Actress. It also instantly made Saira a successful actress throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. After having a long time affair with Rajendra Kumar, she got married to Dilip Kumar in 1966.

She wore a swimsuit in April Fool, followed by a number of movies including Resham Ki Dori, Victoria no. 203, International Crook, Saazish, Pocketmaar, Purab Aur Pacchim. Saira's chemistry with Dharmendra was awesome in Saazish.

Victoria No. 203 was the best among the lot where Saira put on a lovely show with all time famous Ranjeet.

Saira's valiant attempts to establish a reputation as an actress after Gopi, Sagina and Bairaag and films like Hrishikesh Mukherjee's Chaitali met with limited success.

Saira Banu did earn 3 additional Filmfare nominations as Best Actress for Shagird (1967), Diwana (1968), and Sagina (1974). In 1976, Saira chose to end her film career. In 1984 Saira appeared in a cameo opposite her husband in the film Duniya and made her last film appearance in the 1988 film Faisla.

Antara Mali

Antara Mali is an Indian actress who stars in Bollywood films. Antara is the daughter of noted photographer Jagdish Mali.

Antara Mali made her acting debut in the 1999 film Prema Katha which was directed by Ram Gopal Varma. Ram Gopal Varma became Mali's frequent collaborator and went on to make several movies with her, as he did with actress Urmila Matondkar.

Although Antara Mali was critically acclaimed for her performances in each of her films, she discontinued her acting career after production of her last film (Mr Ya Miss (2005) which she had also written and directed and the film didn't worked out and was critically panned. Antara Mali also wrote and directed Mr Ya Miss in the year 2005.

Let's have a quick look at the film career of the actress

Mr Ya Miss (2005)
Naach (2004)
Gayab (2004)
Main Madhuri Dixit Banna Chahti Hoon (2003)
Darna Mana Hai (2003)
Road (2002)
Company (2002)
Khiladi 420 (2000)
Mast (1999)
Prem Katha (1999)

In this last film, Antara Mali paid her tribute to the Bollywood legend Madhuri Dixit by playing an aspiring actress inspired by Madhuri in the movie Main Madhuri Diixit Banna Chahti Hoon.

The Bubbly Actress Neetu Singh

Neetu Singh was on born July 8, 1958. Neetu is an Indian and Bollywood Actress of the 70s. Neetu Singh worked as a child actor under the name Baby Sonia, she played as 'Roopa' (child actress) in 1966 movie 'Dus Lakh', Neetu also played dual roles in the hit film Do Kaliyan (1968), a remake of The Parent Trap. Neetu Singh made her debut as a heroine in 1972 with Rikshawala which flopped.

Neetu Singh took a small role in Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973), which became a hit, and her sizzling dance number to the song Lekar hum brought her so much attention that she was immediately elevated to heroine roles again.

In most of the films, Neetu Singh was cast as the fun-loving daughter or the optimistic or lively girlfriend. Well endowed, Neetu Singh danced with and romanced all the top young stars of her day, especially Rishi Kapoor with whom she appeared in half a dozen films.

Neetu Singh and Rishi Kapoor, when in 1979 after a much publicized engagement that was the talk of Bollywood, they were married. Neetu was at the top of her career, having just been nominated for a Filmfare Award as Best Supporting Actress for Kaala Pathar (1979), but Neetu retired.

Neetu Singh dismissed the allegation that she left films, because it was customary for actresses married to the famous Kapoor family to retire after marriage, claiming that it was her personal choice.

Neetu appeared alongside her costar and later husband Rishi Kapoor in over 12 films and the couple became a popular on and off-screen pair of Bollywood. Both, Rishi and Neetu dated each other for a while after which they got married on January 22nd 1980.

Some of the other notable films of Neetu Singh’s career are Parvarish, Doosra Admi, Great Gambler, Adalat, Yaarana, Yuvraj, Chakravyuh, Kasme Vaade and Dharamveer. In all Neetu Singh has acted in over 52 films.

A jovial, bubbly and chunky adolescent who acted in films just for fun and barely in her teens she was already a popular actress.

The irreplaceable actress- Meena Kumari

Meena Kumari or Mahjabeen Bano was born on August 1, 1932. Meena Kumari was an Indian movie actress and poetess. Meena Kumari is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema.

During a career spanning 30 years from her childhood to her death, she starred in more than 90 films, many of which have achieved classic and cult status today.

Meena Kumari gained a reputation for playing grief-stricken and tragic roles, and her performances have been praised and remembered throughout the years. Like one of her best-known roles, Chhoti Bahu, in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962), Kumari became addicted to alcohol. Her life and prosperous career were marred by heavy drinking, troubled relationships, an ensuing deteriorating health, and her death from liver cirrhosis in 1972.

Kumari is often cited by media and literary sources as "The Tragedy Queen", both for her frequent portrayal of sorrowful and dramatic roles in her films and her real-life story. Meena Kumari was the legendary tragedy queen of Indian Cinema who shot into stardom in the early 1950's.

Mahjabeen was renamed Baby Meena and her first film as a child was Farzand-e-Watan or Leatherface (1939), directed by Vijay Bhatt for Prakash Studios. She was the sole bread-earner of the family as she was given roles in films all throughout the 1940s. Her early adult work consisted of mainly mythological films like Veer Ghatotkach (1949), Shri Ganesh Mahima (1950) and fantasies like Alladin and The Wonderful Lamp (1952). Meena hit the big time with her mentor Vijay Bhatt's Baiju Bawra (1952).

Meena was known for her tragic roles and she too chose more such roles to cultivate her image of being the great tragidienne because in the few light-hearted films she did in-between like Azaad (1955), Miss Mary (1957), Shararat (1959), and Kohinoor (1960).

A reluctant entrant to films, her greatest celluloid fantasy, it seems, only waited for her dejection, and eventual death, before becoming a huge success. A legend when she was alive, and an irreplaceable actress after her death, Meena Kumari's iconic status will remain untouched for a long time to come."Gomti ke Kinare" was her last film.

The Living Legend-Asha Parekh

Asha Parekh was born into a middle-class Gujarati household on October 2, 1942 in Mahuva, Bhavnagar district, Gujarat. Since Asha Parekh was an only child, she became the centre of her parents' lives. Her mother enrolled her in Indian classical dance classes at an early age and Asha excelled at dancing to the point where she performed at stage shows and private functions.

Asha Parekh started her career as a child artiste under the screen name Baby Asha Parekh in the film Aasmaan (1952). Famed film director Bimal Roy saw her dance at a stage function and cast her at the tender age of twelve in Baap Beti (1954). The film's failure disappointed her and even though she did a couple more child roles, she quit to resume her schooling. Asha Parekh was one of the top stars in Hindi films from 1959 to 1973 and is said to have starred in more hit films than any other actress.

At the age of 16 Asha Parekh decided to try acting again and make her debut as a heroine, but Asha was rejected from Vijay Bhatt's Goonj Uthi Shehnai (1959) in favor of actress Ameeta, because the filmmaker claimed she was not star material. The very next day, film producer Subodh Mukherjee and writer-director Nasir Hussain cast her as the heroine in Dil Deke Dekho (1959) opposite Shammi Kapoor which made her a huge star.
Asha stopped acting in 1995 to pursue directing and producing television serials, but her acting accomplishments were not forgotten as she received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2002.

Asha Parekh has continued to receive other Lifetime Achievement Awards: Kalakar Award in 2004; International Indian Film Academy Awards in 2006; Pune International Film Festival Award (2007); Ninth Annual Bollywood Award (2007) in Long Island, New York. Asha received the Living Legend Award from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FICCI).

Konkona Sen Sharma

Konkona Sen Sharma was born December 3, 1979. She is an Indian actress. Sharma appears primarily in Indian arthouse and independent films, and her achievements in the genre have established her as one of the leading actresses of contemporary parallel cinema.

Making her debut as a child artist in the film Indira (1983), Konkona Sen Sharma debuted as an adult in the Bengali thriller Ek Je Aachhe Kanya (2000). She first gained attention with the English-language film Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002), which was directed by her mother, and received the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in the film.
Konkona acted in Dosar, a highly acclaimed Bengali film by Rituporno Ghosh. Sharma won the best actress award at Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council (MIAAC) Film Festival for this film.

konkona's first release of 2007, Traffic Signal (2007) didn't performed well at the box office, but she received good reviews for her performance. Her second released film of 2007, Life in a Metro, was released to good reviews and emerged as a hit in India.

Sharma's performance as a confused girl was praised a lot and she won her second Filmfare Award for this performance. In late 2007, Konkona acted in two movies under Yash Raj Films banner. In the first one, Pradeep Sarkar's drama Laaga Chunari Mein Daag, she portrayed the character of a Banaras small town young woman, Chutki alongside Rani Mukherji. The film was a critical and commercial failure in India, even though her performance was highly praised.

The second one was Aaja Nachle; the comeback film of Madhuri Dixit. This film did not do well at box office but Konkona got good reviews for her performance in the film.

In 2008, Konkona starred in Dil Kabaddi, which was a flop. Moreover, Konkona also starred in a short film ‘How Can It Be?’ directed by Mira Nair for a movie project called 8, which screened at Rome Film Festival and Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council Film Festival (MIAAC), 2008.

In 2009, there followed by low-budget English film The President Is Coming , directed by Kunaal Roy Kapur. her upcoming releases for 2009 are Amavas, Right Ya Wrong, Sunglass, Wake Up Sid.

Konkona Sen Sharma does not fit into the conventional Bollywood actress mould and put her acting talents to use initially in contemporary cinema moving every now and then into the commercial stream.