How Does Bollywood Impact Indian Lifestyle?

Cinema is said to be the mirror of society but it itself is quite influential and has deep impact on the minds of the viewers. We follow movies ardently and even carry them into our lives using services like Bollywood mobile sites and widgets on our cell phones. There are several things that we take from movies and make them a part of our lifestyles, knowingly or unknowingly.

Lots of people use a particular brand of soap, shampoo, car, mobile or clothes just because their favorite Bollywood actors advertise them. And this is not the only way Bollywood impacts us. We even like to copy the stars' fashion statements and styles from their popular movies. And these are just a few of the many visible or invisible influences that Bollywood has on our lives.

Movies like Babul raising issues of widow-remarriage or those like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham reasserting Indian cultural values of respect for parents' views, tend to make us wonder whether Bollywood is merely about entertainment. Rang De Basanti brought forth the very sticky and political issue of MIG crashes that was pushed into oblivion. It was only after the movie that people started demanding accountability.

There are several medium budget movies, especially from the new generation directors like Madhur Bhandarkar and Prakash Mehra, which call for rethinking of the lives around us. They not only force us to question the establishment but also make us aware of our rights and obligations, which generally remain unnoticed, even despite government awareness programs. The movies have also acted as eye openers for public by bringing forth socio-political issues, for instance in movies like Rann, Gulaal and Corporate.

The new wave of Indian cinema has more arduously started experimenting with new subject matters that are closer to our lives. So, if your son has come back after watching 3 Idiots and has decided that he does not want to be an engineer anymore, you will understand how this age of bollywood mobile is getting into your lives for real.

Life of Bollywood and Hollywood Actresses

Every little child dreams of becoming an actress at least once in her childhood. For some it is just a passing fancy, for others it is a bit more serious. Out of the thousands that are serious about taking it up as a profession, only a few make it big in the film industries across the world, most do not and have to lead their life doing either theater or low grade movies. Even those that make it big in the industry have to struggle a lot during the starting years. All have to wait for that one big break, that one hit movie that can propel them to stardom. Till that movie comes across it is struggle for everyone.

There are acting schools which teach the art of acting as far as the industry is concerned talent has very little to do with making it big in most cases. However one thing that is sure is that once you make it in the industry, there is no stopping you. Hollywood actresses truly live the life of a queen, the one that everyone dreams of in the childhood. There is work but apart from that, there are also parties to attend, promotions and public functions to visit and also there a lot of autographs to be signed. There is a lot of glamour to the job.

Not far behind is the Indian film industry. A Bollywood actress too has a very glamorous job. Now that the Indian film industry is going global, there is lot more international stardom to Bollywood actresses. Bollywood actresses are also being signed for international movies. India is a country that makes the largest number of movies each year. Apart from Bollywood there are also a lot of vernacular film industries. For example there is the tamil film industry in the state of Tamil Nadu. A tamil actress enjoys stardom but at a local level. She is a star in her own state. There are many actresses who are not successful in Bollywood. They switch over to the tamil film industry.

The level of exposure is different for actresses of the different industries. However all the people that know an actress idolize her! It is important for an actress to maintain a certain standard of public life for people to follow. The media plays a very important role in the life of any actress. Since every aspect of stardom is dependent on being popular with the people, the media can make life great for an actress or in some cases make it scandalous. It is therefore important to take care what she does and how she makes her moves when she is in front of public eyes.

Best Bollywood Actor and Actress

 was the year of inane comedies and theme oriented movies. Quality was appreciated and slapstick humor were digested without a burp. On one hand, we had the inane, slapstick comedies like Golmaal Returns and Singh is Kinng as big hits, there were also few surprises in the form of Aamir, Mumbai Meri Jaan and A Wednesday. This triumvirate of theme based movies, based on terror acts and bomb blasts were high on quality and appreciated by both the critics and the masses. A Wednesday particularly stood out for its engaging dialogues and script sense. Towards the end of the year, the two Khans dominated the Bollywood scene. While Shahrukh Khan scored with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Aamir Khan's Ghajini became the biggest hit of the year, raking in as much as whopping Rs. 33 crores world wide in the first day itself. At the point of writing, Ghajini is still riding very strongly and hopes to reach the magical figure of Rs. 100 crores in three weeks.

Among the guys, the year did not belong to one particular actor like it did for Akshay Kumar in 2007. The biggies Akshay Kumar (Singh is Kinng), Shahrukh Khan (Rab Ne), Hrithik Roshan (Jodhaa Akbar), Saif Ali Khan (Race) and Aamir Khan (Ghajini) had all one hit each. Oops, one big name is missing. Ah! there you are: Salman Khan. Salman had a bad year professionally. Two of his movies, God Tussi Great Ho and Yuvvraaj, flopped miserably at the box office.

Among the veterans, Naseeruddin Shah had a good year with two big hits, A Wednesday and Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. Amitabh Bachchan did not have a good 2008 with God Tussi Great Ho, Bhootnath and the Last Lear not doing well. The only saving grace was an average Sarkar Raj. But his box office status is unfazed. Son Abhishek Bachchan had a mega flop in the form of Drona and a semi hit in the form of Dostana. John Abraham also had Dostana to his credit while Emran Hashmi was safe and secure with Jannat doing well. Ajay Devgan had a disastrous directorial debut U,Me aur Hum in which he acted. Fortunately, he had one hit Golmaal Returns to his credit. Shreyas Talpade had two hits in the form of Golmaal Returns and Welcome to Sajjanpur. Shahid Kapur had to be content with an above average Kismet Konnection.

Among the girls, perhaps no one suffered so much professionally as Priyanka Chopra. In the same vein, we can say perhaps no one benefited as much in 2008 as Priyanka Chopra. Priyanka Chopra starred in four of the worst flops of 2008: Love Story 2050, Drona, God Tussi Great Ho and Chamku. However a strong performance oriented role in Fashion, turned the tide for heels. Following close on the heels of Fashion, was Dostana. Priyanka Chopra had an average year in 2008. Kareena Kapoor looked hot and sexy in 2008, but her size zero figure could not save Tashan from being the worst film of 2008. Kareena Kapoor was able to salvage some glory in Golmaal Returns. Minissha Lamba donned a sexy avatar which did not help Kidnap at all. However, she achieved some solace in Bachna Ae Haseeno. Deepika Padukone had one hit, as well in the form of Bachna Ae Haseeno. Rani Mukherjee and Amisha Patel, both flopped again this year with their only film Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic losing out. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan had a hit in Jodhaa Akbar while Katrina Kaif scored in Race and Singh is Kinng. Her other movie Yuvvraaj sank without a trace. Vidya Balan had a semi hit in Kismet Konnection. Bipasha Basu, arguably, the sexiest actress of 2008, is the only actress with 100 percent success rate. The oomphilicious Bipasha Basu, sexy and sassy had two hits, Race and Bachna Ae Haseeno to her credit.

There were two South Indian beauties who appeared in Bollywood, one in a changed avatar and the other making a fresh appearance. Genelia D'Souza who had previously starred in Masti, years ago, starred in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, the youth hit, as a teeny bopper. Her fantastic performance and cute looks earned her a legion of fans. Asin, another southern sensation debuted in the biggest Bollywood hit of 2008, Ghajini. Asin's performance is being widely appreciated. The other list of female newcomers in Bollywood include: Anushka Sharma (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi), Sonal Chauhan (Jannat) and Adah Sharma (1920).

Among the guys making debut in Bollywood, Imran Khan, nephew of Aamir Khan had a fantastic debut in one of the biggest hits of 2008, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. However he couldn't follow it up with his second movie Kidnap biting the dust. Another new comer, Harman Baweja, Priyanka Chopra's boyfriend, starred in one of the worst films of 2008, Love Story 2050. Incidentally both Jaane Tu and Lovestory 2050, released on the same day. Rajneesh Duggal debuted in 1920 while Mithun Chakraborthy's son Mimmoh had a pathetic flop in the form of Jimmy, as his debut film. Here's hoping 2009 sees better movies, better performances and better surprises!

V.S.ARUNRAJ, in his entertaining blog Bollywood Trends gives a low-down on the news, views, reviews, masala and trends of the biggest and the busiest film industry in the world-Bollywood.

Shahrukh Khan - The Great Bollywood Actors

Shahrukh Khan, who at the moment is Bollywood no.1 actor was born on November 2, 1965 in Talwar Elderly Care New Delhi. Sharukh's father's is called Taj Mohammed Khan and his mother's title is Lateef Fatima. Sharukh's father was in transports business and his mother was a social worker and she was also a top class justice of the peace. Shahrukh Khan aslo has a sister, Shehnaz. Sharukh married in 1991 to Gauri Khan and now they've two children: Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan.

He went to school in St Columba's School. He has got an Honours Degree in Financial aspects from Hasan Raj College Delhi. After that he went for a Masters Degree in Mass Communications at Jamia Millia Islamia College.

Sharukh started first from television serials. He acted in a couple of serials like the drama serial Fauji in which he acted in the role of Abhimanyu Rai. He also acted in the serial Circus, which revolved around the lives of circus entertainers. After the death of his parents he moved to Mumbai. This is where he acted in his first movie Deewana. Shahrukh khan was praised for his roles in the movies "Darr" and Baazigar". In both these movies he got the role of a villain. His biggest break came with his role in the movie "Dilwale dulhania le jayenge' HE played a romantic role in this movie opposite Kajol. This movie broke some records and set new standards for good movies in Bollywood. This was also the beginning of his superstar status. After his big success he regularly worked with big names in bollywood film industry.

Together with Juhi Chawla, Shahrukh khan also started "Dreams Limitless", film Production Company. The first two films they produced were big box office flops. But his third movie Chalte Chalte did well at the cinemas. In 2004 Shahrukh khan produced another movie, Main hoon na. He did this under the banner of another company he owns, Chillie entertainment. Main hoon na also did well. Paheli was forwarded for an Oscar but did not win any awards. With his friend Karan Johar he did another co-production, But that film did not do well at the box office. Till now he has acted in almost 60 films.

Sharukh is one of the few people in Bollywood who doesn't has any disputes. He always tries to keep himself away from controversies with other actors. Every actress in Bollywood wants to act in a movie with Shahrukh khan ones in their career. He is also very popular with NRI's. He is so popular that at the moment no other actor can compare him to Shahrukh khan. Shahrukh khan seems not to be slowing down and is planning to go even further.

Facts and Facks about Bollywood Celebrities

The world is a global marketplace and where once India was faced with watching Hollywood reruns, Bollywood is now one of the largest most powerful motion picture production facilities in the world.

Statistics: 1000 Hindi-language films are produced every year. Ticket sales exceed 3.6 billion.

Hollywood has its stars, so too does Bollywood and while the world's tabloids may focus on Britney Spears, Yana Gupta and Abhay Deol are not far behind with a relationship that was secret, but now has been made public.

Randeep Hooda and Sushmita Sen are rumored to be having secret meetings on horseback, but the rumors were denied... "Where do you hear all this? Its complete rubbish," laughs Sushmita. Aishwarya Rai has no intentions of quitting movies simply because she is married; and is paired with Gerard Depardieu in the film Asterix at the Olympic Games.

Another of Bollywood's babes Monalisa (real name Antara Biswas) continues to draw attention and gasps from men (and some women) across India as she posses in revealing photographs and videos. Talking of photoshoots Gauri Khan graces the cover of US magazine "Vogue" and tells all in an expo'se.

Deepika Padukone a beautiful Bollywood heartbreaker, makes movies (latest Om Shanti Om) and works toward a Bachelors degree at Indira Gandhi National Open University. Heartbreakers John Abraham and Bipasha Basu have exchanged rings and will be married soon. Bollywood may never be the same with these eligible Bollywood stars getting hitched.

Bollywood stars don't let the fame get in the way of their faith though. Amitabh Bachchan has not forgotten his faith recently travelling to the Golden Temple and the Durgiana temple to offer prayers for the actor's mother actor's mother Teji Bachchan.

Sonali Kulkarni, breaks her silence and tells the world about her transparent dress, claiming she wears it all the time and it was merely a trick of the light. As for this reporter, I plan to travel with a flash light from now on.

Bollywood news, much like Hollywood loves to have a glimpse into the minds, hearts and lives of their stars. It is sometimes amazing that a movie star is simply a person; living life just like the rest of us.

Chhote Nawab has committed his heart to Kareena Kapoor. While there is rumor of trouble, Chhote says, "A lot of people say a lot of things. She's the most wonderful person I know".

Bollywood is not above capitalizing on the fact their actors and actresses often undertake new, challenging and often controversial roles. Mallika Sherawat is being considered by director Kundan Shah's for the role of a prostitute-turned-politician in his new film. Rakesh Roshan has deprived Deepika Padukone of fame and fortune and the Bollywood "A list", turning her down for consideration in the new film staring Hrithik Roshan.

Bollywood may play second to Hollywood, but those times may soon change if writer's strikes and inflated production continue to drive producers away from the golden shores of LA. Bollywood is here to stay and Britney Spears may soon be calling. Bollywood has its own internationally known stars such as the actress Shilpa Shetty who has recently appeared in the controversial United Kingdom's Big Brother television program.

Fact or Fiction: Bollywood is a real city in India? Bollywood is not an actual place; it was created in the minds of the press. (Bombay and Hollywood) And while there are many critics, stating this makes us appear as second cousins to Hollywood; it is a name that seems destined to remain.

Life Style of Bollywood Actress Sonam Kapoor

In the new basement offices of Maxim, the British lads' magazine launched in India this month, Sunil Mehra, the editor, sets out his policy. ‘We don't do breasts. We don't do nipples. We do cleavage - that's our cultural template,' he said.

Studying proofs of the magazine's second edition, Mehra is navigating new terrain, trying to identify the boundaries of sexual acceptability in an increasingly permissive India. For the first issue he erred on the side of lewdness, superimposing the head of a famous actress on the body of a woman wearing transparent knickers, and ended up fighting off legal proceedings. Now he is veering towards caution. February's cover girl is Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor and the strapline promises ‘Eye-frying pics: More Kareena - Less Clothes'. On the cover Kapoor displays maybe an inch of midriff, but otherwise looks as if she could be on the way to meet her grandmother. Inside, pictures show her draped across a sofa, wearing a sensible T-shirt and a skirt which is only a tiny bit short. Readers' eyes will remain unfried.

Gentle titillation appears to be a winning formula. ‘I have to walk a razor- fine line,' Mehra said. ‘This is India, after all. I don't think Indian men are comfortable with total nudity.'

Maxim's arrival is the first attempt to export lad culture to India, but publishers of other men's titles have also expressed interest in targeting its growing population of rich young male consumers. The rival Condé Nast group is looking at bringing GQ to India and Playboy's chief executive, Christie Hefner, daughter of the magazine's founder, Hugh, said her company was aiming at a launch, though its magazine ‘would not have nudity and I don't think it would be called Playboy'

Most media analysts agree India has no lad culture of the sort that fuelled Maxim's success when it launched in Britain in 1995, but 80,000 copies of the first Indian edition sold out in 10 days. ‘This is just the beginning; others will follow,' Suhel Seth, a Delhi-based advertising executive said. ‘There have always been flesh magazines in India, but until recently you wouldn't want to be seen carrying them, so they were sold in paper bags. That paper bag culture has been dispensed with.'

Vasanti Rao, director of the Centre for Media Studies in Delhi, said there would be a market for lads' mags among a new generation of young men, living alone for the first time. ‘In the countryside people live with extended families. You would not want to sit with your sisters reading this. Changing lifestyles in urban India have given people a new privacy.'

International women's magazines such as Cosmopolitan have been pushing the boundaries of sexual openness in India for about a decade, but the men's market has not previously been targeted by foreign publishers. Among the domestic English-language titles available, Indian men could choose from Man's World, offering gardening and interior decoration tips, or Debonair, showing skimpily dressed girls headlined ‘nubile nymphets'. Pornography is illegal, but available under the counter.

Attitudes towards sex are changing swiftly in India, but Puritanism and permissiveness still coexist. Many Bollywood films still use such euphemisms as thunder or butterflies kissing to denote sex, and there is a long way to go before the nation readopts the relaxed mindset which inspired the Kama Sutra. Beyond the capital, displays of conservatism can be extreme. This month TV images were broadcast across the country of police in the northern town of Meerut beating young couples sitting in a park as part of a drive to eliminate ‘indecent displays' of affection between unmarried couples.

When the actress Khushboo, who goes by one name, said last year that men should not expect their brides to be virgins, arguing that premarital sex was fine as long as it was safe, she was pelted with tomatoes, old shoes and rotten eggs by conservative groups and taken to court.

Instead of celebrating her stance, Maxim's inaugural edition had a mocked-up photograph of Khushboo half naked beneath a slogan declaring: ‘Of course, I am a virgin if you don't count from the behind.' Khushboo threatened to sue and Maxim was forced last week to make a public apology.

Bollywood's Impact on Indian Lifestyle

Cinema is said to be the mirror of society but it itself is quite influential and has deep impact on the minds of the viewers. We follow movies ardently and even carry them into our lives using services like Bollywood mobile sites and widgets on our cell phones. There are several things that we take from movies and make them a part of our lifestyles, knowingly or unknowingly.

Lots of people use a particular brand of soap, shampoo, car, mobile or clothes just because their favorite Bollywood actors advertise them. And this is not the only way Bollywood impacts us. We even like to copy the stars' fashion statements and styles from their popular movies. And these are just a few of the many visible or invisible influences that Bollywood has on our lives.

Movies like Babul raising issues of widow-remarriage or those like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham reasserting Indian cultural values of respect for parents' views, tend to make us wonder whether Bollywood is merely about entertainment. Rang De Basanti brought forth the very sticky and political issue of MIG crashes that was pushed into oblivion. It was only after the movie that people started demanding accountability.

There are several medium budget movies, especially from the new generation directors like Madhur Bhandarkar and Prakash Mehra, which call for rethinking of the lives around us. They not only force us to question the establishment but also make us aware of our rights and obligations, which generally remain unnoticed, even despite government awareness programs. The movies have also acted as eye openers for public by bringing forth socio-political issues, for instance in movies like Rann, Gulaal and Corporate.

The new wave of Indian cinema has more arduously started experimenting with new subject matters that are closer to our lives. So, if your son has come back after watching 3 Idiots and has decided that he does not want to be an engineer anymore, you will understand how this age of bollywood mobile is getting into your lives for real.

Shahrukh Khan, How Became King Khan

Shahrukh Khan is perhaps the most loved Indian actor alive. From the most sought after actor to the most influential pop culture icon, the story of king khan is an inspiration to thousands of aspiring actors. Born on 02 November, 1965 in New Delhi to a middle class Muslim Family, Shahrukh never thought he would become one of the most popular men in the world. Both his parents migrated from Pakistan to India during the partition of Indian sub-continent in 1947.

Shahrukh Khan studied at St. Columba's school in New Delhi. He was not particularly good in studies but he was very much involved in extra curricular activities like sports and drama. Shahrukh Khan moved to Mumbai in 1991 to pursue a career in Bollywood. He had already done a few television series in Delhi and though he was not a household name at that time but he wasn't a nobody either. The same year even before sigining up a single movie in Bollywood, Shahrukh Khan married Gauri Chibber. Gauri Chibber belonged to a Hindu Family and neither she nor Shahrukh changed their religions. The wedding was performed as a traditional Hindu wedding.

Before landing in Mumbai, Shahrukh had already done his homework. He learned acting while working with famous theatre director Barry John's Theatre Action Group. After that in 1987 he debuted on television by appearing as commando Abhimanyu in t.v. series Fauji. Later he worked with Aziz Mirza for the tv series Circus. Shahrukh's bollywood debut movie was Deewana released in 1992. It was a box office hit and Shahrukh's career launched with a great success, however his next film Maya Memsaab didn't do that well on the box office. In 1992, Shahrukh Khan appeared in two very similar roles of an anti-hero in two different movies Darr and Bazigar. Darr was produced and directed by Yash Chopra one of the most successful Hindi film directors of all time. Both these movies did great business, not only these movies established Shahrukh Khan as the most popular new actors in Bollywood, they also had huge influence on the popular culture.

Looking at King Khan's career one would notice that Shahrukh worked with some directors more than others. He worked in several movies with Aziz Mirza, Yash Chopra and his son Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, Farah Khan, etc. He has very good friendship with all these film makers and many claim that these friendships helped Shahrukh a lot in his career. His performances are often compared with fellow actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan. He has won Padma Shri one of the highest Indian civil awards for his career.

In the past decade Shah rukh Khan diversified his career a lot. He hosted TV show 'Kaun Banega Crorepati", appeared in advertisements, signed brand ambassador deals with world famous brands, produced big budget Bollywood movies, and bought a cricket team Kolkatta Knight Riders. He lives with his wife and two children in his house called "Mannat" which is situated in Bandra and is worth more than USD $27.5 Million.