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Bollywood Numerology – Stars who believe in their “stars”

mridula — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 07:53:34 +0000

Today’s Times of India had a lead article on the fact that Sonu Nigam has changed the spelling of his name back to his original Sonu Nigam. Following some numerology concept he had earlier opted for the awkward sounding Nigaam, but as he states in his interview, “that phase is now over. I am happy with the astrological arrangements I was born with, I am happy finding success with my original name – Sonu Nigam”
This article has only accentuated a trend that has become very popular with the stars of Bollywood. Following the advice of numerologists they not only change the spellings of their name but also those of their films and TV serials. This manifests itself in odd spellings, difficult pronunciations and names that seem totally out of sync with the concept of the film.
The reasons why this is being done are fairly well known and common to all the different aspects of the movie industry. As film critic Taran Adarsh has stated – “There is a lot at stake here, so filmmakers have always taken recourse to superstitions. Almost everyone does it in some way or the other. And numerology is one of them.”
However the numerologists believe that numerology is a science. Numbers are assigned to each alphabet and they match the numbers to the date of birth of the person concerned. In order to give it a perfect match the spellings of the name may be changed so that the numbers match, and greater luck and good fortune hopefully shall become a part of the individual’s life.
Whether you agree with this rationale or not, you have to accept the fact that most of Bollywood seems to agree with it! There are numerous examples of how names of films and TV serials have been changed. Ekta Kapoor, the diva of the small screen, follows the advice of her favourite numerologists, the Jhumani’s before she names any serial or film. Niraj Manchanda is another popular numerologist who claims to have been behind the success of many a film and Bollywood star.
There are many instances of Bollywood luminaries who have changed the spelling of their names on the advice of a numerologist. Anu Malik became Anu Malek, Emran Hashmi became Emraan Hashmi, though that does not seem to have helped his career a great deal, Sunil Shetty became Suniel Shetty and Kiron Kher became Kirron Kher.
There are other instances of where the film title spellings were changed on the advice of a numerologist. Extra “ÿ” were added to Namstey London and Heyy Babyy, the innumerable “z’s”in Karzzz were obviously the result of input from a numerologist and the extra “a” in Jodhaa Akbar seems to have been the result of numerology calculations.
Whether we lay people agree with this rationale or not is not of much consequence. What is evident is that the stars believe in “stars” and would rather follow them than leave things to chance and circumstances. On occasions when even changing spellings does not seem to add to the success of a film or a star, the blame falls on “other” mitigating circumstances such as time of release of film, wrong compatibility with the numerology of other co-stars etc. etc.

Top 5 acting talents to watch out for

mridula — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:10:01 +0000

Whenever a new star shines in the Bollywood firmament, all of us greet it with great enthusiasm. One box office hit and they are touted as the next superstar. One flop and we consign them to dungeons of forgotten stars. But occasionally one of them shines with a rare brilliance and we realise that here is a star who is here to stay.
Among these luminous stars we have chosen five who we feel stand head and shoulders above the others.
Ranbir Kapoor :
With a lineage like his, it is not surprising that he has shown such immense talent. Apart from being a great looking guy, he obviously takes good care of his physique. But these are not enough to carry him through. His ability to slip into comedy and light entertaining roles such as in Ajan Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani” and then move on to serious roles like “Rajneeti “with equanimity proves that he is comfortable in all roles. He has a great deal of charm and grace and if he chooses his films well, he is sure to go far.
Soha Ali Khan :
Another great lineage, but here is a young girl who looks different and plays different roles, without attempting to fit into the persona of a box office star. Her restrained acting and her lovely smile have made us all sit up and notice. Rang De Basanti had her playing a small role, and yet managing to leave a mark on the audience. Her films may not have garnered much box-office moolah, but she has received rave reviews for her performances.
Asin:
To be pitted against a stalwart such as Aamir Khan and still not get submerged requires a great deal of talent and self-confidence. Asin did just that in Ghajini, and today is one of the most sought after stars in Bollywood. She came to Bollywood after having made her mark in Malyalam and Telugu films, where she had won numerous awards. Her talent is well known and documented and we are sure that the Bollywood film industry has not seen the last of her.
Shahid Kapoor:
Despite his chocolate looks and an amazing smile, Shahid Kapoor has proved that he is capable of playing more than just romantic roles. Kaminey showed us a totally new side to his acting talents and along with Priyanka Chopra, they gave us one of the year’s biggest hits. In the light and frothy Jab We Met he showed us what a phenomenal dancer he is. This young man has taken some time to make his mark, but we are not likely to forget him in a hurry.
Genelia D’Souza:
Simple looks, and an ability to blend into any role has made Genelia a force to be reckoned with. She has achieved a great deal of success in Telugu and Kannada films. With Jaane Tu Ya Janne Na, the Bollywood box office screen also became a part of her life. Chance Pe Dance did not become a box office success but her acting talents did not go unnoticed.

The most enduring superstars of yesteryears

mridula — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 05:28:39 +0000

Superstars is an adjective which is rarely attached to the new stars of 21st Century Bollywood. There are stars and actors and there are prodigies and immensely talented youngsters, but can you name a single actor who can be termed a superstar? Maybe Shahrukh Khan and Aamir Khan come close to this category, but here also there is a slight hesitation in terming them as superstars.
When we look back many decades and think of the stars which ruled the Bollywood skies, we find that many of them have just faded away or have opted to retire to a life of memories and peace and quiet. There are very few who still remain and who have managed to remain a part of the filmy scene and have also not become a mockery of their old persona.
Amitabh Bachchan is of course the first and most prominent example among the enduring superstars of yesteryears. This phrase is not quite apt for him, since he is a superstar of present times also, but when we recollect the fact that his first film was released over four decades earlier, we realize that he is definitely the most enduring star of all times. Even today he can command his own price and roles which seem to have been written specifically for him.
Hema Malini can also be counted as one of the most enduring superstars of many decades. She still looks graceful and beautiful, and her acting is flawless as always. Baghban brought her back on the box office stage with a bang and we look forward to many more years of fine performances.
Waheeda Rehman and Sharmila Tagore do not come on the silver screen as often as we would like them to, but that may be due to their own choices in life. But whenever they do star in a film, they shine with an incandescent glow.
Rishi Kapoor is another actor who despite having become nice and round, does a great job as the avuncular uncle or father in the newer films. He carries years of experience and tradition on his shoulders, and his joy in his craft is evident in every role.
Mithun Chakravarty, the ultimate Disco Dancer, has become popular as a reality show host. He may no longer be very nimble on his feet, but he still has the grace and the expertise to guide the newer aspirants who would like to step into his dancing shoes.
There are many more superstars who we would like to see once again, even though it may be for short scenes or roles. Dev Anand does keep coming back with new flop shows, but he only seems to remind us of the fact that he is no longer a superstar, just a mockery of his old self. Naseeruddin Shah was never a superstar, but he along with Amol Palekar has managed to retain his own niche as a phenomenal character actor.
We miss Shammi Kapoor, Dilip Kumar, Rajesh Khanna, Zeenat Aman, Mumtaz and many others – they were the true superstars and in their heyday they could give any of the new “stars” a run for their money.

Our “Evergreen ” Stars – should we ask them to gracefully fade away?

mridula — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 04:29:00 +0000

Sean Connery – now there is a man who even with a white beard and age lines on his handsome face can still cause many hearts to flutter. He has aged gracefully and with each advancing year he seems to be getting better roles and getter better at playing them. Here is an actor who has not tried to hide his age behind plastic surgery and dyed hair.
Robert Redford – another example of a phenomenal actor who has grown old gracefully and has accepted roles where his age is not a mitigating factor but an asset. The finely chiselled face only seems to become handsomer as he grows older.
We can name many more actors and actresses in Hollywood and in other parts of the world who did not try to hold onto a fading glory, but turned it into a positive feature. Sharon Stone, Shirley Maclaine, Morgan Freeman are but a few illustrations in front of us.
But once we move towards Bollywood we are hard put to find too many such examples. Amitabh Bachchan is one of the rare exceptions which prove the rule. He still towers over the Bollywood stage and the gravelled voice and the ability to play any roles – whether comedy or drama with grace and elan make him the king of our film industry.
But on the other side of the coin we have many actors and actresses who seem to have forgotten a certain arithmetic in their lives. The years being added to their age is something that they would prefer not to remember. They have obvious plastic surgery signs – Dev Anand being a prime example of this. Even if they leave the wrinkles and fine lines on their faces, they offset them by heavily dyed hair. They seem to accept roles which should have been played by younger stars, and they come on reality shows where even in their capacity as avuncular judges, they seem to be competing with the young and nubile contestants.
We do not feel that they should just fade away from the scene. After all, they have many years of experience and expertise. The fact that they are not being offered meatier roles which suit them may be one of the major causes why they seem to be trying to hold on to their fleeting glory.
Just think of a film where Sharmila Tagore, a rare example of a graceful older actress can be pitted against stars such as Anupam Kher and Amitabh Bachchan. Paul Newman never moved away from the centrestage, since directors were always offering him excellent roles. Maybe our producers and directors can do the same with our thespian Dilip Kumar or with Dharmendra and Mithun Chakravarty. Naseeruddin Shah and Amol Palekar in “A Wednesday” are a prime example of two superb actors carrying an entire film on their shoulders.
Let us not ask them to retire, but let us request them to let age move in gracefully and use it to their advantage. They were our idols for a long time, and we happily accept the fact that like many of us, they have grown older and wiser. But if they insist on playing roles which do not suit them, then maybe a retirement home maybe a good idea!

Aamir Khan’s Success Secrets – The Genius of Bollywood Movies!

prateek — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:12:32 +0000

Aamir Khan is often tagged as a maverick, a perfectionist, a genius in marketing Bollywood movies and sometimes, ‘Mr Blockbuster Khan’. It is not easy enough to slot this guy. He has successfully handled the four spheres of film making which perhaps none of his contemporaries have managed to do – Acting, Direction, Production and Marketing. Surely Aamir has something unique in planning every movie till the end and to the top of Bollywood box-office blockbusters. First it was Ghajini which broke records and then 3 idiots. So what is it that keeps Aamir ticking, all the time?

1. Determination and Hard work: There is nothing more important than hard work, and Aamir Khan strongly believes in this age-old proverb. He, through his movies, keeps saying, “Aaj college ka aakhri din hai…” , from his first successful film ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ to the very recent 3 Idiots. This has happened only because of his passion and determination to be the best.

Aamir Khan as Mangal Pandey. Almost ironical as he is actually a 'rebel'.

2. ‘Being a Rebel’ and taking time to sign a deal: Though for Aamir Khan’s fans it is heart wrenching, but Mr Perfectionist had decided last year not to star any film in 2010 because for him quality is far far far more important than quantity. Aamir takes time to read every single script until the story satisfies him, completely.

3. The professional/personal balance: There is nothing single most devastating fact to mar one’s career than mixing one’s personal life and working life together. Aamir surely is not one of them. He is deliberately keeping his personal life from his working.

4. A Strong Nose For Scripts: All the other secrets can be attributed to his determination and practice. But his nose for script is purely god gifted. Absolutely perfect. He knows what will tick and what will not. Even though Aamir prefers his work to speak for itself, but he has told his fans to wait for 2012 for his full fledged role.

5. Unique marketing ideas: Many the Bollywood stars carry out proper promotional campaigns for their movies, but Aamir transcends them all. He not only promotes his films but markets them. Be it by cutting the popular Ghajini buzz cut hair style or disguising himself to talk to his audiences, he has pioneered marketing and promotion in Bollywood like no one has.

Aamir flaunting a tough six pack in 2008's super blockbuster Ghajini.

Aamir has broken all possible ‘rules’ of cinema, in particular of Bollywood and Hindi films single-handedly. His films will gladly testify to this fact:

In 2001, Aamir produced the Oscar nominated film ‘Lagaan’. Now this was a film in which a bunch of villagers play cricket with the local British officials to save them from tax. A sports based movie, based in history? Seriously? Who in their right minds would have thought this film to be successful? Aamir Khan.

In 2006, he repeated this stunt with ‘Rang De Basanti’, a film based on Bhagat Singh. The interesting thing to note about the time of release of this film was that in the same year, 5 other Bhagat Singh movies had been made and flopped severely at the box office which clearly showed what the audience thought about the subject. But when Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra showed his script of RDB to Aamir, he said a yes. And sure enough, the film was as successful as anything. So successful that it sparked a sense of rebelling in the citizens of India and they led ‘RDB-style’ marches to protest Jessica Lal’s murder.

However, it was in 2007 that Aamir actually proved his mettle as a successful filmmaker. Commercially and critically. It was ‘Taare Zameen Par’ that made people sit up and notice ’ the meaning of meaningful cinema’. The film was about a young dyslexic child and how he overcomes his problems, teaching several important lessons to parents, teachers and kids on the way. Critically acclaimed all over the world and smashing records in India, TZP cemented Aamir’s status as the ultimate filmmaker of Bollywood.

What needs to be understood about this movie is:

1. The theme – A serious story about a child with learning disabilities as opposed to a love story/action flick which are staples of Indian cinema.

2. The stars – Only one – Aamir Khan that too for the latter half of the movie. It’s actually Darsheel who steals the show as Ishan Awasthi. Aamir only comes after half the movie is over, dressed as a clown.

3. No ‘commercial masala’ – The movie lacks big budgets, big stars, no song sequences – in fact nothing about TZP was conventional Bollywood. Only a man like Aamir could churn this into a commercial success.

This year’s Peepli [Live], was another Aamir Khan production that was much appreciated throughout the country. One of the best satires to come out of Bollywood in recent years, Peepli Live talked about farmer suicides, vote-bank politics, and the media frenzy that is currently rampant all over the country.

How he does it is pretty clear. The question is, why don’t other filmmakers learn from Aamir and continue to produce, direct and create trash that goes by without stirring one genuine emotion?

Read this post on Wikipedia to know more about Aamir Khan.

6 Gorgeous New faces of Bollywood

mridula — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:19:13 +0000

Bollywood has always been the next stepping stone for every new beauty contest winner or any good-looking model. It seemed to be a natural progression for any beautiful woman to move from the ramp towards the silver screen. Many succeeded but then there were even more who faded into oblivion within a few years.

Today there are quite a few new faces which have entered this highly competitive world. They are beautiful, they have superb toned figures and above all they are conscious and confident about their good looks.

Whenever we attempt to quantify or enumerate a list of beautiful people there is always a certain amount of personal bias which creeps in. You may not fully agree with our list, but then, as always, we welcome your comments and a discussion!!

Sonam Kapoor:

She cannot be called a conventional beauty, but her sense of style and her natural elegance makes her stand out in a crowd. Whether she plays the role of a middle class girl or her role as the L’Oreal brand ambassador she manages to look sophisticated and beautiful.

Asin:

She has been a popular star in the Malayalam film circuit, and has emerged on the Bollywood screen with Gajini. Dressed simply, with no attempt to portray glamour or gloss, she looked very beautiful and luminous. Sharing the screen with a star of Aamir Khan’s stature she managed to hold her own and left a memorable impact.

Anushka Sharma :

Aditya Chopra’s Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi was Anushka Sharma’s launch pad. Here was another young new face, beautiful and simply chic. A highly expressive face, she managed to convey a sense of grace and good looks even when she wore simple clothes, and as a smart young denim clad girl, she stole our hearts.

Genelia D’Souza:

Crowned the Brand Ambassador of the year, Genelia’s lively looks and her ability to look great no matter which brand she is portraying, has made Genelia a darling of the masses. She cannot be termed as an extremely beautiful woman, yet there is something in her face which makes you want to turn back and have a look at her again.

Soha Ali Khan:

Sharmila Tagore’s daughter is another young lady who cannot be termed as being conventionally good looking, but her smile and traces of her mother’s good looks make her very attractive. Her confidence, her charm and her ability to wear simple casual clothes and still manage to look great, have made her one of the most attractive new stars.

Prachi Desai:

Many of you may not agree with this, but we feel that Prachi’s baby doll looks and innocent face make her a strong contender to be a part of this list. In Rock On we were struck by the simplicity of this young girl and also by peace and serenity on her face.

How many of these young ladies will continue to rule the hearts of the audience, only time will tell. But at the present time they look all set to stand up and be counted as among the best of the new actresses on the Bollywood screen.

Shahrukh Khan – Where Are You?

prateek — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:13:30 +0000

Shahrukh Khan never tires of tweeting we know, but what is he doing apart from tweeting now a days? Once a workaholic and three movies a year, Shahrukh is quite conspicuously absent from the recent picture of Bollywood. Though he was once listed as one of the fifty most powerful people in the world, his ranking in Bollywood is surely at stake.
There was a time when every girl wanted to be his Kkkk…kiran, but not now. A number of budding young stars keep breathing on his shoulders; Ranbir Kapoor being one of them. What forces Mr. Khan to do one movie at a time and even worse one movie a year? The answer is not dubious. His constant flops give him time to think to do one movie a year.

His failure does not lie in his films but in his produced films. In 1999, with Juhi Chawla and director Aziz Mirza, Shahrukh Khan set up his production company, Dreamz Unlimited up. The very first two films from his production house, Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani and ‘Asoka’ were beaten at the box office. Even his production house Red Chillies Entertainment’s IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders proved to be a bit of a failure though it did help his public image till some extent.

Shahrukh’s television stint was also not very sounding. Shah Rukh hosted Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? And earlier Kaun Banega Crorepati 3 failed to make a good television prospect. He is no more such kind of hero who can lift a film only by himself. He needs his co-actors to be good to make success in the box office. Hope this break from Bollywood would be good for him. His upcoming superhero flicks ‘Ra.One’ being directed by Anubhav Sinha and ‘Don 2′ being directed by Farhan Akhtar have to do well in the box office for Shah Rukh Khan to regain some of his past glory back as the ultimate superstar of Bollywood.

Ra.One – Can Shahrukh Khan do a ‘comeback’ of sorts?

prateek — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:18:09 +0000

We know Shahrukh Khan has been quite aloof from Bollywood. No record breaking busters, no super hits in the last few years except a few hits such as Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and My Name is Khan. Does Shahrukh have a chance of coming back into the top slots of the Indian movie industry alongside established stars such as Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan?

Ra.One – An Action/Thriller in the making

Ra.One (also called Ra.1) is an upcoming Bollywood science-fiction superhero film directed by Anubhav Sinha. The film, which features Shahrukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal, will be produced under Khan’s production company, Red Chillies Entertainment.

According to the grapevine, Shahrukh is going to do the most breathtaking and daring stunts done by a Bollywood hero in the recent past. With stunt coordinators and action directors being flown in from Hollywood, we can definitely expect some adrenaline running action sequences in Ra.One.

Another resource has reported claimed that SRK will be seen driving one of the fastest cars in the world in this movie. Though this fact has not yet been confirmed, some close sources have been unable to keep their excitement from pouring out.

The film is scheduled to be released in early 2011. Whether Shahrukh Khan can redeem himself as the Number one superstar of India, only time will tell.

Movie Review: Peepli [Live] – A no-preachy, hard hitting satire

prateek — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 07:05:47 +0000

Secret: I had started this blog with the sole intention of writing about hindi movies and discussing the various trends in Bollywood about movies, music, celebrities and the lot. But the sad state of films, copied stories, scene to scene lifts of Hollywood hits and other forms of thievery which was rampant in the hindi film industry did leave little for me to write about. and film festivals? Why don’t you talk about movies?”
And my reply would usually be – “Because nothing in Bollywood is original. Everything is ‘inspired’ or ‘stolen’. Which REALLY ticks me off.”

Peepli [Live] had a lot of expectations, coming from Aamir Khan’s production house. And was it as good as it seemed when we first saw Peepli’s promos? It is the début movie of journalist-turned-director Anusha Rizvi. Yup, you read it right. Peepli is this bold chick’s first movie. And, she wrote the script herself. I had considered this fact more than anything else before writing an honest review of the movie, not giving into my usual character of being a devout Aamir fan.

The opinions are starkly mixed. While traditional entertainment hungry crowds, mostly ‘desi’ film goers found the film a tad boring and on the other hand, the intelligentsia could not stop singing praises about the movie. I had gone to see Peepli with the traditional type and though I am all in for action packed, I could not help hiding pure amazement and admiration after watching this movie.

The theme of the movie is aptly summed up by the beautifully composed song, ‘Des Mera’.

Gai bahad hai kankar shankar, Baat hai chhoti bada patangad

Basic Themes and the treatment
Peepli live essentially takes a “lively peep” at some very disturbing issues prevailing in India. It tackles the serious subject of farmer suicides, vote-bank politics and the sensation-crazy TRP-hungry media channels. It also takes a look at how bureaucrats manipulate the woes of the common man to their advantage. Quite a mouthful of themes eh? At first thought, these ideas usually paint a serious picture and make you want to ditch the idea of watching the movie. However, this is Aamir Khan – a marketing genius who has shown a weirdly accurate knack of what works in Bollywood. So instead of a boring, preachy documentary, what we get is a bone-tickling satire about how the media stoops to inhuman levels to ‘cover’ the plight of a farmer.

Synopsis

The story revolves around two extremely poor brothers and their family, Budhia and Natha in the village called Peepli. These guys are extremely poor, and want to save their lands at any cost. They go for help to the local politician, who sneers away saying they should probably commit suicide because the government was giving compensation to their families. Between the two, they decide that Natha should do act and this is somehow, the news reaches the ears of an eyeball hungry news reporter, Nandita. Soon this issue spirals out of control and before you know it all kinds of news channels are sitting outside Natha’s home, quizzing him about his decision. His wife, Dhaniya and the old amma go crazy, not knowing what to do. What continues is an exciting chain of events revealing the very dark and almost-sadistic underbelly of India.

With the expert direction befitting only a seasoned veteran, excellent performances by stellar actors, tight script, crisp cinematography, close cuts and a natural word of mouth of marketing, Peepli is an absolute delight to watch both for the heart and the brain. Though a slow watch because the punches are few and spaced out through the film, it cannot be denied that this is what world-class cinema looks like. Few hindi films in recent times have managed to reach such levels of perfection.

Shortcomings of Peepli

No creation is however perfect, so Peepli [Live] comes with its own baggage of drawbacks. The movie has an extremely tight script which needs astute direction which is where Anusha Rizvi falters. And you can’t blame her because this was her first effort. Another draw which my friends felt when we were discussing the movie was that even though the movie is a tongue in cheek satire which shows things as they are and is not preachy even for a second, the film leaves all issues hanging in air, fit of a realistic non-utopian film but against the standard Bollywood rule of offering a credible solution to the problems and offering an entertaining end.

Top Five Filmy Families of Bollywood

prateek — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:10:11 +0000

In India, families seem to rule the roost – whether it is in politics, business or Bollywood. Each leader brings some more members of his family into his line of work. When we look around among the well known figures of Bollywood this fact of life is very much in evidence. Among the Kapoors four generations have been in the forefront among the actors, among the Roshans, we have actors and music directors and of course when we speak of music the Mangeshkar family is all-pervading.

The Magnificent Kapoors:

Many believe that they deserve the epithet of being family number One in Bollywood. It began with the gravel voiced Prithviraj Kapoor and his towering presence in the block and white films of long ago. His three sons Raj, Shammi and Shashi achieved various degrees of fame in Bollywood. The next generation brought forth Rishi Kapoor and for many years he reigned as the romance king of Mumbai. Today Kareena is counted as among the best and Ranbir Kapoor is being touted as the next reigning superstar. Talent and good looks are in abundance in this clan, and each generation brings forth someone who charms his or her way into the audience’s hearts.

Paa and his family:

The Bachchans are newer entrants into the Bollywood clans, but with Amitabh continuing to give stellar performances even now, and Aishwarya and Abhishek Bachchan being among the box office rulers, this family can also lay the claim to be among the topmost families in Bollywood. Let us see whether some decades down the line the next generation will carry the family tradition forward.

The Khans and the Roshans:

It is not quite correct to bundle these two families into one, but they are interrelated due to the marriage of Sanjay Khan’s daughter to Hrithik Roshan, so let us for a few moments look at them as one large family!. With Feroze Khan and Sanjay Khan at one end of the spectrum and with Roshan, the renowned music director and Rakesh Roshan and J Om Prakash on the other side, they cover a gamut of film industry sections. Farah Khan,the choreographer, Hrithik Roshan, the heartthrob of millions, and the late Feroze Khan, the quintessional Nawab of Bollywood are all a part of this talented and renowned family.

Dharmendra and his family:

Dharmendra and his wife Hema Mailini, were India’s sweethearts for many years. Their next generation has not achieved the levels which their parents did, but Sunny Deol still gives Stellar performances as India’s Bruce Willis, and Abhay Deol has made his mark with excellent performances in the few films he has acted in. Esha Deol has not done too well, but it is believed that Ahana Deol is venturing into the field of direction.

Lata and Asha :

No list of the top families of Bollywood is complete without the Mangeshkar family. Lata has been the voice of India for many decades and Asha Bhonsle is unsurpassed as the queen of lively happy songs. Her late husband R D Burman gave us music which is unforgettable, and his father S D Burman was one of the greatest music directors Bollywood ever had.

There are so many more that can be added to this list – but then such lists are always relative to our own personal biases and beliefs. Join us in a discussion through the comments section about who is number one and who else should have been included in this list!

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