An actor cannot be judged by the number hits he has under his belt alone- he must be judged according to the quality of his performances and movies, his versatility as an actor, as well as the most obvious indicator- his box office impact. In the last few years a number of big names have been relegated into the backseat, while some promising actors have finally made the transition from being potential stars, to being superstars. However, on thing hasn't changed. The Khan trinity- Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan- have maintained the strongest fan following and have raked in the money when they have needed to. But does this mean that they are the best in the industry? With Bollywood Today biographies you can pass judgement yourself as we detail the actor's highs and lows through his career highlighting landmark films and performances.
Shah Rukh Khan
He hasn't had a hit since Veer-Zaara, with his subsequent movies Swades and Paheli both failing to please the choosy Indian audiences. However, with Karan Johar's Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and Farhan Akhtar's Don remake slated for release this year, there is no doubt that SRK will be back among the hits this year.
Amitabh Bachchan
The actor who dislodged Rajesh Khanna from his throne as the undisputed King of Bollywood, marked his return to the industry with Yash Chopra's Mohabbatein. He hasn't looked back since, and the veteran actor remains as one of the industry's best actors. Bollywood Today looks at Big B's story, from his early days as Bhaskar in Anand, to being Suryaveer Singh in Ek Ajnabee.
Hrithik Roshan burst onto the scene with a noticeable bang when he captured audiences with his honest performance in his debut film 'Kaho Naa...Pyar Hai'. The film became a super hit and already Hrithik Roshan was supposedly threatening SRK as the new Baadshah of Bollywood. The expectations were high, the results disappointing.
Since his stunning debut, the actor struggled for hits. Each of his films generated strong initials as every Indian filmgoer was certain he would deliver again, but time and time again films failed to meet expectations. It started when Fiza unexpectedly flopped, then Mission Kashmir and then Yaadein. He redeemed himself with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham but many didn't consider it as a success for him- rather it was proof that he wasn't ready to taken on SRK just yet.
However, it didn't get any better for Hrithik and 2002 proved to be a catastrophic year for the talented actor- he recorded 4 flops and minimal critical acclaim to set his career against the rocks. After 'Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon' failed in 2003 it was time, he realised, to go back to basics. He went back to his dad looking for a hit, and Rakesh Roshan being the quality filmmaker he is obliged delivering the superhit Koi Mil Gaya. The sequel Krissh is now one of the most awaited films of 2006, and the actor has Dhoom 2 and Akbar Jodha to look forward to. Things are looking up for Hrithik, and he may yet dislodge SRK from his perch as Bollywod Badshah.
Finally Delivers
The son of Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan marked his debut with J.P Dutta's eagerly anticipated Refugee, however the film failed to live up to expectations and flopped at the BO. However, this was the actor's first film so no big deal right? Everyone expected a hit to be just around the corner. It wasn't.
14 films and 4 years later, Abhishek finally tasted success. He had worked with some of the biggest filmmakers to no avail and when all hope seemed lost, he entered into the Yashraj camp. It proved to be a master stroke. Yash Chopra and his folks are known for quality filmmaking, and they didn't fail Abhishek. In fact, in their first film with him, they gave him his first success: Dhoom.
But one hit is never enough- you need something to consolidate your status. He had already proved his mettle as an actor with outstanding performances in Yuva and Phir Milenge, but success {Read on}
Rani Mukherjhee
With the successes of Black and Bunty Aur Babli last year as well as her accomplished performance in Paheli, Rani Mukherjhee proved that she is the Queen of Bollywood. Although she faces stern competition from Preity Zinta, 2005 was her year and nobody can take that away from her. She has plenty to look forward to with Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna and she continues to prove her mettle as actress both in terms of her box office success and the quality of her performances.
Aishwarya Rai
Taal made her, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam propelled her into the spotlight, Devdas made her an international superstar. This is the story of Aishwarya Rai, one of the most beautiful women in the world. An actress with immense potential, Aishwarya Rai has