Bollywood
Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty's husband arrested
Indian police have arrested Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty's businessman-husband Raj Kundra for allegedly making and uploading on OTT (over-the-top) platforms a number of pornograhic films.
Raj was taken into custody late on Monday evening by the crime branch of the Mumbai police in India's entertainment capital, after hours of questioning in a case involving the creation of pornograhic films that was lodged in February this year.
Read:Bollywood actor Fatima behind Aamir Khan's divorce?
According to police officials, the pornograhic films were shot in India and then transferred to Britain via a UK-based firm. The Mumbai police have arrested a total of nine people in this case.
"There was a case registered with the crime branch Mumbai in February 2021 about the creation of pornographic films and publishing them through some apps. We've arrested Raj Kundra in this case as he appears to be the key conspirator of this," the Mumbai police said in a statement.
Though cops claimed to possess "sufficient evidences" against Raj, the 45-year-old British-Indian businessman insisted that he was innocent.
In 2013, Raj hogged media limelight after he was grilled by Delhi Police in connection with a betting and spot-fixing scandal that rocked the multi-million dollar cricketing tournament Indian Premier League. He's a co-owner of the Rajasthan Royals team.
Shilpa and Raj tied the knot in 2009, after dating for a couple of months. They have two children -- a son and a daughter.
Read:Dilip Kumar: Life History, Success Story of the Legendary Indian Film Star
A former model, Shilpa made her Bollywood debut in the thriller Baazigar (1993) starring Shah Rukh Khan as an anti-hero in the lead role. She went on to act in several other successful flicks, including action comedy Main Khiladi Tu Anari in 1994 and romantic drama Dhadkan six years later.
Shilpa is also a celebrity endorser for several leading brands and products as well as a number of fitness campaigns such as the Fit India Movement, launched by the Indian government.
Bollywood actor Fatima behind Aamir Khan's divorce?
Unlike in Bollywood romantic flicks, that happily-ever-after endings always don't happen in the real lives of celebrity couples. The same holds true for Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan and filmmaker Kiran Rao, whose 15 years of marriage is rumoured to have ended the same way it began -- with "an extra-marital affair".
Rumoured Link-up
Grapevine is abuzz that Aamir's affair with 29-year-old Dangal co-star Fatima Sana Shaikh led to his divorce. The rumoured link-up, in fact, started way back in 2016 when Aamir and Fatima were spotted many a time walking hand in hand while they were shooting for the sports drama, where the latter played the role of the former's daughter.
Superstar Aamir Khan, filmmaker wife announce divorce
After nearly 15 years of marriage, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan and his filmmaker wife Kiran Rao announced their divorce on Saturday.
In a statement, however, the 56-year-old "Mr Perfectionist", who has a huge fan following in Bangladesh, and Kiran pledged to remain devoted parents to their son Azad and work as collaborators on film projects "that we feel passionate about".
"In these 15 beautiful years together we have shared a lifetime of experiences, joy and laughter, and our relationship has only grown in trust, respect and love. Now we would like to begin a new chapter in our lives -- no longer as husband and wife, but as co-parents and family for each other.
Also read:Lagaan Part 2: Netizens recall Aamir Khan’s movie before India vs England clash
"We began a planned separation some time ago, and now feel comfortable to formalise this arrangement, of living separately yet sharing our lives the way an extended family does," the statement read.
The couple added: "We remain devoted parents to our son Azad, who we will nurture and raise together. We will also continue to work as collaborators on films, Paani Foundation, and other projects that we feel passionate about."
Aamir and Kiran also thanked their families and friends for their constant support and understanding "about this evolution in our relationship". "We request our well wishers for good wishes and blessings, and hope that - like us - you will see this divorce not as an end, but as the start of a new journey."
Also read: Bill and Melinda Gates announce they are getting divorced
Aamir tied the knot with Kiran in 2005 and were blessed with their son six years later. The couple first met on the sets of Bollywood blockbuster Lagaan, where Kiran was an assistant director.
Known as "Mr Perfectionist" in Bollywood, Aamir has established himself as one of the most influential actors of Indian cinema through his 30-year career in Hindi films. He is the fourth richest actor with a net worth of USD 180 million.
Aamir made his debut as a child artiste in his uncle Nasir Hussain's blockbuster film Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1973. His adult debut was with the film Holi in 1984. But he shot to limelight for his brilliant performance in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak four years later.
In 1999, he founded Aamir Khan Productions, whose first film, Lagaan (2001), got him a National Film Award.
Also read: The three Khans who still rule Bollywood
After a four-year gap, Aamir made a comeback with back-to-back blockbusters like Fanaa and Rang De Basanti. He made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par (2007), which also won him the awards for Best Film and Best Director. His greatest global success came with Ghajini, 3 Idiots, Dhoom 3, PK, and Dangal.
Apart from receiving a number of awards, including four National Film Awards and the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, Aamir was conferred with an honorary title by the Chinese government in 2017.
The superstar's first marriage with Reena Dutta ended in divorce in 2002. He has two children from his first marriage.
Why is Kareena Kapoor the talk of the town
With fame comes controversies. Over the years, several Bollywood celebrities have found themselves the subject of unwanted attention in India for various reasons -- from surprise weddings and baby bumps to extra-marital affairs and divorces. The latest celebrity to hog the limelight is actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, this time not for any feel-good news.
Kareena has recently been trending on Twitter, following reports that she had demanded a whopping Rs 12 crore fee for playing the mythological character Sita on-screen. Thousands used the hashtag #BoycottKareenKhan to slam Kareena for demanding such a high fee for portraying the revered Hindu character despite being married to a Muslim actor in real life.
Read:Radhe: A Salman Khan movie to watch with family this Eid
Let's explore the controversy.
Why is Sita revered in India
Sita is the lead female character of Ramayana, one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, penned by sage Valmiki between 500 BCE and 100 BCE. In the Hindu epic, Sita is described as the daughter of Bhumi (the Earth) and the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Videha kingdom and his wife, Queen Sunayana.
The marriage between Sita, known for her dedication and purity, and Rama, the Prince of the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya, in itself is a story worth telling. Sita chose Rama as her husband in a swayamvara — bride choosing the best from among a list of suitors after a contest. This was after Rama successfully completed the task of stringing a magic bow.
Sita subsequently accompanied Rama to his kingdom but had to soon go into exile with her husband and brother-in-law Laksmana for 14 years through the plotting of his stepmother. In exile, they settled in a forest from where she was abducted by Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. Rama gathered an army of monkeys and rescued Sita after killing Ravana in a war.
Later Sita was asked by Rama, an incarnation of a Hindu God, to prove her chastity. Sita entered fire, but was saved by other Hindu Gods. After the couple's triumphant return to Ayodhya, Rama's righteous rule came to be known as Ram-raj (golden rule) for all mankind.
Why the controversy
In the later 1980s, Indian state TV telecast a series based on the ancient Sanskrit epic of the same name. The TV series, Ramayana, broke all records and became a national craze then.
Read: Kareena Kapoor blessed with a baby boy, again
Over the years, a number of Hindu nationalist parties, including India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, rode the TV show to spark a Hindu awakening in this country. And the BJP cashed in on the opportunity to start a campaign, Ram Janmabhoomi (Rama’s birthplace) movement, and forged a sense of Hindu togetherness to eventually come to power.
"Criticised for its government's poor handling of the Covid situation in the country, many in the BJP are now trying to salvage the party's nationalist image and divert people's attention from the health situation. And Kareena is indeed the ideal diversion tactic," said Prof Suneeta Roy, a political pundit.
Kareena and the social media
Four months ago, 40-year-old Kareena also hogged the limelight when she gave birth to a baby boy -- their second son -- at a private hospital in the Indian city of Mumbai.
In fact, Kareena and her husband Saif Ali Khan -- dubbed Saifeena by the paparazzi -- announced the pregnancy on social media in August last year. "We are very pleased to announce that we are expecting an addition to our family!! Thank you to all our well-wishers for all their love and support."
Kareena and Saif -- the son of former Indian cricket captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and former Bollywood's yesteryear heroine Sharmila Tagore -- tied the knot in 2012. The couple welcomed their first son, Taimur, in December 2016. Saif also has two children -- actor Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan with former wife Amrita Singh, also a Bollywood actress.
Born to the Kapoor family, known as the 'First Family of Bollywood', Kareena -- the granddaughter of legendary actor-director Raj Kapoor, made her acting debut opposite another legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan's son Abhishek with the 2000 drama Refugee.
Read: Dance India Dance: Kareena Kapoor Khan admits having a crush on THIS Aashiqui actor; Find out
But her real success came in 2004 when she played a sex worker in the drama Chameli.
She subsequently earned critical recognition for her role in the 2006 crime flick Omkara, a character based on William Shakespeare's heroine Desdemona.
Recipient of several awards, Kareena is one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses. She will be next seen in Advait Chandan's Laal Singh Chaddha and Karan Johar's Takht. Kareena is also all set to publish her first pregnancy book later this year.
Bollywood's Sonu Sood tests positive for Covid
Actor Sonu Sood is the latest Bollywood celebrity to have contracted coronavirus. He is currently in home isolation in the city of Mumbai.
Sonu, who helped thousands of migrant workers stranded by the Covid-19 lockdown in Mumbai return home last year, took to Instagram on Saturday to inform his fans that he has tested positive for Covid.
"Covid-positive. Mood and spirit -- super positive. Hi every, this is to inform you that I have tested positive this morning for Covid-19," the 47-year-old wrote.
Also read: Bollywood's Aamir Khan tests positive for Covid-19
"As a part of precautions, I have already quarantined myself and taking utmost care. But don't worry this gives me ample time to solve your problems. Remember I am always there for you all."
Though he started his acting career in regional language films in southern India in 1999, Sonu began starring in Hindi films in 2002. He earned accolades for his role in Mani Ratnam's Yuva in 2004 and in Aashiq Banaya Aapne a year later.
In 2010, the former model played the lead villain in Abhinav Kashyap's blockbuster Dabangg, co-starring with superstar Salman Khan. He also owns a production house.
Also read: Bollywood actor Gaurav Dixit absconding after drug raids
A number of Bollywood celebrities, right from singer Kanika Kapoor to actors Aamir Khan, Sunny Deol, Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek, have been tested positive for the deadly virus since the pandemic broke out in March last year.
Luckily, all of them have recovered from Covid.
Bollywood actor Gaurav Dixit absconding after drug raids
Bollywood actor Gaurav Dixit has been absconding since Friday night (April 02, 201) when India's narcotics control authority raided his flat in the city of Mumbai and seized huge quantities of banned drugs, officials said Saturday.
Gaurav made his debut in Bollywood with the film Fun Can Be Dangerous Sometimes in 2005. His other popular films include Bobby: Love and Lust (2005) and The Magic of Cinema in 2011. He also acted in a number of TV serials.
Sleuths of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) carried out the raid at the actor's flat around 9 pm on Friday after his name emerged in the Bollywood drugs scandal during the recent interrogation of another actor, Ajaz Khan.
Also read: Bollywood: Sushant's ex Rhea among 33 charged in drugs case
"Gaurav was not at home then. But he fled when he saw the anti-narcotics sleuths upon his return to the highrise apartment complex. We have seized huge quantities of ecstasy and hashish from his flat," an NCB official told UNB.
NCB started probing the drugs scandal following the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput in June last year. Among the first to be arrested in the case were his rumoured girlfriend Rhea, also an actor, and her brother Showik. Both are currently out on bail.
Rhea was, in fact, arrested by NCB on September 9, following days of questioning, and accused of procuring cannabis for her late actor-boyfriend, whose body was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his Mumbai flat on June 14.
Also read: Bollywood drugs scandal: Actor Arjun Rampal grilled for over 6 hours
Immediately after the arrest of Rhea, the names of at least 20 top Bollywood celebrities — from actors to filmmakers to designers — surfaced in the drugs case.
Several of them, including leading female Bollywood actors — Rakul Preet Singh, Deepika Padukone, Sara Ali Khan and Shraddha Kapoor — were subsequently grilled by NCB. All the actors, however, reportedly denied any links with such drug dealers.
The grilling took place in the wake of WhatsApp chats retrieved from Rhea's mobile phone indicating that they procured banned substances like cannabis, weed and hash from dealers with links to foreign countries.
Read Bollywood: Chargesheet against Sushant's ex Rhea a 'damp squib'
The three Khans who still rule Bollywood
All the three Khans of Bollywood are now in their mid-50s. But even after two and a half decades in the film industry, Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir still dominate Bollywood and figure in the list of top five richest actors in India.
Shah Rukh Khan
On top of the list is Shah Rukh Khan, who is a brand in himself. Considered the most talented star, the 'King Khan' has an astounding net worth of USD 700 million. In a career spanning over 25 years and with 80 films in genres, including romance, action, and comedy, under his belt, the 55-year-old is one of the most successful film stars in the world.
Born and brought up in Delhi, Shah Rukh began his career in acting with appearances in a number of TV series in the late 1980s. Fauji (soldier), a television series that portrayed the training of Indian Army cadets, actually marked his TV debut.
Also read: Shah Rukh Khan: The making of a genuine Bollywood star
However, after his mother's death, Shah Rukh relocated to Mumbai to pursue a career in Bollywood. And in 1992, the economics graduate from Delhi University made his Bollywood debut with Deewana, a blockbuster action-romantic flick that went on to net a whopping Rs 162 million that year only. In the film, he starred as the second male lead after Rishi Kapoor.
Between 1992 and 1994, he earned accolades for villainous roles in two commercial hits -- playing a serial killer in Baazigar and an obsessive lover in Darr. But Shah Rukh rose to prominence after starring in the 1995 romantic film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, the longest-running blockbuster in the history of Indian cinema. The film was shot in India and Europe.
Read Indian tax police raids Taapsee Pannu & Anurag Kashyap
Some of his other blockbusters include Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Shah Rukh was also widely praised for his award-winning performances in the 2002 film Devdas, where he played an alcoholic.
The superstar also earned critical acclaim for his portrayal of a NASA scientist in Swades (2004) and a hockey coach in Chak De! India (2007) and a man with Asperger syndrome in My Name Is Khan (2010). His highest-grossing films include the comedies Chennai Express (2013), Happy New Year (2014), Dilwale (2015), and the crime film Raees (2017).
Read Bollywood: Chargesheet against Sushant's ex Rhea a 'damp squib'
Shah Rukh, who has anchored many TV shows, also owns production company Red Chillies Entertainment and Indian Premier League cricket team Kolkata Knight Riders.
The superstar is married to interior designer Gauri Chibber, a Punjabi Hindu. The couple has two sons and a daughter Suhana (born 2000). Their third child, a son named AbRam, was born through a surrogate mother. They live in Mumbai.
Read Bollywood's Shah Rukh Khan invests in American cricket
Salman Khan
The third-richest Bollywood actor, Salman Khan's net worth is estimated to be USD 360 million. Born as Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan in December of 1965, the superstar has appeared in over 80 films in his nearly three-decade-long career. Apart from playing a range of popular roles from a romantic hero to a flashy action star, Salman is also a film producer.
Salman began his career in Bollywood in 1988, with a supporting role in Biwi Ho To Aisi. But his real success came exactly a year later after his award-winning performance in the romantic blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya. Action thriller Karan Arjun (1995), comedy film Biwi No 1 (1999), and the family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999) were his other commercial hits.
Read Bollywood star Salman Khan foots medical bill of ailing actor
After a brief decline in his career graph in the 2000s, Salman achieved greater stardom in the 2010s by playing the lead role in a number of successful action films -- Dabangg (2010), Ready (2011), Ek Tha Tiger (2012), Kick (2014), Sultan (2016) and Tiger Zinda Hai in 2017.
The 55-year-old is also a television presenter and runs a charity, Being Human Foundation. But the bachelor has a dark side too -- one of his former girlfriends accused him of abusing her, and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment in 2018 for killing two blackbucks, a protected antelope species, on a hunting trip. He is currently out on bail, pending appeal.
Also read: Hrithik Roshan And Salman Khan Are Trending For More Than One Reason
Aamir Khan
Known as "Mr. Perfectionist" in Bollywood, Aamir has established himself as one of the most influential actors of Indian cinema through his 30-year career in Hindi films. The 56-year-old, who has a huge fan following in Bangladesh and China, is the fourth richest actor with a net worth of USD 180 million. He is also an accomplished filmmaker.
Aamir made his debut as a child artiste in his uncle Nasir Hussain's blockbuster film Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1973. His adult debut was with the film Holi in 1984. But he shot to the limelight for his brilliant performance in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak four years later. In 1999, he founded Aamir Khan Productions, whose first film, Lagaan (2001), got him a National Film Award.
Read Bollywood Khans mum as Delhi violence death toll mounts
After a four-year gap, Aamir made a comeback with back-to-back blockbusters like Fanaa and Rang De Basanti. He made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par (2007), which also won him the awards for Best Film and Best Director. His greatest global success came with Ghajini, 3 Idiots, Dhoom 3, PK, and Dangal.
Apart from receiving a number of awards, including four National Film Awards and the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, Aamir was conferred with an honorary title by the Chinese government in 2017. The superstar's first marriage with Reena Dutta ended in divorce in 2002, and he is currently married to his second wife Kiran Rao.
Also read: Bollywood's Aamir Khan tests positive for Covid-19
Others on the top 5 list
The second-richest actor in Bollywood is the Big B, Amitabh Bachchan. One of the most influential and respected actors of all time in the history of Indian cinema, Amitabh has an estimated net worth of USD 400 million. Saif Ali Khan, son of yesteryear Bollywood actress Sharmila Tagore, is the fifth-richest actor with a net worth of USD 140 million.
Read Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor tests positive for COVID-19
Bollywood superstar Ranbir Kapoor tests positive for COVID-19
Popular Indian actor Ranbir Kapoor has tested positive for COVID-19, according to his mother actress Neetu Kapoor.
Mithun Chakraborty joins India's ruling BJP
Barisal-born Bollywood actor Mithun Chakraborty Sunday joined India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in the poll-bound eastern state of West Bengal's capital Kolkata.