Maharaja Cruise

MAHARAJA CRUISE

2010-03-10T15:05:00.000-08:00

GREETINGS!

Welcome to Maharaja Vacations, Inc., popularly known as Maharaja Cruise, A Spicy Vacation.
Working in conjunction with Several Cruise Lines out of Miami, Florida, Maharaja Cruise is the ethnic cruises and exotic tours division of Maharaja Vacations, Inc. headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Well-staffed with professional customer care and service representatives, we at Maharaja Cruise believe in providing luxurious Indian-style vacation packages to niche markets within the Americas, on board world-renowned ocean liners. These niche markets include various pockets of the Indo-subcontinent such as:

Indians
Pakistanis
Bangladeshis
Sri Lankans
Maharaja Cruise can be reached via several offices throughout the United States (Chicago and Chicago land area, Houston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Memphis, and coming up in New Jersey), and in Toronto, Canada. Our presence is well-established in South American Indian communities, Dubai and the United Kingdom.

At Maharaja Cruise, we strive to provide classic Indian family vacations that are all inclusive of:

1. Gourmet Indian-style dining – From idli dosa, samosas, chicken tandoori, and palak paneer to pao bhaji and masala chai out on the deck of the ship(see Sample Maharaja Menu), one can enjoy Indian food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...

2. Indian Entertainment on-board - Maharaja Cruise arranges for a variety of cultural events and social activities to ensure a fun-filled and exciting time for all our guests:
Welcome to Maharaja Cruise Show
“Maharaja & Maharani of the Cruise” Competition,
·“Mumbai Masti” dance party on the deck
“Disco Dandia” with Bombay Beats
Garba Raas
Children, Adults, & Family Talent Shows
“Geet Mehfil ki Raat”
An evening of On-board Movie
“Saris ‘n’ Sherwanis:” Maharaja Gala Extravaganza
“Maharaja Masti” dance party

3. Destinations
Hot and spicy Southern, Eastern & Western Caribbean
Key West & Cozumel, Mexico
Free Port & Nassau, Bahamas
Bermuda
Grand Cayman Islands & Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Calica/ Playa Del Carmen
Catalina & Ensenada
St. Thomas, St. Maarten & St. John
Cost Maya & Belize
Colon, Panama & Limon, Costa Rica
Breath-taking Alaska Glacier
New York to Halifax, Canada
Islands of Hawaii

“Come experience the difference….Hum Hain
MAHARAJA CRUISE!”

Saloni

2009-04-06T15:39:00.000-07:00

Saloni
DUSKY DAMSEL Rajashri Thakur says her skin tone was the clincher for the role of Saloni in "Saat Phere" on Zee TV.

Being spotted as relatively active on stage during her school and college days, many well-wishers had advised Rajashri Thakur to look at a career on television. But having seen "the same old roles" cut out for female actors in tele-serials, Rajashri says she didn't want to be seen anywhere near it and instead got on to studying law.

"Meanwhile, I did an Indo-French film called Hawa Aane De," she shares. She played the role of Salma, a college-goer in the film. "It was about how many promising youngsters in India can't achieve their dream because of financial difficulties and the frustrations that they undergo," she explains.

When the film was screened in the Asian Film Festival, the producers of Saat Phere, the popular daily serial that she is seen in now on Zee TV, approached Rajashri for the lead role of Saloni.
"I told them no straightaway. But as the calls kept coming and the writer of Hawa Aane De, Virendra Shekhar, who knew the producers well, asked me to meet them once, I went and read the script, and everything changed. I loved the script, it is so different from what is rolled out on TV these days. I am happy that the serial is doing well," says the Mumbaiite.

Saat Phere is the story of Saloni, a girl from a middle-class family in Rajasthan who suffers humiliation because of her dark complexion. She marries Nahar for love, a nice, supportive man from a rich family, but only to suffer at the hands of wily relatives for dowry demands and various forms of rich-poor discrimination so common in our society. "It is a very real story that many girls with a skin colour like mine and from a lower middle class background face. With marriage it worsens. But the best part about Saloni is she never prefers to lose in life," states Rajashri, adding that her skin tone was the clinching factor for the role.

A newsreader too
A graduate of Bombay University, Rajashri also had a stint as a newsreader with All India Radio in Mumbai.

"I tried a lot of things. My stage background gave me a lot of confidence to do different things. I was such a regular in the Indian National Theatre competition. It is very popular among university students in Mumbai," she recounts. Rajashri also did a few modelling assignments for Tanishq, Bajaj Almond Hair Oil and Whirlpool, etc.

And now that she is being noticed in Saat Phere, will she hang around in Tinsel Town? "Well, it depends, if I get good roles," replies Rajashri.

Mona Singh (Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin)

2008-04-08T15:45:00.000-07:00

Mona Singh(Jassi)
Mad about Mona - Meet the woman behind Jassi !!

You saw her transform from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan...
You saw her transform from an ugly duckling to a beautiful swan... Mona Singh aka Jassi of Jassi Jaisi koi nahin has come a long way from frumpy to femme fatale.In conversation with the small screen's most popular middle-class icon, Mona Singh...I never thought that Jassi would be such a huge hit!"It's an overwhelming feeling. It's unbelievable to have so many people respecting and loving you.""Whatever I have achieved today, whatever I am today is because of the serial Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin. The response to the serial has been phenomenal. I never thought the serial would be such a huge hit. I feel really lucky. I guess the success is because of the serial's concept, which is different from others."I didn't have any contacts in Mumbai... "I always wanted to be an actor but I didn't know how to go about it because I didn't have any contacts in Mumbai. Since childhood, I had a deep desire to become an actress. I used to enact scenes from serials and films for my family members. But not in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would land up with a lead role.""Deeya and Tony were the first people I met, and the day I met them I bagged the role! And that was the time they introduced me to my character Jassi and I was very charged about it right from day one. I always used to dream that there'll be a day when I would get out of the car and photographers would hound me for pictures. And that's exactly what happened in reality, so its a dream come true for me."My gums would bleed because of the braces!"I've always been a very family-oriented and homely girl.

I never stayed without my parents. So, 'Jassi Jaisi ... ' was the kind of show where the character was 'me', very close to what I am in reality. I really didn't have to make an extra effort to get into the character because I also come from a Punjabi middle-class family.""I just loved the character. I felt like Superman who's supposed to hide his identity. I enjoyed wearing the chashma, the braces, the hairstyle... it was absolutely amazing.""However, it definitely wasn't easy. My gums would bleed and my lips used to be perpetually cut thanks to the braces. And the specs, they were so heavy! As it is said, success doesn't come easy.""Also, I've learnt a lot from the show, the biggest lesson being - nothing is permanent, everything is very temporary, and it's just a phase. It's very important for you to realize that nothing stays forever.

It's important to have your feet on the ground because you might lose your balance some day and not realize where you fall. You should love and care about people around you because it's because of them that we are here and it's not nice if we are nasty to them; that's what I have realized in these two years."I am very similar to Jassi"I am very similar to Jassi. In fact, I don't even have to rehearse my lines again and again. I do every scene very spontaneously because I feel I am the character. Specially the way Jassi was initially, the way she used to keep bumping into people, keep dropping things, her clumsiness, the Punjabi accent, it was so like me.

In Jassi, I'm very close to my Dad which is true in reality as well. So, it was something which was very close to me in real life."Earlier I used to carry the stress home... "I love to sing and listen to music. It's a great stress-buster. Earlier I didn't know how to keep calm at home, without any worries and tension; I used to carry the stress home. Now, I've learnt the trick - listen to music, go out with people, we go and chill out at Barista or go for a drive before going home... "I do a lot of prananyam"I drink a lot of water. I don't get time to go to the gym and work out.... it's just eat and shoot all the time. So, now I have started getting salads from a dietitian called Vrinda Mehta, and that's keeping me fit, and my skin's looking healthier too!""I also do a lot of breathing exercises and prananyam in the mornings, which I think has also helped a lot."Nandu (Gaurav Gera) is my best friend"My friends are very close to me, in fact, there's a saying that, 'God gave us relatives but thank God they gave us the choice to choose our own friends'. That's exactly what I feel about friends. They are the most precious things in your life.""Nandu, (Gaurav Gera) is my best friend even off-screen. We have a very good friendship and there's not a single day that we don't call each other.""I think it's very important to have friends, especially in this field, as you tend to get lonely at times and only friends can make you feel better."Marriage is the most beautiful, the purest form of love"In our parent's time, divorce did not exist so blatantly.

They knew how to make it work by perseverance and adjustments.That's the way a marriage should be worked out. There are ups and downs in every relationship and one has to go through it. Talk it out and solve it in a mature fashion. For me, marriage is the most beautiful and purest form of love, which shouldn't decrease when one gets married.I want to get married, but there is still time for that. I'm a very ambitious person and I really want to do lots of good work. I feel marriage, right now, won't be the right thing to do."I am looking for good roles in movies"I'm getting quite a lot of offers from Bollywood. In fact, I've even signed one film with Bobby Pushkarna, the producer of Page 3 and I'm very excited about that. We would be starting this project in December or January.The kind of roles that I'm looking at are not just to prove a point, but to do something that I've not done in Jassi. Something, which is completely different from what I've been doing.I am looking for good character-oriented roles in movies. Being an actor I want to explore different roles, different characters, because it's been two years that I've been Jassi and now I want to experiment."It's very important to dream"I want to be very successful in whatever I do.

Even when I get married and I have, let's assume, a boutique of my own, or I'm a happily married woman who takes care of her kids, I always want to give my best. Only then will I be the most successful woman in this whole world."It's very important to dream because if you don't dream you can't make them come true. I always used to dream of being very successful and of people recognizing me wherever I went and I've worked towards it. So, I would say don't give up your dreams, they won't easily come true... you'll have to work towards it."

Debashish Das gupta

2007-03-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

Debashish Das gupta, a singer whose voice closely resembles that of the late Rafi, could not satisfy all the fans' requests at every show for the many songs of the singing legend that have become eternal hits.

Das gupta was joined on stage by singers Meena Shivling, Rekha Rawal and Bharat Gohail, as well as Sohel's five-man band from India, "Music With Love".

"Even though we planned for about 40 songs in each show, the demand from audiences was such that we had to go well beyond that at times, especially in Cape Town, where the show lasted more than five hours instead of the three planned; and people still would not leave."

Debashish Das gupta has rendered the verses in a voice which is marked by clarity and suits such renderings. While Part I and Part II do not carry on the inlays brief information about the verses included in the audio, the inlays of the remaining two parts do carry a couple of verses each, to familiarise the listener with the album contents.

Now Performing on Maharaja Cruise

DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA

2007-03-10T15:55:00.000-08:00

DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA

Special edition re-release of the CD 3: Calcutta Slide Guitar with new bonus DVD featuring a performance of the album filmed in Calcutta. Pandit (master) Debashish Bhattacharya is one of the world’s most remarkable slide guitarists and this album represents the culmination of a lifetime of intensive study, performance and innovation. All the guitars heard on 3: Calcutta Slide-Guitar are unique instruments designed by Debashish himself, a Trinity of Guitars – Chaturangui, Gandharvi and Anandi – representing three generations of instruments, while also continuing a thousand-year tradition of music. 3: Calcutta Slide-Guitar dazzles the listener with hypnotic patterns and stunning music shaped from Debashish’s original three-finger picking technique.

Nikki Aneja Walia

2007-03-10T15:31:00.000-08:00

Let's not debate whether she would have made a charming pilot or not. But hadn't it been for the rebellion, television would have missed out on a seasoned actress. Niki Aneja nee Walia didn't plan her career as a television actress, she just took up a few modelling assignments to fund here trip to Boston for pilot training. Although she didn't make it to Boston, she did take up acting on late ad film maker Mukul Anand's suggestion.

Following her cousin's (well known television actor Parmeet Sethi) footsteps, she decided to give the small screen a try too. Shows like Dastaan, Seahawks, Andhi Jaazbat Ki, Piyaa Binaa, Patang and comedies like Baat Ban Jaye and Gharwali Uparwali followed.

After a freak accident of the sets of Gharwali Uparwali, she had almost packed her bags. Then followed her marriage with UK-based marketing consultant Sonny Walia, which gave her another good reason to leave the industry and settle down in UK. But as luck would have it, the she got an offer from Ajai Sinha, for a project that she couldn't let down. Now as we know she is getting rave reviews for her performance as Dr Simran in Astitva.In an interview that took place on the sets of Astitva, she told indiantelevision.com's Trupti Ghag about her journey as an actress and her latest show Astitva Ek Prem Katha. Excerpts:

What was it that made you take up Astitva, after you almost bid adieu to India television?Though I didn't admit it then, I have always admired Ajai Sinha as a director and secretly hoped that I would get to work with him. When I heard the story, I went 'wow!!!' I was offered an author backed role on a platter. It would have been stupid to let it go.

I don't really want to sound pompous but I was bombarded with mails and telephone calls when I met with an accident. There were pujas held for my well being. I was overwhelmed with this response... I am not a film star to receive such response. People really wanted to see me back on the small box. So I couldn't hang my acting cap. Well, not yet anyway.

Of late the industry is taking quite a keen interest in your show Astitva. What do you think is the reason it is doing so well? Take a look at the shows around, television really does not have anything different to offer. Therefore a show like Astitva, which does not have huge sets or bejewelled women, is a visual treat. It is more realistic in its approach.

Care to elaborate...Take for instance the scene where Simran is to discover that Abhi (husband) is cheating her. There was a dramatic climax built up toward it, like Simran's constant threats to clear his drawer where he has slashed hotel bills. All that dramatised climax aside, after Simran finds out that her husband's infidelity all she does is to lock herself in her room.

With Simran being such a composed and well balanced character, it seemed ridiculous even to think that she would loose her cool. She is visible upset, but she does not blame anybody else for it.

Is there any kind of homework that you do prior to coming on the Astitva set? Personally, I am against taking the scripts home because I do not have time. Plus I do not want to rehearse before hand. It might sound paradoxical, but it saves a lot of time. When you read your dialogue line beforehand, you already make up your mind on how you want to emote. Even if there is a slight change in the script, you are bound to get disturbed.

And since I am shooting for 20-16 days a monthfor almost 14 hours every day, I have to do my groundwork on the sets.

What is the groundwork that you do for 'Astitva'? Don't get me wrong, but writing for a daily is quite a tedious task. At times you find the writers taking liberties with the script, so we have to be forever on our toes. For instance, Simran is a very mature and composed character. She would not get worked up so easily, so she wouldn't swear in public even if provoked. If the writer adds such a line we would have to improvise.

I also make it a point to crosscheck the medical facts. Although the hospital is just a backdrop, you cannot let past a single detail without verifying it. I have a friend who is a gynaecologist; I rely on her expert advice for all the medical details.
Also, I have put on quite a lot of weight ever since I got married. That has worked to my benefit I guess. I am 37-years-old on the show, which I am not in real life. The extra weight helps me look older. Although people, including my co-star, insist that I lose weight I think it lends the character that authenticity. Plus, I keep my nails short and never put any nail varnish and stick to minimal makeup.

I get a good help from nature too. After 10 days of continuous and rigourous shooting schedule fatigue shows on my face. Guess with my character going through personal turmoil in reel life, the face matches too (laughs).

I am a good observer, so when Astitva's Simran was pregnant. I made sure I interacted with pregant women. I tried to copy their facial expressions and body language. Did you know people thought that I was actually pregnant.

Do you always put in this kind of effort or is 'Astitva' an exception?Actually, I don't really have to put in a lot of effort. It was just a matter of common sense. But I did spend quite a lot of time rehearsing for Pooja's role in Gharwali Uparwali. I used to stand in front of the mirror making faces... making sure that I don't look bad on the camera. I think anybody, who is working for a comedy, should do this exercise. Comedy is a serious job; it should not be treated like a monkey game. What artistes don't understand is that while adopting certain mannerisms, they should check if the expression looks good or not, otherwise instead of laughing with them the audience will be laughing at them.

" A show like 'Astitva' which does not have huge sets or bejewelled women, is a visual treat. It is more realistic in its approach"

What was the reaction of people when you left modelling for television? Was there any pooh-poohing?No, the term model-actor never really applied to me. I guess at that time I was this newcomer actor, who looked like Madhuri Dixit. Although my career as a model was pretty successful, everybody thought I would make a good actor. So instead of the sniggering at me, I had people encouraging me.

How do you feel when people called you a Madhuri look-alike? It felt very weird when I started out. The statement used to describe me was the actor who looks like Madhuri Dixit and now it is Niki Aneja, who looks like Madhuri Dixit. So I take it as a compliment.

Are their any other projects in the pipeline? Well, the second line of my designer label Niki Aneja is out and the third is scheduled for December. It is basically a collection of western party wear blouses.

So after 'Astitva' you are planning to become a full-fledged designer? No, it was just that I didn't like being a bored housewife in the UK when Sonny was busy with his work. Since I have been in the industry for long enough to know about fashion, I decided to design some clothes. It is basically something that I would be comfortable wearing myself.

On the acting front, I have shot a pilot for Manish Goswami for a political drama based show Swarth. It is a story of three career-driven women from a political background, who happen to be sisters. I play the middle sister, while Neena Gupta is the elder sister and Shweta Kawatra is the youngest. I keep getting offers to do soaps at least once every 15 days but I am not really keen on such stuff.

Are you disgruntled with the industry?Yes and with good reason. Wherever I go, I meet up with people who like my performance in Astitva. People have come up to me and started offering advice on whether I should take Abhi back or not. It clearly indicates that the show is watched, but is it reflected on the ratings...no! I do think TRPs are rigged.

There are award ceremonies coming soon, though I know I deserve an award, chances are that I won't get one. It is likely that the Balaji girls will take away the awards. Didn't you think that Anchit Kaur was brilliant in Saaya. But she got an award for her two-bit role in Dhadkan instead! Even she was surprised.

Even amongst the current lot there are a lot of talented actors. I think both Shweta Kawatra and Sangeeta Ghosh have a lot of potential but are unfortunately reduced to a bunch of hams.

Any last words...Yep, to my fans... I am really touched by all the mails you send. I may not reply to them but doesn't mean that they go unnoticed. It is because of your mails that I am back. And I really don't need an award to know that I am a good actor, via your responses I get an award everyday.

D Mahesh

2007-02-12T13:24:00.000-08:00

Introduction Of D Mahesh

The Stage Compeer Mr. D.Mahesh, a comedian, needs to have a mention, who kept the audience at the frenzy of laughter to his sense of humor. The President of the club Mr.Nilangshu Dey presented mementos to the artist, followed by a sumptuous dinner at the club.D Mahesh is among the troupe members who will perform with Sanu.

Kumar Sanu

2007-02-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Kumar Sanu alias Kedarnath Bhattacharya (born September 23, 1957 Kolkata) is a leading playback singer of Bollywood. One of the most prolific singers ever to work in the Indian film industry, Kumar Sanu's recorded output numbers in the thousands of songs, reaching by his estimation over 8,000 by the turn of the millennium. Sanu broke the Guinness world record for the largest number of songs recorded in a single day, with 28 -- a testament not only to his polished technique, but to his unparalleled ability to quickly and effortlessly master unfamiliar material in the studio. Sanu also holds the record (along with Lata Mangeshkar on the female side) for the longest string of consecutive Filmfare awards for Best Playback Singer (the equivalent of an Oscar and perhaps the most coveted musical award in India) with five, a streak that made him arguably the most popular male vocalist in India during the '90s.

Kumar Sanu was born Kedernath Bhattacharjee and grew up in Calcutta; his father Pashupati Bhattacharjee was an accomplished classical vocalist and composer, and saw to his son's early musical training as a singer and tabla player. Getting a degree in commerce from Calcutta University, Sanu began performing publicly in 1979, singing at shows and restaurants around Calcutta in a style heavily influenced -- copied, some charged -- from film legend Kishore Kumar. Competition for singers in the Indian film industry was (and still is) extremely fierce, since it is the primary route to success in India, and it took Sanu several years to land his big break. He made his living in the early '80s partly by recording a series of Kishore Kumar covers for a pop label, but remained unable to make inroads into film. Finally, in 1987, music director Jagjit Singh -- noted for his mastery of the romantic ghazal song form -- offered Sanu the chance to sing in the Hindi film Andhiyan. Sanu relocated to Bombay, the capital of the Indian film industry, and soon landed another film, Jadoogar, helmed by the Kalyanji/Anandji team; they gave Sanu his stage name, partly to give him wider appeal outside of a strictly Bengali audience, and partly because of the heavy influence of his idol. Film fans began to take notice, poising Sanu for a major breakthrough. That breakthrough came in 1990 with the film Aashiqui, whose soundtrack was composed and directed by the Nadeem/Shravan team. Sanu sang all but one of the songs featured on the soundtrack album, which made him a star; he won the first of his record five consecutive Filmfare awards as Best Male Playback Singer, and began recording new material at a furious pace. He won Filmfares for his performances in Saajan, Deewana, Baazigar, and 1942: A Love Story (in order, up through 1994), but his work extended much farther, so much so that by the end of the decade he had recorded -- in many different languages -- for literally hundreds of films. As the '90s waned, Sanu slowed his amazing recording schedule a bit, feeling that he'd proven enough to become more selective in choosing his material (he preferred classic-style songs to newer, more Western-influenced pop).

Seeking new challenges, he branched out into acting, appearing in a Bengali film and starting television serials in both Bengali and Hindi. He also became more comfortable with concert performances and embarked on frequent international tours. By the turn of the millennium, Sanu had promised to follow in fellow record-holder Lata Mangeshkar's footsteps by not accepting any further Filmfare awards (in order to make room for new talent), but the hits kept on coming through 1999 and 2000, and he continued to rival Udit Narayan as the most popular male singer in India.

Early days
Kumar Sanu's father Pashupati Bhattacharjee was an accomplished classical vocalist and composer. He trained Sanu as a singer and tabla player. After getting a degree in commerce from Calcutta University, Sanu began performing publicly in 1979, singing at shows and restaurants around Calcutta. He modeled his singing style after famous Bollywood singer Kishore Kumar. Sanu tried to make a career in Bollywood, but did not achieve success for a long time. He made his living in the early 1980s partly by recording a series of Kishore Kumar covers for a pop label. His son, Jaan Sanu has also made inroads into singing by going into a semi final of a singing contest held in India.

Initial days in Bollywood
In 1987, music director and singer Jagjit Singh offered Sanu the chance to sing in the Hindi film Andhiyan. Sanu then relocated to Mumbai, where Kalyanji-Anandji gave him chance to sing in the film Jadoogar. Kalyanji-Anandji suggested that he change his name from Kedar Bhattacharya to Kumar Sanu because of the prevalant caste/region-based favoritism in Bollywood and to give him wider appeal outside of a strictly Bengali audience.

1990s
Sanu's breakthrough came in 1990, in form of the film Aashiqui. The music directors Nadeem-Shravan got Sanu to sing all but one of the songs. Sanu gained overnight success. The hit songs from Aashiqui included Tu meri zindagi hain, Nazar ke saamne, Jaane jigar jaaneman and Dheere, dheere se meri zindagi mein aana. He won the first of his record five consecutive Filmfare awards as Best Male Playback Singer. His next Filmfare Awards came for songs in the movies Saajan (1991), Deewana (1992), Baazigar (1993), and 1942: A Love Story (1994). He went on to sing for many films, in many Indian languages but in (1998). Doctors diagnosed him with throat cancer, in its early stages. This gave other singers to boost their career.Sanu became a favorite with Nadeem-Shravan. He rendered many hit songs in movies like Sadak (Tujhe apna bana ne ki kasam khayi hai), Deewana (title song), Baazigar (title song, Kali kali ankhen), Saajan (Jeeye to jeeye kaise, Mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai), 1942 A Love Story (Rim jhim, Ek ladki ko dekha, Kuch na kahon), Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge (Tujhe dekha to yeh jaana sanam), Pardes (Meri Mehbooba, Do dil mil rahe hain), Kareeb Chori chori and others.In late 1990s, Sanu cut down on singing and became selective. He branched out into acting, appearing in a Bengali film and starting television serials in both Bengali and Hindi. He also did some concerts.His recent hits include Humraaz, Yeh Dil Aapka Huwa (Pakistan), Karz, Dil Ka Rishta, Indian Babu, Ishq Vishk, Andaaz, Qayamat, Hungama and Footpath. He has also turned his trade at making music for Indian films and also recently as a producer for a new Bollywood film, Utthaan.He is the most prominent singer in Bollywood to never have won a national award, even in his heyday he was not even nominated.

Awards
· FilmFare Award 1990 Ab Tere Bin Jeelenge - Aashiqui
· FilmFare Award 1991 'Mera dil bhi kitna pagal hai' - Saajan
· FilmFare Award 1992 Sochenge Tumhe Pyaar Karein Ke Nahin - Deewana
· FilmFare Award 1993 Yeh Kaali Kaali Aakhen - Baazigar
· FilmFare Award 1994 Ek ladki ko dekha to aisa laga - 1942 A Love story
· IIFA Award 2000 for Aankhon ki Gustakhiyan - Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Records
Sanu broke the Guinness world record for the largest number of songs recorded in a single day: 28. He also holds the record (along with Lata Mangeshkar on the female side) for the longest string of consecutive Filmfare awards for Best Playback Singer

Antara Biswas: MonaLisa

2007-02-10T16:04:00.000-08:00

Hot girl MonaLisa

Antara Biswas is also known as Mona Lisa. She changed her name to Mona Lisa at the behest of her uncle as it would supposed to bring good luck to her in Bollywood. She acted in Bengali films along with the great actors like Tapas Paul and Prosenjit. She had also acted in Oriya films and did an item number in Dayanayak, a Kannada film.She did couple of films in Bollywood acting in Blackmail starring Ajay Devgan and Sunil Shetty, and Tauba Tauba opposite Laxmikant Berde.

Earlier in 1999, she also acted in an Egyptian Movie in Arabic language, called Hamam fi Amsterdam

Nilesh The Musician

2007-01-12T13:36:00.000-08:00

Nilesh is a self taught musician and a guitarist with style. He plays rhythm/lead on both acoustic and electric guitars. He loves to try new musical instruments other then the guitar and is now working on playing the harmonica. He is also a popular RJ on a south asian radio station in Jersey where the line "Aaphika Apna Kuch Jaana Pehchaana Kuch Anjaana Ajnabee - MistryMan" says it all.

Now Performing on Maharaja Cruise

Amit Kumar

2007-01-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

Amit Kumar (born 3 July, 1954) is the elder son of the late all-rounder (composer, singer, lyricist, film maker, writer, actor), Kishore Kumar. His mother Ruma Guha Thakurta is a top Bengali actress and founder and lead singer of Calcutta Youth Choir. His uncle Ashok Kumar, came to Bombay in the 1930s to pursue an acting career in the silent movies and the early talkies. His other uncle, late Anup Kumar was an actor too.He decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Though (like his father) he did not train in Indian classical music, he did his riyaaz in the form of singing practice, mainly of his father’s songs.A child prodigy, he was singing and acting in his father's films while kids his age were still sucking thumbs! He cut his teeth watching the antics of his hugely successful comedian father, the one and only Kishore Kumar. Acting in his father's films and singing along with him on stage, has given Amit a confidence found in few of his peers.Though he did not train in classical (like his dad) music, he did his riyaaz in the form of singing practice, mainly of his father’s songs. For the last ten years, he has been grooming under Pandit. Satyanarayan Sharma.Amit’s first recording was Main Panchi Matwala Re for his father in Door Ka Rahi (1971). But his first major adult song (he was 11 when Door Ka Rahi was recorded in 1965) was R. D. Burman’s Bade Ache Lagte Hain (Balika Badhu). He had recorded earlier for MISA (Madan Mohan) and for a Rajesh Khanna film with music by Salil Choudhary, but these films never took off.

Amit Kumar enjoyed greater success during the 80's and initial 90's, becoming the signature voice for actors like Kumar Gaurav, Anil Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and other actors. He shared an excellent rapport with R.D Burman producing songs including 'Bade Achche Lagte Hai','Kya Hua Ik Baat Par', 'Maang Loonga Mai Tujhe Taqdeer Se', 'Ye Zameen Ga Rahi Hai', 'Roz Roz Aankhon Tale', and 'Jaaneman Jaanejigar', and a number of his songs appeared in various Bollywood films. Media drew comparisons between Amit Kumar and his father, Great Kishore Da, creating a possibly higher bar of expectation for Amit's talent than a normal young singer with lesser pedigree. Even so, the name recognition aided Amit in developing his own singing style and increasing his own notoriety.His first releases were Aandhi, Mounto, Zindagi Aur Toofan and Anokha in 1975. He had a stint as a child star in "Door Gagan Ki Chaon Mein" as a mute boy acting along side dad Kishore Kumar in this 1964 off-beat movie.He obviously decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Kishore wanted Amit to be a singer, which is why Amit came to Mumbai at 18, and his father introduced him at a special show called Daddy Kishore Son Amit.It was in 1975, that these songs were realeased including the ‘qawwali’ with Mohammad Rafi and Bhupendra, ‘Salaam Kijiye Aali Janaab Aaye Hain’ (Aandhi/R. D. Burman, four songs in Jai Kumar Parte’s flop film for Vijay Anand, Jaan Haazir Hai (of which ‘Arey Meri Chammak Challo’ and ‘Hum Na Rahenge proved popular) and some insignificant songs in Kalyanji - Anandji’s Mounto and Anokha and Laxmikant - Pyarelal’s Zindagi Aur Toofan.In the 70’s, Amit’s progress was very slow as the great singers were all going strong. Yet, he did to sing in films like Laxmikant - Pyarelal’s Aap Beeti, Parvarish and Prem Vivah, Kalyanji - Anandji’s Ganga Ki Saugandh, R. D. Burman’s Kasma Vaade, Gol Maal and Salaam Memsaab, Ravindra Jain’s Deewange, Rajesh Roshan’s Khatta Meetha, Des Pardes, Ek Hi Raasta, Duniya Meri Jeb Main and Baton Baton Mein among others. The popular songs included ‘Aji Suniye Zaraa Rukiye’ (Parvarish), ‘Aati Rahengi Baharen’ (Kasme Vaade), ‘Nazar Lage Na Sathiyon’ (Des Pardes, ‘Dekh Mausam Keh Raha Hai’ (Duniya Meri Jeb Main) and ‘Uthe Sab Ke Kadam’ ‘Na Bole Tum Na Maine Kuch’ (Baton Baton Mein).He began the eighties on a high note with his Qurbani chart - topper, ‘Laila O Laila’ and the Hum Paanch LP duet, ‘Kaa Janu Main Sajaniya’. And in that year, he got his major breakthrough - Love Story, with super - hit numbers like ‘Yaad Aa Rahi Hai’ and ‘Dekho Maine Dekha Hai’. He also won the FilmFare award for these songs. Having developed a style distinct from his father’s, yet with a degree of similarity, Amit Kumar continued to get hit numbers in the 80’s - his busiest decade as a singer. The major hits included ‘Jaaneman Jaan - e - Jigar’ (Ghazab), ‘Dushman Na Kare’ (Akhir Kyon?), ‘Yeh Zameen Ga Rahi Hai’ (Teri Kasam), ‘Main Hoon Haseena’ (Poonam), and very soon Amit Kumar entered the top league of singers, with Rafi and Mukesh no longer around, and Mahendra Kapoor and Manna Dey on a decline.R. D. Burman gave him major songs, albeit less successful than Love Story, like Romance, Teri Kasam, Lovers and Jawaani (‘Tu Rootha To Main Ro Doonga Sanam'). Amit sang under a vast array of composers like Usha Khanna, Shankar (Jaikishan), Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Bappi Lahiri, Anand - Milind and others. Various stars for whom he had given voice includes Dharmendra, Shashi Kapoor, Randhir, Rishi and Rajeev Kapoor, Kumar Gaurav, Sanjay Dutt, Anil Kapoor, Vinod Khanna, Jeetendra, Rajesh Khanna, Shatrughan Sinha, Raj Babbar, Vinod Mehra, Govinda, Jackie Shroff and of course Amitabh Bachchan in these two decades.He soon hit it big with "Ek Do Teen" from Tezaab in 1988. He had subsequent hits like "Oye Oye" from Tridev in 1989 and others until 1991 when he began to fade away resulting in an invasion of the music world by Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan and later, by Abhijeet. After a brief hiatus, Amit returned to singing with albums like "MAD" and "Dam Dama Dam" with crazy songs which are his trademark.After his father’s death in 1987, some music directors did try to give him Kishore - esque songs, but Amit did not want to end up as his father’s clone. Amit ended the decade in a blaze of glory with two chart - topping hits, Tezaab (‘Ek Do Teen’) and ‘Keh Do Ki Tum Ho Meri’) and Tridev (‘Tirchi Topiwale’).During late 80's and initial 90's he delivered hits with composers such as Rajesh Roshan, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Anand Milind, Jatin Lalit, and Ram Laxman. These included 'Kabse Kare Hai Tera Intezar', 'Kehdo Ke Tum Ho Meri', 'Mai Jis Din Bhula', 'Pehla Pehla Pyar Hai', 'Tip Tip Tip Barish', 'Tere Liye Saari Umar Jaagu', 'Aankho Mein Band Kar Loo', 'Jao Tum Chahe Jahan', and 'Sooney Shaam Saverey'.Mid 90's saw rise of other singers like Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan. During this phase Amit Kumar share of popular musical hits decreased as composers drifted towards other singers. Currently Amit Kumar performs international stage shows highlighting his father's and his own songs.He recently sang a song in the bollywood movie"Apna Sapna Money Money" titled "Dil Mein Baji Guitar".In the 90’s, he had hit songs in Ghayal, Hum, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja, Khel, Vishwatma, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Gurudev, Indrajeet, Judaai and other films, but now he barely gets a few songs every year and no solos. His latest songs have been for Dillagi, Hum Tumpe Marte Hain and Beti No.1. He mainly does shows and Bengali albums, and none of his Hindi albums - including the brilliant Mad, which he sang and composed - proved hits.Amit has done concerts in every part of the world singing his own hits along with hits of his father. Not just in the Hindi film industry, but even in the Bengali film industry. Amit Kumar is a name to reckon with. He has gigantic hits to his credit. His non-filmi albums like 'Mad' have shown that he is an ace composer and an innovative singer just like his father.

Jaspinder Narula

2007-01-10T15:35:00.000-08:00

Jaspinder Narula

CONGRATULATIONS are certainly in order for the pretty and petite Jaspinder Narula who, by sweeping the ‘Best Female Singer" awards both at Film-Fare and Screen, has more than proved the reach and realism of her vocal chords......!

Without doubt, this sohni Sikhni from Delhi has simply landed herself into the big time as far as playback singing is concerned. And this is where her (bigger) problems begin how to deal with the suddenly spiked situation when she is required for recording at three different studios at the same time. Yeah, this kudi Punjab di has abruptly been elevated to the prized pedestal of being one of Bollywood’s most in demand film song warblers. To the extent, that both Jas and her secretary, Bharat, are going crazy over the constantly jangling telephones people asking for song mastering, and the press cajoling for an interview... to name but a few of the desperadoes!
And yet, in the midst of all this success scream, I must say that Jaspinder is cool and cordial to the extent of inviting a scribe to hop into her car (even as she hands the steering over to pretty sis Pammi) and drive with her all the way to her Andheri residence in order to complete the rap session! Well, she deserved her laurels. And she’s got ‘em. After all, with that superb singing with Remo for Pyar To Hona Hi Tha, award to milna hi tha!, right?

The guys at VENUS Records & Tapes couldn’t have timed the release of their new album better. At a glittering function held at the special audio-video wing of a Juhu hotel it was flashbulbs and spotlight all the way when an impressive number of filmland bigwigs turned up in brocade finery to grace the function.

As a matter of fact, although the official time was 8.30 PM the VIP guests were still coming in as late as 12 midnight! Videos from Jas’s first Indipop album Kuch Kuch Dil Mein were repeatedly screened on demands... and the presence of Pooja Batra, Mink Singh not to forget Anjela Zaveri, mere...!

Petty PROs
Funnily enough, the film PROs have become so petty, that they’re probably doing more anti than pro publicity for their new releases. I mean, whereas the music companies are ensuring the best (and maximum) participation of the press persons at their functions and parties be it the release of their latest audio album or multistar movie the actual film publicists have suddenly started showing a whole lot of whims.....!
Like, they send out invites for a film’s shoot, preview of party as if they can’t count beyond 10! What’s more, a couple of PROs have even had the audacity to yell at some scribes or lensmen to leave the venue... even if they’d been very especially invited directly by the stars or the producer, director!!!

No wonder a foul feeling is growing amongst the Fourth Estate and they may soon begin to boycott such events. As it is, hardly two films out of 20 manage a good, favourable review; so you can well imagine what publicity these so called PROs will be able to garner if the boycott comes on!

Mamta

2007-01-09T15:57:00.000-08:00

SINGER Mamta has sung the title song of `Rakhi'

After playing the star struck fan of a singer in `Madhuchandralekha,' Mamta Mohandas has now gone a step ahead and lent her voice for the title song of Telugu movie `Rakhi,' starring NTR junior and Ileana, which is being directed by Krishnavamsi.

Says Mamta, " My co-star Siddharth in the Telugu movie `Atta' and I were discussing music during the movie's photo shoot when I sang a tune. Music director Devi Sri Prasad, who was there on the sets, heard me and asked if I would drop by his recording studio.
"We jammed for a couple of hours and he told me about `Rakhi' and how he was looking for a voice. I was asked to sing the title song for the movie."'

A Telugu number, the music director wrote the lyrics for Mamta in English. "I am great in singing any language written in English," she says.
Malayali touch

According to Mamta, the number in `Rakhi' is peppy. "It has a Malayali touch as the chenda is used in the piece."

She adds she will be delivering the notes in a base voice. "Not many know I can sing base ," she says.

Although she is known to render melodies while participating in stage shows, not many know that she is a trained singer. It was her father, Mohandas, who pushed her into learning Carnatic music. She, however, found it not to her taste and branched off to Hindustani. "I loved Hindustani.

I didn't need any prodding; I attended the classes whole-heartedly."
Mamta will also be rendering a tune in `Atta.' "I have been asked to sing a duet with Sidhharth."
However Mamta, who will be seen shortly as a lawyer in Shaji Kailas' `Baba Kalyani' opposite Mohanlal, says, this does not mean a change in career. "My focus is on acting as of now.
I'm not a playback singer yet. If any good offer comes, I will grab it though."

Pooja Batra

2006-10-10T16:06:00.000-07:00

Pooja Batra (Hindi: पूज बत्रा, Urdu: پُوج بترا) ,born on October 27 1973 in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, is an Indian actress. She shot to fame in the early 90's when she was crowned Miss India in 1993. Her mother, Neelam Batra, was a participant in Miss India 1971. Her father was an army colonel. Pooja Batra is married to an orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Sonu Ahluwalia, and resides in Los Angeles, California.

Early life
Before she was born, Pooja's father was wounded in the 1971 war between India and Pakistan. She was more the athlete growing up. Pooja majored in Economics at the Fergusson College.

Career
Pooja turned down many offers before signing a contract with the Virasat Film Studio. She was the first Indian face to market a dandruff shampoo.She is the life member of International Film And Television Club of Asian Academy Of Film & Television,Noida.

Sanober Kabir

2005-04-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Sanober Kabir
Sanober - Not all song and dance

''I prefer dark men. The tanned look turns me on. I prefer someone older than me.''
Singer, dancer, actress... not many people in the entertainment industry have so many talents. Many know Sanober Kabir as another 'item girl', but how many know that she actually sings the songs in which she features? Singing is her passion and she wants to carve a niche for herself as a singer. Sanober now reveals some other facets of her charming self.Childhood dreamsThe conversation begins with her childhood dreams. "I was never a strong student academically. My interests always lay towards music and dance.

I never wanted to grow up to be a doctor or an engineer. I always wanted to be in the field of entertainment, be it acting or singing," says Sanober quite emphatically.Current phase of my lifeWith a clear focus in life, Sanober went ahead to act in films and music videos. More than films, it was her dance moves that drew attention. On the current trend of music videos and where she sees herself in the crowd, she says, "What happens is that a lot of time what I do is mistaken as an item number and people start labelling me as an item girl. This really upsets me, because they don't know that I sing my own songs and feature in my own music videos. It's a pre-conceived notion that if you look a certain way, you are a good dancer, look nice and have a proper figure, then people think that you probably can't sing. People should look at the entire package.

The vocal chords maybe as good as their dance moves or as their dress sense. In fact, nowadays even singers like Shaan and Sunidhi Chauhan are concentrating on appearances. But primarily, they are singers and not item girls or guys. For the time being, acting is out. It demands a lot of time and I do not have even 10 days at a stretch to spare, but episodic roles are fine."I prefer dark menWhat does she seek in her Prince Charming? "Nobody is perfect. But he may be a little more perfect for me. He should be compatible, someone with emotional drive. Being rich is not as important as being ambitious. Because eventually only such people become successful. He should have a good sense of humour. I know it sounds cliched but one needs a sense of humour. We are so stressed out in life that at the end of the day you need someone who can lift your spirits and make you laugh. Besides, I prefer dark men. The tanned look turns me on. I somehow am not too attracted to white, fair men. I prefer someone older than me, as I believe that men mature slowly (laughs). I don't see myself having a good, decent conversation with a guy of my age."

The search is still on..."Often it happens that you think you have found the perfect man but later realise a few traits are not what you were looking for. And for some reasons, internal or external, things don't work out. So these people end up being your friends. They are really good guys, but you are talking about spending the rest of your lives with that guy, so he better be damn good (grins). It's not something you would compromise on, it's not a pair of jeans or a dress." So, is the search still on? "Not particularly searching, but yes, if someone comes along, then I will definitely consider"I will marry because I want to"If it has to happen, it will," she says philosophically. But does she believe in marriage? "Eventually, yes. But I am amazed that in India people still go for arranged marriages. Anywhere else in the world even if you were to propose that concept people would be baffled. In India, not only do these marriages take place, but they also work! For me it would be a guy whom I will choose. But I won't make a compromise, just because I have become of certain age or I have achieved so much; I am not going to do it just because I should. I will marry, because I want to"I think live-in relationships are..."I don't believe in live-in relationships. It kills the romance. Mystery is a very important part of romance, and if you are living-in with someone, the person knows everything about you. A little bit of suspense is very good. To keep the romance alive, the element of surprise has to be there. If I am living-in with someone, everything is out in the open. Eventually the romance dies out."My family, my lifeSanober's dad was a child actor who later moved on to producing films. Her mother is a designer who has designed for top actresses like Sharmila Tagore, Sreedevi, Madhuri Dixit, Tabu and others. For Sanober, her family is her life. She says, "We are an extremely close knit family. I travel with my mom wherever I go.

We are always together, my brother, my dad... we are all very close. I find it strange when I meet people who are not close to their families. I think the love of a mother or a father is the most selfless love you can get. Your friends like you because you are good at this or good at that, but parents love you irrespective of everything. They love you for who you are. I am who I am because of my family. If ever I have to choose between family and career, it would be family, without a doubt. I am ready to sit at home for the rest of my life but not lose my family." Very few people know that besides her parents' film connections, Sanober has other relatives in the industry as well. Veteran actor Raza Murad is Sanober's maternal uncle while actress Sonam is her first cousin.If not a singer, actress, dancer...She says sheepishly, "I don't know yaar , I really don't know. Maybe something to do with food. I love eating so I would have opened a restaurant or something. Or something within the hospitality industry. Or a production house. I do want to start a production company in the next 2 years, make television programmes and other related things."There's more to meHere it is from the horse's mouth, "I do not have a big group of friends; only a few close ones. I think one cannot live without friends.

I have learnt tabla for 2 years. I am a foodie. I love to eat. I love travelling as well. This year I plan to visit Egypt."Sanober... 10 years down the line"Married, definitely... hopefully (grins). Have kids. But I will still be working. It won't be with the same intensity as it is as of now, because once you have family responsibilities you have to compromise on your career. But, I will still be around."To all those who want to make it big"Nothing comes easy. Hard work is the key. However, the atmosphere is very receptive today. With thousands of T.V. channels and so many shows, it's not that difficult to get a break. But it's not easy. Abhishek Bachchan also struggled before he could establish himself as an actor. Small-town people see glamour on television. They see actors and actresses in beautiful make-up and stunning clothes and they feel this is the place to be, but no, there is lot of slogging involved. We have worked in testing conditions without food and water and 24 hours of travelling. Unless they are really intent and confident about making it in the industry, they should not dream. Nothing comes without a price. There is a flipside to everything," Sanober signs off.