Hottest stars of 2007 and predictions on the next 10 years of their lives and career:

1) Shilpa Shetty: From being the sultry oomph queen of Bollywood, Shilpa Shetty has earned global repute for herself after emerging as the winner in the super-controversial reality show of UK, Big Brother. Due to the much-hyped racial issue in the big brother house, Shilpa not only came out as the winner but also managed to bask in global fame and Hollywood projects. The actress has recently been declared as the most searched actress in the universe and her films as well as her off-screen antics are getting massive coverage. The popularity will surely gain momentum as her Hollywood projects pass the litmus test and she may well surpass Ash in the popularity scale in the offshore market. All the best to this Indian ‘dark’ beauty.

2) Abhishek- Aishwarya: When the handsome heartthrob of Bollywood tied knot to the global face of Indian cinema, a brand ‘Abhiash’ was born. The both taken together promise to be one of the most happening pair and a real gift for the film-makers and ad gurus. Their films and their promotional campaigns already got success even before they got married in the form of Guru. The popular couple is sure to take the filmdom and world by storm with their lethal combination.

3) Himesh Reshammiya: We all love him, listen to his music but criticize him in public. One of the most recognized faces of the present music scene in India is upbeat about his debut on the big screen with his debut film ‘Aap Ka Saroor’ hitting the theatres this June. Himesh Reshammiya with his highly popular nasal voice and catchy music has been a hit with the listeners both for his soft and high tempo music. The singer-turned-actor is starring in arguably the most expensive Bollywood venture ever. The success of the film will pave way for a future in acting as well. Meanwhile, with the success of every composition, HImesh is expected to grow higher and higher with only sky being the limit.

4) Shah Rukh Khan: After taking over ad commercials from Big B, SRK went on to host the mega popular game show Kaun Banega Crorepati which brought appreciation and popularity to the King Khan of Bollywood. There continues to be a lot of buzz for every SRK release including the forthcoming films like Chak De! India, Om Shanti Om, Dulha Mil Gaya etc. The ‘Shah Rukh’ is expected to scale greater heights in the coming years as SRK will be at the peak of his career though he can either go down or stay there at the top slot.

5) Hrithik Roshan: The super cool dude of Bollywood has set his foot firm on the success ladder climbing up as he gives us our first super hero and a breath-taking performance in Dhoom 2. The style guru, mega talented hunk is due for better performances and even bigger roles in the coming years including this year’s forthcoming release Jodha Akbar, co-starring Aishwarya Rai. With crisp looks, body of a Greek God, emmacualte dancing skills and a fine actor, Hrithik is surely to come out as the best the coming decade has to offer to the cine-goers.

6) A. R. Rehman: The music maestro of Bollywood has created fine music and brought Indian music on to the global platform. For the first time, a non-classical form of Indian music has touched the hearts of innumerable people across the globe. The brand ‘Rehman’ will create waves not only in the domestic but also in the international circuit as UN’s anthem for poverty was coined by none other than this genius. We salute the jewel of India. Hail, Rehman!

7) Sanjay Dutt: The beloved actor of millions has tried his hand at action, romance and now comedy. The comedy genre has undoubtedly proven to be the best bet for the actor who immortalized the character of the cute tapori ‘Munna bhai’ much to the adoration of the millions not only in India but also in the overseas. The success of both the films in the Munna Bhai series promises a treat in the form of the third sequel as well. Sanjay Dutt’s popularity is sure on the ascending side which may well boost up in the coming years. As it’s said “Lage Raho Munna Bhai!”

Vidhu Vinod Chopra & Rajkumar Hirani: The rocking duo of the producer-director has given birth to the blockbuster series of Munna Bhai which taught an indifferent nation the principles of a great man in its second sequel. The successful pair is working on their third in the series which again promises to be a great watch. The future success of this pair greatly depends on the future projects they will undertake. If the great film-maker stays in sync with the amazing director-writer-editor, then we will surely get more such successful films and sequels as well.

9) Akshay Kumar: The Khiladi of Bollywood has come of age from being an action and romantic hero to one of the most loved Comic heroes of our times. The void created by the failures of Govinda has been well filled up this Punjab da Puttar who has dished out some of the best comic acts of the recent times like Hera Pheri, Awara Paagal Deewana, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Phir Hera Pheri, Bhagam Bhaag and the recent hit ‘Namastey London’. Akshay’s comic roles have been appreciated immensely both by the classes and the masses. The future beckons this super performer who is expected to reach greater heights in his film career with roles in all genres touching the hearts of millions of his fans world-wide.

10) Kangana Ranaut: The young newcomer in Bollywood created a stir in her debut film ‘Gangster’. The glamorous actress went on to essay a challenging role in ‘Who Lamhe’ based on the life of the late Praveen Babi. Soon, Kangana made headlines with her future projects including Life In A metro. The waves on her haid, her flawless skin and the beautifully toned body added beauty to the impressive acting she dished out to the audiences who hailed as the fresh new face of the year. Along with Vidya Balan, Kangana Ranaut promises to ascend on the ladder of success in the coming years. All the luck to her!

Tanushree Chatterjee

The stars that shone bright in 1997 and how they faired in Bollywood in the following 10 years:

1. Aishwarya Rai: Ms. World to the queen of billion hearts

The gorgeous world beauty pageant winner made her debut in 1997 and went on to become Indian cinema’s global ambassador in the coming years. RS salutes this Indian beauty for her success in Bollywood and on the international scene. The actress was part of some successful films like Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Taal, Mohabbatein, Devdas, Dhoom 2 and Guru. She has represented India at the Cannes film festival where she was a part of the jury and had her was statue resurrected at the Madame Tusaaud’s Museum in London. Ms. Rai went to through a series of unsuccessful love affairs with fellow actors Salmaan Khan and then Vivek Oberoi. She finally got married this April to Bollywood heartthrob Abhishek Bachchan. She even acted in some international projects like Pride and Prejudice, Mistress of Spices, Provoked etc. Hopefully she will get some success in international projects as well.

2. Madhuri Dixit: The Bollywood diva made a comeback of sorts in Yash Raj’s Dil To Pagal Hai and proved her critics wrong by winning the National Award for best actress in the film. Madhuri went on to do couple of more films like Pukar and Lajjo and then went into sabbatical while she got married and settled in US. There she played the perfect wife and became a proud mother of two children. She even returned to Bollywood to star in the magnum hit, Devdas. Maduri got more hits, looked better and was the perfect Mrs. India in the 10 years that followed Dil To Pagal Hai. She will be making another comeback again in a Yash Raj production, Aaja Nachle this year. We wish her all the luck!

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Top 10 Actresses 1997-2007

Radiosargam brings you the complete outlook on the list of top line actresses who have mad it big in the cinematic world of Hindi Film industry. The actresses are distinguished on the basis of success that they have achieved over the years. Rani Mukherjee tops the list in terms of the amount of success the actress has achieved over the years. Vidya Balan too manages to feature in the top 10 due to her fine performances in Parineeta and Lage Raho Munnabhai. Though Ayesha Takia is the best actress for Dor in the year 2006, she still has to make it big in the cinema. Urmila Matondkar too deserves an applaud for her fantastic performances in films like Bhoot, Ek Haseena Thi, Pinjar etc.

Year 1997 – Madhuri Dixit (Dil To Pagal Hai)
Dil To Pagal Hai is mostly remembered for its music as it hardly had a story to narrate. Though, Shah Rukh Khan completely dominates throughout the film, Madhuri gets enough scope to show her potential as an actress. The role was sufficient to get her the numero uno spot back. Mahima Chaudhury for Pardes, Sridevi for Judaai and Tabu for Virasat were also in line for the top spot but the success of Dil To Pagal Hai lead Madhuri’s performance to an all new peak.

Year 1998 – Kajol (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
1998 turned out to be a big year in Kajol’s career. She had four major hits that particular year in Karan Johar’s directorial venture Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with Shah Rukh Khan, Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya with Salman Khan, Pyar To Hona Hi Tha with Ajay Devgan and critically acclaimed Dushman with Sanjay Dutt. In Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kajol was simply a marvel. She smoothly portrays the tomboyish character and then glides into the frame of a desirable woman.

Year 1999 – Aishwarya Rai (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Taal)
If 1998 was a year for Kajol, then 1999 saw the sunshine for Aishwarya Rai. She gave some fantastic performances in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Taal. Her dance sequences are something which will be hard to ignore especially ‘Nimbuda’ from HDDCS and ‘Kahin Aag Lage’ from Taal. She emoted her scenes quite aptly and followed the roles defined by her directors.

Year 2000 – Karisma Kapoor (Fiza)
Karisma Kapoor playing the title role in Fiza, saw her giving the most phenomenal performance of her life. Karisma emerges as a star of this film through her flawless acting. She emotes her scenes with utmost maturity, which she has gained over the years since her performance in Dil To Pagal Hai and Raja Hindustani. Karisma makes Fiza a character with the shade of a rainbow. Tabu and Preity Zinta also gave a good performance in Astitva and Kya Kehna respectively.

Year 2001 – Tabu (Chandni Bar)
There is absolutely zero Tabu in Chandni Bar. It is all Mumtaz, her character. She plays the role, which could just go hammy anytime, with high level of intelligence. If Madhur Bhandarkar is here till date then it is because of Chandni Bar and if Chandni Bar is there then it is because of Tabu.

Year 2002 – Aishwarya Rai (Devdas)
Aishwarya gives her best performance till date in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas. Her capability to emote through her eyes shows the refined skills of the beauty queen. She carries herself with a lot of grace and her dance sequence with Madhuri Dixit is the highlight of the film. Rani Mukherjee and Amisha Ptel were too acknowledged for their performances in Saathiya and Humraaz respectively.

Year 2003 – Urmila (Bhoot)
Urmila’s finesse as an actress is most seen in Bhoot. She manages to take your breathe away by her career’s best performance. She delivers her expressions in style and her work is beyond any awards. Every single one of her expressions, dialogs, and screams are delivered with an inimitable flair and elegance that defies categorization. Her chilling portrayal is more than reason enough to watch the film several times through.

Year 2004 – Rani Mukherjee (Hum Tum)
Rani Mukherjee as Rhea sizzles the screen with her on screen pair Karan, played by Saif Ali Khan. She plays her character effortlessly and handles the various emotions with finesse and ease. She is sexy, intelligent, charismatic and just fabulous in her character as Rhea. Her chemistry with Saif is amazing and something to watch out for in the coming years.

Year 2005 – Rani Mukherjee (Black)
Rani thought India two things in the year 2005. One was the naughty way of living dreams in Bunty Aur Babli, second the sign language to say Oscar through Black.
I, as a movie geek, loved her in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Hum Tum and Bunty Aur Babli but her portrayal of dumb and deaf Michelle in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black left me spellbound. She never seemed hammy to me in a single expression. Needless to say, one of the best performances of the century.

Year 2006 – Ayesha Takia (Dor)
Ayesha Takia, relatively a new comer, gives a notable and powerful performance in Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dor. She alongwoth Gul Panag carries the film on her shoulders completely. Ayesha Takia has given the best performance of her acting career so far in ‘Dor’. Ayesha carries all these myriad emotions with the skill of a polished actress.

Year 2007 – Aishwarya Rai for Jodhaa Akbar/Guru or Rani for Lagaa Chunari Mein Dhaag
If anything is to go by, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will get the awards for her phenomenal performances in Guru and Provoked. Apart from this, this Diwali we will see another release from her kitty, the historical Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodhaa Akbar. Rani Mukherjee is also in the top actress category league with her performance in the centric role she essays in Yash Raj Films Lagaa Chunari Mein Dhaag.

Top 10 Actresses 1997-2006
Rank 1 – Rani Mukherjee
Rank 2 – Kajol
Rank 3 – Aishwarya Rai
Rank 4 – Madhuri Dixit
Rank 5 – Karisma Kapoor
Rank 6 – Preity Zinta
Rank 7 – Priyanka Chopra
Rank 8 – Urmila
Rank 9 – Tabu
Rank 10 – Vidya Balan

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Soundtracks 1997-2007

The most distinctive feature of Indian Cinema is its music. Infact, Bollywood differs from Hollywood kind of cinema because of its song and dance routines. We, at Radiosargam, have always tried to make a constant effort to give you the most critiqued and detailed music reviews of various soundtracks. This time again, Radiosargam brings for you the top 10 soundtracks from 1997 to 2006 while predicting the best soundtrack for the year 2007.

Year 1997 – Dil To Pagal Hai
Dil To Pagal Hai is a Yash Raj musical and it has Uttam Singh aligning himself to Yash Raj Banners kind of music. The album was a chartbuster all throughout the year of 1997 and the following year too. The songs were filled with the sweetness of melody and simple yet exhilarating lyrics. Dil To Pagal had enough credits to go beyond the likes of Border and Pardes.

Year 1998 – Dil Se
Mani Ratnam’s first Hindi venture saw the industry’s best giving the best music for him. A.R.Rehman and Gulzar saab joined hands and churned out a powerful album which turned out to be a landmark in true style. From the dance number ‘Chaiya Chaiya’ to the heartwhemling ‘Jiya Jale’, to the narrative ‘Ae Ajnabi’, to the energetic ‘Satrangi Re’ and the innovative ‘Dil Se’, the soundtrack has it all.

Year 1999 – Taal
The album of Taal had more than just the titillating posters of Aishwarya Rai in a nude pose. Subhash Ghai had claimed that Taal had the best music compared to all his films. And why not, A.R. Rehman set the melody in accordance with the poetic words penned by Anand Bakshi saab. Rahman has once again proved that he’s the most creative music director of today’s times.

Year 2000 – Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai
Papa Rakesh Roshan joined hands with uncle Rajesh Roshan to create a magnetic soundtrack for his son Hrithik’s launchpad, Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. The movie went to become a superhit, a credit of which also goes to the youthful songs of the album. From a dance number to a melodious number, the album has it all.

Year 2001 – Lagaan
I believe if one has an ear for music then he will definitely love the music of Lagaan. A.R Rehman’s saga continues with the poetry of Javed Akhtar. The album creates a magical web in the minds of its listeners. The soundtrack is a blend of Indian classical, folk, and Western classical music.

Year 2002 – Devdas
The music rights for Devdas were brought by Universal at a price of 12 crores. After the grand success of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Ismail Durbar again come together to give the best soundtrack of the year. Nusrat Badr’s lyrics describe the ambience of the film and by just hearing the track, one feels that he is watching the film. Excellent blend of poetic glory and musical appeal.

Year 2003 – Kal Ho Naa Ho
Dharma Productions Kal Ho Naa Ho drew high expectations as the previous films Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham gave some fantastic music which were loved by people of all ages. Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy arrived with a big bang after the success of Dil Chahta Hai. The lyrics of Javed Akhtar honoured the album which was a complete mix of poetic and energetic feel.

Year 2004 – Veer Zaara
Veer Zaara is a classic from the Yash Raj camp. The music was appreciated all over the world and the sales records speak for that. The album is a mark of brilliance by the late music director Madan Mohan. Javed Akhtar’s lyrics just add more than a name in its records. The sound of Veer Zaara is classic yet refreshing.

Year 2005 – Bunty Aur Babli
Gulzar Saab with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy come out with a musical enterprise with Yash Raj Banners to give a rocking album named Bunty Aur Babli. The music took some time to grow on the ears of the people but once the film released it shattered all the records at one go – Kajra Re. The number is still played in all the discotheques around the country and has become the most popular number over a long time. Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy churn out a beauty of an album with different voices for each track and a different feel in each track.

Year 2006 – Rang De Basanti
Loose Control…The king of all music albums is here…Rang De Basanti. The soundtrack of Rang De Basanti is a heart warming journey which has the brialliant A.R Rehman and the poetic Prasoon Joshi giving an impressive soundtrack. The composition saw versatile singers like, Lata Mangeshkar, Mohit Chauhan, Daler Mehndi, Chitra, Madhushree, and A.R.Rehman himself coming together to give one of the best compositions till date.

Year 2007 – Prediction wise ‘Saawariya’
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s next release Saawariya will feature Monty Singh as a music composer, who has worked really hard to give 12 tracks for the multistarrer. The film is a love story and stars big names like Salman Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Rishi Kapoor’s son Ranbir and Anil Kapoor’s daughter Sonam.

Top 10 Soundtracks 1997-2006
Rank 1 – Rang De Basanti
Rank 2 – Dil Se
Rank 3 – Veer Zaara
Rank 4 – Lagaan
Rank 5 – Taal
Rank 6 – Devdas
Rank 7 – Bunty Aur Babli
Rank 8 – Dil To Pagal Hai
Rank 9 – Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai
Rank 10 – Kal Ho Naa Ho

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Directors 1997-2007

Top actors, big budget, mega starcast, nothing can guarantee a successful film unless it has the right mind working behind it. Yes, I truly believe that it’s a director who calls the shots. An actor emotes what his director asks him to. Extracting the best from his team is the job of a director. Radiosargam brings you the top 10 directors of Bollywood which have done just done that.

Year 1997: J.P. Dutta (Border)
J.P Dutta made a mega war movie with an ensemble cast. A film like ‘Border’ could have easily drifted from its place but the director expertise handling of each and every fame with well crafted screenplay saw the film through.

Year 1998: Karan Johar (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
Karan Johar makes a fantastic directorial debut, probably his best film till date. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai caught up the lively young audience and the family members to some of the very honest performances extracted by Karan Johar.

Year 1999: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)
After tasting failure with Khamoshi – The musical, Sanjay Leela Bhansali roared back with an enchanting colourful love triangle. This time he manages to get the best shots from all his actors and technicians. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s vision of sacrifice and love is portrayed beautifully in his gala affair with HDDCS.

Year 2000: Rakesh Roshan (Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai)
Rakesh Roshan brilliant direction is clearly visible in every frame of Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. He carries his own style of film making and comes up with a masala entertainer for the masses. Rakesh Roshan gave it all in KNPH to ensure son Hrithik a platform to start on.
Year 2001: Ashutosh Gowarikar (Lagaan)
Ashutosh Gowarikar leads the way as a director first, and as much as the man behind the story and screenplay with superior technical execution in Lagaan. Shooting with a huge cast in the heat of Bhuj (Gujarat) and still not loosing any end of his storyline shows the talent of the director.

Year 2002: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Devdas)
Expectations were sky high after the grand success of Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. With a big budget of over 50 crores, Devdas easily became the costliest film ever produced in Hindi Film Industry. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s prowess in interpreting and narrating a story which is not new to anyone is seen in Devdas. Matchless wonder, SLB manages to get fine performances from all his actors.

Year 2003: Rakesh Roshan (Koi…Mil Gaya)
A subject which is well written, fabulously directed and class narration which brings many a smiles is Koi…Mil Gaya. Rakesh Roshan’s technical excellence is first seen in Koi…Mil Gaya and it also followed in Krrish. Though, the characters were a bit cheesy for an adult audience, still it manages to crop up all the theatres with flocking crowds.

Year 2004: Yash Chopra (Veer Zaara)
Yash Chopra’s Veer Zaara proved it yet again that he is the ultimate reigning King of Directorial Romance. Veer-Zaara. is experience is evident through his direction, which grabs hold of your every being. His directorial brilliance is further echoed through the performances of his characters on screen. Yash Chopra’s masterful composition of screen presence and emotional charisma keeps you on edge at all times, literally causing you to be unable to get up for even a bathroom break.

Year 2005: Sanjay Leela Bhansali (Black)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black is a film of such sensitivity, precision and elegance made in India. Exploring the world of the deaf is not new territory for Bhansali but this time he engages himself and his audience in the life of a deaf and blind woman: her goals, her failures, her triumphs, her emotions, and her teacher. Each scene is given the utmost sincerity and each character is etched with the finest characterisation.

Year 2006: Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra (Rang De Basanti)
Rakeysh Mehra knocked the doors of Bollywood with Aks but the real bang came with Rang De Basanti. Mehra coaxes his audience to root for his heroes and simply go with the flow. Mehra directs boldly, uncharacteristically but cleverly blending Aamir Khan with the ensemble cast instead of making him the star attraction.

Rank 1: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Rank 2: Rakeysh OmPrakash Mehra
Rank 3: Rakesh Roshan
Rank 4: Ashutosh Gowarikar
Rank 5: Yash Chopra
Rank 6: Vishal Bhardwaj
Rank 7: Karan Johar
Rank 8: Ram Gopal Varma
Rank 9: J.P.Dutta
Rank 10: Abbas Mustan

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Villains 1997-2007

The villains no more say ‘Bad man’, ‘Mogambo Khush Hua’ or are dressed badly. Bollywood has certainly moved on in terms of characters in grey shades. Now, sexy ladies like Priyanka Chopra amidst others carry the villainy act with loads of oomph in them. Radiosargam brings up some of the memories that you would love to hate.

Year 1997 – Kajol (Gupt)
Though Kajol didn’t carry an out and out villainy act through the film, she still manages to be the best actor in the negative role for the year 1997. The other act was that of Amrish Puri in Koyla but that irritated the audience more than scaring them. Kajol delivers her role brilliantly. She stands out in the role of a murderer.

Year 1998 – Ashutosh Rana (Dushman)
Dushman, saw the most hated villain in the last ten years. A postman raping a girl, killing his fiancée and trying all sorts of things to get himself bailed out. Ashutosh Rana does it all. He is the real hero of Dushman, the true villain. He deserves a 11 on 10 for his debut performance.

Year 1999 – Ashutosh Rana (Sangarsh)
Ashutosh Rana repeats his performance from Dushman and plays a psychopath in Sangarsh. He manages to grasp the audience’s attention all throughout the film and delivers what he knows best – acting.
Year 2000 – Suniel Shetty (Dhadkan)
Suniel Shetty tried his fate in a character with grey shades in Dhadkan and bingo, the movie won him appreciation and accolades. Sunil Shetty benefited the most with this film as he got to portray the character of a poor guy who is obsessed in love with Shilpa Shetty. He managed to carry the intensity well enough.

Year 2001 – Akshay Kumar (Ajnabee)
‘Everything is planned’, the line delivered by Akshay throughout this film says it all for him. He started planning his career with different roles to experiment with and this time again he manages to stand out in Ajnabee.

Year 2002 – Ajay Devgan (Deewangee)
Playing a psycho is equal to getting the best award for villainy act. This seemed to become a formula for making a craft into negative shade. Though, Ajay did it well not to make it hammy, the movie did not win many watchers to accolade his performance.

Year 2003 – Irrfan Khan (Haasil)
Irrfan Khan is excellent as the mysterious and brutal gang leader. Watch out for his expressions in the climax where he expresses his character´s shattered emotions of hurt and betrayal.

Year 2004 – Priyanka Chopra (Aitraaz)
Priyanka Chopra finally gets a chance to show her acting skills and she did just that in Aitraaz. She is probably one villain you would love to die for. She succeeds in convincing the audience with her author backed role. She shows confidence, screen presence and tons of charisma.

Year 2005 – Nana Patekar (Apaharan)
Nana Patekar got great reviews for his negative character in Apaharan. He even managed to bag the Filmfare as well as the Star Screen Awards. A hard core actor that Nana is, catridged the role with a lot of expressions in Apaharan.

Year 2006 – Saif Ali Khan (Omkara)
Being a film critic, it is an honour for me to acknowledge the performance of Langda Tyagi in Omkara. Saif Ali Khan emotes his character as never before. He is just impeccable. The complex character was carried with ease by Saif Ali Khan. Fantastic performance

Rank 1: Ashutosh Rana
Rank 2: Saif Ali Khan
Rank 3: Akshay Kumar
Rank 4: Priyanka Chopra
Rank 5: Nana Patekar
Rank 6: Ajay Devgan
Rank 7: Irrfan Khan
Rank 8: Kajol
Rank 9: Suniel Shetty
Rank 10: Akshaye Khanna (Humraaz)

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Music Directors 1997-2007

Radiosargam collects the best music composers rhyming the tunes of Hindi Film Industry from the past ten years.

Year 1997: Uttam Singh (Dil To Pagal Hai)
The music of Dil To Pagal Hai is splendid, with a mixture of Indian instruments and no electronically generated music. Uttam Singh does a commendable job in DTPH.

Year 1998: A.R Rehman (Dil Se)
Dil Se is one of the best albums of Hindi Film Industry. A.R.Rehman made another landmark with the success of Dil Se. The tracks give you the Rehman feel and innovation at its best.

Year 1999: A.R Rehman (Taal)
Taal was the first time A. R. Rahman set tunes to Anand Bakshi’s lyrics. With Taal
Rehman once again proved that he’s the most creative music director of today’s times.

Year 2000: Rajesh Roshan (Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai)
Rajesh Roshan’s much anticipated Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai made record sales in music. Rajesh Roshan also introduced Lucky Ali as a mainstream commercial films singer. The album had it all for every music lover.

Year 2001: A.R Rehman (Lagaan)
A.R. Rahman’s 3rd period album in Hindi after “Earth” and “Zubeidaa” and this is arguably the best of the lot. Mixing sounds from Indian classical, folk, and Western classical music – Rahman succeeds in creating a mood for the world of the film

Year 2002: A.R Rehman (Saathiya)
Though, A.R Rehman in Saathiya was not at his best but still managed to become the best soundtrack of the year. Probably, I am expecting a little bit more from the music king. His pair with Gulzar saab gave out a track which had something to look out for.

Year 2003: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy (Kal Ho Naa Ho)
It is probably not a classic and will be forgotten completely in the coming years but still Kal Ho Naa Ho has something for every music lover. From the soft melody title track to the disco number, from western-punjabi folk to techno beats, the album stands out as the best album of the year by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Year 2004: Late Madan Mohan (Veer Zaara)
Yesteryear’s maestro Late Madan Mohan’s tunes are conceived by his son Sanjeev Kohli and presented in a new avtaar in Yash Chopra’s Veer Zaara. The music of Veer Zaara is likeable and it grows on you as you hear it a couple of times. The soundtrack is a break from the new generation world of loud and techno music with unwanted remixes.

Year 2005: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy (Bunty Aur Babli)
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy have created history through this album. The album is fresh and has no Rehman feel for a change. The music trio try to infuse different beats together and rope in different singers for different tracks, which makes it a must buy album.

Year 2006: A.R Rehman (Rang De Basanti)
Rang De Basanti fits the bill for the kind of music that will be liked by today’s generation. A.R. Rehman fires out top quality songs which catch your attention instantly. I would suggest you to get a headphone and hear the sound close to your ears, you’ll just love it.

Rank 1: A.R Rehman
Rank 2: Late Madan Mohan
Rank 3: Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy
Rank 4: Pritam Chakraborty
Rank 5: Anu Malik
Rank 6: Ismail Darbar
Rank 7: Himesh Reshammiya
Rank 8: Uttam Singh
Rank 9: Rajesh Roshan
Rank 10: Vishal Bhardwaj

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Movies 1997-2007

Since 1997, we have seen a transition from the usual love stories to conceptual cinema. Indian cinema has achieved a global status and now we are at a platform wherein people from across the globe look forward to our cinema. Radiosargam brings you a complete outlook on the movies released between 1997 and 2006, while predicting the best movie for the current year.

Year 1997 – Dil To Pagal Hai
‘Someone….. Somewhere….. is made for you’ caught up with the audience on October 31st, 1997. Directed by Yash Chopra, Dil To Pagal Hai had an ensemble cast of Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Karisma Kapoor, with Akshay Kumar in a guest appearance. The movie went very well with the audience though it had a very tough competition from J.P Dutta’s multistarrer Border and Subhash Ghai’s Pardes. The movie was first titled ‘Maine To Mohabbat Ki Hai’.

Year 1998 – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Karan Johar directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai rocked the cinema screens all over the country. ‘You know you’re in love when Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ stood against the odds of Vikram Bhatt’s Aamir Khan starrer Ghulam and Sohail Khan’s Salman Khan starrer Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya. K2H2 or KKHH, as it is known, starred Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan.

Year 1999 – Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, a love triangle directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali soared high in the sky. It stars Salman Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Ajay Devgan in pivotal roles. The year saw other superhits like Subhash Ghai’s Taal and Aamir Khan starrer Sarfarosh. This movie also resulted in the real-life romance between Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai.

Year 2000 – Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai
Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai was Hrithik Roshan’s debut and the movie which made him an instant star in Bollywood. It also launched the career of the actress Amisha Patel The movie was probably the biggest surprise of year 2000. It focuses on the strange coincidence of two strangers looking physically alike. It entered the Limca Book of Records in 2003 for the most number of Awards won by a Bollywood Film – 102 awards.

Year 2001 – Lagaan
Released on June 1, 2001 Lagaan turned out to be a big release of the year along with Gadar. It became the third Hindi language film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar, Lagaan stars Aamir Khan in the lead role. Though, Gadar turned out to be the biggest grosser of the year, Lagaan made its way due to technical excellence. K3G and Dil Chahta Hai too were released in the same year.

Year 2002 – Devdas
Devdas was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, starring Shahrukh Khan as Devdas, Aishwarya Rai as Parvati or Paro and Madhuri Dixit as Chandramukhi. Based on the Bengali novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Devdas saw the industry’s best culminating into one single platform. The film was made with a budget of 50 crores.

Year 2003 – Koi…Mil Gaya
Koi…Mil Gaya is a science fiction film, directed by Rakesh Roshan, starring Rekha, Hrithik Roshan, and Preity Zinta, and released on August 8, 2003. Hrithik Roshan gave the best performance of his career in Koi..Mil Gaya. Jaddoo too entertained as an alien. In the movie, Rakesh Roshan mentions that he uses sound waves to communicate with the aliens. Factually speaking, sound waves cannot travel through space. The year also saw two other big hits in Kal Ho Naa Ho and Munnabhai M.B.B.S.

Year 2004 – Veer Zaara
Veer Zaara stars Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Rani Mukherjee. Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan appear in cameo roles. Directed by Yash Chopra and set against the background of Indo-Pak, the love story pulled the crowds till the theatres, that too in huge numbers. Yash Chopra returned to directing after eight years, his last directed film being Dil To Pagal Hai. The film was a success not only in India and Pakistan, but overseas, notably in United Kingdom, Germany, France, and the United States. When the three Indian stars, Shah Rukh, Preity and Rani, visited the Virgin Megastore in the UK, over 5,000 fans thronged the store.

Year 2005 – Black
Released in 2005 and directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Black is a story of a blind and deaf girl who graduates from a normal college. The film is based on the life of Helen Keller. Big B Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukherjee portrayed one of their best roles of their acting careers. Time Magazine (Europe) selected the film as one of the 10 Best Movies of the Year 2005 from across the globe. The movie was positioned at number five.

Year 2006 – Rang De Basanti
A Generation awakens… Released on 26th January 2006, Rang De Basanti was directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. The film stars Aamir Khan, Soha Ali Khan, Madhavan, Kunal Kapoor, Siddharth Narayan, Sharman Joshi, Atul Kulkarni and British actress Alice Patten. First week box office collections were Rs. 51.07 crores, or 510.7 million rupees. The other big grosser of 2006 were Dhoom2, KANK, KRRISH and Lage Raho Munnabhai.

Year 2007 – Predicting the best film
2006 was a year that the Hindi Film industry would love to see again and again. Till now, year 2007 hasn’t tasted big success other than that in Namastey London. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Saawariya and Ashutosh Gowarikar’s Jodhaa-Akbar are assumed to be the best releases of this year. Saawariya will see the debut of Ranbir Kapoor ans Sonam alongwith big stars like Rani Mukherjee and Salman Khan whearas Jodhaa-Akbar stars Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai.

Top 10 movies 1997-2006
Rank 1 – Rang De Basanti
Rank 2 – Lagaan
Rank 3 – Black
Rank 4 – Koi…Mil Gaya
Rank 5 – Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
Rank 6 – Veer Zaara
Rank 7 – Devdas
Rank 8 – Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai
Rank 9 – Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Rank 10 – Dil To Pagal Hai

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Hindi Songs 1997-2007

Songs have always been an inherited part of Hindi cinema. Over the years, Hindi film songs have overcome the barriers of being intruded into films. Songs find a prominent place in Bollywood films and the one thing that cannot be imitated by Hollywood. On the eve of ten years of its completion, Radiosargam brings you the top ten songs from 1997 to 2006.

Year 1997 – Sandese Aate Hain (Border)
This is one song that will always come in people’s mind whenever they think of Indian soldiers. Anu Malik’s one of the most creative tracks which has voices rendered by Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod. Javed Akhtar´s lyrics are good enough to moist your eyes. Believe me, one can never get tired of listening to this soulful track.

Year 1998 – Chaiya Chaiya (Dil Se)
Chaiya Chaiya is my favourite song of 1998. Rendered by Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi, the song caught up with the nation instantly. Gulzar’s simple lyrics fusioned with the innovative arrangements of Rehman makes the song worth more than a hear. The song carries an ethnic sound which gels well with the techno beats of the track.

Year 1999 – Tadap Tadap Ke (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)
Sanjay Leela Bhansali is known to be a director with an ear for good music. K.K gives the song its soul. He breathes in life into the track with his painful rendition. I just got hooked onto this track the time I first heard it. An amazing piece of work by music composer Ismail Darbar and lyricist Mehboob. The layers of drums just fail to leave you.

Year 2000 – Ek Pal Ka Jeena (Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai)
Lucky Ali pairs up with Rajesh Roshan to give Hrithik Roshan a breathtaking number, which caught up with the whole world like fire in fuel! The track is interspersed with perfectly complimentary drums, string and bass instruments that fade in and out of the scenery. The world loved it and danced on it. Hear it to dance on it once again…

Year 2001 – Ghanan Ghanan (Lagaan)
The sound of rain never was as exciting as it is in ‘Ghanan Ghanan’. I just feel mesmerized into the soul of this track as I hear it again and again. A.R.Rehman successfully creates an aura of glory with this track in the kitty of Lagaan.

Year 2002 – Dola Re (Devdas)
Voices rendered by Kavita K. Subramanium, Shreya Ghosal, and K.K, Dola Re went really well with the masses. The song got into the limelight as two of the most beautiful of Hindi heroines Madhuri Dixit Nene and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan geared up to give a performance of a lifetime. Kavita is absolutely superb whereas Shreya does well to keep up with Kavita.

Year 2003 – Tere Naam (Tere Naam)
Tere Naam captures your attention as soon as your hear it for the first time. The song became a regular in every hook and corner. Tere Naam turned out to be Salman Khan’s comeback film and the music of the film made record sales all over the country as well as in the overseas market. Udit Narayan and Alka Yagnik pair up for this duet which has music arrangements by Himesh Reshammiya and lyrics penned by Sameer.

Year 2004 – Dhoom Machale (Dhoom)
Dhoom Machale gave me a kick as soon as I heard it and there I was on my toes. Both my left feet started moving. Pritam’s energetic composition and vibrant music arrangement added by the powerful voice of Sunidhi Chauhan made Dhoom Machale a dance floor number which was loved by one and all.

Year 2005 – Kajra Re (Bunty Aur Babli)
I had not heard this track until I went for the movie on the day of its release. Truly speaking, I did not like the track in the beginning, say for the first 1 minute but thereafter it just got on me and the whole world too. Alisha Chinoi’s voice and Gulzar saab’s excellent lyrics made it sure that the song rocked all the chartbusters. Probably, the only song which people will remember for generations from the recent cinema.

Year 2006 – Rang De Basanti (Rang De Basanti)
The song begins and there you go…a number full of energy and punch. It strikes my attention the very first time I hear it. Daler Mehndi has let his vocals flow to the high power tunes of A.R.Rehman. The song has the rawness to shake you up completely.

Top 10 Soundtracks 1997-2006
Rank 1 – Kajra Re (Bunty Aur Babli)
Rank 2 – Tadap Tadap Ke (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)
Rank 3 – Rang De Basanti (Rang De Basanti)
Rank 4 – Sandese Aate Hain (Border)
Rank 5 – Ghanan Ghanan (Lagaan)
Rank 6 – Dhoom Machale (Dhoom)
Rank 7 – Tere Naam (Tere Naam)
Rank 8 – Dola Re (Devdas)
Rank 9 – Chaiya Chaiya (Dil Se)
Rank 10 – Ek Pal Ka Jeena (Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai)

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Actors 1997-2007

Radiosargam takes this opportunity of 10 years of completion of outsourcing entertainment as a medium to make you aware of some of the finest performances of the past 10 years.

Year 1997 – Shah Rukh Khan (Dil To Pagal Hai)
Shah Rukh Khan starrer Dil To Pagal Hai released two years after the grand success of Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. Shah Rukh carries the movie on his shoulders and appeared in almost every scene of the film. He received many awards and accolades for his role in DTPH.

Year 1998 – Shahrukh Khan (Kuch Kuch Hota Hai)
A films success always benefits its team. Karan Johar’s directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was full of top notch performances. Shah Rukh Khan was one of them. His role was appreciated and loved by the whole nation. He made people laugh, cry through his emotions. A refined performance by SRK.

Year 1999 – Sanjay Dutt (Vaastav)
Sanjay Dutt completely captures the minds of the audiences by his mind blowing performance in Vaastav. You can’t imagine any other star replacing him. Probably, his best performance after Khal Nayak. Based on Mumbai underworld, Sanju Baba played his character convincingly.

Year 2000 – Hrithik Roshan (Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai)
With Papa Rakesh Roshan behind the camera, son Hrithik got an opportunity to showcase all his talents in his very debut Kaho Naa…Pyaar Hai. His charming looks, his dancing skills and his screen presence captured the whole cinematic world. The females undoubtedly went gaga over his hot looks.

Year 2001 – Aamir Khan (Lagaan)
Aamir Khan’s home production showcased Aamir’s potential as a complete actor. He made people engross in every frame of Lagaan. His humour, his gutsy acts, his cricket team…people loved it all. Technically brilliant, Aamir Khan rocked the entire country with his fantastic performance in Lagaan.

Year 2002 – Ajay Devgan (The Legend of Bhagat Singh)
Ajay Devgan has another winning performance as an “angry young man” in The Legend of Bhagat Singh. He can easily disqualify it as his best role but nonetheless it’s one that ranks along his bests. He carries the movie on his shoulders and doesn’t go overboard in any of his scenes. The biggest asset of Ajay Devgan as an actor is that he can excel despite the limited characterization of his role.

Year 2003 – Hrithik Roshan (Koi…Mil Gaya)
Hrithik Roshan had a drought phase after his debut, which he ends with a role of a lifetime in Koi…Mil Gaya. Hrithik Roshan plays the character of an underdog with superb grit and eventually emerges as a true winner. Hrithik added another feather to his cap with his performance in Koi…Mil Gaya

Year 2004 – Shahrukh Khan (Swades)
Shahrukh Khan finally sheds off his star persona, enacting a refreshingly subtle, but powerful performance thanks to the director’s sensitive storytelling. Though he introduces his protagonist as a pragmatist, Gowarikar carefully imbibes Mohan Bhargava with the emotional capacity to act passionately within rational means.

Year 2005 – Amitabh Bachchan (Black)
Amitabh Bachchan is just brilliant. His character in Black demanded eccentricity and he delivers. As Michelle’s pillar of support, Bachchan’s depiction of Debraj Sahai compliment’s Rani Mukerji perfectly. The gradual dominance of Alzheimer’s disease is most natural and the scenes in which Debraj is taken over by the disease show the real talent within the Big B.

Year 2006 – Hrithik Roshan (Dhoom2)
I believe Dhoom2 worked because of one man, Hrithik Roshan. He carries the whole film with his performance. He displays a whole range of emotions and facets of Aryan’s character.

Top 10 Actors 1997-2006
Rank 1 – Shah Rukh Khan
Rank 2 – Aamir Khan
Rank 3 – Amitabh Bachchan
Rank 4 – Salman Khan
Rank 5 – Ajay Devgan
Rank 6 – Sanjay Dutt
Rank 7 – Hrithik Roshan
Rank 8 – Akshay Kumar
Rank 9 – Saif Ali Khan
Rank 10 – Nana Patekar

Hanumant Bhansali

Top 10 Singers 1997-2007

Lending voices to Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Rani Mukherjee etc is made possible by Hindi Film Industry’s most prominent voices. Lets look into the following list of top level singers over the past 10 years.

Year 1997 – Sonu Nigam / Roop Kumar Rathod (Sandese Aate Hain – Border)
‘Sandese Aate Hain’ is a medium paced song sung by Sonu Nigam and Roop Kumar Rathod. Both the singers do good enough to pitch the right note in the correct tone. One can’t get tired of praising the beauty with which these singers have sung this song.

Year 1998 – Sukhwinder Singh / Sapna Awasthi (Chaiya Chaiya – Dil Se)
“Chal Chaiyya Chaiyya” is one of my favourite tracks in the 90s. The song is amazingly sung by Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi in their ethnic style. Probably one of the best compositions of A.R. Rehman.

Year 1999 – K K (Tadap Tadap – Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)
K.K gives the song its soul. He breathes in life into the track with his painful rendition. I just got hooked onto this track the time I first heard it. An amazing piece of work by music composer Ismail Darbar and lyricist Mehboob.

Year 2000 – Sonu Nigam / Alka Yagnik (Panchee Nadiya – Refugee)
“Panchhi Nadiyan Pawan Ke Jhonken” is rendered by Sonu Nigam and Alka Yagnik who do an excellent job with this soft tune, which is complimented by Javed Akthar’s thoughtful lyrics.

Year 2001 – Udit Narayan (Mitwa – Lagaan)
Udit Narayan is at his best in Mitwa from Lagaan. Supported by Alka Yagnik, one remembers Mitwa as a song of Udit Narayan. Great melody and powerful lyrics add on to the vocal chords of the highly successful singer.

Year 2002 – Kavita Krishnamoorthy / Shreya Ghoshal (Dola Re… – Devdas)
“Dola Re Dola” sung by Kavita K. Subramanium, Shreya Ghosal, and K.K holds its own though it reminds me of the tunes in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. The singing is very good again, Shreya tries very hard to keep up with Kavita, and succeeds most of the time.

Year 2003 – Sonu Nigam (Kal Ho Naa Ho – Title track)
Sonu Nigam’s vocals are great as expected in the title track on Kal Ho Naa Ho. The song is a bit on the slow side, but nevertheless catchy mainly due to Nigam’s vocal abilities.

Year 2004 – Kunal Ganjawala (Bheegey Honte Tere – Murder)
“Bheegey Hont” sets the fire which the movie propagates through Kunal Ganjawala’s vocal chords. His vocal jobs at the interludes of the song add to that. His crooning stands out in the track which is ultimately seductive.

Year 2005 – Himesh Reshammiya (Aashiq Banaya Aapne – Title Track)
Okay. This was the first time Himesh got behind the mike. Aashiq Banaya Aapne has a catchy and well versed rhythm which gets on your lips instantly. The song has a sufiyana feel attached to it which gives it a ‘different’ tag.

Year 2006: Sunidhi Chauhan (Beedi)
Sunidhi Chauhan is extremely talented and Beedi showcases her versatile prowess as a singer yet again. The number has Sunidhi singing in full energy and rhythm.

Rank 1: Udit Narayan (Mitwa – Lagaan)
Rank 2: K K (Tadap Tadap – Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam)
Rank 3: Sonu Nigam / Roop Kumar Rathod (Sandese Aate Hain – Border)
Rank 4: Sukhwinder Singh / Sapna Awasthi (Chaiya Chaiya – Dil Se)
Rank 5: Sonu Nigam / Alka Yagnik (Panchee Nadiya – Refugee)
Rank 6: Kunal Ganjawala (Bheegey Honte Tere – Murder)
Rank 7: Kavita Krishnamoorthy / Shreya Ghoshal (Dola Re… – Devdas)
Rank 8: Sonu Nigam (Kal Ho Naa Ho – Title track)
Rank 9: Sunidhi Chauhan (Beedi)
Rank 10: Himesh Reshammiya (Aashiq Banaya Aapne – Title Track)

Other prominent singers who cannot be ignored are: Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, A.R. Rehman, Shaan, Shankar Mahadevan.

Hanumant Bhansali