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Bangali Actress Mamata Shankar 1955

Mamata Shankar (born 7 January 1955) is an actress in the Bengali language film industry of India. She has acted in films by renowned film directors including, Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Rituparno Ghosh, Buddhadev Dasgupta and Gautam Ghosh. In addition to being an actress, she is a dancer and choreographer.

She is the daughter of legendary dancers Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar, and the niece of Pandit Ravi Shankar.

Born in 1955 to Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar, her brother was a renowned indo-western fusion musician Ananda Shankar.

She received her training in dance and choreography at the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre', Calcutta under Amala Shankar.

Career

She made her film debut with Mrigayaa in 1976, directed by Mrinal Sen. The film won the National Film Award for Best Film for the year.

Mamata is married to Chandrodoy Ghosh, and runs 'Udayan - Mamta Shankar Dance Company' (founded in 1986, and which travels extensively throughout the world), with the 'Mamata Shankar Ballet Troupe'. The troupe was founded in 1978, and performed its first production, based on a Rabindranath Tagore work, Chandalika, in 1979., it was followed by Horikhela, Aajker Ekalabya, Milap, Shikaar, Mother Earth”, and Amritasyaputra.

Filmography

  • Mrigayaa aka The Royal Hunt (1976)
  • Oka Oori Katha aka The Marginal Ones aka The Outsiders (1977)
  • Dooratwa aka Distance (1978)
  • Ek Din Pratidin aka And Quiet Rolls the Dawn aka One Day Like Another (USA) (1979)
  • Kharij aka The Case Is Closed (1982)
  • Grihajuddha aka Crossroads (1982)
  • Dakhal aka The Occupation (1982)
  • Ganashatru aka An Enemy of the People (1989)
  • Shakha Proshakha aka The Branches of the Tree aka Les Branches de L'arbre (1990)
  • Agantuk aka The Stranger aka Le Visiteur (1991)
  • Sunya Theke Suru aka A Return to Zero (1993)
  • Sopan (1994)
  • Utsab aka The Festival (2000)
  • The Bong Connection (2006)
  • Samudra Sakshi (2006)
  • Ballyganj Court (2007)

Awards

  • National Film Awards
    • 1992: Special Jury Award: Agantuk

Indian Actress Bipasha Basu 1979

Bipasha Basu (Hindi: बिपाशा बसु , Bengali: বিপাশা বসু; born 7 January 1979) is an Indian actress who mainly appears in Bollywood films. A former model, she was the winner of the Ford's Godrej Cinthol Supermodel contest in 1996. Basu was born on 7 January 1979 in New Delhi to a Bengali Hindu family. She is the middle child of three daughters: she has an elder sister named Bidisha and a younger named Vijayeta. Basu's family later moved to Kolkata shortly before she entered middle school.

In an interview, she has stated that she had initially planned to study medicine, but entered modelling and acting by accident. Basu studied science till the 12th standard at Bhavan's Gangabux Kanoria Vidyamandir and then studied commerce at The Bhawanipur Gujarati Education Society College, an undergraduate college affiliated with the University of Calcutta. In Kolkata, she did modelling and ramp shows part-time. When she was 17, she met model Mehr Jessia in Kolkata; the latter suggested that Basu take part in the Godrej Cinthol Supermodel contest. Basu participated, and eventually won the contest.

Career

After winning the Ford Godrej Cinthol contest, Basu was flown to New York by the Ford Company, where she had a successful modelling career at the age of 17.

Basu made her film debut in Abbas Mustan's Ajnabee, with Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol and Kareena Kapoor. She played a married woman who goes all out to woo her husband’s married friend, and eventually won the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award for her performance.

In 2002, Basu starred in Telugu movie Takkari Donga and Vikram Bhatt's thriller Raaz. Raaz was a big commercial success and surfaced as the biggest hit of that year. For her performance in the film, she received her first Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare. One review in The Tribune noted, "...it is Bipasha Basu who steals the show with her fine performance." She appeared as Sonia Khanna in the 2003 hit movie Jism alongside John Abraham. The movie earned her a Filmfare Best Villain Award nomination.

Besides acting, Basu did the video "Tu" for Sonu Nigam's album, Kismat. She also made a guest appearance in Jay Sean's music video Stolen.

In 2006, she performed an item number Beedi in the film Omkara for which Rediff noted Basu's picturisation. In 2008 Basu starred in Race, her second collaboration with Abbas-Mustan. Co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Akshaye Khanna, Anil Kapoor and Katrina Kaif, the film performed well at the box office, and Basu's performance was appreciated by critics. Taran Adarsh of indiaFM described her performance as "her best work so far. She’s superb". She also received good reviews for her role in Bachna Ae Haseeno opposite Ranbir Kapoor. She completed the year by appearing in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi in the song Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte.

In 2005 Bipasha and John Abraham did a fitness video with Eros called Bollywood Bodies. In 2010 she has launched her own line of videos with Shemaroo under the banner BB – Love Yourself. The first release is called 'Fit and Fabulous You.

Personal life

Basu with boyfriend John Abraham at the launch of the Filmfare magazine (2007).

Basu was in a relationship with actor John Abraham from 2002 to 2011. While together, the two were often referred to as a supercouple in the Indian media. She previously dated Bollywood actor Dino Morea.

In 2006, Basu claimed to have been harassed by certain organizers of the India Day Parade in Edison, New Jersey. Basu was initially scheduled to lead the parade on 13 August 2006. She eventually appeared on stage late, according to her, because of the harassment. She said, "I wanted to attend the parade, but I could not." She explained that she was harassed physically and mentally in the car by two people who were taking her to the parade.

In 2005 and 2007, UK magazine Eastern Eye named Basu the "Sexiest Woman in Asia".

Filmography

Year Film Role Awards
2001 Ajnabee Sonia/Neeta Winner, Filmfare Best Female Debut Award
2002 Takkari Donga Panasa Telugu film
Raaz Sanjana Dhanraj Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Aankhen Raina
Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai Ria
Chor Machaaye Shor Ranjita
Gunaah Prabha Narayan
2003 Jism Sonia Khanna Nominated, Filmfare Best Villain Award
Footpath Sanjana Rai Shingla Khan
Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula Special appearance
Zameen Nandini
2004 Ishq Hai Tumse Kushboo
Aetbaar Ria Malhotra
Rudraksh Gayetri
Rakht: What If You Can See the Future Drishti
Madhoshi Anupama Kaul
2005 Chehraa Megha
Sachein Manju Tamil film
Viruddh Special appearance
Barsaat Anna
No Entry Bobby Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Apaharan Megha
Shikhar Natasha
2006 Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye Sonia Berry
Darna Zaroori Hai Varsha
Phir Hera Pheri Anuradha
Alag Special appearance in song Sabse Alag
Corporate Nishigandha Dasgupta Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Omkara Billo Chamanbahar
Jaane Hoga Kya Aditi
Dhoom 2 ACP Shonali Bose/
Monali Bose

2007 Nehlle Pe Dehlla Pooja
No Smoking Special appearance in song Phoonk De
Om Shanti Om Special appearance, Herself
Dhan Dhana Dhan Goal Rumana
2008 Race Sonia
Bachna Ae Haseeno Radhika/Shreya Rathod Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi Special appearance in song Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte
2009 Aa Dekhen Zara Simi Chatterjee
All The Best: Fun Begins Double role: Jhanvi Chopra/Princess of Lushoto
Sob Choritro Kalponik Radhika Bengali film
2010 Pankh Nandini (Alter-ego)
Lamhaa Aziza
Aakrosh Geeta
2011 Dum Maro Dum Zoey Released
Players
Filming
Singularity Tulaja Naik Post-production
2011 Kyaa Kool Hai Hum 2
Announced