Sanjay Leela Bhansali is an Indian filmmaker, director, screenwriter, and music composer who is known for his work in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including four National Film Awards, ten Filmfare Awards and a BAFTA nomination. In 2015, the Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award.
Khamoshi: The Musical is a 1996 Indian Hindi-language musical romantic drama film. The film was directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in his directorial debut. The film stars Nana Patekar, Salman Khan, Manisha Koirala and Seema Biswas. The film is a departure from signature style of director Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus blockbusters and relies heavily on intimate moments which has been described as autobiographical. A box office bomb when released, the film has over the years gained cult following and cited as one of the best musicals of Hindi cinema.
The IIFA Award for Best Actress is given by the International Indian Film Academy as part of its annual award ceremony for Hindi films, to recognise a female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The recipient is chosen by viewers and the winner is announced at the ceremony. The current winner of the Best Actress award is Kriti Sanon for Mimi.
Vijay Raaz is an Indian actor, film director and narrator, who predominantly appears in Hindi films. He debuted with Bhopal Express (1999) and since worked in more than 90 films. His breakthrough came when he played the role of Dubeyji in the movie Monsoon Wedding in 2001. Raaz garnered recognition for his comedic role in Run (2004) and Dhamaal (2007). He is noted for playing gangster roles in Delhi Belly (2011) and Dedh Ishqiya (2014) as well as other notable films include Stree (2018), Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy (2019), Lootcase (2020), Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). In 2014, he debuted as a director with Kya Dilli Kya Lahore. His gruff baritone voice has been used in voice-over work, including films and commercials.
Karim Lala, born as Abdul Karim Sher Khan in the Samalam Village of the Shegal District of the Kunar province of Afghanistan, was infamous as one of the three "mafia dons of Mumbai" in India for more than two decades from the sixties to the early eighties. The other two being Mastan Mirza aka Haji Mastan and Varadarajan Mudaliar.
Sudeep Chatterjee is an Indian cinematographer, who mainly works in Hindi films and Bengali films. He has collaborated with critically acclaimed directors like Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Nagesh Kukunoor, Srijit Mukherji, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and Vishal Bharadwaj. He is mostly known for his work in films like Iqbal (2005), Chak De India (2007), Guzaarish (2010), Dhoom 3 (2013), Chotushkone (2014), Bajirao Mastani (2015),Padmaavat (2018) and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022). He has received the National Film Award for Best Cinematography, twice, for Chotushkone and Bajirao Mastani.
Ranveer Singh Bhavnani is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. The recipient of several awards, including five Filmfare Awards, he is among the highest-paid Indian actors and has been featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2012.
Alia Bhatt is a British actress of Indian descent who predominantly works in Hindi films. She has received several accolades including four Filmfare Awards. One of India's highest-paid actresses, she has appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list since 2014 and was awarded the TIME100 Impact Award in 2022.
S. Hussain Zaidi is an Indian author and former investigative journalist. His works include Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia, Mafia Queens of Mumbai, Black Friday, My Name is Abu Salem and Mumbai Avengers.
Shantanu Maheshwari is an Indian actor, dancer, choreographer and host. He debuted with the show Dil Dosti Dance on Channel V in his breakthrough performance as the protagonist Swayam Shekhawat. In 2017, he participated in Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 8 and emerged as the winner. He was also seen as a contestant on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 9 and Nach Baliye 9 and became a finalist in both. He is a part of the Desi Hoppers dance crew who emerged as the winners in the World of Dance 2015 Championship in Los Angeles. Maheshwari made his Bollywood debut in 2022, with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Gangubai Kathiawadi opposite Alia Bhatt.
Utkarshini Vashishtha is an Indian Film director and Screenwriter who works in Bollywood films. She is known for writing scripts for Bollywood films like Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022) Sarbjit (film) (2016), Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013). Vashishtha was the Associate Creative Director for India's Got Talent.
Sadak 2 is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language action thriller road film directed by Mahesh Bhatt and produced by Fox Star Studios and Mukesh Bhatt under their banner Vishesh Films. A sequel to the 1991 film Sadak, it stars Sanjay Dutt alongside Alia Bhatt and Aditya Roy Kapur in the lead roles. Jisshu Sengupta, Gulshan Grover, Makrand Deshpande, Priyanka Bose and others play supporting roles, while Pooja Bhatt makes a special appearance. The film marks Mahesh Bhatt's return as a director after 20 years. The film's story takes place twenty-nine years after the events of its predecessor.
Gangubai Kathiawadi is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language biographical crime drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali and Jayantilal Gada. The film stars Alia Bhatt as the titular character with Ajay Devgn, Shantanu Maheshwari, Vijay Raaz, Indira Tiwari, Seema Pahwa and Varun Kapoor in pivotal roles.
Gangubai Harjeevandas, better known as Gangubai Kothewali or Gangubai Kathiawadi, was an Indian social activist, prostitute and madam of a brothel in the Kamathipura area of Mumbai during the 1960s. Gangubai worked for the rights of sex-workers and for the well-being of orphans. She gradually ended up operating her own brothel and is known to also have lobbied for the rights of commercial sex workers.
Indira Tiwari is an Indian actress. She appeared in the Hindi-language films Aarakshan (2011), Nazarband (2020), Serious Men (2020), and Gangubai Kathiawadi (2022).
Meezaan Jafri is an Indian actor who works in Hindi films. He is the son of actor Jaaved Jaffrey and the grandson of yesteryear actor Jagdeep, He is best known for role in Bollywood film Malaal, which earned him critical praise for his performance.
Sharmin Segal is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She started her career as an assistant director and made her acting debut with Malaal (2019), receiving Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut nomination. Segal has since starred in Atithi Bhooto Bhava (2022).
Actress Alia Bhatt predominantly works in Hindi-language films. As a child, she had a minor role in her father Mahesh Bhatt's production Sangharsh (1999), as the younger version of star Preity Zinta's character. In 2012, Bhatt had her first lead role in Karan Johar's teen film Student of the Year, but her performance in it was not well-received. Two years later, she gained praise for playing a kidnapping victim in the road drama Highway (2014), winning the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. In the same year, her starring roles in the commercially successful romances 2 States and Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, both produced under Johar's studio Dharma Productions, established her as a leading actress. She also sang the single "Samjhawan Unplugged" for the latter film's soundtrack.
Chhaya Vora is a veteran TV and film actress. Her works are predominantly present in Hindi and Gujarati film industries. She is the daughter-in-law of famous Gujarati instrumentalist Vinayakrai Vora. Vora started her career with Gujarati theatre in late 1980s.
