Highest French distinction conferred on YASH CHOPRA / The Business of Being KAREENA

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The French government has conferred the award of Officier de la Legion d’Honneur (Officer of the Legion of Honour) on the filmmaker, entrepreneur, producer and director, Mr. Yash Chopra.

With a 20career of fifty years in the film industry, Yash Chopra has been directly or indirectly associated with almost 40 films, most of which have been blockbusters. His artistic genius, combined with his flair for business, enabled him to build Yash Raj Film Studios, arguably the most important of the Indian film industry. He is probably the recipient of the greatest number of awards of any professional in the Indian film industry. Mr. Chopra even featured among the 20 most powerful figures of the world film industry in the power list of the American magazine, Hollywood Reporter.

Fascinated by and a discerning connoisseur of French cinema, Mr. Chopra expressed his wish to film numerous song sequences in Paris, the most recent being those of “Jhoom Barabar Jhoom†. Most of Yash Chopra’s films have released in French cinema halls as well as in video format. He put in a personal appearance to present “Veer-Zaara†to over 2000 people for its preview at the Grand Rex in Paris 2006, on the occasion of a Bollywood weekend organized by French distributors of the film.

Bestowing the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honour on Mr. Chopra, at a time when he is passing the mantle to the new generation, is the recognition of his incomparable international artistic and commercial career, and his sterling efforts in the promotion of cultural exchanges and Indian cinema in the world.

“Master Yash Chopra has shaped today’s Indian cinema industry and I look forward to have the honour of bestowing him the Legion of Honour in the name of the President of France, Mr Nicolas Sarkozy. He is the embodiement of Indian Cinema and Bollywood in particular, and has always been helpful in building bridges between the Indian and the French Entertainment industries†says Jérome Bonnafont, Ambassador of France.

Note:

The “Légion d’Honneur†(Legion of Honour) is t he highest distinction that can be conferred by the French Republic on a French citizen as well as on a foreigner. The Order of the Legion of Honour was instituted in 1802 by Napoléon Bonaparte.

Some famous personalities who have been awarded this honour include Steven Spielberg and Gérard Depardieu. In India, the renowned film director Satyajit Ray and sitar maestro Ravi Shankar are some of the famous Indian personalities who have been bestowed this honour.

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The business of being Kareena < IMG src="http://www.business-standard.com/newsimgfiles/2008/may/16052008/lead1_01.jpg" align=left> Abhilasha Ojha on the stormy petrel who has matured to an actor with serious money riding on her slender shoulders. It is 5:20 pm on a Monday evening when Kareena Kapoor walks in to Masala Bay at Taj Lands End. The 28-year-old actor, immaculately dressed in a fitted, formal shirt and jeans which she picked up barely 48 hours ago in London, has returned to Mumbai by an early morning flight from Goa, where she was shooting for Golmaal Retur ns, a comic caper, directed by Rohit Shetty. "I'll be busy like this for the next year," she sighs, refusing to eat or drink anything, preferring to start the interview instead. She'll be in Mumbai for 72 hours before heading out of the country on another shoot. In that brief interlude, she will spend whatever little time she can manage at home with her family and celebrate her recent victory: the Zee Cine Awards trophy in London for the best actor (female) for her role as Geet, the effervescent Sardarni from Bhatinda, in Jab We Met. "I've grabbed all the awards this year," she grins. Film analyst Indu Mirani grudgingly accepts that in an industry with few female-centric roles, "Geet's portrayal is indeed path-breaking". Mirani, for the record, is no great fan of the actor. That's something that won't go down too well with Salman Hasan, a 21-year-old student in Bangladesh who has an entire Facebook entry dedicated to Kareena. "I don't like reading bad stuff about her," he says bluntly. When we get in touch with him for this story, he concedes he likes everything about Kareena, "from her acting to her teeth", asking if we can arrange a meeting between them. But Salman will have to wait. Currently in Melbourne where she's shooting for Main Aur Mrs Khanna, a film opposite Salman Khan, based on a young NRI couple and their struggles to cope with marriage, Kareena, among the highest paid female actors of our times, is on a tight schedule. Charging around Rs 2.5-3.5 crore per film, trade analyst Komal Nahata says Kareena's forthcoming films — these include Rajkumar Hirani's Idiots with Aamir Khan, Karan Johar's My Name is Khan with Shah Rukh, Yash Raj Films' animation project Roadside Romeo, and others — are pegged at Rs 130 crore. A top-notch director, on condition of anonymity, informs that Kareena's price has increased seven times since 2005 when she was paid around Rs 50 lakh for a film. According to Nahata, it's a price Kareena could quote easily for just a special appearance in a song-and-dance sequence today. In the Indian advertising industry, experts are fast attaching the tag of "endorsement queen" to her name. Shveta Brahma, Kareena's endorsement manager at Matrix Bay, says she's one of the very few actors who combines pedigree with performance. For each endorsement, Kareena quotes Rs 1.5-2 crore and with nine endorsements already in her kitty and four more planned before the year end (this includes an Airtel ad with beau Saif Ali Khan that she's reportedly signed for Rs 5 crore), she will comfortably earn another Rs 17 crore. Collectively the brands that she endorses have annual marketing campaigns to the tune of Rs 100 crore, at the very least, including Globus (Rs 20 crore), Emami (Rs 15 crore) Anne French (Rs 10-12 crore), Citizen watches (Rs 15 crore) and ITC Vivel (Rs 30 crore). Harish Bijoor, brand specialist and CEO, Harish Bijoor Consu lts, goes as far to call hers the "Mona Lisa face" that contributes vivaciousness and attractiveness to products. Anand Halve, founder of communications consultancy Chlorophyll, may feel that Katrina Kaif's fast catching up because brands haven't managed to leverage Kareena's potential, but most companies are quite content to associate with this fourth generation Kapoor scion. "We observed the way Kareena worked on her new onscreen persona to become popular with the youth," says Vinay Nadkarni, CEO, Globus Stores. "She's a style diva who adds to a brand's value." The apparel brand claims to have witnessed a 75 per cent increase in sales since it signed her on last year. On her part Kareena, drumming perfectly manicured nails, smiles, "Growing up in a family where everyone is associated with films, I was never exposed to any other culture. I don't know any other life," she says, a 10-carat diamond ring dazzling on her ring finger. It's the same ring that has fuelled speculation in glossies and film magazines on her status — engaged? married? The actor isn't telling ("silence is golden," she says), willing to discuss her body of work but not her personal life. It certainly makes sense because f ilms like Chameli, Dev, Omkara, Jab We Met and Tashan, the latter's flop status notwithstanding, have helped her tremendously in expanding her fan base. "A year ago, I wouldn't have asked for her autograph but now I'd love to be like her," grins Prakriti Singh, a young, post-Jab We Met Kareena fan. Kareena, she says, manages to create some sort of style impact in most of her films that can be easily replicated by teenagers. "Who could've thought that her look in Jab We Met (bright red nail polish, tees with Patiala salwars) could look so good?" she asks. Her friend, Ra shi Sahai, though a Kareena fan, cribs that she is disappointed by the actor's current size zero look. Her weight has been a subject of controversy but Kareena rolls her eyes when I mention that dreaded word: anorexia. "Do I look anorexic, c'mon you tell me?" she shrills. I admit that she doesn't. Her dietician, Rujuta Diwekar, who meticulously altered Kareena's diet over a year to help her achieve the lean look, claims, "Kareena's diet is balanced and includes everything from brown rice and pasta to cheese and fresh veggies." Diwekar plans Kapoor's diet (eight mini meals every day) at least a week in advance depending on which part of the world she will be in. "I'm vegetarian and can't possibly shoot with just a shred of cabbage in my stomach. It's physically impossible," retorts Kareena, saying that being associated with brands that have a mass appeal, she would not like to be responsible for young girls starving themselves to clone her look. Directors like Subhash Ghai feel she deserves every bit of success that's coming her way now. His only grouse is that like her peers, Kareena is toeing every director's line just to succeed. "She's very intelligent but she needs to be careful, " he warns. Imtiaz Ali, director of Jab We Met, says he's yet to work with an easier actor. "In the film, especially the first half, Geet goes on a talkathon, but there's no sense of irritation. That's Kareena's charm, the more you see her, the more you like her," he says. Saif Ali Khan, who worked with her in Omkara and Tashan, claims to have seen Kareena memorise a whole page of dialogue in under a minute. "Her choices of roles speaks volumes about the sort of work she's done. She's by far the most professional actor I have ever worked with," says Khan. Kareena agrees: "I've always given a nod to roles which tell a story from a woman's point of view. Even the role of Pooja in Tashan, despite being glamorous, had an edgy character." She may be the number one female actor in the industry with projects worth Rs 230 crore (that's including endorsements + films), but Kareena could be a newbie the way she requests a copy of this article. "I like keeping cuttings," she admits shyly. A group of guests whisper as she leaves, and heads turn. The fourth generation of the Kapoors is a mystery ("No one can know any star too well," she grins towards the end of our interview) who is trying to do all that she can in the limited time that the industry offers its female actors. "The audience tastes change every Friday," she tells me. For now, though, Kareena is the flavour of the weekend. "I WAS BORN TO BE A STAR" Everything from her love life to her screen persona has been grist for the mill. Here, Kareena Kapoor gets candid On being born a Kapoor I belong to a family that eats, breathes and drinks films. In all honesty, we weren't expected to study so that we could grow up to become doctors. On her daily fitness regime I do one hour of yoga every day. With that I do cardio exercises and eat good, wholesome vegetarian food. On the media It has been har sh, especially when writing about my personal life. The anorexia talk took it to another level altogether. They don't realise that despite not being the underdog, I've had to constantly deliver something different in each and every film. On brands I associate myself with brands which have mass appeal for the average middle-class consumer. I like the fact that I am reaching out to so many of my fans through these endorsements. On reviving the RK banner By next year we'll hopefully announce two films, with cousin Ranbir and me in different projects On her acting style I'm a puppet in directors' hands. I'm not a thinking actor or an actor to get involved. I do what my director asks me to do. On the industry Karisma tells me that I'm lucky to be an actor of the new millennium. I've learnt a lot from her mistakes, her onscreen fashion fiascos. But the industry is fast-paced with audiences' tastes changing every Friday. FORTHCOMING RELEASES Main aur Mrs Singh Produced by UTV. Kareena is paired with Salman Khan Golmaal Returns Directed by Rohit Shetty. Kareena will star opposite Ajay Devgan My name is Khan Directed by Karan Johar. Kareena pairs with Shah Rukh Khan Idiots Directed by Rajkumar Hirani. Kareena is paired with Aamir Khan Roadside Romeo Directed by Jugal Hansraj, Kareena is doing the voice-over along with Saif Ali Khan for this animation project OVERVIEW :

Date of Birth : 21 September,1977, Mumbai 
Birth Name : Kareena Randhir Kapoor 
NickName : Bebo 
Height : 5'5" ( 1.65m) 
Trade Mark : Her Lips
Personal Quotes : Life is full of happiness and tears , be strong and have faith .
Years Active : 2000 -  Present

Kareena was born to Sindhi-speaking Babita (nee Shivdasani) and Punjabi-speaking Randhir Kapoor on September 21, 1977 in Bombay, India. She has an elder sister, Karisma.

She is born in a family that have been actors for generations, including her paternal great-grandfather, Prithviraj Kapoor; her grandfather, 20Raj Kapoor; her paternal uncles, Shammi, Shashi, Rishi, and Rajiv; as well as aunt, Neetu Singh, & Jennifer Kendall, the wives of Rishi and Shashi respectively. On her maternal side, her grandfather, Hari Shivdasani, and aunt, Sadhana, have been actors in their own rights.

As a child she studied in Jamnabai Narsee School in Juhu, Bombay, and thereafter was enrolled in Dehra Dun's prestigious Welham Girls' Boarding School. Then she re-located to Harvard for approximately 3 months to take a course in Information Technology and Microcomputers. Upon her return to India, she joined the Government Law College in Churchgate, Bombay, but left it after one year, to enroll in the Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting School.

Her dad, Ran dhir is very protective towards his daughters and wanted both of them to keep away from acting, get married, and settle down, as per the Kapoor family tradition. This led to irreconcilable differences between her parents, ultimately leading to a divorce, with both sisters leaving their dad to live with their mom.

Her film debut was in the year 2000 with 'Refugee' along with the debut of Amitabh Bachchan's son, Abhishek. She went on to appear in 31 other Hindi movies, and has thus far won four awards for her performances in 'Refuge e', 'Chameli', 'Dev', and 'Omkara'.

She is one of the most sought-after actresses in Bollywood, considered bankable, with an enviable A-listing .

Filmography :

Year	Film	Role	Notes
2000	Refugee	Nazneen "Naaz" M. Ahmed	Winner, Filmfare Best Female Debut Award
2001	Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai	Pooja Saxena
	Yaadein	Isha Singh Puri
	Ajnabee	Priya Malhotra
	Asoka	Kaurwaki	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
	Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham	Pooja "Poo" Sharma	Nominated, Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award
2002	Mujhse Dosti Karoge!	Tina Kapoor
	Jeena Sirf Merre Liye	Pooja/Pinky
2003	Talaash: The Hunt Begins...	Tina
	Khushi	Khushi Singh (Lali)
	Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon	Sanjana
	LOC Kargil	Simran
2004	Chameli	Chameli	Winner, Filmfare Special Performance Award
	Yuva	Mira
	Dev	Aaliya	Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance
	Fida	Neha Mehra	First 20villain role
	Aitraaz	Priya Saxena/Malhotra
	Hulchul	Anjali
2005	Bewafaa	Anjali Sahai
	Kyon Ki	Dr. Tanvi Khurana
	Dosti: Friends Forever	Anjali
2006	36 China Town	Priya
Chup Chup Ke	Shruti
Omkara	Dolly R. Mishra	Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
Don - The Chase Begins Again	Kamini	Cameo
2007	Kya Love Story Hai	Herself	Special appearance (Item number)
	Jab We Met	Geet Dhillon	Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
2008	Halla Bol	Herself	Special appearance
	Tashan	Pooja Singh
	Golmaal Returns	Ekta	Releasing on October 24, 2008
	Roadside Romeo	Laila (voice)	Releasing on October 24, 2008 Voice over for first animated film
	Milenge Milenge	Priya	Delayed
	Main Aur Mrs. Khanna	Mrs. Khanna	Filming
	Kambakth Ishq		Filming

 

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