In the last 10 years, we have seen talented actors bridging the gap between Bollywood and Hollywood. The fusion of East meets West showcases cultural diversity from all over India and brings communities closer around the world. A pinch of spice from East and talent from the West is the perfect concoction for the production of something great.
Irrfan Khan has won the hearts of many with his international film Slumdog Millionaire. Khan’s multifaceted personality brings an ethnic flavour to Hollywood movies such as The Namesake, a film depicting a traditional Indian family experiencing cross-cultural barriers in the US. Khan embodies an unconventional appearance, and he epitomizes this in his characters in films like Life of Pi. Versatility is his strength, and demonstrates this with his role as the villain Rajit Ratha in The Amazing Spider-Man. He is rumoured to be starring in Jurassic Park 4. Decades of acting have won him numerous awards, but fans have yet to see what else he has up his sleeve.
Anil Kapoor’s 24, an adaptation of the popular US drama with the same name is changing Indian television one episode at a time. Kapoor’s thriller keeps audience at the edge of their seats with gripping suspense. His supporting role in Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol impressed fans, but not as much as his role in Slumdog Millionaire. Kapoor has made big waves in Indian cinema, and purchasing the rights to create an Indian adaptation of 24 from Fox has earned great promise for this actor and producer.
Internationally acclaimed actress and recording artist Priyanka Chopra has charmed her fans on stage as well as on the charts. Chopra’s recent success with her track Exotic featuring Pitbull and In My City featuring will.i.am has taken her career to a new level. Chopra praises her acting over her singing, which she is taking forward with baby steps. Guess has signed the superstar on as a spokesmodel for the American jeans brand and she is the first model of Indian descent to represent the company.
Former Miss World 1994, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has been touted as one of the most beautiful women in the world. Her international humanitarian work includes being a UN Microedit Spokesperson, and she has pledged to donate her eyes to the Eye Bank Association of India. Lady B has starred in various English movies including her debut in Hollywood in Bride and Prejudice, and later she acted in Mistress of Spices, and her latest in 2009, The Pink Panther 2. Despite being the daughter-in-law of one of the biggest superstar families in Bollywood, her true talent and fame lies in her acting.
Actress and model Freida Pinto made her career debut in critically acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire. She is an active humanitarian and is a part of the Aggasi Foundation, which looks after providing education for underprivileged children. Her acting career has launched her internationally in You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. The beautiful actress and model in 2009 was announced L’Oreal spokesmodel and bagged the title of being one of the “Most Beautiful Women in the World” list. Currently, she is working on a biographical film titled Desert Dancer and Knight of Cups, which is scheduled to release in 2015.
Anupum Kher recently starred in the critically acclaimed Silver Linings Playbook, which bagged eight Oscar nominations. In the span of three decades, the actor has been a part of over 450 films. Kher feels that he has won the respect of his peers in the international movie platform and continues to work hard on his acting. Kher’s film Bend It Like Beckham first released in the UK in 2002 and swept the rest of the world who loved this funny comedy/drama film. His role as a traditional Punjabi father trying to integrate in the Western society is a struggle that many can relate to.