Monday, 7 September 2026

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha: Our favourite on screen Bollywood couple






 


Can ever get enough of these two super duper stars. Both incredible actors, looked so glamorous in the 1970s and 1980s, such charisma, fashion, style, elegance, eloquence, diction, voices, performances, and both were fun to watch as dancers. They were ... they are good at the dramatics and the comedy, tragedy and they raged so eloquently on the big screen. 

Their birthdays are a day apart... and fate has kept them apart. 

The fans want to see them together again on the big screen... alas... 

Sunday, 6 September 2026

Stardust 1995: Sonali Bendre, Raveena Tandon, Bobby Deol and Mamta Kulkari


 

The young guns taking over Bollywood in the mid 90s! In 1995, the ages of these actors were: Sonali Bendre: 20 years old (Born: January 1, 1975) Raveena Tandon: 22 years old (Born: October 26, 1972) Bobby Deol: 25 years old (Born: January 27, 1969) Mamta Kulkarni: 22 (Born: April 20, 1972)

Young, hopeful, full of dreams and ambition... in 2026... look where they are. Mamta Kulkarni has found religion to whitewash her image and disgraced life (google away - the drugs scandal will haunt her forever). 

Sonali Bendre was no great shakes as an actress but easily the most stunning supermodel of her time. 

Bobby 2.0 is more interesting than his first stint in Bollywood.

Raveena Tandon was a firecracker then, now and forever. Can't believe her young daughter is an actress already. Raveena looks better now than ever before. 

Sridevi in the paper


 

Saturday, 5 September 2026

Aishwarya Rai in Vanity Fair

Major throwback - praying to find more photos and read the full feature - but can't find this profile of Aishwarya Rai in Vanity Fair - or find the full article on Bollywood.

Friday, 4 September 2026

Salman Khan with Aishwarya Rai




 

The fiasco that was this very public breakup of the two most good-looking Bollywood stars of all-time, the passion and fire set the relationship ablaze. Early 2000s, Aishwarya Rai rarely acknowledged her beau - and the angry young man of Bollywood didn't take it well. Neither did his fans. 

There are so few REAL photos of these two together than now the rabid fans have flooded social media with ai slop of fakes of the two together. Do note, all the above images are real - but be wary of the innumerable ai hallucinations online. 

Early on Cine Blitz was the first to publish an amalgam photo of the two together; ie both stars were at two separate events, but photoshopped to version of the two images together was published in print - to make it seem that they attended the red carpet together. Major red flag of false reportage by  manipulating a picture. 

Say no to fakes. mark ai slop so it can cease... it's the only way.  

Thursday, 3 September 2026

Aishwarya Rai's saucy shoot from the 90s

 

Considered one of Aishwarya Rai's most controversial and daring shoots, from her early days as a model. This take on a popular Versace look is... well... 

Look, in the early days, you couldn't take a bad picture of Aishwarya Rai if you tried. So everyone experimented with styles with her - to see if she could pull it off. BTW this outfit was from teh personal wardrobe of Rai... 


Wednesday, 2 September 2026

Tuesday, 1 September 2026

Aamir Khan with Juhi Chawla on set


 

Rare photo of Aamir Khan teasing Juhi Chawla... on the sets of Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke? 


Aishwarya Rai in a classic Kerala sari: White and gold

Exquisite Aishwarya Rai in (the flawed but successful) film Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai

In the 2000 drama Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai, Aishwarya Rai delivered one of her most poignant performances in her early career. Playing Preeti Vyas - a brave woman who faces ostracization and trauma after being assaulted for testifying against a criminal- she anchored the film’s heavy narrative with grace, dignity, and quiet strength. Critics praised Rai for delivering a restrained, emotionally layered portrayal that transcended conventional melodrama. Her delicate dynamic with co-star Anil Kapoor provided the film its emotional core, earning praise for treating a heavy theme with sensitivity. Her acclaimed portrayal earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, and Ash was 26 years old at the time, looking exquisite in her Neeta Lulla and Manish Malhotra designed costumes.  

Rai had an extraordinarily busy year in 2000 with 6 total releases across Hindi and Tamil cinema:

FilmLanguageBox Office Outcome
MelaHindiFlop (Special appearance)
Kandukondain KandukondainTamilCritical & Commercial Hit
JoshHindiHit
Hamara Dil Aapke Paas HaiHindiHit / Semi-Hit
Dhai Akshar Prem KeHindiFlop
MohabbateinHindiMajor Blockbuster

Despite mixed reviews for the movie's comedic subplots, Hamara Dil Aapke Paas Hai emerged as a box office success. 

The 90s was a confused era as the media couldn't decide who was the top actress of the decade as Karisma Kapoor and Manisha Koirala tussled for the top spot. By the turn of the millennium, there was no question, it was the reign of Rai. 

Monday, 31 August 2026

Rekha: The tragic courtesan of the Indian screen in Umrao Jaan and Muqaddar Ka Sikandar

Rekha in Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978) 

Rekha in and as Umrao Jaan (1981)

 

Rekha as Zohra Bai was fab, Rekha as Umrao as perfection. 

Sunday, 30 August 2026

Aishwarya Rai


 

A fake ai created pic of Aishwarya Rai... trending on social media. Can't wait for the complete ban of fake, ai pics... 

Friday, 28 August 2026

Madhuri Dixit's best ever cover shot for Cine Blitz

Is this Madhuri Dixit's greatest cover shot and photoshoot?! 

Her collaborative efforts with the acclaimed and beloved photographed, the late great Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who, in turn, worked with makeup artist Mickey Contractor - exclusively I think... created some of the most striking visuals in media. The bone structure of MD doing the most here... 

Some might argue their work in MOVIE magazine was a level up- or perhaps even g magazine.... ah, what a happy debate... 

Wednesday, 26 August 2026

Tuesday, 25 August 2026

Jayaprada


 

It is Sreedevi, not Sridevi. Is it Jayaprada not Jaya Prada?! Her autograph reveals all...

Monday, 24 August 2026

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha in Suhaag (1979)




Manmohan Desai’s Suhaag (1979) was a massive blockbuster. It emerged as the highest-grossing Indian film of 1979, beating out competitors like Mr. Natwarlal [with the same lead pair!], Noorie, and Krodhi.

Suhaag (1979): A High-Octane Masala Classic

When director Manmohan Desai released Suhaag in November 1979, the multi-starrer formula was at its absolute zenith. Centered on Desai's signature "lost-and-found" narrative, the film followed two twin brothers separated at birth - Amit (Amitabh Bachchan), who grows up to be a charismatic criminal, and Kishan (Shashi Kapoor), an upright police officer.

While the film was packed with high-decibel action, family melodramas, and Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s chart-topping soundtrack, it was the explosive screen presence of Rekha that gave the film its romantic core. Playing Basanti, a feisty courtesan's daughter turned street dancer, Rekha delivered a performance that seamlessly blended sharp comic timing with vulnerable glamour. Her dynamic with Bachchan was electrifying- evident in iconic dance numbers like "Atharaa Baras Ki Tu" and the devotional anthem "O Sheronwali".

By 1979, Rekha was no longer just a glamorous foil; she was a transformed artist with immense star power. Suhaag solidified her standing as the definitive leading lady of mainstream 1970s commercial cinema, proving that even within the confines of a male-dominated "Angry Young Man" actioner, her charisma could command undivided attention.

Amitabh Bachchan & Rekha: Box Office Success Ratio

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha starred together as a paired lead couple or major co-stars in 10 full-length feature films between 1976 and 1981.

Of these 10 films, 8 were commercial successes (ranging from Hits to Superhits and Blockbusters), giving their pairing an extraordinary 80% success ratio at the box office—one of the highest hit-rates for any lead pair in Hindi cinema history.

The 10 Lead Collaborations & Box Office Verdicts:

  1. Do Anjaane (1976)Hit

  2. Khoon Pasina (1977)Super Hit

  3. Immaan Dharam (1977)Flop

  4. Ganga Ki Saugandh (1978)Hit

  5. Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978)All-Time Blockbuster (2nd highest grosser of 1978)

  6. Kasme Vaade (1978)Semi-Hit / Hit

  7. Mr. Natwarlal (1979)Hit

  8. Suhaag (1979)Blockbuster (1st highest grosser of 1979)

  9. Ram Balram (1980)Hit

  10. Silsila (1981)Average / Moderate Success (Cult classic status achieved later)

Sunday, 23 August 2026

Friday, 21 August 2026

Josh Audio released party: TBT to April 2000

The Tulu speaking Bunt ladies; Shilpa Shetty and Aishwarya Rai. 

Ash's face and Shilpa's body, that would be an ideal woman for Bollywood! 

Thursday, 20 August 2026

Aishwarya Rai's first ever Cine Blitz cover shoot with Sanjay Dutt!

 

Outtakes from a cover shoot Aishwarya Rai, 19, did with Sanjay Dutt, 34, back in November 1993! This was four years before cinema fame - when she was a top model in Mumbai and the famous Sanju - Pepsi girl. Hence one Sanju met another for Cine Blitz's cover shoot. 

In November 1993 - the month Aishwarya Rai and Sanjay Dutt famously posed together for their iconic CineBlitz magazine shoot - Aishwarya was 19 when she shot with the great phtographer Gautam Rajadhyaksha, and she turned 20 years old when the magazine came out (Rai was born November 1, 1973) while Sanjay Dutt was 34 years old (born July 29, 1959). 

This was exactly a year before Aishwarya Rai's world change - because a year later, on November 19, 1994, in South Africa, she was crowned Miss World.  

Key Details & Collaborations

  • Age Gap: 14 years and 3 months.

  • Total Films Together: 2 feature films.

  • Hits: None. Neither of their on-screen pairings succeeded commercially at the box office.

  • Flops:

    • Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (2002) – Directed by David Dhawan and co-starring Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn, this action-comedy underperformed significantly relative to its high budget. A terrible film by all accounts - a pointless plot with a decidedly unfunny script. The music was loud and awful - and the lyrics even worse. Yeh kya ho raha hai? - the question is repeated 25 times in one song. Lazy much?! 

    • Shabd (2005) – Directed by Leena Yadav, this psychological drama featured Sanjay as a struggling author and Aishwarya as his wife. It was a critical and commercial disaster at the box office.

  • Last Collaboration: Shabd (2005), released on February 4, 2005.


Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Jaya Prada in jeans




Jaya Prada is the quintessential south Indian beauty. Satyajit Ray famously stated that she had the most perfect face. 

She looked great in traditional Indian attire, saris and her famed dance costumes. Rarely did we see a young, hip Jaya as the tiny lady - she's so short unlike her famous competitor Sridevi - in jeans and modern Western attire was a rare event. So these pics are so rare. 

An era before designers and stylists, this is what the stars actually wore back then. 

Tuesday, 18 August 2026

Aishwarya Rai: 90s centrefold



 Aishwarya Rai as a centrefold for Cine Blitz magazine. 
 
 She was a superstar from the get-go. While other actors and newcomers struggle to get their first cover - Aishwarya Rai made a clean sweep and was prominently featured in every single publication. The most photogenic woman on the planet in the 1990s, it was an easy sell. In fact, Aishwarya Rai probably sold more magazines than any other star of her time. 



Monday, 17 August 2026

Bhagyashree and Salman Khan: The young cast and crew of Maine Pyar Kiya

When Maine Pyar Kiya released at the end of 1989, it really was a youth-quake. The cast and crew were so young - and not pretending to be young. They got allllll the ingredients right. 

Wikipedia has demystyfied the age of actors and the cast and crew. This is a reminder that a young team getting together can and do create magic. 

The film wasn't just a movie - it was a movement. It captured a young zeitgeist. The Barjatya brilliance shone through. 

Maine Pyar Kiya was filmed primarily between 1988 and 1989 before its release on December 29, 1989.

Lead Cast

  • Salman Khan (Prem Choudhary): Born December 27, 1965.

    • Age during shooting: 22 to 23 years old (he turned 24 two days before the film released).

  • Bhagyashree (Suman): Born February 23, 1969.

    • Age during shooting: 19 to 20 years old.

Supporting Cast

  • Mohnish Bahl (Jeevan): Born August 14, 1961.

    • Age during shooting: 26 to 27 years old.

  • Pervaiz Sahani / Pervien Dastur (Seema): Born 1968.

    • Age during shooting: 20 to 21 years old.

  • Alok Nath (Karan, Suman's father): Born July 10, 1956.

    • Age during shooting: 31 to 32 years old.

  • Reema Lagoo (Kaushalya Choudhary, Prem's mother): Born June 21, 1958.

    • Age during shooting: 29 to 30 years old (playing Salman's mother while being only 7 years older than him).

  • Rajeev Verma (Kishan Kumar Choudhary, Prem's father): Born June 28, 1949.

    • Age during shooting: 38 to 39 years old.

  • Laxmikant Berde (Manohar): Born October 26, 1954.

    • Age during shooting: 33 to 34 years old.

Director Sooraj Barjatya (born February 22, 1965) was also only 23 to 24 years old while directing the film.


The colour and attainable wardrobe of Maine Pyar Kiya.