Most Powerful Men In Bollywood
Bollywood – the land of dreams. Here are the powerful men who rule the land that dominates the nation’s dreams and mindset.
The Indian Film Industry is probably the biggest in the world in terms of the number of films produced annually, making its revenues go into billions of dollars. But the weight of this massive industry rests largely on the shoulders of a chosen few who have risen above the others to command enormous clout among their peers and even the masses. I bring you ten of the most powerful men in the industry, who are pretty much capable of leading the industry towards their chosen direction in their own might.
10 AR Rahman
Over the past couple of decades, this man has single-handedly revolutionised how music is made in the Indian film industry. With over 200 million albums sold world wide, he is one of the 25 all time top selling recording artists in the world. Such is the influence of the compositions of this ‘Mozart of the East’, that he is capable of changing the whole appeal of a movie with his music alone, making him the most coveted music composer in the Indian film industry.
In 1991, AR Rahman took the music world by storm with Roja, whose soundtrack has been rated by Time magazine as one of the top 10 compilations in their list of the all time 100 best movie soundtracks of the world. Today, he continues to rule the Indian music scene with chartbusters like Lagaan, Yuva, Rang De Basanti… the list is endless.
9 Aditya Chopra
He belted out his first blockbuster at the age of 23 and the world knew that they were dealing with a prodigy. Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, which was written and directed by him came out in 1995 and took the Indian Film Industry by storm. He then followed that up with another hit when he made Mohabbatein and what followed was the dream run as a film maker which others can only dream to replicate. Today, as the vice-chairman of Yash Raj Films, Aditya Chopra oozes power and no one in the industry dares to rub him the wrong way. He has also been listed by the India Today magazines as one of the 50 most powerful people in the country.
8 Sanjay Dutt
He entered the limelight way back in the 1980’s with the film Rocky and he was an instant hit. But then his life took a plunge after his mother, Nargis, died, pushing him into drugs. After undergoing rehabilitation, he made a comeback with films like Sadak, Saajan and Khalnayak. Just when he was beginning to bask in the glory of the comeback, he realised that fate had other plans for him. In 1993, he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the 93’ bomb blasts and he spent 18 months in the infamous Arthur Road Prison. After this little stint in the jail, he came back to resurrect his career with hits like Vaastav:The Reality and Mission Kashmir. Through this period, he was always acknowledged as a star in Bollywood, but after the 2003 flick Munnabhai MBBS, his popularity became unparalleled and now he was by all means the darling of the masses. And after Lage Raho Munnabhai, his popularity among the masses reached iconic status. But his dark past kept shadowing him, taking him back to the Arthur Road Mumbai and then Yerwada Jail in Pune where he served his second sentence. Through these dramatic twists and turns in his life, Sanjay Dutt has received an unconditional support from the Industry as well as the masses. It is this love and support that is showered on him by his peers and fans alike that puts him on the most powerful list.
7 Salman Khan
Every movie industry needs a bad boy, and we have our very own in Salman Khan. He had definitely hit the ground running with his performance in Maine Pyaar Kiya (1989) and what followed was a hugely successful career belting out hits like Saajan (1991), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). Off late, his successes like Tere Naam, No Entry and Partner has reinforced his status as one of the stars in Bollywood. His filmography aside, what has really kept him in the news is his penchant for finding himself bang in the middle of controversies. He has spent time in Jodhpur jail for hunting the endangered Chinkara. In 2002 he was arrested for rash and negligent driving when his car collided into a bakery, killing one and injuring three others. But in spite of these blemishes to his reputation, his peers in the industry maintain that he has a heart of gold and that they would do anything for him at the drop of a hat.
6 Karan Johar
He started his career as the assistant director for the path breaking film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jaayenge. After which he worked his way up and made his debut as a filmmaker with Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). He hit instant success with this film and immediately entered into the big league as far as Indian filmmakers are concerned. He has a simple philosophy; hire the top stars and give the audience what they come for – glitz, glamour and entertainment. With this philosophy, he has given us hits like Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Kal Ho Na Ho (2003) and Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and now he boasts of a perfect record in the box-office. The Result? He has the tops stars lining up to work for him, for they know that if they are in his film, it pretty much means that they are in the big league.
5 Akshay Kumar
He’s the original ‘khiladi’ of Bollywood. After making ends meet as a cook in Bangkok, where he lived to learn the nuances of martial arts, he returned to Mumbai to star in his first hit Khiladi (1992) and what followed was a string of successful forays in not only action, which happened to be his forte, but also romance, drama and comedy. Today, with Filmfare awards under the Best Villian (Ajnabee) and the Best Comedian (Garam Masala) categories he is one of the most versatile stars in the Indian film scene. Of late he has enjoyed a golden run in the box-office with a string of hits, making him one of the highest paid actors in Bollywood. In 2007, his record was unprecedented with four hits and no flops, probably the best ever recorded by an actor in a single calendar year.
4 Aamir Khan
When Aamir Khan talks, people listen. He started his career as a child actor in the film Yaadon Ki Baarat (1973). His first commercial success as a lead actor came in 1988 with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak and he has never looked back since, dishing blockbusters like Dil (1990), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke (1993). He is known for the commitment he puts into his roles, which demands that he do only one film at a time. One thing that makes him stand up above his peers is his Oscar nominated film, Lagaan for which he won numerous awards. And his latest flick Taare Zameen Par, has added another feather to his cap. Today, his name is synonymous with perfection and for that, he commands enormous respect in the industry.
3 Yash Chopra
The recent history of Bollywood can be weaved around the success of Yash Raj films, and he is the face of this colossus of a studio. With Yash Raj films, he is capable of turning mere actors into stars at the snap of a finger. Such is his influence in the Indian film industry. Not convinced yet? This legend of a filmmaker has received the coveted Filmfare Award for the Best Director four times and a jaw dropping five times in the Best Film category. Still not convinced? Well, he’s been the recipient of the Filmfare Power Award for the past three years. I rest my case.
2 Amitabh Bachchan
For a person who’s been ruling Bollywood… oops, sorry… the Indian Film Industry for almost 40 years, it’s not too hard to walk into this list. Amitabh Bachchan started his career as an actor in 1969 and achieved his first success in Anand (1971). But his real claim to fame was Zanjeer (1973) which gave him the title of the ‘angry young man’ of Bollywood. Today, this angry (not so) young man still enjoys an unparalleled fan base making him one of the most bankable stars in the industry. Because of his sheer experience and aura he is probably the most respected personality in showbiz. This respect, coupled with a strong dedication to the craft of acting, makes him a power to reckon with.
1 Sharukh Khan
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He personified the youthful aura in Deewana and then went on to defy the pure onscreen image of Bollywood heroes with Baazigar, where he played the hero with shades of grey. Then he went on to capture everyone’s imagination by playing a downright negative character in Darr. Thus by breaking the age old moulds, he created a special place in people’s hearts. The success of DDLJ (which, by the way is still running in theatres 13 years after its release) has a lot to do with the charming young Raj played by Sharukh. Then there were the blockbusters like Dil To Pagal Hai, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Devdas, which strengthened his position as the biggest star in the country and there were the ones like Swadesh, Ashoka and Chak De India which established him as a fine actor. So if you want to create a blockbuster, you know what to do. Sign up Sharukh Khan, sit back and just let him work his magic. Apart from his acting prowess, SRK has a keen head for making money – whether it is starring in advertisements or hosting quiz shows or sponsoring an IPL cricket team. Simply put, King Khan rules. Everywhere.
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