A kiss is the act of pressing one's lips against the lips or other body parts of another or of an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, affection, respect, greeting, friendship, and good luck, among many others. In some situations a kiss is a ritual, formal or symbolic gesture indicating devotion, respect or greeting, as in the case of a bride and groom kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony or national leaders kissing each other in greeting, and in many other situations.

Depending on the culture, relationship and context, a person may kiss another on their lips, cheek, head, hand and each of these gestures may carry a different social significance.

The word came from Old English ''cyssan'' "to kiss," in turn from ''coss'' "a kiss."

Expression of affection and love

The act of kissing on another person's lips has become a common expression of affection among many cultures worldwide. Yet in certain cultures, kissing was introduced only through European settlement; prior to this, kissing was not a routine occurrence. Examples of this include certain indigenous peoples of Australia, the Tahitians, and many tribes in Africa.

Kissing on the lips is a physical expression of affection or love between two people, in which the sensations of touch, taste, and smell are involved. According to psychologist Menachem Brayer, although many "mammals, birds, and insects exchange caresses" which appear to be kisses of affection (e.g. lovebirds), they are not kisses as humans consider them. Psychologist William Cane notes that kissing in Western society is most often a romantic act and describes a few of its attributes: }}

Kissing in Western cultures is a fairly recent development and is rarely mentioned even in Greek literature. In the Middle Ages it became a social gesture and was considered a sign of refinement of the upper classes. Other cultures have different definitions and uses of kissing, notes Brayer. In China, for example, a similar expression of affection consists of rubbing one's nose against the cheek of another person. In other Eastern cultures kissing is not commonly done. In South East Asian countries the "sniff kiss" is the most common form of affection and Western mouth to mouth kissing is reserved for sexual foreplay. In some tribal cultures the "equivalent for our 'kiss me' is 'smell me.

History

The origins of the kiss were studied in the early 20th century by natural historian Ernest Crawley. He wrote that kissing was "a universal expression in the social life of the higher civilizations of the feelings of affection, love (sexual, parental, and filial), and veneration." According to Crawley, touch is "the mother of the senses," and the kiss was a tactile and specialized form of intimate contact. However, he notes that the act of kissing was very rare among the "lower and semi-civilized races," but was "fully established as instinctive in the higher societies." Yet even among higher civilizations Crawley saw differences: while the kiss seems to have been unknown to ancient Egypt, it was well established in early Greece, Assyria, and India.

The kiss of lovers, according to 19th-century anthropologist Cesare Lombroso, originated and evolved from the maternal kiss. Crawley supports this view by noting that Japanese society, before the 20th century, was "ignorant of the kiss except as applied by a mother to her infant," while in Africa and "other uncivilized regions," it was commonly observed that neither husbands and wives, or lovers, kissed one another. However, kissing was common among the Greeks and Romans as when parents kissed their children, or when lovers and married persons kissed. The kiss in Western societies was also used in various religious and ceremonial acts, as where the kiss had a sacramental value. Crawley concludes that generally, although kissing was prevalent in some form since primitive times, it "received its chief development in Western culture."

In modern times, scientists have done brain scans on people when a romantic relationship progresses. Some studies found that after that "first magical meeting or perfect first date," a complex system in the brain is activated that is essentially "the same thing that happens when a person takes cocaine." In studies of affection between lovers, when participants viewed images of their partners, their brains' ventral tegmental area, which houses the reward and motivation systems, was flooded with dopamine, an internal chemical that is "released when you're doing something highly pleasurable ..."

Types

Kristoffer Nyrop has identified a number of types of kisses, such as kisses of love, affection, peace, respect and friendship. He notes, however, that the categories were somewhat contrived and overlapping, and other cultures often had more kinds, including the French, with twenty and the Germans with thirty.

Adolescents kissing

In many cultures, it is considered harmless growing up customs for teenagers to kiss on a date or to engage in kissing games with friends. These games act as icebreakers at parties and for some participants they may be their first interaction with the opposite sex. There are many such games, including truth or dare?, seven minutes in heaven (or the variation "two minutes in the closet"), spin the bottle, post office, and wink.

Surveys indicate that kissing is the second most common form of physical intimacy among United States adolescents, after holding hands, with about 85% of 15- to 16-year-old adolescents in the US experiencing it.

Sexual or romantic kiss

The kiss is an important expression of love and erotic emotions. In Kristoffer Nyrop's book, ''The Kiss and its History'', Nyrop describes the kiss of love as an "exultant message of the longing of love, love eternally young, the burning prayer of hot desire, which is born on the lovers' lips, and 'rises,' as Charles Fuster has said, 'up to the blue sky from the green plains,' like a tender, trembling thank-offering." He adds, that the love kiss, "rich in promise, bestows an intoxicating feeling of infinite happiness, courage, and youth, and therefore surpasses all other earthly joys in sublimity." He also compares it to one's achievements in life, "Thus even the highest work of art, yet, the loftiest reputation, is nothing in comparison with the passionate kiss of a woman one loves."

The power of a kiss is not minimized when he writes that "we all yearn for kisses and we all seek them; it is idle to struggle against this passion. No one can evade the omnipotence of the kiss ..." Kissing, he implies, can lead one to maturity: "It is through kisses that a knowledge of life and happiness first comes to us. Runeberg says that the angels rejoice over the first kiss exchanged by lovers," and can keep one feeling young: "It carries life with it; it even bestows the gift of eternal youth." The importance of the lover's kiss can also be significant, he notes: "In the case of lovers a kiss is everything; that is the reason why a man stakes his all for a kiss," and "man craves for it as his noblest reward."

As a result, kissing as an expression of love is contained in much of literature, old and new. Nyrop gives a vivid example in the classic love story of Daphnis and Chloe. As a reward "Chloe has bestowed a kiss on Daphnis—an innocent young-maid's kiss, but it has on him the effect of an electrical shock":

Romantic kissing "requires more than simple proximity," notes Cane. It also needs "some degree of intimacy or privacy, ... which is why you'll see lovers stepping to the side of a busy street or sidewalk." Psychologist Wilhelm Reich "lashed out at society" for not giving young lovers enough privacy and making it difficult to be alone. However, Cane describes how many lovers manage to attain romantic privacy despite being in a public setting, as they "lock their minds together" and thereby create an invisible sense of "psychological privacy." He adds, "In this way they can kiss in public even in a crowded plaza and keep it romantic." Nonetheless, when Cane asked people to describe the most romantic places they ever kissed, "their answers almost always referred to this ends-of-the-earth isolation, ... they mentioned an apple orchard, a beach, out in a field looking at the stars, or at a pond in a secluded area ..."

Kiss of affection

A kiss can also be used to express feelings without an erotic element but can be nonetheless "far deeper and more lasting," writes Nyrop. He adds that such kisses can be expressive of love "in the widest and most comprehensive meaning of the word, bringing a message of loyal affection, gratitude, compassion, sympathy, intense joy, and profound sorrow."

The most common example is the "intense feeling which knits parents to their offspring," writes Nyrop, but adds that kisses of affection are not only common between parents and children, but also between other members of the same family, which can include those outside the immediate family circle, "everywhere where deep affection unites people." The tradition is written of in the Bible, as when Orpah kissed her mother-in-law and when Moses went to meet his father-in-law, he "did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent" (Exodus 18:7); and when Jacob had wrestled with the Lord he met Esau, ran towards him, fell on his neck and kissed him. The family kiss was traditional with the Romans and kisses of affection are often mentioned by the early Greeks, as when Odysseus, on reaching his home, meets his faithful shepherds.

Affection can be a cause of kissing "in all ages in grave and solemn moments," notes Nyrop, "not only among those who love each other, but also as an expression of profound gratitude. When the Apostle Paul took leave of the elders of the congregation at Ephesus, "they all wept sore, and fell on Paul's neck and kissed him" (Acts 20:37). Kisses can also be exchanged between total strangers, as when there is a profound sympathy with or the warmest interest in, another person.

Folk poetry has been the source of affectionate kisses where they sometimes played an important part, as when they had the power to cast off spells or to break bonds of witchcraft and sorcery, often restoring a man to his original shape. Nyrop notes the poetical stories of the "redeeming power of the kiss are to be found in the literature of many countries, especially, for example, in the Old French Arthurian romances (Lancelot, Guiglain, Tirant le blanc) in which the princess is changed by evil arts into a dreadful dragon, and can only resume her human shape in the case of a knight being brave enough to kiss her." In the reverse situation, in the tale of "Beauty and the Beast," a transformed prince then told the girl that he had been bewitched by a wicked fairy, and could not be recreated into a man unless a maid fell in love with him and kissed him, despite his ugliness.

A kiss of affection can also take place after death. In Genesis it is written that when Jacob was dead, "Joseph fell upon his father's face and wept upon him and kissed him." And it is told of Abu Bakr, Muhammad's first disciple, father-in-law, and successor, that, when the prophet was dead, he went into the latter's tent, uncovered his face, and kissed him. Nyrop writes that "the kiss is the last tender proof of love bestowed on one we have loved, and was believed, in ancient times, to follow mankind to the nether world."

Kiss as ritual

Throughout history, a kiss has been a ritual, formal, symbolic or social gesture indicating devotion, respect or greeting. It appears as a ritual or symbol of religious devotion. For example, in the case of kissing a temple floor, or a religious book or icon. Besides devotion, a kiss has also indicated subordination or, nowadays, respect.

In modern times the practice continues, as in the case of a bride and groom kissing at the conclusion of a wedding ceremony or national leaders kissing each other in greeting, and in many other situations.

Religion

A kiss in a religious context is common. In earlier periods of Christianity or Islam kissing became a ritual gesture, and is still treated as such in certain customs, as when "kissing the Pope's foot, relics, or a bishop's ring." In Judaism, the kissing of prayer books such as the Torah, along with kissing prayer shawls, is also common. Crawley notes that it was "very significant of the affectionate element in religion" to give so important a part to the kiss as part of its ritual. In the early Church the baptized were kissed by the celebrant after the ceremony, and its use was even extended as a salute to saints and religious heroes, with Crawley adding, "Thus Joseph kissed Jacob, and his disciples kissed Paul. Joseph kissed his dead father, and the custom was retained in our civilization," as the farewell kiss on dead relatives, although certain sects prohibit this today.

A distinctive element in the Christian ritual was noted by Justin in the 2nd century, now referred to as the "kiss of peace," and once part of the rite in the primitive Mass. Conybeare has stated that this act originated within the ancient Hebrew synagogue, and Philo, the ancient Jewish philosopher called it a "kiss of harmony," where, as Crawley explains, "the Word of God brings hostile things together in concord and the kiss of love." Saint Cyril also writes, "this kiss is the sign that our souls are united, and that we banish all remembrance of injury."

An early reference to kissing is contained in the familiar second verse of the Old Testament book, Song of Solomon, an ancient Hebrew love poem: }}

Kiss of peace

Nyrop notes that the kiss of peace was used as an expression of deep, spiritual devotion in the early Christian Church. Christ said, for instance, "Peace be with you, my peace I give you," and the members of Christ's Church gave each other peace symbolically through a kiss. St Paul repeatedly speaks of the "holy kiss," and, in his Epistle to the Romans, writes: "Salute one another with an holy kiss" and his first Epistle to the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:26), he says: "Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss."

The kiss of peace was also used in secular festivities. During the Middle Ages, for example, Nyrop points out that it was the custom to "seal the reconciliation and pacification of enemies by a kiss." Even knights gave each other the kiss of peace before proceeding to the combat, and forgave one another all real or imaginary wrongs. The holy kiss was also found in the ritual of the Church on solemn occasions, such as baptism, marriage, confession, ordination, or obsequies. However, toward the end of the Middle Ages the kiss of peace disappears as the official token of reconciliation.

Kiss of respect

The kiss of respect is of ancient origin, notes Nyrop. He writes that "from the remotest times we find it applied to all that is holy, noble, and worshipful—to the gods, their statues, temples, and altars, as well as to kings and emperors; out of reverence, people even kissed the ground, and both sun and moon were greeted with kisses."

He notes some examples, as "when the prophet Hosea laments over the idolatry of the children of Israel, he says that they make molten images of calves and kiss them." In classical times similar homage was often paid to the gods, and people were known to kiss the hands, knees, feet, and the mouths, of their idols. Cicero writes that the lips and beard of the famous statue of Hercules at Agrigentum were worn away by the kisses of devotees.

People kissed the Cross with the image of the Crucified, and such kissing of the Cross is always considered a holy act. In many countries it is required, on taking an oath, as the highest assertion that the witness would be speaking the truth. Nyrop notes that "as a last act of charity, the image of the Redeemer is handed to the dying or death-condemned to be kissed." Kissing the Cross brings blessing and happiness; people kiss the image of Our Lady and the pictures and statues of saints—not only their pictures, "but even their relics are kissed," notes Nyrop. "They make both soul and body whole." There are legends innumerable of sick people regaining their health by kissing relics, he points out.

The kiss of respect has also represented a mark of fealty, humility and reverence. Its use in ancient times was widespread, and Nyrop gives examples: "people threw themselves down on the ground before their rulers, kissed their footprints, literally 'licked the dust,' as it is termed." "Nearly everywhere, wheresoever an inferior meets a superior, we observe the kiss of respect. The Roman slaves kissed the hands of their masters; pupils and soldiers those of their teachers and captains respectively." People also kissed the earth for joy on returning to their native land after a lengthened absence, as when Agamemnon returned from the Trojan War Nyrop points out, however, that in modern times the ceremonious kiss of respect "has gone clean out of fashion in the most civilised countries," and it is only retained in the Church, and that in many cases "the practice would be offensive or ridiculous."

Kiss of friendship

The kiss is also commonly used in American and European culture as a salutation between friends or acquaintances. The friendly kiss until recent times usually occurred only between ladies, but today it is also common between men and women, especially if there is a great difference in age. According to Nyrop, up until the 20th century, "it seldom or never takes place between men, with the exception, however, of royal personages," although he notes that in former times the "friendly kiss was very common with us between man and man as well as between persons of opposite sexes." In guilds, for example, it was customary for the members to greet each other "with hearty handshakes and smacking kisses," and, on the conclusion of a meal, people thanked and kissed both their hosts and hostesses.

Contemporary practices

In modern Western culture, kissing on the lips is most commonly an expression of affection. When lips are pressed together for an extended period, usually accompanied with an embrace, it is an expression of romantic and sexual desire. The practice of kissing with an open mouth, to allow the other to suck their lips or move their tongue into their mouth, is called French kissing. "Making out" is often an adolescent's first physical contact with the opposite sex and the first experience of their sexuality and games which involve kissing, such as spin the bottle, facilitate the experience. People may kiss children on the forehead to comfort them or the cheek to show affection.

Kissing in films

The first romantic kiss on screen was in American silent films in 1896, beginning with the film ''The Kiss''. The kiss lasted 30 seconds and caused many to rail against decadence in the new medium of silent film. Writer Louis Black writes that "it was the United States that brought kissing out of the Dark Ages." However, it met with severe disapproval by defenders of public morality, especially in New York. One critic proclaimed that "it is absolutely disgusting. Such things call for police interference."

Young moviegoers began emulating romantic stars on the screen, such as Ronald Colman and Rudolph Valentino, the latter known for ending his passionate scenes with a kiss. Valentino also began his romantic scenes with women by kissing her hand, traveling up her arm, and then kissing her on the back of her neck. Female actress were often turned into stars based on their screen portrayals of passion. Actresses like Nazimova, Pola Negri, Vilma Banky and Greta Garbo, became screen idols as a result.

Eventually the film industry was forced by law to follow the dictates of the Production Code established in 1934, overseen by Will Hays and supported by the church. According to the new code, "Excessive and lustful kissing, lustful embraces, suggestive postures and gestures, are not to be shown." As a result, kissing scenes were shortened, with scenes cut away, leaving the imagination of the viewer to take over. Under the code, actors kissing had to keep their feet on the ground and had to be either standing or sitting.

The heyday of romantic kissing on the screen took place in the early sound era, during the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s. Body language began to be used to supplement romantic scenes, especially with the eyes, a talent that added to Greta Garbo's fame. Author Lana Citron writes that "men were perceived as the kissers and women the receivers. Should the roles ever be reversed, women were regarded as vamps . . ." According to Citron, Mae West and Anna May Wong were the only Hollywood actresses never to have been kissed on screen. Among the films rated for having the most romantic kisses, are Gone with the Wind, From Here to Eternity, Casablanca, and To Have and Have Not.

Sociologist Eva Illouz notes that surveys taken in 1935, during the peak of the film industry, showed that "love was the most important theme represented in movies. Similar surveys during the 1930s found the 95% of films had romance as one of their plot lines, what film critics called "the romantic formula."

Non-sexual kisses

Female friends and close acquaintances commonly offer reciprocal kisses on the cheek as a greeting or farewell. To a lesser extent this is also common between male and female friends, but men usually greet each other with a handshake. In some countries a single kiss is the custom, while in others a kiss on each cheek is the norm. In the United States an air kiss is becoming more common. This involves kissing in the air near the cheek, with the cheeks touching or not. After a first date, it is common for the couple to give each other a quick kiss on the cheek on parting, to indicate that a good time was had and perhaps to indicate an interest in another meeting.

A symbolic kiss is frequent in Western cultures. A kiss can be "blown" to another by kissing the fingertips and then blowing the fingertips, pointing them in the direction of the recipient. This is used to convey affection, usually when parting or when the partners are physically distant but can view each other. Blown kisses are also used when a person wishes to convey affection to a large crowd or audience. The term ''flying kiss'' is used in India to describe a blown kiss. In written correspondence a kiss has been represented by the letter "X" since at least 1763. A stage or screen kiss may be performed by actually kissing, or faked by using the thumbs as a barrier for the lips and turning so the audience is unable to fully see the act.

In Slavic cultures until recent times, kissing between two men on the lips as a greeting or a farewell was not uncommon and was not considered sexual.

In some Western cultures it is considered good luck to kiss someone on Christmas or on New Year's Eve, especially beneath a sprig of mistletoe. A bride and groom usually kiss at the end of a wedding ceremony.

Some literature suggests that a significant percentage of humanity does not kiss. In Sub-Saharan African, Asiatic, Polynesian and possibly in some Native American cultures, kissing was relatively unimportant until European colonization.

With the Andamanese, kissing was only used as a sign of affection towards children and had no sexual undertones.

In traditional Islamic cultures kissing is not permitted between a man and woman who are not married or closely related by blood or marriage. A kiss on the cheek is a very common form of greeting among members of the same sex in most Islamic countries, following the south European pattern.

Legality

In 2007, two people were fined and jailed for a month after kissing and hugging in public in Dubai. In 2008, Singapore's Media Development Authority fined cable firm StarHub after it broadcast an advertisement showing two women kissing.

In India, public display of affection is a criminal offense under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 with a punishment of imprisonment of up to three months, or a fine, or both. This law has been used by the police and lower courts to harass and prosecute couples engaging in acts such as kissing in public. However, in a number of landmark cases the higher courts have dismissed obscenity proceeding against kissing couples. Attacks by vigilante groups also are a danger for those displaying affection.

In religion

Kissing was a custom during the Biblical period and appears for the first time in recorded history in the Book of Genesis, 27:26, when Isaac kissed his son Jacob. The kiss is used in numerous other places in the Bible: the kiss of homage, in Esther 5:2; of subjection, in 1 Samuel 10:1; of reconciliation, in 2 Samuel 14:33; of valediction, in Ruth 1:14; of approbation, in Psalms 2:12; of humble gratitude, in Luke 7:38; of welcome, in Exodus 18:7; of love and joy, in Genesis 20:11. There are also spiritual kisses, as in Canticles 1:2; sensual kisses, as in Proverbs 7:13; and hypocritical kisses, as in 2 Samuel 15:5. It was customary to kiss the mouth in biblical times, and also the beard, which is still practiced in Arab culture. Kissing the hand is not biblical, according to Tabor. The kiss of peace was an apostolic custom, and continues to be one of the rites in the Eucharistic services of Roman Catholics.

In the Roman Catholic Order of Mass, the bishop or priest celebrant bows and kisses the altar, reverencing it, upon arriving at the altar during the entrance procession before Mass and upon leaving at the recessional at the closing of Mass; if a deacon is assisting, he bows low before the altar but does not kiss it.

Among primitive cultures it was usual to throw kisses to the sun and to the moon, as well as to the images of the gods. Kissing the hand is first heard of among the Persians. According to Tabor, the kiss of homage—the character of which is not indicated in the Bible—was probably upon the forehead, and was expressive of high respect.

Muslims may kiss the Black Stone during Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

In Ancient Rome and some modern Pagan beliefs, worshipers when passing the statue or image of a god or goddess will kiss their hand and wave it towards the deity (adoration).

In the gospels of Matthew and Mark (Luke and John omit this) Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss: an instance of a kiss tainted with betrayal. This is the basis of the term "the kiss of Judas."

The ''holy kiss'' or ''kiss of peace'' is a traditional part of most Christian liturgies, though often replaced with an embrace or handshake today in Western cultures.

Pope John Paul II would kiss the ground on arrival in a new country.

Visitors to the Pope traditionally kiss his foot. (The ring of a cardinal or bishop, hand of a priest.)

Jews will kiss the Western wall of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, and other religious articles during prayer such as the Torah, usually by touching their hand, Tallis, or Siddur (prayerbook) to the Torah and then kissing it. Jewish law prohibits kissing members of the opposite sex, except for spouses and certain close relatives. See Negiah.

Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Christians often kiss the icons around the church on entering; they will also kiss the cross and/or the priest's hand in certain other customs in the Church, such as confession or receiving a blessing.

Catholics will kiss rosary beads as a part of prayer, or kiss their hand after making the sign of the cross. It is also common to kiss the wounds on a crucifix, or any other image of Christ's Passion.

Hindus sometimes kiss the floor of a temple.

Local lore in Ireland suggests that kissing the Blarney Stone will bring ''the gift of the gab''.

Biology and evolution

Within the natural world of animals there are numerous analogies, notes Crawley, such as "the billing of birds, the cataglottism of pigeons and the antennal play of some insects." Even among higher animals such as the dog, cat and bear, similar behavior is noted.

Anthropologists have not reached a conclusion as to whether kissing is learned or a behavior from instinct. It may be related to grooming behavior also seen between other animals, or arising as a result of mothers premasticating food for their children. Non-human primates also exhibit kissing behavior. Dogs, cats, birds and other animals display licking, nuzzling, and grooming behavior among themselves, but also towards humans or other species. This is sometimes interpreted by observers as a type of kissing.

Kissing in humans is postulated to have evolved from the direct mouth-to-mouth regurgitation of food (kiss feeding) from parent to offspring or male to female (courtship feeding) and has been been observed in numerous mammals. The similarity in the methods between kiss-feeding and deep human kisses (e.g. French kiss) are quite pronounced, in the former, the tongue is used to push food from the mouth of the mother to the child with the child receiving both the mother's food and tongue in sucking movements, and the latter is the same but forgoes the premasticated food. In fact, through observations across various species and cultures, it can be confirmed that the act of kissing and premastication has most likely evolved from the similar relationship-based feeding behaviours.

Physiology

Kissing is a complex behavior that requires significant muscular coordination involving a total of 34 facial muscles and 112 postural muscles. The most important muscle involved is the orbicularis oris muscle, which is used to pucker the lips and informally known as the ''kissing muscle''. In the case of the French kiss, the tongue is also an important component. Lips have many nerve endings which make them sensitive to touch and bite.

Health benefits

Affection in general has stress-reducing effects. Kissing in particular has been studied in a controlled experiment and it was found that increasing the frequency of kissing in marital and cohabiting relationships results in a reduction of perceived stress, an increase in relationship satisfaction, and a lowering of cholesterol levels.

Kissing can also cause the adrenal glands to release epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline and noradrenaline) into the blood, thereby causing an adrenaline rush, which has a beneficial impact on the cardiovascular system because the heart pumps faster. In an experiment by Dr. Alexander DeWees, a passionate kiss generally burns up to 2–3 calories per minute.

Disease transmission

Kissing can result in the transmission of diseases, including mononucleosis, allergic reactions to nuts and drugs, and herpes, when the infectious virus is present in saliva. Research indicates that contraction of HIV via kissing is extremely unlikely, although a woman has been infected with HIV by kissing (in 1997). Both the woman and infected man had gum disease, so transmission was through the man's blood, not through saliva.

See also

References

External links

video: Kissing scenes in classic films

Kissing in Strange Places — slideshow by ''Life magazine''

Put your sweet lips... (A history of the kiss), Keith Thomas, ''The Times'', June 11, 2005

The Kiss of Life, Joshua Foer, ''The New York Times'', February 14, 2006

How Kissing Works, History and Anatomy of the Kiss, Tracy V. Wilson, HowStuffworks

Category:Interpersonal relationships Category:Greetings Category:Personal life Category:Sexual acts

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birth name	Richard Tiffany Gere
birth date	August 31, 1949
birth place	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
occupation	Actor
years active	1973–present
nationality	American
spouse	Cindy Crawford (1991–1995)Carey Lowell (2002–present)
children	Son }}

Richard Tiffany Gere ( ; born August 31, 1949) is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, playing a supporting role in ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar'', and a starring role in ''Days of Heaven''. He came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film ''American Gigolo'', which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol. He went on to star in several hit films including ''An Officer and a Gentleman'', ''Pretty Woman'', ''Primal Fear'', and ''Chicago'', for which he won a Golden Globe Award as Best Actor, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the Best Cast.

Early life

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gere is a descendant of ''Mayflower'' Pilgrims Francis Eaton, John Billington, George Soule, Richard Warren, Degory Priest, William Brewster and Francis Cooke. Gere's mother, Doris Ann (née Tiffany, born 1924), was a homemaker, and his father, Homer George Gere (born 1922), was an insurance agent for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company and had originally intended to become a minister. Gere is their eldest son and second child. In 1967, he graduated from North Syracuse Central High School, where he excelled at gymnastics and music, playing the trumpet. He attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst on a gymnastics scholarship, majoring in philosophy, but did not graduate, leaving after two years.

Career

Gere first worked professionally at the Provincetown Playhouse on Cape Cod in 1971 where he starred in ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.'' His first major acting role was in the original London stage version of ''Grease'' in 1973. He began appearing in Hollywood films in the mid 1970s, co-starring in the thriller ''Looking for Mr. Goodbar'' (1977) and playing the leading role in director Terrence Malick's well-reviewed 1978 film, ''Days of Heaven''. In 1980, Gere appeared in the Broadway production of ''Bent''. He became a major star that year with the film ''American Gigolo'', followed by the romantic drama ''An Officer and a Gentleman'', which grossed almost $130 million in 1982.

However, after 1982, Gere's career was dogged by several box office failures. His career was somewhat resurrected after the release of both ''Internal Affairs'' and ''Pretty Woman'' in 1990. Gere's status as a leading man was again solidified, and he went on to star in several successful films throughout the 1990s, including ''Sommersby'' (1993), ''Primal Fear'' (1996), and ''Runaway Bride'' (1999) which reunited him with his ''Pretty Woman'' co-star Julia Roberts. Richard also took a leading role in the 1997 action movie ''The Jackal'', playing Declan Mulqueen.

''People'' magazine named Gere the "Sexiest Man Alive" in 1999. In 2002, he appeared in three major releases: the horror thriller ''The Mothman Prophecies'', the drama ''Unfaithful'', and the Academy Award-winning film version of ''Chicago'', for which he won a Golden Globe as "Best Actor – Comedy or Musical". Gere's 2004 ballroom dancing drama ''Shall We Dance?'' was also a solid performer that grossed $170 million worldwide though his next film, 2005's ''Bee Season'', was a commercial failure.

Gere was Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Theatricals' "Man of the Year" for 2006. In 2007, he co-starred with Jesse Eisenberg and Terrence Howard in ''The Hunting Party'', a comic thriller in which he played a journalist in Bosnia. The same year he also starred with Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, and Cate Blanchett in Todd Haynes' semi-biographical film about Bob Dylan, ''I'm Not There''.

Gere co-starred with Diane Lane in the romantic drama ''Nights in Rodanthe'', released in 2008. The film was widely panned by critics (even making #74 on ''The London Times'' Worst Films of 2008 list), but grossed over $84 million worldwide.

In December 2010, Gere was honored for his lifetime achievement from the 34th Cairo International Film Festival.

Gere remains one of the few actors, if not the only actor, to be nominated multiple times for the Golden Globe Award without ever being nominated for an Academy Award.

Personal life and activism

Gere was married to supermodel Cindy Crawford from 1991 to 1995. In 2002, he married model and actress Carey Lowell. They have a son, Homer James Jigme Gere, who was born in 2000 and is named after Gere's father.

Gere was raised by Methodist parents; his interest in Buddhism began when he traveled to Nepal in 1978 with the Brazilian painter, Sylvia Martins. He is a practicing Buddhist and an active supporter of the Dalai Lama. Gere is also a persistent advocate for human rights in Tibet; he is a co-founder of the Tibet House, creator of The Gere Foundation, and he is Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Campaign for Tibet. Because he strongly supports the Tibetan Independence Movement, he is permanently banned from entering the People's Republic of China. Gere was banned as an Academy Award presenter in 1993 after he denounced the Chinese government in his capacity as presenter. In September 2007, Gere called for the boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to put pressure on China to make Tibet independent. He starred in Free Tibet-themed Lancia commercial featuring the Lancia Delta. In June 27, 2011 Richard Gere done meditation in Borobudur temple.

Richard Gere actively supports Survival International, an organization dedicated to protecting the rights and lands of tribal peoples throughout the world. He contributed some of his writing for the book, ''We Are One: A Celebration of Tribal Peoples'', released in October 2009. The book explores the culture of peoples around the world, portraying both its diversity and the threats it faces. Among other contributors, we can find several western writers, such as Laurens van der Post, Noam Chomsky, Claude Lévi-Strauss; and also indigenous peoples, such as Davi Kopenawa Yanomami and Roy Sesana. Richard Gere discusses the persecution and loss of land of the Jummas, as an example of a tragic story that repeats itself in different continents of the world. He calls attention to the crime against their peaceful culture and how it reflects on our own relationship with nature and capacity to survive. The royalties from the sale of this book go to the indigenous rights organization, Survival International.

Gere campaigns for ecological causes and AIDS awareness. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Healing the Divide, an organization that supports global initiatives to promote peace, justice and understanding. He helped to establish the AIDS Care Home, a residential facility in India for women and children with AIDS, and also supports campaigns for AIDS awareness and education that country. In 1999, he created the Gere Foundation India Trust to support a variety of humanitarian programs in India.

On April 15, 2007, Gere appeared at an AIDS awareness rally in Jaipur, India. During a live news conference to promote condom use among truck drivers, he embraced Bollywood superstar Shilpa Shetty, dipped her, and kissed her several times on the cheek. As a result of that gesture, a local court ordered the arrest of Gere and Shetty, finding them in violation "public obscenity" laws. Gere, who quickly fled the country, has said the controversy was "manufactured by a small hard-line political party." About a month later, a two-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India, KG Balakrishnan, described the case as "frivolous" and believed that such complaints (against celebrities) were filed for "cheap publicity" and have brought a bad name to the country. They ruled that "Richard Gere is free to enter the country. This is the end of the matter."

In June 2008, Gere appeared in a Fiat commercial for the European market, driving a new Lancia Delta from Hollywood to Tibet. The commercial concluded with a tagline of "New Lancia Delta: the power to be different". The commercial was reported in Chinese newspapers, and Fiat apologized to the PRC. Branding expert John Tantillo argued that Fiat had foreseen the controversy the ad would cause and hoped to benefit from press coverage it would receive, labeling it a case of adpublitizing.

Political views

Invasion of Iraq

Gere has stated that the decision to go to war in Iraq was one that the American people were not in support of and that the administration at the time “bullied” Americans into the decision. He blamed the situation on a very “poor president”.

“I'm very sorry about what the U.S. has done in Iraq. This war has been a tragedy for everyone. I hope that the people of Iraq can rebuild their country," Richard Gere said in a press conference, held on the sidelines of the 34th Cairo International Film Festival.

Filmography

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1975	''Report to the Commissioner''	Billy
1976	''Baby Blue Marine''	Raider
1977		Tony Lo Porto
1978		Thomas Stony De Coco
1978	''Days of Heaven''	Bill
1979	''Yanks''	Matt Dyson
1980	''American Gigolo''	Julian Kaye
1982	''An Officer and a Gentleman''	Zack Mayo	Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama
1983		Dr. Eduardo Plarr
1983		Jesse Lujack
1984		Dixie Dwyer
1985		David
1986		Eddie Jillette
1986		Pete St. John
1988	''Miles from Home''	Frank Roberts, Jr.
1990		Dennis Peck
1990	''Pretty Woman''	Edward Lewis	Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1991	''Rhapsody in August''	Clark
1992	''Final Analysis''	Dr. Isaac Barr
1993		Mr. Jones
1993	''Sommersby''	John Robert 'Jack' Sommersby
1993		The Choreographer	Nominated — CableACE Awards
1994		Vincent Eastman
1995	''[[First Knight''	Lancelot
1996		Martin Vail
1997		Declan Joseph Mulqueen
1997	''Red Corner''	Jack Moore
1999		Ike Graham
2000	''Dr. T & the Women''	Dr. T	Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2000		Will Keane
2002		Billy Flynn	Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastGolden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or ComedyScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureNominated — Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best CastNominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
2002		Edward Sumner
2002		John Klein
2004		John Clark
2005		Saul Naumann
2007		Clifford Irving	Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2007		Simon
2007	''I'm Not There''	Bob Dylan as Billy The Kid
2007		Agent Erroll Babbage
2008	''Nights in Rodanthe''	Dr. Paul Flanner
2009
2009	''Hachiko: A Dog's Story''	Parker Wilson
2010	''Brooklyn's Finest''	Eddie Dugan
2011		Paul Shepherdson
2012		Robert Miller	filming

References

External links

Defended India's nuclear tests

The Gere Foundation

The Druk White Lotus School (external link) of which Gere is an Honorary Patron.

Shambhala Sun Interview

Category:1949 births Category:Actors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:AIDS activists Category:American health activists Category:American anti-communists Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Converts to Buddhism Category:American Buddhists Category:American people of English descent Category:Living people Category:Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Screen Actors Guild Award winners Category:Tibetan activists Category:Tibetan Buddhists from the United States Category:Tibetan independence movement Category:Personae non gratae

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name	Juhi Chawla
birth date	November 13, 1967
birth place	Ludhiana, Punjab, India
yearsactive	1986–present
spouse	Jai Mehta (1997–present)
occupation	Film actress, Producer, Television presenter
birth name	Juhi S Chawla }}

Juhi Chawla (, born 13 November 1967) is an Indian actress, film producer and television presenter.

After being crowned as the winner of the Miss India beauty contest in 1984, Chawla pursued an acting career. She went on to become one of the top leading actresses of Bollywood and starred in films ranging from the romances ''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' and ''Darr'' to ''Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke'', which earned her the Filmfare Best Actress Award, to ''Yes Boss'' and ''Ishq''. Chawla has been mostly recognised for her comic timing in films as well as her vivacious screen persona.

An important fact is that she knows Tamil very well as she studied in chennai during her childhood days.

During the 2000s, after having starred in over 70 mainstream Hindi films, Chawla started acting in art and independent films. She appeared in films in her native tongue of Punjabi, and has been mostly working in parallel cinema. She gained critical recognition for her performances in films like ''Jhankaar Beats'', ''3 Deewarein'', ''My Brother Nikhil'' and ''Bas Ek Pal''. Since 2000, Chawla branched out into film production and television presenting as well.

Early life and background

Juhi Chawla was born in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. She is the first child born to Dr. S. Chawla and Mona Chawla.

She completed her schooling from Ludhiana before the family moved over to Mumbai. She graduated from Sydenham College, Mumbai with a specialisation in HR. She was the winner of Miss India title in 1984; later she won Best Costume Award for the Miss Universe contest in 1984. She is also a very good dancer. In a Baaje Payal (a film based on a collection of interviews for dancers/actresses) interview, she mentioned having learnt Kathak for three (3) years and regretted giving it up as it could have helped her in her career as an actress. She is also an accomplished classical singer and has been training for the last 6 years.

Career

Film

Chawla ventured into films with the 1986 ''Sultanat''. She also acted in Kannada classic Premaloka directed by Ravichandran in 1987. Her first major role in Bollywood was in ''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak'' in 1988, in which she starred with Aamir Khan. The film, a modern-day adaption of Shakespeare's ''Romeo and Juliet'', became both a major critical and commercial success. It won the Filmfare Best Movie Award, and Chawla won the Filmfare Lux New Face Award and received her first nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award. The film subsequently received classic status.

In 1990, she starred in such films as ''Pratibandh'', which was a box office success and for which she was nominated the ''Filmfare Best Actress Award'', and ''Swarg''. In 1992, she was nominated for a Filmfare for ''Bol Radha Bol'' which performed well commercially.

In 1993 she starred in the moderately successful project ''Aaina'', and hits like Lootere opposite Sunny Deol and Mahesh Bhatt's hit ''Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke''. She followed it with a leading role in Yash Chopra's thriller ''Darr'', which went on to become the third top-grossing film of the year in India. She won the Filmfare Best Actress Award for her performance in ''Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke''. Most of Chawla's films of 1994–6 were unsuccessful, though she received a Filmfare nomination for her performance as a battered wife in ''Daraar''. She had a revival in 1997 with such romantic comedies as ''Yes Boss'', ''Deewana Mastana'' and ''Ishq''. ''Ishq'' became one of the top-earners of the year, and Chawla received her sixth Filmfare nomination for her portrayal of a model in ''Yes Boss''.

Chawla's pairing with Aamir Khan and their on-screen chemistry was often cited by the media as successful. She has also teamed up with Shahrukh Khan in several movies, including ''Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman'', ''Darr'', ''Duuplicate'' and ''Yes Boss''.

Through the 2000s, Chawla started appearing in independent and art films, and her work in the genre included the critically acclaimed films ''3 Deewarein'', ''7½ Phere'' and ''My Brother Nikhil'', which Taran Adarsh termed as "amongst the finest in her career". She won a Star Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress for ''3 Deewarein''.

She was seen in Nikhil Advani's ''Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love'' for which she received good reviews. She starred with Urmila Matondkar in ''Bas Ek Pal'' (2006) and with Manoj Bajpai in ''Swami''. Juhi's latest releases include Ravi Chopra's ''Bhoothnath'' with Amitabh Bachchan, in which she made her singing debut with the song "Chalo Jaane Do". Another film called ''Krazzy 4'' with Irfan Khan and Arshad Warsi was released in 2008. Both ''Bhootnath'' and ''Krazzy 4'' were critical and commercial successes in India. In 2009, she appeared in a supporting role in ''Luck By Chance'' for which she dyed her hair blonde. The film got extremely positive reviews and has got a good opening at the box office.

Chawla has appeared in several non-Hindi language films. She has appeared in various Punjabi films: ''Shaheed Uddham Singh'' (2000), ''Des Hoyaa Pardes'' (2004), ''Waris Shah: Ishq Daa Waris'' (2006) and "Sukhmani:hope for life" (2010). Her first Malayalam film was ''Harikrishnans'', which also starred actors Mohanlal and Mammootty. In the beginning of her career she acted in Kannada films, which include the successful ''Premaloka'' and unsuccessful films like ''Shanthi Kranthi'' and ''Kindara Jogi''. She acted with popular Kannada actor Ravichandran in all these three films.

Her last release was Onir's critically acclaimed feature ''I Am Megha''(2011) alongside her one-time rival Manisha Koirala playing Juhi Chawla's childhood friend. The feature consists of a few movies with different storylines with ''I Am Megha'' being one of them.

Television

During the 2000s, Chawla has also been presenter and host of numerous television shows, particularly award ceremonies, including the Filmfare Awards and the Zee Cine Awards. Chawla has been a judge for the entertainment show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa alongside Saroj Khan and Vaibhavi Merchant during the show's third season.

Producer

Juhi later turned producer and became the co-owner of a production company called ''Dreamz Unlimited'' with Shahrukh Khan and director Aziz Mirza. The first two films produced by the production company were ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani'' and ''Asoka''. Their third film, ''Chalte Chalte'' was the first success for the company.

Personal life

Juhi Chawla is married to industrialist Jai Mehta. The couple have two children; a daughter Jhanvi born in 2001, and a son Arjun born in 2003. Her mother died in a car accident in Prague during the shooting of the movie ''Duplicate'' in 1998.

Jai Mehta and Juhi Chawla are the co-owners of the Indian Premier League team Kolkata Knight Riders in partnership with Shahrukh Khan under their company Red Chillies Entertainment.

Awards and nominations

Filmography

As actress

! Year	! Film	! Role	! Other notes
1986	''Sultanat''	Zarina
1987	''Premaloka''	Shashikala	Kannada Film
	''Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak''	Rashmi	Winner, Filmfare Lux New Face AwardNominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
''Paruva Ragam''	Shashikala
	''Chandni''	Devika	Cameo
''Kindari Jogi''	Ganga	Kannada Film
''Vicky Dada''	Shyamalee
	Reema Goswami
''Goonj''	Sangeeta Kalekar
	''Kaafila''	Kalpana Awasti
''Swarg''	Jyoti
''Prathibandh''	Shanti	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
''Tum Mere Ho''	Paro / Nagin
''Zahreelay''
''Shandaar''	Tulsi
	Inspector Raksha Sharma
	''Shanti Kranti''	Jyothi
''Shanthi Kranti''	Jyothi	Kannada Film
''Nattukku Oru Nallavan''
''Benaam Badshah''	Jyoti
''Karz Chukana Hai''	Radha
''Bhabhi''
	''Bol Radha Bol''	Radha	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
''Radha Ka Sangam''
''Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman''	Renu
''Mere Sajana Saath Nibhana''
''Bewafa Se Wafa''	Ruksaar
''Daulat Ki Jung''	Asha Agrawal
	''Lootere''
''Shatranj''
''Izzat Ki Roti''
''Pehla Nasha''
''Tadipar''		Cameo
	Reema Mathur
''Darr''	Kiran Awasti
''Hum Hain Rahi Pyaar Ke''	Vyaijanti Iyer	Winner, Filmfare Best Actress Award
''Kabhi Haan Kabhi Na''		Guest appearance
	''Eena Meena Deeka''	Meena
''The Gentleman''
''Andaz''	Saraswati
''Andaz Apna Apna''	Herself	Guest appearance
''Ghar Ki Izzat''	Geeta
''Bhagyavan''	Geeta
''Pramaatma''
''Saajan Ka Ghar''	Laxmi
	''Ram Jaane''	Bela
''Kartavya''	Kajal Sahay
''Naajayaz''	Inspector Sandhya
''Aatank Hi Aatank''	Neha
	''Talaashi''
''Loafer''	Kiran Mathur
''Bandish''	Kanta
''Daraar''	Priya Bhatia	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award
	''Yes Boss''	Seema Kapoor	Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award''
	Madhu
''Mr. and Mrs. Khiladi''	Shalu
''Deewana Mastana''	Dr Neha Sharma
	''Saat Rang Ke Sapne''	Jalima
''Harikrishnans''	Mira Varma	Malyalam Film
	Sonia Kapoor
''Jhooth Bole Kauwa Kaate''	Urmila Abhyankar
	''Safari''	Anjali Agarwal
''Arjun Pandit''	Nisha Chopra
''Shaheed Uddham Singh''	Noor Jehan
		Sanam
''Karoobar: The Business Of Love''	Seema Saxena
''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani''	Ria Banerjee
	''One 2 Ka 4''	Geeta Chowdhary
''Ek Rishtaa''	Priti Kapoor
''Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiyaa''	Jhoomri
	''3 Deewarein''	Chandrika
''Jhankaar Beats''	Shanti
2004	''Des Hoya Pardes''	Jassi
	''My Brother Nikhil''	Anamika
''Paheli''	Gajrobai
''Khamosh: Khauf Ki Khaufnak Raat''	Dr Sakshi Saagar
''Home Delivery: Aapko... Ghar Tak''	Parvati Kakkar
''7½ Phere''	Asmi Ganatra
''Dosti: Friends Forever''	Aditi
	''Bas Ek Pal''	Ira Malhotra
''Waris Shah-Ishq Da Waaris''	Bhaagbhari
	''Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute To Love''	Seema
	Radha
''Om Shanti Om''	Herself	Cameo
	''Bhootnath''	Anjali Sharma
''Krazzy 4''	Dr Sonali
''Kismat Konnection''	Haseena Bano Jaan
	''Luck By Chance''	Minty
''Kal Kissne Dekha''		Special appearance
		Megha

As producer

2000 – ''Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani''

2001 – ''Asoka''

2003 – ''Chalte Chalte''

See also

List of Indian film actresses

References

External links

|- ! colspan="3" style="background: #DAA520;" | Filmfare Award |- |-

Category:1967 births Category:Femina Miss India winners Chawla,Juhi Category:Living people Category:Miss Universe 1984 contestants Category:People from Punjab (India) Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:People from Ludhiana Category:Indian film actors Category:Hindi film actors Category:Indian Hindus Category:Indian Premier League franchise owners Category:Indian film producers Category:Indian television presenters Category:Punjabi people Category:People from Mumbai

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name	Rani Mukerji
birth name	Rani Mukherjee
birth date	March 21, 1978
birth place	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
years active	1997–present
occupation	Film actress
other names	Rani Mukherji Rani Mukerjee }}

Rani Mukerji (; born Rani Mukherjee on 21 March 1978) is an Indian film actress who works in Hindi movies.

Making her acting debut with ''Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat'' (1997), Mukerji had her first commercial success with Karan Johar's romance ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998), her biggest commercial success so far, and won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in the film. She later starred in several films, most of which fared below expectations, but in 2002 she re-invented her image with the critically acclaimed drama ''Saathiya'', for which she received numerous awards and nominations.

In 2004, her performances in the hit ''Hum Tum'' and the critically acclaimed ''Yuva'' earned her the Best Actress and the Best Supporting Actress awards at the 50th Filmfare Awards, making her the first actress to win two major awards in the same year. She later received unanimous praise for her portrayal of a blind, deaf and mute woman in ''Black'' (2005), for which she garnered numerous major awards. Mukerji has since established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema.

Early life and background

Mukerji comes from a film-oriented family of Bengali origin. Her father Ram Mukherjee is a retired director and one of the founders of Filmalaya Studios while her mother Krishna was a playback singer. Her brother Raja Mukherjee is a film producer, now turned director. Her maternal aunt, Debashree Roy, is a national award-winning Bengali film actress and her cousin, Kajol, is a popular Bollywood actress and another cousin, Ayan Mukerji is the writer and director of ''Wake Up Sid''.

Mukerji is a trained Odissi dancer, and began learning the dance in the tenth grade. Mukerji studied at ''Maneckji Cooper High School'' in Juhu, and later enrolled at Mithibai College in Mumbai.

Acting career

Prior work and breakthrough, 1997-2002

After doing a short cameo appearance for the first time in her father's Bengali film ''Biyer Phool'' (1992), Mukerji made her acting debut five years later, as the protagonist of ''Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat'' (1997). Her performance as a rape victim in the film was well received, but the film failed to do well commercially. Nevertheless, she received a Special Jury recognition at the Star Screen Awards. However, when the film failed at the box office, she returned to college to complete her education.

Mukerji had a successful comeback in 1998 with ''Ghulam'', opposite Aamir Khan; the film did well at the box office. The song ''Aati Kya Khandala'' made Mukerji popular among the masses, earning her the nickname of ''Khandala Girl''. Karan Johar's directorial debut, ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'', co-starring Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, followed for her that year. The movie was a blockbuster, and she received her first Filmfare Award in the ''Best Supporting Actress'' category.

She followed her career by signing on several projects. Unfortunately, most of them did not do well at the box office. Although ''Badal'' was one of the highest grossing films of 2000, she still did not succeed to establish her status in the industry at that point of time. Among other films of that period, Kamal Haasan's ''Hey Ram'' was a critical success.

In 2001, Mukerji starred in Abbas Mustan's romantic drama ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'', co-starring Salman Khan and Preity Zinta. The film was released after a one-year delay, and was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth. Mukerji's role was that of Priya Malhotra, a woman who is unable to conceive after a miscarriage, thus hires a surrogate mother. Rediff.com wrote, "Rani Mukherji is handicapped with a role that doesn't give her much scope besides weeping and sobbing. To her credit, she manages to hold her own even while playing a stereotypical sacrificing ''bhartiya nari''."

In 2002, Mukerji played the lead role in Kunal Kohli's romance ''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!'', co-starring alongside Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. Although the movie did not do well in India, it generated great business overseas, and marked her entry into India's biggest production house: Yash Raj Films. Later that year, Mukerji starred in Shaad Ali's critically acclaimed ''Saathiya'' opposite Vivek Oberoi. Essaying the role of Suhani Sharma, a medical student who deals with the tensions and discontent of being married at a young age, she won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, and among several other nominations, received her first Best Actress nomination at the Filmfare. Manish Gajjar from ''BBC'' noted, "...Rani Mukerjee...plays the character of a middle class girl with great conviction."

Success, 2003-06

Mukerji's first 2003 release was Aziz Mirza's drama ''Chalte Chalte'' opposite Shahrukh Khan. The film saw her play a similar role to that of ''Saathiya'', and she received her second nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award. Among another three releases that year, Mukerji starred in ''Chori Chori'', where she portrayed her first comic role. Although the film did not do well at the box office, Mukerji's comic timing was praised.

In 2004, her performance as a Bengali housewife in Mani Ratnam's ''Yuva'' won Mukerji her second Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. Though the film failed to do well, her performance was critically acclaimed with one critic writing, "the role demanded an actress of substance and Rani more than lives up to the expectations". She followed through by playing the leading role in the romantic comedy ''Hum Tum'', which became one of the biggest hits of the year. The film, based on the 1989 film ''When Harry Met Sally...'', was directed by Kunal Kohli. Mukerji's portrayal of Rhea Sharma, a woman of today's generation, won her several awards, including her first Filmfare Best Actress Award. ''BBC''wrote about her performance," Rani is fast becoming one of the more dependable and versatile actresses of her generation."

Her last release of the year was Yash Chopra's love saga ''Veer-Zaara'', co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta. The film, which emerged as the top grossing movie of the year in India and abroad, tells the love story of an Indian officer, Veer Pratap Singh, played by Khan, and a Pakistani woman, Zaara, played by Zinta. Mukerji played the supporting role of Saamiya Siddiqui, a Pakistani lawyer who takes it upon herself to find the truth about Veer Pratap Singh.

In 2005, Mukerji starred in four high-profile films: Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ''Black'', Shaad Ali's ''Bunty Aur Babli'', Amol Palekar's ''Paheli'' and Ketan Mehta's ''The Rising''. She was primarily noted for her performance in ''Black''. When Bhansali first came to Mukerji with the offer, she turned it down and stated that she was not confident enough to play a deaf-blind girl. Once the director put faith in her, she agreed to do it and intensely studied sign language with professionals at the ''Helen Keller Institute'' in Mumbai. Mukerji received much critical acclaim for her performance and collected numerous trophies in the category of ''Best Actress'' at various award ceremonies. ''IndiaFM'' noted, "There's no denying that Rani delivers her best performance to date. With no dialogues in her lap, the actress conveys through expressions solely and what a terrific impact she makes. Here's a performance that should act as a reference guide for all aspiring actors". Her next release, ''Bunty Aur Babli'', surfaced as one of the biggest hits of the year. The film, though successful at the box office, opened to mixed reviews, and so did Mukerji's performance, with one critic writing, "Rani has done a great job most of the time, though she does tend to go a little over the top in the crying scenes. Nevertheless, Mukerji received ''Best Actress'' nominations from the IIFA Awards and Filmfare Awards.

Mukerji was offered the lead role in Mira Nair's Hollywood film, ''The Namesake'' (2007) but owing to clashing dates with ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', she could not commit to the project. Her first release in 2006 was Karan Johar's drama ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'', which consisted of a multi-starrer that included Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Preity Zinta and Kirron Kher. The film opened to mixed reviews but emerged as the most successful movie ever overseas. The film tells the story of two unhappily married couples in New York, which results in an extramarital affair. Mukerji played the role of Maya Talwar, a woman layered with self-doubt and question about the relationship between her and her husband, played by Abhishek Bachchan; her performance was well received. Rajeev Masand from ''CNN-IBN'' concluded, "Rani looks a million bucks and she dives under the skin of her character to make that part one that we will remember for a long time." She received several nominations for ''Best Actress'', and won her third IIFA Best Actress Award for the third consecutive year. Mukerji's next release was B.R. Chopra's ''Baabul''. The movie did not do well at the box office in India, though proved to be a hit overseas. Her role as a widow met with mixed reviews.

Recent work, 2007-present

Mukerji's first 2007 release, ''Ta Ra Rum Pum'', where she played a pianist turned housewife and a mother for the first time on celluloid, was a semi hit. Her performance was generally well received, with one critic noting, "Rani enacts the role of the mother/wife proficiently." Her last two releases of the year, Pradeep Sarkar's drama ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag'' where she played the role of a woman who is forced to take up prostitution due to family problems and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's ''Saawariya'' where she again essayed the role of a prostitute, were critical and commercial failures in India.

Mukerji's role in Kunal Kohli's ''Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic'', which released on 27 June 2008, received positive reviews from critics; however, the film failed to do well at the box office. Her following release, ''Dil Bole Hadippa'' (2009) was selected to be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. The project under-performed at the box office and Mukerji's portrayal of a feisty Punjabi village girl who dreams of playing first class cricket was generally well-received by critics. She next starred in UTV Motion Pictures' ''No One Killed Jessica'' (2011), a film based on the Jessica Lal murder case. Upon release, Mukerji's acting received mixed reviews. Anupama Chopra of ''NDTV'' wrote, "For me, the fatal, false note in ''No One Killed Jessica'' is Meera, the fictionalised tough-talking reporter played by Rani Mukherjee. The character is written superficially and Rani’s portrayal of her is equally banal. It’s all about externals. She argues a lot and proudly labels herself a bitch but her hair stays perfectly in place and in the end, she even gets to do a super-hero-like slow motion walk."

Personal life

Mukerji changed the English transliteration of her surname from Mukherjee to Mukerji several years ago. At the time, it was reported that she did this for numerological reasons. In 2006, Mukerji stated that numerology was not a concern; her name had been put down as Mukerji on her passport, and she wanted to be consistent.

Mukerji has three homes in Mumbai, including her childhood home. She bought a bungalow in Juhu for herself and her parents in mid-2005. The house went through a two year renovation with the interiors done by Twinkle Khanna and Sussanne Roshan.

Controversies

In June 2005, Mukerji was widely criticized following the publication of an interview with British newspaper ''Desi Xpress''. Mukerji was asked to name her idol and she replied, "Adolf Hitler". However, in an interview with ''Times Now'' a year later, she denied ever mentioning Hitler's name.

In November 2006, Mukerji was shooting for the film ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag'' in Varanasi when avid fans crowded the set. Security personnel beat the crowd back. A media storm followed as various groups insisted that Mukerji should have stopped the security guards. Mukerji later issued an apology.

Other work

In March 2004, Mukerji visited the sandy dunes of Rajasthan to boost the morale of the jawans. It was for a show where entertainers and stars visit Indian troops in far-flung regions to encourage them along with the NDTV team.

In February 2005, Mukerji performed at the ''HELP! Telethon Concert'' to help raise money for the victims of Tsunami in company with other Bollywood stars.

She was highly involved in the ''Temptations 2005'' show in New Delhi. The actress helped to raise funds for the National Centre For Promotional of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), a leading disabled rights' group.

Mukerji donated her prize money, her half-share of 50 lakh rupees from her 2007 appearance on ''Kaun Banega Crorepati'' with Preity Zinta, to the Holy Family Hospital. She said that this institution looks after children with heart problems.

Mukerji is a stage performer and has participated in two world tours. Her first world tour was in the year 1999 with Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna and Twinkle Khanna. It was called the ''Magnificent Five''. Five years later, ''Temptations 2004'' came along. It was the most successful Bollywood concert in its time. Mukerji performed alongside Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra in nineteen stage shows across the globe.

In 2005, Mukerji was a guest of honour at a state dinner to greet General Pervez Musharraf in company of the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh. Mukerji was the only Bollywood actress on the elite guest list.

She appeared along with various other Bollywood actors at the Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, as part of a performance showcasing Indian culture, on behalf of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

In the media

Rani Mukerji occupied the top slot of Filmfare's 'Top Ten Bollywood Actresses' list for two years in a row (2004–2005). She was also placed number one on Rediff's 'Top Bollywood Female Stars' Rankings for three consecutive years (2004–2006), while in 2007, she was ranked at number five. In February 2006, ''Filmfare Magazine'' placed her eighth amongst the "Ten Most Powerful Names of Bollywood", an achievement she repeated from the previous year, where she was ranked at number ten, the only woman on the list. In 2007, she was ranked at number five. On Women's International Day 2007, Mukerji came in fourth position on the ''All-Time Best Bollywood Actresses Ever'' listing.

She was placed at number #36 by UK magazine ''Eastern Eye'' as one of "Asia's Sexiest Women" (Sept/2006). Mukerji is frequently featured in various lists by Rediff.com, among them, ''Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses'', ''Bollywood's Best Dressed Women'' and ''Women of Many Faces''.

Mukerji has made four appearances in Karan Johar's talk show ''Koffee with Karan''. She appeared with Kareena Kapoor, Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, Madhuri Dixit as a surprise guest and with Vidya Balan promoting their film ''No One Killed Jessica'' (2011) Rani made her entry in to the small screen with the dance reality show ''Dance Premier League'' in 2009.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;" border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9; |- align="center" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Film ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Other notes |- | 1997 || ''Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat'' || Mala || |- | 1998 || ''Ghulam'' || Alisha || |- | 1998 || ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' || Tina Malhotra || Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 1998 || ''Mehndi'' || Pooja || |- | 1999 || ''Mann'' || || Special appearance in the song ''Kaali Naagin Ke'' |- | 1999 || ''Hello Brother'' || Rani || |- | 2000 || ''Badal'' || Rani || |- | 2000 || ''Hey Ram'' || Aparna Ram || |- | 2000 || ''Hadh Kar Di Aapne'' || Anjali Khanna || |- | 2000 || ''Bichhoo'' || Kiran Bali || |- | 2000 || ''Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega'' || Pooja Oberoi || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2000 || ''Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye'' || Priya Sharma || |- | 2001 || ''Chori Chori Chupke Chupke'' || Priya Malhotra || |- | 2001 || ''Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai'' || Pooja Shrivastav || |- | 2001 || ''Nayak: The Real Hero'' || Manjari || |- | 2001 || ''Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...'' || Naina Kapoor/Cameo || |- | 2002 || ''Pyaar Diwana Hota Hai'' || Payal Khuranna || |- | 2002 || ''Mujhse Dosti Karoge!'' || Pooja Sahani || |- | 2002 || ''Saathiya'' || Dr. Suhani Sharma/Sehgal || Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2002 || ''Chalo Ishq Ladaaye'' || Sapna || |- | 2003 || ''Chalte Chalte'' || Priya Chopra || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2003 || ''Chori Chori'' || Khushi Malhotra || |- | 2003 || ''Calcutta Mail'' || Reema/Bulbul || |- | 2003 || ''Kal Ho Naa Ho'' || || Special appearance in the song ''Mahi Ve'' |- | 2003 || ''LOC Kargil'' || Hema || |- | 2004 || ''Yuva'' || Sashi Biswas || Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2004 || ''Hum Tum'' || Rhea Prakash || Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2004 || ''Veer-Zaara'' || Saamiya Siddiqui || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2005 || ''Black'' || Michelle McNally || Filmfare Award for Best Actress Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance |- | 2005 || ''Bunty Aur Babli'' || Vimmi Saluja (Babli) || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2005 || ''Paheli'' || Lachchi Bhanwarlal || |- | 2005 || ''Mangal Pandey: The Rising'' || Heera || |- | 2006 || ''Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna'' || Maya Talwar || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2006 || ''Baabul'' || Malvika "Milli" Talwar/Kapoor || |- | 2007 || ''Ta Ra Rum Pum'' || Radhika Shekar Rai Banerjee (Shona) || |- | 2007 || ''Laaga Chunari Mein Daag'' || Vibhavari Sahay (Badki)/ Natasha || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Actress |- | 2007 || ''Saawariya'' || Gulabji || Nominated—Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress |- | 2007 || ''Om Shanti Om'' || Herself || Special appearance in the song ''Deewangi Deewangi'' |- | 2008 || ''Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic'' || Geeta || |- | 2008 || ''Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi'' || Herself || Special appearance in the song ''Phir Milenge Chalte Chalte'' |- | 2009 || ''Luck by Chance'' || Herself || |- | 2009 || ''Dil Bole Hadippa!'' || Veera Kaur/Veer Pratap Singh || |- | 2011 || ''No One Killed Jessica'' || Meera Gaity || |- | 2012 || ''Reema Kagti's Untitled Project'' || || Filming |- | 2012 || ''Koochie Koochie Hota Hain'' || Tina || Post-production |}

See also

List of Indian film actresses

List of Bengali actresses

References

External links

Category:1978 births Category:Indian actors Category:Indian film actors Category:Bengali actors Category:Bengali people Category:Living people Category:People from Kolkata Category:Filmfare Awards winners Category:Indian Hindus Category:Hindi film actors Category:Mithibai College alumni

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Name	Veena Malik
Birth name	Zahida Malik
Birth place	Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Active	1999 – present
Ethnicity	Punjabi
Occupation	Actress, comedian and model
Website	veenamalik.com.pk }}

Veena Malik (Punjabi/Urdu: ويتا ملک, born as Zahida Malik) is a Pakistani actress, model and comedienne.

Early life

Veena was born in Rawalpindi, to Ali Malik, a Pakistan Army Soldier , and his wife, Zeenat Malik.

Career

Films

Before starting her career off as an actress, Malik worked as a comedian for several television shows and series. She made her acting debut alongside Shaan and Zara Sheikh in Askari's ''Tere Pyar Mein'' (2000), which was a box office hit. She played a supporting role in the film and was barely acknowledged. However, she appeared in a supporting role in Javed Sheikh's ''Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa'' (2002); the film was a commercial success.

In 2003, Malik appeared in Indo-Pak cross venture Punjabi film ''Pind Di Kuri'' which failed to do so well, however, the film turned out be the first Indo-Pak venture film with a budget of approximately 70 million rupees. She also appeared in Askari's ''Sassi Punno'' (2003) alongside Sana and Moammar Rana, however the film failed to do well at Lahore's cinemas and further screenings had stopped in cinemas after a week of its release. She then appeared in Rafique's ''Jageer'', which was considered a flop at the box office.

In 2005, she appeared in a short Punjabi film ''Bau Badmash'' (2005) which did not garner any recognition due to the lack of big stars. She then appeared in Reema Khan's ''Koi Tujh Sa Kahan'' (2005) which was a commercial success in Pakistan.In 2007, she won her first Lux Style Award for being the most stylish celebrity on the red carpet.

In 2008, Malik appeared in Rafique's Punjabi film, ''Mohabbatan Sachiyan'', alongside ex-fiancee Babrik Shah and newcomers Maria Khan and Adnan Khan. The film went on to become a commercial success. The same year, she appeared in Raza's ''Kabhi Pyaar Na Karna'' in a supporting role, but the film was a flop. Her last film of 2008 was Altaf's ''Ishq Beparwah'', which also failed to impress the audience.

In 2010, she worked in Rafique's ''Main Jeena Tere Naal'', and Beyg's debut comedy film ''Miss Duniya''.

Television

In 2002, she was called by Prime TV to host a show called ''Prime Gupshup'' for them ushering a new direction for her comedic skills and she improvised on the hour-long show occasionally mimicking actors.

She hosted the Geo TV show ''Hum Sub Umeed Say Hain'', in which she was hailed for her comedic parodies.

In 2007, she graced the red carpet event of the Lux Style Awards and was awarded as being the ‘''most stylish celebrity on the carpet''’.

In October 2010, Malik appeared in the Indian television reality show ''Bigg Boss'' Season 4. She was evicted two weeks before the finals, and was one of the final six contestants out of the original fourteen who had participated. Malik was also part of the finale of the show. After her Bigg Boss stay, she was mentioned in the media as the voice of liberal muslims, including leading dailies, ''Daily Times'', ''Express Tribune'', ''The Australian'' and magazine ''Tehelka'', which comparing her with liberal rector of Darul Uloom Deoband, Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi said, "these two newly public figures might teach Muslims to stop feeling eternally outraged."

In February 2011, Veena Malik became part of the Cricket World Cup reality show in Delhi, India, called "Big Toss." Big Toss was a reality game show with contestants and Malik as the captain of one team, against Rakhi Sawant and her team.

In March 2011, Malik engaged in a passionate debate with a mufti, who claimed she had engaged in immoral behaviour as a contestant on ''Bigg Boss'', even though he admitted to not having watched the show. Malik countered that the mufti had violated Islamic law by looking at her, as a woman, more than once, that Islamic clerics commit sins as well as celebrities and that she was a good Muslim.

Other works

Malik has worked as a representative at the World Health Organisation for two years and sponsors a child at the SOS Children's Village, an NGO based in Pakistan working with orphaned children.

Filmography

Year	! Film	! Language
	2000	''Tere Pyar Mein''	Urdu
	''Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa''	Urdu
''Sassi Punno''	Urdu
	2003	''Pind Di Kudi''	Punjabi
	''Koi Tujh Sa Kahan''	Urdu
	Urdu
		Punjabi
''Kabhi Pyar Na Karna''	Urdu
''Ishq Beparwaah''	Punjabi

Television work

''Miss Duniya'' ''Bigg Boss (Season 4) ''Bigg Toss Reality Game Show''

Year !! Program !! Role !! Other Notes
2008	''Hum Sub Umeed Se Hain''	Herself
2009	|	Herself	Pakistani reality show
2010	Bigg Boss 4'' ||	Herself	Indian reality show
2011	|	Herself	Indian reality show

References

External links

Official Website

Veena, Vida, Vici''Express Tribune''

Category:Living people Category:Punjabi people Category:People from Lahore Category:Pakistani film actors Category:Pakistani television personalities Category:Nigar Award winners Category:Bigg Boss participants

no:Veena Malik fi:Veena Malik sv:Veena Malik