Most of the time, an exploding chemistry in reel life also turns out into a heated affair in real life, which we (as fans) have been witnessing for decades. We have seen our favorite stars fall in love (sometimes outside their marriage), giving us plenty of spicy news to gossip about!

Here are Bollywood stars, who at some time, were head-over-heels in love with each other. However, these love stories had a sad ending; these relationships (extra-marital affairs in some cases) broke up due to several reasons – ego, cheating, one of them was married (usually the male), family interference, and so on, forcing these celebs to not marry their love.

Here are the tragic love stories of our Bollywood stars, witnessed over the years, that ended on a sad note.

Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha

He’s the Shahenshah of Bollywood and anything related to him has to be big news, and this one is about his affair, so its not going to die down for years to come.

This one is the most famous and probably the most talked about affairs of all time. Although the Big B was married to the sweet Guddi in 1973, his affair with the Umrao Jaan became apparent during the making of their film Silsila. There were even rumours that Rekha and Amitabh have got secretly married; Rekha even turned up at Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh’s wedding wearing sindoor and mangalsutra. Although, Rekha boldly admitted her love for him, Amitabh Bachchan never admitted it in public.

In an interview given to Filmfare magazine in 1984, Rekha spoke about Amitabh’s denial of their relationship. She said, “Why should he have not done it? He did it to protect his image, his family, his children. Why should the public know of my love for him or his love for me? I love him and he loves me – that’s it!”

‘Silsila’ was the last film in this couple starred together. Rekha soon realized that she had no future in this relationship, and their relationship quickly began to fade.

However, even after decades, this sad love-story is still talked about! These two personalities still make newspaper headlines, if they’re seen near each other (in a flight or during some event).

Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai

Another much-talked about relationship, that went wrong!

Salman Khan and Aishwarya’s famous love story began on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, however Aishwarya’s parents never approved of the relationship right from the beginning. However Ash called off the relationship because Salman used to cheat on her. Salman was unable to come to terms with the breakup initially; he went wild and created a ruckus during the shooting of Chalte Chalte (because of which Ash was replaced by Rani Mukherji). Its said that Salman even physically hit Ash on several occasions. When Ash got closer to Vivek Oberoi, Salman even threatened Vivek (their rift was out in the open later).

Aishwarya is now married to Abhishek Bachchan, and Salman Khan is still single!

Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan

Before Abhishek Bachchan got married to Ash, Karisma Kapoor and Abhishek Bachchan were every bit a couple in love, and they were even engaged to each other on Amitabh Bachchan’s 60th Birthday. However, it seems interference from their families resulted in the relationship going kaput.

There were several rumors floating around during this break up. One was that the Bachchan parivar did not want Lolo to work post marriage which infuriated lolo’s mother Babita. Another story is that Amar Singh, who at that time was close to the Bachchans, put detectives behind Lolo to reveal her alleged closeness to Sahara head Subroto Roy. This led to an ugly confrontation between Babita and Jaya Bachchan, and the wedding was called off.

Abhishek Bachchan is now happily married to Aishwarya Rai. However, Karishma Kapoor’s marriage Sanjay kapur seems to be headed to divorce.

Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor

For many, the news of the breakup of Shahid Kapoor & Kareena Kapoor was shocking! How could a couple who were so deeply in love with each other, break up (you could see their chemistry in movies like ‘Jab We Met’).

Bebo was the one who was always crazy about Shahid Kapoor and is said to have initiated the first move. However, after four years, cracks started developing in their relationship. Kareena fell for Saif (in Ladakh) during the filming of Tashan. Shahid was also rumoured to be getting close to his Kismet Konnection co-star Vidya Balan. However, it was Bebo who was apparently blamed for infidelity. She moved on and got married to the Chote Nawab (Saif Ali Khan). Shahid is still single (was linked to Priyanka Chopra some time back).

Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor

Not many are aware, but even Bebo and Hrithik were madly in love at one time, despite the fact that Hrithik was already dating his sweetheart Sussanne Khan (Sanjay Khan’s daughter). However it was short-lived and Hrithik got married to Sussanne, and Kareena Kapoor started dating Shahid Kapoor.

Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori

Hrithik Roshan and Suzanne were childhood sweethearts, but during the making of ‘Kites’, Hrithik got too close to his Mexican co-star Barbara Mori. Although Barbara Mori went back, it did a lot of damage to Hrithik’s family life. Hrithik and Suzanne are now divorced.

Bipasha Basu and John Abraham

Their relationship seemed to be the strongest of all; they had known each other since their modelling days and were reportedly dating for around eight years. So their break-up really came across as a shocker to their fans. Though the couple chose to stay mum over the reasons, the Bong beauty did hint at John’s infidelity being the reason for their breakup. They have moved on since then. John Abraham is now married to Priya Runchal (a banker), and Bips is now dating Harman Baweja.

Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra

The Baadshah of Bollywood (married to Gauri Khan) has had sizzling chemistry with several actresses like Kajol, Madhuri Dixit, Juhi Chawla, Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta (and was never linked with anyone). However, there were rumors of him having an affair with Priyanka Chopra (some even say that they’re married).

Sanjay Dutt and Madhuri Dixit

Sanjay Dutt was married to Richa Sharma (Trishala is their daughter). But her untimely death due to cancer, left the actor devastated.

Around this time (in the 90s) Sanjay was linked to the beautiful Madhuri Dixit, the Dhak Dhak girl of Bollywood. The two allegedly got close to each other on the sets of Saajan, which surprised many (even Madhuri’s father was unhappy) because Sanjay Dutt aka Sanju was the bad boy of the industry. However, after Sanjay’s TADA arrest, it was time for Madhuri to move on.

She got married to Dr Nene and moved to the US for few years; the Nene family is now back in Mumbai.

Akshay Kumar and Shilpa Shetty

Akshay and Shilpa Shetty worked together in several films, and it was during the making of one such film that love between the two blossomed. However, Shilpa soon found out that Akshay was two timing her (with her then best friend, Twinkle Khanna). But before anyone could comprehend what was happening, Akshay had tied the knot with Twinkle Khanna (daughter of Dimple and Rajesh Khanna). Shilpa shetty got married to Raj Kundra, a UK-based businessman!

After a long gap, when they both met again on the sets of Bigg Boss, Shilpa had introduced Akshay, saying, “Aapne zindagi mein bahaut saare stunts kiye hain” to which Akshay promptly replied, “Ji aapse aacha kaun jaanta hain mere stunts ke baare mein.”

Akshay & Raveena

Before shilpa, Akshay & Raveena Tandon were in a serious relationship. However, during the making of ‘Khiladiyon ka Khiladi’ link-up stories of Akshay and Rekha became the sensational news in the media. Raveena, who was already dealing with the flamboyant nature of Akshay, could not take this infidelity anymore and with it, their relationship ended on a sour and sad note.

Mithun and Sridevi

Their love blossomed on the sets of Jaag Utha Insaan, but then, Mithun was already married to actress Yogita Bali. It seems Mithun and Sridevi had secretly got married, and Mithun had left his house to stay with Sridevi for some time. However, the twist in this tale came when Sridevi asked Mithun to officially marry her and divorce Yogita, and Mithun was not prepared for this! When Yogita tried to commit suicide (on hearing about their affair), Mithun broke-off all his relations with Sridevi and came back to his former wife. Sridevi would later go onto marry director Boney Kapoor.

Boney Kapoor and Sridevi

Not many are aware how this relationship started. You may call it a typical case of love, deceit and breach of trust. Filmmaker Boney Kapoor was happily married to Mona Shourie Kapoor (and had two kids). However, things went bad for Mona when she decided to help Sridevi and give her shelter in their own house. Soon, cupid struck between Boney and Sridevi and finally, one day, Sridevi was discovered pregnant. Soon, Mona and Boney got divorced; Mona
died of cancer recently, while Boney and Sridevi continue to enjoy their family life.

Sanjay Khan and Zeenat Aman

Zeenat Aman, the original seductress of B-town, attracted a lot of her co-stars, including Sanjay Khan (who was already married to Zarine Khan and had three children). Sparks flew and they even got married and lived together.Zarine khan was furious on knowing about this, and supposedly beat up Zeenat, damaging her eye permanently.

Shatrughan Sinha and Reena Roy

Shatrughan Sinha and Reena Roy gave several hits together, and passion was bound to grow between the two. Shatrughan Sinha was already married to Poonam, yet Reena wanted him to marry her. He refused, and Reena had no other choice but to move on.

Kamal Hassan and Sarika

This one is a tale of multiple affairs and deceit. Kamal Hassan was married to classical dancer Vani Ganpathi, but when she failed to conceive, Kamal moved closer to actress Sarika, who became pregnant even before marriage. Sarika left her successful career at its peak, married Hassan and decided to settle down. However, Kamal Hassan cheated on her as well, and married another young actress. Sarika almost attempted suicide and took a long time to recover from the depression. The couple is now divorced.

Sanjeev Kumar and Hema Malini

Sanjeev Kumar, at one time, was the most sought after actors and also a favourite among women. But Sanjeev Kumar lost his heart to the dream-girl of Bollywood, Hema Malini, who refused his proposal and chose Dharmendra. Haribhai (his real name) could never recover from this incident and was the reason that he chose to remain a bachelor for his entire life.

Dharmendra and Hema Malini

Dharmendra was married to Prakash Kaur (and had four children from her) when he fell for the “Dream Girl”. Established actors like Sanjeev Kumar and Jeetendra had already proposed to Hema, but she turned them all down and chose Dharam. When his wife Prakash refused to divorce him, Dharmendra converted to Islam so that he could marry his Dream Girl. The couple has two daughters, Esha and Ahana.

Raj Kapoor and Nargis

A passionate romance that became the talk of the whole nation! The iconic hindi song “Pyaar Hua Ikraar Hua Hai” (from the movie Shree 420) is still a reflection of Raj Kapoor and Nargis’ real-life love.

However, this love story failed because Raj Kapoor was a married man who did not wish to leave his wife/family. Nargis was also not happy with Raj Kapoor’s womanizing ways, and went on to marry Sunil Dutt (they fell in love during the making of Mother India).

Dev Anand and Suraiya

Suraiya (top singer of her time) was at the peak of her career and Dev Anand was just another debutant in the industry, when they fell in love. But then love doesn’t care for such differences (a typical Hindi film dialogue, but holds true in real life as well). However, this love story could not have a happy ending because of family pressures (Suraiya’s grandmother was dead against the marriage).

Dev, who was devastated, even called her a coward publicly. Years later, Suraiya, in her interview to Stardust in 1972, recalled what Dev had told her, “The only religion is love. Don’t let social barriers or family influence your heart.” But despite all his efforts, Suraiya didn’t have the courage to go against her family and marry him, a decision which she regretted all her life!

Guru Dutt and Waheeda Rehman

Guru Dutt was a successful director, producer and actor, and was already married to singer Geeta Roy, when his proximity to Waheeda Rehman started affecting his family life.

Dutt loved both the women but as per Hindu customs it was not possible to marry them both (and he was not willing to convert). To find solace, he immersed himself completely in his work, ignoring his wife and family and made it even more miserable. Finally, Geeta Dutt left Dutt in despair, which drove him towards complete isolation. Things worsened so much that both Guru and Geeta took to heavy drinking, and finally Guru Dutt died in 1964 and Geeta in 1972. Guru Dutt attempted suicide thrice, but was successful in the last attempt.

Madhubala And Dilip Kumar

They were the most famous stars of their time and deeply in love with each other. However, disagreement started increasing between the two and their relationship headed for doom. There are several stories citing different reasons for their breakup. Some say that Madhubala’s father Attaullah Khan was against their love and never gave Madhubala the permission to marry Dilip Kumar, and she, being the obedient daughter never went against her father. Some say that Madhubala had asked Dilip to apologize to her father (because of some altercation), to which Dilip saab had refused.

However the truth, as revealed by Dilip sahab was completely different. It seems Madhubala’s father also owned a production company and he wanted both Dilip & Madhubala to work for his banner. However, Dilip Kumar made it clear that he would choose films based on its own merits and purely based on professional reasons. And that is where differences between Dilip Sahab & Attaullah Khan (Madhubala’s father) started increasing, which eventually led the two stars to go separate ways.

Although Madhubala moved on and married, it is said that she loved Dilip saab till the end of her life. Madhubala also had a severe heart condition which was incurable at that time. In the 1960’s her situation aggravated and she quit acting in movies. She married Kishore Kumar which turned out a loveless marriage. Kishore often pleaded her to get over Dilip and restrain herself from watching the movies they had starred in together, but it was of no help. Madhubala passed away in 1969 with Dilip’s name on her lips.

Love affairs and gossips rarely die, especially in Bollywood at least! With the kind of work/roles these guys do, you may even call it an occupational hazard. Is someone saying “Bade bade deshon mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain”? I hope you found these interesting (I bet you didn’t know about them all).

The post Celebrity Breakups: Famous Bollywood Love Stories with a Sad Ending appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Seeing the potential of Bollywood films in the chinese market, Preity Zinta will be partenering with a Los Angeles-based company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese production and talent company, to develop a film and development fund.

The idea is to produce original English and Hindi films for the Indian, Asian and global markets, and also provide distribution for existing Bollywood films in the Chinese market.

“I am delighted to partner with ATC and Er Dong. As neighbouring countries, India and China have strong cultural ties and a partnership like this will only make that stronger. Our goal is to produce content for film and TV in both English and Hindi, and have a strong global appeal,” said Preity Zinta.

Bollywood films like 3-Idiots, Dangal, Baahubali, Sultan, and Secret Superstar have been huge hits in the Chinese film market.

Preity Zinta Marries US Based Top Shot Financial Consultant

Bollywood Actress Preity Zinta recently got married in the US to a top shot financial consultant. The marriage happened in Los Angeles and the wedding was done in Indian style. It was a hush-hush affair attended only by family and close friends (including Sussanne Khan). Although we all know about Preity Zinta, here’s more about her husband Gene Goodenough.

Preity Zinta spokesperson have revealed that Preity has decided to donate the proceeds from her private wedding pictures for charity.

Who’s Gene Goodenough?
Gene is is basically a management graduate from Marshall School of Business. He’s now a top shot financial consultant based out of Los Angeles and is posted as a Senior Vice President of Finance with an US-based hydroelectric power company called NLine Energy.

How did Preity meet Gene?
Preity would frequently visit the US as her niece and nephew are based there. That’s where they met.

Did you know?
Remember the incident when Preity Zinta accused ex-flame Ness Wadia for molesting her at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai a couple of years back? Gene was in Mumbai then and became a key eye-witness when Preity had lodged a police complaint against Ness Wadia.

Preity Zinta will be hosting a big fat Indian tradition wedding in Mumbai.

The post Preity Zinta to produce & distribute Bollywood films for Chinese market appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

• When: 6th Jan to 13th Jan every year (Gujarat)
• Festival: Uttarayan, also known as ‘Makar Sankranti’
• Significance: Marks the end of winter and beginning of a more suitable weather (transition of sun into the northern hemisphere) for farmers
• Attraction: Of all the festivals in Gujarat, this one is the grandest. People of all ages flying kites from dawn to dusk. Crowded rooftops, fun-loving rivalry in kite flying skills, and delicious traditional Gujarati feast are the hallmarks of the day.

International Kite Festival

Because of its popularity its an International Kite Festival now. In India, its primarily celebrated in cities of Gujarat like Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot. However, the International Kite Event takes place in Ahmedabad (Kite capital of Gujarat) which sees visitors as well as participants from several international destinations such as Japan, Australia, Malaysia, USA, Brazil, Canada and European Countries.

Great Fun for Kids & Adults

Kids will love to see thousands of brightly colored kites in the sky, through the day. You can see kites of all shapes, sizes and designs throughout the day.

Watch thousands of kite enthusiasts competing against each other on rooftops, watch the sky change colors…like a rainbow in a glittering sun after the rains.

In addition to kite flying, there’s also aerial acrobats, kite painting competitions, and kite making workshops.

Best Place to Enjoy It

Although the Kite Festival is celebrated all over Gujarat, the capital city of Ahmedabad is also the Kite Capital.

The best place to enjoy this festival is the Sardar Patel Stadium (the cricket stadium with capacity of over 54,000 people) or the Ahmedabad Police Stadium, where people lay down to see the sky filled with thousands of kites.

Obsession With Kites

During the Uttarayan week, the Patang Bazaar (kite market), situated in the heart of Ahmedabad city, is open 24 hours a day. Even in the middle of the night, there’s a huge crowd on the streets, buying kites for themselves, family and friends.

Months before the festival of Uttarayan, most homes in various cities in Gujarat turn into kite producing factories. It also attracts several big names of the corporate world, as it offers a cost-effective method of branding.

Excitement Continues At Night

At night, you can see illuminated box kites strung in a line, ready to be launched into the sky. Known as ‘tukkals’, these kites add a touch of splendor to the dark sky.

What’s more, the day (as well as the night) is marked with the traditional food/delicacy festival of Gujarat like the undhiyu (a delicacy of vegetables), jalebi (sweets), til ladoo (sweets made of sesame seeds) and chikki for visitors from different parts of world.

Back to homepage from Kite Festival of Gujarat during Uttarayan, Makar Sakranti

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Here’s what Amitabh Bachchan had to say when asked why he did KBC.

Hesitancy and apprehension were prime when KBC was suggested to me and the fear, of what others felt would be diminishing my 70 MM film projection to a 25-inch TV screen. But circumstances were not very conducive. I never did have a 70 MM film projection ever, irrespective of what the market and Industry may have believed, more so at the juncture when KBC came my way , I had already begun reading my ’The End’ credits !

I had no work, no money and a bagfull of ill-mannered threatening creditors. Apart from the creativity of venturing into TV, something that I had always kept in the back of my mind years earlier, it was giving me an opportunity to, not entirely, but in a small way indicate to those I owed money, that I was working at it. This effort along with some financial guidance, helped me pay off each and every person. But the experience of KBC was much larger, in more ways than one.

Not all the seasons of Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) have been hosted by Big B, one season was hosted by Shah Rukh.

Kaun Banega Crorepati Goes International

Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), based on the popular international show ‘Who wants to be a millionaire’, has gone international. Considering the popularity of the show, the producers want to take the show to another level and give it a global platform. The crew, along with megastar Amitabh Bachchan are likely to travel to foreign cities.

“There is desire and plans to go to other cities as well .. within and without … within of course to the regions where we have not played yet and without…Well I overheard some murmurings of Middle East, UK and USA… but like all other over hears this could be just another one of those hearsays,” wrote Amitabh Bachchan on his blog.

Well, I’m sure fans in the UK, USA, Dubai and other Middle Eastern countries will be eagerly looking forward to participating in Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).

The post When Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) turned out to be Amitabh Bachchan’s saviour appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

• When: Between Oct 15 to Oct 20 (Indian festivals do not fall on the exact dates every year, the dates vary a bit depending on the Hindu calendar)
• Where: All over India

About the Festival

Diwali is well known as the ‘festival of lights’ and for children its also the festival of sweets and fireworks, special candles and lamps. Its the most awaited Indian festival, not just for Indian but also Foreigners who happen to be in India. Although its a Hindu festival, people of all religious beliefs celebrate this festival.

It also happens to fall in the cooler months (Oct or Nov) in India, when its pleasant to go out and shop & meet friends/relatives.

What does the Festival Signify?

The reasons for celebrating Diwali are many, but they all are associated (more or less) with the same thing, and that is to celebrate the victory of the ‘Good over the Evil’.

• Diwali celebrates Lord Rama’s long-awaited return to his Kingdom of Ayodhya, after his fourteen years of exile.
• It also commemorates Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakaasura who had kidnapped and terrorized the gopis of Vrindavan. It is also celebrated as the day Bhagwan Vishnu married Maha Lakshmi.
• Diwali is also associated with the story of the fall of Bali – a demon king who was conquered by Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu appeared in front of the demon king Bali in the form of a dwarf and requested only three steps of land. The evil and egotistic Bali granted the drawf’s meager request of only three feet. Suddenly, Lord Vishnu took on His grand size and placed one foot on the Earth, another on the Heavens and His third on the head of the evil Bali.

In general, Diwali signifies the triumph of ‘Good over the Evil’, of ‘Righteousness over Treachery’, of ‘Truth over Falsehood’, and of ‘Light over Darkness’.

The Celebrations

The Festival Diwali is celebrated over 5 days.

Day One (Dhanteras)
First day of Diwali is Dhanteras, In this day people pray to Goddess Laxmi for wealth. People in India believe that if they purchase new utensils in this day Goddess Laxmi will come to their home and fulfill their all wishes.

Day Two (Chhoti Diwali)
Second day is known as Chhoti Diwali (Chhoti means ‘small’ in Hindi), this day people worship Goddess “Lakshmi” and Lord “Rama”.

Third Day (Badi Diwali)
It is the actual “Diwali festival” which also know as “Badi Diwali” (Badi means ‘bigger’). Devotees worship Goddess for wealth and in evening people perform an aarti for God by Oil lamps with a cotton wick are placed on a Puja Thali. Also people decorate their house and balcony with colorful lanterns and fairy lights, enjoying fireworks displays or blasting fire crackers. Ladies in family make more verity of foods and sweats. All people wishes to each other by giving sweats and saying “Happy Diwali”.

Fourth Day (Govardhan Puja)
On this day people celebrated as Govardhan Puja.

Fifth Day (Bhaiduj)
On the final day i mean the fifth day is celebrated as Bhaiduj. This is the day for brothers and sisters to make their relationships more strong and beautiful.

The post Diwali Festival In India appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2017
Where: All over India, but with lot of enthusiasm in North India

More About the Festival

Holi is celebrated on the Phalguna Purnima (day of Full Moon), and the exact date varies every year as per the Hindu calendar. The festival signifies the arrival of spring & end of winter.

However, for many, its the day to play and laugh, forget and forgive. Its the day to visit family, friends and foes to throw colours on each other, laugh, share Holi delicacies, and interesting drinks.

Importance of Colours
Holi celebrations start with a Holika bonfire on the night before Holi, where people gather, sing and dance. The next morning is a free-for-all carnival of colours, where participants play, chase and colour each other with dry powder (known as ‘gulaal’) and coloured water, with some carrying water guns and coloured water-filled balloons for their water fight.

People wish each other ‘Happy Holi’ and usually say ‘bura na mano Holi hai’ (don’t mind its Holi) when they throw colours on others.

Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occurs in the open streets, open parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance.

Having the ‘Bhaang’
Another interesting aspect of the festival is ‘Bhaang’ (made from cannabis leaves), which is mixed into drinks (and also in sweets) and consumed by many to get a kick, something that makes them enjoy the revelry even more.

However, most of the celebrations (throwing colours and dancing) ends by afternoon. In the evening, after sobering up, people dress up & visit friends and family.

Also Read: Holi attracts Foreign Tourists to India

Safety Tips for Holi

Although Holi is fun, one has to be careful, because colors are used. Here are some useful safety tips for making your Holi Festival safe and joyful.

1. Use natural colors only, and also prevent others from using anything that comes across as harmful (paints, etc.)
2. Take care of your eyes, wash thoroughly if the colorful powders goes into your eyes, use sunglasses if possible
3. Don’t drive if you’re high on Bhang or alcohol.

The post Holi: Festival of Colours in India appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Are you an avid traveler? If you have not yet been to India, and already have some impressions about India, here are some books that’ll help de-mystify the experience and prepare you for the reality.

There’s no doubt that India is home to some of the most beautiful & ancient temples, hidden yoga retreats, and grand palaces. It’s also home to one of the biggest and the busiest film industries in the world.

However, it’s also one of the busiest, dirtiest, and among the poorest countries in the world. Some of these provide a realistic portrayal of life in a Mumbai slum, and it can be painful to know that all of this is real. If you have seen the movie “Slumdog Millionaire”, you may already have some idea of the reality (though the movie is not based on any of these books). The Bollywood city may be home to some of the richest people in India, but if you look at the city from unexpected angles, you’ll get a different perspective.

Here are 5 awesome books that will make you want to travel to India, or at least help prepare you for your journey.

“Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity” by Katherine Boo

Written by an American who fully immersed herself in India’s slums, this book tells the sad but uplifting true story of life in a Mumbai slum, weaving together multiple narratives about different families and characters who live there.

“Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found” by Suketu Mehta

Written by a Mumbai (formerly Bombay) native who had been living in New York City for over 20 years, this nonfiction book delves into life in Mumbai, exploring everything from the violence of Mumbai’s gangs to elite Bollywood parties to the countless people who come to the big city in search of wealth only to end up living in the slums. It’s a fascinating look at the thriving metropolis.

“Shantaram: A Novel” by Gregory David Roberts

Shantaram tells an epic tale of an Australian who escapes prison to hide out in India.

The protagonist, known only as “Lin,” eventually finds himself living in a Mumbai slum, enmeshed in the city’s dangerous mob, and serving time in one of the city’s most dangerous prisons. It’s also a story about love and friendship, set in one of India’s busiest cities.

“City of Djinns: A Year In Delhi” by William Dalrymple

This travelogue about Delhi reads more like a novel than a travel story, filled with intriguing stories and an interesting mix of characters like dervishes, eunuchs, expatriates, and more. Dalrymple paints an interesting portrait of India’s capital city, from the past to modern day.

“A Passage to India” by E.M. Forster

This classic novel by E.M. Forster tells the story of life in India under British rule, focusing on the underlying tension between the British colonists and the people of India. It’s based on Forster’s experiences in India in the 1920s.

Filmi Escapes: See India Through Travel Guide On Favourite Film Locations

The reach of Indian cinema is tremendous, with great influence over not just domestic travelers but also over many international travelers. Besides, there are many people of Indian origin, who are settled abroad, who love watching Bollywood films, but have not been to India. And even if they have, they have briefly spent time only at one particular location.

So if you are planning you next holidays in India, and are also a Hindi movie buff, you may want to check out ‘Filmi Escapes – Travel With The Movies’, a travel guide launched by Lonely Planet, that shows you the best of India through the eyes of Bollywood filmmakers.

Bollywood movies and stars have a huge fan following worldwide; this book hopes to reach out to Indian travelers across demographics and geographies.

You’ll find film personalities such as Karan Johar, Mahesh Bhatt, Nargis Fakhri, and Raima Sen sharing their favorite travel spots and films, you’ll also find several interesting trivia and anecdotes to make your travel more interesting.

Among the 20 must-see domestic destinations, cities like Delhi, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Shimla, Kasauli, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Mumbai, Goa, Gujarat and Kolkata have found their way in this travel guide on India.

The travel guide revisits the cities, towns, hills, beaches, lakes, waterfalls, historic forts, palaces, temples and other such locations that have been immortalised by Indian filmmakers over the years. Besides the locations, the book also suggests the best places to eat, shop and see in a particular city.

What about places in Bihar, Chhattisgarh or Jharkhand? Do they find a mention in the book? Though most Bollywood movies have their plot revolving around these places, these places are not very tourist friendly, except for ‘Bodh Gaya’ in Bihar. These states may have natural beauty but security remains a concern for for tourists.

On the other hand, places like Ooty are adored by our filmmakers; Mahesh Bhatt has shot several of his movies in Ooty. This place is also popular as a cover-up destination, which means it can easily pass-off as some other destination. For instance, while the story of Mani Ratnam’s ‘Roja’ was set in Kashmir, for most scenes Arvind Swami and Madhu were actually boating in Ooty.

Indian Tourists love to travel, but they appreciate a place even more if they come to know that some of the biggest Bollywood stars were at that location to shoot their movies. So expect the travel guide to bring up those facts and anecdotes when you’re at some popular tourist destination within India.

So if you’re at Nainital, expect the tales to start from Kati Patang. If it’s Kasauli, ‘Koi Mil Gaya’ will find a mention. If its Naldhera, the guide will tell you that Bobby Deol’s ‘Badal’ was shot there.

Expect the Indian tourist to feel more proud if that place has any Bollywood connection; bigger the star/movie that has been shot there, the better they feel and the better it is for the publicity of the place.

The post 5 Books That Will Make You Want To Travel To the Land of Bollywood appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

Here we take a look at the famous Bollywood celebrity divorces, some of which made big headlines.

Hrithik Roshan-Sussanne Roshan

This one was indeed shocking as the couple made a cute pair and they had lovely children – Hrehaan and Hridaan. Nobody expected them to go separate ways. Even more shocking was the rumor that Sussanne had asked for an astronomical amount as alimony, which Hrithik Roshan denied.

The good thing is that the two have maintained cordial relation with one another despite getting divorced.

Aamir Khan–Reena Dutta

Aamir Khan being a private person this didn’t make big headlines. Its because the Aamir and Reena Dutta (Aamir Khan’s childhood sweetheart) are still cordial after the split. Aamir had hidden his marital status when ‘Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak’ was released; his fans only came to know about his marriage later on.

What shocked everybody was that Aamir Khan got married to a much younger woman Kiran Rao. Aamir’s kids – Junaid and Ira live with ex-wife Reena.

Saif Ali Khan–Amrita Singh

Something didn’t look right about the couple even when they got married. Everybody was surprised by their decision to get married. the couple also had an age gap of 12 years between them. Saif is now married to Kareena Kapoor, whereas Saif’s kids Sara and Ibrahim live with their mother Amrita Singh.

Karisma Kapoor-Sunjay Kapur

As per the latest news, the couple (Karisma Kapoor-Sunjay Kapur) seem to have reached financial settlement, and are working on the visitation formalities concerning their children. When Karisma Kapoor’s marriage with Abhishek Bachchan was called off, Karisma was devastated and married businessman Sunjay Kapur in a hurry. However, after the couple had two kids (Samaira and Kiaan Raj Kapoor), everyone thought that all was well with their marriage. However, that was not to be. What seemed to be a happy marriage has ended on a very bitter note.

Chitrangada Singh–Randhawa

Chitrangada Singh married Golfer Jyoti Singh but her filmi aspirations got her to Mumbai. Soon cracks began to surface in their relationship and the duo finally got separated in 2014.

Aditya Chopra: (Director)

Separated from: Payal (separated and not officially divorced)
Current status: Married Rani Mukherjee

Himesh Reshammiya divorces wife Komal after 22 years of marriage

There are many cinema fans who were not even aware that Himesh Reshammiya was married and has a son, until now. Himesh Reshammiya has now officially divorced his wife Komal after 22 long years of marriage.

Himesh is a big name in the film industry; he’s a leading singer and composer, and judge of several reality shows. However, he was never seen in public with his wife.

So it really came as a surprise to us that Himesh was getting divorced, and it’s being rumoured that Himesh’s affair with another actress has led to their separation.

“Komal and I have amicably decided to part ways. There is no problem whatsoever with this decision among us and our family as every member respects it. Yet, Komal is and will always remain a part of our family and I will always be a part of her family,” Himesh Reshammiya

Read: Himesh has been promoting Lulia Vantur as a singer.

“Himesh and I completely respect each other and are jointly going with this decision to part ways legally but mutual respect will always be there between us as I am a part of his family and will always be, and the same is with him towards my family. There are compatibility issues in our marriage. We are separate but we respect each other immensely. Nobody else should be dragged into this matter and nobody else is responsible for this. The reason for our marriage not working is only and only compatibility. Sonia is not responsible for this at all and our son Swaym and our family loves Sonia just like a family member,” Komal.

After almost a year of legal procedures, the Bombay High Court finally granted divorce to the couple.

The couple has a son together, named Swayam. As per reports, Komal will continue to live in the same building where Himesh resides.

Manisha Koirala–Samrat Dahal

Not many are aware that the Nepali girl Manisha Koirala is now divorced (everybody knows that she recovered from cancer). In 2010, Manisha Koirala married businessman Samrat Dahal but her free spirited nature came in their way and soon the couple separated. Manisha was later detected with cancer and left for the US for treatment.

Also Read:
Celebrity Breakups: Famous Bollywood Love Stories with a Sad Ending

Parents’ nasty divorce can affect kids’ health adversely for decades

Anurag Kashyap: (Director)

Divorced: Aarti Bajaj
Current status: Married kalki and later separated .

Sanjay Dutt: (Actor)

Divorced: Rhea Pillai
Current status: Married to Manyata Dutt.

Malaika / Arbaaz (Actor)

Current status: Both are Single

Farhan Akhtar (Actor)

Divorced: Adhuna Akhtar
Current Status: Single

Karan Singh Grover (Actor)

Divorced: Jennifer Winget (TV actress)
Current: Married to Bipasha Basu

Javed Akhtar: (Lyricist)

Divorced: Honey Irani (Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar are Javed’s children with Honey Irani)
Current status: Married to Shabana Azmi.

Boney Kapoor: (Director)

Divorced: Mona Shourie Kapoor
Current status : Married Sridevi

Imtiaz Ali: (Director)

Separated: Preety (11-year-old daughter Ida)
Current status: Single

Siddharth Roy Kapur:(Film producer)

Separated: Married and got divorced two times
Current status: Married to Vidya Balan

Anil Thadani : (Film distributor)

Divorced: Natasha Sippy (daughter of Bollywood producer Romu Sippy)
Current status: Married Raveena Tandon

Adnan Sami: (Singer)

Divorced : Zeba Bakhtiar (whom he has a son Azaan Sami Khan), Arab Sabah Galadari, Roya Faryabi
Current Status: Single

Sangeeta Bijlani (Actor)

Divorced: Mohammad Azharuddin
Current status: Single

Pooja Bhatt-Manish Makhija

Divorced

Feroz Khan: (Actor)

Divorced: Sundari (have two children Laila and Fardeen.)
Current status: Divorced without acrimony, live on different floors in the same bungalow.

Vinod Khanna: (Actor)

Divorced: Geetanjali (she raised their sons — Akshaye and Rahul).
Current status: Married Kavita later (have two kids — Sakshi and Shraddha)

Kamala Hassan: (Actor/Director)

Divorced: Vani Ganapathy, Sarika Thakur( daughters Shruti Haasan and Akshara Haasan)
Current status:

Mithun Chakraborty: (Actor)

Divorced: model Helena Luke (very short marriage). Sridevi
Current status: Married to Yogeeta Bali (son Mimoh)

Raj Babbar: (Actor)

Divorced: Nadira Zaheer
Current status: Single after Smita patil died

Gulzar: (Writer/Lyricist)

Separated :Raakhee (The couple have a daughter Meghna Gulzar)

Asha Bhosle: (Singer)

Divorced: Ganpatrao Bhosle (They have 3 children)
Status: Later married R D burman.

R. D. Burman: (Music Director)

Divorced: Rita Patel.
Status: Later married Asha Bhosle.

Guru Dutt: (Director/Actor)

Separated: Geeta Dutt (had three children, Tarun, Arun, and Nina)

Zeenat Aman: (Actor)

Divorced: Sanjay Khan
Status: Married Mazhar Khan (two sons Azaan and Zahaan) and then got divorced

Reena Roy: (Actor)

Divorced: Pakistani cricketer Mohsin Khan.

Om Puri: (Actor)

Divorced: Seema Kapoor (actor Annu Kapoor’s sister)
Divorced: Nandita Puri (have a son Ishaan)

Dharmendra: (Actor)

Was married to Prakash Kaur (didn’t divorce Prakash)
Status: Married to Hema Malini

The post Shocking Bollywood Celebrity Divorces: Love Marriages With Sad Ending appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

The following books are the most cited, when discussing on the subject of “Travel”, while some are bestsellers.

The Road to Oxiana
Modern travel writers deem this book the first model of great travel writing. It is an account of Byron’s ten-month journey to Persia and Afghanistan in 1933-34.

A Time of Gifts
The book is an account of the author’s (Patrick Leigh Fermor) first part journey on foot across Europe in 1933-34. His journey began at Hook of Holland and ended in Constantinople. The second volume is titled Between the Woods and the Water and published in 1986. It covered Fermor’s journey through Maria Valeria Bridge, Hungary, and Iron Gate.

In Patagonia
Authored by Bruce Chatwin, who went to Patagonia both to fulfill a promise made to a 93-year-old architect and designer Eileen Gray and out of his own curiosity, he spent six months in Patagonia and wrote the book. The book established Chatwin’s reputation as a travel writer and was awarded the Hawthornden Prize and E.M. Forster Award.

A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
Not sure how comfortable you would be to visit this place, considering the volatility of the place, this is an an autobiographical account of the author’s journey in the Hindu Kush, which is around the Nuristan Mountains of Afghanistan. This is an outstandingly written travel book authored by Eric Newby.

The Great Railway Bazaar
A notable travelogue written by American novelist Paul Theroux. that covers the authors four-month journey across Asia by train. Theroux travelled through Europe, Middle East, Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. In his return, he passed via the Trans-Siberian Railway. Many consider this book a classic in travel writing.

Theroux retraced the trails of his original journey and found out that places had changed. He authored a book titled Ghost Train to the Eastern Star that recounts such journey.

Travels with Charley: In Search of America
This is a travelogue written by John Steinbeck, and recounts the road trip Steinbeck took with his poodle Charley around the United States. His travel began in Long Island, New York, then to Maine, Pacific Northwest, Salinas Valley in California, and across to Texas, up through Deep South, and back to New York.

The Snow Leopard
Published and written by Peter Matthiessen, the book recounts the authors two-month journey to Crystal Mountain, in the Dolpo region on the Tibetan Plateau in the Himalayas. It won the 1980 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

In a Sunburned Country
Like going down-under? You may like this travelogue book about Australia, written by best-selling travel writer Bill Bryson. The original title of the book was actually Down Under, but it was also published as Walk About. The latter included Down Under and another Bryson’s books in one volume.

A Year in Provence
This book is about Peter Mayle’s breezy account of his mid-life decision to escape cloudy England to renovate a farmhouse in Menerbes, a village in the south of France, that inspired thousands to physically emulate his life-changing project, flooding Provence and other sunny idylls with expats in search of a rustic fixer-upper and supplies of cheap wine. Things got so crowded that Mayle himself moved out – although he has since returned to a different tiny village, Lourmarin, a stone’s throw from his original haunt.

Across Asia on the Cheap
Tony and Maureen Wheeler, two young travelers roughed it in a minivan from London to Sydney, and they decided to write a practical guide on how to travel cheap and how to find budget hotels and cheap restaurants. Their modest booklet sold 1,500 copies in a week and became the basis for Lonely Planet, a vast guidebook empire with books on almost every country on earth.

The post The 10 Best Travel Books That Will Inspire You to Hit the Road appeared first on Bollywood Presents.

If you find that a youngster (of Indian origin) knows a bit about KarvaChauth, then most of the credit for that definitely goes to Bollywood. Its through our films that many know about Karva Chauth (and the ‘vrat’, which means fasting). Its one of the most significant festivals for Indians, and is celebrated predominantly by North Indian women.

Significance

Among Indians, Karwa Chauth is considered one of the most auspicious festivals for a married woman. On this day, a married woman fasts for their husband’s well-being, prosperity and wealth. Karwa Chauth is usually celebrated a few weeks before Diwali.

Women also love this day because they get to wear their bridal outfit, put Mehendi on their hands; its almost like becoming a bride again.

Top Karva Chauth Bollywood Songs

How is it Celebrated?

The day starts before the sunrise and women worship Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Lord Ganesha and even the moon.

The most important part of Karwa Chauth is that the mother-in-law hands over the ‘sargi’ to the daughter-in-law which must be consumed before sunrise. Again, I’m sure a few of you (Bollywood buffs) would already know about this…because its elaborately described in the later half of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G), directed by Karan Johar and starring all the bigwigs of the Indian film industry.

For the fast to be considered successful, one must not eat neither drink anything the whole day; that’s why its also considered a difficult ‘fast’ by many.

Its also a great day for Mehendi artists to make some quick bucks, as on this auspicious occasion, married women are supposed to apply heena or mehendi on their hands to show that they are ‘suhagan’ (means ‘Married’ in Hindi).

The Ritual (Puja)

The married woman sits around the idol with their bayas. They further place a pot which is full of water in front of her. At the start of the puja, women apply teeka to Goddess Gauri and shower few drops of water on the goddess. The karva is tied with the red thread and contains kharia, aipun and little roli.

Elderly women in the family narrate the whole legend of Karwa Chauth and pray for their husbands good fortune. Once the moon is slightly visible, they offer prayers and observe the Chandrama (moon) through a sieve and then break their fast.

The first sip of water and first morsel of food have to be served by the husband to the wife.

Recent Trends

Nowadays, its common for even husbands to fast along with their wife on Karwa Chauth – to show their love & respect for the wife, and also to strength their bond. But again, these are more of exceptions than the rule; the festival is primarily celebrated by women.

Here’s a nice joke on Karwa Chauth…I’m sure women are not going to find it funny. Nevertheless, its a joke.

Bollywood Remakes Which Hollywood Movie For The Modern Yet Traditional ‘Fasting’ Ladies?
Fast & Furious…Why?
Because they Fast One Day and are Furious for 364 days
Happy Karwa Chauth!

How Does Bollywood Celebrate Karva Chauth?

Take a look at how some of our Bollywood celebs celebrate this festival.

Sridevi: I have been celebrating Karva Chauth for almost 20 years now. Earlier, we would go to my mother-in-law’s place, but after my father-in-law passed away, we have been going to Anil’s (Kapoor) house. This year too, we’ll be celebrating it there. A day before Karva Chauth, all the women in our family get together and we apply mehndi on our hands. The next day, we all come together to perform the puja at around 4.30 pm and then, there is an endless wait for the moon. I feel that on Karva Chauth, the moon always shows up later than the usual time (laughs). All of us wait on the terrace anxiously and it seems like an eternal wait. Since I don’t even drink water during the fast, I get a bit more impatient. I always break my fast with the water used for the puja. After that, all the three families and close friends have dinner together. I also dress up for the occasion by wearing bright colours and heavy jewellery. I almost dress like a bride (laughs). You pray for your family everyday, but it’s nice to pray for your husband’s well-being on this day

Shilpa Shetty Kundra: South Indians don’t celebrate Karva Chauth, but since I’m married to a Punjabi, I’ve been celebrating it for a few years now. I always dress up in traditional finery and jewellery on the occasion. And this year, I have designed my own sari, too. As much as I enjoy the festival, I hate fasting. Every year, I, along with my other friends, meet up at friend’s place. We perform aarti in the evening and follow the usual ritual.

Sonali Bendre: I’m used to having small meals every two hours, so I find it difficult to starve. But all the pampering by my mother-in-law and my husband makes the fast worth it. My mother-in-law firmly believes in the tradition and as a daughter-in-law, I feel it is that one day in a year when I want to show my gratitude towards them. I also look forward to catching up with my sister-in-law and friends on this day. I love mawa pedas and break my fast by having them.

Hema Malini: I have been celebrating Karva Chauth for many years. But now, the attention has shifted to my daughters — Esha and Ahana. I still perform the puja and observe the fast, which is not a big thing for me, as I anyway fast every Monday and Friday. The only difference is that on Karva Chauth, I break my fast once I spot the moon. But this time around, I will be a bit busy since I am campaigning.​

Hema’s daughters Esha and Ahana: I’ve been observing Karva Chauth for my husband, Bharat (Takhtani) for the last four years. Even when I was dating him, I used to fast for him. This time, it has coincided with Bharat’s birthday. So we’ll be celebrating the festival as well as his birthday at our farmhouse in Lonavla. Like every year, he will also fast with me. Fasting is easy since I am used to dieting, but not drinking water gets difficult as I keep sipping water throughout the day. My sister, Ahana, has come down from Delhi specially for the occasion. She is extremely excited as this is her first Karva Chauth. She has even organised a mehndiwali for us. She is a tomboy, but has decided to wear all her finery for the occasion. I will wear a salwar kurta. In the morning, we all will perform the puja and follow the rituals.
Read more here…

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