Jagjit Singh 8-February

Jagjit Singh is one of the most famous Ghazal singers of the modern times. In an era where the current generation is headed towards rock and hip hop music, it is refreshing to see them cherish Jagjit Singh ghazals as well. Born in Ganganagar located in Rajasthan on 8th February, 1941, the name Jagjit means the one who triumphs over the world. His father Sardar Amar Singh Dhiman was a Government official and his mother Sardarni Bachchan Kaur had a religious family background. He has four sisters and two brothers and is fondly addressed as "Jeet" by his family. Check out this biography of Jagjit Singh, which captures his intriguing life history.

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Jagjit Singh studied at Khalsa High School located in Ganganagar. After completing his matriculation, he took up science. He graduated in Arts from DAV College located in Jalandhar and has a post graduate degree in history from Kurukshetra University, Haryana. His father wanted him to join the Indian Administrative Services. But when he saw his son achieving accolades in the world of music, he was more than happy. Jagjit learnt classical music under Pundit Chaganlal Sharma and achieved expertise in classical forms like Khayal, Thumri and Dhrupad.

He moved to Bombay in the year 1965 searching for better luck in the field of music. Any budding artist faces initial struggles and tribulations before finally making an indelible mark in the industry. He got assignments that were limited to performing at wedding functions and singing jingles for advertisements. Around 1970's, the world of ghazals was dominated by renowned names like Noor Jehan, Malika Pukhraj, Begum Akhtar, Talat Mahmood and Mehdi Hassan. Jagjit Singh made the efforts to come with his first album titled "The Unforgettables", which was a collection of semi-classical Indian music. The different melody and freshness in Jagjit's voice appealed to all and he was recognized by the industry. Though he was scorned by many critics, it did not deter him from carving a nice for himself. The album sold numerous copies and was a hit with listeners.

While Jagjit Singh was still doing jingles for advertisements during the initial years, he met another singer named Chitra. They got married after a two year long courtship in the year 1969. Together, they exemplified the first successful husband-wife singing team. They both produced numerous soulful and melodic Ghazals which were enjoyed by a wider audience. Some of the popular albums of the couple were Ecstasies, A Sound Affair and Passions.

During the early 90's, they released an album named Beyond Time, which was an experimentation with different sounds and music. It conveyed a feeling that was beyond space and time and logical explanation. Sadly, around this time, their only son Vivek met with an accident and died at the young age of twenty one. It was a huge jolt for the couple and also all their fans and well wishers all over the world. After the album "Someone Somewhere", Chitra quit singing. The songs are emotionally very powerful and moving since they connect with the personal loss of the couple.

However, Jagjit Singh continued to sing and his songs have only gained more popularity with each passing day. His later albums named Hope, In Search, Insight, Mirage, Visions, Kahkashan (Galaxy), Love Is Blind, Chirag (Lamp), etc. have made him the top Ghazal singer in the country and a favorite among fans. An album with Lata Mangeshkar named "Sajda" (Offering) was a hit and sold innumerable copies. It was a classic Ghazal album. Jagjit Singh did not limit himself to just Hindi songs and has also sung many Punjabi songs. His bubbly and vibrant Punjabi songs are very popular and are very pleasant to hear.

Jagjit Singh has also sung many songs for Hindi movies. Popular films include Arth, Saath Saath, Premgeet, Tum Bin, Sarfarosh, Dushman and Tarkeeb. Jagjit Singh has proved himself as a genius as he brings out the true meaning of Mirza Ghalib's poetry by singing them as melodious Ghazals. The album can be easily called as a masterpiece. His transition from the 90's till date has been absolutely marvelous as he has moved towards much more melodious and meaningful Ghazals. The quality of his voice has only become better. Besides movies, he has sung many devotional songs also that are very peaceful to hear. Jagjit Singh is any day the undisputed Ghazal artist in the modern times.

S. Ramachandran Pillai 7-February

S. Ramachandran Pillai (born February 7, 1938) is a communist politician

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from Kerala, India, Politburo member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) since 1992 and General Secretary of All India Kisan Sabha (Peasants Union). He has been imprisoned on many occasions, such as during the Emergency 1975-1976.

Having joined the party in 1956, he was elevated to General Secretary of the Kerala Socialist Youth Federation (the youth wing of CPI(M) in Kerala at that time) from 1968 to 1974. He was the Chief Editor of the Malayalam daily organ of CPI(M), Deshabhimani, from 1987 to 1991. SRP has represented CPI(M) in the Rajya Sabha twice, elected in 1991 and 1997.

He married Rethnamma in 1966 and has three children.

Sreesanth 6-February

Sreesanth was born to Shanthakumaran Nair and Savithri Devi. He has one elder brother and a sister.His brother Dipu Santhan owns a music company in Kochi and his sister Nivedita is a television actress in Kerala. His brother in law, Madhu Balakrishnan is a famous South Indian playback singer. Sreesanth is Hindu Brahmin.

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Sreesanth initially was a leg-spinner in his childhood, modelling his action on India's leading Test wicket-taker Anil Kumble, who was to become his Test captain. However, his habit of bowling yorkers led him to convert to fast bowling, after being encouraged by his elder brother. Following in the footsteps of fellow Kerala fast bowler Tinu Yohannan, who earned selection to the National Cricket Academyin 2000, Sreesanth was selected for the MRF Pace foundation in Chennai. He then made his first-class debut against Goa in the 2002-03 domestic season, claiming 22 wickets in seven matches in the Ranji Trophy and winning selection for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy squad in the same season.

He was selected for India-A side in a tour match against the visiting New Zealand side at Rajkot. He claimed one wicket in twelve overs after being restricted with a hamstring injury. He also missed five Ranji Trophy games in that season, although he still travelled with the side for away games. This led to rumours that an astrologer convinced him to take a break from competition to preserve his longevity in the sport, which Sreesanth categorically denied, maintaining that he was training only to regain his fitness.

In November 2004, Sreesanth entered the record books when he took a hat-trick against Himachal Pradesh in a Ranji trophy game.^{[citation needed]} He was selected to represent India B in the Challenger Trophy in October 2005, a domestic limited-overs tournament. He performed impressively in that tournament, earning the Man of the Series award and being the leading wicket taker (7) with the third best bowling average. This led to his selection to Indian team for the home ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Abhishek Bachchan - 5 February

Aquarian Abhishek Srivastav was born in February 5, 1976, son of Bollywood mega-stars, Jaya Bhaduri and Amitabh Bachchan, brother to Shweta, uncle to her two children (Navya Naveli & Agastye), and the grandson of Harivansh Rai Srivastav, Hindu and Urdu poet, who wrote under the pen-name of Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

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He was enrolled in the prestigious Jamnabai Narsee School and Bombay Scottish School, both in Bombay as well as Modern School in Vasant Vihar in Delhi. After completing school he went to further his studies in Aiglon College. He also studied Business in the United States, but changed his mind and decided to try his luck in Bollywood.

Starting in 2000 with 'Refugee', he went on to star in many other films.

He has also been a playback singer in 'Bluffmaster', and 'Dhoom'.

Success did elude Abhishek at first, but the public starting appreciating him, especially for his role in 'Yuva', Bunty Aur Babli', 'Sarkar', and 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kahena' for which he has won a total of 6 awards. He also has two non-film awards, and has been the recipient of 'Yash Bharatiya Sammam' from the Government of Uttar Pradesh.

As far as his personal love life, he was engaged to Bollywood hottie, Karishma Kapoor, but the engagement was broken. Then he met Aishwarya Rai, who was his co-star in several movies, they got engaged, and were married on April 20, 2007 in Juhu, Mumbai. Festivities started as early as April 17, and continued with firecrackers and lights at the Srivastav residences at Pratiskha and Jalsa, as well as the Rai's flat in Bandra.

Confirming their pregnancy during the month of June, 2011, Aishwarya was admitted to Mumbai Hospital on Monday November 14, and gave birth to a daughter on 16 November, 2011.

Urmila Matondkar 4-February

The daughter of a lecturer, actress Urmila Matondkar began her celluloid career as a child artiste with the film _Kalyug (1980)_. Although an average film at the box-office, her next film, Masoom (1983), about a family coping with an illegitimate member, showed her acting talents blossom and she received critical acclaim from both her fans and the film fraternity. She subsequently appeared in a number of films including Dacait (1987), where she plays Sunny Deol's under-aged sister who gets brutally raped.

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Years later, Urmila then made her debut as an adult actress in N. Chandra's Narasimha(1991) opposite Sunny Deol . She then did the fantasy Chamatkar (1992/I) with the then-débutant Shahrukh Khan and Shreemaan Aashique (1993), a comedy on male chauvinism opposite Anupam Kher and Rishi Kapoor and a crime movie Drohi (1992), But no matter what films she did, while her fellow actresses Manisha Koirala and Raveena Tandon reached the peak of their popularity with blockbuster after blockbuster, success seemed to elude her.

Then she did Ram Gopal Varma's Bollywood Dreams (1995), a tale of a girl's journey in the film industry. The movie came as a refreshing surprise and Urmila gave a magnificent performance, which is no small feet alongside actors Aamir Khan and Jackie Shroff, but what gave the film classic status was A.R. Rahman's music, Asha Bhosle's songs and designer Manish Malhotra, who transformed Urmila from a Maharashtrian middle-class girl into a sexy and glamorous actress. With this movie Urmila revolutionized sensuality on the Indian screen. What most actresses hadn't managed even after a dozen hits, Urmila had achieved with only one film. And ever since, she has been associated with Asha Bhosle's sensual voice and of course the image of the sizzling seductress - in fact, she is still known for her sizzling sensuality and her stunning looks.

However, Urmila is not to be judged only for her looks. She is also an actress of great talent and skill - her performance in Satya (1998) as a modest girl whose boyfriend, the titular character, gets sucked into the Bombay underworld is one of her best ever performances to date. And since 2000, she began to play roles of depth and substance, making an impact most notably in the films Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya... (2001), Om Jai Jagadish (2002), Pinjar: Beyond Boundaries... (2003), a drama based on India's partition, Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara (2005), about a man accused of Gandhi's murder and Banaras (2006).

As of 2006, she has acquired several assignments, both using her talents as an actress and as a seductress - she is doing Onir's Bas Ek Pal (2006) and Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay (2006), the latter of which audiences are eagerly waiting for with bated breath...

Today Urmila is known as one of Bollywood's most versatile actresses. After Sridevi, she is known to have the played the most varied characters next to fellow actresses Tabu and Mahima Chaudhry.

Waheeda Rehman 3-February

Waheeda was born in a Urdu-speaking family in Chengalpattu-Tamil Nadu, India, on May 14, 1936. Her father was the District Magistrate which led him to be posted in several places. Tragedy visited her in 1948 when her dad passed away. Her mom passed away in 1955.

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A year after her dad's death she appeared in a Telegu movie 'Rojulu Marayi'. Her role was as an dancing child artiste. She is proficient in Bharat Natyam. It was here that she was spotted by noted Bollywood actor and film-maker, Guru Dutt, who gave her a lead role in C.I.D.. She went on to appear in 'Pyaasa', 'Kagaz Ke Phool', 'Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam', 'Chaudvi Ka Chand', 'Bees Saal Baad', 'Teesri Kasam' just to name a few, in a career that spanned from 1949 through to 2006. She has acted as a child artiste, a leading lady, then switched to character appearances. She has procured the Best Film Actress Award in 1965 for her role in 'Guide', and then again in 1968 for 'Neel Kamal'.

She had co-starred with Kamaljit Singh in 'Shagun', and later married him on April 27, 1974, and moved to his farmhouse in Bangalore. She subsequently gave birth to a son, Sohail, and then to a daughter, Kashvi. When Kamaljit became ill, she considerably reduced her commitments in Bollywood, and the family re-located to 'Sahil', located near Bandra Bandstand, Bombay. Kamaljit passed away on November 21, 2000. Sohail has achieved his M.B.A. and is working in a Private Limited Company, while Kashvi is a Jewelery Designer.

She is very friendly with former actress Nanda and both spend a lot of time together, and often go out to eat out, including Dahi, Bhel, and Pani Puri right outside Elco Arcade in Bandra, West.

A Taurus, Waheeda went on to produce her very own film 'Om Jai Jagadish' which met with considerable success. She went on to act in 'Water', 'Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara', '15 Park Avenue', and 'Rang De Basanti'.

No less a personality than Amitabh Bachchan himself has claimed Waheeda Rehman to be his favorite actress. She combined the classic Islamic beauty with an extraordinary grace, talent and a truly transcendent appeal that ranked her among the pantheon of Bollywood's elite actresses. And few could dance better than she could!
She was born into a traditional Muslim family on 14 May 1936, in Chengalpattu,Tamil Nadu. Growing up, she was trained in dancing, especially the Bharatnatyam dance. Her first films were Jayasimha (1955) and Rojulu Marayi (1955), both in Telegu. Both films became a huge success and established her as a hit-heroine, but it was a song in the latter film that got Rehman the attention of Guru Dutt, one of the greatest directors in Bollywood history. He took her to Bombay and cast her as a vamp in his crime thriller C.I.D. (1956) - and the result was one of the most stunning debuts ever made in a Hindi film. As a mysterious woman named Kamini, she added a thrill to the whole film and it remains one of the most seductive and memorable roles of her career.

Amazed (and enraptured) by her beauty and talent, Guru Dutt cast her in all of his films. Thus, Rehman gave a mesmerizing performance inPyaasa (1957) as Gulab, the prostitute with a heart of gold, and she stole the hearts of audiences as Jameela, a shy Muslim girl in the romanceChaudhvin Ka Chand (1961). But by then she was involved in an affair with Guru Dutt and this affair led to the disintegration of Dutt's marriage - and soon the two of them broke apart after their last collaboration, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) (which was in fact done under some strain on Rehman's part). Their ill-fated romance was portrayed in the semi-autobiographical _Kaagaz Ke Phool (1960)_. Guru Dutt, unable to completely forget her, committed suicide in 1964.

Moving on after Guru Dutt, Rehman worked with the acclaimed director Satyajit Ray in The Expedition (1962) and consolidated her position as a top Bollywood star with her commercial successes Bees Saal Baad (1962) and _Kohra (1964)_. Then she did _Guide (1965/I)_ - a film that took her to the peak of her career. In the conservative 1960s, it was a daring role for her to play, and yet the gamble paid off - her performance as Rosie, a woman who leaves her husband for her lover, is ranked as her best ever! And to think that when she did the film, she was certain she would never, ever be able to do another film again!

Unfortunately, after _Guide (1965/I)_, matters didn't really work out. While commercial films like Ram Aur Shyam (1967) and Patthar Ke Sanam(1967) proved to be huge successes, her offbeat films Teesri Kasam (1967) and Reshma and Shera (1972) bombed, in spite of her critically acclaimed performances in those films. She had achieved too much too soon in her professional life, and so she began to make achievements in her personal life as well. In 1974, Rehman married Kamaljit, a businessman who had tried (in vain) to make it in films and moved to Bangalore.

She later cut down on her acting assignments, preferring to market her own brand of breakfast cereal and lead a contented life in a Bangalore farmhouse. She turned to supporting roles, often playing Amitabh Bachchan's mother (although there was one notable performance as his wife in _ Kabhi Kabhie - Love Is Life (1976)_), and gave a memorable curtain call as a female guardian in Lamhe (1991). However, of late she has gone back to playing maternal roles, most notably in Rang De Basanti (2006).

Shamita Shetty 2-February

Shamita Shetty  (born 2 February 1979) is an Indian actress. She is the younger sister of Bollywoodactress Shilpa Shetty.
Shamita Shetty

Shamita is the second and youngest daughter of Surendra and Sunanda Shetty. She was born in a traditional close-knit family that hails from the Bunt community of Udupi. Her parents are manufacturers of tamper-proof caps for the pharmaceutical industry and her native language is Tulu. Shamita Shetty attended St Anthony's Girls High School in Chembur, Mumbai. She graduated from Sydenham College.

Shetty made her debut in 2000 with the Yash Raj Films blockbuster Mohabbatein, which was directed by Aditya Chopra. Since Mohabbatein, she mostly found success in item numbers, including "Sharara Sharara" in Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (2001) and "Chori Pe Chori" in Saathiya (2002). Later Shetty found success as an actress with her first solo-hit Zeher. She worked once with her sister Shilpa Shetty in Fareb in that same year. She was a guest on Bigg Boss (Season 3)  on Colors TV. She opted out of the show for her sisterShilpa's wedding. She was out of the show on 14 November 2009 after staying for 7 weeks in the show on day 41.

On 14 June 2011, Shamita announced her retirement from acting to start a career in interior design.