just a wallpaper image: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Fantasy Cast: The Pendragon Series-- Part One

One of my favorite series of the past ten years is The Pendragon Saga by DJ MacHale. If you haven't read the series, then check it out now! Seriously, it's really good. Something I've always loved about the series is that it's truly a book series that reads like a movie. There are tons of characters in the saga, so I'm splitting this fantasy cast into different segments.

Here's the first installment which includes the first four travelers introduced in the the book series!

Skandar Keynes (The Chronicles of Narnia) as Bobby Pendragon:

First Introduced in 'Merchant of Death'--Bobby Pendragons' face was on every cover of the original bindings of the book series. Ideally, I'd like to get someone who looks like the 'kid' on the cover, but Skanar could work quite well in the role, too!

Malese Jow (The Vampire Diaries) as Loor:

First Introduced in 'Merchant of Death'-- Malese rocked on 'The Vampire Diaries' last season. She is relativly unknown and can play both tough and emotional... Perfect for warrior girl Loor!

Corbin Bleu (High School Musical) as Spader:

First introduced in 'The Lost City of Faar'-- Let it be known, I have a bit of a soft spot for Corbin. Not exactly as described in the book, he is my perfect Spader. Spader has to be played by someone likable and carefree and Corbin fits the bill!!!

Morgan Freeman (Evan Almighty) as Gunny:

First appeared in 'The Never War'-- Would an A-lister take a roll in a sci-fi adventure like the Pendragon Saga? I sure hope so, because every time I pictured Gunny, he looked very similar to Morgan Freeman! Hands down, he is Gunny head to toe!!!

Check back next week (or so) for the next four travelers and maybe even a few acolytes!

So, fellow Pendragon fans, what do you think of this casting? Disagree? Who would you cast?

Friday, January 28, 2011

Marion Cotillard career Early work

Marion Cotillard French pronunciation:born 30 September 1975 is a French actress. She garnered critical acclaim for her roles in films such as My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument, Taxi, Furia and Jeux d'enfants. She has also appeared in such films as Big Fish, A Very Long Engagement (for which she received a César Award for Best Supporting Actress), A Good Year, Public Enemies, Nine, Inception and La Vie en Rose.
She won the Academy Award for Best Actress, BAFTA Award for Best Actress, César for Best Actress and the Golden Globe for Best Actress in Musical or a Comedy for her portrayal of French singer Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose. She made film history by becoming the first person to win an Academy Award for a French language performance. In 2010 she received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the musical Nine.
Contents
* 1 Family
* 2 Career
o 2.1 Early work (1993–2002)
o 2.2 Breakthrough (2003–2006)
o 2.3 Critical success (2007–present)
* 3 Other projects
* 4 Personal life
* 5 Filmography
* 6 Awards and nominations
o 6.1 Academy Award milestones
o 6.2 Other awards
* 7 References
* 8 External links
Family
Cotillard was born in Paris and grew up around Orléans, Loiret, in an artistically inclined, "bustling, creative household". Her father, Jean-Claude Cotillard, is an actor, teacher, former mime, and 2006 Molière Award-winning director of Breton descent (his mother, Léontine Cotillard, was born in March 1909 and still lives in Plémet, Brittany; she recently celebrated her 101st birthday). Cotillard's mother, Niseema Theillaud, is also an actress and drama teacher.She has two younger twin brothers, Quentin and Guillaume. Quentin Cotillard is a sculptor and painter living in San Francisco, United States, with his wife, Elaine O'Malley Cotillard, "a former Dutch National Ballet dancer who grew up in Marin County, and is now a San Francisco fashion designer". Guillaume Cotillard is a screenwriter and director.
Cotillard began acting during her childhood, appearing on stage in one of her father's plays.
Career
Early work (1993–2002)
After small appearances and performances in theater, Cotillard had occasional and minor roles in television series such as Highlander, but her career as a film actress began in the mid-1990s with small but noticeable roles in such films as Arnaud Desplechin's My Sex Life... or How I Got Into an Argument. Cotillard appeared in the comedy film La belle verte, directed by Coline Serreau. Then came her breakthrough out of cinephiles' circles when she starred in Gérard Pirès's action comedy Taxi. In the film, she plays Lili Bertineau who becomes Daniel's girlfriend. Cotillard reprised the role in two sequels. She then ventured into anticipation science fiction with Alexandre Aja's Furia (1999).
Cotillard appeared in Pierre Grimblat's film Lisa as Young Lisa, alongside Jeanne Moreau, Swiss novel-adaptation War drama In The Highlands. She starred in Gilles Paquet-Brenner's film Les jolies choses, adapted from the work of subversive feminist writer Virginie Despentes. In the drama, Cotillard portrayed the characters of two twins of completely opposite characters, Lucie and Marie. She was nominated for a César Award for her performance. In Guillaume Nicloux's thriller Une affaire privée she appeared as Clarisse, friend of the disappeared.
Breakthrough (2003–2006)
Cotillard starred with Guillaume Canet in the romantic comedy film Love Me If You Dare as Sophie Kowalsky, the daughter of Polish immigrants. The film was directed by Yann Samuel. Cotillard had a notable supporting role in Tim Burton's film Big Fish, where she appeared alongside Ewan McGregor, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange and Allison Lohman. In the film she plays Joséphine, the French wife of William Bloom. She appeared in two critically successful films, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's A Very Long Engagement as Tina Lombardi, for which she won a César Award for Best Supporting Actress, and appeared in the mystery thriller Innocence as Mademoiselle Éva.
In 2005, Cotillard starred in Steve Suissa's romantic drama Cavalcade as Alizée. She also appeared in Abel Ferrara's religious drama Mary alongside Forest Whitaker and Juliette Binoche. Marion played Isabelle Kruger and Alice in the thriller film La Boîte noire, directed by Richard Berry. She appeared in the film Fair Play as Nicole. Cotillard starred in Ridley Scott's romantic comedy A Good Year, in which she portrayed Fanny Chenal, a small Provençal town French café owner opposite Russell Crowe as a Londoner who inherits a local property. She appeared in Belgian comedy Dikkenek, and learned to play the cello for her role as a soloist in the satirical coming-of-age film You and Me.
Critical success (2007–present)
She was chosen by director Olivier Dahan to portray the French singer Édith Piaf in the biopic La Vie en Rose before he had even met her, saying that he noticed a similarity between Piaf's and Cotillard's eyes. Producer Ilan Goldman accepted and defended the choice even though distributors TFM reduced the money they gave to finance the film thinking Cotillard wasn't "bankable" enough an actress. Her portrayal was widely praised, including by the eminent theatre director Sir Trevor Nunn, who described it as "one of the greatest performances on film ever. It was dubbed "the most awaited film of 2007" in France, where some critics said that she had reincarnated Édith Piaf to sing one last time on stage.
On February 10, 2008, Cotillard became the first French actress to be awarded the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role since Stéphane Audran in 1973. She is the first actress to win a Golden Globe for a foreign language performance since 1972, when Liv Ullmann won for The Emigrants. She is also the first person to win a (Comedy or Musical) Golden Globe for a foreign language performance.
On February 22, 2008, she was awarded the César Award for Best Actress for her role in La Vie en Rose, becoming the first woman and second person (after Adrien Brody, The Pianist) to win both a Cesar and an Oscar for the same performance. Cotillard is the second French cinema actress to win this award and the third overall to receive an Academy Award. She is the first Best Actress winner in a non-English language performance since Sophia Loren's win in 1961. She is also the first and so far only winner of an Academy Award for a performance in the French language. In her Oscar acceptance speech, Cotillard proclaimed "thank you life, thank you love" and, speaking of Los Angeles, said "it is true, there is some angels (sic) in this city!"
The day following the ceremony, Cotillard was congratulated and praised by the President of France Nicolas Sarkozy in a statement saying, "I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to Marion Cotillard, who has just received the Oscar for Best Actress for her masterful interpretation of Édith Piaf in La Vie en Rose, directed by Olivier Dahan. Half a century after Simone Signoret, a French artist has received the Best Actress award at the Oscars. It was a good omen that Catherine Allegret, Simone Signoret's daughter, herself had a role in La Vie en Rose. Marion Cotillard embodies an Édith Piaf who is unsettling in her realism, emotion and passion. Her interpretation brings to life the story of a woman who gave French chanson its acclaim and authenticity; a singer, too, who closely united France and America."[citation needed]
As La Vie En Rose was also a Czech production, as she mentioned in her César acceptance speech, on March 1, 2008, Cotillard won a Czech Lion Award for Best Actress. She could not attend the ceremony in Prague due to the filming of Public Enemies. Her friend Pavlína Němcová - who played the journalist in La vie en Rose - was there to accept the award on her behalf.
On June 24, 2008, Cotillard was one of 105 individuals invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Cotillard in July 2009
Cotillard starred alongside Johnny Depp in Public Enemies, released in the United States on July 1, 2009. Later that year, Cotillard appeared in the film adaptation of the musical Nine,[14] directed by Rob Marshall, and co-starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren and Kate Hudson. On December 15, 2009, Cotillard was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress - Musical or Comedy for her performance in the film. The film was released on December 18, 2009
For her role in the musical Nine as Luisa Contini, Time magazine ranked her as the fifth best performance by a female in 2009.[15] She was ranked just behind Mo'Nique, Carey Mulligan, Saoirse Ronan and Meryl Streep. She was awarded the Desert Palm Achievement Actress Award at the 2010 Palm Springs International Film Festival for the role.
She appeared as the main antagonist "Mal Cobb" in Christopher Nolan's film Inception, alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page, and released on July 16, 2010. She will co-star alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Matt Damon in Steven Soderberg's thriller film Contagion.
She will also in appear in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris alongside Rachel McAdams and Owen Wilson.
On March 15, 2010 Cotillard was made a Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of the Arts and Letters) by the French government for her "contribution to the enrichment of French culture"

Marion Cotillard

katrina kaif wallpapers in bikini top

It should be noted that due to her poor knowledge of Hindi (and other Indian languages), Katrina Kaif's voice has often been dubbed over by another actress for many of her early films. With the exception of De Dana Dan, all her films since New York feature her real voice. Earlier films in which her real voice is also heard are Singh Is Kinng, Namastey London and Boompali (18 &sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAA. Retrieved 2007–03–25. "Katrina Kaif is my real name. Kaif is my father's surname, he is Kashmiri," she bristled. "When I joined films I decided to take his surname, since I felt people would be able to associate better with an Indian surname.Parvéz Dewân's Jammû, Kashmîr, and Ladâkh: Kashmîr. ManasPublications. http:.google.com/books?id=fF0wAQAAIAAJ&q=katrina+kaif+kashmiri&dq=katrina+kaif+kashmiri&hl=en&ei=MK-qTIDbHcH38AawsJWwCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA. Retrieved 2007–03–25. "Today if a person has even a drop of Kashmiri blood in his veins he proclaims it proudly. From novelist Salman Rushdie to writer MJ Akbar and actress-fashion model Katrina Kaif, people everywhere are celebrating their Kashmiri roots." India today, Volume 27. Thomson Living Media India Ltd.. .google.com/books?id=FFJDAAAAYAAJ&q=katrina+kaif+kashmirdq=katrina+kaif+kashmiri&hl=en&ei=MK-qTIDbHcH38AawsJWwCA&sa=X&oi=book_resultct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDEQ6AEwAg. Retrieved 2007–03–25. "Half-Kashmiri. half-Brit. Kaif is one of three leading ladies (besides Madhu Sapre and Salman Rushdie's muse Padma ..."Kaif began her modeling career at the age fourteen; her first job was for a jewelry campaign. She continued modeling in London under a contract with the Models 1 Agency and did campaigns for houses such as La Senza and Arcadius, and even walked on the London Fashion Week.[3]Kaif's London modeling-work led to her discovery by London-based filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, who gave her a part in his film Boom (2003). She moved to Mumbai and was offered a number of modeling assignments. However, filmmakers were initially hesitant to sign her because she could not speak Hindi.Kaif saw moderate success with the 2005 film Sarkar, where she played the bit part of Abhishek Bachchan's girlfriend, and Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (2005), where she was paired opposite Salman KhaIn 2007, Kaif appeared in her first major hit movie, Namastey London, wherein she starred as a British Indian girl alongside Akshay Kumar for the second time after the box office letdown Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006). Her run of hit films continued with Apne, Partner, and Welcome.[10In 2008, she played the villain role for the first time in Abbas-Mustan's hit action thriller Race. She played the role of Saif Ali Khan's secretary who is secretly in love with his hostile stepbrother (played by Akshay Khanna). Kaif's second release of the year was Anees Bazmee's production Singh Is Kinng, opposite Akshay Kumar. The film was a big success at the box office. Kaif's final release of the year, Subhash Ghai's Yuvvraaj, was a commercial failure,[11] but its script has made its way into the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for artistic merits, original screenplay with a substance, and the film as a whole.Kaif's first release for 2009, New York, with John Abraham, was a critical and commercial success.[14] Kaif's performance was highly regarded. Wrote critic Taran Adarsh, "Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time."[15She next played a bit role as a biker chick in the multi-starrer action film Blue, popularly known as India's first underwater thriller,[16] which performed decently at the box office.[17] The film was not successfulAt the year's end, she appeared in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani, with Ranbir Kapoor, and De Dana Dan with Akshay Kumar. Both films were commercial successesKaif's first film of 2010 was Raajneeti, where she appeared opposite Ranbir Kapoor. The film did extremely well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster status.[18] She is currently filming Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan with Akshay Kumar. The film is set to be released on 24 December 2010.[19] Her popularity led her to be named as one of Bollywood's six top actresses in a September 2010 article, alongside actresses Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai, Deepika Padukone and Kangna Ranaut.[20]
VoiIt should be noted that due to her poor knowledge of Hindi (and other Indian languages), Katrina Kaif's voice has often been dubbed over by another actress for many of her early films. With the exception of De Dana Dan, all her films since New York feature her real voice. Earlier films in which her real voice is also heard are Singh Is Kinng, Namastey London and Boom
Kaif was born in Hong Kong[3] to an Indian Kashmiri father,[4][5][6] Mohammed Kaif, and an English mother, Suzanne Turquotte,[7] both of whom are British citizens. Her parents divorced when she was very young. Kaif has seven siblings. She was raised in Hawaii and later moved to her mother's home country, EnglanKatrina Kaif (Kashmiri: क़त्रीना कैफ़ (Devanagari)) (born 16 July 1984) is an actress and former model who appears in Indian films, mainly in the Hindi-language film industry.[1][2] She has also appeared in Telugu, and Malayalam films.

katrina kaif

katrina kaif

kareena kapoor bollywood pictures6photo shoot

Hailing from a family deeply involved in the Bollywood film industry, Kapoor faced the media spotlight from a very young age despite not making her acting debut until 2000 As a child, Kapoor regularly attended award ceremonies and events with her mother Babita and sister Karisma Kapoor, and would also accompany her sister on set during filming. In an interview with Filmfare, she said that growing up in a film family helped her develop a sense of professionalism towards her work and remain grounded as a human being. Kapoor's off-screen life has been subject to wide media coverage in India with frequent press coverage of her weight and diet She also created headlines with her much publicized breakup with Shahid Kapoor and her subsequent relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan. referred to as India's "BrangelinaSaifeenaby the press her relationship with Khan has become one of the most reported celebrity stories in India since 2007. In recent years, in response to media speculation, Kapoor has developed a nonchalant relationship with the media and has gained a reputation for discussing her professional or private life with the press with no reservationsIn 2008, she co-starred alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor in Vijay Krishna Acharya's action-thriller Tashan. Though a poll conducted by Bollywood Hungama named it as the most anticipated release of the year film eventually became a commercial and critical failure next provided her voice for the character of Laila, the love interest of a street dog named Romeo, in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film Roadside Romeo. It was the second Bollywood film to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio preparation for the role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors delivered their dialogues Kapoor then appeared in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal. A part of an ensemble cast that included Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor, Kapoor played a distrustful wife who believed her husband to be unfaithful. The film received ambivalent reception from critics and Kapoor herself received mixed reviews. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was unoriginal, concluding, "There is nothing particularly new about a suspicious wife keeping tabs on her husband, and there is nothing particularly new in the way Kareena plays it. Golmaal Returns was nonetheless a major financial success, with revenues of 793 million million internationallyThe following year, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai opposite Akshay Kumar in Sabbir Khan's battle of the sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, California, it became the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California, and featured several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors. The film earned over 840 million.07 million worldwide, but was a critical failure. Times of India described her performance as "a complete let-down" and further stated that "despite her haute-coutured look, her micro minis, her pencil heels, she comes across as a completely unconvincing supermodel cum surgeon. She next starred in Prem Soni's directorial debut, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna. Kapoor featured as the protagonist, Raina Khanna, a woman who becomes the sole breadwinner of the family, and therefore struggles with her marriage. The film was critically and financially the Daily News and Analysis concluding that "Kapoor shows moments of the talent we associate with her, but then slumps with a silly drunken scene or by just smiling beatifically through emotional momentsIn August 2007, Kapoor replaced actress Soha Ali Khan, when she was hired as the brand ambassador for the clothing chain Globus on a two-year contract Vinay Nadkarni, CEO of Globus Stores Pvt Ltd, explained that in an attempt to move away from being a multi-branded retail chain to adopting a single brand strategy for its stores, the clothing chain decided to appoint a different brand ambassador for its new business ventures On being appointed by Globus, Kapoor commented, "I am delighted to be the face of Globus look forward to spreading this new language of fashion across the nation her start, it was reported that the brand had experienced a 75 percent increase in sales.In February 2008, Kapoor announced that she would be launching her own line of clothing, thus becoming the first Indian actress to do so.[100] She said, "I will be launching my exclusive line of clothes soon and I am quite sure people will like it. My clothing line is very reflective of my personal sense of style and will have my label on it. Just like I am pretty casual about my dressing, my line will also consist of an extremely wearable yet stylish collection. I am taking out this line in association with Globus, a brand that I am also the ambassadress for further stated that she would also be involved in the planning and designing process of the clothing as well clothing line debuted several months later in stores across India and was well-received by the publicFollowing the end of her contract with Globus, Kapoor expressed her desire of working with an international design house from the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture in France, to release her clothing line internationally.[January 2010, she explained that "I have the plans in place just have to execute them" However, Kapoor later noted that due to her prior commitments, her "plans have had to take a
Following Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, Kapoor's next release was Kurbaan, a dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of global terrorism It was directed by Rensil D'Silva and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri and Kirron Kher. Kapoor played the role of Avantika Ahuja, a woman who is confined to house arrest after finding out that her husband is a terrorist. She described the film as "an emotionally draining experience", which did not let her disconnect from her character during shooting. release, the film was critically embraced and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination to Subhash K Jha, "Kurbaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor. In her most consistently-pitched performance to date she pulls out all stops to play a betrayed wife with splendid sensitivity. Kareena accommodates her radiant beauty into an utterly credible character and performance. At her best, Kareena is incomparable. She proves it in KurbaanHer final release of 2009 was Rajkumar Hirani's drama 3 Idiots, a film loosely based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Co-starring alongside Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, Kapoor starred as Pia, an independent-minded medical student and Khan's love interest. On acting alongside Khan, Kapoor revealed that it was "a dream come true" and further stated that her journey as an actress was "finally complete" feature received much critical devotion and emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, grossing 2,026 million the Indian box office It also did well internationally and earned over 690 million .66 million, the second Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market.com opined that Kapoor dazzled with her "brief role, and even though a lot of her spunk seems significantly Jab We Met in tone, she lights up the screen when she is around." the 55th Filmfare Awards, Kapoor received another Best Actress nomination for her role
In 2010, she appeared in the romantic comedy Milenge Milenge, a production that had been delayed since 2005. feature garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns. Kapoor's role was small and was not well-received. She next featured alongside Kajol and Arjun Rampal in We Are Family, the Hindi adaptation of the 1998 Hollywood release Stepmom. Prior on commencing work for the project, Kapoor explained that she did not want to watch Stepmom in an attempt to "interpret the role...in my own style to the film was mostly lukewarm, but Kapoor's performance drew positive reviews; critic Taran Adarsh remarked that Kareena as the stepmom is just right, since she is the only actor who can stand up to Kajol in high-voltage scenes and that is because Kareena is a powerful actor herself. At the same time, The New York Times noted: "Kapoor to make something of a role that often beggars belief. followed with the leading female role in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal 3, the sequel to the 2008 release Golmaal Returns. A part of an ensemble cast that included most of the actors from the previous film, the project was met with mixed reactions from reviewers, though became the most successful entry in the Golmaal film series, earning more than 1,000 million domestically. review in MiD DAY described Kapoor's portrayal of the tomboy Daboo asreal hero...who takes the story forwardKapoor is scheduled to appear in a leading role in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction Ra.OneThefilm, which stars her alongside Shahrukh Khan and Arjun Rampal began filming in India in March 2010. She is also set to star opposite Saif Ali Khan in Sriram Raghavan's action-thriller Agent Vinod.

kareena kapoor

kareena kapoor hot bikini best

Koi Deewana Kehta Hai

Following Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, Kapoor's next release was Kurbaan, a dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of global terrorism.[70] It was directed by Rensil D'Silva and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri and Kirron Kher. Kapoor played the role of Avantika Ahuja, a woman who is confined to house arrest after finding out that her husband is a terrorist. She described the film as "an emotionally draining experience", which did not let her disconnect from her character during shooting.[70] Upon release, the film was critically embraced and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination.[4] According to Subhash K Jha, "Kurbaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor. In her most consistently-pitched performance to date she pulls out all stops to play a betrayed wife with splendid sensitivity. Kareena accommodates her radiant beauty into an utterly credible character and performance.

Aishwariya Secret Video

At her best, Kareena is incomparable. She proves it in Kurbaan."[71]Her final release of 2009 was Rajkumar Hirani's drama 3 Idiots, a film loosely based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat.[72] Co-starring alongside Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, Kapoor starred as Pia, an independent-minded medical student and Khan's love interest. On acting alongside Khan, Kapoor revealed that it was "a dream come true" and further stated that her journey as an actress was "finally complete".[73] The feature was a major financial and critical success and became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, with a domestic revenue of Indian rupee2,026 million (US$ 45.99 million).[12] It also did well internationally and grossed over Indian rupee690 million (US$ 15.66 million), the second biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market.[7][74] Rediff.com opined that Kapoor dazzled with her "brief role, and even though a lot of her spunk seems significantly Jab We Met in tone, she lights up the screen when she is around."[75] During the 55th Filmfare Awards, Kapoor received another Best Actress nomination for her role.[4]The following year, she appeared in the romantic comedy Milenge Milenge, a production that had been delayed since 2005.[76] The feature garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns. Kapoor's role was small and was not well-received.[76] She next featured alongside Kajol and Arjun Rampal in We Are Family, the Hindi adaptation of the 1998 Hollywood release Stepmom.[77] Prior on commencing work for the project, Kapoor explained that she did not want to watch Stepmom in an attempt to "interpret the role...in my own style".[77] Reaction to the film was mostly lukewarm, but Kapoor's performance drew positive reviews; critic Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote: "Kareena excels yet again and her sequences with the kids are a delight. In fact, casting Kareena as the stepmom is just right, since she is the only actor who can stand up to Kajol in high-voltage scenes and that is because Kareena is a powerful actor herself."[78] At the same time, The New York Times noted that "Kapoor [...] manages to make something of a role that often beggars belief."[79]By June 2010, Kapoor completed filming for Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal 3, the sequel to the 2008 film Golmaal Returns.[80] She was cast as the lead in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction Ra.One and Sriram Raghavan's action-thriller Agent Vinod.[80]
In 2008, she co-starred alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor in Vijay Krishna Acharya's action-thriller Tashan. Though a poll conducted by Bollywood Hungama named it as the most anticipated release of the year,[60] the film eventually became a commercial and critical failure.[61][62] She next provided her voice for the character of Laila, the love interest of a street dog named Romeo, in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film Roadside Romeo. It was the second Bollywood film to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio.[63] In preparation for the role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors delivered their dialogues.[64] Kapoor then appeared in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal. A part of an ensemble cast that included Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor, Kapoor played a distrustful wife who believed her husband to be unfaithful. The film received ambivalent reception from critics and Kapoor herself received mixed reviews. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was unoriginal, concluding, "There is nothing particularly new about a suspicious wife keeping tabs on her husband, and there is nothing particularly new in the way Kareena plays it."[65] Golmaal Returns was nonetheless a major financial success, with revenues of Indian rupee793 million (US$ 18 million) internationally.[32]In 2009, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai opposite Akshay Kumar in Sabbir Khan's battle of the sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, California, it became the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California, and featured several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors.[66] The film earned over Indian rupee840 million (US$ 19.07 million) worldwide, but was a critical failure.[32] The Times of India described her performance as "a complete let-down" and further stated that "despite her haute-coutured look, her micro minis, her pencil heels, she comes across as a completely unconvincing supermodel cum surgeon."[67] She next starred in Prem Soni's directorial debut, Main Aurr Mrs Khanna. Kapoor featured as the protagonist, Raina Khanna, a woman who becomes the sole breadwinner of the family, and therefore struggles with her marriage. The film was critically and financially unsuccessful,[68] with the Daily News and Analysis concluding that "Kapoor shows moments of the talent we associate with her, but then slumps with a silly drunken scene or by just smiling beatifically through emotional moments."[69]Following Main Aurr Mrs Khanna, Kapoor's next release was Kurbaan, a dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of global terrorism.[70] It was directed by Rensil D'Silva and written by Karan Johar, co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi, Om Puri and Kirron Kher. Kapoor played the role of Avantika Ahuja, a woman who is confined to house arrest after finding out that her husband is a terrorist. She described the film as "an emotionally draining experience", which did not let her disconnect from her character during shooting.[70] Upon release, the film was critically embraced and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination.[4] According to Subhash K Jha, "Kurbaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor. In her most consistently-pitched performance to date she pulls out all stops to play a betrayed wife with splendid sensitivity. Kareena accommodates her radiant beauty into an utterly credible character and performance. At her best, Kareena is incomparable. She proves it in Following the negative period in Kapoor's career, 2004 marked the beginning of her work in more serious films, most of which would bring her critical acclaim rather than commercial success.[8] Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor portrayed the role of a prostitute in Chameli. The film relates the story of a young prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker (played by Rahul Bose), and follows the development of their relationship as they share their devastating life experiences. When Kapoor was initially offered the role in 2002, she refused it, stating that she was reluctant to play a bold role at the beginning of her career.[36] However, when the director again approached her a year later, she agreed to do the film and viewed it as an opportunity to show the range of her acting skills.[36] To prepare for the role, she visited several of Mumbai's red-light district areas at night to study the dress and mannerisms of sex workers.[36] Chameli received predominantly positive reviews upon release and Kapoor's performance was generally well-received by critics, with the Indiatimes praising her "intuitive brilliance" and stating that she had exceeded all expectations.[37] Another reviewer, however expressed concern that they found her portrayal unconvincing and excessively stereotypical, describing her as "sounding more like a teenager playacting than a brash, hardened streetwalker", and likening her mannerisms to that of a caricature.[38] Nonetheless, Kapoor's portrayal of Chameli garnered her the Filmfare Special Performance Award[4] and the film marked a significant turning point in her career as an actress.She next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Yuva alongside Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji and Esha Deol. The film, consisting of three chapters, tells the story of six individuals linked by a car accident. Kapoor is featured in the third chapter as Oberoi's love interest, Mira, a young witty woman. She was mostly criticised for taking a role of minimal importance, though her performance was generallywell-received.[39] Subhash K Jha described her role as "fey and insubstantial", but further stated that "she turns these character traits to her own advantage to create a girl who is at once enigmatic and all-there, a bit like the film itself which is both mysterious and voluptuous".[40] She then appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film Dev, which revolved around the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in the Indian state of Gujarat.[41] Kapoor's role was that of a Muslim victim named Aaliya, modelled after Zaheera Sheikh, a key witness in Vadodara's Best Bakery case.[41] It earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, as well as nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies.[4] Taran Adarsh commented, "Kareena Kapoor is first-rate. Sporting a deglamorized look, the actress takes a giant leap with this film. Her scene with Amitabh Bachchan (when the latter asks for witnesses to come forward) is an example of superb acting."[42Shortly afterwards, she was cast for the first time as a villain in the thriller Fida. The film follows the story of an on-line robbery and the Mumbai underworld with which her character Neha Mehra becomes involved. During the filming of Fida, Kapoor entered into a relationship with actor Shahid Kapoor, whom she later described as having "a major positive influence in my life."[43] Although the film did not succeed at the box office,[44] Kapoor garnered positive reviews for her performance, with some critics noting a distinct progression from her earlier roles.[45] Her subsequent releases that year included Abbas-Mustan's moderately successful thriller Aitraaz and Priyadarshan's comedy Hulchul, her first box office success since 2002.[44]
In 2005, she starred as the protagonist in Bewafaa, a drama directed by Dharmesh Darshan. The feature received mostly negative reviews and Kapoor's portrayal of Anjali Sahai, an unfaithful woman, was not well-received.[46] Nikhat Kazmi of Indiatimes believed that in an effort to become a serious actress, Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more jaded character ahead of her years in Bewafaa which appeared peculiar for a young woman of her age.[46] Later that year, she appeared in Priyadarshan's romantic drama Kyon Ki, which was set in a psychiatric hospital, and relates the love story of a mentally ill patient, played by Salman Khan, and his physician, played by Kapoor. The film was a box office failure,[47] though Kapoor's performance was generally enjoyed by critics, with the BBC reporting, "It goes without saying that she is a pure natural when it comes to acting."[48] Kapoor then was cast in the romance Dosti: Friends Forever. While not a success in India, the film became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2005 in the United Kingdom.[49]"Kareena is an apt Desdemona to Ajay Devgn's Othello. As young Dolly who elopes with a man she is madly in love with and ultimately becomes a victim of his violent jealousy, Kareena is brilliant. Her vulnerability is palpable, her expression of love endearing [...] Kareena internalises her character with stupefying intelligence and throws up a performance that leaves you overwhelmed. And she makes it look so effortless."
—Filmfare on Kapoor's performance in Omkara (2006)[50]In 2006, Kapoor appeared in three films. She first starred in the thriller 36 China Town followed by the comedy Chup Chup Ke; both films performed reasonably well.[51] She next portrayed the Shakespearean character of Desdemona in Omkara, the Hindi adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh.[52] The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival.[52][53] Omkara was embraced by critics and Kapoor's portrayal earned her a fourth Filmfare Award and first Star Screen Award;[4] her performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare.[50] Kapoor herself considers her role in Omkara as a "new benchmark" in her career and has made comparisons between her portrayal of Dolly and her own evolving maturity as a woman.[54Following Omkara, she stopped acting for a short time, as she felt that "nothing [was] challenging enough for me to say yes".[54] In an interview with The Times of India, Kapoor commented, "In my initial years in the industry, I pushed myself to do a lot of work because I was greedy. I did some films – which I now regret – purely for the money. Today, I want to do selective films."[55] She later described this period as a way to "relax and unwind" herself.[56]Following the negative period in Kapoor's career, 2004 marked the beginning of her work in more serious films, most of which would bring her critical acclaim rather than commercial success.[8] Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor portrayed the role of a prostitute in Chameli. The film relates the story of a young prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker (played by Rahul Bose), and follows the development of their relationship as they share their devastating life experiences. When Kapoor was initially offered the role in 2002, she refused it, stating that she was reluctant to play a bold role at the beginning of her career.[36] However, when the director again approached her a year later, she agreed to do the film and viewed it as an opportunity to show the range of her acting skills.[36] To prepare for the role, she visited several of Mumbai's red-light district areas at night to study the dress and mannerisms of sex workers.[36] Chameli received predominantly positive reviews upon release and Kapoor's performance was generally well-received by critics, with the Indiatimes praising her "intuitive brilliance" and stating that she had exceeded all expectations.[37] Another reviewer, however expressed concern that they found her portrayal unconvincing and excessively stereotypical, describing her as "sounding more like a teenager playacting than a brash, hardened streetwalker", and likening her mannerisms to that of a caricature.[38] Nonetheless, Kapoor's portrayal of Chameli garnered her the Filmfare Special Performance Award[4] and the film marked a significant turning point in her career as an actress.[8][11]
She next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Yuva alongside Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji and Esha Deol. The film, consisting of three chapters, tells the story of six individuals linked by a car accident. Kapoor is featured in the third chapter as Oberoi's love interest, Mira, a young witty woman. She was mostly criticised for taking a role of minimal importance, though her performance was generally well-received.[39] Subhash K Jha described her role as "fey and insubstantial", but further stated that "she turns these character traits to her own advantage to create a girl who is at once enigmatic and all-there, a bit like the film itself which is both mysterious and voluptuous".[40] She then appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film Dev, which revolved around the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in the Indian state of Gujarat.[41] Kapoor's role was that of a Muslim victim named Aaliya, modelled after Zaheera Sheikh, a key witness in Vadodara's Best Bakery case.[41] It earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, as well as nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies.[4] Taran Adarsh commented, "Kareena Kapoor is first-rate. Sporting a deglamorized look, the actress takes a giant leap with this film. Her scene with Amitabh Bachchan (when the latter asks for witnesses to come forward) is an example of superb acting."[42]Shortly afterwards, she was cast for the first time as a villain in the thriller Fida. The film follows the story of an on-line robbery and the Mumbai underworld with which her character Neha Mehra becomes involved. During the filming of Fida, Kapoor entered into a relationship with actor Shahid Kapoor, whom she later described as having "a major positive influence in my life." Although the film did not succeed at the box office,[44] Kapoor garnered positive reviews for her performance, with some critics noting a distinct progression from her earlier roles.[45] Her subsequent releases that year included Abbas-Mustan's moderately successful thriller Aitraaz and Priyadarshan's comedy Hulchul, her first box office success since 2002.