Bollywood is one of the most famous film industry’s in the world behind Hollywood. Here are 25 facts about Bollywood that will make you re-think everything you might think you know about the Bollywood industry.
- Among all the movie goers in the world, Indians are the highest annual ticket buyers in the world. Indians buy 2.7 billion movie tickets annually. Surprisingly our average ticket price is one of the lowest in the world.
- Mera Naam Joker & LOC: Kargil are the two longest films ever made in India with a 255 minutes run time for both.
- The 1981 movie ‘Silsila’ is the only movie where Shashi Kapoor plays Amitabh Bachchan’s elder brother. In all the other movies where both of them feature together and are siblings, Amitabh always plays the elder sibling.
- Ranveer Singh’s original name is Ranveer Singh Bhavani and he is actually Sonam Kapoor’s cousin.
- Bollywood superstar actor Hrithik’s actual surname is Nagrath not Roshan!
- Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin’s great grandfather Maurice Koechlin is actually well known around the world! He was the Chief engineer for the construction of the Statue of Liberty in New York and the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris.
- Yenna Rascala, Mind it! Was a dialogue said by Shah Rukh Khan in his blockbuster hit movie Om Shanti Om not Rajnikanth. Because of the butterfly effect, everyone believes Rajnikanth originated this dialogue.
- Devika Rani, an actress who was active in Bollywood during the 1930’s and 1940’s was the first actress in Bollywood to have a degree in acting.
- The movie Rockstar starring Ranbir Kapoor was actually shot in reverse. The reason film makers did this is because they did not want to mess Ranbir Kapoor’s hairstyle. The climax scene was shot first.
- In the movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Saif Ali Khan was the original choice for Shah Rukh Khan’s role. In fact, another shocking consideration for this role was Tom Cruise for the role of Raj Malhotra.
- In the movie heroine starring Kareena Kapoor, Kareena wore more than 130 different outfits designed by top designers not just from India but around the world. According to sources, the wardrobe budget for this film was the most expensive than any other Bollywood movie made in history.
- The most number of British actors to be casted in a Bollywood movie of all time is Aamir Khan’s Lagaan.
- In the Hollywood movie Slumdog Millionaire, Shah Rukh Khan was the first preference for Anil Kapoor’s role.
- Shah Rukh Khan is the most popular and liked Bollywood celebrity in the world. He is many Hollywood actors and actress favourite including Will Smith, Arnold Schwarzenegger and even talk show hosts.
- Speaking of King SRK, not only is he the King of Bollywood but also the second richest actor in the world! His net worth is 600$ million USD.
- For the movie Swades, Hrithik Roshan was the first actor who was considered for the role of Mohan. However, after he rejected the role, Shah Rukh Khan took up the role and created history with the movie.
- When Sridevi played Rajnikanth’s step mother in the Tamil film Moondru Mudichu, she was only 13 years old!
- Dilip Kumar and Shah Rukh Khan are on the Bollywood record for winning the highest number of Filmfare awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Both of them won 8 awards each.
- In Salmaan Khan’s 23 year acting career, Dabang 2 was his first sequel.
- Do you think the first time Deepika Padukone featured in any Bollywood feature was Om Shanti Om? Then you’re wrong! The first time Deepika featured in any Bollywood feature was in Himesh Reshammiya’s music video! After Farah Khan spotted her in this music video, she made her play the role of Shanti in Om Shanti Om opposite Shah Rukh Khan.
- For his emotional and intense role in Lootera, Ranveer Singh kept piercing himself repeatedly with a safety pin to show better emotion.
- After shooting the movie Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Salman Khan bought two new horses for his farmhouse and named them Bajrangi and Bhaijaan!
- Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai is in the Guiness World Record. Why? Unfortunately not for Hrithik Roshan’s dance moves and abs but this movie holds the most number of awards ever won by any movie. This movie won 92 awards!
- The Bollywood legend Jeetendra started his Bollywood career as a stunt double. His first feature in a Bollywood film was for actress Sandhya in her film Navrang as her body double.
- For the movie PK, Aamir Khan had to eat 10-15 betel leaves every day, all day on set to get the right color around his lips! Talk about being Mr. Perfectionist!
