ABOUT AMEESHA PATEL

Ameesha Patel Ameesha-Patel Ameesha Patel at the unveiling of Maxim issue in August 2013 BornAmisha Amit Patel 9 June 1976 (age 38) Mumbai , India OccupationActress, producer Years active2000–present Parent(s)Asha Patel RelativesAshmit Patel  (brother) Website www.ameeshapatelproduction.com *Ameesha Patel* (pronounced [əˈmiːʂaː pəˈʈeːl] ; born *Amisha Amit Patel* on 9 June 1976) [1] [2]  is an Indian actress who appears in mainly Bollywood movies and also in Telugu  films. Making her acting debut in the blockbuster "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai "(2000), Patel won critical praise for her performance in "Gadar: Ek Prem Katha "(2001), which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Hindi cinema,[3]  earning her a Filmfare Special Performance Award . She would subsequently star in a number of films, most of which proved unsuccessful at the box office. However, her performance in the 2006 film "Ankahee ", received critical recognition and she followed it in 2007 with a supporting/comic role in the multi-starrer hit"Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd. " and also co-starred opposite Akshay Kumar in the hit "Bhool Bhulaiyaa ". In 2011, she founded her own production company Ameesha Patel Productions, along with her business partner Kuunal Goomer. Her relationship with filmmaker Vikram Bhatt  was often talked about in theIndian media  as well as her long-running rift with her parents. Early life and backgroundActing careerDebut and Initial success, 2000–2002 Patel's first opportunity for acting came in the form of an offer from her father's schoolmate, Rakesh Roshan , to star opposite his son, Hrithik Roshan , in"Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai " (2000). The offer came immediately after she graduated from high school but she refused the project because she wanted to continue her education in USA.[7] Afterward, Kareena Kapoor  replaced her but luckily, Kapoor dropped out a few days into principal photography and Patel was given the opportunity once again during a family lunch.[8]  She readily agreed to do the project this time. The role of an exuberant college girl in love, undergoing a tortuous time at losing her lover and rediscovering a more mature relationship gave Patel scope to perform. The film was a smashing success and established Patel as a rising star, earning her awards for"Best Debut" at a number of award ceremonies.[9]  In her second film, theTelugu  language drama "Badri ", she starred opposite Pawan Kalyan . The film was a major success, grossing more than Rs  120 million in India.[10] 2001 saw her appearing in Anil Sharma 's cross-border romance,"Gadar: Ek Prem Katha ", alongside Sunny Deol . Patel signed on much before she shot into the limelight with "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai" and was among 22 girls that were screen-tested from 500 girls who came to audition for the film. Patel had gone through a 12-hour audition before she got the part.[11]  The film went on to become the top-grossing film of the year, as well as the biggest hit of the 21st century, earning Rs 973 million in India.[12]  Set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 , it featured Patel as Sakeena, a Muslim girl who finds refuge in Deol's house during the riots, and subsequently falls for him. Her performance was praised, and won her the Filmfare Special Performance Award , as well as nominations for "Best Actress" at various award ceremonies.Taran Adarsh  of "IndiaFM " concluded, "Despite being one-film-old, Amisha Patel deserves full marks for handling the complex role with elegance. She looks the character she is portraying and impresses with a natural performance."[13]  The film was perceived as being excessively anti-Pakistani.[14] These successes were followed by a series of films that flopped at the box-office. In "Yeh Zindagi Ka Safar " (2001), she played a successful singer who was abandoned by her mother at the time of her birth. In 2002, Patel had three failures. In "Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage ", she played the role of Sapna who is caged in protective custody of her own father. She co-starred opposite Hrithik Roshan for the second time in this film. Unlike their successful pairing in "Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai", the film proved to be a disappointment and resulted in a critical and commercial failure. Patel's performance in the film was criticised by a section of the media, but during an interview she clarified that there was an "error" because the scene explaining that her character is supposed to be asthmatic  in the film was edited out not knowing that one shot would make such a difference, thus creating confusion to the viewer about her appearing out of breath, as if she's overacting or crying.[15]  Patel's unsuccessful follow-up continued with"Kranti " and David Dhawan 's comedy "Yeh Hai Jalwa " in 2002. In the same year, she tasted minor box office success with"Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai ",[16]  in which she played a career-oriented young woman who rejects the advances of Aftab Shivdasani 's character. Then she found another major success when her last release of the year, "Humraaz ", became 5th highest grossing film of the year at the box office, and her performance earned her a nomination for Filmfare Best Actress Award . The Abbas-Mustan marital thriller saw her playing a character with negative shades for the first time. She played the girlfriend ofAkshaye Khanna , who marries Bobby Deol  to grab his wealth – but, seeing Bobby's honesty, her character surrenders to him. Taran Adarsh commented, "Amisha Patel is just about okay as Akshaye's lover (first half), but splendid as Bobby's wife (second half). This performance should silence her detractors for sure. Also, she's looked her best with admirable outfits and perfect make-up."[17] Struggle phase, 2003–2006 During 2003 to 2006, Patel's acting career entered a slump. After the relative success of "Humraaz", Patel's string of unsuccessful films followed and would continue until 2006. In 2003, her only releases were Tamil language film "Pudhiya Geethai " and Hindi film Deepak Bahry 's "Parwana ". Her releases in 2004, Vimal Kumar 's comedy "Suno Sasurjee ", a delayed production since 2000, and her second Telugu language film "Naani ", followed. That year she also appeared in the music video for "Kasam" and "Kasam (Unplugged)" by Adnan Sami . In 2005, she starred in Satish Kaushik 's thriller "Vaada ", playing the role of Arjun Rampal 's unfaithful wife who is followed by her obsessive ex-lover. In her next release, "Elaan ", she played a TV reporter. She later appeared in Ketan Mehta 's historical drama "Mangal Pandey: The Rising " where she played the role of the soft-spoken Jwala, aBengali  widow who gets rescued from committing Sati  by a British commanding officer. Patel was cast as a replacement for Aishwarya Rai  under the recommendation of Aamir Khan who was impressed by her IQ level when he saw her on "BBC " under the segment of "Question Time India" in 2003.[18]  The film, which saw her appearing without make-up for the first time, became the 3rd highest grosser of that year but due to high cost, it was an average at box office.[19] [20]  Her other releases that year include"Zameer: The Fire Within ", a delayed production since 2001, and the Telugu film "Narasimhudu ", both of which failed at the box office. Patel featured in six films in 2006, all of which failed commercially. She first starred in "Mere Jeevan Saathi ", a production that had been delayed since 2003. She next appeared as a blind girl in "Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai ", another delayed production since 2002. The film had a limited release and flopped badly with some critics describing it as "outdated". In "Teesri Aankh: The Hidden Camera ", she played the role of a mute girl who witnesses a murder. She learned the sign language  in order to fit the role.[21]  Patel was next cast in"Tathastu ", based on Denzel Washington 's thriller "John Q " (2002). Patel's fifth release in 2006, "Ankahee ", earned her critical praise despite its failure at the box office.[22]  T