October, the tenth month of the year, sees a number of distinguished celebrities taking birth. The month is also noted for the birthdays of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri and in India, often witnesses one of more of Navaratri, Dusshera and Diwali festivals.
Here we list the most accomplished and famous names from cinema that were born in this special month.
Asha Parekh (October 2)
Her biography is justifiably named The Hit Girl. Asha Parekh may have begun as a child artiste but had a whole army of hits and whopper chartbuster songs. Her team-up with Dharmendra was most noted, and just when her image was of a great Kathak dancer who was a mere foil for the hero, she proved her acting caliber with Chirag, Kati Patang and Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki.
Usha Khanna (October 7)
The longest-lasting female music composer in Hindi cinema, this charming lady was also a singer. Her most successful scores were Dil Deke Dekho (her debut), Hum Hindustani (whose title-song was re-created in Sooryavanshi), Lal Bangla, Honeymoon, Hawas, Saajan Bina Suhagan and Souten.
Amitabh Bachchan (October 10)
What can be spoken about this icon that is yet unsaid? Actor, singer, producer and TV host—this man easily ranks not only among Hindi cinema’s greatest actors but also the most successful, that too globally. There is little that he has not done, apart from myriad other enterprises. Rare fact: he began India’s first corporate film production company, ABCL, in the late 1990s.
Rekha (October 11)
The maiden for whom the word ‘Reclusive’ seems to have been invented. But for sporadic appearances in the millennium, this lady who was the most prolific actress of the 1970s and 1980s and evolved from someone ‘sexy’ to a dramatic actress, is rarely seen in public. But the charisma is intact when she surfaces!
Sunny Deol (October 19)
His Gadar 2 last year was termed his second coming. Dharmendra’s elder son has carved a niche of his own, though unlike his father, his action image overrules the other shades of his on-screen persona (Betaab, Darr, Yamla Pagla Deewana). Tridev, Ghayal, Damini, Border, Gadar—Ek Prem Katha are his defining movies and there are choice assignments to come like Lahore and Ramayana.
Helen (October 21)
The Sultana of Sizzle reigns even in myriad chartbusters besides her choreographic marvels. From a junior artiste to the most famous dancer and more, Helen has also exhibited multiple shades as actress, including her mature roles in Khamoshi—The Musical, Mohabbatein and Shararat. As of now, she is content taking life easy, learning Pilates at 85-plus (!) and spending time with husband Salim Khan’s family.
Prabhas (October 23)
The handsome Telugu star now commands fans across India. Born into a film family, he has achieved global fame today and has won awards or accolades at both national and international levels. Billa, Bujjigadu: Made in Chennai, the Bahubali franchise, Salaar and more are his major triumphs.
Aparna Sen (October 25)
Known as much as director (36 Chowringhee Lane, Paroma, Mr & Mrs Iyer) as an actress (Unishe April, Antaheen, Naukadubi), this Bengali actor is also a brilliant screenwriter and has made sporadic appearances in Hindi films (Vishwas, Imaan Dharam, Kotwal Saab) and even English movies with an India connect, like Bombay Talkie and Guru.
Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar (October 26)
A maestro and singer with a completely unique perspective on creating music (and a singer and producer as well), the younger brother of Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Usha Mangeshkar has straddled Hindi and Marathi cinema as well as non-film music in both languages with connoisseur-like precision. Some musical landmarks? Lekin, Maya Memsaab, the Marathi Jait Re Jait, Umbartha, Nivdung among movies and non-film works on Meera, Kabir, Surdas and Ghalib.
Raveena Tandon Thadani (October 26)
Once declared a jinx, this daughter of veteran hit filmmaker Ravi Tandon became a successful name with Mohra, Dilwale and a string of follow-up successes and hits. Never really out of showbiz even after marriage to leading film distributor Anil Thadani, she has now begun to work even in web series.
Anuradha Paudwal (October 27)
The first singer to make a mark in the fiefdom of Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosle, Anuradha Paudwal’s success story paved the way for the advent of more female singers like Kavita Krishnamurthi, Alka Yagnik and Sadhana Sargam. Her maximum work was with Laxmikant-Pyarelal and T-Series and she made a mark in her Hindi and Marathi devotional tracks as well.
Abhijeet (October 30)
The velvet-voice (Chand tare tod laaoon / Yes Boss) could metamorphose into a robust (Khud ko kya samajhti hai / Khiladi) or even comic (Chalti hai kya nau se barah / Judwaa) tenor with ease. In the 1990s, Abhijeet led the roost of singers along with Kumar Sanu and Udit Narayan, with a Mukesh-like high percentage of hits though his total songs were less than theirs!
