Thursday, March 11, 2004

Great Actors

Name three of the greatest actors you've seen on screen.

Let me qualify that a bit. I'm defining a great actor as one who doesn't carry forward his or her mannerisms from movie to movie. One who totally gets into the skin of a character and becomes that person right through the film. This needn't be restricted to actors who portray lead characters. Nor should it be restricted to any language. I'm really curious to know - is Mastroianni the best? How about Soumitra Chatterjee? Toshiro Mifune? I haven't seen many movies outside the languages I speak, so my view is quite restricted.

To give a few examples, Shah Rukh Khan would be out straight off, of course. So would Kamal Hassan. Jack Nicholson too, perhaps.

My list would be Marlon Brando, Mohan Lal and Om Puri, not necessarily in that order. I have a few more in the second rung, but would like to limit the list to three.

What is your list?
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98 comments:

  1. veenvenMarch 10, 2004 at 8:57 PM

    Tom Hanks, Thilakan and Naseerudin Shah, in no particular order.

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  2. jayasankarvsMarch 10, 2004 at 8:58 PM

    Bharat Gopi, Sanjeev Kumar and Dustin Hoffmann.

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  3. charlesjMarch 10, 2004 at 9:04 PM

    Three is too less. Here's my top five- Al Pacino, Om Puri, Mohan Lal, Nedumudi Venu & KPAC Lalitha.

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  4. premshreeMarch 10, 2004 at 9:05 PM

    Tom Hanks, Mohan Lal, Denzel Washington ... in no particular order.

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  5. madhavMarch 10, 2004 at 9:07 PM

    Nope, you can't list five. Take two out, please!

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  6. veenvenMarch 10, 2004 at 9:08 PM

    goodness, you are strict. Poor Rachu.

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  7. charlesjMarch 10, 2004 at 9:12 PM

    I hate you. Nedumudi & KPAC goes.

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  8. fusMarch 10, 2004 at 9:13 PM

    Sean Penn, Mohan Lal, Susan Sarandon
    (Anthony Hopkins, Suhasini)

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  9. roopa1978March 10, 2004 at 9:14 PM

    Al Pacino, Naseeruddin Shah,Shirley McLaine

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  10. madhavMarch 10, 2004 at 9:18 PM

    Heh, thought as much. Thank you.

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  11. madhavMarch 10, 2004 at 9:20 PM

    I am very strict.

    Pakshe, ee khaki-kupayathinte ullil oru kavihrudayam undu, oru kalakaran undu.

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  12. madhavMarch 10, 2004 at 9:20 PM

    I'll consider just the first three.

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  13. fusMarch 10, 2004 at 9:22 PM

    saar sorry saar. i also put in two more. saar. please to be not angry saar. i have put half round things to make separate saar. you will excuse saar. please saar.

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  14. veenvenMarch 10, 2004 at 9:24 PM

    *rotfl*

    i first intrepreted "undu" as "had lunch".

    *stomach cramps from laughing*

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  15. beatzoMarch 10, 2004 at 9:27 PM

    Paresh Rawal.
    Naseeruddin Shah.
    Om Puri.

    Just curious. Has Marlon Brando played an out-and-out comedy role?

    Rajpal Yadav, in a couple of years, will top my list. I hope he sticks around.

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  16. charlesjMarch 10, 2004 at 9:28 PM

    HAHAHA!

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  17. charlesjMarch 10, 2004 at 9:33 PM

    Man... I love Hopkins in Amistad!

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  18. madhavMarch 10, 2004 at 9:40 PM

    I haven't seen it, but I think he has, in The Freshman.

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  19. chestnutgrayMarch 10, 2004 at 9:44 PM

    Mohan Lal, Robert De Niro, Alec Guinness

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  20. rashmiprasadMarch 10, 2004 at 9:48 PM

    Anthony Hopkins, Susan Sarandon, Naseeruddin Shah. (definitely want to mention Sean Penn, Tom Hanks, and Paresh Rawal. That would make it the next set of three... but going by the above, i guess you wouldn't consider those :)

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  21. madhavMarch 10, 2004 at 9:51 PM

    i guess you wouldn't consider those :)

    Yup, guessed right! ;)

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  22. harish_anMarch 10, 2004 at 10:14 PM

    anthony hopkins, robin williams, sreenivasan (mallu, in case you guys dont know- not u madhav)

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  23. brainzMarch 10, 2004 at 10:15 PM

    al pacino,robert de niro,chiranjeevi

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  24. roopa1978March 10, 2004 at 10:24 PM

    Yeah..Sreenivasn is hillariously funny!

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  25. premshreeMarch 10, 2004 at 10:35 PM

    Haha! Nice...

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  26. mujibMarch 10, 2004 at 10:39 PM

    Good choices.

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  27. harish_anMarch 10, 2004 at 10:46 PM

    also there are some movies which are really touching....

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  28. hserusMarch 10, 2004 at 11:32 PM

    you asked for actors, not actresses, so ... in no particular order -

    Gregory Peck
    Toshiro Mifune
    Sivaji Ganesan (or Brando)
    Close fourth - Gerald Depardieu

    Among the newer bunch of people, I'd pick

    * Russell Crowe (surprisingly good!)

    * Haley Joel Osment - the kid can hold his own with Depardieu (see "Bogus"), and put in star turns, like in "The Sixth Sense". Sheer genius

    Kamalahasan sucks. He is a victim to his own narcissism - he thinks having a movie that revolves around him is all that it takes to pull in crowds. I miss the freshness he brought to roles like 16 Vayadhinile. That Hey Ram movie was the beginning, and rubbish like Virumandi falls into the same boring pattern now.

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  29. roopa1978March 10, 2004 at 11:44 PM

    Kathy Bates, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson

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  30. mujibMarch 10, 2004 at 11:49 PM

    "you asked for actors, not actresses ..."

    A little behind the times, are we?

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  31. locksMarch 10, 2004 at 11:50 PM

    Nedumudi Venu, Mohan Lal, Aamir Khan..

    If you'd consider others, I'd add Robert De Niro also.

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  32. jayasankarvsMarch 10, 2004 at 11:56 PM

    If you'd consider others..

    Psstt. He won't.

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  33. hserusMarch 11, 2004 at 12:01 AM

    sort of, yes.

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  34. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 12:02 AM

    I'll use Peck, Mifune and Ganesan as your choices.

    I'm using the word actor to mean 'actress' as well.

    I agree about Haley Joel Osment. Thought he was good in AI too.

    And yeah, Kamal sucks big time now.

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  35. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 12:02 AM

    A-ha-ha! No second chances. ;)

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  36. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 12:03 AM

    Darn right I won't.

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  37. locksMarch 11, 2004 at 12:21 AM

    Ok, toggle between Naseeruddin Shah and Tom Hanks..Aw, chuck it, please accept 5.. You know that it's tough to limit the choices to 3. Puhleeeeze!
    Oops, Sanjeev Kumar too.

    Don't you agree, most people vote on Mohan Lal?

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  38. jayasankarvsMarch 11, 2004 at 12:23 AM

    Sivaji is one of the most overrated actors in the history of world cinema.

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  39. locksMarch 11, 2004 at 12:24 AM

    :-))
    In the pic, you look suspiciously like a friend of mine from Bombay. I wasn't sure if SHE'd started blogging and when I checked your blog further, it struck me.. you're no girl!!!

    My mistake, didn't see your name next to the pic..:-)

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  40. jayasankarvsMarch 11, 2004 at 12:26 AM

    most people vote on Mohan Lal

    And with good reason too.

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  41. jayasankarvsMarch 11, 2004 at 12:30 AM

    Ho. I'm eagerly watching this space now.

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  42. roopa1978March 11, 2004 at 12:42 AM

    *sheepish grin*
    Didn't think you'd notice
    :)

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  43. roopa1978March 11, 2004 at 12:51 AM

    I liked him in "Pay it Forward" as well!
    He has such an ernest look for someone that young!

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  44. fusMarch 11, 2004 at 1:47 AM

    would don juan de marco be a comedy ? i thought of it as a comedy :-)

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  45. locksMarch 11, 2004 at 2:02 AM

    Gimme his best films, Madhav..
    My take: Sadayam, Rangam, Thalavattam, Chithram... STOP ME!!!

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  46. roopa1978March 11, 2004 at 3:06 AM

    Bharatham, Chandralekha, Akkara Akkara Akkara, Vandanam, His highness Abdulla...

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  47. vighyMarch 11, 2004 at 3:45 AM

    Naseeruddin shah,paresh rawal & Om Puri.

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  48. fusMarch 11, 2004 at 5:10 AM

    and vanaprastham, and guru, and manichitra tazhu, and ... and ...(and how can we ofcourse forget company ?!)
    i hope he acts, and acts, and keeps on acting
    somebody declare the guy a national treasure please

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  49. diffdrummerMarch 11, 2004 at 5:22 AM

    Sreenivasan,Takeshi Kitano,Haley Joel Osment, in that order. what about a bottom 3 list?

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  50. raviMarch 11, 2004 at 5:53 AM

    Anthony Hopkins, Gwyneth (sp?) Paltrow, and Kamal Haasan, in no particular order.

    I don't see why Kamal has to go. He's played all kinds of kick-ass roles. Read: 16 Vayathinile, Nayagan, Thevar Magan, Michael Madhan Kamarajan, Aalavandhan, Anbe Sivam, ... the list is endless ...

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  51. gotjanxMarch 11, 2004 at 7:57 AM

    Bharat Gopi ... the bharat gopi
    long haired ? bald at the top chappie ?
    Dad: Son , look uber boring art flick
    Me: How did you deduce Sherlock ?
    Dad: Bharat gopi looks at both sides of one way street before crossing.

    *bows* with reverence to pater's infinite wisdom

    *grin*
    two out of three isn't bad :-D

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  52. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 2:45 PM

    Ha ha. I bow too.

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  53. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 2:45 PM

    I know it's tough to limit to 3. That's why I wanted to do it ;)

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  54. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 2:49 PM

    Ha ha ha!

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  55. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 2:52 PM

    Bottom 3? From the tens of thousands of actors? Nah!!

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  56. madhavMarch 11, 2004 at 2:54 PM

    He's played all kinds of kick-ass roles

    And he's played Kamal Haasan in each one of them.

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  57. jayasankarvsMarch 11, 2004 at 3:12 PM

    Oh. oru tough guy.

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  58. rameshsMarch 11, 2004 at 3:34 PM

    My list would be
    Sanjeev Kumar
    Robert De Niro and
    Satish Shah .

    Yes, i have seen satish shah in soooo many
    different avatars, and he does a damn good
    job at almost all of them... Right from
    yeh jo hai zindagi to jaane bhi do yaaron
    to current flicks like kal ho na ho...he
    blends seemingly effortlessly into the
    character he depicts.

    And one person who would *NOT* be in
    my Top 50 ( or make that 100 ) list
    is Kamal Hassan. So much for his
    contrived and affected impersonations. :-(

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  59. hserusMarch 11, 2004 at 3:35 PM

    chiranjeevi is one of the lousiest actors around. so is nagarjuna. so are most of the "new" tamil / telugu actors.

    I've never gone beyond Sivaji / MGR / ANR / NTR / Gummadi etc in terms of liking anything that's come out of the thousands of madras and hyd studios.

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  60. hserusMarch 11, 2004 at 3:37 PM

    overrated my ass. the man is a genius.

    just that he's from a "drama troupe" background like most of the old guard, so his acting does tend to appear a bit hammy.

    you dont get many people who can literally speak with their eyes, and with their facial expressions.

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  61. jayasankarvsMarch 11, 2004 at 3:42 PM

    Zigackly. He even gets to play four of him in one movie.

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  62. diffdrummerMarch 11, 2004 at 3:52 PM

    Just a thought..hihi..like the actors we love to love, there are some we passionately hate too (they came to my mind soon as i was finished the first 3)

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  63. kvkMarch 11, 2004 at 4:56 PM

    My biased preferences (in no particular order): Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Jodie Foster.

    P.S. My list of the 3 most underrated actors: Michael Douglas, Jim Carrey, Jagathi Sreekumar.

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  64. mujibMarch 11, 2004 at 5:59 PM

    I am curious. How does one literally speak with their eyes? Some kind of quadriplegic Morse?

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  65. hserusMarch 11, 2004 at 6:24 PM

    watch his eyes in a movie like paasa malar or navaratri.

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  66. brainzMarch 11, 2004 at 6:41 PM

    Grrr...!

    Bow Bow! :D

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  67. mujibMarch 11, 2004 at 7:39 PM

    I likes.

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  68. premshreeMarch 11, 2004 at 8:49 PM

    I have seen a lot of Mohan Lal movies, but I don't know the name of even one...except maybe Manichitra Tazhu.

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  69. fusMarch 12, 2004 at 1:54 AM

    hasnt jodie foster always been jodie foster through out : look at silence of the lambs, little man tate, anna and the king - the jodie foster intensity comes through in each of them not uniquely

    all of the above were powerhouse performances, but still jodie foster.

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  70. psasidharMarch 12, 2004 at 4:25 AM

    Have not yet seen more than say 5 movies of any actor to comment on whether that particular actor has carried forward his mannerisms or not. :-(

    I saw movies (upwards of 5) of popular stars and they obviously don't fall under your definition of greatest actor.

    IMO, Hollywood has only sterotypes. Each good actor plays his unique part (whatever he is popular for) very well. Some times a good actor can play more than two sterotyped roles. And in an industry which generally decides the script/story first and then casts the stereotype that would fit best into a particular character, it's generally difficult to find great actors the way your defined.

    Like I said, my opinion.

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  71. nachiketjMarch 12, 2004 at 5:06 AM

    I'm in Bombay - gimme your number.

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  72. jayasankarvsMarch 12, 2004 at 4:10 PM

    Hmph! I'm yet to find a movie where Gopi played himself. I liked him as a deaf-mute, a kinky judge, a trade union leader and a maniacal tablist, in various movies.

    Oh well. Maybe it's only me.

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  73. gotjanxMarch 12, 2004 at 5:41 PM

    Kinky judge ? Damn! I missed that one :-D
    Trade union leader , isn't that like a compulsary role....sort of baptization into mallu flicks ...every actor has to do that role at some point to prove his worth.

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  74. jayasankarvsMarch 12, 2004 at 5:43 PM

    Got news for you. The said TU leader was in a Hindi movie-Aaghat (?).

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  75. gotjanxMarch 12, 2004 at 5:48 PM

    Actually my interest was more in the judge bit :)
    But gopi in a hindi flick ? What on earth did they do about the accent....'main bee chandu naaii uu' :P

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  76. jayasankarvsMarch 12, 2004 at 5:51 PM

    Oh. He was infinitely better than all of them--Mammooty (man, you gotta check out his Brit accent as well), MohanLal, Murali etc.

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  77. gotjanxMarch 12, 2004 at 5:57 PM

    Mammooty brit accent ? Ha! that should be right up there with Mohanlal as a gurkha and Sean Connery as a ruskie.

    Never liked Mammooty too much ...primarily because of his tendency to die in one of the last two three reels of the flcik.

    Which movie btw?

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  78. jayasankarvsMarch 12, 2004 at 8:38 PM

    Hahaha.You sure are hilarious.

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  79. jayasankarvsMarch 12, 2004 at 9:05 PM

    Boy. That takes the cake, literally. Er..

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  80. gotjanxMarch 13, 2004 at 12:08 PM

    I assume no sarcasm implied :)
    Am new at this but does net-etiquette require me to ask you before I add you to my friends list ? Anyway let me know if you want me to delete you :P

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  81. kewldeafMarch 13, 2004 at 6:54 PM

    Amitabh bacchan, Al Pacino and Marlon Brando

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  82. vidsMarch 14, 2004 at 1:50 AM

    He's one of the best actors in my opinion.

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  83. madhavMarch 14, 2004 at 3:09 PM

    Mammooty with a brit accent should be Ambedkar, I think.

    Btw, Mohan Lal as a gurkha was meant to be funny, unlike Sean Connery in The Hunt for Red October. Of course, there's always Company...

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  84. jayasankarvsMarch 14, 2004 at 4:53 PM

    It wasn't only in Red October . And Mammootty's was in all of his movies after Ambedkar .

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  85. poocha9March 14, 2004 at 7:42 PM

    Sharuk khan
    Mohan Lal
    Manoj Bajpai
    Srinivasan
    Innocent
    Thilakan
    Amitabh
    Sean penn
    Al Pachino
    Dustin Hoffman

    Salman Khan- hahahahaha

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  86. madhavMarch 14, 2004 at 7:49 PM

    I'll take Sharuk (sic) khan, Mohan Lal and Manoj Bajpai then.

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  87. jayasankarvsMarch 14, 2004 at 9:51 PM

    Sic is right.

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  88. raavanaMarch 15, 2004 at 12:06 AM

    Joe Abeywickreme, Swarna Mallawarachchi and Sanath Gunatileke.

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  89. kvkMarch 16, 2004 at 10:37 PM

    Hehe, now you know what I meant by "my biased preferences" ;-) But then again, I would say that her performances are unique in Silence of the Lambs and Anna & The King. I was expecting a comparison between SOTL and Contact/Panic Room. Her performances in The Accused, Maverick, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, and Nell are different in their own way. But hey, that's just me :-)

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  90. madhavMarch 16, 2004 at 10:50 PM

    How come nobody's talking Taxi Driver here?

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  91. eve_l_incarnataMarch 18, 2004 at 3:42 AM

    I can never do things like this because it takes me too long to decide. I do like Om Puri, and have seen about 6 of his movies. Alas, I have seen only 1 of Mohanlal's films.

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  92. madhavMarch 18, 2004 at 4:00 PM

    Oh, I was looking forward to your reply. These needn't be just Indian or Hollywood actors, of course.

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  93. eve_l_incarnataMarch 21, 2004 at 4:58 AM

    Thanks, I'm honored. I wish I could spit out three without thinking about it too much. However, I really do like Om Puri.

    Of course. I will have to think about this for quite some time. John Wayne definitely would not be on my list. It always seemed to me that he just played John Wayne.

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  94. chestnutgrayMarch 23, 2004 at 10:25 PM

    Daniel Day Lewis is a pretty terrific actor, I think.

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  95. chestnutgrayMarch 23, 2004 at 10:27 PM

    Are you serious?

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  96. madhavMarch 23, 2004 at 10:34 PM

    I think he was. By the way, are you?

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  97. madhavMarch 23, 2004 at 11:45 PM

    I agree. I did like him in The Searchers, but I guess he was still playing a variation of John Wayne there.

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  98. dancinggurl01March 31, 2004 at 5:40 AM

    Man, hmmm. Best actors/actresses...

    William H. Macy, Ajay Devgan, Urmila Matondkar (guaranteed I spelled that wrong)

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