The FBI's (Foreign Based India Settled) in Bollywood 

By IndiaFM News Bureau, February 8, 2005 - 07:46 IST

Just yesterday popular item girl Nigar Khan was asked to leave India by the immigration department and was flown back to her hometown Norway. Her visa in India had expired and she had violated her work permit conditions.

Nigar is a Norwegian citizen and had shifted base to India after she gained popularity in the Indian glamour world. She stuck to fame with appearances in remix music videos like Chadhti Jawani and Rama Rama. She has also performed item numbers in Bollywood flicks like Rudraksh, Shaadi Ka Laddoo and Ab Bas. Her upcoming lineup of films include Double Cross - Ek Dhoka, Hello Kaun Hai?, Bachelors and Do Chehre.

| Also see: Nigar Khan photogallery - wallpapers. |

Model-turned-actress Illene Hamman from Cape Town, South Africa who debuted with Pooja Bhatt's Rog earlier this year also faced a very similar problem while she was shooting for the film in India. But the Bhatt's managed to procure all her legal documents from South Africa and rescue her from the mess. Not to forget musician Ali Azmat from Pakistan who also was supposed to make his acting debut with Rog faced similar problems. But in his case he couldn't even acquire a visa to enter India for shooting. He was subsequently replaced by Himanshu Malik in the film.

Nigar is not the only film celebrity to have shifted base to India. She has many predecessors and successors in the migration act. The entire episode may serve as a cautionary alarm to the others in her league. But those who have their legalities at the proper place need not fear. We at IndiaFM take a look at the some of the popular FBI's (Foreign Based India Settled) personalities in Bollywood to whom the Indian film industry has given fame and recognition apart from livelihood.

Yana Gupta

Born in: Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic)

Yana started modeling at the early age of just 16 years. She modeled for brands like Nivea and Shiseido. In 2001 she was named as the new face for Lakme cosmetics in India, replacing former Lakme model Lisa Ray. (Incidentally Lisa too was an anglo-Indian of mixed parentage - an Indian father and a Polish mother).

She however gained Indian nationality when she married a Pune based artist, Satya Gupta and shifted base to India. Thereby Yana Synkova turned Yana Gupta. She stuck to fame with her first onscreen appearance in the form of the sizzling item number Babuji Zara Dheere Chalo in Dum. And though she was flooded with movie offers post her debut number she preferred to stick to what she is best at - item numbers. Her recent claims to fame include Oh! What a Babe and another item number in a Malayalam film.

Currently she plays the hostess of the Mirchi Top 20 countdown show on Zoom TV.

Katrina Kaif

Born in: London. Her mother is British & father NRI, originally from Kashmir.

This model turned actress with Kaizad Gustad's Boom. And though the movie sank without a trace Katrina survived. In fact she was the only female amongst the 3 faces of Boom who managed to survive. She off lately is being linked up with Salman Khan.

Currently Katrina is completing David Dhawan's next with Salman Khan, Ram Gopal Varma's Sarkar with Abhishek Bachchan and will soon start work on Raj Kanwar's Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye with Akshay Kumar.

Adnan Sami

Born in: London. His father was from Pakistan and mother from India.

This accomplished Concert Pianist and Music Composer with a special command on all Western and Indian Classical music, debuted in India with a music album along with Asha Bhonsle Kabhi To Nazar Milao. Since then he is a popular playback singer in Bollywood. His ex-wife Zeba Bakhtiar of Pakistani origin also had a stint with Bollywood in RK Films's Heena.

Currently his composed tunes for Salman Khan's Lucky - No Time For Love are making waves on the countdown charts.

Heena Tasleem

Born in: Pakistan, shifted to Canada and now settled in India.

Heena Tasleem was a media reporter before she entered movies through Sohail Khan's I - Proud To Be Indian.

Currently she is seen in the promos of the skin flick Fun - Can Be Dangerous Sometimes.

Negar goes topless in Norway