BollyCurry Presents 2016's New Entrants

For a while now, Bollywood's movie-making machines have been serving fail-safe ingredients on a meticulous plate of song and dance. But with changing times and established elements adhering to the one-year-one-film policy, filmmakers are increasingly compelled to experiment with new faces in the industry. While some debuts are unexpected effervescence, a few promising ones fizz out long before the champagne pops. Here is BollyCurry's take on some of the most talked about entrants of 2016.

Dosanjh is best remembered as the innocent Sartaj Singh in the 2016 hit Udta Punjab. However, there's more than just his good-looking face and sultry voice. He has basically tried his hand at almost everything - singing, composing, acting, hosting and so on. A name to reckon with in the Punjabi entertainment industry, Dosanjh debuted with "Ishq Da Uda Ada" (2000) and in cinema with the average The Lion of Punjab (2011). However, he soon went on to become the face of the most successful Punjabi movies in history - the Jatt and Juliet series, Punjab 1984 (2013) and the Sardaar Ji series (2013, 2015). His acting prowess has made him a 6-time winner of the PTC Film Awards. We cannot wait to watch more of him on-screen and the good news is, he's already been signed for two Bollywood movies!

Future projects: Phillauri (2017) and Kaneda (2017) with Anushka Sharma and Arjun Kapoor.

 

The model-turned-actress has an upper hand in the linguistics department, if not artistry. Being fluent in Tulu, English, Kannada and Hindi, she made her acting debut in a Tamil superhero flick, Mugamoodi (2012) and many regional films the years after. After featuring in various TVCs and advertisements, she was bestowed with a lifetime opportunity of playing the lead in Ashutosh Gowariker's ambitious historical project, Mohenjo Daro (2016) opposite Hrithik Roshan. While the movie was declared a flop by most critics and media houses, it fared averagely at the box office. However, Hegde's character was massively criticized. Whether it was her unpolished acting skills or bizarre costumes, something about her as Chaani just did not work out. BollyCurry can only hope for wiser decisions from her side in the future.

Future projects: Duvvada Jagannadham (2017, Telugu)

It is not very coincidental of two star kids stepping into Bollywood in the same shoes...er, movie. It is widely known that Kapoor is the son of superstar Anil Kapoor and brother of actress Sonam and producer Rhea Kapoor; while Kher is the granddaughter of yesteryear actress late Usha Kiran, daughter of ex-Miss India Uttara Kher and niece of Tanvi Azmi.

Another multi-tasker on the block, Kher has been a successful model for popular international brands and had almost been selected for her medium-pacer skills on the Indian cricket team before making her acting debut in Telugu film Rey (2015). Kapoor, on the other hand, had his intentions sorted right from the start and hence worked as an assistant director in Bombay Velvet (2015).

Though Rakesh Omprakash Mehra's Mirzya (2016) bombed at the box office, the debutantes' performances were highly appreciated.

Future projects: Kapoor has reportedly signed Bhavesh Joshi (2017) and Sriram Raghavan's untitled next.

 

Patani became an internet rage after her subtle portrayal of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's late ex-girlfriend in the latter's biopic. After winning the first runner-up title in Femina Miss India Indore in 2013, she made her debut in the Telugu film Loafer (2015). Patani then appeared in a music video "Befikra" along with alleged beau, Tiger Shroff which brought her instant popularity. She is expected to be on numerous awards' nominations list, and it wouldn't be a surprise if she even grabbed some. 

Future projects: Kung Fu Yoga (2017, Hindi/Chinese) with international star Jackie Chan.

 

Malhotra's story makes you believe that sheer hard work can take you from ordinary to extra-ordinary. For most of you who don't know, she has bagged the coveted role of Aamir Khan's daughter in the much-awaited wrestling based biopic Dangal (2016). Hailing from Delhi, Malhotra, who is a trained ballet dancer, had to undergo months of scouting, training and transformation to get her look and attitude right. The movie is also said to mark the big break of child-actor Fatima Sana Shaikh as Khan's eldest daughter. All we can say is, we're super excited for this one!

Future projects: Unknown

 

 

 

Writer: Anushka J.

Editors: Pooja B. and Gunia K.

Graphics: Rifah K.