What to expect from B-town in 2014: New directors, new pairs, big films
Vidya Balan and Farhan Akhtar will be seen for the first time together in Shaadi Ke Side Effects. PHOTO: FILE
Now that everyone is done with their New Year’s resolutions, let’s dive into things that will actually happen. Bollywood has quite a line up for fans this year, with new directors, on-screen romances and movies, according to the Times of India.
New directors
Sajid Nadiadwala will be making his directorial debut almost two decades after turning producer. His first offering under director’s hat will be Salman Khan-starrer Kick.
Samar Shaikh, who has worked as an illustrator on films like Chak De! India and Tashan, will be directing Bobby Jasoos, which will feature Vidya Balan as a detective.
Screenwriting duo Farhad-Sajid, known for masala films such as Golmaal and Chennai Express, will be working with Akshay Kumar, Tamannaah and Sonu Sood on It’s Entertainment.
After assisting KJo on My Name Is Khan, Abhishek Varman will now be sitting in the director’s seat for Johar’s next co-production 2 States.
New on-screen pairings
Salman Khan will be wooing Jacqueline Fernandez in Kick, for the first time, this year.
Saif Ali Khan will be co-starring alongside fresh faces this year, such as Ileana D’Cruz in Happy Ending and Tamannaah in Humshakals.
Tamannaah will be a recurring face this year. Akshay Kumar will be starring alongside the Southern import in It’s Entertainment.
Ranbir Kapoor and Anushka Sharma will be paired together for the first time in Bombay Velvet. The movie will see Sharma playing two characters, one of which is a jazz singer, and Kapoor will be a street fighter.
Farhan Akhtar is a lucky man! His leading ladies this year include Kareena Kapoor Khan in Bombay Samurai and Priyanka Chopra in his sister Zoya Akhtar's next film.
Arjun Kapoor has an interesting line-up of women in his films. He’ll be teaming up with Deepika Padukone for the first time in Finding Fanny, and will be romancing Alia Bhatt in 2 States.
Big Movies
Here are the top 5 Bollywood movies to watch out for this year
1.Gunday:
Starring Ranveer Singh & Arjun Kapoor, the film tells the story of the inseparable life of Bikram and Bala, who grew from being small time coal thieves, to becoming powerful mafia men.
2.Bombay Velvet:
The first of a trilogy, Bombay Velvet is the story of how the city became a Metropolis, set against the backdrop of love, greed, violence and jazz.
3.Bewakoofiyan:
The story of a couple’s survival through a recession in Delhi. The film sees a new pair on screen in the form of Sonam Kapoor and Ayushmann Khurana.
4.Gulaab Gang:
This feminism-fuelled Madhuri offering is based on a group of female Indian activists fighting against social injustice, clad in pink saris.
5.Humshakals:
Starring Saif Ali Khan, Riteish Deshmukh and Ram Kapoor for the first time in triple roles, this movie promises to be a riot.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 4th, 2014.