Great expectations

NEW DEHLI: Romance, action, comedy, real life stories... Bollywood is geared up with an interesting line-up of releases in 2011, starring big names like Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Vidya Balan and Ajay Devgn who have more than one film on offer.

Vidya Balan and Rani Mukherji will start the New Year on a serious note with No One Killed Jessica. Balan will also be seen in another real life story, Dirty Pictures, a biopic inspired by the southern sex symbol Silk Smitha’s tragic life.

The serious mood will soon be dispelled by the release of fun flicks, Turning 30 and Yamla Pagla Deewana starring Gul Panag.

None other than Bollywood perfectionist Aamir Khan will appear in his wife Kiran Rao’s directorial debut Dhobi Ghat and is also expected to appear on screen again at the end of the year in Reema Kagti’s yet-to-be-titled film.

Madhur Bhandarkar’s first comedy Dil Toh Baccha Hai Ji will wrap up the first month of the year. The National Award-winning filmmaker, known for making hard-hitting films, forays into comedy with Ajay Devgn and a host of other actors such as Emraan Hashmi, Omi Vaidya, Shazahn Padamsee and Shruti Haasan.

Devgn, who had the maximum releases in 2010, has been named the most profitable male actor of the year, once again has the highest number of releases in 2011 with Tezz, Rohit Shetty’s remake of Tamil hit Singham as well as his Diwali comedy with Abhishek Bachchan, Aarakshan and Rascals.

It was not a favourable year for Akshay Kumar, but he may climb up on the hits list with his first release of the year, Patiala House which is inspired by the first Sikh cricketer in the British team. In the latter part of the year, Kumar has the release of Thank You, Desi Boyz, Joker and Housefull 2 lined up.

February will also end on a humorous note with the release of comedy Tanu Weds Manu and in March, Abhishek Bachchan will return with the thriller Game and Players, alongwith Rohit Shetty’s Diwali comedy.

Bollywood’s reining king; Shah Rukh Khan will have two releases, Don 2 and Ra.One, as well as the animation film Koochie Koochie Hota Hain, in which he has done a voiceover.

The other Khan’s are not far behind with Saif Ali Khan’s long-awaited home production Agent Vinod, which will see him in the lead, hitting screens, he will also be seen playing an important role in Aarakshan. Salman Khan is expected to repeat the success of Dabangg with three releases in 2011 with Ready, My Love Story and Bodyguard.

His Kites couldn’t fly high, but Hrithik Roshan is set to prove his worth with Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and the remake of Agneepath. Heartthrob Ranbir Kapoor will take his versatility to another level with Rockstar and Barfee.

While John Abraham will be seen in the Hindi remake of Tamil action cop drama Kaakha Kaakha and two sequels including Dostana 2 and Housefull 2, Sanjay Dutt will feature in Rascals and Double Dhamaal. Imran Khan will feature in Delhi Belly, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Short Term Shaadi.

As for the women; while it wasn’t a great year for Sonam Kapoor, she bagged three projects - Thank You, Mausam and Players. Bollywood’s newest item girl, Katrina Kaif will entertain her fans with her roles in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan.

Priyanka Chopra will be seen as a femme fatale in Saat Khoon Maaf and as a deaf and dumb girl in Barfee. Kareena Kapoor has Shah Rukh’s home production Ra.One and her boyfriend Saif Ali Khan’s film Agent Vinod as well as Short Term Shaadi in her kitty for the upcoming year.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2011.