SUNDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2019 (PAGE 4) A look back at BOLLYWOOD 2019 It has been one positive year in Bollywood industry when biopics and period movies vied for attention with the genre of films popularised by B-town's newest sensation Ayushmann Khurrana. From Manikarnika to Bala, there were movies of different tastes to entertain cine-goers this year. Supriyo Hazra looks back how the year was for every tinsel town A-lister Akshay Kumar: There is a certain formula to make movie Gully Boy. He even performed movies successful and Akshay Kumar surely knows them 'Apna Time Ayega' with such perfection all. His diversity as an actor could be seen specifically in that professional rap artists will get a run 2019 when he delivered films like Kesari, which was a for their money. He was seen pairing up movie based on patriotism, and Mission Mangal, or a with Alia Bhatt in the movie, a first in their completely different genre of comedy with Housefull 4. careers. The movie, which promises to He ended the year by pairing up with Kareena Kapoor remain evergreen for generations ahead, Khan for Good Newwz. Overall, one can say that Akshay was even selected as India's entry for the promised to win hearts in 2019 with all these Best International Feature Film at the major releases. He has already unveiled his 92nd Academy Awards. In looks from upcoming release Sooryavanshi 2020, he will be seen and Laxmmi Bomb. Both of them promise to playing onscreen be two major bombs to be dropped by Khila- Kapil Dev in di Kumar next year. He recently 83. It will announced that he has com- also fea- pleted shooting for cop ture his movie Soorya- wife vanshi. Amitabh Bachchan: Age may be slowing down the spirit of megastar Deepika Padukone. Several images of the movie, with Ranveer in his Amitabh Bachchan and this became evident recently when he announced his Kapil avatar, have been released. He will also be seen in a movie named thought of retiring from films to his fans through his personal blog. Yes, the Jayeshbhai Jordaar where he will play the character of a Gujarati man. announcement may have left millions of his fans across the globe shattered. The first look of the movie is already out. But, they should not feel so much worried as Big B is currently busy shoot- ing for his upcoming important projects like Brahmastra and Chehre and Priyanka Chopra: Finally, India's international star Priyanka Chopra Gulabo Sitabo. So, it is time for us to sit back and cherish his next magi- made her Bollywood comeback with the movie 'The Sky Is Pink. Pairing oppo- cal creations before that day finally arrives when he decides to hang his site Farhan Akhtar, the film may not have emerged as a serious Bollywood box boots. This is also the year when he is receiving the 50th Dadasaheb Phalke office money churner, but the storyline and of course her performance in the movie Award. were appreciated. Away from the onscreen world, Priyanka, who recently completed her one year marriage anniversary with Nick Jonas, Ayushmann Khurrana: If you argue that 2018 was his best then think again was named as the top star of Indian cinema and tel- as Ayushmann Khurrana, Bollywood's present poster boy, delivered it even big- evision series in 2019 in a list released by IMDb. In Hollywood, ger this year with three consecutive hits. The Ayushmann mania has been sweep- her film Isn't It Romantic released amid mixed response from ing the Bollywood shores for the past couple of years and this time it started with moviegoers. She had earlier appeared in Hollywood movie the thriller Article 15. Then came Dream Girl, with its hidden soft message Baywatch in 2017. against the trouble of loneliness faced by people today. With his last release Bala, Ayushmann remained the hit maker of the year, creating Ranbir Kapoor: After delivering a major hit probably a new formula for upcoming stars to follow in the com- like Sanju in 2018, Ranbir Kapoor may not have ing days. Now, 2020 promises to be another Ayushmann Khur- appeared in any Bollywood movie this year rana year when he will be seen in two major releases Gulabo but he was busy shooting for his 2020 Sitabo and Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. Surely, these con- releases like Shamshera and Brah- tent driven movies, which Ayushmann specialises, can once mastra. In Brahmastra, he will again create certain magic and evetually establish this Chandi- seen sharing the screen space garh-born actor as the next biggest superstar. with Amitabh Bachchan and his lady love Alia Bhatt. Aamir Khan: After a poor show in 2018 with his Thugs of Hin- dostan, Aamir Khan did not appear on the big screen this year. He will be Shah Rukh Khan: Shah seen in 2020 with the movie Laal Singh Chaddha. He has already unveiled Rukh Khan did not appear on his first look from the film. In his Sikh-man avatar, Aamir Khan once the Big Screen this year. He again aims to deliver a hit next year. was last seen in 2018 movie Zero. The film had featured Anushka Sharma: A controversy following a Farokh Engineer's actors Katrina Kaif and remarks against her might have ended the months on a sour note but Anushka Sharma, making a Anushka and her heart-warming images with husband Virat Kohli reunion for them ever since from their various trips surely kept netizens busy across the months. the release of the 2012 movie However, away from her personal life, she was not seen in any Bolly- Jab Tak Hai Jaan. wood releasesin the past 12 months. Sunny Leone: Apart from appearing in several item numbers and Ajay Devgn: Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn was seen romancing music videos, Sunny once again made her comeback in Bollywood actress young Rakul Preet in the romantic comedy De De Pyar De movies with the movie Arjun Patiala. However, the movie and Sunny early in the year. He will soon be seen in historical film Tanhaji-The Unsung next year. Ajay Devgn looks dominating grabbed headlines for a strange reason this time. In one of the scenes of the movie, Sunny gives her contact number in the first looks of the movie released. to lead actor Diljit Dosanjh and it so happened that the number is an active one, in service, and belongs to one Puneet Deepika Padukone: Deepika and Ranveer completed a Agarwal of Delhi. Puneet was deluged by lewd calls since then. Puneet, 27, received 100 to 150 calls from random peo- War witnessed the year of togetherness in 2019 as they marked their first mar- ple every day. From obscene talk and people asking for video calls to verbal abuses, Puneet was subjected to all sorts much-awaited pairing up riage anniversary. She might be away from the big screen of strange requests because people thought it was Sunny Leone's phone number. in 2019 but in 2020 Deepika will come back with films Sushant Singh Rajput: Sushant appeared thrice this year in movies like Sonchiriya, Chhichhore and Drive. How- of Tiger Shroff and like Chhapaak and 83. Both the films are crucial. In 83, ever, his most successful movie remained Chhichhore. The friendship drama made it remarkably big at the Box Office Deepika is pairing up with Ranveer to play sports icon and remained as one of the major success stories of the year. Hrithik together as they Kapil Dev's wife Romi Bhatia's character. Ranveer, of course, will play the character of Kapil. Away from the world Shahid Kapoor: From his chocolate lover boy image in 2007 release Jab We Met, Shahid has walked a long jour- fought against each of sports, Deepika will be seen playing the role of an acid ney in Bollywood and this time Kabir Singh did the magic for the star. The crazy portrayal of a doctor, who is in love attack victim in Chapaak. The Meghna Gulza directed movie with intoxication and his beloved, played by Kiara Advani, surely earned the appreciation of youth in India. Infact, other in the action-thriller. is based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal. Kabir Singh, the character, has emerged as one of the most controversial in the Hindi film industry in recent times and dubbed utterly misogynistic. Shahid surely did not fail to deliver once again. Hrithik Roshan: Hrithik Roshan was back in 2019 in his best possible form where picked up momentum to deliver hits Mr. Bollywood of the Year with Super 30 and War. In Super 30, Hritik played the character of a teacher for the first time in his career. With beard and simpleton One movie, patriotism and Box Office glory, Vicky look, Hrithik was far away from the glamour icon he is known to play Kaushal and his iconic dialogue from the movie “How generally onscreen. War witnessed the much-awaited pairing up of Tiger is The Josh” had emerged as the next big thing Bolly- Shroff and Hrithik together as they fought against each other in the wood generated in this nation at the beginning of the action-thriller. Both emerged as Box Office hits. year. The film won hearts across the country. Uri sure- ly gave Bollywood one strong start to the year and the Salman Khan: Bollywood’s super rockstar, known for delivering momentum was eventually maintained as several hit a hit year every year, was back in 2019 with ‘Bharat’. Salman Khan films released and shined at the Box office in 2019.