BizAsia’s 10 most promising debuts 2014

2014 has been a year where many new faces have proved successful and many of those have made well-established stars sit up and take notice. There have been some already known faces which have made the transition from the small to the big screen and there have also been offspring of well-known families and celebrities that have also made their Bollywood debuts this year. BizAsia have hand-picked a list of five males and five females who seem to be the most promising of 2014’s bunch.

Fawad Khan

Fawad Khan is perhaps one of the most popular actors to make his big screen debut this year, which he did in Sonam Kapoor starrer ‘Khoobsurat’ (2014). Having seen a rise in popularity on TV with the Pakistani series ‘Humsafar’, Khan was soon spotted by the big wigs . He played the role of the prince in ‘Khoobsurat’ and received much acclaim for his performance.

Tahir Raj Bhasin

He is the only one on the list who has made his debut in a lead role as a negative character. However, this didn’t stop Tahir Raj Bhasin from being noticed. Although the actor had bit parts in previous films such as last year’s ‘Kai Po Che’, when he spoke to BizAsia he said he counted ‘Mardaani’ as his official debut. Acting alongside the powerhouse of talent that is Rani Mukerji, Bhasin played the character of Karan Rastogi – the good-looking villain which you don’t know whether to hate – with absolute perfection.

Tiger Shroff

As son of a well-known and much-loved star, Tiger Shroff may not have had it easy with all the expectations surrounding his foray into Bollywood. However, in ‘Heropanti’, he shone as one of the most promising newcomers of the year. His dancing skills coupled with his performance in the character proved a hit and no doubt he will go far with the right choices in films.

Armaan Jain

‘Lekar Hum Deewana Dil’ saw the debut of Armaan Jain. Stemming from Bollywood royalty, the Kapoors, Jain would also have faced a lot of pressure to live upto his talented family’s name. Although the film didn’t do too well, it seems this actor should be given another chance to show his mettle. No doubt this will definitely happen soon and then another grandson of Raj Kapoor can start to wow the audiences… and the girls!

Barun Sobti

Many fans would have been waiting to see this actor on the big screen and it finally happened. Barun Sobti made the transition to Bollywood, having cemented a successful career on Indian television in serials. Just this month, his first film, ‘Main Aur Mr Riight’ released which saw him opposite Shenaz Treasury. He has been quoted that he will now not take a backward step towards daily soaps again so let’s hope he also gets the right movies come his way for him to prolong his stay in Indian cinema.

Daisy Shah

Daisy Shah switched careers from choreography to acting with Salman Khan starrer ‘Jai Ho’ (2014). She was appreciated in the role and being a Khan heroine is no mean feat. Rumour has it Shah has been signed for Abbas-Mustan’s next with TV comedian Kapil Sharma and no doubt this will add to her as yet short film career.

Isabel Kaif

All eyes were on this beauty when her debut film ‘Dr Cabbie’ released. Being a Salman Khan production and her being Katrina Kaif’s sister was enough to get those tongues wagging. No doubt Katrina would have given her sibling some pointers when it comes to the industry and we are sure this star-sister already has some film offers coming her way.

Kriti Sanon

This newcomer is definitely one of the most promising ladies on the list. Kriti Sanon was seen with Tiger Shroff in ‘Heropanti’. Since then, she’s landed herself ‘Singh is Bling’ with Akshay Kumar and also ‘Farzi’ opposite Shahid Kapoor. She seems to be the perfect package and a fresh face is something some actors are always searching for. She must’ve wowed the filmmakers in her debut to have been offered and bagged such roles in the space of her first year.

Patralekha

Patralekha made her debut opposite her real-life beau Rajkummar Rao and it seems she is probably not going to look back. In ‘City Lights’ she received praise and the film did well with the critics. Rao is definitely known for his versatility and no doubt this seems to have rubbed off on her girlfriend too. Although it hasn’t been reported that she’s being considered for any forthcoming films, we feel it’s just a matter of time.

Rakul Preet Singh

In ‘Yaariyan’, there were a few newcomers. However, Rakul Preet Singh makes our list as one of the most promising. She has already been acting in South cinema but made her Bollywood debut in the film which was one of the earlier releases of the year. As a former model, Singh will do well as long as she makes the right moves with the right films. Meanwhile, her South career is still gaining momentum too.

As with every list, there are always those that don’t quite cut it but are worth a mention. One such female which ticks that box is Mannara Chopra who was recently seen in ‘Zid’. As cousin of both Priyanka Chopra and Parineeti Chopra, she has the backing of her family. Her debut was one which many were looking forward to and we have the faith that although the film was not too popular, she has made her mark and will soon be seen again on the big screen.

Jay Bhanushali made his Bollywood debut in ‘Hate Story 2’ and what a debut it was. Often seen as one of the multi-talented guys in entertainment, the actor took a bold step in being part of a film which was bound to get people talking. He seems to have changed his image from a chocolate boy to a hot-blooded man and it seems to have worked. He is another TV persona trying his hand in Indian cinema and if Ayushmann Khurrana and Sushant Singh Rajput are any example to go by, he will also continue to be welcomed.

Stay tuned for out upcoming 2014 roundups in the coming days.