BizAsia’s 10 Must-watch Movies this Winter
This year�۪s been an exciting one with slightly ��hatke�۪ films working at the box office. ��Kahaani�۪, ��Barfi!�۪, ��Cocktail�۪ all touched the right chords, while masala films like ��Agneepath�۪, ��Ek Tha Tiger�۪, ��Rowdy Rathore�۪ and the like expectedly ensured ample footfalls at theatres.
But 2012 isn�۪t over yet. We at��BizAsia picked out the top ten Bollywood flicks (in order of release date) to watch out for that will help reduce the chill factor this winter. Read on to find out which ones made the cut.
‘English Vinglish’
Release date: 5th October 2012
Director: Gauri Shinde
*ing: Sridevi, Priya Anand, Mehdi Nebbou, Amitabh Bachchan (cameo)
Up first is ��English Vinglish�۪, which marks the return of diva Sridevi to the silver screen after 15 years. Sridevi was last seen in ��Judaai�۪ (1997) before she settled down with Boney Kapoor for matrimonial bliss.
‘English Vinglish’ sees her as��Sashi, a��housewife based in New York, who enrols��on an English course to appease her family. The initial trailers of the film have been remarkably refreshing and the fact that we get to see Sridevi with Amitabh Bachchan together on screen (even if just for one scene) has built our anticipation even more.
Directed by newbie Gauri Shinde and with a supporting cast of relative unknowns, ‘English Vinglish’ releases in October, and regardless of its outcome at the box office, we can place our bets that Sridevi still has the chops to enthral us in yet another sparkling performance.
‘Aiyyaa’
Release date: 12th October 2012
Director: Sachin Kundalkar
*ing: Rani Mukerji, Prithviraj
We had absolutely no expectations from this one, but after watching the teaser, we�۪ve definitely had a change of heart and perception of its prospects. There�۪s something very refreshing about the look of the film and Rani Mukerji seems like she�۪s in fine form after a very long time.
A quirky love story revolving around a Marathi girl (Mukerji) and a Tamil artist played by South star Prithviraj, ��Aiyyaa’ recounts the story of a couple and their cultural clashes against a Maharashtrian backdrop in Pune.
The film is produced by Anurag Kashyap and Viacom 18 and directed by Sachin Kundalkar. It releases on 12th October and, with this and ��Talaash�۪ in the pipeline, it looks like Mukerji is back with a bang.
‘Student Of The Year’
Release date: 19th October 2012
Director: Karan Johar
*ing: Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor
A Karan Johar film is always keenly anticipated regardless of its star cast ��� especially a film helmed by him after a brief hiatus. In ��Student Of The Year�۪, for the first time he risks taking on three debutants around whom the film revovles ��� Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Siddharth Malhotra.
The first look and trailers of the film unsurprisingly are fresh and the music by Vishal-Shekhar has that required zing.
Just like Johar�۪s debut blockbuster, ��Kuch Kuch Hota Hai�۪ (1998), ��Student Of The Year�۪ is a campus romance and besides the three debutants also stars Rishi Kapoor, Sana Saeed, Ronit Roy, Kitu Gidwani, Ram Kapoor and Kajol in a cameo. Whether ��Brand Dharma�۪ can pull off a blockbuster without star power remains to be seen, so the jury�۪s still out on this one, but needless to add we�۪ll still be queuing up for tickets to see just what all the fuss is about.
‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’
Release date: 13th November 2012
Director: Yash Chopra
*ing: Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Anupam Kher, Rishi Kapoor, Neetu Kapoor
Yash Raj Films have done their best to maintain secrecy around Yash Chopra�۪s big Diwali release ��� right from the film�۪s title to its plot everything was, until recently, shrouded in mystery.
Shot in the terrains of Ladakh and various hot spots across London, this highly anticipated film stars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, Anushka Sharma, Anupam Kher and Rishi and Neetu Kapoor in cameos. It has music by maestro A.R Rahman, lyrics by Gulzar and cinematography by Anil Mehta and marks veteran Chopra�۪s return to direction after a hiatus of seven years.
The first trailer of the film was launched recently and seems to have all the markings of a typical Chopra romance, although something, somewhere is amiss. Either way we can always count on the Rahman-Gulzar combo to give us some lilting melodies and that�۪s half the battle won right there. Besides, Chopra has almost always delivered so we already have the makings of a blockbuster. However, its clashing with an Ajay Devgn starrer, may limit its chances somewhat.
‘Son of Sardaar’
Release date: 13th November 2012
Director: Ashwini Dheer
*ing: Ajay Devgn, Sanjay Dutt, Juhi Chawla, Sonakshi Sinha
The other big Diwali release, ��Son of Sardaar�۪, pales in almost every aspect to ��Jab Tak Hai Jaan�۪, be it the star cast, the director and the music but it may turn out to be the dark horse over the festive period given Devgn�۪s unfailing track record at the box office.
Little is known about the film except that it is�� a remake of the 1923 American silent movie ��Our Hospitality ��starring Buster Keaton and Natalie Talmadge.
The initial trailers of the film suggest that it is completely a massy film with both Devgn and Dutt playing larger than life characters and Chawla and Sinha at their chirpy best. Director Dheer�۪s first film was the respectable ��Atithi Tum Kab Jaaoge�۪ (2010), so this definitely has the potential to surprise and steal the thunder from ��Jab Tak Hai Jaan�۪.��
Roll on Diwali for the big touted clash of the titans.
‘Talaash’
Release date: 30th November 2012
Director: Reema Kagti
*ing: Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor
There were murmurs that director Kagti and Aamir Khan didn’t see eye to eye on many aspects of the film which is why it was incessantly delayed.
That minor niggle aside, the new trailer of the film was unveiled recently revealing a fair bit about the plot. It sees Khan as Inspector Shekhawant ��� an officer who�۪s married to Rani Mukerji�۪s character, but ends up having an affair with a prostitute named Rosie (Kareena Kapoor), while investigating a series of baffling murders.
Like Khan�۪s previous films, this one looks hard hitting and powerful too with stellar performances to boot.
��Talaash�۪ has music by Ram Sampat and releases worldwide on 30th November.
Bring it on.
‘Khiladi 786’
Release date: 7th December 2012
Director: Ashish R Mohan
*ing: Akshay Kumar, Akshay Kumar, Asin, Mithun Chakraborty, Himesh Reshammiya, Paresh Rawal
Akshay Kumar is back to what he does best – another film with ‘Khiladi’ in its title. There was a time when all his films had the lucky word somewhere in their titles but that hasn�۪t happened for a while ��� until now that is.
The only buzz around this film was the game of musical chairs with its lead heroine. Nargis Fakhri was ousted from the project and replaced by a more dependable Asin, but besides that not much is known about the film�۪s plot ��� that is, if there is one.
The initial posters of the film look tacky, but if Kumar can make mundane films like ��Housefull 2�۪ (2012) work then this should be cakewalk in comparison.
It makes the list purely on the basis of its saleability factor��because masses have been known to lap up atrocious films. A little presumptuous we know but we hope Kumar puts a bit more thought into the film’s script than he did with the initial poster design.
‘Dabangg 2’
Release date: 21st December 2012
Director: Arbaaz Khan
*ing: Salman Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Prakash Raj
The first film which released a couple of years ago was surprisingly good. As Chulbul Pandey, Salman Khan stole the hearts of millions with his corrupt yet playful inspector with a heart of gold. It was also the film that launched Sonakshi Sinha to stardom and both stars are back for the film’s sequel.
Again, not much is known about the film�۪s plot, but we�۪re not entirely convinced yet as the original film’s director has been replaced ��� with Arbaaz Khan directing for the first time ��� and Sonu Sood no longer playing the film’s antagonist it is unclear as to where exactly they will take the overall plot.
The only buzz about the film is that Kareena Kapoor will be seen in a raunchy item number along the lines of Munni Badnaam.
For now, the jury�۪s out until Christmas. Lets see if Salman-mania can cast its spell on the box office once again.
‘Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola’
Release date: 11th January 2013
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
*ing: Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma, Arya Babbar, Pankaj Kapoor, Shabana Azmi
Vishal Bhardwaj�۪s film may not always do well at the box office but nobody can fault him for experimenting and attempting to think outside the box. This film makes the list purely on the basis of its talented cast, an untried combo (Sharma-Khan), and an interesting premise.
Khan was actually director Bhardwaj�۪s third choice after both Ajay Devgn and Shahid Kapoor opted out.
Not much is known about the film�۪s plot except that Khan plays a rustic character (he grew his beard for the same) who goes on a journey to reunite with his wife played by Sharma.
The film is produced by Fox Star Studios and releases in January.
‘Race 2’
Release date: 25th January 2013
Director: Abbas-Mustan
*ing: Saif Ali Khan, John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Deepika Padukone, Ameesha Patel, Bipasha Basu
The first film ��Race�۪ released way back in 2008 and, ever since, there’s been talks of its sequel which is now finally on the floors. According to an interview in The Times of India earlier this year, producer Ramesh Taurani had said, “The expectations from��Race 2��are humungous and we plan to make it bigger and better than the first part.”
The sequel takes off from where the first one ended, with only Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor returning to reprise their roles from the original and Bipasha Basu in a cameo.
With an entirely attractive female cast, Pritam returning to do the musical honours, Taurani�۪s decent track record and Abbas Mustan�۪s penchant for whodunits, this one has the full potential to set the box office ablaze.
Our bets are on for this one.
There you have it then. Grab your coats and get set to while away those winter blues. It looks like we have a lot to look forward to. Whether these flicks heat up or freeze dead at the box office – well only time will tell!
