In this weekend blog, I am looking back on the Bollywood in the decade which has just passed 3 days back, when we entered into new decade 2020-29. I am going to describe few milestones of the past decade :
1 Actors Who Left Their Mark In This Decade : There are 15 artists who with their work established themselves in the Bollywood during this decade, and they were :
- Vidya Balan- she performed very well in whichever film she acted.
- Shahid Kapoor- He came out from his lover boy image and acted in film like Haider, Kabir Singh, Rangoon, Udta Punjab.
- Raj Kumar Rao- Silent performer, whose performance was appreciated in most of his films.
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui- An artist par excellence, who came into his own from Kahani and then never looked back.
- Kangana Ranaut- She was brilliant in Queen, Tan Weds Manu and Tanu Weds Manu Return, Rangoon, Manikarnika and many more.
- Ranbir Kapoor- Brilliant in Rock Star, Barfi, Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani, Ae Dil Hai Mushqil. He is keeping Kapoor legacy alive.
- Ranveer Singh- He has not looked back since his debut with band Baaja Baraat. Real entertainer and all rounder.
- Alia Bhatt- At the age of 26 she has become veteran. With films like Udta Punjab, Highway, Dear Zindagi, Raazi she has proved she is real performer.
- Manoj Bajpayee- Although he debuted in Bollywood almost 25 years back, but with his acting power, he is still great performer. He was treat to watch in Gangs of Waseypur.
- Ayushmann Khurana- With his debut with Vicky Donor 8 years back, in the last 2 years he has come into his own with films like Andhadhun, Badhai Ho, Shubh Mangal Savdhaan, Bareilly Ki Barfi, and many more.
- Irfaan Khan- He is one actor who lives which ever role he plays be it Hindi medium, Lunch Box, Piku and many more.
- Sushant Singh Rajput- After his debut in Kai Po Che, he emerged as fine actor in films like MS Dhoni-Biopic, PK, and other films.
- Anushka Sharma- Although she debuted in last decade, but during this decade she emerged as good actress with movies like Jab tak Hai Jaan, Sui Dhaga, Sultaan, PK and others.
- Deepika Padukone- she also debuted last decade. But this decade belonged to her with films like Cocktail, Love Aaj Kal, Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, Piku, Ramleela, Padmavat, Baajirao Mastaani etc.
- Bhumi Pednekar- after her debut in Dum Lagake Haisha as overweight girl, in whatever films she acted they were all super hits.
2 Question Of The Decade :
Baahubali’s first part, which had phenomenal success left the nation in frenzy as all the viewers wondered “ Katappa Ne Baahubali Ko Kyon Mara”? And when the part 2 released people thronged to theatres to find out the answer.
3 Entertainer Of The Decade : Ranveer Singh
He had everything what you want in Bollwood Hero, and he proved himself time and again during this year with films like band Baaja baarat (debut film), Baajirao Mastani , Ladies vs Vicky Bahl, Ramleela, Baajirao Mastani, Dil Dhadkne Do, Simba, Gullyboy, Padmavat.
4 Trailblazer Of The Decade : Ayushmann Khurana
Sperm, sex, everything the man touches turn gold.
Vicky Donor, Andhadhun, Article 15, Badhaai Ho, Bala, Dream Girl — in cleverly and cautiously choosing his movies that could not be more unconventional and different from one another, the actor has become a genre by himself.
5 Music Album Of The Decade : Rockstar
Composer AR Rahman and lyricist Irshad Kamil’s breathtaking sound track of this film was really marvellous. It has songs that make you feel alive again, songs that express all your pent-up emotions for you, songs that make you fall in love again, songs that haunt and hurt, songs that throw you in a spiritual trance — excellent stuff.
6 Khan Of The Decade :
Sure, Saif Ali Khan had a ball doing his thing this decade and more power to him, but the stakes were never too high. When his films were not doing well he turned to web series, and his web series Sacred Games really did well.
Aamir Khan’s passion remains unchanged, he is the only star/actor who kept himself evolving with films like PK, Dangal, Secret Superstar
Box office wise, Salman Khan still rules the roost. He had the biggest hits, but by starring in second-rate rehashes of popular characters like Chulbul Pandey and Tiger, he completely dumbed down his own legacy.
Shah Rukh Khan tried more than he succeeded, but in the long run that’s what we’ll remember, his efforts to evolve, experiment and change. But at this moment he is lying low, with no film of his on the floor. He is trying very hard to break his lover boy image, but has not succeeded much.
So all the Khans were relevant in this decade.
7 Turnaround Of The Decade : Priyanka Chopra
She acted in few Bollywood films during this decade like Baajirao Mastani, Dil Dhadkne Do, Barfi, and in Hollywood she acted as lead role in TV series Quantico, and few films, and in the process she became International star. International assignments, red carpets, magazine covers, acclaimed roles, world domination, fairy tale wedding to Nick Jonas, Priyanka Chopra Jonas totally turned the tide in her favour this decade.
The second part of this article will be in my next weekend blog.
Waiting for your feed backs/views/comments.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
3rd Jan 2020.