Performances of the Year
I know I know. The year is not over yet. We still have some big ticket movies coming up but most of the year is out and it could be a good time to take stock, you know like a dress rehearsal.
So here are my choices for best acting performances in Bollywood this year-till now.
Kareena Kapoor for Jab We Met- Believe me, if someone had told me before I saw this movie that I would be nominating her for his, I would have told them that I would eat my own hat or worse. Thankfully nobody did but I am not ashamed to say that I am very impressed with this lady. Not yet a fan, but definitely very very impressed. Her performance in the first half had me smiling throughout all her scenes. Admitted that she had some very good lines but it was through her acting that she was able to make those scenes extremely memorable. Many a time when Bollywood has tried to show their female leads to be full of life the result has been cacophonic and silly (remember Mahima in Pardes?). Not in the case of Geet though. You end up looking at her reactions in the frame even when the other person, mostly Shahid, is speaking his dialogue which is saying a lot. But the real test was in the second half of the movie where her character is going through a major upheaval in her life. It is here when she balances the misery of her current life but also reveals that her true self is just simmering beneath the surface where she definitely goes a long way in staking her place as the performance of the year for me.
Shahrukh Khan for Chak De India- Frankly Shahrukh hasn’t had much competition in my opinion this year till now. For once he was out of his comfort zone, not playing a romantic lead but was able to lift an unconventional script to a big hit solely on the back of his performance as Kabir Khan. Again, he was helped by some very good writing in terms of both the plot and his dialogues but he delivered with panache as well. Thankfully he underplayed his role and we didn’t get the typical Shahrukh treatment that we have seen in some movies of his. I hope he does at least one Chak De type movie a year to keep himself honest.
Feel free to disagree with me in the comments and let me know if I have missed a great performance this year.
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how could u forget abhishek bachan for “guru”?
Forget Indian film industry for some time…
See INTO THE WILD … directed by Sean Penn,
***ing– Emily Hirsch
This is what u call movie making and acting….
Pucca oscars……
ram- I didn’t forget Abhishek in Guru. Didn’t like the movie so much but yes, it was definitely Abhishek’s best. But I still prefer the king khan’s turn in CDI. Tel me why I am wrong.
vineeth- will do that…:)
One comes to term with how devoid our industry is of acting talent when one reads that a performance by SRK which just stops short of his trademark hamming is among the best in the year.
What about Vinay Pathak in “Bheja Fry”?
And what about Pankaj Kapoor in “The Blue Umbrella”?
Playback- Frankly, I don’t completely disagree with you. Do you think I missed somebody else here? I agree Abhishek in Guru is a very close contender and maybe I don’t do justice to him because CDI is more recent in my memory…
Acting is not pretence. Acting is based on truth. The first job of an actor is to completely know himself and be comfortable with who he/she is.
Masks are for the opera.
Suddenly i feel there were no performance oriented movies released in 2007.. Also now iam getting a feeling that i havent seen too many movies in 2007.
Why not extend this to best performances which never got the due credit.
in my personal opinion the recent one ( not so recent though
) is Sanjay Dutt in Zinda.
Zinda got raped after the fact was publicized that its a copy of a korean movie.. I personally feel it ws a nicely shot ( copy or watever who cares) backed by good performance.
Bhaan %%%% Bahar nikal fir dikhata hoon.. As dark as it cud get .
suprised when I recently saw Jab We Met by how good Kareena was, and atleast I’ve not seen any better this year. And Abhay Deol for Manorama 6ft Under, tops SRK for me, not for Chak de but rather Om Shanti Om.
Arijit- Oh man! How did i forget Pankaj Kapoor in The Blue Umbrella. I think by the time the comments are done and dusted for this post, I would have changed my opinion at least a few times!
But I think Kareena’s performance is a clear winner…
Zinda=Old Boy (Chanwook park)..Although a copy..but Zinda had its moments.I thought the one shot fight sequence was better in Zinda than in Old Boy..but again Old Boy with the typical korean dark feel was more twisted.
As far as perfomances go..none which is afresh in my memory..nothing striking.Thought kareena Kapoor slightly breached the limits in Jab We Met.
Here are my nominations:
Tabu in The Namesake and Cheeni Kum,
Prabhu Deva in Prarambha (Santosh Sivan’s installment of AIDS JaaGO),
Kay Kay Menon in Black Friday,
Pankaj Kapur in Blue Umbrella,
Abhay Deol in Manorama,
Paresh Rawal in No Smoking,
Dharmendre in Life in a Metro and Johnny Gaddaar, and
Shabana Azmi in Honeymoon Travels.
I liked Abhi in Guru and Shahrukh in Chak De, pretty well too.
Zakir Hussain for Johnny G, Kay Kay for Black Friday and Boman Irani for Honeymoon Travels are the best acts closely followed by Vinay for Bheja Fry and Aditya Shrivastav for Black Friday.
Pankaj Kapoor for Dharm and Blue Umbrella are also right up there. Major actors..well none of them..please don’t keep speaking of Abhishek..people who understand acting will not be amused!
The year is not over yet, dudes, how come all of ya forgot Aamir’s Taare Zameen Par’. I have a gut feeling, he will move our minds with this film.
@ Indraneel
totally agree ! the repeated reference to Abhishek was making my stomach churn.
i think Kay Kay’s performance in Life in a Metro, Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd and Black Friday should get a special mention….he has put up the most consistent show in this year…and Amitabh Bachchan for “Nishabdh”
Amithab bachchan (CHEENI KUM) is surely a contender
the character had the unique geryness to it like the one that Jack Nicholson,melvin udall played in “AS GOOD AS IT GETS”
some other performance is loved this year i mean of the movies i watched
“vinay pathak” Bheja fry
“Kay kay menon” black friday
super star in “sivaji” (just because i dont think even the greatest actor in the world can replace him in that role or for that matter any role that is written for him.)
Karthi “paruthiveeran”
njoyed watching KAY KAY menon in honey moon travels … but wat a pathetic movie …
n sorry guys .. i thot that Abhishek bhachan was BAAAAD in GURU … i cudnt believe that MANI RATNAM ok’d the shots …
however supportin role … Mithun scores in GURU
missed “Irfan khan ” “kal penn” and “tabu” in
“THE NAMESAKE”
some how people seem to forget the character of badshah khan and tiger menon from black friday..
i think aditya srivastav and pawan malhotra were fantastic…
i also think kareena will end up winning the filmfare this year…
some other noteworthy perfomances besides the one mentioned above…
amitabh bachchan in Eklavya and Nishabd
Naseeruddin Shah in Parzania
akshay khanna in Gandhi my Father
irfan khan in Metro ( not award winning but
effective)
shreyas talpade in DDE
the best performance of the year is undoubtedly
by Pankaj kapur in The Blue Umbrella as Nand Kishor Khatri….simply marvelous
@ george …
Kal Penn is a degenerate to me, leave alone actor. Tabu & Irfan must be given their due ( though I suspect he is just Irfan right from the Vodafone ads to Metro to this film ) but when u take into consideration that the film was directed by Mira Nair who screwed up with such an amazing story, …there isnt much more to say.
I disagree. Those performances while good, had nothing special. They are getting attention because SRK played a quiet role for a change - not as much hamming. While Kareena played the usual OTT character without the excessive hamming.
From the movies I saw (there may be better performances unseen by me), the nominees for actor should be Irfan (Metro), Amitabh (Nishbad, CK or Eklayva), Abhishek (Guru) and Akshaye (GMF). For actress, I’ll go with Tabu (CK since the Namesake will be considered an english film), Aishwarya (Guru - surprisely) and Shabana (Honeymoon).
But knowing how the award system works, I foresee SRK and Kareena winning all the awards.
ok, now I find myself being partial to Amitabh turn in Nishabh. I thought that was a very strong performance on a very difficult role…
I thought Tabu was fantastic in Namesake…
CS- Don’t think Kareena’s was the usual OTT character. She never became irritating in the whole movie. And that was a great achievement in that role. She never went over the knife’s edge…
i think abhi is top of ma list.. i dont look at movie did gud or not.. chek de was aite.. a masala fr hollywood to bollywood.. for tht masala thy wouldnt even consider in the oscar thn y sould we.. since it did gud business give tht movie awards .. it has been working for ages .. n thts i dont watch any of the award shows cuz it crap … all the famous well known banner movie goin to be in awards. small movies jus go down the drain unnotice…srk is ok i think he is over rated backed by big banners.. so for him doin different role thn its usual romantic cry baby.. i wouldnt give him the top spot.. sorry srk…i thikn for me is abhi he had gud dialogues n he came out rockin..movie was awsome one of the best of ths year..
Was Parzania actually released this year? IMDB has it as 2005 and I saw it two weeks ago. If so, I’d like to add Sarika to my nominees for that movie.
I dont think BF or Blue Umbrella would be counted as they are late releases, its a kind of a sucky loophole to avoid giving awards to such films.
wheres Vinay Pathak, Zakir Hussain, Neil Mukesh???????
N honestly i thought Shahrukh in OSO was much better than wot he was in Chak De.
Guru, Ranbir, John(NS), Blue Umbrella, Eklavya…
CDI? no man, no way..
will catch up on more later…
Kareena was great in JWM… And I think that Shahid was equally good. He should definitely be up there (ahead of SRK I would say).
I would definitely count Abhishek in Guru as a good contender.
And while we are on the supporting roles, one of the best one by the girl who played Komal Choutala (the hockey player from Haryana) in CDI. I think that was the best performence of the movie (better than SRK and Shilpa Shukla!!!).
For Supporting Actors: Mithun definitely for Guru.
I am not a big fan of SRK in CDI. He did come out of the comfort zone but then the performance was ordinary at best. He has done much better outside his comfort zone (remember Darr, Baazigar, Anjaam, KHKN - when he didn’e have a comfort zone).
Amitabh’s turn in Nishabd is not the stuff of a single watch, much like his Eklavya or Mithun’s in Guru. You have to watch some scenes over and over. What an year it has been! A true celebration, which only continues with TZP, KKC..
D&C, do watch Guru. I spent the first quarter of the year watching and writing about it. Its my favorite Mani Sir film after Iruvar.
CDI was just a bearded superstar playing smart for me. It was a ‘whats the big deal’ film for me along with Jab we met and Metro(oh why am I counting Metro here).
Mavericks like Pankaj Sir or Irfan I think are beyond awards. Awards as such suck in our country anyways. They can’t think beyond 3-4 categories. But ya, its nice to see such a hit list, this is where we would get to hear honest views than crappy award nights.
I ll probably do an end of year film essay, this year deserves it of all.
In this world of ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’, only the Shah Rukhs, Abhisheks, Karan Johars and Yash Chopras win.
Imagine…Kailash Kher didn’t even get nominated for ‘Allah Ke Bandey’ from WBHH Part 2. Rekha Bharadwaj didn’t get anything for ‘Namak’ from Omkara.
The true winners in my mind are people who are always under the radar. Pankaj Kapoor for Blue Umbrella. Zakir Hussain for Johnny Gaddar. Etcetera.
But come the nominations, and I’m sure we’ll see Shah Rukh for Chak De, Rani (despite being terrible) in Laaga C Mein D, Abhishek for Guru (though I admit he was a vast improvement) and Ranbir for Saawariya. Sanjay ‘Neela’ Bhansali is also sure to be nominated.
Aah, it’s a cruel world.
Sorry Shiney, Soha and Sudhir Mishraji…Khoya Khoya Chand seems destined to go the way of Hazaaron K Aisi…loved by all, but with a bare awards cupboard.
Just my two cents!
- Shantesh
Tushar- I did watch Guru, on the opening night. I was not so enamoured by it as you have been. I have watched most of Mani Ratnam’s movies, certainly all starting from the 90s but I found this one to be a stale effort…I agree with you on Iruvar though…one of his best and sheer poetry…
Shreyash-I like Shahrukh whenever he hasn’t hammed which I think comes easily to him. So my favorite movies of his have been CDI, Swades, Paheli, Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa where he has been more restrained.
Anyway, I have already changed my mind. My performance of the year in the male category now is Amitabh for Nishabdh.
D&C, no offense mate, but with Guru I feel everybody carried so much Mani baggage from the past, making all those comparisons and stuff. I felt it deserved an independent judgement. It was surely a Mani film for me with its trademark cinematic eloquence and moments but I could very well have loved it all the same if it had a Anil Sharma on the credits as well. Do revisit it some years later, you might like it.
I think Kareena Kapoor in Jab We Met is clear winner in female actors. Also Tabu did an excellent job in The Namesake. And there is no dought Shahrukh Khan in Chak De India tops the list of Best Male Actors! And Pawan Malhotra’s performance in BlackFriday is the biggest competitor for SRK!! But still there some of my personal favorites who must be nominated - Abhay Deol in Manorama, Emraan Hashmi in Aawarapan, Abhishek Bachchan in Guru, Akshay Kumar in Bhool Bhulaiya… cheerz.. pls reply to this post and share your reviews.
@D&C
What about SRK in Dil Se…?
And yeah by Maniratnam standards Guru was a bad film. The good thing about the movie was that Mani roped in good actors like Madhavan for small roles (remember the guy on the judges panel towards end? what’s his name?). I don’t think Abhishek was outstanding in any way in Guru. He was decent…perhaps his best performance till date but then that is not saying much.
For performance of the year…ummmn…lets wait for ‘Taare Zameen par’ and ‘Khoya khoya chaand’
“Taare Zameen Par ” will be a sure shot disappointment. As far as “Khoya Khoya Chand” goes,… I am hoping.
This repeated reference to Abhishek in “Guru” is tell-tale sign of our audience intelligence - en masse.
Indian cinema needs a revolution. But I dont foresee it happening. Sad,…very sad.
@ Dazed & Confused, saw an excerpt from Nishabd, … partially agree with you in a “relative” way.
PFC has portrayed a sad future for Indian cinema, for if the mirror aint good enough ,…the reflection will suck.
I truly hope PFC constitutes less than 0.1% of the Indian audience in the intesrest that cinema thrives in this country beyond the realm of ” mediocre copy-cats”.
errata : “interest”
I didn’t nominate Abhishek for Guru because I prefer acting when it’s less “big.” However, it doesn’t hurt to appreciate when someone puts in a good effort.
It’s troubling me more and more that we promote the good by tearing down the so-called bad. How are the two necessarily related? Try making your point without the second half of the equation — “This is good, so the others are putridly bad.” You get “This is good.” It still works.
You don’t have to like populist actors. Anyway, great acting is in the eye of the beholder. I enjoy a set-chewing acting storm, but I would still give my awards to the actors whose emotions just barely rise to the surface.
Neera, the guy on the panel was Roshan Seth. He’s always an example of great acting.
Sorry, for the typo, Neeraja. Typing on a laptop.
Neeraja- Shahrukh in Dil Se is, forgive me, one of Shahrukh’s worst, in my opinion. Santosh Sivan was the star in that movie…
Evelyn Tu- You make a good point, as always.
i believe Madhavan and Mithun in Guru were much more superior than anybody this year.
@D&C
(except the songs which are good as an album but not in the movie).
Yeah Santosh Sivan was as always brilliant and I think, Shahrukh played the role of a persistent, irritating, crazy lover quite decently (but there was something wrong with his looks in the movie). Of course there are a whole lot of people who could have done it better and may be you are right, I love that movie so much that everything about it seems good
In any case, good performance by him or not, Dil se…, in my opinion, is one of his best movies.
@Evelyn Tu
thanks
Among the nominations so far, I think, Pankaj Kapur for Blue Umbrella is the clear winner.
Sorry p(l)ayback but i believe Taare zameen par will be great movie…aamir Khan being a perfectionist and after Laggan,dil chata hai,Rang de basanti will sure shot elevate the level of cinema in his directorial debut..
moreover film on dyslexic child is probably the first on indian celluloid…
AMITABH in Nishabd is exceptional…
guys watch him in the climax when he decides against commiting suicide..simply splendid
Nishabd is unarguably amitabh’s and RGV’s most underrated work……
i think jackie shroff was really awesome in eklavya.
don’t be surprised. but really thinkhe was great in it.
Hope, you guys have not forgotten Akshaye Khanna’s natural performance in Gandhi, My Father!Akshaye Khanna should win the best actor award for Gandhi, My Father for his extraordinary performance as Harilal Gandhi.
^Yeah, that’s what I’m wondering…Me too, I mean I prefer your choice… I’m in complete awe of Akshaye Khanna’s performance in Gandhi, My Father. I still wonder about why both audiences and critics prefer Abhishek Bachchan for Guru and Shah Rukh Khan for Chak De India! These two actors were really fantastic since they have author-backed role. However, their performances were not as natural and extraordinary as Akshaye Khanna’s performance. If Abhishek and SRK had powerful author-backed character then Akshaye Khanna as Harilal Gandhi has an award-winning one. As you say, Akshaye Khanna should win the best actor for Gandhi, My Father. And, I agree with you! It’s not that easy to play both Harilal Gandhi and Abdullah Gandhi so naturally and marvellously. And, our natural gifted actor Akshaye Khanna did…It’s his rarest performance…..
i think SRK should win best actor popular category for chak de india and akshaye khanna must win critics award best actor for gandhi, my father
Good u are telling this now,,,,,people like audiences and critics seem that they almost forgot Akshaye Khanna’s real performance as Harilal and Abdullah gandhi in Gandhi, My father
No other performance is better that Akshaye khanna as harilal. he expressed different feelings with ease and maturity and also with great callibre that it made us believe that such harilal really exists the way that is portrayed onscreen (performance by akshaye khanna):-?
Akshaye Khanna deserves to be nominated and won best actor critic award for his natural performance in Anil Kapoor’s gandhi, My father.
Best Film: Gandhi, My Father
Best Director: Feroze Abbas Khan (Gandhi, My Father)
Best Actor: Akshaye Khanna (Gandhi, My Father)
Best Actress: Kareena Kapoor (Jab We Met)
Best Actor - Critic: Akshaye Khanna (Gandhi, My Father)
Best Actress - Critic: Madhuri Dixit (Aaja Nachle)
Best Supporting Actor: Akshaye Khanna (Salaam-e-Ishq)
Best Supporting Actress: Shefali Shah (Gandhi, My Father)
Best Actor in Comic Role: Akshaye Khanna (Salaam-e-Ishq)
Best Actor in a Villainous Role: Vivek Oberoi (SOAL)
Best Male Newcomer: Ranbir Kapoor (Saawariya)
Best Female Newcomer: Sonam Kapoor (Saawariya)
Best Debut Director: Feroze Abbas Khan (Gandhi, My Father)
Best Story: Chak De India
Best Screenplay: Salaam-e-Ishq
Best Choreography: Vaibhavi Merchant (Jhoom Baraabar Jhoom)
Best Dialogue: Gandhi, My Father
Best Onscreen Jodi: Shahid Kapoor-Kareena Kapoor (Jab We Met)
:d/
Star of the year male: Shah Rukh Khan (Chak De India and OSO)
-Star of the year female: Kareena Kapoor (Jab We Met)
-Best Performance of the Year Male: Akshaye Khanna (Gandhi, My Father)
-Best Performance of the Year Female: Madhuri dixit (Aaja Naachley)
-RockStar Male: Akshay Kumar (Bhool Bhulaiya)
-RockStar Female: Kareena Kapoor (Jab We Met)
Best actor: Akshaye Khanna (gandhi, my father)
Best actress: Kareena Kapoor (jab we met)
Best film: Chak de India
Best Director: Feroze Abbas Khan (gandhi, my father)
Shah Rukh Khan - best actor (Chak De India) Popular Award.
Akshaye Khanna - best actor (Gandhi, My Father) Critic Award.
:d/
SRK for chak de india
Kareena for Jab we met are clear favourites…
best movie has to be Taare Zameen Par…