Character Potrayals of 2016 That Prove That Bollywood Is still the Place to Be.

By Jasleen Saini | 672 | 31 Dec 2016

With another year coming to an end, let us take a look at stellar performances by actors that not only shone through, but also prove that Bollywood, despite all it's flaws, is still a force to be reckoned with. This year has been full of flicks that failed to impress critics and viewers alike, inspite of the hype associated with them. And then there were some movies that wowed us without having big names tied to them. We know things are changing in Bollywood when we see the audience embracing the idea of a female 'hero' than the quintessential larger than life patriarchal protagonist. With movies like Angry Indian Goddesses and Kapoor and Sons , Bollywood decided to 'come out' of the closet and took us all by surprise. Here are some of the year's best performances:

Alia Bhatt (Udta Punjab )

This 23 year-old diva, has never failed to impress us, barring her debut in Student of the Year , with every character she has potrayed. She didn't only give a knock-out performance in Udta Punjab but also proved, yet again, that she can take on any role and make it her own. She is no longer the dolled up girl-next-door but is toiling in fields as the nameless, impoverished young woman from Bihar. When actresses take on roles that are more relatable, audiences are told that they are brave to have done so. But in this case Alia has pulled off a part that not many imagined she would be suitable to play.

Alia Bhatt in 'Udta Punjab'

Fawad Khan (Kapoor and Sons )

Fawad Khan was definitely the best part of the scintillating family drama. He does not steal the show by being Bollywood's first homosexual protagonist, but mainly because in a movie with period actors like Rajat Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah and Dharma's favourite's Alia and Siddharth, he manages to shine bright. The actor shows versatility and vulnerability with equal ease. There's definitely a lot more to this actor than good looks and charm.

Fawad Khan wows us with his performance.

Radhika Apte (Phobia and Parched )

It's high time Bollywood thinks of casting Radhika Apte as the leading lady. In Pawan Kripalani's Phobia, Apte plays a woman scared of outside places after an incident leaves her scarred for life. Apte's Mehek, is a woman on the edge. She’s anguished one moment and hysterical the next. It’s a tough role, but Radhika doesn’t hit a false note. She’s terrific on all counts and does not put a wrong foot forward. She is also phenomenal as the battered 'Lajjo' in Parche. She shines in both performances making her one of the most fearless female actors of the year.

Radhika Apte in 'Phobia'

Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Raman Raghav 2.0 )

One of the least mannered and most memorable performances was by Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Raman Raghav 2.0. Playing a psychopath all too convincingly in an otherwise pedestrian film, Siddiqui established yet again that he is among the most exciting actors of his generation. And even though it's been done before, this 2016-version of Raman Raghav (an actual serial killer from 1960s Bombay) evokes fear and unpredictability. It is Nawazuddin's towering intensity which makes up for the film's second half when Raman Raghav 2.0 threatens to drown in its own narrative.

Sushant Singh Rajput (M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story )

It is extremely challenging to play a person who is not only living and breathing but also has a fandom that knows no generational bounds. Sushant Singh Rajput’s studious performance was among the highlights of the biopic-turned-hagiography MS Dhoni The Untold Story. Sushant Singh Rajput's performance could have so easily reduced to mimicry. But instead, the actor gave us a beautifully nuanced performance of India's World Cup-winning captain walking the line of a caricature and doing his own thing. It is right to call him a studious actor and his performance shows his dedication towards the art.

Sushant as Dhoni.