10 Bollywood films to watch in 2017

1. Rangoon

Dir: Vishal Bhardwaj

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Shahid Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan.

Release: February 24

Breaking news! Vishal Bhardwaj’s next is not based on Shakespeare. Or at least it doesn’t seem so far. Set during World War II, Rangoon will be interesting for many reasons: First, it will be one of the rare occasions when we see Arunachal Pradesh on the big screen; second, it marks the first time that Ranaut and Bhardwaj collaborate; and finally the last time the filmmaker worked with Khan, we got his   best performances as Langda Tyagi in Omkara. Let’s hope this is more Haider and less Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola.

2. Phillauri

Dir: Anshai Lal

Cast: Anushka Sharma, Suraj Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh, Mehreen Pirzada

Release: March 24

In her first film for home banner, Clean Slate, Anushka Sharma delivered a knockout performance in the violent thriller NH10. Sharma and brother Karnesh are eager to show their cinephile credentials and pick projects that go beyond the formulaic mainstream fare. Their second film is set in Punjab with the state’s superstar Diljit Dosanjh (great in an understated performance in Udta Punjab) and another Sharma in Life of Pi actor Suraj, who makes his Bollywood debut. What we know so far: Anushka Sharma may or may not be playing a ghost. Colour us curious.

3. Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

Dir: SS Rajamouli

Cast: Prabhas, Rana Daggubatti, Anushka Shetty, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sathyaraj

Releas: April 28

To say that SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali is another movie to watch out for in 2017 is an understatement. The conclusion to the National Award-winning film is THE film that many are eagerly awaiting. Such is the excitement that there have already been Baahubali leaks around that question that the nation needs to know: Why did Kattappa kill Baahubali? The herculean journey of Baahubali, laden with special effects, epic battles, daredevilry, family drama and some romance thrown in, finally ends. Expect box office history to be made.

4. Bareilly Ki Barfi

Dir: Ashwini Iyer Tiwari

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Ayushmann Khurrana, Kriti Sanon.

Release: July 21

Tiwari’s debut Nil Battey Sannata offered a perceptive look at a relationship between a determined mother and her difficult daughter.  The talented filmmaker’s second is a romantic comedy also set it UP. Sanon will have her work cut out in front of consistent performers in Rao and Khurrana but then she couldn’t have asked for better co-stars to feed off from.  

5. Secret Superstar

Dir: Advait Chandan

Cast: Zarina Wasim, Aamir Khan

Release: August 4

In an interview to India Today, Aamir Khan admitted that there is a running joke in his production house that he is picky about attaching his name to films from his own banner. The track record of Aamir Khan Productions, which arrived in 2001 with Lagaan, has so far been impressive with films like Taare Zameen Par, Peepli [Live], Dhobi Ghat and Delhi Belly to name a few. Secret Superstar marks the directorial debut of Khan’s former manager Advait Chandan and has Kashmiri teenager Zarina Wasim (who has earned nothing but raves in her debut in Dangal) in the lead role. Meanwhile Khan is seen in an interesting cameo which got us remembering his quirky get-up in Delhi Belly!

6. Simran

Dir: Hansal Mehta

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Sohum Shah

Release: Sept 15

When Mehta, the National Award-winning director of Shahid, and Ranaut, a three-time National Award-winning actress, come together there is bound to be some interest. Mehta has a knack for drawing the best out of his actors, be it Rajkummar Rao in Shahid or Manoj Bajpayee in Aligarh. Set in US, little is known about the film other than the fact that Ranaut spoke to housekeepers to prepare for the part. Reportedly exploits of Bombshell Bandit aka Sandeep Kaur, who donned different guises to rob banks and exhausted all her loot on gambling, are an inspiration.

7. Padmavati

Dir: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Cast: Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Shahid Kapoor

Release: November 17

Sanjay Leela Bhansali once again collaborates with his two muses – Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone – and adds Shahid Kapoor to the mix. Singh is the antagonistic Mughal ruler Alauddin Khilji who wants Rajput queen Padmini aka Deepika Padukone at all costs. Her husband King Rawal Ratan Singh of Chittor aka Shahid Kapoor is the hurdle in his conquest. There’s ghoomar dance, the period setting, elaborate sets and costumes, and of course war. Will it be three hits in a row for Bhansali?

8. Veere Di Wedding

Dir: Shashanka Ghosh

Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, Shikha Talsania.

Release: TBA

Bollywood has really been short on an enjoyable chick flick in the space of Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. Could Veer Di Wedding fill the void? Following the misadventures of four girlfriends who go on a bachelorette trip, Veere Di Wedding will also make headlines for being Kareena Kapoor Khan’s first film post the birth of Taimur Ali Khan.  

Already seen and most definitely worth a watch:

9. A Death in the Gunj

Dir: Konkana Sensharma

Cast: Vikrant Massey, Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey, Tanuja, Om Puri, Tillotama Shome, Gulshan Devaiah

Adapted from a short story written by her father, Konkana Sensharma proves she is as assured a filmmaker as she is as an actress. Her directorial debut features one of the best acting ensembles with a standout performance by Vikrant Massey (from Balika Vadhu to Lootera) as a sensitive young man who lives under the shadows of his family in 1970s West Bengal.

10. Trapped

Dir: Vikramaditya Motwane

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Geetanjali Thapa

In his third film, Vikramaditya Motwane looks at how a man can be an unseen, forgotten and lonely soul even in the populated landscape of Mumbai. Trapped is most memorable for Rao who is a knockout as a man battling to survive after being locked in an apartment in an unoccupied high-rise.

Other anticipated titles: Alankrita Shrivastava’s Bhopal-set female ensemble drama Lipstick Under My Burkha, Ashim Ahluwalia’s biopic of Arun Gawli titled Daddy, Sonakshi Sinha-starrer Noor, based on Saba Imtiaz’s novel Karachi, You’re Killing Me!

Also read - Dangal is an ultimate feminist anthem with a large, generous, middle-aged man at its core