The new generation of young stars has arrived on the marquee and has created quite a splash. But who will be the long runners and the proverbial ‘lambi race ka ghoda’ at the box office, is quite a riddle! Many stars have had bumper hits at the box office but can they retain their weight at the box office in the future, is a question by itself.
Narendra Hirawat, of the famous producer-distributor firm Hirawat and Co says, “There are many names in the reckoning but the box office doesn’t entertain any Tom, Dick and Harry. That said, I find Rajkummar Rao extremely exciting as he is young, talented and quite a star at the box office.
Also, Ayushmann Khurrana is very talented with a slew of hits across pan Indian audiences and that’s why we are working with him in our home production Gulabo Sitabo where Khurrana has been cast opposite the legendary Amitabh Bachchan.
To his credit, he has done well in the film. I feel Ayushmann will be a long bet at the box office. Among the leading ladies there are quite a few but I find Taapsee Pannu very talented and exciting with hits like Pink and Badla and she is a good bet at the box office.”
Actor Vatsal Sheth opines, “All the newcomers are good and all have made a name for themselves as newcomers. Actors like Tiger Shroff and Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon have already established themselves as bankable stars.
Talking about the new league, I find Bhagyashree’s son Abhimanyu Dassani very talented and Karan Kapadia will go far and have a good run at the box office. Among the newbie girls I find Ananya Pandey, Alia Bhatt and Sara Ali Khan exciting but then Alia is already a huge star though relatively new.”
Producer-director and TV personality Kunal Kohli reveals, “Most of the newcomers have already made a name for themselves and they don’t have to prove anything to anyone. However, stars like Tiger Shroff, Varun Dhawan, Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Sharma and girls like Kiara Advani, who has had hits like Kabir Singh to her credit, are big stars in the making. Kiara is the most talented of the new lot and will go a long way and have a successful journey at the box office. I personally feel Kartik Aaryan will go a long way at the marquee.”
Veteran journalist Dilip Thakur believes, “The stardom of newcomers is no longer applicable as there are very few newcomers who will be good bets at the box-office. Today content is king and the makers and directors have the onus to make a successful film at the box office.
Many newcomers have the talent but it’s a very thin line between stardom and failure. However, I do feel newcomers like Meezan Jaffrey and Sharmin Segal, niece of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who debuted in Malaal have quite a good future ahead. There are also newbies like Disha Patani, Vicky Kaushal, Kiara Advani and Kartik Aaryan who can do very well at the box-office.”
Mehul Kumar, producer, director and multiplex owner tells it straight, “I only find Ranveer Singh bankable as, according to me, these newcomers with one hit to their credit raise their price to such an extent that the producers have to find other options.”
“But I do feel that among the leading ladies I find Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor very exciting as they have done varied roles and have quite a pull at the box office too but if you ask me frankly there can’t be another Shah Rukh, Salman or any other Khan, for that matter.”
So, achieving stardom and a pull at the box office is a very difficult thing for these newcomers. Hard work and professionalism will take them to higher places while choosing the right projects and being producer-actors will make them bankable actors of the future.
All hopes rest on Sunny Deol’s son Karan Deol who debuts in Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass under his father’s direction, as well as Saher Bamba who stars opposite Karan; Katrina Kaif’s sister Isabelle Kaif, in Time To Dance opposite Sooraj Pancholi; Iulia Vantur of Salman Khan fame in Radha Kyon Gori Main Kyon Kaala directed by Prem Soni, Sanjana Sanghi in casting director Mukesh Chabra’s remake of the Hollywood hit Fault in Our Stars titled Kizzie Aur Manny. The incursion continues but of the many who arrive, only a few will be kissed by success. Time and the silver screen will tell!
