Best actor 2016
By Aditya Pisharody
2016 was a big year for actors in Bollywood. In keeping with industry trend, more and more actors decided to focus on content-driven substantive cinema rather than full-on masala entertainers (we're looking at you Shahrukh). The list of actors here is a varied lot, but each of them deserving. On the one end, we have the consistent hitters - who keep churning out hit after hit while maintaining the highest levels of performance. Akshay Kumar has been doing this for years now, and Amitabh Bachchan's late career resurgence continues to be prolific. Aamir Khan did what Aamir Khan does - break box office records while leaving us mere mortals to simply look in amazement. The biggest story here is probably the return of Shahrukh as a genuine contender in this category (and no Filmfare, we do not care what you think if you give Best Actor nominations for Dilwale and Chennai Express). It is a pity that Fan didn't quite work out at the box office, because SRK was phenomenal. In amongst these established names, we have the middle men - Shahid and Ranbir Kapoor. Possibly as talented as the names mentioned above, they are still to truly make the step up into bona fide superstardom. Neither did their chances any harm, particularly Shahid who's rendition of Tommy Singh in Udta Punjab will go down as one for the ages. Rounding off the list is the young upstart Sushant Singh Rajput. Much like MS Dhoni who disrupted the established order, Sushant's performance of maturity and intensity laid down a marker for the rest to take one.. It's a tough choice - here are our nominees for Best Actor 2016.
Note: each actor/actress is nominated for their entire body of work in 2016, not for individual performances. I.e. Akshay Kumar is nominated for her performances in both Airlift and Rustom - and not separately for each one.
Akshay Kumar as businessman Ranjit Katyal in Airlift. He was also seen in courtroom drama 'Rustom'.
akshay kumar (airlift & Rustom)
While the big 3 Khans will roll through once a year (or even less) and create a frenzy at the box office, Akshay Kumar goes for the numbers game. His consistency and versatility was in full evidence this year, as he provided an unprecedented three back-to-back 100 crore films. Not just that, but each of the films were as different from each other as they could get. Airlift was probably the pick of the bunch, where Akshay plays an expat businessman who helps facilitate the evacuation of over 170k Indians during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. Possibly his best performance to date, Akshay is simply magnetic – resisting the urge to go over the top as he can often do and delivering a measured performance of intensity and honesty. In Rustom, the film does exactly the opposite and veers on the edge of sensationalism – and yet Akshay again lends a sense of gravitas and holds the chaos together. In between all of that, he even managed to squeeze out Housefull 3, the latest iteration of this mind-numbing franchise which bucked the general trend of the year by still achieving commercial success. While we deliberately excluded that performance from his nomination, it is admittedly true that even that film was only made watchable thanks to Akshay – who’s comic timing remains impeccable. He may not have the aura of an SRK or a Salman, but he consistently makes up for it with pure acting ability..
Shahrukh Khan plays a double role in Fan, as superstar actor Aryan Khan as well as his obsessed fan and lookalike Gaurav Chandna
shahrukh khan (fan)
Bollywood fans everywhere went into full nostalgia mode when the trailer for Fan came out. SRK was back, in a double role – one of which was a stalkerish anti-hero, and the other a fictionalized version of himself. Everyone began reminiscing – about Darr and Baazigar, about Duplicate, and even about Billu. The marketing played on this, with posters and clips of SRK’s most iconic roles prominent. Nostalgia aside, what made this exciting was that this was the return of Shah Rukh Khan, the actor. After spending the last few years indulging in tediously frothy fare such as Dilwale, Happy New Year, and Chennai Express – Shah Rukh re-established his worth as one of the best in the business. While the film itself had flaws and struggled commercially, King Khan was simply spectacular. As the 25-year-old Gaurav Chandna, he really did look and act like a completely different person, and his dilli accent and mannerisms were delivered with aplomb. As the superstar Aryan Khan, he was equally compelling – offering a glimpse into his real off-screen life and all the trials and tribulations that come with being such a recognizable public figure. This year had the potential to be a real knockout, but Raees was unfortunately backed back to January 2017 (i.e. this week). Hopefully, SRK keeps up this streak of making movies with substance – because few can rival him when he is in the mood.
Shahid Kapoor as rockstar 'Tommy Singh', a drug-addict musician who's songs and lifestyle are considered to glorify substance abuse.
shahid kapoor (udta punjab)
Shahid Kapoor’s career in Bollywood has been a curious one. Clearly immensely talented, a combination of poor luck and poor choices have help him back from scaling the truly elite heights. Each success seems to be a precursor to disappointment – Jab We Met was followed by Kismat Konnection, Kaminey by a run of 6 consecutive flops, and Haider by Shaandar. Udta Punjab may just signal a turning point for the actor. As coked-up rockstar Tommy Singh, Shahid is electrifying – bringing an irrational and deranged energy that elevates the film to new heights. Similar to his act in Haider, but even more on edge. What really stands out however, is how effectively he is able to convey the other side – the solemn introspection and desperation when he realizes the consequences of his actions. With two huge multi-starrer films on the way (Rangoon where he is re-united with Vishal Bhardwaj, and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmavati with Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone), we’re looking forward to a long overdue period of sustained excellence from Shahid.
Sushant Singh Rajput plays the role of India cricket captain MS Dhoni in the biopic MS Dhoni: Untold Story.
sushant singh rajput (MS Dhoni: untold story)
In a list dominated by powerhouse actors who have been around for decades, Sushant Singh Rajput is the sole representative of the new breed of young actors. That he is on this list, while the likes of Varun Dhawan, Arjun Kapoor and Sidharth Malhotra aren’t, speaks volumes about his temperament. Sushant is very much an actor who lives for the craft. His performances since Kai Po Che up to Byomkesh Bakshy were consistently excellent and continuously improving. While his peers have spent much of the last year gallivanting on glamourous international tours, while making sure to update their various social media feeds – Sushant on the other hand announced his intention to act in a theatrical play in the early part of 2017. What better person then, to play Captain Cool MS Dhoni – in what already feels like it will be the role of a lifetime for Sushant. Dhoni’s cricketing technique and ice-cool demeanor are effortlessly recreated, but Sushant adds his own touch to the character. The response to the film – a breakaway box office success which he carried entirely on his shoulders – made him appear a shoo-in for the year’s major awards. Ultimately, the excellence of others, as well as the continuing reach of star power, dictated otherwise – but hopefully this is a signal to producers that Sushant is in fact a bankable star.
Amitabh Bachchan plays the role of an eminent lawyer in Pink. He is also seen in Wazir and Te3n during 2016.
amitabh bachchan (wazir, te3n, pink)
Amitabh Bachchan’s late-career renaissance over the last decade has been nothing short of remarkable. As the years have rolled by, Big B keeps churning out top-quality films. 2016 was no different, as a highly productive year saw the release of Wazir, Te3n and Pink. All 3 were highly anticipated and eminently watchable films, even if the former two did not quite live up to expectation. In truth, by his own admittedly extraordinary standards, these probably wouldn’t rank as Amitabh’s finest (even if the Screen Award he won for Pink may say otherwise). Playing effectively the same role in each of the 3 films – an elderly gentleman fighting gamely against a perceived injustice when nobody else seems willing to even listen to him – Amitabh’s performances are uneven, and there are times he seems to be running on auto-pilot. However, his presence and inherent acting ability is such that even that is enough to elevate him above the majority of actors in the industry. His trademark baritone grows more powerful (although Shamitabh proved that it is not enough on his own), and his focus and energy continue to captivate. With Sarkar 3 on the horizon, Bollywood’s own Godfather shows no signs of slowing down..
Ranbir Singh in a still from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, where he plays a musician who is chasing unrequited love.
ranbir kapoor (Ae dil hai mushkil)
Ranbir Kapoor occupies a strange place in this industry. He is clearly a cut above the so-called new brigade of Varuns, Arjuns and Sidharths – but he has not yet made the jump to command the appeal of the 3 Khans (or even an Akshay Kumar or Saif for that matter). This is partly due to his unconventional choice of films, and to that end it is refreshing to see an actor of his stature prioritizing and taking risks in such a way. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil is yet another fine outing for the actor, which solidifies his standing as one of the most talented actors in Bollywood. While he gained some (mostly tongue-in-cheek) criticism for playing the same role in every film, his emotional range and depth is unparalleled. One moment he is acting silly and dancing in his pajamas, and the next he is in the middle of an impassioned declaration of love and suffering. He is convincing at both ends of the spectrum as well as everything in between – and possibly the only actor who consistently makes you believe that he is the character and not just someone playing a role. With Anurag Basu’s long-overdue Jagga Jasoos, another film with Ayan Mukherji and Raju Hirani’s Sanjay Dutt biopic, Ranbir looks set to continue making interesting, riveting cinema – an example for everyone else to follow..
Aamir Khan plays the role of Mahivir Phogat, who trained daughters Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari to Commonwealth Games wrestling medals.
Aamir Khan (Dangal)
What is left to say about Aamir Khan? In the last two decades, he has been the only actor who has repeatedly and consistently managed to find the perfect synchrony between substantive content and commercial appeal. The amount of effort and dedication he puts into each film and each role is well publicized, yet is frankly astonishing. Many actors would have simply put on a fat-suit or relied on CGI to portray the girth required for the role of Mahavir Phogat, but Aamir’s determination to make the body language and mannerisms as natural as possible led to his scarcely believable weight gain. The discipline to then get back into shape to film the token scene as the younger Mahavir is mind-boggling, but all of this is distracting from the actor’s craft itself. His facial expressions, accent, and dialogue delivery were all exceptional – and the final scene where his angst is quickly replaced by elation at realizing Geeta has won is heartwarming. Aamir has nothing left to prove to anyone, although he is famously his own harshest critic. The prospect of watching him and Amitabh Bachchan together in the upcoming Thugs of Hindostan is nothing short of thrilling.
Honorable mentions: Manoj Bajpayee (Aligarh & Budhia Singh), Farhan Akhtar (Wazir & Rock On 2), Randeep Hooda (Sarabjit), Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Raman Raghav 2.0 & Freaky Ali)