Nine TV heartthrobs to debut in Bollywood

This could go down as Tellytown's year in Bollywood. In 2014, nine of small screen's hottest heartthrobs with Bollywood stardust in their eyes are all set to make swift inroads in B-Town armed with lead roles in big ticket films.

For these telly hotties who've just joined the B-Town rat race, making the big splash on celluloid is a career-defining decision, which means a deliberate and enforced sabbatical from television projects (to wipe out the over-familiarity that comes with the territory of being a TV star and create an element of curiosity about them), working hard to get fab physiques and slipping into the shoes of their reel characters. Will small screen's most loved imports strike BO gold in Bollywood too?

Barun Sobti:
A BPO exec to TV heartthrob Delhi dude Barun Sobti's career graph sounds like a film-script! The man who catapulted to telly stardom with Iss Pyaar Ko Kyaa Naam Doon? created history when the channel had to pull the plug on his show when he opted out of it in 2012. While Barun's wrapped up Main Aur Mr Right and 22 Yards, he might have landed his big ticket in John Abraham's home production, Satra Ko Shaadi Hai, slated for a year-end release. Can he be TV's 'big' import to B-Town though is the big question.

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Siddharth Shukla: A charmer blessed with intense good looks, Mumbaikar Siddharth Shukla rose to telly fame as Shiv in Balika Vadhu. However, his moves on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 6impressed celeb judge and filmmaker Karan Johar who roped in Sid for a three-film deal. Sid who's making his B-Town debut in Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania is predictably upbeat about his big splash as he shares, "It was amazing working in this film. I am very happy with the way my character has shaped up." And no, as of now there are no plans of quitting TV. Until the film hits BO jackpot and more offers start pouring in that is!

Gurmeet Choudhary

For Gurmeet Choudhary, Bollywood had always been the final destination. Enroute he struck gold with Ramayan, Geet Hui Sabse Parayi and Punar Vivaah and won Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5. Gurmeet dabbled in Punjabi movies before hitting paydirt in B-Town. As an aspiring Bollywood actor, Gurmeet admits to, looking out for "a good script, good role and a great director." The down-to-earth TV superstar's taken his first big step towards tinsel town with a three-film contract with Mahesh Bhatt and debuts in Khamoshiyaan"The Sound of Silence opposite Sapna Pabbi.

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Jay Bhanushali

With his chocolate boy good looks, Jay Bhanushali has always ridden high on popularity. From essaying the lead in Ekta Kapoor's Kayamath to playing character roles in Kis Desh Mein Hai Meraa Dil or Kairi " Rishta Khatta Meetha, Jay's managed to stay in the limelight. As Dance India Dance evergreen anchor Jay has his own fan following. Now, he's set to make his debut in B-Town with Hate Story 2. Like most Bollywood aspirants Jay confesses, "I'd never planned to switch to B-Town, the film just happened to me. I strongly feel it is my hard work that paid off. Although, working in movies is not exactly cakewalk as there's cutthroat competition." Jay;s however playing it safe, by continuing on TV.

Karan Singh Grover

He's been a television's heart-throb; girls have drooled over his posterboy looks and attitude for years. Now Karan Singh Grover, often labelled as TV's Salman Khan who ruled in every small screen outing he's done, from the medical romance Dill Mill Gaye to Qubool Hai is following the trodden path. After an aborted B-Town debut attempt withe Lorrie (starring Diana Hayden) this telly hottie is shooting for a horror flick, Alone starring Bipasha Basu. Can he repeat his telly success on 35 mm too?

Karan Wahi

Dilli munda Karan Wahi started off in showbiz at 18 in the teen romance Remix where he played a poster-perfect school kid. The show made him a teeniebopper overnight and his cutesy boy next door looks landed him a lead role in Dill Mill Gayye Season 2, followed by character acts in Kuch Toh Log Kahenge, stints in anchoring dance reality shows, shaking a leg on Jhalak Dikhhlaja 5 and doing the odd episodic, Teri Meri Love Stories.The TV loverboy is currently shooting for Babbu Ki Jawani directed by Amritpal Singh Bindra, where Karan plays a geek. Seems like Karan is stepping out of his comfort zone to make a hatke big screen debut.



Mishal Raheja

Mishal Raheja won hearts as telly's tough cookie in Love Story and then as the iconic young gangster in Lagi Tujhse Lagaan. After breaking hearts by quitting Lagi overnight, Mishal's done his share of cameos on small screen and played the lead in the episodic crime thriller Encounter. Now the talented young star is set to mark his presence in his Bollywood launchpad Budget Trip. The small screen hottie has sported new look for his movie, shed excess weight to step into the shoes of his screen character.



Arjun Bijlani

This hazel-eyed star had the innate ability to make hundreds of nubile nymphets go ga-ga over his dimpled smile, well chiseled physique and sunny presence in the shows he starred in. Arjun kickstarted his showbiz journey as Aalekh in Left Right Left and tasted stardom as Mayank Sharma in the campus romance Miley Jab Hum Tum, going on to do a fiction cookery show, Jo Biwi Se Kare Pyaar. After wrapping up a Punjabi movie Ful Fukre, Arjun's now started shooting Ho Gaya Direct Pyaar, a love story co-starring Rajniesh Duggal and Nidhi Subbaiah. .

Vivian Dsena

As the desi Robert Pattinson Abhay in Pyaar Kii Yeh Ek Kahaani Vivian stole hearts, going on to attain starry highs on prime time TV as the arrogant filmstar RK and then as the lovelorn gangster in Madhubala...Ek Ishq Ek Junoon. Amid talks of MEIEJ wrapping up, there's sunshine time for the small screen heartbreaker who's reportedly been approached by Ramesh Sippy for his next film. Ahaan, now that's a mighty splash forward!



Payel Sarkar: Her versatile turns in Love Story and Ladies Special made Payel Sarkar noticeworthy as a star. After starring in a slew of Bengali movies. Payel makes her debut opposite Kunal Khemu in Guddu Ki Gun.

Sapna Pabbi: A model, Sapna Pabbi made heads turn in the TV series 24 as Anil Kapoor's daughter. Now, she is all set to mark her presence in B-Town with two Khamoshiyaan " The Sound Of Silence and Satra Ko Shaadi Hai opposite Gurmeet Choudhary and Barun Sobti respectively!

Surveen Chawla: Chandigarh's Surveen Chawla waited too long for her Bollywood tryst. After playing the second lead in Kahiin Toh Hoga and Kasauti... and Kaajjal, a stint on the dance reality show Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena and Punjabi movies, the dimpled beauty takes her first bow in Bollywood in Hate Story 2.