Reflections: 6 months, 12 superstars-battle time!!

Reflections: 6 months, 12 superstars - Its battle time folks

By Joginder Tuteja, September 19, 2011 - 15:59 IST

Of late I have seen an interesting trend growing, especially when it comes to 'Reflections' that has been centred on a Khan or a Kumar or a Devgn or a Roshan. A column on Salman Khan sees Shah Rukh Khan fans coming out in full support. If focus shifts on Shah Rukh, fans of Aamir Khan start wondering whether their favourite star has been ignored. Mention Aamir as an intelligent actor and Ajay's followers feel that their hero has been left out. The cycle continues. However, I expect this debate around superstardom to only intensify over next six months. That's because this is perhaps for the first time in very long time (may be a decade?) that each and every star/superstar worth his salt would be battling it out at the box office and that too in a cramped space of just six months (September'11 - February'12). Really, expect the box office standings to fluctuate like never before as fortunes swing like a pendulum with these movers and shakers of the industry arriving with at least a film each.

Here follows 'Reflections' around the battle that lies ahead for each of these 12 leading men, presented in an alphabetical order:

Aamir Khan (rumoured to be titled Dhuaan)

Whenever it opens, Dhuaan will be a big commercial success. Now of course there is no rocket science that goes in making this prediction. However, the challenge is that how big the film would eventually turn out to be. Aamir's last few out and out commercial films like 3 Idiots and Ghajini had re-written records while he excelled as an actor as well. Dhobhi Ghat was an experiment but Dhuaan, about which nothing is known currently, perhaps lies somewhere in between. While Aamir's positioning in the industry is bound to stay as strong as ever, it has to be seen if records would be re-written all over again.

Abhishek Bachchan - Players

Now here is one man who really needs a good box office success, if not any records. Big ticket films like Game and Dum Maaro Dum didn't quite make 2011 his year but there is good hope ahead from Players. Remake of The Italian Job, it also brings to fore directors Abbas-Mustan close to three years after Race. There is no reason why the film shouldn't do very well at the box office, courtesy the kind of hold that Abbas-Mustan have over the thriller genre. With Abhishek getting a home ground in the form of a film that allows him to be his cool self, Players could well be that film which helps him gain a solid standing.

Ajay Devgn - Rascals, Tezz

Ajay has already enjoyed his quota of bumper success with Singham but he may not really be content with a dose of 'one hit, one semi-hit, one average, one flop' a year. Someone who has reinvented himself in a big way over last 3 odd years, Ajay is now going slow and realises that there is a definite weight that each of his films carries. Yes, Rascals as well as Tezz is a multi starrer and seemingly safe at the box office. Still, it won't do any harm to Ajay if they do much more than safe business at the box office, hence helping him further consolidate his current strong standing.

Akshay Kumar - Desi Boyz

His Thank You did decent but there is a certain perception factor that Akshay has to get rid of pronto. From an actor who was creating box office records not too long back and was a serious contender for the number one slot, Akshay Kumar is now arriving after a break (by his own standards) of over six months. For someone who has been averaging 4-5 movies a year for quite some time now, Akshay is seeing a rather quiet 2011 with Desi Boyz being his only third release of the year afterPatiala House and Thank You. As per reports, Akshay-John magic is back but we would still wait to check it out for ourselves.

Hrithik Roshan - Agneepath

Commercial debacle of Guzaarish and Kites has been pretty much left behind by Hrithik Roshan with his multi starrerZindagi Na Milegi Dobara turning out to be one of the top grossers of the year. Acting as a shot in the arm, the film has now helped Hrithik regain a standing that was under threat to be lost. Now his Agneepath is looking huge by all standards and the first promo has already opened floodgates for the actor. With the kind of film under his belt that has '100 crores' written all over it, Hrithik can be expected to make the best use of Republic Day weekend made available to him.

Imran Khan - Mere Brother Ki Dulhan, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu

In this six months time period, Imran Khan has now created a firm place for himself as a superstar in the Top-10 with Mere Brother Ki Dulhan turning out to be a very good commercial success as well. With Delhi Belly behind him earlier this year and similar business expected from Mere Brother Ki Dulhan as well, Imran is clearly on a roll. Is that all? Not, not at all as the young man is now clearly aiming for a hat trick with Kareena Kapoor starrer and Karan Johar produced Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu following soon. What makes it special is the fact that it has been smartly positioned for a Valentines week release! PYTs - Are you ecstatic?

John Abraham - Force, Desi Boyz

One man who would do with some ecstasy coming his way is John Abraham. The sheer reason that he finds himself in the list is because he is having some serious bunch of promising entertainers ahead of him. He did suffer debacles in the form of Jhootha Hi Sahi and Aashayein but Force as well as Desi Boyz are hardly the kind of films that one can ignore. As solo lead in an action entertainer that has been quite successful down South, John can be expected to land a mighty punch with Force. As for Desi Boyz, the film has a good packaging to it and should help John sneak his way back in all over again.

Ranbir Kapoor - Rockstar

Ranbir Kapoor has been rather quiet all through 2011 which has been a tad unnerving because others all around him, whether seniors or peers, have made a lot of noise with their professional or personal tales. However, he has stayed away from all irrelevant talks ever since Anjaana Anjaani and is solely concentrating on Rockstar which has been designed as an epic affair. Now this is one film which is what one terms as an all around 'solid deal'. Imtiaz Ali, A.R. Rahman, a musical subject, a hottie as a leading lady and the leading man enjoying a role of a lifetime - one would settle for nothing less than Rs.100 crores business from Rockstar.

Saif Ali Khan - Agent Vinod

The man who has stayed the quietest though is Saif Ali Khan. He has spent over a couple of years in making Agent Vinod and even as wait intensifies for the spy thriller, Saif did Aarakshan in the interim. Well, it indeed seemed like a stop-gap arrangement and one can't blame him for not going gaga over it. However expect him to make noise for all the right reasons when it's time for Agent Vinod to arrive. Insiders' claim that the film is nothing like one has ever seen of a Bollywood film and hence the constant delay in the film's arrival is no reason to panic at all. We believe; after all Robot as well asRa.One too took time to be made.

Salman Khan - Bodyguard

Bodyguard has released and turned into a blockbuster already with box office collections all set to surpass his biggest ever success so far - Dabangg. Enough has been said and written about him already. Do we need to say more beyond this'Click here

Shahid Kapoor - Mausam

There is a lot that Shahid Kapoor has to speak up though, considering the fact that he has got one more week to promote hisMausam. He rose like a phoenix with Kaminey but ever since then has been hunting for that elusive clean hit. Badmaash Company, his last major release (if one ignores his much delayed Milenge Milenge) did reasonably well at the box office last year. However, for someone who won't be settling for something which is just 'reasonable' and score huge to get find a firm standing in the Top-10 list of superstars, Shahid would indeed be praying hard for Mausam to succeed.

Shah Rukh Khan - Ra.One, Don

Just like Salman, even Shah Rukh Khan has been a topic of discussion for quite some time now. Want to read about him all over again? Have a look at this' Click here

The stage is set. Whom do you think would end up delivering the final blow? Or would the cycle repeat after six months?