Khalid mohamed's Heroines of the year

So, the year's crawling towards a closure. That means drawing up lists of the pleasures and pains of the annum.

Now, I've done so many of these best-and-worst films, down the decades that it's become a manically mechanical exercise. For this Sunday, I'd rather cheer myself up with the heroines who kept me engaged and entertained. Often their movies may have deserved rotten tomatoes but they deserved freshly-plucked roses.

Here's listing my favourite list of the femmes of 2012:

DEEPIKA PADUKONE: Got a soft spot for her. Once, I'd salute her dad Prakash Padukone's self-effacing profile. His daughter's high-profile is at the very least, easy on the eye, what with those dimples on auto-pilot. When she debuted in 'Om Shanti Om', inner circles said that they headed for the hills as soon as she opened her mouth to deliver dialogue.

I wouldn't go for that after a crackling conversation conducted with her over tea and toast. As an art restorer (how cool is that) in 'Love Aaj Kal', she was undervalued, methinks. Hopefully, her outstanding enactment of a fun time girl in 'Cocktail' won't go unrewarded at those thousands of film award functions. Umm, do wonder if she's become an arm bracelet she's become an arm bracelet to Ranveer Singh, as reported by the tabloid Sherlocks. She deserves a Rockstar, not a Band Baaja Baarati. But then it's her life. Love and let love.

VIDYA BALAN: Ohhh, she got married to Siddharth Roy Kapoor. Must have been a tough call since leading ladies are aware that their market diminishes post the saat pheras.

But come on VB is 34, and has enough performances in her bio data to be enshrined in the s public mind. Her next is titled 'Ghanchakkar', which sounds a bit cheesey, but never judge a movie till you've tasted the cheesecake. She didn't invite the showbiz satraps to the wedding. Brave! Courageously politically incorrect. Plus, she was terrific in 'Kahaani'. Here's wishing her a real tummy bulge soon, it suits her.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA: She intimidates me. Whenever I've met her, she's either hugged me like a longlost uncle or has looked lost uncle or has looked through me as if I was a sheet of glass. Must be something to do with reviews. I like her, she likes me. I don't like her (performance that is), and she doesn't like me. Liked dear PC in 'Barfi!' Ergo, I may just get that hug all over again.

SRIDEVI: She's the one exception to the comeback rule. Yesterday's Heroine No.1 achieved what Madhuri Dixit couldn't. 'Aaja Nachle' tanked, 'English Vinglish' became a hit-vit.

Although, Sridevi's lost those apple cheeks and rat-a-tat giggle, her quasi-anorexic look didn't go against her. Her finale speech, spoken in Vinglish, compelled my heart to zoom out to her. What I couldn't quite lap up are those reams and reams of interviews in which she raved about her two daughters and Boneyji.

Tell us something that we don't know already. Could do with a PR outfit which doesn't make her sound like an elongated message recorded on a voice machine. This lady's boss whenever she's in front of the camera. Full stop.

And am not sure that the sequel to Mr. India should be her next comeback. Unless the original director Shekhar Kapur is at the helm again.

He's so equally at home with the Bandit Queens and Hawa Hawaiis. No?

PS: Katrina Kaif as "Chikni Chameli" was wow. Assign her an item number -remember "Sheila ki Jawani!" -and she's stunning. As for acting calibre, no comments. Might lose out on yet another hug. My loss entirely.