Year-ender 2023: Bollywood’s top comebacks & standout acts

This year, Bollywood will be remembered for stellar career comebacks and unforgettable performances. The wide-ranging topics explored on OTT platforms added depth to the storytelling. We also celebrated love, as Kiara Advani married Sidharth Malhotra and Parineeti Chopra tied the knot with Raghav Chadha. As the year wraps up, ‘Millennium Post’ takes a look at those moments that made 2023 a standout year in Bollywood.

Year of comebacks: In 2023, Bollywood witnessed powerful comebacks, notably with stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Rajnikanth reclaiming their glory. The spotlight undeniably belongs to SRK, with films like ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’ and ‘Dunki’ rewriting box office records. The Deols also had a stellar year, too, with Sunny Deol’s ‘Gadar 2’ storming the box office and Bobby Deol’s impactful role in ‘Animal’, especially his entry song ‘Jamal kudu’, going viral. Rajnikanth’s comeback in ‘Jailer’ was commendable and Ameesha Patel had a major comeback with ‘Gadar 2’.

Bollywood shaadis: Bollywood celebrities also remained in the news throughout the year for their fairytale wedding. From Siddharth Malhotra and Kiara Advani painting the town red, Parineeti Chopra tying the knot with politician Raghav Chadha, Indian cricketer KL Rahul marrying his longtime girlfriend Athiya Shetty, to Randeep Hooda tying the knot with actor Lin Laishram in Imphal, celebrity weddings in 2023 were all about glamour and tight security.

Money matters: In a spectacular comeback from the gloom of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bollywood experienced a blockbuster year with a string of mega successes. The resurgence began with the much-anticipated return of Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Pathaan’, followed by the storming success of Sunny Deol’s ‘Gadar 2’. Then, there was Karan Johar delivering a hit with Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’. Other notable hits included ‘The Kerala Story’, ‘Oh My God 2’, Salman Khan’s action-packed ‘Tiger 3’ and Ranbir Kapoor’s bubblegum love story ‘Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar’. Standing out among all was Shah Rukh Khan, whose films ‘Pathaan’, ‘Jawan’ and ‘Dunki’ dominated the box office alongside Ranbir Kapoor’s latest blockbuster ‘Animal’. Prabhas’s ‘Salaar’ and Rajnikanth’s ‘Jailer’ also made sure that audiences love their dosage of South Indian entertainers.

Of misogyny and propaganda: In 2022, Vivek Agnihotri’s ‘The Kashmir Files’ sparked discussions for its controversial approach to filmmaking, characterised by some as propaganda. This year, Sudipto Sen’s ‘The Kerala Story’ also found itself embroiled in controversy for similar reasons. Another film that stirred the pot was ‘Animal’, drawing criticism for its perceived misogynistic messages, intense violence and portrayal of toxic relationships.

Dominance of OTT: While the big screen focused on extravaganza and action, OTT platforms delivered compelling and thought-provoking content this year. Outstanding originals like ‘Kohrra’, ‘Kathal’, ‘Lust Stories 2’, ‘Kaala Paani’, ‘Farzi’, ‘Jubilee’, ‘The Railway Men’, ‘Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai’, ‘Dahaad’, ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Scoop’, ‘Jaane Jaan’ and ‘Scam 2003: The Telgi Story’ kept audiences engaged. OTT ensured a diverse range of content, from period pieces and real-life stories to impactful thrillers, offering something for everyone.

Standout performances: Let’s be honest. This year, some of the most memorable performances came from OTT rather than the big screen. While actors like Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Joram’ and ‘Sirf Ek Banda Kafi Hai’, Vikrant Massey in ‘12th Fail’, Ranbir Kapoor in ‘Animal’, Shah Rukh Khan and Vijay Sethupathi in ‘Jawan’ and Rajnikanth in ‘Jailer’ impressed us, OTT stole the show. Wamiqa Gabbi wowed us with her captivating acts in ‘Jubilee’ and ‘Khufiya’, Kareena Kapoor Khan in ‘Jaane Jaan’, Tilotama Shome and Amruta Subhash in ‘Lust Stories 2’, Karishma Tanna in ‘Scoop’, Sanya Malhotra in ‘Kathal’, Nawazuddin Siddiqui in ‘Haddi’, Sushmita Sen in ‘Taali’, Vijay Varma in ‘Dahaad’, Jaideep Ahlawat in ‘Jaane Jaan’, Mona Singh in ‘Kaala Paani’ and ‘Made in Heaven 2’, Babil Khan in ‘The Railway Men’, Rajshri Deshpande in ‘Trial By Fire’, Sukant Goel and Amey Wagh in ‘Kaala Paani’, Adarsh Gourav in ‘Guns and Gulaabs’ and Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti in ‘Kohrra’ ruled the hearts of audiences, proving that OTT is the go-to platform for standout performances.

Bong connection: In 2023, the Indian film industry embraced the prowess of Bengali actors, with Churni Ganguly and Tota Roy Chowdhury making waves in Karan Johar’s ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’. Anirban Bhattacharya left a lasting impression with a powerful performance in ‘Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway’. The spotlight extended beyond borders as Bangladeshi actors Jaya Ahsan and Azmeri Haque Badhon marked their remarkable OTT debuts with ‘Kadak Singh’ and ‘Khufiya’ respectively.