Bollywood Battleground for 2009

The messy new feuds, tongue-in-cheek tussles and and big moolah B-town flicks for the year 2009.

A new ‘kinng’, a desi fashionista obsessed with zero, a fashion designer’s worst nightmare and two friends turned into die-hard ‘jaanidushmaan’ - reality is stranger than fiction and our Bollywood houses the strangest realities. But all that was 2008 and so is passé now. <br><br> What lies ahead are new feuds, tongue-in-cheek tussles and name calling blogs, rumours followed by clarifications, but at the helm of these matters are the moolah churning movies. The films that turn the otherwise common lads into high-flying celebrities, deciding their fate and share of the propitious limelight. <br><br> So here’s drawing a first look at the potential holding lads and old fighting big daddies of Bollywood, who are all set to battle it out for the top spot with their bag full of movies. <br><br> <b>Akshay Kumar</b> <br><br> He claimed the much-eyed crown of Bollywood in 2008. His ‘Singh’ <i>avatar</i> turned him into an overnight sensation and gave B-town its new ‘kinng’. And going by the line up of flicks this <i>Punjabi munda</i> has in his kitty for 2009; he is definitely not taking his hard earned and much deserved success for granted. <br><br> The actor is doing everything but sleeping over his past glory. In fact, he is the sole tinsel towner, who has the maximum number of flicks hitting screen this year. <br><br> The hot-bod hunk will be seen in four big budget films in 2009. While his ‘Chandni Chowk To China’ fared miserably at the BO with even insignificant personalities like Shekhar Suman taking potshots at the film calling it the worst film of the decade, his other three releases are already seen as big moolah rollers. Post CC2C, the actor will be seen in ‘Kambakht Ishq’, ‘Blue’ and ‘De Dana Dan’. <br><br> Quite an impressive line-up, if you ask me. From romancing the size zero or whatever size she is now, Kareena to locking lips in wet and wild scenes with <i>videshi</i> seductress Denise Richards; Akki boy is sure to leave cash registers ringing in this Hollywood dancing to Bollywood fusion ‘Kambakht Ishq’. As for locking lips is concerned we just feel what a man got to do; he’s got to do. <br><br> Next in line is his much-hyped power-packed action overdose ‘Blue’. The film is for the die-hard action buff and has the muscle man kicking some serious shots in underwater, shark attack stunts. With a stupendous Rs 130 cr spent in the making, we are watching out for this one with bated breath. <br><br> Done with action and romantic films; the actor will add the humour to his basket of films with ‘De Dana Dan’. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film brings together Akki with his onscreen better half Katrina for their sole couple release this year. <br><br> Now, that’s how AK turns cutthroat competition into cutting throat battle. <br><br> <b>Hurman Baweja</b> <br><br> While his former ladylove Priyanka Chopra went to bag the Bollyqueen title’08; Hurman Baweja, the 2050 futuristic hero, failed to make an impact at a time when it mattered - 2008. <br><br> The actor, who is often touted as the poor man’s Hrithik Roshan, due to his copycat acts is one industry joker, who seems to be leaving no stone unturned to flip his fate at the BO. From changing his espelling errr spelling to Hurman from Harman to even switching over to an alleged new lady-luck Amrita Rao, the actor is doing whatever it takes to bag ‘Victory’ in his second innings.<br><br>

Miles away from his father’s dud directorial skills, this Baweja lad has managed to bag three big chances to do away with the demon of his past - Love Story 2050. The actor has three mega budget releases this year- Victory, It’s My life and What’s Your Rashee. <br><br> Even though the actor’s flick, ‘Victory’ failed miserably to sweep and bowl out the overtly cynical critics, he still has two big releases, ‘What’s Your Rashee’ and ‘It’s My Life’, and have high hopes pinned on them. Ashtuosh Gowarikar’s ‘What’s Your Rashee’ will present the jinxed couple Hurman and his on and off sweetheart Piggy Chops in a humane, believable avatar. <br><br> After Gowarikar, the Baweja scion will test his luck with yet another accomplished filmmaker Anees Bazmee. The director, who made the nation fall in love with a goofball village bumpkin and had the B-town daddies lining up to put on the turban, has a mammoth task ahead this time round. Wonder, why we say that? <br><br> Well, for once Hurman is no Akshay and second Hurman is Hurman. The actor, who made peeved the ladies with his first romantic disaster, is once again indulging in lover’s act in ‘It’s My Life’. Besides making the Baweja scion act, what makes this as an even bigger challenge for Anees, is that there is no Piggy Chops to bail him out. <br><br> <b>Abhishek Bachchan</b> <br><br> Living under the shadow of his big daddy Big B and wife Aishwarya; 2008 saw Abhishek Bachchan finally emerge on his own. His two big hits ‘Sarkar Raj’ and ‘Dostana’ did fade away the torturous memories of his biggest career blunder till date ‘Drona’, Nevertheless, the actor has a long way to go and lugs of weight to lose before he walks into the sunset. <br><br> Sporting a brawny unshaven look ever since his bachelorhood days, the actor has finally resolved to hit the gym to get his groove back. So what, if he ignored the weight watch call in uber fad muscle flaunt flick ‘Dostana’, he will definitely make a dashing ‘Raavan’. <br><br> The actor has his two much-awaited flicks releasing this year. Besides, the potentially controversial Mani Ratnam’s ‘Raavan’, Jr B will be seen romancing the vivacious Sonam Kapoor in Rakesh Omprakash Mehra’s ‘Delhi 6’. <br><br> Going by his power-packed performance in ‘Sarkar Raj’ and gay avatar in ‘Dostana’, we know this Bachchan lad has a huge potential and with talented filmmakers backing him, he seems all set to crack the success code this year. <br><br> <b>Ranbir Kapoor</b> <br><br> If the saying ‘once bitten, twice-shy’ holds true, then Ranbir Kapoor lives by it. Ever since his much-hyped debut dud ‘Saawariya’ fizzled out without a trace at the BO, this naughty hottie has had his thinking cap on. <br><br> And after his stylish performance last year in ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’, this Kapoor scion is being touted as the next big thing in Bollywood. And why not? He has some of the most sought after filmmakers vying for him. <br><br> From working with the reputed directors like Raj Kumar Santoshi and Prakash Jha to romancing top-notch B-town ladies, the actor is leaving no stone unturned to strike gold this time round. <br><br> As of now, the dishy hunk has two of his most-awaited films hitting screens. Besides the already in news Santoshi’s ‘Ajab Prem Ki Gjhajab Kahani’ opposite Katrina Kaif, this light-eyed boy will test his mettle in alternate cinema with ‘Rajniti’. A film by director Prakash Jha, ‘Rajniti’ with its intense subject and liberal appeal is being looked on as a big leap for the actor. <br><br> While these are the lone stars of Bollywood, the Khan camp too has a kitty of films up their sleeves. So hop on the sequel to get a clear insight as to what the ever so warring Khans are up to this year.