From He-Man to funny man, from flamboyant to sombre - Bollywood's top notch actors have shone on the silver screen in various avatars and also kept the cash registers ringing. We list the top 10 actors of the year:
1) Salman Khan - He should be titled hit khan. If Bollywood's knight in shining armour bailed the industry out in 2009 and 2010, he boosted the box office business this year too with Bodyguard and Ready. In both, neither the content was premium, nor were the performances superlative, but what helped the actor stand out were the big bucks his films yielded at the box office, strengthening his position as a bankable star.
2) Aamir Khan: What one missed in Salman Khan's films was prominently present in Aamir Khan-starrer Dhobi Ghat. Aamir wowed his fans as a lonely painter in the directorial debut of his wife Kiran Rao, who deftly handled a bouquet of stories, travelling across various sections of society in the lanes and bylanes of Mumbai. The actor had just one release, that too, consciously designed for niche audiences, but everyone eulogised it, saying, "Wow! What a performance! What an actor!"
If that were not enough, Aamir was admired for daring to produce adult comedy Delhi Belly and the film's success further strengthened his image in volatile Bollywood.
3) Ranbir Kapoor: If his great grandfather, grandfather and parents are admired and respected for their cinematic genius, Ranbir Kapoor has proved that he is a true torch-bearer of the Kapoor khandan. The youngster excelled in his only release Rockstar, which was marred by a bad script. His role required a range of emotions and he stood out in every scene and kept the audiences hooked.
4) Shah Rukh Khan: Romance is his forte! But this time Shah Rukh Khan donned the garb of a superhero in RA.One to woo his fans. Though the film was not appreciated much for its content, his fans liked him as a geek scientist and as a superhero. He also earned praise for the use of technology, innovative marketing and promotional techniques to promote his product.
5). Amitabh Bachchan: Retirement? No way, says Big B. Instead he is grabbing central roles at the age of 69 and this year too he came out with two films Bbuddah Hoga Tera Baap and Aarakshan - as different as chalk and cheese. If the former saw him as a flamboyant underworld don, the latter featured him as a college principal fighting for the rights of students. In terms of business, neither were money spinners, but as far as acting is concerned, Amitabh is Amitabh. He was terrific in both the roles and critics gave him a thumbs up.
6) Farhan Akhtar: When there is a huge star cast, it is not easy to make an impression. But Farhan Akhtar did that in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, which also starred Abhay Deol and Hrithik Roshan. The art of acting is all about sensitivity, emoting, feelings -and Farhan got them all right.
7) Hrithik Roshan: Usually seen in over-the-top roles, Hrithik Roshan for the first time did a role that was slightly offbeat and closer to reality. If Kites didn't allow him to fly high in the sky, his performance in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara helped him unleash his potential as an actor.
8) R. Madhvan: An NRI, who belongs to a middle-class family, returns home to find a wife. He encounters a drunken girl, who is not interested in marrying him. But her spirit is such that he falls head over heels in love with her and it becomes heartbreaking for him to let her go with some other guy. Madhavan not only suited the role, but he revelled in it, earning plaudits from both critics and fans.
9) Abhay Deol: He emerged as the dark horse. Be it a doomed lover in Dev D or a smart thief in Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye, he has effortlessly carried his roles in the past. He continued his winning streak as a confused lover in Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
10) Saif Ali Khan: This Khan showed his sparks in Omkara and after that he embarked on a journey that showed his versatility. This year he had just one release in Aarakshan, which was not a super hit, but the film's box office performance didn't overshadow Saif's work. Critics felt he scored very highly in sincerity, subtlety and sheer screen presence as a Dalit boy in the movie, highlighting the reservation issue.
