Top Bollywood Performers Of 2012

Talk of a mixed bag and the year 2012 will surely stand out in the history of Hindi cinema. Predictably so, while the superstar laden mega budget films have gone onto create new records at the box-office, quite unpredictably some of the off-beat films also managed to strike a chord with the masses. The year has been quite rewarding for filmmakers who have gambled to break the mould of conventional cinema thereby also encouraging actors to take risks. When else would you have seen a popular actress at the peak of her career to play a pregnant woman or a heartthrob playing the role of a deaf and mute person?

As the Hindi cinema continues to evolve with every passing film, let’s take a look at the top performances of the year 2012 ( (in no particular order):

Ayushmann Khurrana – Vicky Donor

While all speculated Vicky Donor to be one of the biggest gambles by John Abraham as a producer, it proved everyone wrong by turning out to be an unexpected sweeper hit. The film not only launched John Abraham as a solid and astute business but also paved way for television anchor and VJ Ayushmann Khurrana into the Hindi film industry. Ayushmann’s portrayal of a flamboyant Punjabi munda was near perfect and became an instant hit with the masses.

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Vicky Donor

Annu Kapoor – Vicky Donor

Although Annu Kapoor may be known to all, he had been away from the celluloid for quite some time. The renowned character actor that he is, Annu made a strong comeback with the role of a happy go lucky Delhi based fertility expert in Vicky Donor. His ability to get into the skin of his character is was meticulous and effective as the newspaper editor he played in Mr India.

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Vicky Donor

Manoj Bajpayee – Gangs Of Wasseypur

Sardar Khan is undoubtedly the best portrayal by Manoj Bajpayee after Bhiku Mhatre in Satya. Not only did the actor get a cropped rugged look for his role but also brought out the various shades to his character brilliantly. Manoj brought to celluloid a perfect blend of rage, vulnerability, love and revenge. The actor turned out to be a vital thread in the proceedings of the film and also made for a solid reason for the film’s success.

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Gangs Of Wasseypur

Nawazuddin Siddiqui – GOW2 and Talaash

This has clearly been a golden year for Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The actor finally reaped the fruits of his persistant struggle over the years. He started the year with a crackling performance with Kahaani Where he played a no nonsense cop Khan. He followed it up with an equally stupendous performance in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs Of Wasseypur part 1 & 2. His rakish, stark and pot smoking character became an instant hit with the masses and earned him rave reviews. What followed was yet another laudable performance as Tehmur in Talaash. A stark contrast from his previous role, Nawaz this time around played a limping aide to a pimp. His dialect as well as acting proved his potential once again.

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Gangs of Wasseypur II

Ranbir Kapoor – Barfi!

Which sane actor would risk his much loved romantic chocolate boy image and opt for a highly unconventional role? But expect Ranbir Kapoor to do the unexpected. He dared to play the role of Murphy in Anurag Basu's poetic film Barfi as if he had nothing to lose and the audience instantly lapped up his performance. The many expressions that the superstar brought to fore, the many emotions he portrayed, the Chaplinesque act he did flawlessly will remain unmatched for a very long time.

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Barfi!

Irrfan Khan – Paan Singh Tomar

Who says you need starpower to set the cash registers ringing? All you need is a cracker of a story and an equally cracling performance. Irrfan Khan's portrayal of the real life character Paan Singh Tomar was so flawless that it got lauded by one and all. The praises spread like wild fire through word of mouth making the film a surprising hit so much so that almost everyone wondered why the film was stuck in the pipelines for more than half a decade!

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Paan Singh Tomar

Paresh Rawal – OMG: Oh My God

There isn’t a doubt that Paresh Rawal is one of the best actors we have in Hindi cinema. And his portrayal of Kanji Bhai only proves that more. The actor uses his magic touch to bring to life a cynical yet practical Kanji Bhai and maintains a perfect balance of rationalism and religion. The film wouldn’t have been a superhit had it not been for Parel Rawal’s praiseworthy work.

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OMG! Oh My God

Vidya Balan – Kahaani

It only takes immense confidence and courage for a top rung actress to take up the role of a pregnant woman. Vidya Balan has been pushing the boundaries of a female part in Hindi cinema since long. While last year she won accolades for her performance in The Dirty Picture, she started the year 2012 with yet another hard-hitting role of a pregnant woman in search of her missing husband in Kahaani. From getting the body language of a pregnant woman right to depicting the sense of loss, Vidya executed every part with praiseworthy finesse.

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Kahaani

Priyanka Chopra – Barfi!

Yet another actress credited for pushing the envelope is Priyanka Chopra. She portrayed the role of an autistic girl Jhilmil in Barfi as effortlessly as any other typical commercial heroine role. Her inherent glamorous personality simply disappeared into her character. Never for once did her character appear caricaturish. The actress also modulated her voice so as to sound like an autistic girl. Jhilmil is arguably her best work till date.

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Barfi!

Sridevi – English Vinglish

They say once an actor always an actor and no better person to prove that right than yesteryear Diva Sridevi! There couldn’t be a more fitting comeback for Sridevi than English Vinglish. Despite being away from celluloid for nearly 14 years, Sridevi slipped into the role of Sashi so realistically as if it was never a fictional work. She took the task of playing the hero of the film and remarkably shouldered the entire film. It is safe to say that after Sadma, Chaalbaaz and Chandni, she will always be remembered for her impactful performance in English Vinglish. Clearly, this movie is one of her best works till date.

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English Vinglish