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Bollywood 2023: what can you expect after the very mixed bag of 2022

Bollywood 2023: what can you expect  after the very mixed bag of 2022

For Indian mainstream cinema buffs, the year 2023 has a lot in store: here’s how it looks right now…

By Rodrigues C

THE YEAR 2022 will go down in Bollywood’s history as one of its worst due to the number of failures at the box office.

Yes, the preceding two years were far worse but this was due to the pandemic.

All eyes are now on 2023 to revive the fortunes of an ailing industry which has been looking at films from the South as they take on Bollywood in its traditional turfs.

Inspite of the accumulating loses, producers are willing to take risks and invest in big projects for 2023. Here’s the line-up of the best on offer for 2023.

Pathaan

Pathaan (January 25)

The year’s first big release will be this Shah Rukh Khan-Deepika Padukone thriller which has been produced by Yash Raj Films. Part of the studio’s spy universe featuring Salman Khan and Hrithik Roshan, the film has been budgeted at £25 million. The Siddharth Anand directorial marks SRK’s return to the big screen four years after ‘Zero’. Salman Khan plays a cameo in the film as Avinash Singh Rathore, his character from the ‘Tiger’ franchise.

Maidaan (February 17)
Directed by Amit Sharma, this biographical film starring Ajay Devgn is based on the life of Syed Abdul Rahim, former Indian football coach and manager of the national team from 1950-1963. AR Rahman has composed the film’s score.

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan (April)
This will be Salman Khan’s Eid release for 2023. Eid will celebrated on April 21. Directed by Farhad Samji, it also stars Venkatesh Daggubati, Pooja Hedge, Raghav Juyal and Shehnaaz Gill. The film will clash with Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan 2’, to be released on April 28, at the box office. It was initially scheduled to hit theatres in December 2022. Covid led to some films being rescheduled and date clashes.

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani’

Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani (April 28)

Filmmaker Karan Johar will helm this project after a gap of seven years. It stars Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Jaya Bachchan, Shabana Azmi and Dharmendra. The film’s shoot was recently delayed due to Bhatt’s pregnancy.

Jawan (June 2)

Jawan

Tamil film director Atlee (Arun Kumar, but better known by this moniker) will make his Bollywood debut with this Shah Rukh Khan film, where he plays a double role. Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi and Sanya Malhotra also feature in the thriller. Reportedly, AR Rahman turned down Atlee’s offer to compose for the film.

Animal (August 11)
Ranbir Kapoor is believed to be playing a never-before-seen avatar in this gangster film, which is directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga. Anil Kapoor, Rashmika Mandana and Bobby Deol also star in this crime drama.

Tiger 3 (November)

Tiger 3′

Salman Khan will reprise his role as RAW (Research & Analysis Wing) agent Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger in this action thriller, which is slated to be this year’s Diwali release. Directed by Maneesh Sharma, it was originally scheduled to release on Eid. Katrina will play the female lead, Zoya. The action thriller has been extensively shot in Turkey, Russia and Austria and is on the cutting floor still.

Dunki

Dunki (December)
SRK’s third offering of the year will also feature him alongside Taapsee Pannu. This is the actor’s first film with director Rajkumar Hirani. In English, it will be called ‘Donkey’.
The film recently completed its shoot in Saudi Arabia.

Khufiya (no release date)
After a gap of five years, director Vishal Bhardwaj returns to the big screen with this OTT spy thriller based on Amar Bhushan’s novel ‘Nowhere to Return’. Tabu plays a RAW operative, Krishna Mehra, in the movie which also features Ali Fazal. The lead character in Bhushan’s novel is played by a man, whereas Bhardwaj has changed it to female for the film as he didn’t find it “exciting”.

Jee Le Zaraa

Jee Le Zaraa (no release date)
After her 2019 film, ‘The Sky is Pink’, Priyanka Chopra makes a big screen comeback in this Farhan Akhtar directorial. The road trip film also features Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt. Akhtar had announced the film in 2021, on the 20th anniversary of ‘Dil Chahta Hai’.

Joining the 2023 bandwagon will be Ali Abbas Zafar’s ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’ with Akshay Kumar, Janhvi Kapoor, Tiger Shroff and Prithviraj Sukumaran; Ranbir Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor comedy ‘S Tu Jhoothi Main’ directed by Luv Ranjan; the Raj Mehta helmed ‘Selfiee’ – a remake of the Malayalam film, ‘Driving Licence’ – with Akshay Kumar, Diana Penty and Emraan Hashmi; Ajay Devgn’s (acted and directed) ‘Bholaa’, a remake of Tamil hit ‘Kaithi’; Karthik Aaryan’s ‘Shehzada’, a remake of the Telugu hit ‘Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo’.

Movie buffs will be surely spoilt for choice this year. Yes, some movies may miss these release dates and reschedule due to other issues. Whatever the outcome, it’s a win-win situation for the average fan. To happy viewing, asianculturevultures!

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Written by Asian Culture Vulture