Young Guns...

Sarita Tanwar profiles the hot and happening 20-somethings

Ranbir Kapoor: When a young actor's debut film turns out to be a disaster at the box-office and he's still regarded as the next best thing, there's got to be something special about him. Ranbir Kapoor was a star from the day his first promo hit the air. He was the only relief in Saawariya and somewhere, the industry and the audiences saw the potential in him. His next film, Bachna Ae Haseeno, wasn't a roaring success either but it firmly established Ranbir as a star par excellence. The guy carried the film on his shoulders - his presence, his charisma and his appeal were unparalleled. Now he's working with every big gun in the business - from Karan Johar to Raj Kumar Santoshi to Prakash Jha and others. We predict he'll rule Bollywood in the next five years if he makes the right choices.

Watch out for: This boy has got it all right. From his attitude to his commitment, he knows where he is headed and he knows he will get there.u00a0u00a0u00a0
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Shahid Kapoor: One film can change the course of an actor's career and elevate him to a different level. That's what Jab We Met did to Shahid Kapoor. A year before JWM happened to him, Shahid was playing second leads to Ajay Devgan, Sanjay Dutt and Akshay Kumar. Today, he claims he's on par with them. Now that's a matter of debate but we can't deny Shahid his share of success either. When actors like Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham are still to deliver that big solo hit but Shahid has proved otherwise.

Watch out for: The problem with Shahid, however, is that he wants to mastermind his positioning. It would be sad if a promising talent got wasted in the quest for super-stardom. Kismat Konnection failed to create magic and Kaminey wasn't film with mass appeal either. Shahid needs a reality check to help him maintain all that he's built.u00a0
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Imran Khan: Nobody expected anything from Imran Khan before the promos of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa hit the channels. And that's why he came across like a breath of fresh air. When people were busy talking about Ranbir Kapoor and Harman Baweja, here was this simple, unassuming boy-next-door managing to strike a chord with you almost instantaneously. His two films after that, Kidnap and Luck, turned out to be total duds. Butu00a0 these films were signed much before the release of Jaane Tu... and were maybe made out of lack of choice. Imran's backlog is over and now is the time to watch how his career will take off. A lot depends on his next release, Delhi Belly, produced by Aamir Khan.

Watch out for: What Imran needs right now are the A-league makers to support him in his endeavor to become the best in the business. Just one hit, and all the past blunder will be forgotten.u00a0
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Deepkia Padukone: It often happens - you see someone on screen for the first time and you know a star is born. That was the Deepika Padukone effect after Om Shanti Om - she came loaded with everything from talent to looks to sex appeal to screen presence. Every top actor in the country desired to work with her. So even when her next release, Chandni Chowk To China crashed, it didn't change any equations for Deepika. The smashing success of Love Aaj Kal placed her on top yet again. Her detractors don't fail to find faults in her - they talk about her limited range of expressions and her vernacular diction. Who cares as long as the camera and the audience loves her? Deepika has raced past all her contemporaries and is charging a price that's the envy of even the most established heroines.

Watch out for: She's balancing her solo films with multi-starrers so the risk is minimal and she stays in the league. See where that strategy took Katrina Kaif.u00a0
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Sonam Kapoor: Sonam Kapoor is determined to chalk out her own career path after being in the industry for just two years. Saawariya was probably the most dreadful debut for any girl - no glamour, no sizzle and no potential to perform. And within these limitations, Sonam managed to add some moments that were totally her own. And also in the equally disastrous Delhi 6, as well. Her spontaneity and natural charm gives her that added advantage on screen. Sonam isn't in a rush to sign films - when she didn't get the kind of offers she wanted, she made her father produce a film for her.

Watch out for: Experimentation is good but to dominate your presence in the industry, you need to go mainstream. Sonam needs to get there before she finds herself restricted in a limited genre.


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