This was such an exciting year! And then it all turned to dross. Oh well, we can use our time machine and pretend we are back then again and we don’t know what will actually happen to these actors.
Abhay Deol-Dev.D
He already had the surprisingly good sleeper hit launch film Socha Na Tha, plus he had the famous Deol last name and familiar Deol looks. This was his third parallel cinema crossover hit, after Manorama 6 Feet Under and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye. And playing a new Devdas is quite the feather in the cap for any young actor. Also, he was dead sexy. A young extremely talented actor who likes taking risks, from a famous family, with looks that just get better year by year. Could he be the next big thing?
Sonam Kapoor-Delhi 6
After a flop launch movie Saawariya, she took almost a year off and did acting workshops and really struggled to transform herself for this very different part with a great director. That kind of dedication, along with really interesting looks and some talent, is very exciting. Could she be the next big thing?
Neal Nitin Mukesh-New York
He comes from a great family, he burst on the scene with Johnny Gaddar the year before, and he made a mark in an interesting role in a major YRF release this year. What will he do next????
Deepika Padukone-Love Aaj Kal
Her role in Om Shanti Om was little more than modeling, her performance in Bachne Ae Haseeno made little impact, but she was really cute and kind of interesting in her part in this movie. With her public romance with Ranbir Kapoor grabbing all the headlines, Is it possible she could be the next big cute rom-com heroine?
Shahid Kapoor-Kaminey and Dil Bole Hadippa
He’s been around for years, but because of his early launch he isn’t even 30 yet. After Vivah 3 years ago, then Jab We Met 2 years ago, he came back this year with a brilliant all time great dark performance, and a fun light pop film from YRF. It’s finally happening! Shahid is on his way! Next big thing, here we come! Too bad his personal life is so scandalous, with this new affair with Priyanka, but some man will just never settle down.
Ranbir Kapoor-Wake Up Sid and Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year and Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahaani
For someone with his famous last name, it’s remarkable how grounded and sane he seems. There was that early rumor of a relationship with Sonam, but now he and Deepika seem like a nice couple, even doing a photoshoot with his parents. And his film choices this year are so interesting, wearing a turban and a beard for a YRF film and making a small interesting film that lets the heroine have as much to do as he does, plus a throwback sweet comedy. He could be another actor like his uncle Shashi, unremarkable personal life, and just solid hard worker in good movies.
Viviek Oboroi-Kurbaan
It’s been a few years since Viviek was going to be the next big thing, but it looks like he’s found a good place for himself. Doing good work in a supporting role of a major film, he will probably turn into an actor like his father, quiet and hard working, a respected small part of the film industry.
Vidya Balan-Paa
What a nice respectable little actress! Her innate dignity and old-fashioned sense of herself makes her stand out in this small role. Just as she did in Lago Raho Munna Bhai. Maybe she will never live up to the promise she showed in her first film Parineeta, but doing a good job with small roles next to major actors is still something worthwhile. Good for her!
dontcallitbollywood 
Hahaah! This is a riot! Wasn’t in to Indian films in the 2000s so I feel like I can’t vote on that, but the Ranbir and Vivek sections are just comedy gold. And nice to see how things have (or in Ranbir’s case haven’t) changed in the last 10 years.
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I started out kind of depressed at the failed promise of the year, but by the end I was just finding it funny as well.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 11:41 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Just to be on topic of the whole end of the decade Film Companion did this interview
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Yes, I’ve been hearing about that!
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 11:55 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Bwahahaha this is great! Can’t wait to see how the current batch turns out in ten years.
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Yeah, we’re all sitting around going “wow, Ayushmann is great, but kind of boring, only does those middle-class roles and has such a dull personal life”. Ten years from now, he’ll be on wife number 3 and specializing in sick perverted villains.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 11:46 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Well I was actually kind of there and I thought Ranbir in fact I liked Ranbir back then! Stopped pretending to like him a few years ago.
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Ditto! I had no real opinion on him 2009, besides being impressed with his variety of roles. And then once Yeh Jawaani came out, I was all in on Ranbir for about two years. And then suddenly, not.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 12:54 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Neal Nitin Mukesh – I don’t know if I ever saw an entire movie with him, but for some reason I like him, wish him the best and I’m sad when I see him in those bad movies now ( I tried Ishqeria and it was unwatchable)
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Saaho and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo! He is surprisingly enjoyable onscreen in both of them, you should check it out.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 3:06 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Oh, I watched Prem Ratan…but I didn’t remember he was in it.
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This is Neal’s curse, no one remembers him. He played Salman’s jealous brother.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 3:17 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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He ended up being the funniest part of Saaho to me because he just couldn’t catch a single break!
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Yes! Him and Shraddha started to feel like a bumbling comic duo by the end of the film. Which I have to assume was not the intention.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 3:20 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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The alternate title of that movie should just be called Neil Niten Mukesh and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day
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Love this time machine :). I haven’t seen all of these, but based on performances I would have been convinced that Shahid was moving to next level star, and that Abhay was the most promising new arrival.
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I was too! Back then I mean. I was convinced Shahid was going to be the next big thing for at least two more years. And I still think he could have been if he hadn’t made the stupid sentimental decision to devote a year and a half to starring in his father’s first movie as a director.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 5:45 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Imran Khan should be part of this list.Every Koffee episode had the mandatory Imran or Ranbir & Sonam or Deepika. Poor Imran,he just gave up too fast.
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But 2009 was the Imran year of Kidnap and Luck. I was beginning to lose faith in him.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 9:26 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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I had faith till he did the gangster movie with Akshay Kumar and Sonakshi.
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Oh that was soooooooooo bad. And also confirmed that he did not have the ability or charisma to compete.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 9:39 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Laughing like an idiot by myself in my office. In 2009 I loved Ranbir. And I saw Vidya in Heyy Babyy and Salaam e Ishq and thought “She’s pleasant enough, if she stays in her lane.”
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Exactly! By 2009, I had given up on Vidya as anything besides a love interest. And I barely had hope for Deepika achieving that. It’s funny how all the men burnt out and all the woman ended up exceeding our expectations.
On Tue, Nov 26, 2019 at 10:37 PM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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Brilliant idea 🙂
I was only in the 3rd year of my Hindi cinema journey but I already had watched at least one movie with the upcoming stars although without thinking about their future.
Still, I remember that I saw potential in Vidya (Parineeta, Salaam-E-Ishq), Deepika (OSO), Shahid (36 China Town, Vivah), Abhay (to which I mentally only refered to as Dev D) and Neil (New York).
Yet neither Sonam nor Ranbir had made the slightest impact on me during those 3 years. I took an interest in Ranbir only after having watched Barfi and in Sonam only after Prem Ratan Dhan Payo.
I find it interesting to look – in retrospect – at the career of promising actors.
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Yes! Poor Neil. You know he was in Saaho, Prabhas’ new movie? It had this massive cast, and when each of them showed up onscreen the crowd cheered. Except for poor Neil, when he appeared only my friend cheered, a lonely cry in a silent theater. Jackie Shroff got more applause than him.
On Thu, Nov 28, 2019 at 5:44 AM dontcallitbollywood wrote:
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