IR #037

A positive trend that has emerged in Bollywood in recent times is that there are quite a few movies being released with quality actors in the lead despite their non “star” status. Irrfan Khan in the beautifully made movie Lunchbox and the recent Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Manjhi come to mind. Unfortunately, both of them just like the others are small budget films that managed to capture the attention of the public on the basis of their storyline and performances.

There are some other actors who deserve to be given their own starring role in a big budget movie or atleast be given their due in the annals of Bollywood cinema.

 

Pankaj Kapur

Whenever this actor comes on screen, he manages to wow the audience in ways that one can never imagine. His screen presence and the way he manages to captivate every scene is quite unparalleled in Bollywood cinema. From his small screen performances in Office Office to his latest offering in Shaandaar his class just jumps out of the screen.

 

Manoj Bajpai

He is an actor who manages to deliver a firecracker of a performance whenever the camera frames onto him. His eloquence and flawless performances in whatever characters he potrays is par excellence. The intensity in his eyes and mannerisms he includes in his performances always manage to invoke awe in the audience. It is a shame he was never offered roles with more substance apart from his performances in Satya and Gangs of Wassepur.

 

Ronit Roy

A TV actor who just has not managed to replicate the success he has had on the small screen when it came to the big screen. He is probably the best proponent of the dead pan acting methodology in recent times. He underplays emotions to a level where you just wait for him to burst out but it just seems to boil underneath. When he did get a chance in movies like Udaan and 2 States, he just blew his fellow actors out of the park.

 

Sanjay Mishra

The career of Sanjay Mishra truly baffles me. Such a versitile actor who weaves magic with his performances in small budget productions but somehow gets typecast as the usual buffoon when it comes to any bigger movie. His performances in movies like Phas Gaye Obama, Saare Jahaan Se Mehnga and Aankon Dekhi can easily make other character actors do a reality check. Then you see him movies like Kick, Joker etc which makes me think… WHY???

 

Kay Kay Menon

There is no one who would deny the fact that Kay Kay Menon is one “helluva” actor. His portrayals of dark, intense, negative characters makes us ask the question, who else but him could have brought them to life. His performances in Sarkar, Mumbai Meri Jaan and the more recent Haider could be used as reference material for budding actors in the future. Its about time there was a role that was written specifically for him.

 

 

Are there anymore actors who would make the list?