The Year of 2018 just about ends with the last few releases are dropping just before the festive season begins. Christmas preparations and New Year resolutions have begun to come in place, but before we wrap up for the year, let’s take a look into the year 2019 and what is has in stall for us. A little sneak peek to what the prominent filmmakers, actors and producers of the industry have install for the public in 2019!
Gully Boy (Expected 14th Feb)
Zoya Akhtar known for her conventional story telling about relationships is back with her current new favourite actor Ranveer Singh in her latest outing based on the lives of rappers Vivian Fernandes aka Divine and Naved Shaikh aka Naezy known for their song ‘Mere Gully Mein’. The film mainly explores the underground talent of Mumbai, the rise from the slums to gaining an international recognition to the music they naturally compose. Ranveer Singh in preparation for his role has also been spotted around town attending rapping workshops and jamming with real-life street rappers.
Total Dhamaal (expected 22nd Feb 2019)
Indra Kumar returns with the third instalment to the Dhamaal series. The original leads Ritiesh Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Javed Jafferi (Minus Ashish Chowdhury) return to the series they are also joined with new additions Ajay Devgan, Anil Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit. The film was originally to release in December 2018 but due to the overflow of films at the end of the year, the producers felt it was wise to shift the film. Indra Kumar promises it to be thrice the fun as the last two films as well as it being family friendly unlike his Masti series.
Kesari (expected: 22nd March 2019)
Remember years ago when the industry all began to make Bhagat Singh biopics? Well similarly here we have several makers going after the subject of the Battle of Saragarhi. Kesari seeming to be the first in line out of the race. Based on the real life account of an army of 21 Sikhs who fought against 10,000 Afghans in 1897, the project is back by Akshay Kumar (playing the commander of the force in the film) and Karan Johar, directed by Punjabi renowned director Anurag Singh of Jatt and Juliet fame. Let hope that we also see the other takes of the encounter in Rajkumar Santoshi version (The Battle of Saraghai) and Ajay Devgan’s version (Sons of Sardar) in 2019 aswell.
Kalank (expected: 19th April 2019)
Post K3G and around the time of Kal Ho Naa Ho, Karan Johar had planned this project with his father during the years of 2003-2004. The film was conceived by senior Johar but due to not getting the correct dates from the actors and delays in production and the eventual death of his father, Karan had shelved the project. Now, in 2019 he has revived the project now being helmed by his protégé Abhishek Verma. Sridevi was signed to the film but sadly due to her death it was confirmed that Madhuri Dixit would be stepping into her role. Now the cast includes, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Aditya Roy Kapur, Alia Bhatt and Sonakshi Sinha. Let’s hope no more issues will be occur for this project and releases on time!
Student of the Year 2 (expected 10th May 2019)
The students returns this time with Punit Malhotra, of I Hate Luv Storys, fame who takes the director’s chair with the sequel to Karan Johan 2012 film. Tiger Shroff now leading the students alongside with debutants, VJ turned actress Tara Sutaria and Chunkey Pandey’s daughter Ananya Pandey. So expect a light hearted Archie’s-like romance with of course stunts by Tiger Shroff! The exciting part of the feature is that Will Smith makes a cameo in the film during a song sequence which he did during his visit to India expressing how he always wanted to make a cameo in a Bollywood film, well that now completed for the Fresh Prince!
Bharat (expected: Eid 2019)
Salman Khan returns to woo the audience with his Eid festive release returning with director Ali Abbas Zafar and brother-in-law producer Atul Agnihorti. Said to be a remake of Korean film Ode To My Father, which will show Salman in three different looks over three different time spans in the film. The film fell into controversy before the production had begun when Priyanka Chopra had walked out of the film 10 days before the shoot of the film, hurting the sentiments of Salman Khan and on short notice had brought in a Katrina Kaif to fill in her shoes. Who made the better decision, let’s find out Eid 2019!
Kabir Singh (expected: 21st June 2019)
Shahid Kapoor back on a roll, stars in the official remake of the Telegu hit Arjun Reddy which is about an alcoholic surgeon with anger management issues going on a self-destructive path after his ex-lover marries someone else. The film brings the original director, Sandeep Vanga to the film who made this modern day take on Devdas which raised eyebrows in the south for its bold contemporary theme and explicit language without the usual cheesy dialogues and over the top drama, Arjun Reddy became a cult and well as a well-received film by the youth in the south. Shahid, now with a lot of baggage stepping into the shoes of Vijay Deverakonda, lets hope justice is delivered.
Good News (expected: 19th July 2018)
Karan Johar never any less of productions for a year, this one starring Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani. Good News is said to be a laugh riot, family drama in which Akshay and Kareena Kapoor play a slightly mature married couple who are trying for a baby, while on the other hand we also have Diljit Dosanjh and Kiara Advani, playing a young recently married Punjabi married also trying for a baby. Debutant Director Raj Mehra, Karan Johar’s newest protégé stated that the film has no social message, but a complete fun entertainer.
Mission Mangal (expected 15th Aug 2019)
India’s first space film which bring an ensemble cast of which stars Akshay Kumar, , Vidya Balan, Taapsee Pannu, Sonakshi Sinha, Kriti Kulhari, and Sharman Joshi. The film is about India’s 2013 Mars Mission in which cast play the team behind the mission, coincidently the film was launched on the day of the launch of the mission 5th Nov and is planned to be released for India’s Independence Day.
Batla House (expected 15th Aug 2019)
John Abraham had blast of a year in 2018, as both producer and actor with back to back successes. Returning back to the producer’s table, John also stars in the ‘been long in talks about’ Batla House which is based on Batla House encounter, officially known as Operation Batla House. The incident took place on September 19, 2008, against Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorists in Batla House locality in Jamia Nagar, Delhi. The movie will be helmed by Nikkhil Advani and written by Ritesh Shah of Pink fame. Nikkhil had previously directed John in Salaam-E-Ishq. Seems like John is taking the patriotic genre quite seriously!
Chhichhore (expected 30th Aug 2019)
Nitesh Tiwari, of Dangal fame returns and joins hands with Sajid Nadiadwala in which he has roped in Sushant Singh Rajput and Shraddha Kapoor in lead roles. Set against the backdrop of an engineering college. It is also being said that Prateik Babbar will essay the key role of an antagonist while other actors such as Varun Sharma, Tahir Raj Bhasin and Naveen Polishetty add to the supporting cast. If reports are to be believed, the film keeps shifting between the past and present and gives out the message about how to tackle success and failure.
Tiger vs Hrithik (expected: 02nd Oct 2019)
Two of the brightest energies from the industry, Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff both known for the style of dance, action and physique come face to face in Siddharth Anand’s action entertainer which is yet untitled. Both actors already keeping a ‘hush’ on the project , there has already been news that the two play rivals in the films and there will be a dance off between the two guys. Said to be shot in 6 countries and 14 cities, the action and the scale of the budget is almost heading with any average Hollywood film, we have seen Anand’s action efforts in Bang Bang, so lets wait and see!
Housefull 4 (expected Diwali 2019)
The Housefull gang of returns for the fourth instalment to the franchise, this time the cast and the scale being a lot larger. Akshay Kumar, Ritiesh Deshmukh return with Bobby Deol, Kriti Sanon, Pooja Hegde, Kriti Kharbanda being the latest additions to the cast. Said to be based theme of Reincarnation and said to be Nadiadwala’s comic take on Baahubali with him claiming it to be the most expensive Hindi comedy film ever. Controversy came around when Director Sajid Khan was accused of sexual assault and misconduct to three different women hence he stepped down as director and Farhad Samji had taken over the project. As reports are believed the film is completed and things worked out smoothly post the second director had taken over.
Taanaji: The Unsung Warrior (expected November 2019)
Ajay Devgan takes a historical route in Om Raut’s film about Taanaji Malusare, a Maharashtrian Koli military leader in the Maratha Empire. Devgan will now be seen taking up a sword, shield and heading out to the frontline for his role as the unsung warrior who fought alongside Chatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj. It is also said his wife Kajol joins the cast as the Warrior’s spouse and Saif Ali Khan is rumoured to be playing the main antagonist.
Panipat (expected 6th Dec 2019)
Ashutosh Gowarikar’s last outing Mohejo Daro went so disastrous that it put a company Like UTV in jeopardy but one cannot doubt Gowarikar’s vision when it comes to history, even a Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey didn’t set the box office ablaze but still was a decent outing. Gowarikar has researched on the famous third battle of Panipat for almost 5 years, the infamous battle of the Marathas and Moughals for the time is going to be showcased on the big screen. The film stars an interesting cast of Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt and Kriti Sanon.
Bhramastra Part 1 (expected: Christmas 2019)
Ayan Mukerjee brings his latest offering, an ambitious fantasy drama which is intended to be a trilogy. Each part being said to be released every year, Ayan claims the film will be a contemporary film with ancient elements. Many may not know but Bhrastmastra is the weapon of Hindu God Bhrama, the lead hero Ranbir Kapoor is said to be playing a modern day superhero but having a connection with ancient wisdom. The film also features Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, Mouni Roy, Dimple Kapadia and Nagarjuna Akkineni
Kick 2 (expected Christmas 2019)
Sajid Nadiadwala who cashed in and made a decent debut as a director with Kick in 2014 returns to the director’s chair with the sequel. Bringing back the modern day Robin Hood, Salman returns as Devi Lal Singh aka ‘Devil’ and the adventures of the daredevil continue. Currently, it is said the plot is still being worked on by Nadiadwala’s best writers and the lead actress is yet to be confirmed. Ironically, the Telegu remake also had a sequel in 2015 which actually sank without trace. Let’s hope script wise and technique wise we get a better sequel!
Rejects from the list:
Super 30
Hrithik Roshan playing the role of Mathematician Anand Kumar, things began to go wrong for the project when the Mathematician was accused of fraud results, the makers decided to not call their film a biopic anymore, the second downfall for the film was Vikas Bahl being accussed of Sexual harassment which not only fired him from the film but even blacklisted him from the industry. The liquidation of Phantom Productions began from the director being accused, so currently the film is left not an appropriate production house and also director-less. It has been said that Kabir Khan will be taking over the project but it’s said he is currently not keen in taking over someone’s project, who know. Currently, the state of this film doesn’t look right.
Sandeep aur Pinky Faraar
Arjun Kapoor seems more interested in this love life than his actual career, giving importance to a particular someone then the scripts being offered. Kapoor’s career and approach is taking a professional hit with his last few films not reaching the mark. Namaste England this year really hit below the belt with some critics and cinemas rejecting to give it any importance, now the same leading pair return for this venture. The chances are not looking too good, only a director Dibakar Banerjee really has to save this film and the careers of both Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra.
Jabariya Jodi
Not to sound too harsh but a majority of Parineeti Chopra’s choices either sound unappealing or get straight out rejected on release (barring Kesari as that’s an out-and-out Akshay venture) to top off the icing we have Siddharth Malhotra, the kind of wooden acting. The fact that the film is based in Lucknow and neither of them can pull of a small town look or even act like Desi’s, this one just looked out of place from the first teaser posters. The only audience one can see watching this are the fans of Hasee Toh Pasee and let me ensure, that’s a very small minority.
Kismat Talkies 