10 newcomers who made an impact in 2018

1. Ishaan Khattar: He was seen in Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds and then in Shashank Khaitan’s Dhadak, a rather lame remake of the Marathi masterpiece Sairat. In both his debut films, Ishaan was a complete natural to the camera. I found him a far more accomplished actor in his first two films than his star-brother Shahid Kapoor. Ishaan is definitely here to stay.

2. Janhvi Kapoor: In Dhadak, young Janhvi reminded the audience of her mother, the immortal Sridevi. Jahnvi has the elegance, old-world charm and the ability to hold the camera. Most of all, Janhvi has Karan Johar. What more can she possibly need to become a superstar?

3. Zain Khan Durrani: When he recited poetry in Onir’s big-small film Kuch Bheege Alfaaz, time stood still. This Kashmiri actor has the potential to grow into a talent of worth. He knows the language, spoken and unspoken.

4. Banita Sandhu: It isn’t easy to lie still and hold your breath for the entire film. NRI Banita Sandhu played comatose for most of Shoojir Sircar’s October. She brought amazing nuances to the changes in her character’s unconscious state. Little twitches in her mouth, flicker of recognition in her eye…Sadly, in our cinema, good acting means throwing your weight around. The debutant awards will be largely dened to this commendable debutante.

5. Priyanshu Painyuli: Though he was not exactly a newcomer in Vikramditya Motwane’s Bhavesh Joshi, this film was definitely the beginning of the talented actor’s career. In the title role, Painyuli displayed incredible skills and left a lasting impact as the voice of conscience.

6. Mithila Palkar: The Youtube sensation was a bundle of spontaneity in her big-screen debut in Akarsh Khurrana’s quirky road movie Karwaan. Though a novice, Mithila held her own against her two formidable co-stars, Irrfan Khan and Dulquer Salman. That’s saying a lot.

7. Uttkarsh Sharma: Though his debut film Genius sank without a trace, Uttkarsh Sharma cannot be written off. He certainly has the acting chops and the screen presence. Yes, he will be back.

8. Sara Ali Khan: Sara shohrat le gayee, pun intended. The kind of rousing impact this star-kid made is exemplary. Even before Kedarnath arrived, Sara Ali Khan was a star, thanks to her amiable positive personality and her quick-witted media interactions. Kedarnath proved Sara had the spunk and spirit of a sex-changed Simba.

9. Myra Vishkarma: In Vinod Kapri’s Pihu, this two-year-old natural-born actor proved age is no barrier to talent.

10. Mrunal Kulkarni: In an otherwise-reprehensible film, young Mrunal shone like a beacon of hope in Love Sonia. She held her own in a stellar cast. Though

Mrunal had a done a couple of Marathi films before this, Love Soniya gave her a worldwide platform. Luckily, she was noticed even though the film was largely ignored.

Also Read: 10 best films of 2018

Also Read: Films to watch out for in 2019