The 6 most eagerly awaited films of 2022

While 2020 was a near-blank in the movie theatres, 2021 showed a gradual revival of the movie-theatre business with Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi, and specially Spiderman No Way Home bringing the audience back into theatres. 2022 has an impressive lineup of potentially explosive blockbusters. Here are the ones that are likely to bring audiences back in the first half of the year.

1. Gangubai Kathiawadi: Because it’s Sanjay Leela Bhansali. This means something extraordinary. This time Bhansali moves out of his comfort zone. Abandoning the epic opulence of Devdas, Bajirao Mastani and Padmaavat he has carved a no-flab slinky and sinewy gangster epic which is not dark and dingy but actually great fun to watch. Alia Bhatt’s career will move to the next level with this. Don’t expect Rajamouli’s RRR to do anything for her career. Expected Release Date: February 18.

2. RRR: S S Rajamouli…. Baahubali !!! Do we need to say anything more? This will be the Spiderman No Way Home of 2022, although on the minus side, Ramcharan Teja and NTR Jr, the two lads looming over the lush stunts, have a zero market in the cow belt. But then, who knew Prabhas before Baahubali? Rajamouli’s trademark grandeur and incredible storytelling prowess are the two heroes of this breathlessly awaited film. Expected Release date: 7 January 2022

3. Shamshera: Ranbir Kapoor returns to the screen after a hiatus of almost three years. Was he missed? We shall soon know. Is he convincing as a ferocious dacoit, a role that his super-talented Dad Rishi Kapoor would never have touched with a bargepole? We shall soon know. Will director Karan Malhotra make a hash of it the way he did with the remake of Agneepath? Why is Shamshera on my list of the most awaited films of the year? Because I am told it is not a routine dacoit drama like Mera Gaon Mera Desh or Mujhe Jeene Do. It is raw and real. And there are no galloping horses. Because the Chambal Valley never had any horses. Expected Date Of Release: March 18

4. Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2: Kartik Aaryan is on a winning streak. He steps into Anees Bazmi’s crazy crazy world with hilarious results. Trust me, this will be the funniest film of the year. For one, Anees’ film is as far removed from Priyadarshan’s Bhool Bhulaiya from 2007 as humanly possible. I am fully confident this is going to be the laughter tank of 2022.Expected Date Of Release: March 25

5. Laal Singh Chadha: Because it is Aamir Khan. And because it is Aamir Khan doing a Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. I have always thought of Aamir as India’s Hanks, and that’s a huge compliment. Like Hanks, Aamir seldom errs in the selection of his films and roles. Laal Singh Chadha has Aamir reliving the entire history of India, from the Partition in 1947 to the fall of the Babri Masjid. Salman Khan attempted something similar in Bharat and failed. That’s where this Khan steps in. Expected Date Of Release: April 14.

6. Maidaan: According to me Ajay Devgan is the topmost box-office draw of Bollywood in present times. In Maidaan he plays the legendary football coach Syed Abdul Rahim. All the football matches are played with real footballers from the world over. The director is Amit Sharma who made the ground-breaking Badhaai Ho in 2019. Sharma is one of the brightest directorial talents of the post-Bhansali generation. This film will do what Kabir Khan’s ’83 couldn’t do to the sports genre. Expected Date Of Release: June 3.