From Akshay Kumar as Arunachalam Muruganantham to Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt: Six noteworthy Bollywood roles to watch out for in 2018

By: IANS | Mumbai | Published: January 2, 2018 2:39 pm 2018 is going to be an exciting year for Indian cinema.

From Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Manto to Akshay Kumar in Padman — the New Year is likely to give Bollywood some whistle-worthy characters.

Here are some of the must-see ones:

1) The Amitabh Bachchan–Aamir Khan face-off in Thugs Of Hindostan: It’s going to be the biggest action sequence ever filmed for a Hindi film. This is going to be the mother of all face-offs between two tall actors (one of them tall in a metaphorical sense only) who have never been together, never come together, never faced one another. The climactic confrontation is going to be the biggest action scene of 2018. Releasing on November 7.

Also read | The Khans are all set to make our 2018 movie calendar rocking with Zero, Race 3 and Thugs of Hindostan

Also read | Nandita Das eyes mid-2018 release for Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer Manto

2) Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Saadat Hasan Manto: The Urdu auteur-writer whose brutal frankness about life during the violence and bloodshed of the Partition shook our conscience, will be Nawazuddin’s chance to play a heroic character after playing scummy characters in a string of dark murky films. His impact as Manto in Nandita Das’s biopic will depend on the impact of the Bal Thackeray biopic. Date of release not decided.

“If you cannot bear these stories, it is because we live in unbearable times” – #Manto #Cannes2017 #Cannes70 #Film #Movies pic.twitter.com/AO0EYLOxPK

— Manto (@MantoSpeaks) May 22, 2017

Also read | Akshay Kumar opens up about Padman and 2.0’s clash, asks ‘why would I clash with my own film?’

3) Akshay Kumar as Arunachalam Muruganantham: Playing the enterprising man who invented the economical sanitary napkin, Akshay will bring his natural flair and empathy to a character who is meant to be an antidote to social inertia. Can’t wait to see this on January 26.

Marriage is finding innovative ways and not just words to say I love you! #AajSeTeri song out today at 1:30 pm.@PadManTheFilm @radhika_apte @sonamakapoor @mrsfunnybones @SonyPicsIndia @kriarj #RBalki pic.twitter.com/MMh03QpSBn

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 20, 2017

And it’s on the way! #PadManTrailer out today at 11:00 am. @PadManTheFilm @sonamakapoor @radhika_apte @mrsfunnybones @SonyPicsIndia @kriarj #RBalki pic.twitter.com/0oIHueyXI2

— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) December 15, 2017

4)Ranbir Kapoor as Sanjay Dutt: Would Ranbir mimic the famous Dutt mannerisms? Or would he give his own interpretation to the character? That’s the question which will be answered when this eagerly awaited Dutt biopic, directed by the real Sanjay Dutt’s friend Rajkumar Hirani; opens on March 30.

Also read| Latest revelations from the Sanjay Dutt biopic, and why we are excited about it!

Also read | Kangana Ranaut’s Rani Laxmi Bai look from the sets of Manikarnika is everything regal

5) Kangana Ranaut as Jhansi Ki Rani: So many actresses have tried to play Rani Lakshmibai and failed. So many times biopics on this warrior queen were announced and aborted. Will Kangana shut all her detractors up with her portrayal of Rani Lakshmibai in Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi? We shall know the answer when the film opens on April 27.