The year 2017 turned out to be a good one for Hindi cinema and we wish that it continues to be, even in 2018. We bring you 34 Bollywood films that can (probably) make it happen.
1. Padman
Release date: 26th January
This Akshay Kumar, Sonam Kapoor, and Radhika Apte starrer film looks quite promising. It’s a comedy-drama written and directed by R. Balki and is based on the life of social activist, Arunachalam Muruganantham. The story revolves around this man from Tamil Nadu, who revolutionized the concept of menstrual hygiene in rural India by creating a low-cost sanitary napkins machine.
2. 2.0
Release date: 27th April
This S. Shankar directorial science fiction film serves as a sequel to the 2010 Tamil film Enthiran and features Rajinikanth reprising the roles of Dr. Vaseegaran and Chitti, alongside Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson. With an estimated budget of ₹450 crore, it is the most expensive Indian film by far.
3. Thugs Of Hindostan
Release date: 7th November
Written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya, this film is based on Philip Meadows Taylor’s 1839 novel Confessions of a Thug. It’s about a gang who posed a serious challenge to the British Empire in India during the early 19th century. The film features Aamir Khan in the lead role, along with Amitabh Bachchan, Katrina Kaif and Fatima Sana Shaikh.
4. Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Release date: 27th April
As the title suggests, it’s an Indian epic biographical film about the life of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and her war against the British East India Company, during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. Kangana Ranaut essays the titular character in the film and it is being directed by National Award Winning director Krish.
5. Padmavati
Release date: Undecided
Like every Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, this one has also been made on a massive scale. It’s a period film based on the life of legendary Rajput queen, Padmavati and Deepika Padukone essays the titular role. The film features Shahid Kapoor as Maharawal Ratan Singh and Ranveer Singh as Sultan Alauddin Khilji. Aditi Rao Hydari and Jim Sarbh are in supporting roles.
6. Sanjay Dutt Biopic (Untitled)
Release date: undecided
It’s a biopic based on the life of actor Sanjay Dutt, with Ranbir Kapoor in the lead. It has been written and directed by Rajkumar Hirani and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The makers are yet to confirm the title of this much-anticipated film but as of now, the rumours suggest that it’s Sanju.
7. Raazi
Release date: 11th May
This period thriller film directed by Meghna Gulzar is an adaptation of Harinder Sikka’s novel Calling Sehmat. The story is about a Kashmiri spy married to a Pakistani man during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. It features Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal in lead roles.
8. Karwan
This one’s believed to be a road trip film that traces the story of two unlikely friends. It stars Irrfan Khan and Dulquer Salmaan and marks the directorial debut of Humshakals and Krrish 3 screenwriter Akarsh Khurana.
9. Pari
Release date: 9th February
It reportedly is a supernatural thriller with Anushka Sharma portraying the role of an abused victim. The film marks the directorial debut of Prosit Roy and it’s the third project under Clean Slate Flims, which is owned by the actress. It also stars Parambrata Chatterjee.
10. Veere Di Wedding
Release date: 18th May
This film directed by Shashanka Ghosh stars Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania in lead roles, with four friends attending a wedding. It’s being co-produced by Rhea Kapoor, Ekta Kapoor, and Nikhil Dwivedi.
11. Saaho
Release date: undecided
After delivering a power-pact performance in Baahubali, Prabhas is now coming back with this action thriller film. Written and directed by Sujeeth, Saaho also stars Shraddha Kapoor as the female lead along with Neil Nitin Mukesh in a crucial role. The film is being shot simultaneously in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
12. Mukkabaaz
Release date: 12th January
This sports drama film co-written and directed by Anurag Kashyap is based on the struggles of a low caste aspiring boxer who falls in love with the niece of a goon. Vineet Kumar, who’s previously worked with Anurag in Gangs of Wasseypur, Ugly and his short film Murabba from Bombay Talkies, is in the lead role. The film also stars Jimmy Shergill.
13. Fanney Khan
Release date: 15th June
This film is an official remake of the Oscar-nominated Belgian 2000 film Everybody’s Famous. Directed by Atul Manjrekar, it features Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Rajkummar Rao in the lead roles.
14. Gold
Release date: 15th August
This sports biopic starring Akshay Kumar in the lead role is based on the life of a former Indian hockey player hockey Balbir Singh Dosanjh. He was on the team that won the first Olympic medal for India as a free nation in 1948. Directed by Reema Kagti, the film also stars Mouni Roy, Raveena Tandon, Amit Sadh and Kunal Kapoor in pivotal roles.
15. The Accidental Prime Minister
Release date: 21st December (tentatively)
Anupam Kher stars as the former Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh in this biographical political film written by Hansal Mehta and is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru.
16. Kaalakaandi
Release date: 12th January
This black comedy stars Saif Ali Khan in the lead role and marks the directorial debut of Delhi Belly writer, Akshat Verma. It revolves around six different characters and Saif is pulling off a funky and offbeat avatar that we had probably last seen in Go Goa Gone.
17. SRK-Anand Lal Rai (Untilted Film)
Release date: 21 December
After working together in Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma are returning together to the silver screen with this untitled film. It already seems a big budget film with Salman Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rani Mukerji, Kajol, Alia Bhatt, Sridevi, Karisma Kapoor and Juhi Chawla, making a special appearance in the film.
18. Chanda Mama Door Ke
Release date: 26th January
This science-fiction space film directed by Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan stars Sushant Singh Rajput as an astronaut and R. Madhavan as a test pilot. The film which also features Shraddha Kapoor and Bhumi Pednekar traces the journey of India’s space programme.
19. Sui Dhaaga: Made In India
Release date: 2nd October
This Yash Raj film based on the initiatives of the Make in India progress is directed by Sharat Katariya and has Varun Dhawan and Anushka Sharma in the lead role.
20. Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran
Release date: 23rd February
Directed by Abhishek Sharma, the film is based on the nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by the Indian Army at Pokhran in 1998. It features John Abraham and Diana Penty in lead role.
21. Dhadak
Release date: 6th July
It’s a romantic drama directed by Shashank Khaitan is based on super hit Marathi film, Sairat. Sridevi’s daughter Janhvi Kapoor will be making her Bollywood debut with this one and it also stars Shahid Kapoor’s brother Ishaan Khatter.
22. Kedarnath
Release date: 21st Dec
Saif and Amrita Singh’s daughter Sara Ali Khan is making her much-anticipated debut in Bollywood with this Abhishek Kapoor directorial film based on the 2013 North India floods. It also features Sushant Singh Rajput in the lead role.
23. Simmba
Release date: 28th December
Directed by Rohit Shetty, it’s an action-drama film starring Ranveer Singh in the titular lead role. It is loosely inspired by 2015 Telugu film Temper.
24. Total Dhamaal
Release date: 7th December
This one’s a sequel to 2011 comedy film Double Dhamaal and the third installment of the Dhamaal film series. Riteish Deshmukh, Arshad Warsi, Aashish Chaudhary and Jaaved Jaaferi reprise their roles from the previous films. While Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit and Ajay Devgn are new addition to the film’s cast.
25. Student of the Year 2
Release date: 30th November
This a sequel to 2012 film, Student of the Year and is directed by Punit Malhotra. It stars Tiger Shroff in lead role as Rahul Sarine.
26. Loveratri
Release date: Undecided
Salman Khan is all set to launch his brother-in-law Aayush Sharma in this Abhiraj Minawala directorial film. The makers are currently on a hunt for a female lead actor.
27. Soorma
Release date: 29th June
It’s a biopic based on the hockey legend Sandeep Singh. The film directed by Shaad Ali stars Diljit Dosanjh and Tapsee Pannu in the lead roles.
28. Shiddat
Release date: 8th June
The Karan Johar film features Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt in the lead role. And if reports are anything to go by then it also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanjay Dutt, and Sridevi in pivotal roles. It is being said that Varun and Aditya will be seen playing brothers with a tense relationship. While Dutt and Sridevi will be essaying the characters of their parents.
29. Hitchki
Release date: 23rd February
After her brilliant performance in Mardani in 2012, Rani Mukherji is back with this Sidharth Malhotra directorial film. She essays the role of a teacher who suffers from Tourette syndrome.
30. Mughal Road
Release date: Undecided
This Muhammad Ali directorial film stars Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal, and Manoj Bajpayee. It is a tale of a historical event of the battle that took place as Pakistani tribesmen, known as Kabailies, guided by Pakistani armed forces, crossed over to Baramulla in Kashmir.
31. Love Per Square Foot
Release date: Undecided
It’s a romantic comedy that revolves around a guy and girl who enter a marriage of convenience to buy a flat in Mumbai. The film which is set to be exclusively available on Netflix in early 2018, stars Vicky Kaushal and Angira Dhar in the lead role. While Ratna Pathak Shah, Supriya Pathak and Raghuvir Yadav feature in pivotal roles.
32. Namaste Canada
Release date: December (undecided)
After Namaste London, Vipul Shah is now back with Namaste Canada. The film features Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra in the lead role.
Looks like a good year for Bollywood!
