Bollywood’s Films That Will Rule Box Office In 2018

The four top contenders of 2018 will be Deepika Padukone’s “Padmavat”, Aamir Khan’s “Thugs Of Hindostan”, Shah Rukh Khan’s “Zero” and Rajinikanth’s “2.0”.

Here’s a roundup of the most-anticipated films featuring some of Bollywood’s biggest talents, and what they have to offer. So, in no particular order.

‘Padmavat’

The blockbuster, starring Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh and Shahid Kapoor, is an operatic version of a Sufi poem “Padmavat,” depicting the life of legendary 14th-century Hindu queen Padmini, who immolates herself rather than fall prisoner to a conquering Muslim ruler.

Judging from the trailers, the movie has been shot with stunning visual flair and a huge dose of camp.

‘Zero’

Here’s a frenetic concept: an ambitious Shah Rukh Khan, at the height of his stardom, is going method to play a dwarf.

In his fifties now, Khan, who is Bollywood’s highest-paid actor, is finally breaking free of his trappings in Aanand L Rai’s “Zero.”

It’s scheduled to release in December. According to the industry experts, will clock over USD$90 million (FJD$ 180m) around the world.

‘Pad Man’

This is another star-driven movie focused on women’s issues. Akshay Kumar takes on the subject of menstrual hygiene, portraying the real-life social entrepreneur Arunachalam Muruganantham, the inventor who risked everything, including his own reputation, to introduce lowcost and easily accessible sanitary napkins to poor women in India.

Even “Pad Man” follows the same formula – no frills, but an interesting plot.

‘Sanju’

Biopics currently rule the roost in Bollywood.

Ranbir Kapoor teams up with director Rajkumar Hirani for the story of one of its own -- ’90s superstar Sanjay Dutt.

From beefing up to growing a beard, Kapoor nails the physical impersonation.

It’s scheduled to release on June 29.

If it can do that, then it’s pretty reasonable to expect it to join the USD$100 million club (FJD$ 200m).

‘Thugs of Hindostan’

Aamir Khan and Amitabh Bachchan star in what appears to be based on Philip Meadows Taylor’s 1839 novel “Confessions of a Thug” about a gang of bandits, who posed a serious challenge to the British Empire in India. The film will arrive in November. Also, with Khan and Bachchan’s combined star power, it will end up the reigning champ, raking in over USD$200 million (FJD$ 400m).

‘2.0’

It has been around a little while now but time has not dinted my appetite to see what director Shankar does with this sequel of the 2010 film “Robot.” In “2.0” Rajinikanth, a larger-than-life actor from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu, reprises the role of scientist Chitti and meets his match, Akshay Kumar, who plays his adversary, in the film.

Get ready to watch some epic action on April 27.