Anil Kapoor Birthday Special: 10 Best Performances From the 21st Century by the Perennially Young Actor

There are only a few actors in this world who can mature like fine wine. Closer home, Anil Kapoor can find himself in that list. Looking at the man and his youthful exuberance, who can say that he is someone in his sixties and a father of three children, two of them being actors and one a producer! He is still handsome, he is still fit and he is still one helluva actor who can charm the hell out of you. Year Ender 2019: Ranveer Singh in Gully Boy, Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana in Bala & More – 11 Best Male Performances of Bollywood in This Year.

For those who don't know of this, Anil Kapoor didn't have a very dashing debut like his kids had. He had his humble beginnings with a small role in the late Sanjeev Kumar's 1979 film Humare Tumhare, before making his debut as a lead in the Telugu film, Vamsa Vruksham. In Bollywood, his lead role was in the 1983 film Woh Saat Din, which inspired Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam.

In the '80s, Anil revelled in the angry young man image that he had created for himself in films like Tezaab, Meri Jung, Yudh, Janbaaz, Karma etc. He never had any issues working in multi-starrer films, a trait that he continues to have even in the present day, when big stars are averse to have someone share their spotlight. As an actor, Anil Kapoor has dabbled in various genres, from action to comedy to romance to drama and even superhero (Mr India). Some of his more notable roles are in Lamhe, Beta, Biwi No 1, Deewana Mastana, Virasat etc. In 2001, he won his first National Award for the Best Actor.

In recent times, Anil Kapoor has dabbled with Hollywood films, TV series and has progressed into more character-driven roles. While his recent films may lack the memorable quotient of his performances of yore like in Saaheb, Tezaab and Beta, there have been some fine, and often underrated performance in there too.

In this special feature, we look at the 10 performances of the perennially young Anil Kapoor from this side of the century.

Pukar

Why not begin this list with the performance that gave Anil Kapoor his first National Award for the Best Actor?

Anil was terrific as the heroic army officer up against a terrorist mastermind, and is faced with disgrace when someone close betrays him. As for the film, Pukar, that was also produced by Anil Kapoor, remains a fantastic thriller with excellent music and performances from the entire cast. Sadly, it was overlooked at the box office then.

Nayak

Nayak, the remake of the Tamil hit Mudhalvan, was a flop at the box office during its release. But it became a cult hit during its television runs, as people appreciated the masala content and its depiction of a one-man army fight against the corrupt within the system.

In the lead role of a journalist who finds himself turning CM for a day, Anik Kapoor's performance is nothing short of being called powerhouse!

My Wife's Murder

This underrated thriller from the stable of Ram Gopal Varma's production house also has a very fine underrated performance by Anil Kapoor.

He plays a cuckolded husband who accidentally kills his domineering wife and tries to hide it to save his kid. Also, watch out for a brilliant performance from Boman Irani as the investigating officer in this one.

No Entry

Anees Bazmee's first foray into an out-n-out comedy may not be to everyone's tastes, but it is served well by the comic timing of its lead actors. Especially Salman Khan, in an extended cameo and Anil Kapoor.

Anil plays an honest editor of a magazine who finds himself at the edge of having an extra-marital affair after his suspicious wife harasses him to no end. It is his performance that drives the film and Anil entertains us through and through as a man who is trapped in his own misdemenours.

Welcome

In one of his more iconic roles, Anil Kapoor plays Majnu Bhai, the loyal confidante to his brother-like mob boss, Uday Shetty, and who thinks himself of a great painter. He isn't.

Welcome raises quite some laughs from the comic pairing of Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar, with two fantastic actors making each scene worth ROFL-ing.

Yuvvraaj

Subhash Ghai's lazy family drama has a starry cast in Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and a miscast Zayed Khan.

While the rest of the film, including AR Rahman's music, is forgettable, Anil Kapoor's act of an autistic but brilliant musician stands out in the movie.

24

After he got noted for his roles in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol and Slumdog Millionaire, Anil Kapoor got an opportunity to play a crucial role in the eighth season of Kiefer Sutherland's acclaimed thriller series. His performance of Kamistan President Omar Hassan won him a lot of good reviews.

Taken in by the show's thrill factor, Anil Kapoor brought 24 to India with him taking on the lead role. Though the show only lasted three seasons, it received good reviews from the critics.

Dil Dhadakne Do

In Zoya Akhtar's ensemble drama, Anil Kapoor plays a businessman with a roving eye who is on the brink of bankruptcy and having his dysfunctional family nearly in ruins.

It is a character with shades of grey but the flaws make him a very relatable one, whose ascension from close-mindedness is one of DDD's small victories. And Anil is wonderful in the role, with fantastic support from Shefali Chhaya, who plays his disillusioned wife, while Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra play his kids.

Mubarakan

Anees Bazmee's Mubarakan may not be as funny as his previous comedies like No Entry or Welcome, but it has its hilarious moments.

Most of them courtesy Anil Kapoor who is in rollicking form. He plays a good-hearted Sardar living in the UK who finds himself torn between his warring siblings and irresponsible twin nephews.

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga brought together the father-daughter jodi of Anil and Sonam Kapoor for the very first time. While it was supposed to be the story of a woman's struggle to live with her sexual identity, it is the two men in her life that get to drive the story.

Anil Kapoor is excellent as the patriarch who has his own dreams shut down for the sake of his family, and sees his own dilemma in his daughter's situation.

On the occasion of Anil Kapoor's 63rd birthday, we wish the always young-at-heart actor Many Man Happy Returns of the Day!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 24, 2019 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).