A star's box-office status is a very fickle thing that strictly follows the law of averages. Someone who has a really good hit streak is bound to face failures at one point. Or, an actor or an actress who is going through a lean phase may need just one film to bounce back. It's all about where the wind is blowing when it comes to your fortunes or the right decisions you make. Just look at what's happened in 2019. Despite two Salman Khan films releasing in the year, Hrithik Roshan, Shahid Kapoor, and Vicky Kaushal movies made more money than Bhai's films. Year Ender 2019: War, Kabir Singh, Uri: The Surgical Strike -Check Out The 10 Highest Grossing Movies Of 2019.
The year saw some very popular stars change their box office fortunes for good. Let's look at those six stars, while hoping their good streak continues in 2020 too.
Shahid Kapoor
Let's start this list with the actor who not only gave the biggest solo hit of his career in 2019, but also made the most awesome box office comeback. Sure, his 2018 film Padmaavat earned Rs 300 crore at the box office, but did anyone really give Shahid the credit for that?
His solo hits rarely crossed Rs 100 crore mark earlier, and the actor was going through a slump when Kabir Singh smashed its way to the theatres and turned out to be the second highest-grossing film of 2019, after War. Expectations are now high from his next, which, like Kabir Singh, is also a remake of a Telugu film, Jersey.
Sushant Singh Rajput
Sure, before Chhichhore, Sushant's Kedarnath performed decently, but it was more for the curiosity for its debutant, the much-promoted Sara Ali Khan. Sushant had raised his stakes with his Rs 100 crore smasher, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, which was released in 2016. But his Raabta that came after flopped miserably. Earlier in 2019, Sushant's brilliant performance in Sonchiriya went overlooked thanks to its miserable theatrical run.
So the Rs 100 crore success of Chhichhore must have given the mojo back to the actor. Unfortunately, Drive getting dumped straight to Netflix would have dented that resurgence and pretty much pissed the actor.
Yami Gautam
After her debut in Vicky Donor, the Fair & Lovely girl was mostly cast in roles of the PYT in movies. Thanks to films like Badlapur and Kaabil, she was also known as the PYT who gets killed so that the hero gets on revenge mode. The failures of films like Sanam Re, Junooniyat, Sarkar 3, Batti Gul Meter Chalu et al did little to boost her career. All that changed in 2019.
Yami delivered the biggest hit of her career with Uri: The Surgical Strike. But it was her second hit of the year, Bala, where she was a complete revelation, showing off her never-seen-before comic timing. With the kind of appreciation, she has gotten for her performance, pretty sure, Yami would be getting more offers on her way.
Vicky Kaushal
He received a lot of acclaim for his debut in Masaan, and did a couple of leading roles. He also got appreciated for his performances in Sanju and Raazi. But did anyone see him leading a blockbuster all by himself?
Vicky wasn't seen as a pakka commercial star, until Uri: The Surgical Strike happened and made more than Rs 200 crore at the box office, out of a very modest budget. What's more, Vicky even won a National Award for the Best Actor his performance in the film.
Hrithik Roshan
Hrithik Roshan may not have been seeing a lean phase as Shahid Kapoor, as his last film before coming to 2019, Kaabil, was a hit. But it wasn't the kind of success you associate with a superstar like Hrithik, who still was reeling from the debacle of Mohenjo Daro then.
Circa 2019, and Hrithik Roshan has got his box office mojo back. Super 30 turned out to be a Rs 100 crore hit, and War went on to become an All-Time Blockbuster, and the highest-grossing film of the year.
Kiara Advani
Kiara Advani had made her debut back in 2014 with Fugly, but it took five years for the actress to get mainstream recognition. It helps to be in the Karan Johar camp for her, after Netflix's Lust Stories. The cameo in Kalank did little for her, but it did pave way for Good Newwz that is doing tremendous business at the box office, as we write this article.
Also, let's not forget her bigger hit of the year, Kabir Singh, that turned her into a bonafide leading lady. With Laxmmi Bomb, Indoo Ki Jawani, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Shershaah coming out in 2020, looks like Kiara will continue to fly high this year too.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 05, 2020 09:31 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).