Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh, Ayushmann Khurrana in Article 15, Ranveer Singh in Gully Boy – 8 Best Performances by an Actor in the First Half of 2019

The first half of 2019 is done away with, and Bollywood fans have had enjoyed some incredible delights in between. Movies like Uri: The Surgical Strike, Kabir Singh, Kesari, Gully Boy, Bharat, struck gold at the box office. Despite not led by a single Khan in the cast and made by a less prolific film-maker, Uri: The Surgical Strike turned out to be the highest grossing Bollywood movie of the year. Of course, at the time of writing this article, it remains to be seen if Shahid Kapoor's Kabir Singh, which is on a hot streak, can manage to beat the Vicky Kaushal-starrer. Box Office: Kabir Singh, Uri, Bharat – 5 Bollywood Movies That Earned the Most in the First Half of 2019.

And then there are movies that may not have worked at the box office, but is still memorable because they were beautifully made or had great performances or both. In this half-yearly feature, we will look at eight performances by a leading actor that blew our minds away.

Vicky Kaushal in Uri: The Surgical Strike

Uri: The Surgical Strike, the highest grossing Bollywood movie, may have divided the critics and the fans over its intentions. But nearly every one of them can agree that Vicky Kaushal was one of the best things about the film. The actor, who saw a surge of popularity post-Raazi and Sanju, pitched in a highly committed performance as the army officer seeking the avenge the Uri attacks.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Thackeray/Photograph

Thackeray may have been criticised for glorifying the late Shiv Sena Supremo's penchant for provoking violence. Nawaz himself got a lot of brickbats for agreeing to be a part of the movie. That said, if we purely dissect his performance only, then Nawaz turns in a pitch-perfect act, imbibing nearly every nuance, every mannerism of the political leader, especially during the fiery speeches. The actor was also incredible as the mild-mannered photographer who develops a beautiful, mesmerising bond with a college student in Photograph.

Anil Kapoor in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga had the gimmicky casting coup of real-life father-daughter jodi of Anil and Sonam Kapoor, playing, well, father and daughter. This convention-breaking love story was elevated by some fine performances from the cast. Leading the show is the always infallible Anil Kapoor, who won our hearts as the kind-hearted father of a girl on the edge of coming out. From his flirty sequences with a winsome Juhi Chawla to his emotional speech in the climax, Anil Kapoor is effortlessly scene-stealing.

Ranveer Singh in Gully Boy

Ranveer Singh's shift from his eccentric off-screen image to a chameleonic, serious onscreen persona in mind-boggling to say the least. In Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy, Ranveer Singh is excellent as an up-and-coming rapper, who is as flawed as the people around him. Not only did Ranveer give a wonderful performance, but he has also committed himself to rapping most of his songs. That too with fine results!

Sushant Singh Rajput in Sonchiriya

Sometimes your best work doesn't always get rewarded at the box office. This case is best exemplified by Sonchiriya, a terrific dacoit drama by Abhishek Chaubey. The entire cast is excellent is the movie, especially Sushant Singh Rajput. As the conflicted, guilt-stricken baaghi, Sushant will amaze with you with his dedication in not just nailing that accent right. But also in convincingly portraying the emotional turmoil going in the character's mind.

Akshay Kumar in Kesari

Kesari, despite doing a decent business at the box office, is a very average fare that doesn't do full justice to the incredible real-life Battle of Saragarhi. However, Akshay Kumar's powerful act as the leader of the battalion, Havaldar Ishar Singh, is one of the great points about the film. Be it the courageous soldier or the soft-hearted husband, Akshay's commanding presence is what that remains in your hearts long after the movie is over!

Shahid Kapoor in Kabir Singh

You may love it or hate it, but Kabir Singh definitely stands out from the pack for not being a run-of-the-mill love story. And its biggest USP is a scintillating performance by Shahid Kapoor, arguably his career-best. Despite the general unlikability of his character, Shahid deftly brings out the humane touches in Kabir Singh, while at the same not pulling back from the aggression needed to be displayed. In the end, he is rewarded with a rocking box office performance, making Kabir Singh Shahid Kapoor's highest grossing solo box office film.

Ayushmann Khurrana in Article 15

Article 15 is not only a film that is important in current times, but it is also a great watch. Embellished with fine performances, Article 15 pushes its leading man Ayushmann Khurrana to put his best foot forward. And the charismatic actor doesn't disappoint at all. In his first cop role, Khurrana may feel a little out of place at first, but that turns out to be an essential trait for the character. Khurrana effectively shows us how you can still portray a righteous cop, by letting his eyes convey his anguish rather than his punches.

So vote for your favourite performance in the box above. Also do watch this space for the companion piece, where we will list the best actress we found in the first half of 2019.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 01, 2019 05:42 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).