Year Ender 2019: Siddhant Chaturvedi in Gully Boy, Dulquer Salmaan in The Zoya Factor, Mohit Raina in Uri and More – 20 Performances in Bollywood Movies of 2019 That Define ‘Scene-Stealing’

The year 2019 is coming to an end, and we are also ready with our report card in how the year has turned out to be. And if you are a Bollywood fanatic, then we have made our lists of best films of the year, films that let us down, best actors and best actresses, cameos that impressed us. And more. Among the films we liked, there was Netflix's Soni, Zoya Akhtar's Gully Boy, Anubhav Sinha's Article 15, Vasan Bala's Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Shonali Bose's The Sky is Pink and more. The lead performances of these films also made it to our list. Year Ender 2019: From Ranveer Singh’s Gully Boy to Priyanka Chopra’s The Sky Is Pink, 9 Bollywood Films That Impressed Us the Most in 2019.

But it isn't just the lead actor who makes the film special, often it also comes to the supporting cast to deliver a memorable turn and make the film a riveting watch. More than often, in doing so, these performers end up stealing the show from the leads. And sometimes, their good work often gets unnoticed because the movie they featured in failed to work at the box office. Year Ender 2019: From Alia Bhatt’s Kalank to Salman Khan’s Dabangg 3, 11 Bollywood Movies That Disappointed Us the Most in 2019.

In this special year-ender feature, let's celebrate the work of these 20 scene-stealers in 2019 who rocked the show in both good and bad movies.

Mohit Raina in Uri: The Surgical Strike

The television star, who was also seen in a cameo in Good Newwz, made quite a comeback in Bollywood with his small but impactful role in this war drama. Playing a military officer, who is also the brother-in-law to lead Vicky Kaushal's character, Mohit Raina nails the army-man look with enough conviction and is particularly impressive in the Uri attack scene.

Siddhant Chaturvedi in Gully Boy

By the time this feature is coming out, Siddhant Chaturvedi is already on the way to being a star, nabbing plum projects with Dharma and YRF. And we can thank his scintillating turn as the rapper MC Sher for that. Despite sharing the screen with the experienced Ranveer Singh, Siddhant doesn't come off anywhere as a newcomer, instead, dominating the space wherever he needs to. Compare that to his performance as an intimidated cricketer in the web-series, Inside Edge, and you can see this man has range.

Amruta Subhash in Gully Boy

Gully Boy, like Sonchiriya and Article 15, would have owned this list with its talented ensemble of actors. But let me grudgingly restrict it to two and use this space to fawn over Marathi actress Amruta Subhash's excellent performance. While Vijay Raaz, who played her husband and Murad's father, pitched in an aggressive act, Subhash's performance was extremely layered and varied. At one moment, she evokes our sympathy, at others, she is equally aggressive. And she is awesome in one particular scene, where her character is more concerned with what her souten whispered in her son than the slap that was registered on his cheek by his father.

Ranvir Shorey in Sonchiriya

Ranvir Shorey may not be liberals' favourite actor these days, but keeping political insights aside, he is still one of the most underutilised talents in the industry. His performance in Sonchiriya is another fantabulous example for the same, where he plays a dacoit simmering in indignation. Watch his performance in the scene where he learns the truth about his dead leader, and get mesmerised by the actor's depiction of his internal agony, mixed with regret.

Kunal Kemmu in Kalank

Kalank may be a hell of a disappointment, but Kunal Kemmu came out of it smelling like a bunch of freshly cut roses. In Abhishek Varman's period drama, Kemmu is very much impressive as the antagonist, who was used by Varun Dhawan's character, only to take advantage of the situation to create chaos in the process. In a movie that is filled with some surprisingly average performances from big stars, Kemmu didn't even need to try hard to be the best of the lot.

Sunil Grover in Bharat

That Sunil Grover is a bundle of talent is something that has been long established thanks to his stint in television. In Ali Abbas Zafar's Bharat, Grover is in prime form as Salman Khan's BFF, excelling in the light-hearted scenes, but also surprising you with a nuanced act in the emotional scenes too.

Soham Majumdar in Kabir Singh

Kabir Singh's incessant focus on the wayward protagonist's life makes us wonder a lot about the people around him. Like his best friend, Shiva, who bears his friend's taunts and shoves to stand by him at his every low and we don't really know why. In the role, though, we find a very winning performance from Soham Majumdar, who manages to create a space for himself despite Shahid Kapoor's blazing performance.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub in Article 15

Ayushmann Khurrana's Ayan Ranjan may be the hero of this Anubhav Sinha social thriller, but when the film is done, we wish that the film had a bit more of Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub's Nishad. The always dependable Ayyub knocks it out of the park with a truly powerful performance, possessing some really impactful lines. But it is the scene where Nishad goes emotionally weak in front of his beloved, is where we can see the class of this actor. His involvement in the anti-CAA protests also makes Ayyub a hero in real life.

Manoj Pahwa in Article 15

Manoj Pahwa is another underrated performer who can do well in any role he is cast in. If he cuts a sorry figure in Anubhav Sinha's Mulk, then he is suitably bothersome in Sinha's Article 15. Playing a cop who is as corrupt as the people he is supposed to apprehend, Pahwa breathes fire with his eyes and uses his bulky appearance to effectively create an intimidating persona.

Badshah in Khandaani Shafakhana

Whenever a singer tries to act in front of the camera, we have had some very horrid memories. Sonu Nigam in Jaani Dushman... Himesh Reshammiya in Teraa Surroor... are just a few examples. But Badshah's act in this Sonakshi Sinha film, where he plays a fictional performance of himself, is quite revelatory. Especially in the climax where he dominates the scene with a wonderfully emotional performance.

Varun Sharma in Chhichhore

When you thought the best of Varun Sharma is reserved for Fukrey series, the actor comes out with an impressive act in Neeraj Tiwari's coming of age film. As the horny Sexa, Sharma steals the show every time he appears on the screen, with his expressions and dialogue delivery working in tandem to delivering an entertaining show.

Annu Kapoor in Dream Girl

Annu Kapoor's role in Ayushmann Khurrana's comedy may be hilarious. But scratch the funny exterior and peer inside, you will find a widower looking a way out of his loneliness. As for the actor, Kapoor is in top form in a film that has some really good performances. Kapoor scores, especially, in the second half where he converts himself to marry the 'love' of his life with his diction and performance truly bringing the house down.

Meera Chopra in Section 375

Section 375, a highly engaging courtroom drama, has Akshaye Khanna in a trailblazing form. But let's not forget that there is another terrific performance in the film - Meera Chopra, who is actress Priyanka Chopra's cousin. From a possible victim of rape to a girl betrayed in love, the actress makes her performance deliberately unreadable just like what the character needs. There is something about the acting genes in the Chopra girls it seems.

Dulquer Salmaan in The Zoya Factor

Okay, I might be breaking the rule here, since the Malayalam star is the male lead in the film. But considering how the movie was promoted on Sonam's star-power and I have to appreciate his fine performance in some space, so kindly let this pass. As the straight-forward but charming captain of the Indian cricket team, Dulquer looks fabulous and acts the same way too. While Sonam's performance leaves a lot to be desired, Dulquer laboriously shoulders the film with a graceful finesse that comes with his talent. Hope Bollywood offers the star more roles that challenge the actor within him.

Satyajeet Dubey in Prassthanam

Who thought the actor who was such an adorable geek in Always Kabhi Kabhi can also deliver a chilling act? In Sanjay Dutt's political drama, Satyajeet Dubey plays his brash younger son, whose homicidal tendencies destroy the fabric of his family. It is an effectively scary performance from the young actor, especially in the scene where he butchers his sister's family and allows his hapless brother (Ali Fazal) to hear of it through the phone.

Rohit Suresh Saraf in The Sky Is Pink

The Sky is Pink belongs to its three main leads - Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar and Zaira Wasim. But let's not forget the fantastic contribution of the young, talented Rohit Suresh Saraf in the film too. As the elder son of the leads, Rohit pitched in a heartwarming performance of a supportive sibling, looking to have his life outside his mother's obsession in keeping his sister happy.

Zoya Hussain in Laal Kaptaan

The underwhelming feeling that Laal Kaptaan left us is hurtful, considering it has the potential to be a masterpiece. From Saif Ali Khan being miscast in the lead role to its annoyingly slow pace, the movie failed to make a mark. However, Zoya Hussain's particularly tragic performance of a mother separated from her baby stands out in the film. Her performance deftly conveys the various facets of her character that range from a mysterious allure to being a sympathetic figure to bringing in an unpredictable fierceness.

Viineet Kumar in Saand Ki Aankh

Zoya Hussain's Mukkabaaz co-star Viineet Kumar also had a good year, performance-wise, with two great acts in Netflix's Bard of Blood and Saand Ki Aankh. In the latter, Kumar is very much likeable as the good-hearted coach who turns the Tomar women into stars. He is brilliant in the scene where the men in the Tomar household burn his place and he can only watch it with a helpless anguish.

Aparshakti Khurana in Pati, Patni Aur Woh

Aparshakti Khurana is getting typecast as the hero (and sometimes, heroine)'s BFF. But occasionally, the talented younger brother of Ayushmann brings out a scene-stealing performance that makes you overlook the repetitiveness. Like in the Pati, Patni Aur Woh remake where he steps into Asrani's shoes and walks away with the best lines, and laughs.

Vishal Jethwa in Mardaani 2

His fourth-wall-breaking conversation may across as very gimmicky, but Vishal Jethwa's Sunny is a terrifying character and a deplorable antagonist. Pitched against Rani Mukerji's powerful act, Vishal deliver a very natural performance that evokes the deepest disgust in you, and yet, leaves you mesmerised with his confidence.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 30, 2019 08:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).