This year, we are having some very interesting projects from our favorite superstars. Usually Bollywood is always blamed for not experimenting with their premises and the stars for not taking roles that go beyond conventions. By the end of 2018, at least some of the stars might be excused from this accusation. This is a year where Varun Dhawan, after playing to the gallery in Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Judwaa 2, is doing a surreal love story in October. His BKD co-star Alia Bhatt is playing a spy in a period thriller, Raazi. Shah Rukh Khan is losing some of inches to play a dwarf in Zero, while Aamir Khan is turning a pirate in what could be 2018's costliest movie in Bollywood.
While all these movies are interesting and have huge intrigue factor, there is also high risk attached to these movies when it comes to past luck or box office. So without further ado, here are ten riskiest movies we will see some of our favourite stars in.
October
Having seen the trailer, we now know that October is a movie unlike anything Varun Dhawan has done, or rather Bollywood has seen in recent times. It speaks of an unusual love story about a young man, possibly suffering from schizophrenia, and a comatose woman with whom he forms a bond. Looking at the theme and the overall surrealism, this is definitely the riskiest project Varun has done when it comes to box office.
Dhadak
Dhadak may have got the right kind of attention for being the Bollywood launchpad for two popular starkids, Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter. However, it will be under heavy scrutiny from the moments the first trailer will come out, and it has mostly to do with the fact that it is a remake of the beloved Marathi blockbuster Sairat. Many of the movie's detractors were quite against Karan Johar choosing this movie to be remade, and even the original movie's director Nagraj Manjule isn't too keen on the idea. So yeah, our eyes are on you, Dhadak!
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Knowing Padmaavat's bucket of woes (which actually helped it at the box office), Manikarnika might also have some troubles in store for it, since it revolves around another Rajput queen. Kangana Ranaut is the candidate to play the Rani of Jhansi for sure, but her box office cred has taken a huge dent after the back to back failures of Rangoon and Simran. With the lavish budget bestowed upon it, Manikarnika is definitely a risky proposition.
Raazi
After the brilliant Talvar, Meghna Gulzar is working with Alia Bhatt in this spy drama that is co-produced by Karan Johar. The movie is an adaptation of Harinder Sikka’s novel Calling Sehmat, about a Kashmiri spy married to a Pakistani man during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Alia Bhatt has revelled in off-beat author-backed roles in movies like Highway and Udta Punjab. Can she repeat the feat here?
Sanju
Sanjay Dutt's biopic is one of the most anticipated movies to come out this year, for two big reasons. One, it is based on the life of one of the most controversial stars in Bollywood, played by the very talented Ranbir Kapoor. Secondly, it is directed by blockbuster film-maker Rajkumar Hirani. While we love Ranbir, his box office status is quite low thanks to a spate of flops. Also we have to see if Hirani will have the guts to show's the controversial aspects of Sanjay Dutt's life as it is, or will it end up being a silly PR project.
Gold
Before PadMan, Gold might have not made it to the list here. But after the underperformance of the R Balki movie, Akshay Kumar's next - a period movie - will definitely be under the scanner to see if it can regain his blockbuster streak back. The trailer, even with all those jingoism, looks promising, Reema Kagti is a competent director and Excel Entertainment, the producers, are known to back quality projects. So we have hopes! Also if 2.0 is releasing this year, it make for Akshay's second riskiest project of 2018.
Thugs of Hindostan
Thanks to Aamir Khan's untouchable golden box office touch, none of his movie are usually termed risky. But Thugs of Hindostan makes it to the list for its sheer scope and theme. It is said to be the costliest movie Aamir Khan is a part of, as well of its production house, YRF. Since it is a pirate saga, there will be obvious comparisons with Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Aamir Khan's last collaboration with director, Victor was Dhoom 3. It was a huge blockbuster but we all agree it was quite a silly movie. If TOH turns out to be equally bad, will the audience be as accepting as before?
Student of the Year 2
Tiger Shroff has made a brand for himself with movies that rely on his dance and martial arts skills. With Student of the Year 2, he will be entering into KJo territory that will focus more on his romantic side. That said, though the first Student of the Year movie was a hit, it was the least acclaimed of all Karan Johar directed movies. Secondly, it is not even directed by KJo, but by Punit Malhotra who is lying low after the failure of Gori Tere Pyar Mein.
Zero
Shah Rukh Khan has been going through a low phase at the box office for the past couple of years, with his last movie Jab Harry Met Sejal being a disaster. So all eyes are on Zero to see whether he can gain his lucky streak back. Also the fact that he would be playing a vertically challenged man and that he is working for the first time with Aanand L Rai, whose previous ventures are too un-SRKish, add to the risque factor. The first teaser was promising though, and we are sure SRK would have learned from his past mistakes to be very careful. Or like The Lost World's Ian Malcolm would have said, he could be making all new ones. We hope it's the former.
Kedarnath
Earlier it was known as Sara Ali Khan's launchpad, now it is known as a production plagued with issues. Insisting on releasing this ambitious love story along with Zero, director Abhishek Kapoor had a war of words with Prernaa Arora, co-producers of the movie, who has now backed out of the project. Releasing with a Shah Rukh Khan movie, even he is not in bright form, is a huge risk, but now it looks like Kedarnath might not even make it to its release date.
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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2018 04:26 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).