Okay, after watching a boatload of films over the past few weeks, including "Paheli" (a terrible film BTW), I have made some picks of the best performances of 2005 as we're mid-way into the year. I like to hear from you guys as well. Keeping in mind that I have not seen "Black Friday" yet, here are my picks.


1) Amitabh Bachchan - "Black" - Is there any doubt? The best performance by an actor this year. I highly doubt any other actor, this year, will top AB's work here except AB himself.

2) Saif Ali Khan - "Parineeta" - A performance laced with arrogance, quiet sensitivity, and searing distress expressed all with a natural ease by Saif. The range displayed here proves Saif is much more than a comic hero.

3) Vidya Balan - "Parineeta" - Stunning work for a newcomer. Should be a lock for all the awards featuring best debut artist.

4) Sanjay Suri - MBN - easily the actor's finest performance in a spotty career

5) Rani Mukherjee - "Black" - A challenging role for the young actress and it's her greatest act to date but her act is a little too studied here and there. Doesn't play it off naturally like the great AB.

6) Juhi Chawla - MBN - She's still got it folks. Best supporting performance of the year, so far.

And that's it folks. There are other fine performances this year as well (ABjr. in B&B, Rani in "Paheli" and B&B) but other than that, the aforementioned picks are my choices for the best performances this year.

The only great performance this year IMHO has been Amitabh Bachchan's in Black (which surprises me a lot because I don't ascribe to the "best actor ever" hyperbole accorded to him).

Other good ones:
Ayesha Kapoor - Black
Vidya Balan - Parineeta
SRK - Paheli
Juhi Chawla - MBN

The worst performance of the year? That would be Manoj Bajpai for his work in Bewafaa. I think he should be burned alive for his crime.

These, and Sanjay Dutt for his performance as Shaukat in SHABD.

I think you are exaggerating. Yes, Manoj Bajpai disappointed me for the first time ever. Yes, it's stupid that he even chose to do such a role, but he's not the one who creates such roles. That's the director, that stupid Dharmesh Darshan. Yes, they may burn him alive.

Darshan is indeed to blame for Bewafaa as a whole, a cheap, backwards film that masquerades as a polemic for women's rights/choice (when in reality, it's anything but), yet Bajpai must take responsibility for his own piss-poor work.

Come on, he was getting off on how funny he thought he was being. He considered himself a riot while you could see the other actors cringe at his loud antics.

Bewafa = copy of Gumrah (Sunil Dutt / Mala Sinha / Ashok Kumar)

Vidya Balan in Parineeta is the only one who has impressed me so far, otherwise the list is pretty empty ... , still waiting for the elusive 'great' film I guess.

The only film I am now looking forward to in Hindi is Amir Khan's - The Rising , are there any other interesting films in the offering ??

Being Cyrus(a debuted director making an interesting enterance into popular NOT HINDI BUT ANGRAGI speaking Indian cinema)
Sarkar(Ram Gopal Verma. Even at the very least, he's an actor's director)
The Blue Umbrella(Hopefully this film sees the day of light)

This is what the director wanted him to be. I know it was really stupid and irritating, and I just cannot imagine WHY Manoj even accepted this role, but he was in the film what his director wanted him to be. He wasn't being himself.

Ayesha Kapoor from Black has the best performance of the year hands down imo. I still can't believe the talent in this little girl; she just left me speechless after her portrayal of the blind girl.

Of course AB and Rani were good too.

Sarkar - not much interest
Being Cyrus – Forgot about this one, yes this one I will see.
The Blue Umbrella - whose is this and what’s it about ( hopefully not a remake of the wonderful 'Umbrellas of Cherbourg' )

Factory making a gangster film /2 week..no pitty!! disgusting!

I don't know what it's about, but it's the new film of Vishal Bharadwaj (of MAKDEE & MAQBOOL).

Tabu in SILSIILAY.

I would also like to add any film by director Raj Kumar Santoshi is also something to look forward at. He's currently working on Family & Sammna. The latter project sounds more daring, either way, I think RKS is perhaps(I think) the only director in Bollywood willing to bring a film about taboo themes decorated with big stars to grab attention. However, he's mostly frail in setting the right rhythm in which his films aspire to achieve, but at the same time, with me personally, I don't think his films have ulterior(commercial purposes?)motives, in that sense, I don't feel cheated even if his attempts are flawed. (See --> Lajja, Bhagat Singh, Khakee).