THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS: BOLLYWOOD PEOPLE 2009

THE UNUSUAL SUSPECTS: BOLLYWOOD PEOPLE 2009

1) Piyush Mishra

An inventive mujra with cheeky references to 9/11 and US occupation of Iraq, a contemporary version of Sahir’s Yeh duniya agar mil bhi jaaye to kya hai and a brilliant variant of Sarfaroshi ki tamanna--never ever in recent times has a lyricist reflected the spirit of the film, as did Piyush in Gulaal. No wonder director Anurag Kashyap called him the real hero of the film, one who brought the radical, revolutionary poetry back into the cinema.

2) Mohit Chauhan

Masakalli in Delhi 6, Tu ne jo na kaha in New York, Pehli baar mohabbat ki hai in Kaminey and Yeh dooriyan in Love Aaj Kal--the proof is in listening. Need we say anything more in praise of this dulcet voice?

3) Amit Trivedi: 18 sensational assorted tracks, from hard rock to Punjabi folk, in Dev D, and we are not talking about the mega-popular Emosanal Atyachar alone. Paayaliya, Nayan Tarse, Pardesi, Saali Khushi, Mahi Mennu, each bettered the other. Later Amit quietly delivered an exquisite single in Wake Up Sid, Goonjasa hai koi iktaara, that is still ringing in our ears. Rahman and Vishal make way for the rising genius.

4) Nawazuddin Siddiqui in New York

As the persecuted Muslim Zilgai in post 9/11 US, Nawazuddin was far more impactful in a miniscule role in New York than the trinity of Katrina, John and Neil. The most moving moment was his testimony on camera that brought alive the humiliation, mortification and frustration. Nawazuddin came up with yet another compelling performance in Firaaq as the vulnerable, defenceless auto driver whose house is razed down in riots.

5) Gauhar Khan in Rocket Singh Salesman of the Year

The VJ, model and small-time actress was a perfect fit for the role of the ballsy, ambitious, hard-nosed yet sensitive office secretary Koena. She felt real; it was as though she wasn’t acting at all. No wonder the five auditions she had to go through for bagging the role were worth it.

6) Uttam Haldar in Mohandas

Uttam Haldar, a Delhi stage actor, made a remarkably assured debut as small town media man Anil Yadav in Mohandas. As the friendly, helpful, resourceful but ambitious reporter he was totally believable. A journo had never felt so true to life in Bollywood before.

7) Rishi Kapoor

2009 was the year Ranbir got anointed as the next big thing of Bollywood, but Paa had it just as good. Rishi Kapoor was heart-breakingly superb as the old producer getting ignored by the younger generation of filmmakers in Luck By Chance. He was natural and relaxed as the dependable, graceful and dignified patriarchal figure and a keeper of the old-world values in Delhi 6. He again stole the show as the gracious patriarch in Love Aaj Kal and then rounded it off with a film where he played himself and whose title was his own pet name—Chintuji.