2020 has its filmi bag full with a variety of genres. Some will tickle your funny bone, while others will run a chill down it. There is drama, romance, revenge, horror, war and bigger than life biopics from Indian dream merchants. Hollywood will be bringing to the screen big-ticket superhero films as also the likes of Tom Cruise. SUNDAY PIONEER lists the fare
ReAlTake
SAINA
CAST: Parineeti Chopra plays ace shuttler Saina Nehwal in a sporting biopic
Director: Amole Gupte
This one has been long in the making and is being seen as a top grossing biographical sports film based on the life of Hyderabad-based badminton player Saina Nehwal. According to reports, Parineeti Chopra has been in touch with Saina for real-time tips on her role. Nehwal is a recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri and Arjuna Award, among others.
GUNJAN SAXENA: THE KARGIL GIRL
RELEASE DATE: March 2020
DIRECTOR- Sharan Sharma
PRODUCER: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Zee Studios.
CAST: Janhvi Kapoor, Angad bedi, Pankaj Tripathi
A biographical drama film based on life story and act of bravery of Indian Air Force pilot Gunjan Saxena durng the 1999 Kargil War. She, along with Srividya Rajan, wrote history by venturing into the war zone and becoming the first two Indian women to have been in active combat. Their main role was to evacuate the injured Army soldiers for the beleaguered zone in a high risk do or die operation.
’83
RELEASE DATE: April 2020
DIRECTOR: Kabir Khan
PRODUCER: Deepika Padukone, Sajid Nadiadwala, Kabir Khan, Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Madhu Mantena
CAST: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Pankaj Tripathi, Amrita Puri, Ammy Virk, Hardy Sandhu, Saquib Salim, Tahir Raj Bhasin.
This one is a sports drama film reprising India’s incredible Cricket World Cup victory in 1983 in England under captain Kapil Dev who also made a scintillating 175 against Zimbabwe when all was seemingly lost. This was the reason that India could reach the Final against West Indies at the legendary Lord’s stadium in London.
PRITHVIRAJ
RELEASE DATE: November 13, 2020
DIRECTOR: Chandraprakash Dwivedi
PRODUCER: Aditya Chopra
CAST: Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chillar
A historical period drama based on the life of the fearless king Prithviraj Chauhan and his exploits against his enemies, not to mention his scintillating love story.
SHERSHAAH
RELEASE DATE: January 2020
DIRECTOR: Vishnuvardhan
PRODUCER: Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Shabbir Boxwala, Ajay Shah, Himanshu Gandhi
CAST: Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani
A biographical action film based on the life Indian Army officer Captain Vikram Batra. He was posthumously awarded the nation’s highest and most prestigious award for valour, the Param Vir Chakra for his daredevil actions during the 1999 Kargil War which cost him his life at a very young age.
THALAIVI
RELEASE DATE: June 2020
DIRECTOR: AL Vijay
PRODUCER: Vishnu Vardhan Induri, Shailesh R. Singh
CAST: Kangana Ranaut, Arvind Swami, Priyamani
A trilingual biographical film based on the life of JJayalalithaa, late politician and film actress who served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The movie will be made in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi.
MAIDAAN
RELEASE DATE: November 27, 2020
DIRECTOR: Amit Sharma
PRODUCER: Boney Kapoor
CAST: Ajay Devgan, Keerthy Suresh
A biographical sports film where Ajay Devgn essays the role of Syed Abdul Rahim who is known as the modern architect of Indian Football, a sport in which the nation is yet to arrive in the World Cup line-up. The story will follow the golden era of Indian Football described from 1952-62.
CLASH OF TITANS
Street Dancer 3
DIRECTOR: Remo D’Souza
PRODUCER: Bhushan Kumar, Divya Khosla Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Lizelle D’ Souza
CAST: Varun Dhawan, Shraddha Kapoor, Nora Fatehi, Prabhu Deva
A dance film based on the life of street dancers.
Panga
DIRECTOR: Ashwini Iyer Tiwari
PRODUCER: Fox Star Studios
CAST: Kangana Ranaut, Jassi Gill, Richa Chadda, Neena Gupta, Yogya Bhasin
A sports drama film based on the life of a national-level Kabbadi player. The plot depicts the jovial life of the player who is otherwise a tough competitor.
Chhapaak
DIRECTOR: Meghna Gulzar
PRODUCER: Deepika Padukone, Meghna Gulzar, Govind Singh Sandhu, Fox Star Studios
CAST: Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey
A biographical film based on the life story of acid attack survivour Laxmi Agarwal. It is a story of human spirit. The movie runs you through the struggles of an indomitable Malti, who fights right from the investigation into the attack to court proceedings, medical treatments and emotional healing.
Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior
DIRECTOR: Om Raut
PRODUCER: Ajay Devgn, Bhushan Kumar
CAST: Ajay Devgn, Saif Ali Khan, Kajol, Jagapathi Babu, Sharad Kelkar
This one is a biographical film based the life and times of Tanaji Malusare, the military leader of King Shivaji, founder of the Maratha Empire. The film encapsulates the 17th century.
Debutants
KEERTHY SURESH
Daughter of producer Suresh Kumar and actor Menaka, Suresh is all set to make her Bollywood debut opposite Ajay Devgan in the biopic Maidaan.
Manushi Chillar
She won the Miss World pageant in 2017 and is ready to make her Bollywood debut in a biopic historical period drama film Prithviraj.
ISABELLE KAIF
Sister of Katrina Kaif is all set to make her Bollywood debut with Kwatha opposite Ayush Sharma. The film is based on true events.
AALIA FURNITUREWALLA
Daughter of actor Pooja Bedi and Farhan Furniturewala. Aalia Ebrahim debut in Saif Ali Khan starrer Jawani Jaaneman.
IULIA VANTUR
She is ready to make her debut in Prem Soni’s next where she will be portraying a Polish bhakt. Jimmy Sheirgil will be an integral part of the film.
WeToo
CHHALAANG
RELEASE DATE: March 13, 2020
DIRECTOR: Hansal Mehta
PRODUCER: Ajay Devgn, Luv Ranjan, Ankur Garg
CASTE: Rajkummar Rao, Nushrat Bharucha
GULABO SITABO
RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2020
DIRECTOR: Shoojit Sircar
PRODUCER: Ronnie Lahiri, Sheel Kumar
CAST: Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khuranna, Nalneesh Neel
JAWAANI JAANEMAN
RELEASE DATE: February 7, 2020
DIRECTOR: Nitin Kakkar
PRODUCER: Jackky Bhagnani, Deepshikha Deshmukh, Saif Ali Khan, Jay Shewakramani
CAST: Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Alaia Furniturewala
ANGREZI MEDIUM
RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2020
DIRECTOR: Homi Adajania
PRODUCER: Dinesh Vijan
CAST: Irrfan Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Radhika Madan
THAPPAD
RELEASE DATE: February 28, 2020
DIRECTOR: Anubhav Sinha
PRODUCER: Bhushan Kumar, Anubhav Sinha
CAST: Tapsee Pannu
HASEEN DILRUBA
RELEASE DATE: September 18, 2020
DIRECTOR: Vinil Mathew
PRODUCER: Aanand L Rai,
CAST: Tapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey
BAAGHI 3
RELEASE DATE: March 6, 2020
DIRECTOR: Ahmed Khan
PRODUCER: Said Nadiadwala
CAST: Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, Ritesh Deshmukh
SOORYAVANSHI
RELEASE DATE: March 20, 2020
DIRECTOR: Rohit Shetty
PRODUCER: Hiroo Yash Johar,
CAST: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif