#BingeRewind: 14 phenomenal performances in movies that left a major impact on our minds in 2023

We’ve had some great performances in movies this year and we loved them so much because of various reasons. Let’s dig deeper into why these performances are one for the books!

Wrapping up the best performances from 2023 makes you feel like so many different kinds of characters have been delivered this year and also gives you an overview of the whole year or rather where we stand as Hindi cinema in terms of storytelling. We went forward and backwards at the same time, if that’s even possible. Because while Ranbir Kapoor shook us with his absolute psychoness in Animal, Ranveer Singh defined what a real ‘mard’ should look like in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani. Shahrukh Khan gave a mass entertainer with action and relevant politics in Jawan, whereas Manoj Bajpayee hit it out of the park with a plethora of good roles this year.

Alia Bhatt’s list of good characters just keeps on increasing while Nandini Chikte from Sthal also does a fabulous job as an absolute newcomer to the world of movies. Rani Mukerjee gives her career's best performance as a mother who is in a very vulnerable position in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway, Dipti Naval portrays what it’s like to have a life with a serious illness in Goldfish. Overall, there’s been a vast portrayal of literally all kinds of people and we have been on this uproar of emotions and conversations around these performances this year.

Also Read: The hidden flow: Examining Bollywood's hush-hush approach to periods

Here’s to our class of 2023!

Shah Rukh Khan - Jawan

Shah Rukh aced his double roles in the film, especially the older version aka Vikram Rathore. He plays the character with conviction and in a way that surprised us by finally playing an older character which actually suited him a lot. This year he also stepped into the world of action like he always wanted to and he totally gave us some whistle worthy moments on-screen.

Vicky Kaushal - Sam Bahadur

It takes a lot to play a real-life hero that people love and respect. Vicky Kaushal as Sam Bahadur was delightful to watch. He encapsulates his entire personality into himself. The way he walks, talks, his gestures, even small looks here and there, were all done really well. The amount of research he has put in to get the character spot on is very clearly seen.

Ranbir Kapoor - Animal

The movie is downright problematic and we do not condone the things shown in the film at all, however, we also cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that Ranbir Kapoor has given his 200% into playing an absolute psychopath on-screen. Ranvijay is a son obsessed with his father to the point where he will kill anyone and everyone who comes in the middle of that. Playing such an extreme character, especially one so different from your other characters is no piece of cake and Ranbir does that phenomenally well in Animal.

Ranveer Singh - Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

Rocky as a character will be remembered for a very long time. He wore his heart on his sleeve, he wanted to unlearn and learn things from scratch so he knows what’s okay to say and what’s not. In a sea of red flags, he is the greenest of them all and Ranveer Singh brings so much life to this character. His monologue about cancel culture in the film was his moment and he took his shot to shine bright and fared so well with that because that scene and of course his fabulous performance on Dola re Dola are the highlights of the film. He was a so-called ‘heart throb’ in the beginning who fell deeply in love and turned out to be an absolute softie who melted our hearts. 

Alia Bhatt - Rocky aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani

There would be no Rocky without Rani. Alia Bhatt as Rani was refreshing, bold, opinionated and modern and we loved her! She was the perfect competition for someone like Dhanlaxmi. She dared to dream in a family that was bound by traditions and Alia played the character with so much panache!

Manoj Bajpayee - Gulmohar  and Joram

Manoj Bajpayee - the actor par excellence has given us two incredible performances this year. Starting with Gulmohar, we got to see a new side of him as an actor. In the film, he finds out he is adopted, and at the same time is also dealing with an anxiety issue. Manoj Bajpayee plays the character with utmost earnestness and we rarely get to see him playing a character with a soft side.

In Joram, his fear could radiate through the screen. You won’t be surprised that he has hit it out of the park with this film as you anyway expect the best from him.

Jackie Shroff - Mast Mein Rehne Ka

Jackie Shroff beautifully captures the essence of a man who is heartbroken to lose his wife and is finding solace in someone else’s company as a friend. He also lets the weight of his mental state show physically in the way he walks. He stoops low while walking which feels like he is carrying all his burden but still there is an innocence within him and that’s seen in the twinkle of his eyes when he is smiling.

Vikrant Massey - 12th Fail

Vikrant Massey has embodied Manoj Kumar with such sincerity that every hardship he faces in the film feels so real. Manoj, a guy from Chambal who fails his 12th standard exam still goes on to become an IAS and the transition of his whole journey feels so effortlessly done. The scene where he finally passes the exam is heartbreakingly exciting to watch. 

Sayami Kher - Ghoomer 

Sayami Kher is the true crux of the story. She is flawless as Anina who is ready to make her debut for India as a talented batswoman until she meets with a horrible accident resulting in the amputation of her right arm. Sayami impresses with her winsome depiction of people with disabilities and their will to bounce back. 

Rani Mukerjee - Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway

Rani Mukerjee excels in depicting a flawed yet feisty mother in this clash of cultures. Her plea to get her children back from the authorities tugged at our hearts and how she is left alone to build her life in a foreign country took us on a rollercoaster of emotions.

Jaideep Ahlawat - Jaane Jaan 

Jaideep plays this math genius who also has this mysterious eerie vibe to him throughout. While he is calm and composed through most of the film, the last few moments are when he really gets to show his range as an actor.

Dipti Naval - Goldfish

Dipti plays Sadhana, a woman who has Alzheimer's but she never invokes pity for her in you. Even after suffering from a serious illness, she maintains her individuality in the film.

Nandini Chikte - Sthal (A Match)

Nandini authentically portrays the hardships most women go through in India when it comes to marital pressure and arranged marriages. She is not like the quintessential heroines shown in mainstream Bollywood, rather she is someone many women would be able to relate to.

Smita Tambe - Joram

Amidst all the other actors, Tambe stands out. Throughout the film, her face is blank but it says so much. Her eyes have the brutal carelessness of someone who has nothing left to lose. In one scene, a single tear drops from her eyes, but in that very second, all the emotions come rushing to her face and it is painful as well as awe-inspiring to watch.

Which of these was your favorite performance of the year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Input by: Sakshi Sharma and Karishma Jangid

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