With the dawn of the year 2000, Hrithik Roshan burst onto the Bollywood scene like a dazzling star of the new century. Yet just two years later, he found himself grappling with his films' performance. Adored for his Greek-god looks, impressive physique, and incredible dance, Hrithik completed a hat-trick of flops by 2002. Then, in 2003, Shahid Kapoor stepped into the industry. On May 13, 'Ishq Vishk' hit theaters and audiences fell head over heels for Shahid's charming smile and chocolate boy image within days.
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Over twenty years have passed since these events. Today, Hrithik shares the 'superstar' spotlight alongside the three Khans and Ranbir Kapoor. Yet, artists from the early 2000s batch, like Abhishek Bachchan, Emraan Hashmi, John Abraham, and Vivek Oberoi, haven't all thrived in the same way. Shahid Kapoor is a notable survivor of this time but is still not listed among the A-list actors.
Struggling and Surviving Shahid
Shahid's career narrates a tale of fleeting success, with each hit often followed by several underperforming films. Though his debut 'Ishq Vishk' was successful, it was followed by a string of five flops, including 'Fida', 'Wah! Life Ho Toh Aisi', and 'Dil Maange More'. During this time, Shahid also featured in multi-starrer movies like 'Shikhar' and 'Deewane Huye Paagal', yet these too failed to leave a mark.
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Three years after his debut, Shahid started to regain momentum with back-to-back hits in 2006 – 'Chup Chup Ke', '36 China Town', and 'Vivah'. These films showcased Shahid's acting range while performing well at the box office. Riding the wave of this success, Shahid featured as the lead in Imtiaz Ali's 'Jab We Met' (2007), a film that became a cult classic. 'Jab We Met' marked a pivotal moment in Shahid's career, showcasing his acting prowess beyond his charming facade.
From 'Star' to Actor: Shahid Kapoor's Transformation
An interesting aspect of Shahid's career is his consistent presence on the big screen, with at least one movie released every year from his debut up until the pre-pandemic era. However, his journey has been dotted with hits and misses. Following 'Jab We Met', it took two years before he delivered another hit with 'Kaminey' (2009). Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film cast Shahid in dual roles of twin brothers with contrasting traits, starkly countering his 'chocolate boy' image and furthering his recognition as a versatile actor.
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In 2010, 'Badmaash Company' and 'R... Rajkumar' (2013) emerged as Shahid's next hits. However, it was once again Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Haider' (2014) that powerfully reminded audiences of Shahid's acting talent. Shahid has often articulated in interviews his desire to remain an 'actor' rather than compromise on his craft for 'star' status—a sentiment that defines his career highlights.
'Udta Punjab' (2016), 'Padmaavat' (2018), and his largest commercial success 'Kabir Singh' (2019) showcased his acting skills extensively. However, despite the success of 'Kabir Singh', which was released six years ago, Shahid has not climbed the ranks to reach the pinnacle of Bollywood stardom as anticipated post that success. The 2024 film 'Teri Baatein Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya' did well but wasn't a game-changer that could elevate him straight to the top league of stars.
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Will 2025 Be Shahid's Year?
It's not that Shahid lacks popularity; he is indeed considered one of Bollywood's substantial stars. However, given his 20-year tenure in the industry, he arguably deserves a higher place on the stardom scale than where he currently stands.
Actors with significant box-office success enjoy the liberty to bring unique and unconventional stories to the silver screen. To fully express his acting instincts and shine brightly on the big screen, it's essential for Shahid to maintain his 'star' appeal. Now, he has several projects lined up that not only promise to do justice to his acting capabilities but could also elevate his star status.
Shahid is set to kick off 2025 with 'Deva', directed by Rosshan Andrrews, where he plays a cop in this action thriller. Judging from the look and details shared from the film's shoot, 'Deva' promises to be an action-packed entertainer. While Shahid's action avatar in 'Bloody Daddy' was well-received, the film didn't garner much acclaim, making fans eager to see him deliver in a solid action thriller. The film is scheduled for release on January 31.
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The year's second confirmed release for Shahid will be once again with director Vishal Bhardwaj, who helmed 'Kaminey' and 'Haider'. Although the film's title hasn't been revealed, it stars Nana Patekar and Triptii Dimri alongside Shahid. The combination of these actors and Vishal's trust as a director gives ample reason for excitement around this film, slated for release on December 5.
The cult classic 'Cocktail' from 2012 is getting a sequel, with Shahid reportedly in the lead role. It is rumored that Rashmika Mandanna and Kriti Sanon will join Shahid in 'Cocktail 2'. Furthermore, Shahid's immensely popular web series 'Farzi' is anticipated to start filming its second season soon. Whether these projects will see a release this year or spill over into the next remains to be seen.
Additionally, Shahid might make an OTT appearance in Manoj Bajpayee's series 'The Family Man 3'. There's been speculation about a crossover with 'Farzi', as the series already showcased several connections with 'The Family Man' and Manoj Bajpayee's character. 'The Family Man 3' is set to release in 2025, alongside the new season of 'Farzi', making his lineup of projects thrilling for fans. With such an exciting list of projects on the horizon, 2025 may indeed be the year that elevates Shahid into the league of top stars.
