Zahan Kapoor in Faraaz

Given his lineage, he could have opted for a conventional song ’n’ dance debut. But Shashi Kapoor’s grandson decided to rough it out, dabbling in theatre for a few years before he made an impression good enough on filmmaker Hansal Mehta to be cast as the titular protagonist in Faraaz.

The film that reimagined the horrifying real-life shootout at a Dhaka cafe some years ago, had Zahan displaying both strength and vulnerability as Faraaz, the young man who stood by his friends even when he had a choice to leave, and eventually lost his life. “I want to be here for the long run. I am not looking for a quick ticket to stardom. I want a genuine, honest career,” Zahan had told t2 just after the release of Faraaz.

Anubhav Singh Bassi in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar

Popular comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi aka Bassi made his acting debut as Ranbir Kapoor’s pal in this rom-com, whose twist was not just limited to its title. Bassi did all that was needed to be done as the “hero’s friend” — dance together, drink together, laugh and cry together. He was just about all right, but one wished he had got more of a chance to flex his (genuine) comedic skills.

Anirban Bhattacharya in Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway

Anirban Bhattacharya made the journey from Tolly to Bolly with this film that — as the name suggests — belonged to Rani Mukerji, who played the eponymous protagonist. Living up to his reputation of being an actor who can ace any role, Anirban made good of a sketchily-written, negative character, standing out as the scheming, insensitive husband that Mrs Chatterjee has to battle along with Norway.

Shehnaaz Gill & Palak Tiwari in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan

Salman Khan’s ‘being human’ habit of providing employment to former Bigg Boss contestants (or their progeny) continued with his personal MGNREGA scheme which masqueraded as a film named Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan.

The much-hyped Shehnaaz Gill, a popular contestant on Bigg Boss 13, and Palak Tiwari — whose mother Shweta had won the show’s fourth edition — were cast in this howler of a film in which they largely functioned as props.

Namashi Chakraborty in Bad Boy

Mithun Chakraborty and Yogeeta Bali’s son took his first steps into Bollywood with the much-delayed Bad Boy, directed by Rajkumar Santoshi. The film was a non-starter, but Namashi — who bears a striking resemblance to his dad — holds promise, provided he is moulded and guided well. He has the experience — Namashi has done theatre, short films, comedy improv — and, of course, the genes. He also has a good head on his shoulders, telling t2 before the release of his debut: “My father told me: ‘If you want to go and audition in a Mercedes, I am not with you’.”

Nayanthara in Jawan

The ‘Lady Superstar’ of the south made her Bolly debut with the Shah Rukh Khan blockbuster Jawan. Owning the screen with her walk and talk — she had an enviable wardrobe and an attitude to match — Nayanthara scored with her towering screen presence, whether it was dialling up the romance in Chaleya or playing a no-nonsense cop. One only wished she had more screen time in this Atlee-directed film.

Rajveer Deol & Paloma Dhillon Thakeria in Dono

Sunny Deol’s younger son and Poonam Dhillon’s daughter made their debut with this Rajshri-produced romance that was dead on arrival. Saddled with characters that remained largely inert throughout this saccharine-sweet film, we did spot quite a bit of potential in Rajveer who has the disarming charm of his dad during his Betaab days.

Yash Daasguptaa & Pearl V. Puri in Yaariyan 2

Bollywood’s take on Bangalore Days was a disaster from the get-go, though Tolly man Yash Daasguptaa did his best in the part of a man battling the demons of his past, a role played by Fahadh Faasil in the original. Also making his big-screen debut was TV actor Pearl V. Puri, who did make an impression in a part that allowed him to display his range as an actor.

Raj Kundra in UT69

A film, and a debut, that should have never happened. Raj Kundra decided to not only make a film on the time he spent in prison — after being accused of running a porn film racket — but also decided to cast himself as, well, himself. The result was an apology of a film which made little sense and appealed to no kind of sensibility. Shilpa Shetty’s husband resorting to gimmicks — like finally taking off his Daft Punk-inspired helmet after wearing it in public for more than a year — couldn’t salvage UT69.

Alizeh Agnihotri in Farrey

Salman Khan’s niece Alizeh Agnihotri — she is Salman’s sister Alvira and ’90s actor Atul Agnihotri’s daughter — debuted with a mid-budget film that focused on the flourishing racket of cheating in exams and starred a confident Alizeh in the deglamourised central role. The film, directed by Jamtara man Soumendra Padhi and a remake of the 2017 Thai film Bad Genius, was a decent watch with Alizeh doing well on debut, but very few gave it a chance in movie theatres.

Team Archies

Bollywood’s Gen-Next took its first steps into filmdom with Zoya Akhtar’s Netflix adaptation of the beloved Archie comics. Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda, Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan and Sridevi’s daughter Khushi Kapoor were the big names to debut and while their performances — especially Suhana’s — is now fodder for many a meme, it was the confident and handsome Vedang Raina, playing Reggie, who stole the spotlight. Also doing well were DOT, who played Ethel and also scored the film’s music and lyrics, and a sensitive turn from Yuvraj Menda as Dilton.

Which was the best/ worst Bolly debut of 2023? Tell t2@abp.in