Chhapaak

Directed by: Meghna Gulzar

Stars: Deepika Padukone, Vikrant Massey

Release date: January 10

Based on the horrifying yet inspiring journey of real-life acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, this Meghna Gulzar film is the first big release of 2020. If the powerful and poignant trailer is anything to go by, then Chhapaak — with Deepika Padukone frontlining it and all set to deliver a power-packed act — is a winner already. With the ever-dependable Vikrant Massey lending support, Chhapaak promises the Meghna Gulzar staple of a human story told succinctly and sensitively.

Panga

Directed by: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Jassi Gill, Richa Chadha, Neena Gupta, Pankaj Tripathi

Release date: January 24

Two weeks after Chaapaak, we have another girl-power film helmed by a woman director. Bareilly Ki Barfi maker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari scripts an exhilarating tale about breaking stereotypes and defying all odds with Panga. The trailer is a #win and shows Kangana Ranaut effortlessly imbibing the walk and talk of a homemaker looking to fulfil her dream of becoming a kabaddi player. Scoring with its middle-class milieu and boasting an eclectic cast, Panga promises to be both fun and feel-good.

Untitled Imtiaz Ali film

Directed by: Imtiaz Ali

Stars: Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Randeep Hooda

Release date: February 14

Said to be a sequel to his 2009 film Love Aaj Kal, Imtiaz Ali brings together on-off couple Sara Ali Khan (dad Saif was the leading man of the first film, co-starring Deepika Padukone) and Kartik Aaryan for this love story that’s been shot in Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Very little is known about this Valentine’s Day release, but the off-screen chemistry between Sara and Kartik promises a fun ride. Imtiaz’s Highway man Randeep Hooda co-stars.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Directed by: Hitesh Kewalya

Stars: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Gajraj Rao

Release date: February 21

If it was erectile dysfunction in Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, then Ayushmann Khurrana takes it upon himself to bust the taboos around homosexuality in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan. Hitesh Kewalya — who wrote the first film — debuts as director with this one. The promise of yet another cracker from Ayushmann apart, our eyes are on the Badhaai Ho pair of Gajraj Rao and Neena Gupta.

Bhoot: Part One — The Haunted Ship

Directed by: Bhanu Pratap Singh

Stars: Vicky Kaushal, Bhumi Pednekar

Release date: February 21

Vicky Kaushal had a lone release — the blockbuster Uri — last year. Bolly’s newest heartthrob promises to kick off 2020 on a chilling note with Bhoot, co-starring Bhumi Pednekar. Vicky and Bhumi play a couple stuck alone on a haunted ship, with whispers that the Bhanu Pratap Singh directorial, that’s produced by Karan Johar, is inspired by the 2002 Holly film Ghost Ship. Let’s wait and watch!

Thappad

Directed by: Anubhav Sinha

Stars: Taapsee Pannu, Pavail Gulati, Manoj Pahwa, Dia Mirza

Release date: February 28

Anubhav Sinha — who examined caste-based politics in Article 15 last year and the “us vs them” divide in Mulk in 2018 — is all set to deliver another slap on the system with Thappad. Teaming up with Taapsee Pannu once again after Mulk, Sinha casts a keen eye on gender politics in his latest film that’s been shot in Lucknow and Delhi.

Angrezi Medium

Directed by: Homi Adajania

Stars: Irrfan Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Radhika Madan

Release date: March 20

Two years after his last release Karwaan, Irrfan Khan is set to return to the screen with Angrezi Medium, the follow-up to his 2017 winner Hindi Medium. Cocktail man Homi Adajania directs this “common man story” , that also promises a zinger from Kareena Kapoor Khan, with Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota girl Radhika Madan bringing up the rear. Glimpses from the film’s shoot in Udaipur — with Irrfan shooting immediately after his return from London after undergoing treatment for cancer — promise an entertaining-yet-packed-with-a-message watch.

Sooryavanshi

Directed by: Rohit Shetty

Stars: Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Ajay Devgn, Ranveer Singh

Release date: March 27

Rohit Shetty and Akshay Kumar team up for the first time, with Shetty expanding his cop universe. Akshay’s Sooryavanshi storms into theatres all guns blazing, with Singham (Ajay Devgn) and Simmba (Ranveer Singh) pitching in with cameos. Katrina Kaif is the film’s leading lady, with all the material put out so far — including a split-second video of Sooryavanshi, Singham and Simmba spraying bullets and kicking ass — making us look forward to March 27.

’83

Directed by: Kabir Khan

Stars: Ranveer Singh, Tahir Raj Bhasin, Saqib Saleem, Pankaj Tripathi, Boman Irani, Deepika Padukone

Release date: April 10

The road to India’s historic World Cup win in 1983 is brought alive by Kabir Khan, who, save for Tubelight, has never let down his audience — with Ranveer Singh slipping into the skin of skipper Kapil Dev. An inspirational theme and an underdog template make ’83 a film to watch out for. An interesting line-up of actors — we have our eyes on Tahir Raj Bhasin as Sunil Gavaskar and Saqib Saleem as Mohinder Amarnath, with Deepika Padukone playing Kapil Dev’s wife Romi — makes ’83 a potentially exciting watch.

Gulabo Sitabo

Directed by: Shoojit Sircar

Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana

Release date: April 17

Two years after October, Shoojit Sircar returns with a curiously titled film that sees him reunite with long-time collaborator Amitabh Bachchan, with Vicky Donor man Ayushmann Khurrana thrown into the mix. Bachchan’s look in Gulabo Sitabo — the result of genius prosthetics — contributes to the film’s intrigue that’s been written by Juhi Chaturvedi, whose pen has given us gems like Piku and October. “It’s a typical Shoojit Sircar film… slice of life and unique,” is how Ayushmann recently described Gulabo Sitabo to The Telegraph.

Coolie No. 1

Directed by: David Dhawan

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal, Johny Lever

Release date: May 1

Twenty five years after he made Govinda and Karisma Kapoor dance to Main toh raste se jaa raha tha, David Dhawan hits remake road for Coolie No. 1, in which he directs son Varun and Sara Ali Khan. While the film’s poster — featuring Varun and Sara — promises a paisa-vasool ride, we are hoping that the film’s as-good-as-it-gets comic lineup — Paresh Rawal to Jaaved Jaaferi, Rajpal Yadav to Johny Lever — brings on the ha-has.

Shakuntala Devi

Directed by: Anu Menon

Stars: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra, Amit Sadh, Jisshu Sengupta

Release date: May 8

Who better than Vidya Balan to slip into the sari of real-life math genius Shakuntala Devi, who was known as the “human computer”?! The film’s quirky first look, featuring Vidya, promises a good time in cinemas this May, with Tolly man Jisshu Sengupta said to be playing Shakuntala Devi’s husband Paritosh Banerji. Her last outing as a real-life character — Silk Smitha in The Dirty Picture — won Vidya a National Award. So... do the math!

Laxmmi Bomb

Directed by: Raghava Lawrence

Stars: Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani

Release date: May 22

“Oh my god... is that Akshay Kumar?!” was our first reaction when we spotted the Khiladi in the first look of Laxmmi Bomb. Described as a “horror comedy”, Laxmmi Bomb also stars Kiara Advani, with Akshay — who has stepped into diverse roles over the last few years — admitting that he’s venturing out of his comfort zone with this one. “A character I am both excited and nervous about,” are the words with which the 52-year-old superstar unveiled his look — red sari, nose pin and bindi — last October.

Radhe

Directed by: Prabhu Deva

Stars: Salman Khan, Disha Patani, Randeep Hooda

Release date: May 22

Facing off against Akshay on the same Friday will be Salman Khan who returns with his patent Id biggie. This time it’s Radhe — said to be a follow-up of sorts to his 2009 hit Wanted. Prabhu Deva, who directed Salman both in Wanted and the recent Dabangg 3, will helm the film that sees the superstar romancing his Bharat co-star Disha Patani. The film’s announcement poster — Salman firing on all cylinders — promises a box-office juggernaut.

Brahmastra

Directed by: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Nagarjuna, Mouni Roy

Release date: May

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani man Ayan Mukerji’s long-in-the-making superhero film — in which he teams up yet again with best buddy Ranbir Kapoor — will most probably be in theatres this May. Said to release in two parts (the second part arrives a few months later), there’s very little that’s known about Brahmastra that boasts a heavy-duty cast, including Amitabh Bachchan and Alia Bhatt. Brahmastra will reportedly also release in 3D and IMAX alongside the standard format.

Thalaivi

Directed by: Vijay

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Priyamani, Arvind Swami

Release date: June 26

The dodgy prosthetics have divided the audience, so has the film’s teaser, but Kangana Ranaut has the ability to spring a surprise, more often than not. Kangana will play actress-turned-politician J. Jayalalithaa, whose life and career witnessed ups and downs, most often mired by controversy, in this trilingual film. Roja man Arvind Swami plays Jayalalithaa’s mentor M.G. Ramachandran.

Sadak 2

Directed by: Mahesh Bhatt

Stars: Sanjay Dutt, Alia Bhatt, Aditya Roy Kapur, Pooja Bhatt

Release date: July 10

Two decades after the eminently forgettable Kartoos, Mahesh Bhatt returns to the director’s chair to direct daughter Alia for the first time. Sadak 2 — the sequel to Bhatt’s 1991 film Sadak — also stars Aditya Roy Kapur, with Sanjay Dutt and Pooja Bhatt, the leads in the original, making appearances. Jisshu Sengupta has a pivotal role in the film.

Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2

Directed by: Anees Bazmee

Stars: Kartik Aaryan, Kiara Advani, Tabu

Release date: July 31

Thirteen years after Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Kartik Aaryan will don Akshay Kumar’s saffron robes in its sequel. The film’s original cast — Akshay, Vidya Balan and Shiney Ahuja — are missing, with Kiara Advani, currently on a purple patch, stepping in. Anees Bazmee takes over the directorial reins from Priyadarshan. The big surprise? Tabu plays an undisclosed role in the film.

Shamshera

Directed by: Karan Malhotra

Stars: Ranbir Kapoor, Vaani Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt

Release date: July 31

Set in the 1800s, Shamshera — directed by Agneepath man Karan Malhotra — focuses on a dacoit tribe who fought for their rights and independence against the British. Ranbir Kapoor is rumoured to be playing a double role, with Vaani Kapoor and Sanjay Dutt — who once again steps into the antagonist’s role after Panipat — making up the rest of the A-list cast. Parts of Shamshera have already been shot in Mumbai and Ladakh.

Jersey

Directed by: Gowtam Tinnanuri

Stars: Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor

Release date: August 28

The 2019 heartwarming Telugu film — about a talented but failed cricketer who returns to the game in his late 30s — is being remade with the same title in Hindi, Shahid Kapoor in the lead. Jersey — that marks Shahid’s second straight remake after last year’s mammoth hit Kabir Singh — also stars Shraddha Kapoor and is helmed by the original film’s director, Gowtam Tinnanuri. The Telugu film was a hit with both critics and cinegoers. Will Shahid, who has picked up the willow to train extensively for his part, be able to recreate the magic?

Gangubai Kathiawadi

Directed by: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Stars: Alia Bhatt

Release date: September 11

Announced immediately after he was forced to abort Inshallah (allegedly due to creative differences with leading man Salman Khan, leaving the film’s heroine Alia Bhatt in the lurch), Sanjay Leela Bhansali is now fully focused on Gangubai Kathiawadi, with Alia playing the titular character. The ambitious project is reportedly based on a chapter of S. Hussain Zaidi’s book Mafia Queens of Mumbai and tells the story of Gangubai Kathiawadi, a brothel owner and matriarch. SLB and Alia is a match made in movie heaven and we can’t wait!

Toofan

Directed by: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra

Stars: Farhan Akhtar, Paresh Rawal, Mrunal Thakur

Release date: October 2

The last time they teamed up together, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was born. In October, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra will direct Farhan Akhtar in yet another sports film with an underdog theme and template. Toofan tells the story of the resilience of a boxer and the film’s posters, with a beefed-up Farhan walking the talk, as well as videos of the actor training hard for his part, promise a watch well worth your time and money.

Sardar Udham Singh

Directed by: Shoojit Sircar

Stars: Vicky Kaushal

Release date: October 2

Shoojit Sircar’s long-cherished project — he had initially planned it with Irrfan Khan before the actor fell ill and bowed out of films for some time — will have Vicky Kaushal playing the eponymous revolutionary, best known for killing Michael O’Dwyer as revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Sardar Udham Singh, penned by Pink man Ritesh Shah, has been shot across Russia, London, Ireland, Germany and India. The first look shot in St. Petersburg — of Vicky sporting a scar and looking straight into the camera — is a winner already.

Prithviraj

Directed by: Chandraprakash Dwivedi

Stars: Akshay Kumar, Manushi Chhillar

Release date: November 13

Akshay Kumar, currently on a dream run, will play legendary king Prithviraj Chauhan in this Yash Raj Films production that will be directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who knows a thing or two about historicals, having helmed the much-acclaimed Doordarshan TV series Chanakya. Former beauty queen Manushi Chhillar makes her acting debut with this big-budget film.

Maidaan

Directed by: Amit Ravindernath Sharma

Stars: Ajay Devgn, Keerthy Suresh

Release date: November 27

Extensively shot in Calcutta in late 2019, Maidaan has Ajay Devgn stepping into the shoes of real-life football coach Syed Abdul Rahim, regarded as the architect of modern Indian football. South star Keerthy Suresh makes her Bolly debut with this film. A gamut of Tolly faces — Rudranil Ghosh to Amartya Ray — star in the November release.

Bachchan Pandey

Directed by: Farhad Samji

Stars: Akshay Kumar, Kriti Sanon

Release date: December 25

After Laxmmi Bomb, this is yet another Akshay Kumar look that has us intrigued. The man — in his third big release of the year — plays the title character in this remake of the 2014 film Veeram, the story of a kind-hearted villager who takes on the enemies of his fiancee’s father. Akshay’s Housefull 4 heroine Kriti Sanon co-stars.

Laal Singh Chaddha

Directed by: Advait Chandan

Stars: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan

Release date: December 25

This Aamir Khan biggie is the Bolly remake of Forrest Gump, the iconic film about a simpleton who unwittingly influences several defining historical events in 20th century United States, and won Tom Hanks an Academy Award for Best Actor. Aamir, who true to form has changed body and body language for his part in the Christmas release, was recently in Calcutta canning some portions of the film that reunites him with his 3 Idiots co-star Kareena Kapoor Khan. We. Cannot. Wait.