Kalki 2898 AD
Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Prabhas, Deepika Padukone. That's quite an impressive ensemble that director Nag Ashwin has assembled for what's billed as an "epic science fiction dystopian" drama, a rather unexplored genre in Indian cinema. Ambitious on vision and scale and mounted on a big budget, expectations are sky-high from this.
Pushpa: The Rule
If there's one film which is destined for success, it is part II of Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa aka India's most beloved smuggler. Question is whether it will be able to replicate the success of KGF: Chapter 2, another Hindi-dubbed sequel, which set new box-office records on its release. Arjun, who won a National Award for part I, will flex his thespian muscles but so will the mighty talented Fahadh Faasil, who will have longer screen time as Pushpa's chief nemesis.
Munjya & Stree 2
Dinesh Vijan's Maddock Films has managed to figure the horror comedy genre rather well. In 2024, they have the sequel to the biggest hit in the franchise in Stree, which will dig deeper into the origin story of Stree herself (Shraddha Kapoor). But also watch out for Marathi filmmaker Aditya Sarpotdar's Munjya. Sarpotdar's earlier credits include the delightful Zombivli and Faster Fene.
Jigra
Alia Bhatt's next co-production sees her collaborate with the talented filmmaker Vasan Bala (Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota and Monica, O My Darling). A simple reading of the teaser suggests Bhatt as a sister driven to protect her brother at all cost, and forever. Vedang Raina aka Reggie from The Archies is rumoured to play the said brother.
Amar Singh Chamkila
Last time Imtiaz Ali collaborated with A.R. Rahman for a story about a musician, audiences were treated to a wonderful soundtrack in Rockstar. This time around the duo come together to "tell the untold story of Punjab's highest record selling artist" who was shot dead along with his wife at the age of 27. The biopic starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra will stream on Netflix
Fighter
You have Siddharth Anand to thank for bringing together another first-time pairing in Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone. Anand will be aiming for a hat-trick of blockbusters with this aerial action. Much like Anand's Pathaan, Fighter too is a Republic Day release with a healthy dose of patriotism and high-octane action scenes.
Laapataa Ladies
It has taken Kiran Rao over a decade to make her next and it's a total shift from her first, Dhobi Ghat. With Ravi Kishan and Sparsh Shrivastava (of Jamtaara fame) leading the cast, the film follows the chaos that ensues after an accidental bride swap at a train station. The comedy with social commentary has already won hearts at its world premiere at Toronto Film Festival in 2023 where it was hailed as "a comedy of errors and a feminist coming-of-age tale".
The Crew
Tabu, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kriti Sanon and Diljit Dosanjh with a cameo by Kapil Sharma. Again a casting ensemble that pique's one interest. Produced by Rhea Kapoor and Ekta Kapoor, the film is set against the backdrop of the airline industry. Sanon has called it a "quirky fun film" which "has a thrill element to it as well".
Merry Christmas
Sriram Raghavan's last release Andhadhun was a clever, darkly funny crime-thriller with career-best turns by Ayushmann Khurrana and Tabu. Going by the finely cut trailer for his upcoming film featuring Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi—a pairing that only Raghavan's ingenious mind could have conjured—it looks audiences are in for another unpredictable adventure