Tabu, R Madhavan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu And More

As the year comes to a close, it is time to look back at how Indian actors did a wonderful job in their films. The credit certainly goes to the writers who sketched out these gripping characters but the actors added their skill, swag and honesty for a wholesome experience. From Kartik Aaryan’s scary Ami Je Tomar dance (in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2) to Huma Qureshi’s delicious vamp (Monica O My Darling) and Darshana Rajendran’s subtle performance in the Malayalam film Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey, here is a list of performers who stole the show in 2022:

Tabu

She has been around for three decades now the audience of mainstream Hindi cinema woke up to her charm only in 2022. She kick-started the year with her stunning performance in Anees Bazmee’s blockbuster hit, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Directed by Bazmee, the film also featured Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani in lead roles. Tabu essayed a double role in the film and had some scary scenes written for her.

Tabu was also seen in Ajay Devgn-starrer Drishyam 2. She revived her role of a cop in the film which is an official remake of the Malayalam hit by the same name. Her portrayal of the composure and determination of a top police officer and the fragility of a mother who had her young son murdered, was hair-raising.

Huma Qureshi

Huma Qureshi was seen in two diverse roles this year – she essayed the role of a de-glam village woman-turned-chief minister in Maharani 2 while the played the confident office girl twirling the worlds of men around her in Vasan Bala’s Monica O My Darling. Her Maharani 2 portrayal was earthy as well as strong. On the other hand, her performances drove the fun and quirky experience that Monica O My Darling was.

Darshana Rajendran

Having cracked the code to commercial cinema with Hridayam earlier this year, Darshana Rajendran’s performance in Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey is particularly remarkable. Jaya Jaya Jaya Jaya Hey is a sarcastic take on domestic violence and features Rajendran as a repressed woman who spends half of her life resenting everyone around her who ignores her and her wishes.

After getting slapped a few times by her husband, Jaya decides to take things in her own hands and trains in martial arts to retaliate. Rajendran’s performance adds to the fun experience that the hilarious film is, even as it poses an important message on domestic violence.

Kartik Aaryan

This year belonged to Kartik Aaryan. Close on the heels of rumors claiming that he lost out on many big projects, Aaryan was at the receiving end of some of the best responses to his films in 2022. Be it his fun act in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 or the scary performance in Dhamaka or his creepy act in Freddy, he aced it all.

R Madhavan

He featured in two major films this year – Dhokha Round D Corner and Rocketry The Nambi Effect. While the first one was a forgettable, at best one-time watch, the second film was an experience not to be missed. Written and directed by Madhavan himself, the film was about Indian Space Research Organization scientist Nambi Narayanan. Madhavan’s lively and honest performance added to the sincerely-written and deftly shot film.

Rishab Shetty

Written and directed by Rishab Shetty, Kantara was a small film that grew majorly across India within a matter of weeks, thanks to good word-of-mouth. Shetty essayed the lead role in the film and gave marvelous performances, especially in the sequences where he performed the traditional ‘kola’ dance.