As we enter 2013, get set to be entertained with an interesting mix of sequels and remakes including Race 2, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai 2, Himmatwala and Chashme Buddoor. Movie buffs looking for offbeat cinema won't be disappointed either, as there's lots in store for them, too.
Financially, the Hindi film industry seems to be entering a positive year, with experts predicting that there will be movies which end up crossing the 2 billion rupee (Dh134 million) mark at the box office.
"I think the industry is only growing with each passing year and there will be no downfall as far as the film industry is concerned. The year 2013 will be better than 2012 and there are some wonderful films lined up," says Balkishan Shroff of Shringar Films.
The year begins with the release of Table No 21, opening across the UAE today, featuring Rajeev Khandelwal and Tena Desae, as well as Rajdhani Express, which marks the directorial debut of the professional tennis player Leander Paes. Both are small-budget films. Next up is Vishal Bhardwaj's much-awaited rustic drama Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola featuring Imran Khan, Anushka Sharma and Pankaj Kapoor. Its witty one-liners and quirky song lyrics have already created a lot of buzz.
Matru will be followed by Sudhir Mishra's bold and serious film Inkaar, which concerns workplace exploitation. That will be followed by Abbas-Mustan's Race 2, a sequel to the 2008 film. While Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor reprise their roles in the sequel, the new additions include John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez and Ameesha Patel.
After rocking 2012 with five successful films, Akshay Kumar's first major release in 2013 will be the robbery drama Special Chabbis, and he will later be seen in Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai 2.
The choreographer-turned-director Remo D'Souza will also present his first 3D dance film, ABCD - Any Body Can Dance, with Prabhu Dheva in the lead. Promotions for the movie begin this month.
The filmmaker Abhishek Kapoor is set to release Kai Po Che!, a big-screen adaptation of Chetan Bhagat's bestseller The 3 Mistakes of My Life. The film features Amit Sadh, Raj Kumar Yadav and Amrita Puri and marks the Bollywood debut of the popular TV actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Movie aficionados are also looking forward to the release of the Farhan Akhtar-starring Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, a biopic of the athlete Milkha Singh. It is directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, and its theatrical trailer has already won a positive response.
There are several other sequels on the way: Murder 3, Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster Returns, Aashiqui 2, Yamla Pagla Deewana 2, Ragini MMS 2, Krrish 3 and Dhoom 3.
Sajid Khan will direct Himmatwala, a remake of the 1983 film of the same name. While the original film featured Jeetendra and Sridevi, the new film features Ajay Devgn and the southern star Tamannaah.
Another remake is being headlined by Ali Zafar, Siddharth and Divyendu Sharma, who are recreating the magic of the 1981 film Chashme Buddoor.
The southern superstar Ram Charan Teja will bring alive the young and angry cop Vijay in Apoorva Lakhia's Zanjeer, a remake of the 1973 film which was a turning point in Amitabh Bachchan's career.
Other films to look forward to in 2013 are Aatma, I, Me Aur Main, Nautanki Saala, Ghanchakkar, Raanjhnaa, Ek Thi Daayan, Chennai Express and Lootera.
"The prediction for 2013 is very positive. We have some big films coming up including Chennai Express, Krrish 3 and at the same time we also have many small and medium budget films in the line-up," says the distributor Rajesh Thadani of Multimedia Combine.
"I personally feel 2012 has achieved so much and taken the box office collection to the next level. I hope 2013 will be very fruitful for everyone," Thadani adds.
