Every new year begins with a sense of hope. Like Andy Dufresne of The Shawshank Redemption said, hope is indeed a good thing, and no good thing ever dies. It is this ‘hope’ that propels many dreamers despite the umpteen stumbles and setbacks. For some, it might take years to succeed, and for some, it might just be the case of getting the first step right. It depends on many factors—talent, hard work, luck... or is it just a matter of being there at the right place at the right time? I guess it’s the combination of all these factors. Here, we look at some of the year’s brightest talents from Indian cinema who got this combination right and managed to leave a lasting impression.
Hindi
Mouni Roy (Actor, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva)
Mouni Roy’s impassioned performance as Junoon in Ayan Mukerji’s superhero fantasy epic is exemplary. As the primary antagonist, she holds her own in face-offs with seasoned actors like Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan. She brings conviction to a part that revels in comic-book villainy. Hopefully, her fiery red eyes will make a reappearance in Part Two.
Achint Thakkar (Composer, Monica, O My Darling)
Vasan Bala’s Monica, O My Darling is indubitably Soundtrack of the Year. Young composer Achint Thakkar — who also worked on Scam 1992 and Rocket Boys — offers an embarrassment of winners, from retro earworms like ‘Bye Bye Adios’ and ‘Suno Jaane Jaan’ to the sublime ‘Farsh Pe Khade Khade’. Bollywood music directors have been looking backwards for years. Few have displayed such originality and heart.
Malayalam
Abhinav Sunder Nayak (Director, Mukundan Unni Associates)
Abhinav Sunder Nayak had cut his teeth in the industry as an editor on acclaimed films such as Aanandam (2016), Uriyadi (2016), and Godha (2017). A rare example of an insightful filmmaker who walks the talk, Abhinav’s directorial debut Mukundan Unni Associates, featuring an unabashedly evil protagonist with no redeeming features, proved that one doesn’t necessarily need a virtuous character to make a great film.
Jithin Thomas Isaac (Director, Pra.Thoo.Mu, Attention Please)
Writer-director Jithin Issac Thomas first proved himself an inventive storyteller with his segment Pra.Thoo.Mu from the anthology Freedom Fight (2022). His formidable talent was further solidified with his full-length feature, Attention Please, later in 2022. Though wholly reliant on dialogues, the film was careful not to fall prey to the usual talking head cliches. The innovative storytelling and arresting performances ensured a rewarding experience.
Tamil
Pradeep Ranganathan
(Actor-director, Love Today)
Though his directorial debut Comali (2019) was a bonafide success, it was his sophomore film, Love Today, which also launched him as a lead actor, that put Pradeep on the map. Delivering a supremely entertaining new-age love story, Pradeep shone not just as a filmmaker but also as an actor and lyricist. Marching past all the trolls, the youngster now finds himself at a place where there are serious talks about the possibility of him directing superstar Rajinikanth. How cool is that?
Aditi Shankar (Actor, Viruman)
Yes, Aditi broke into the scene as ace filmmaker Shankar’s daughter. But it was not soon before she carved a niche for herself. With her debut outing Viruman, Aditi proved her skills as a feisty actor, a brilliant dancer, and a talented singer. Not to forget her jovial off-screen persona that made her a meme-favourite among netizens.
Kannada
Kiranraj (Director, 777 Charlie)
Kiranraj’s rags-to-riches journey from working as a paper boy, bar waiter, and security guard to becoming a blockbuster debutant filmmaker is in itself a perfect story for an emotionally stirring film. Drawing inspiration from his tough life experiences, Kiran made 777 Charlie, a heartwarming film about a bond between a broken man and his furry friend. The Rakshit Shetty-starrer emerged as one of the bonafide pan-Indian hits of the year with Kiran establishing himself as an exceptional talent to watch out for.
Sapthami Gowda (Actor, Kantara)
Sapthami Gowda, who made her debut with Popcorn Monkey Tiger (2020), got a big breakthrough this year with the sensational hit, Kantara. Despite playing an underwritten character in an otherwise remarkable film, Sapthami left a strong impression with her spunky presence. It’s just time before she cements her position in the top league, as offers are already flooding in from across the country.
Telugu
Vimal Krishna (Director, DJ Tillu)
Vimal, who has acted in a couple of films, broke into the Telugu cinema scene as a notable filmmaker this year. He directed DJ Tillu, one of the funniest and most successful Telugu films of 2022. The comedy caper, which he created with actor Siddhu Jonnalagadda, instantly positioned him as a filmmaker to keep an eye on.
Thiruveer
(Actor, Masooda)
After playing supporting roles in films like George Reddy (2019) and Tuck Jagadish (2021), actor Thiruveer got his big break in Masooda, which finally gave him his due as an actor. As the timid boy-next-door (literally) Gopi in Masooda, Thiruveer’s performance is quite contrasting to his work in the aforementioned films and cements his position as one of the more promising talents of Telugu cinema.
(With inputs from Sajin Shrijith, Shilajit Mitra, Kartik Bhardwaj, Ram Venkat Srikar, A Sharadhaa)