2018 was an ecstatic year for film buffs who eagerly awaited the arrival of star kids on screen! And fresh faces like Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan, effortlessly impressed fans with their debut movies. Apart from celeb kids, television actresses like Radhika Madan and Mouni Roy, also weaved magic in their respective films, winning several accolades. Salman Khan, meanwhile, launched brother-in-law Aayush Sharma in LoveYatri along with Afghani newcomer Warina Hussain. Shahid Kapoor’s brother Ishaan Khatter also made his debut with Beyond the Clouds but gained more recognition with Dhadak, in which he was cast opposite Janhvi.
Consider this list in which we have elaborated on the top ten debuts of 2018!
Janhvi Kapoor in Dhadak
[caption id="attachment_187378" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Janhvi Kapoor and Ishaan Khatter in a still from Dhadak.[/caption]
Daughter of veteran actress Sridevi and filmmaker Boney Kapoor, Janhvi made her debut with Shashank Khaitan’s Dhadak. Hers was a much-awaited debut as fans recalled her well-liked mum, Sridevi. The film, produced by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions, was a remake of the Marathi blockbuster Sairaat. Dhadak fared well at the box-office and critics applauded Janhvi’s performance.
Sara Ali Khan in Kedarnath and Simmba
[caption id="attachment_179279" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Sara Ali Khan and Sushant Singh Rajput in a still from Kedarnath.[/caption]
Next up on the exciting list was Sara Ali Khan with her first film Kedarnath. The Abhishek Kapoor directed film mired itself in controversy prior to its release due to a tussle between the makers… But it did manage to see the light of the day with Sara’s performance being appraised by critics and fans. Kedarnath narrated the love story of a Muslim porter (Sushant Singh Rajput) and a Hindu priest’s daughter (Sara), set against the backdrop of the catastrophic floods in Uttarakhand in 2013.
Soon after this Sara was all set to appear in Simmba opposite Ranveer Singh. Ever since the release of the trailer, Sara’s performance was singled out for praise as fans opined that she can easily be touted as the next superstar. Sara is Saif Ali Khan’s daughter from former wife Amrita Singh.
Ishaan Khatter in Beyond the Clouds and Dhadak
[caption id="attachment_187379" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Ishaan Khatter in a poster of Beyond The Clouds.[/caption]
Although Ishaan made his debut with Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi’s Beyond the Clouds, it was Dhadak that catapulted him to another level of stardom. Cast opposite Janhvi in Dhadak, Ishaan became a superstar overnight. While critics did recognise Ishaan’s talent in Beyond the Clouds, it was Dhadak that helped him garner good reviews as well as commercial success.
Aayush Sharma and Warina Hussain in LoveYatri
[caption id="attachment_111850" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Warina Hussain and Aayush Sharma in a poster of LoveYatri.[/caption]
LoveYatri was all about dance, fun and good music. Apart from introducing Aayush to the movies, Salman also launched Afghani actress Warina, who had appeared in several commercials before the film. Directed by Abhiraj Minawala, LoveYatri opened to mixed reviews and did average business at the box-office.
Mouni Roy in Gold
[caption id="attachment_187433" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Mouni Roy in a still from Gold.[/caption]
Mouni was already a superstar on television before making her debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Gold. She had appeared in daily soaps like Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev and Naagin. Hence, it wasn’t surprising that Mouni’s performance in Gold was singled out for praise by critics. Mouni will next appear in Brahmastra with Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, apart from Made in China opposite Rajkummar Rao.
Radhika Madan in Pataakha
[caption id="attachment_187382" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Radhika Madan in a still from Pataakhaa.[/caption]
Radhika’s fate is somewhat similar to that of Mouni; as the former became a household name with her performance in the television show Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi. Radhika, thereafter, made an impressive debut with Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha and also won the Star Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer (Female) for her role in the film.
Rohan Mehra in Baazaar
[caption id="attachment_187383" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Rohan Mehra in a still from Baazaar.[/caption]
Veteran actor Vinod Mehra’s son Rohan made his debut with Baazaar, starring Saif Ali Khan and Radhika Apte. Although the film tanked at the box-office, Rohan’s role in the film was much appreciated. While interacting with the Press ahead of the release of the movie, Rohan said that neither Saif nor Radhika had made him feel like a newcomer!
Banita Sandhu in October
[caption id="attachment_187377" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Varun Dhawan and Banita Sandhu in a still from October.[/caption]
Before making her debut with Shoojit Sircar’s October, Banita was a familiar face from a peppermint commercial that gained instant popularity. In October, Banita was cast opposite Varun Dhawan; and critics praised the film as well as the stars for their respective performances.
Mithila Palkar and Dulquer Salman in Karwaan
[caption id="attachment_187380" align="aligncenter" width="647"] Dulquer Salman, Mithila Palkar and Irrfan in a still from Karwaan.[/caption]
Apart from appearing in television commercials, Netflix's Little Things is what brought Mithila Palkar renown; while Karwaan marked her debut in Bollywood. It was also South superstar Dulquer Salman’s first Hindi film. Karwaan starred Irrfan in a principle role as well.