Place your bets – it’s time to handicap the derby! A combination of big and small production houses have dished out a cocktail of interesting films in the first half of 2018. As we hold our breath till we are poured another drink, here’s taking a look at the best actresses, who put their best acting foot forward, creating the right ‘buzz.’

Roles in these six months have ranged from a broad spectrum of a confused lover to a gold-digger, a patriotic daughter to your typical India mother, a forceful queen and so on… Some have surprised us with their never-seen-before finesse whereas others have managed to keep up with the momentum even after all these years.

Kursi ki peti baandh lijiye…mausam bigadne wala hai

Alia Bhatt – Raazi

All of 25, Alia is nipping off the nepotism debate, one movie at a time. Daughter of filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, it was easy to think she was probably handed her debut Student Of The Year in a confetti bag. Until, Highway, Kapoor & Sons, Udta Punjab happened. If that weren’t enough breakthroughs, there, Raazi is your answer, regardless of your nod of agreement.

What is so different about this spy thriller you ask? Simple, Bhatt. We bet you Googled morse codes after you watched this young fireball use it like a pro undercover patriot in the Meghna Gulzar directorial. Believe you me; it is natural to forget Vicky Kaushal even existed in the plot. Alia is so Aaila!

 Deepika Padukone – Padmaavat

It’s a hat-trick for Deepika! She walks the talk and talks the walk as the brave Queen of Chittorgarh, Rani Padmavati. Just when we had lost count of the controversies enwreathing Bhansali’s magnum opus and thought the film was far from its release, the makers, in a bold step, decided on a date to spread the magic dust. Of course, Padukone was the pixie, only second to Ranveer though (We love you, Deepika!)

Her gait, dialect, and portrayal as the Mewar royalty only escalated her to throne our hearts as Rani Sa. Nobody, but Deepika, could have played Padmavati. Nope, Sir. No effing body!

Anushka Sharma – Pari

Merely six years after making a splash with Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi opposite Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma ventured into production. However, she continued to prove her acting prowess with some unconventional choices, and Pari is on the list too. This ‘not a fairytale’ spooky drama misses out on the screams but Anushka’s blood-smeared face, and a riveting performance surely transpires into chills.

The gruesome antic left critics and the audience mighty impressed, so much so that a Tamil remake is on the cards too. Need we say more? You go, girl!

Kareena Kapoor Khan - Veere Di Wedding

Let’s get one thing straight – You can do everything you please, but you can never be Kareena Kapoor Khan. The sacrosanct of all things that spell DIVA, is pretty much-taking reigns of whatever is breakthrough. So what if she was pregnant and showing up on the sets, fulfilling her commitments like any thorough professional? So what if she resumed work in less than two months after giving birth to a beautiful baby boy Taimur Ali Khan *dreamy eyes*

In sync with her debunk-every-stereotype style, Kareena played Kalindi Puri in Shashank Ghosh-directed ‘not a chick flick’ drama. Be it the expressions, her dialogue delivery or her sensitivity to play a commitment phobic lover – Kapoor Khan pretty much checks all the boxes! She is, perhaps, the most loved thing about the movie (besides Swara Bhasker’s screen time of course)

Rani Mukerji – Hichki

We have missed seeing Rani in a lead role in the past few years, reason why it was extremely nice to watch her return with her beloved toolkit in Hichki which also attracted notices in March earlier this year.

Rani effortlessly gets under the skin of Naina Mathur, a teacher with Tourette’s syndrome. Balancing the emotional and physical drawbacks of the character, Rani’s class act met with no hiccups from the audience and the critics. And the fact that the focus is reserved entirely for Mukerji, leaving little room for the supporting cast, doesn’t hurt either.

Banita Sandhu – October

From a college-goer to a full-fledged debutante, Banita turned quite the tables with a Shoojit Sircar film. Agreed, she spent most of her screen time on a hospital bed in the film while Varun drove the show as Danish Walia. Her onscreen and offscreen presence in this serene script surely made directors sit up and take notice, enough to book her appointment in major production houses.

To round it off, the girl definitely has the chops.

Radhika Apte – PadMan

She watched, as Akshay Kumar flew with the social message, and silently lent her solid support as his reel better half. You cannot take it away from Radhika, because, to put it simply, boss, her character was the very reason the movie even exists in the first place.

Not trying to overshadow in any scene, Radhika delivered in the exact amount, maintaining equilibrium with her co-stars. Like the namak in the recipe, swad anusar!

Nushrat Bharucha - Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety

Kartik Aaryan wasn’t alone in tasting glory after the ginormous success of Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety. Nushrat, also a Luv Ranjan pupil, claimed her fair share of fame with her portrayal of a shrewd and cunning gold-digger. Her character comes with shades of grey and fun in equal parts.

So much so, that you love to hate her in the movie! Straight of an Ekta Kapoor serial, Nushrat is that mean Bhabhi (to-be) and difficult girlfriend we have all come across – personally or otherwise.

Ratna Pathak Shah/Supriya Pathak Shah - Love Per Square Foot

Buckle up newbies, the thespians are here! The sister duo has been lighting up our screen for decades. The most recognizable ones of their time, Ratna, and Supriya have been the most endearing pieces of the puzzle one cannot do without. Love Per Square Foot doesn’t abstain itself from the honour either.

Pushing Vicky Kaushal and Angira Dhar to take charge of the scene, their onscreen mothers are hard to ignore. But, hey, hasn’t it always been the case? Sarabhai vs Sarabhai or Khichdi ­– hands down show stealers, the Pathak sisters!

Besides these female starlets, has anybody else warmed your hearts?