It’s always exciting for me to see new faces on the big screen and with the lines between different industries blurring, every year I get to see some familiar and some completely new faces take over the 70 mm screen and bowling me over. 2022 promises nothing different, as we have some talents migrating from the South industry to Bollywood, some digital creators taking on the big screen while also having some brand new faces making their debut. Let’s take a look at them.
Here are the debutantes to look out for in 2022:
Manushi Chhillar
The New Year will begin on a fresh note as Miss World 2017 Manushi is all set to make her big screen debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Prithviraj, which releases in January. The debutante essays the part of Princess Sanyogita and her look in the film’s teaser that released last month has already mesmerized me. She reportedly has signed two more projects with YRF already, one of which is with Vicky Kaushal.
Shantanu Maheshwari
After bowling me over with his amazing dancing and acting skills on TV, Shantanu is taking the plunge to the big screen with Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s Gangubai Kathiawadi, where he will be seen opposite Alia Bhatt. He is a natural talent and I can’t wait to see him create his magic on the big screen.
Shalini Pandey
Shalini has impressed me with his work down South in her debut film Arjun Reddy, and after entering the Hindi film industry with an OTT film, Bamfaad, in 2020, the actress is ready to hit the big screens opposite Ranveer Singh in Jayeshbhai Jordaar. She also reportedly has her second film in the kitty with YRF’s Maharaja.
Naga Chaitanya
An already established star down South, Naga Chaitanya is all set to take the Hindi film industry by storm in Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha, and this is a Hindi film debut that I am really excited about.
Ajey Nagar aka CarryMinati
Ajey is a star of the YouTube world and now he is extending that part on the big screen as well as he plays a creator only in his debut film Runway 34, which features Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan and Rakul Preet Singh in the lead. What a dream debut I must say.
Rashmika Mandanna
The national crush aka Rashmika has won me over with her cuteness and innocence through her work down South and also with her social media presence, but now she is ready to enter the Hindi films as well with her debut film, Mission Majnu opposite Sidharth Malhotra. Not just that, she also has another big project in the pipeline, Vikas Bahl’s Goodbye opposite Amitabh Bachchan, Neena Gupta and Pavail Gulati.
Prajakta Koli
Prajakta already has a big following for her characters on YouTube and in 2020, she proved she can act on screen as well with her OTT debut in Mismatched. Now, she is entering the field of films with Varun Dhawan and Kiara Advani-starrer Jug Jugg Jeeyo, and with the BTS videos she and Varun have shared of their camaraderie, I am really excited to witness it on screen.
Vijay Deverakonda
The intensity of Vijay’s performance is something that I have really enjoyed on screen and with his multi-lingual film Liger, the actor is ready to combine that with his action skills and mark his Hindi film debut. I am curious to see this new avatar of his and also his chemistry with Ananya Panday.
Vijay Sethupathi
Vijay was supposed to be making his Hindi film debut with Laal Singh Chadha, and although that couldn’t materialize due to date issues, the actor will be seen in two Hindi films in the coming year—Mumbaikar with Vikrant Massey and Sriram Raghavan’s Merry Christmas with Katrina Kaif. A talent like him will just roar at the Hindi screens, I am sure of that.
Shanaya Kapoor
Taking her family legacy ahead, Sanjay Kapoor’s daughter Shanaya is ready to storm the big screens under Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions. Although, not officially announced yet, but reports suggest that Shanaya is debuting with a love triangle by Shashank Khaitan that will also feature Lakshya and Gurfateh Pirzada.
Lakshya
Transitioning from TV to the big screen, Lakshya’s debut film was supposed to be the much-hyped Dostana 2, but there hasn’t been much development on the film for a while, and now it seems that the actor’s debut project is going be his film opposite Shanaya and Gurfateh. With the capabilities he has shown in his shows, I am certain that he will be a force on the big screen as well.
Palak Tiwari
With her mother being the iconic Shweta Tiwari, Palak has a lot of expectations to live up to, but having seen her screen presence in the music video of Bijlee Bijlee, I am sure she will be a riot in Rosie: The Saffron Chapter as well. Also, she has a co-star like Vivek Oberoi by her side, so she is already in great company.
Adivi Sesh
Adivi is already a renowned name down South and this New Year, the actor is all set to storm in the Hindi film industry as well with the inspirational story of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who was martyred in the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, in Major. I am really eager to see how the actor has transformed himself into the hero that Sandeep was, and going by the film’s teaser and posters, I am certain that Adivi has done an amazing job at it.
These fresh faces are what’s going to make the next year much more exciting for the big screens and I am pretty certain that there are multiple future superstars hidden in these 13 faces. I am ready to be bowled over by them, and now, just waiting to experience their rawness and uniqueness on screen.