D-Town debutants who stole the show in 2018

For Dhollytown, the year 2018 surely belonged to interesting faces who made a sparkling difference to the films they starred in. While established stars continued to rule the BO thanks to their popularity and huge fan-base, a heavyweight from Bollywood (Jackie Shroff), Hindi prime time television stars (Rohit Roy, Shrenu Parikh and Jay Soni), an National Award winning NID grad (Manish Saini) and fbb Femina Miss India Gujarat 2018 finalist (Heena Achra) also made their presence felt in Gujarati showbiz with their powerpacked performances on camera and behind it too!

Shrenu Parikh
Debut film: Lamboo Rastoo
Small screen’s favourite beti and Ahmedabad Times Most Desirable 2018, Shrenu Parikh made an effortless transition to the Gujarati film industry with a musical drama. Her immense popularity thanks to shows like Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon and Ishaqbaaz made her Dhollywood debut much talked about. Says Shrenu, “Making my debut with Lamboo Rastoo was a matter of pride. I want to contribute more as an actor towards Gujarati film industry.”

Chetan Dhanani
Debut film: Reva
After winning accolades and acclaim at the film festival circuit Reva, seemed to be actor Chetan Dhanani perfect debut film as an actor. Most actors opt for the tried and tested formula for their debut, but Chetan chose to mark his entry with a film was based on an unusual story.

Jackie Shroff
Debut film:

Ventilator

Jackie Shroff who played Ashutosh Gowarikar’s role in the Gujarati remake of Marathi film Ventilator, not only brought oodles of charisma and stardom to the film, but also proved that the story is bigger than any star even if he’s from Bollywood. Jackie, who admitted that his debut in a Gujarati film was “long due” sure made the Gujarati film audience stand up and take notice.

Jay Soni
Debut film: Lamboo Rastoo
After a successful career in Hindi television, Jay Soni’s Dhollywood debut got him a lot of attention. Known for shows like Laal Ishq, Bhaag Bakool Bhaag and Kuch Rang Pyaar Ke Aise Bhi, Jay’s first D-Town outing had him essaying the character of a musician. Seen as the first musical romance in Dhollywood, Lamboo Rastoo did give its audience some good performances and melodious songs.

Rohit Roy
Debut film:

IMA Gujju

Amdavad boy and St Xavier’s grad Rohit Roy has always been a force to reckon with on Hindi television in his 25 year old career. His Dhollywood debut was equally impressive too and was meant as a tribute to his roots in the state. The powerhouse of talent essayed a strong character in IMA Gujju proving his mettle as an actor all over again.

Heena Achhra
Debut film: Suryansh
It is rather difficult to make a mark in an action flick where the hero does some serious kick-butt stuff. But Heena Achhra, fbb Femina Miss India Gujarat 2018 finalist’s refreshing screen presence and sizzling chemistry with Freddy Daruwala ensured that she turned enough heads and got noticed.

Manish Saini
Debut film:

Dhh

Manish Saini couldn’t have asked for a better debut as a director. A student at National Institute of Design, Manish’s film Dhh was awarded the prestigious National Award for Best Gujarati Film in 2018. Not just that, Dhh also won accolades at various national and international film festivals. “After spending my student days in Ahmedabad, I wanted to make a film in Gujarati that could make a difference and add more to this regional film industry,” says Manish.

Sunny Pancholi
Debut film: IMA Gujju
Countering a terrorist attack, gun fights, blasts and edge of the seat action sequences might sound like a plot straight out of a Bollywood blockbuster, but Sunny Pancholi made a brave acting and directorial debut with an action flick with a hatke subject. The actor and filmmaker went for a complete physical makeover for the film to ensure his debut made a mark. “I prepared a lot for the film. I wanted to make a perfect entry,” quipped Sunny.

Umang Vyas
Debut film: Ventilator
It’s not easy to remake a film that has already gained national recognition. But Umang Vyas’s directorial debut turned out to be one of the biggest multi-starrers of 2018. Says Umang, “Getting to remake Ventilator for the Gujarati audience with a fantastic combination of actors like Jackie Shroff and the biggest names from Dhollywood like Pratik Gandhi, made my debut outing the best I could have asked for.”