Ranveer Singh in ‘Gully Boy’ to Vicky Kaushal in ‘Uri’: Here's looking at the best male performances of 2019

From an inspiring rapper story to a bald man’s struggles and a real-life inspired surgical strike account – 2019 entertained us with the most unexpected narratives. Ranveer Singh aptly justified his musical journey in ‘Gully Boy’, while Ayushmann Khurrana ruled the screens with three starkly different stories and then there was Shahid Kapoor playing the obsessive lover in ‘Kabir Singh’ – Bollywood presented a polarised slate of films this year and won over the audience with never-seen-before acts. 2019 spelled blockbuster entertainment and we have pinned the five best performers of the year.

Like the smash hit track ‘Apna time aayega’, Ranveer Singh’s time might have arrived long back but it didn’t take him too long to own 2019. Easily one of the best performances of the year, Ranveer proved how versatile he is with ‘Gully Boy’. Having worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali on back to back projects it was refreshing to see him work with Zoya Akhtar on this raw project narrating the story of an underdog. While rapping might come easy to Ranveer it wasn’t so much the singing that won us over. Murad’s vulnerability and his drive to stop at nothing is very much similar to Ranveer’s personal story. Be it the angst and strife with his violent father or the possessive streak of his girlfriend, we all loved Murad and championed for him. ‘Gully Boy’ is right on top of Ranveer’s best works.

What a dream run 2019 has been for Ayushmann Khurrana. If there was one name on everyone’s mind at the movies it was Ayushmann. Is there anything he can’t do or play? A chameleon of an actor, Ayushmann owned 2019 with not just one but three stellar performances. As a bald man struggling to hide his flaw in ‘Bala’ to an imposter at a female call centre, Ayushmann showcased his biggest strength in 2019 - his versatility. Even in the grim and serious ‘Article 15’, Ayushmann was super impressive. Ayushmann and Ranveer will battle it out at the Filmfare Awards next year. We wonder how close a call this one will be?

The josh was indeed high for Vicky Kaushal in 2019. ‘Uri: The Surgical Strike’ not only proved what a powerhouse of a performer Vicky is, but it also showed how popular he is with the masses. It wasn’t just the chest thumping patriotic fever that he drummed up in ‘Uri’, but his performance was laced with some tender scenes with his mother and his colleagues from the Army. Vicky has had quite an exceptional journey in 2019 and ‘Uri’ not only gave him one of his biggest success stories but it also put him right up there with the big guns.

Controversy or no controversy, Shahid Kapoor’s act in this year biggest hit ‘Kabir Singh’ deserves a mention in this list. As the rage laden Kabir who won’t stop at a ‘no’, Shahid was super impressive. Even though Vijay Devrekonda epitomised ‘Arjun Reddy’, Shahid Kapoor made Kabir Singh his own. Shahid was the perfect fit to play Kabir. He not only looked the part but also was able to transcend from rage to obsessive love within seconds.

No one comes close to giving powerhouse performances as Amitabh Bachchan. He’s not called a legend for no reason. In Sujoy Ghosh’s edge of the seat thriller Amitabh Bachchan was a major highlight. Not just the climax reveal but his straight face in even the most tense scenes was something to look forward to. One of the major highlights of 2019, Amitabh Bachchan deserves a special nod for just staying it year after year.