10 Finest Bollywood Stars From 2020 Who Are Shining Through Their Performance

2020 gave us some truly original, relatable, and powerful web series and movies. But even in the shows and movies where the story faltered, the performances kept us glued to the screen. And here are some of the finest breakout stars from 2020, who left us thoroughly impressed:

1. Ishwak SinghEven though Ishwak Singh had made blink-and-miss appearances in movies before, it was as Imran Ansari in Paatal Lok that he became the apple of everyone's eyes. With his bashful smile and honest, heartfelt performance, of a cop caught between office politics and religious discrimination, he immediately caught everyone's attention, even when sharing screen space with Jaideep Ahlawat. 

2. Pratik GandhiDespite starring in a National Award-winning film, it wasn't until Scam 1992 that the audience, at large, actually took notice of Pratik Gandhi's talent. And what a talented artist indeed. Gandhi went the extra mile, quite literally, to nail each aspect of Harshad Mehta's larger-than-life persona, from his inimitable swag to his unmasked desire to reach the top.   

3. Rohit SarafEveryone's latest crush from B-town, Rohit Saraf had already caught people's attention with his brief but impassioned performance in The Sky Is Pink. But with Anurag Basu's Ludo, and later Netflix's Mismatched, Saraf firmly established himself as a star to look out for - and it's not just because of that dimpled smile. It's also because of his ability to speak volumes through his expressions alone. 

4. Chandan Roy It's impossible to stop the smile creeping up on everyones face the second we think about Vikas from Panchayat, played to perfection by Chandan Roy. Because in a world of crime lords, cynics, and patriots, how often do we find simpletons like Vikas? Rarer still are actors like Chandan who can leave you enamored with their debut performance itself.  

5. Yashaswini DayamaNetflix's What Are The Odds? gifted us a rockstar version of Abhay Deol, and yet we couldn't take our eyes away from Yashaswini Dayama, playing the oddball Vivek in the movie. Because Yashaswini, who had been slowly worming her way in our hearts with movies and shows like Dear Zindagi, Adulting, Delhi Crime, Made in Heaven, etc. finally took center stage with her relatable portrayal of a socially awkward teenager, caught between life and dreams. 

6. Anud Singh DhakaOne of Netflix's underrated Hindi originals, Taj Mahal 1989 may have faltered on the writing, but it more than made up for it in the performances. While Geetanjali Kulkarni, Neeraj Kabi, Sheeba Chadha were brilliant, like always, Anud Singh Dhaka was the true surprise. As Angad, the 'go-to' guy for everyone in college, Anud brought a clever mix of confidence and vulnerability in his role that made him a joy to watch on-screen. 

7. Pavail GulatiThe true win for any actor playing the villain is that the audience walks out of the movie halls hating your very guts. And in that aspect, Pavail Gulati was spot-on as Vikram Sabharwal, the chauvinistic husband in Thappad. He perfectly encapsulated how even men who 'appear nice', can become monsters in a moment of anger, simply because a patriarchal society never taught them to even process their violent emotions, let alone suppress them (like women are expected to). 

8. Geetika Vidya OhlanThere's no denying the fact that Taapsee and Kumud Mishra were the stars of Thappad. But another actor who silently wormed her way into our hearts was Geetika, with her portrayal of Sunita, Amrita's house help, and a victim of constant domestic abuse. As Sunita, she offered an insight into how domestic abuse is not a 'class' problem but a patriarchal problem. Sunita was easily one of the most memorable characters from the film, thanks to Geetika's honest and heartwarming performance. 

9. Isha Talwar Mirzapur 2 delivered a star-studded ensemble cast as the story got bigger and more violent, and multiple new characters joined the game. And Madhuri Yadav, played by Isha Talwar, was easily one of the most intriguing characters, thanks to both, great writing and powerful performance. Slyly confident, Madhuri Yadav is definitely a player everyone's looking out for in the coming seasons. 

10. Paoli Dam No one can deny that Tripti Dimri stole the show as Bullbul. But Paoli Dam deserves complete credit for effortlessly bringing alive the ingratiating slyness and tragedy of Binodini. Bulbbul was the fantasy - an avenging Goddess fighting for women's rights. But Binodini was the harsh reality - a woman who, in order to survive patriarchy, becomes its unwitting enabler. And Paoli Dam's performance was an absolute revelation indeed.

-Riya Singh