So who are the actors who impressed film critic Anupama Chopra this year?
Looking at the guests at her RoundTable discussion, the answer seems pretty clear.
Kareena Kapoor impressed *everyone* with her restrained performance in the thriller Jaane Jaan.
The other Kareena film festival-goers are raving about is Hansal Mehta's The Buckingham Murders, which stars her as a detective in a small town in Buckinghamshire, which Bebo said she modelled around Kate Winslet's role in Mare of Easttown.
We can't wait to watch it.
Mammootty may have gotten everyone talking about him playing a homosexual in his new film Kaathal - The Core, but it's his onscreen wife Jyothika, who seems to be the surprise package.
Tillotama Shome had a great 2023, thanks to her brilliant performances in Web shows like Delhi Crime2,, The Night Manager, Tooth Pari: When Love Bites and Lust Stories 2.
Her segment, in fact, in Konkona Sensharma's Lust Stories 2 started conversations, as it spoke about the desires of women.
Vikrant Massey had three releases this year: Gaslight, Mumbaikar and 12th Fail.
His performance in 12th Fail, directed by Anupama's husband, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is so good that he may just win a National Award for it.
Or perhaps an Oscar?
There's more to Siddharth than his rumoured relationship with Aditi Rao Hydari. He's making waves with his performances in Takkar and Chithha.
It may have been a small role but What An Impact!
Bobby Deol is basking in all the Animal love, and simply enjoying his recent menacing onscreen avatars.
Kareena's partner-in-crime Jaideep Alhawat in Jaane Jaan goes for a complete makeover and gives us yet another terrific character to talk about.
And here's the host, Anupama Chopra.
Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar
