With Kareena Kapoor Khan on maternity leave, has showbiz found a worthy successor in Anushka Sharma? Indicators from her career certainly indicate that. Anushka has found her definite space on top of the marquee. She’s making a name in big budget films with big ticket superstars like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and even when she pairs with the new crop, like Ranbir Kapoor or Ranveer Singh, she goes home with hosannas.
Anushka’s career catapulted into the big league when her film with Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif, Yash Chopra’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan became one of the biggest hits of 2012. In 2014, her much hyped film with Aamir Khan, PK, shattered every known box office record in India as well as overseas. And now 2016 has proved to be even more bountiful as Anushka’s big releases, Sultan with Salman Khan and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil with Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have fast tracked to box office success. Sample this, Jab Tak Hai Jaan box-office – 120 crores, PK box-office – 340 crores, Sultan box-office – 300 crores. Ae Dil Hai Mushkil has managed a respectable 66.8 crores in 5 days too. This is very reminiscent of Kareena Kapoor’s career design too. Bebo was the first choice of filmmakers and superstars in big ticket films and invariably her big movies with big stars always earned big bucks. Case in point, 3 Idiots with Aamir Khan, RA.One with Shah Rukh Khan, Bodyguard and Bajrangi Bhaijaan with Salman Khan. Like Kareena, Anushka is that rare actress who’s managed stellar success with all three Khans.
Another strong feature of Kareena’s commerce driven career was the fact that she stood out in movies with ensemble cast. Whether it was the glamorous setup of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham or the rustic environs of Omkara, Kareena’s talent always gave her the edge. Likewise, Anushka Sharma has also managed to leave a lasting impact in Zoya Akhtar’s ensemble dramedy Dil Dhadakne Do. That’s not where the similarities end though.
Kareena bridged the gap between the masses and the classes with her choice of films. While she was effortlessly glam in movies like Kambakkht Ishq she was also capable of winning raves in movies like Chameli and Dev. Likewise, Anushka has featured in gritty reality based movies like NH10 (also produced by her).
No one’s writing off Kareena, for all you know, the mom to be could shed her maternity avatar in a blink and could light up the box office in late 2017 with a surprise Salman Khan or SRK film. But until she’s off enjoying motherhood, the movie industry has seem to found Anushka Sharma as the sweet favorite. Even her upcoming flicks, Phillauri with Diljit Dosanjh and The Ring with SRK and Imtiaz Ali look like the perfect balance between art and mart, something that Kareena Kapoor Khan has been the ambassador of the past 10-odd years.
