David Lagachu
10. Zeenat Aman in Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978)
‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ is considered a classic of Indian cinema which is why it is all the more difficult to raise a finger to it. Every fan of the movie must have at some point pondered upon the legitimacy of casting Zeenat Aman in the lead role who is more of a sex symbol than an actress. Could the film have been even better if someone with more acting chops was cast instead of her? The answer lies somewhere between our mind and heart. As it is known to all that Zeenat bagged the role by approaching the director Raj Kapoor in a complete get up inspired by the actress’ own imagination of the director’s vision. Raj Kapoor defended his choice to the media by asserting that Zeenat has more to her than just meets the eye. However the truth be told one can hardly look beyond her skimpy Indian outfits and her ample bosom on display which was perhaps a ploy used by the director to hide her limitations as an actress. Zeenat fails in the acting department as her westernized Hindi and urban body language hardly convinced anyone that she is a village belle. It was more like a fashion show of designer Indian outfits.
9. Sidharth Malhotra in Kapoor & Sons (2016)
In a film where each and every actor is lauded for their performance Sidharth Malhotra sticks out as the weakest link in the film. ‘Kapoor & Sons’ is a perfect example of mainstream commercial done in a proper manner. It is feel-good, breezy and filled with slice of life moments. The performance of the super talented cast elevates the film to a higher hierarchy of art, barring Sidharth Malhotra whose mediocrity leaves you with an after taste of creative dissatisfaction. Since his debut with Dharma production’s ‘Student of the Year’ he has become one of the poster boys of the banner but he was evidently out-of-place in a film which has all the makings of a future classic.
8. Aditya Roy Kapur in Fitoor (2016)
It’s not easy to adapt Charles Dickens’ works into films. And ‘Fitoor’ is perhaps the first mainstream Bollywood film to be based on ‘Great Expectations’ or any other Dickens novel. ‘Fitoor’ is an epitome of how to cast wrong actors in a film. Aditya Roy Kapur bulked himself up for the role of Noor Nazami; if only he had taken acting lessons instead of spending time on the gym he would have at least justified his being in the film, the box office collections notwithstanding. For the umpteenth time Katrina Kaif (Firdaus) is not a good choice for any role with some substance in it. There were also reports of the studio spending over 50 lakhs on Katrina and Tabu’s hair styling. Clearly the makers were more focused on the look of the film rather than its soul. Even the invincible Tabu falters in the role of Begum Hazrat Jaan, a reimagining of the character of Miss Havisham. ‘Fitoor’ is no match for Abhishek Kapoor’s last outing ‘Kai Po Che’ which was a sweet little film.
7. Katrina Kaif in Rajneeti (2010)
The only possible explanation why Katrina Kaif was cast as a politician in the film could be her resemblance to a certain member of a leading political family in India. She was not in the film because of her merit as an actor but rather because of a strange co-incidence which worked in her favour. For the first time in her career her weak Hindi proved to be a blessing. But one can always trust on Katrina to ruin a role which is tailor made for her. She is surrounded by stalwarts of acting in the film but she fails to hold her own and drowns herself in a sea of talent. Even Prakash Jha’s commendable direction and a dramatic background score fails to breathe life into Katrina’s character Indu Pratap. It will be interesting to see if she makes the cut for the film’s sequel.
6. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Sarbjit (2016)
She has always been a star more than an actor. Only a Sanjay Leela Bhansali or a Mani Ratnam can bring out the inner actress in her. ‘Sarbjit’ is a classic case of miscast for the role of a protagonist seeking justice for her brother who is incarcerated in a Pakistan jail on false accusation of espionage. Based on the tragic real life of Sarabjit Singh and the trials and tribulations of his sister Dalbir Kaur, the film is a hit and a miss. Randeep Hooda is a delight to watch as he transforms himself physically to get into the skin of the character of Sarabjit. Aishwarya Rai on the other hand struggles with the diction and fails to show her growth as an actor as her character ages in the film. She delivers in a couple of scenes but it isn’t enough to add any value to the film. Richa Chaddha who played Sarabjit’s wife Sukhpreet in the film would have been a better choice for the role of Dalbir Kaur.
