Contrary to what most people believe, the revenue a film makes isn't just what makes or breaks a stars career these days.
Even big stars at some point thrive on a good script to resurrect their diminishing career. And newbies can make one good choice and soar to the top. On the flipside, one wrong move and you can easily go into the secondary bracket of stars, or practically vanish from the limelight.
And if the script isn't enough, it's also about variety and versatility. Those who manage remain on the top, those who don't are widely discredited.
Here's a look at out stars and their recent film choices, and how it has affected their careers.
1. Ranbir Kapoor
Ranbir started his career as a Roadside Romeo character in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's artistic interpretation of Dostoyevsky's White Nights. The film failed to do well, but since then Ranbir hasn't been afraid to experiment with his characters which has slowly skyrocketed his career to one of the top actors of Bollywood. Since his debut, Ranbir has been shrewd in choosing his scripts, doing one-two select films a year and being part of films in various budget brackets.
He played an unapologetic womaniser in Bachna Ae Haseeno, a yuppie wastrel in Wake Up Sid, a lovable loser in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and a smart Sardar salesman in Rocket Singh. But he truly started pushing the envelope with his clever and politically shrewd character in Raajneeti, a scorned musician in Rockstar and finally a deaf and mute prankster in Barfi, all of which earned him many accolades.
Slowly and steadily, Ranbir has made himself the most sought after actor in his generation. This year, apart from comedies like Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani and Besharam, he will make a foray into action with Roy and thriller with Bombay Velvet, and will be seen playing the iconic Kishore Kumar in a biopic next year.
On the flipside, it is also believed that considering Ranbir comes from an illustrious lineage, it is possible that he has an advantage while choosing scripts. And he uses his resources to get the most out of them.
All said and done, if he continues this way, it spells well for his career.
2. Katrina Kaif
Katrina is possibly one of the top stars of Bollywood right now. Hit after hit, she is one of the few actresses who has never had a miss when it comes to a film's box office performance.
Kats started with supporting roles in films where the story was essentially revolved around the male characters like Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya and Sarkar. By 2007, she had started playing the lead to big stars like Namastey London and Partner. Her big break came with Welcome in 2007, and since that film she hasn't steered her path too much.
Katrina has played the love interest in big budget and multi-starrer films in many films in a row since the time like Singh is Kinng, Yuvvraaj, Blue, De Dana Dan, Tees Maar Khan, Ek Tha Tiger and Jab Tak Hai Jaan most recently.
Additionally, she likes her banners. Working primarily for Yashraj in recent times.
Whenever she tried to experiment with her performances, she was lauded. Earning nominations for her work in New York, Mere Brother Ki Dulhan and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.
However, she has not tread of unfamiliar grounds too often, and although her detractors have said she has improved, similar roles make our Kat a dull girl.
But her career path has enjoyed a lot of success and now even more with her tryst with a few item numbers. Fans love it, so we can't complain!
3. Kareena Kapoor
Kareena is undoubtedly the Queen Bee. But her career has been quite a rollercoaster ride ever since it began. Barring her debut in Refugee, her career started with Kareena doing similar spoilt rich girl type roles in Ajnabee, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Mujhse Dosti Karoge, Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. Her peak time came in 2004 with Chameli, in which she played a street prostitute. She topped it with back to back powerful and challenging performances in Yuva, Dev, Aitraaz, Bewafaa and Omkara which resulted in the pinnacle of her success in the form of Jab We Met in 2007. That year, Kareena cemented her name as the reigning actress of Bollywood.
However, after Jab We Met, Kareena has continued experimenting but with extremely weak scripts. Barring 3 Idiots, till last year none of her films have been anything to talk about, be it Tashan, Kambakkht Ishq, Golmaal Returns, Main aur Mrs Khanna, Kurbaan, Milenge Milenge, We Are Family, Golmaal 3 etc. Even Bodyguard and Ra.One could hardly be called Kareena's films.
With 2012, came a dramatic change. Fans are happy to see their old Kareena back with back to back superlative performances in Ek Main aur Ekk Tu, Heroine and Talaash. The box office performance of these films were debatable but Kareena fans are happy.
We hope she continues down this path even as the Begum.
4. Priyanka chopra
PeeCee's career had a slow start and she was part of many mediocre films in a row. Even the films that managed to make a mark were hardly remembered for her performance. During the first four years of her career she was in forgettable films like Asambhav, Karam, Kismat, Waqt, Krrish and Aap Ki Khatir, but managed to make a mark as a sexy seductress in Aitraaz.
Her real turning point at the brink of 2008 where she had films like Dostana and Fashion. Even after, however, Priyanka continues to be part of a mixed bag of films. Every year PeeCee teams up one or two superlative performances with one or two less than mediocre scripts.
Priyanka likes to experiment but it seems she's not too choosy. 2008 saw Chamku, Love Story 2050 and God Tussi Great Ho. 2009 was yet another mixed year with Kaminey on one hand, and Whats Your Raashee on the other. Both these films gave her ample scope to perform. Unfortunately the latter let her down on the script. 2010 was disaster year with Pyaar Impossible and Anjaana Anjaani but she was back with a bang in Saat Khoon Maaf in 2011. One again this year, she's had immense success in the form of Barfi but also did Teri Meri Kahani and Agneepath.
Priyanka's performances have hardly disappointed fans, but her scripts seem to disappoint her in every alternate move.
But with her music career going well, she's all smiles, we're sure.
5. Vidya Balan
We'd like to know what Vidya Balan takes before she reads her scripts, because she just doesn't seem to go wrong. This Boombat babe has been in the Best Actress bracket in the last fours years in a row.
After an ethereal dream debut in Parineeta, Vidya had a rocky start making a foothold in the industry. She was part of big films, but was garnering a lot of criticism, for her bad choices and deplorable sartorial sense. In 2009, came Paa. And that changed everything. 2010 saw Ishqiya. 2011 was No One Killed Jessica and The Dirty Picture. 2012 was Kahaani. And all of these films have been super-hits. Her performances have been lauded. She's the fourth Khan. She's the biggest thing ever.
Smartly, Vidya has maintained her choosy stance doing barely a film-two films every year, carefully picking out budgets, camps and banners. She gives variety and she always seems to hit the nail on the head. This year we'll see the newly-married lady in Ghanchakkar. And if all goes well, it won't be a blemish on her track record.
6. Shah Rukh Khan
Shah Rukh Khan's career is far too long to analyze but on an average, the King Khan's philosophy while choosing his scripts has been big banners, big names and big performances. Since the turn of the century, Shah Rukh has been seen essentially in big budget films with high production value which usually swing between romance and drama. These include Mohabbatein, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Devdas, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Main Hoon Na, Veer-Zaara, Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna, Om Shanti Om, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, My Name is Khan and Jab Tak Hai Jaan.
Despite this, the films have been largely performance based but hero-centric.
Shah Rukh has deviated a few times in the middle and these films have been a share of hits and misses but Shah Rukh's performances in most of these films has been lauded including the Don series, Chalte Chalte, Swades, Paheli. Even Chak De India was a big banner film but proved succesful for Shah Rukh.
As a producer, Shah Rukh tends to take more risks which haven't worked for him often. If he's careful on that front, he'll keep his fans happy.
7. Salman Khan
Salman Khan is also one with a long filmography but his philosophy in the past few years is 'entertainment, entertainment, entertainment.' Salman is perhaps one of the few actors who rakes in the big money with each release. Till the brink of the 2000s, we even saw Salman in performance-oriented small films. Since mid-2000s, has that changed! Salman has been seen playing larger than life characters in masala potboilers with a perfect blend of romance, comedy, action and music. Wanted started the winning streak, which continued with Dabangg, Ready, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger and now Dabangg 2, and will once again be seen in Kick, Sher Khan and Prabhu Deva's next.
Salman does one film a year and breaks all records, managing to cross all 100 crore barriers. And while we'd love to see the 90s Salman once again, this one is basking in the winners circle as well.
8. Aamir Khan
Aamir follows the beat of his own drum, doing what he believes in. Some say he's not in for quantity, but quality. Some say he's a perfectionist. Some say he's just really smart. Not all of his films are perfect, but we've never heard a peep of complaint from anyone for his perfomance. In a career that is possibly older than any of his contemporaries, he has a smaller filmography because he works at his own pace, sometimes taking long breaks between projects. If there's a selective star, it's this one. Since the turn of the millennium, Aamir has acted in barely 9 films, most importantly Lagaan, Dil Chahta Hai, Rang De Basanti, Taare Zameen Par, Ghajini, 3 Idiots and Talaash. The scripts of Mangal Pandey and Fanaa let him down but he still won accolades.
His real strategy lies as a producer. Since Taare Zameen Par, Aamir has been extremely shrewd in choosing his productions. He's had a critical and commercial hit run with jaane Tu ya Jaane na, Delhi Belly and Talaash. Dhobi Ghat and Peepli Live were critical successes.
And now with his show Satyamev Jayate, he has cemented his stronghold as a thinkin man's actor. He's definitely on the right track.
9. Akshay Kumar
Akshay Khiladi Kumar who started out as an out an out action hero, and then made a succesful foray into comedy has managed to combine the two fortes and now alternates between comedies and action comedies with films like Tees Maar Khan, Desi Boyz, Housefull and Housefull 2, Rowdy Rathore and Khiladi 786. In 2012 alone Akshay's films made a cumulative revenue of over 500 crores. So be it solo or multi-starrer films, Akshay even brings in the moolah.
Occasionally, he ventures into a little more serious, perhaps dramatic work like Patiala House, his production OMG: Oh My God and most recently Special Chhabbis, most of which have managed to do well.
As he has turned producer, he's managed to keep it clean and smart on that front. His work is a mixed bag, and he is enjoying the best of all world with the variety that he is bringing in.
10. Rani Mukerji
Rani's choices leave us flabbergasted. She was once the reigning queen of Bollywood. She made some interesting choices during her initial years, choosing to work with practically anyone as long as she was given a role which she saw fit. Ghulam with Aamir, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Chalte Chalte and Veer-Zaara with Shah Rukh, quite a few films with Salman, and Hum Tum with Saif, she made a great pair with all the Khans. Saathiya started her slew of individual success, and followed it up with Yuva, Bunty aur Babli and finally, the biggie Black amongst many others.
Post Black Rani became far too selective, and a recluse in many ways. Her personal life ovetook her career choices and we saw her even less. While no one complained of her performances, but her scripts were badly chosen including Ta Ra Rum Pum and Thoda Pyaar Thoda Magic. Laaga Chunari Mein Daag and Saawariya brought her accolades but were misses at the box office.
Rani went in for a makeover and came back with the less than average Dil Bole Hadippa. With No One Killed Jessica, she had a winner but followed it up with Aiyyaa which left many shocked. Talaash salvaged her year.
Now that Rani is back in form and will be seen in Karan Johar's part in Bombay Velvet, and has started taking her choices and public appearances more seriously, we hope her future choices will reflect the amazing talent she possesses.
11. Deepika Padukone
Deepika's not too big on the risk taking although she has tried occasionally. Her forte is playing the spunky sexy urban girl and she does it with true elan. Be it Bachna Ae Haseeno, Love Aaj Kal, Karthik Calling karthik, Housefull, Break Ke Baad, Desi Boyz or Race, her performances have been somewhat repetitive but she has managed to make a place for herself in her bracket. We hear Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani is on the same track.
She pushed her urban avtar to the edge with Cocktail and that gave her great results including many accolades.
Deepika has tried the more demure characters in films like Lafange Parindey in which she played a visually impaired skater, and Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey.
Although DeePee's luck is with her, we'd love to see her more in touch with her roots. And thankfully our prayers will be answered in the form of Ram Leela and Chennai Express. Let's see how succesful they are.
12. Anushka Sharma
Anushka has given impressive performances from the get go. However, it is ironic that a girl who started her career playing a demure housewife with a sassy side in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, would only be playing yuppie Punjabi kudis in her forthcoming films. She's good at it, we'll give her that. But in the small filmography of the newbie she hasn't ventured much beyond the representative of the 'instant break up, instant make up' generation. Badmaash Company, Band Baaja Baaraat, Patiala House, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, and even Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola saw her as the spunky urban girl. Yes, even Matru Ki Bijli Ka Mandola.
She's very spontaneous and does her work well, but we'd love to see her go more restrained for a project or two. She will be seen next in PK, a political satire. Let's see if our prayers are answered.
Who do you think makes the best script choices?