Despite it being a gloomy year for box-office in Billy, we still witnessed some strong performances by actors, both expected and unexpected. From veterans like Pankaj Tripathi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui delivering brilliant roles yet again, to newcomers such as Tripti Dimri and Tillotama Shome surprising us with their acting abilities, this was a year full of defining roles in challenging genres. Here's a list of 10 of the best performances in Bollywood in 2020 :
Pankaj Tripathi, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil GirlPankaj Tripathi as a progressive father, Anup Saxena, stole the show with his words and expressions. Playing the silent support to a talented daughter, Pankaj delivers an outstanding performance, especially with two of his defining speeches.
Taapsee Pannu, Thappad : Taapsee Pannu's transformation from a dutiful, cheerful wife to a silent woman rebel as Amrita in Thappad was a major revelation. Only by emoting, she metaphorically slaps the patriarchal society, in a meticulous acting performance.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Serious Men : The genius Nawazuddin Siddiqui, simply crosses our expectations every single time with a versatile role. This time as Ayyan Mani in Serious Men, he once again blows us away with a well-stitched performance, as an overachieving father.
Tillotama Shome, Sir : Ratna, an honest house-maid harbouring a silent romance with his upper-class employer was one of the highlights in cinema in 2020. Tillotama plays the role with such conviction that it's difficult to take your eyes off her, despite her delicate presence.
Tripti Dimri, Bulbbul : Tripti Dimri in and as Bulbbul makes it difficult to believe that it's only her second ever film. She surpasses brilliance in her layered portrayal from a child bride to a fierce woman, forced by her circumstances to be reborn quite literally.
Manoj Bajpayi, Bhonsle : Manoj Bajpayi as a retired police constable, engulfed in isolation, sets out to avenge the sexual assault of his migrant neighbour. He merges into the role quite effortlessly, and explores the layers of this aging character like no other can do.
Deepika Padukone, Chhapaak : Deepika Padukone delivers yet another astounding performance in her portrayal of Malti, the real life story of acid-attack survivor, Laxmi Aggarwal. She captures her severe pain turned into courage in the realest sense possible.
Vikrant Massey, Cargo : In an unusual futuristic setting, Vikrant Massey as Prahastha, gives out a visionary performance going through an existential crisis. The reversal in his personality when his young assistant arrives, is captured quite well by Vikrant.
Konkona Sen Sharma, Dolly Kitty aur woh Chamakte Sitare : Konkana's realistic performance as Dolly cleverly depicts the angst of a middle-class Indian woman. She yet again proves that despite not being a commercial face, she hits it out of the park every time with her unconventional performances.
Sanjay Mishra, Kaamyaab : Sanjay Mishra as Sudheer, a veteran character actor who comes out of retirement in hopes of securing his 500th role, delivers a touching performance. Mishra clearly proves how underrated he is with his honest and vulnerable acting skills.
