The biggest films of the year

A film buff's essential guide to what's about to unfold on the big screen in 2018

The slate for 2018 has already been chalked up. No merit certificates for guessing that the three Gibraltar-like Khans have reserved the key holiday weeks of the year to unveil their next attractions.
Salman Khan, currently basking under the whopper success of Tiger Zinda Hai, will be the first of the Khans to return, with Race 3, to the multiplexes during the Eid-ul-Fitr season in mid-June. The shoot's been in progress at the Mumbai studios at jaguar speed for the next edition of the action franchise, which was kickstarted in 2008 by the congenial Abbas-Mustan. The second parter, in 2013, was driven by the duo again. However, since they are no longer the market flavours of the season, enter choreographer-turned-director Remo Fernandez.
A pity that. Evidently, the rights to the Race series belong to the producer Tips Films, never mind the fact that the action movies replete with smartly-edited car chases, stunts galore and tricky twists in the plot, were masterminded by Abbas-Mustan. Alas, creative rights are quite easily dispensable. Incidentally, the duo gave the first big opportunities to rise and shine to Akshay Kumar (Khiladi) and Shah Rukh Khan (Baazigar) - but that's another story. The word "gratitude" doesn't exist in B-town's dictionary. So, if the door has been slammed on them from the Race franchise, c'est la vie.
On the upbeat side, the casting of Race 3 has ensured that Anil Kapoor remains a constant. Piquantly enough, the physically-agile actor will see the simultaneous release of Fanne Khan, produced by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, during the Eid week.
Over to Aamir Khan, who will reappear on the screen after Dangal and Secret Superstar, with the opulently-mounted period drama Thugs of Hindostan, slotted for release on November 7 - in sync with Diwali, the festival of lights. Considered the prime box-office friendly slot of the year in India, Diwali is quite clearly the most auspicious timing for a film's unveiling.
Adapted from Philip Meadows Taylor's 1839 novel Confessions of a Thug, the film's budget is reported to be in the vicinity of the staggering amount of INR210 crore. It co-features Amitabh Bachchan, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Katrina Kaif. Written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya (Dhoom 3) for Yash Raj Films, the biggest offering of this year recreates the conflict between a lawless gang who challenged the rule of the British colonialists during the early 19th century.
Yash Raj Films, as a rule, keep the details of their projects under wraps. Yet, word is already out that the action scenes - including sea battles - will be the USP of Thugs of Hindostan, extensively filmed in Malta and Thailand. If it's the spectacular you crave, then here's your big ticket.
Loyalists of Shah Rukh Khan will have to wait till the Yuletide season for his trick act, in the role of a dwarf, flanked by Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma. Directed by Aanand L. Rai, Zero is designed as a Christmas treat, which could set the cash counters jingling on its opening week, commencing December 21. Of the Khans, it's Shah Rukh who has to retrieve his once-supremo stature as a superstar. The response of the masses as well as the mandarins to his last three films - Fan, Raees and Jab Harry Met Sejal - has been politely described as 'underwhelming'.
From the look of things, 2018 could well turn out to be a hero/male-dominated year. There's hope though, yet. Rani Mukerji makes a comeback with Hichki on February 23. Kangana Ranaut segues into the role of the warrior queen Rani of Jhansi with Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi on April 27. Alia Bhatt is the mainstay of the espionage thriller Raazi on May 11. And then, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Sonam Kapoor segue into the feisty femme mode with Veere Di Wedding on May 18.
Needless to emphasise, there will be content-rich endeavours from the realm of indie cinema that deal with unconventional subjects, and speak out loud and clear in favour of woman power.
The new year's on a roll, then. In truth, apart from the high-profile movies, all you long for are the surprise packets to make their sudden impact.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com