Komal Nahta is a film trade analyst. He edits the film trade weekly Film Information and hosts the television show ETC Bollywood Business.

The film industry has always been fickle. The most anticipated film could go for a toss at the box office, and the one least expected to click could go on to write box-office history. Yet, that doesn’t stop trade pundits from betting on films, heroes and heroines. In fact, distributors and exhibitors have to do this all the time — play blind — because films, nowadays, are sold without showing them to the buyers (distributors and exhibitors).

So, who are the five leading ladies who can be expected to make a mark in the year 2013? Who are the five who may stand out from amongst all the heroines who will have one or more releases next year?

Sonakshi Sinha

Year 2012 belonged to Shatrughan Sinha’s daughter and her streak of good luck just might continue in the New Year too. After being part of such films as Dabangg 2, Rowdy Rathore and Son of Sardaar, not to mention the highly forgettable Joker, Sonakshi has an impressive as well as interesting line-up in 2013. Lootera, opposite Ranveer Singh and directed by Vikramaditya Motwane who made his mark in Udaan, may well be the Sinha girl’s first release next year.

Bullet Raja, which would be her first film with Saif Ali Khan, may be her second release. Tigmanshu Dhulia (Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster and Paan Singh Tomar) directing the film only makes it more exciting. Sonakshi will also be seen with Akshay Kumar in Milan Luthria’s sequel to his hit, Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai. She may round off the year with another Akshay starrer, the remake of the recent Tamil hit, Thuppakki, which will be directed by Murugadoss (Ghajini).

Deepika Padukone

This is another actress who seems to have selected her films very carefully. She has at least four films lined up for release next year. Rohit Shetty, who is the man with the Midas touch, has cast Deepika with Shah Rukh Khan in Chennai Express which is racing towards completion. Deepika is also working in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Ram Leela and it doesn’t need to be underlined how beautiful Bhansali makes his leading ladies look in his films. Abbas-Mustan’s Race 2 will be Deepika’s first release in the coming year and, like Bhansali, Abbas-Mustan also have a way of presenting their heroines — exuding sex appeal and oomph.

Deepika and ex-boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor will be seen in Ayan Mukerji’s Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. If Rajinikanth decides to dub his Tamil film, Kochadaiyaan, in Hindi, it might take Deepika’s score in 2013 to five.

Katrina Kaif

The London-bred girl may have only one release in 2013 but if the solo release of any heroine is with Aamir Khan in the lead, well, it’s going to be eagerly awaited. Although the shooting of Aditya Chopra’s Dhoom:3 may be completed shortly, the film itself may come in the last part of 2013 because the umpteen visual effects in it will take a very long time to complete. Katrina has had huge hits with Salman Khan (Ek Tha Tiger) and Shah Rukh Khan (Jab Tak Hai Jaan), so one can expect her to be third time lucky with Aamir Khan.

Anushka Sharma

Although Anushka, like Katrina, may have just one release next year but if the trailers of that film — Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola — are anything to go by, it would definitely make people sit up and take note of the girl. As it is, she has gone about her career right from her Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi days with the maturity even seasoned actresses sometimes do not display. More power to Anushka in 2013!

Priyanka Chopra

Though the release of Krrish 3 is many months away, its trial reports are outstanding. If the public responds to it the way industry insiders have been responding, Krrish 3 could be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2013. Hrithik Roshan will, of course, benefit the most by its success but heroine Priyanka is also bound to gain mileage from it. Priyanka will also be seen in the Zanjeer remake, which has been mired in contro-versies right from the time it wasn’t even launched. There are at least two more of Priyanka’s films coming up next year — Aditya Chopra’s Gunday and boxer Mary Kom’s bio-pic, to be produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

There’ll be a host of other leading ladies to look out for. Madhuri Dixit will stage another comeback with Gulaab Gang; Ileana D’Cruz and Nargis Fakhri will be under the scanner, both in their second films viz. Phata Poster Nikla Hero and Jaffna respectively; Kareena Kapoor will be seen with Amitabh Bachchan and Ajay Devgn in Prakash Jha’s Satyagraha and Parineeti Chopra in a film directed by Maneesh Sharma.       u