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Parineeti Chopra
Claim to fame: Although she made her debut in Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl, it was with Ishaqzaade earlier this year that she exploded on screen.
First seen: In Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl but since she shared screen space with three other heroines — with Anushka Sharma playing the leading lady — she shone very briefly. It didn’t help that the film didn’t do that well.
Looks: Very desi. Very girl next door. Very bring-me-home-to-Ma kind. With a rare twinkle in her eyes.
Looks best in: Indian clothes. That’s all she has been seen in in her first two films. Given her build, Western clothes can be a tad tricky.
Acting: Was unbelievably good in Ishaqzaade as the bindaas babe with an attitude. Literally carried the film on her spirited shoulders.
Enduring image: Expressing that crazy feeling called love as she goes berserk in Pareshan pareshan in Ishaqzaade.
Banners and camps: Yash Raj girl till now. Should feature in most wishlists once the contract with the Chopras gets easy.
Coming up: Not official yet but supposedly Maneesh Sharma’s (Band Baaja Baaraat) next.
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Ileana D’Cruz
Claim to fame: “That beautiful girl in the Barfi! trailers”. In those few seconds, Ileana D’Cruz has turned a Ranbir-Priyanka film into a Ranbir-Ileana movie.
First seen: On websites of south Indian films as the hottie from the south. She’s done loads of films in Telugu (including Pokiri, Wanted’s original) in the last six years and is quite a big star there.
Looks: Sexy Slender Stunner. But Anurag Basu has given her the look of a sweet girl
next door in Barfi!. The look is inspired from the director’s mother.
Looks best in: Saris, tees, gowns, tops — sexy in them all. Don’t believe? Do a quick Google search and you will know.
Acting: Considered more than just a pretty package in the films she does down south.
Enduring image: Till now, that look she gives Ranbir sitting on the tram as Phir le aaya dil plays in the background. Sublime!
Banners and camps: Expect UTV to sign her on for a couple of more projects after Barfi!.
Coming up: Phata Poster Nikla Hero by Rajkumar Santoshi opposite Shahid Kapoor.
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Yami Gautam
Claim to fame: The stunner from Vicky Donor. While all the promotion and marketing of the Shoojit Sircar film was around Ayushmann ‘Vicky’ Khurana and Annu Kapoor, Yami stole the show once the film released. As the Bengali divorcee Ashima, she brought in the perfect mix of beauty and poise.
First seen: In television serials like Chand Ke Paar Chalo and Yeh Pyar Na Hoga Kam.
Looks: Arguably the prettiest of the six here, that sharp jawline can deliver the most exquisite of smiles. Add those dreamy eyes to the mix and you have a conquer-all-hearts winner.
Looks best in: Sassy in westernwear and sexy-sweet in Indian clothes. Carried the sari brilliantly in Vicky Donor and as a result that may become the chosen wardrobe for her.
Acting: Was stunningly effortless in her first Hindi film. May have something to do with her extensive TV stint and the films she has done down south.
Enduring image: That delightful Bangali bou avatar in the Rum Whisky song of Vicky Donor.
Banners and camps: Not yet picked up by a big banner, but it’s just a matter of time.
Coming up: Hamara Bajaj by Shoojit Sircar.
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Alia Bhatt
Claim to fame: The first leading lady to be launched by Karan Johar. The film’s called Student of the Year.
First seen: In the promos and song trailers of Student of the Year that have hit the airwaves and Internet in the recent weeks.
Looks: You can see Pooja Bhatt (half-sister) and Soni Razdan (mother) on her face.
Looks best in: Western young wear. But given it’s a KJo film, expect her to be seen in a lot of zardosi-laden lehngas as well.
Acting: Still a mystery. Karan Johar calls her his baby and she’s got the genes of Mahesh Bhatt and Soni Razdan. Should be a cracker.
Enduring image: That kneading-the-dough dance move in Disco deewane from SOTY.
Banners and camps: Dharma Productions discovery. If things go awry, should do more films with the same banner. And if things rock, expect her to be signed by all of them.
Coming up: Nothing yet. But October 19 can change all that.
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Huma Qureshi
Claim to fame: She played Mohsina in the Gangs of Wasseypur movies of Anurag Kashyap. Did enough to grab industry eyeballs and sign a series of films.
First seen: In ads with Aamir Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. The Aamir ad for Samsung was the talk of B-town when it got aired and supposedly got Kashyap to cast her.
Looks: Unconventional, given that Bollywood is largely about ex-beauty queens and size zero PYTs. Dusky and slightly bigger than the other newbies, she brings a raw sensuality on screen that is quite irresistible.
Looks best in: Indian clothes. Might go the Vidya Balan way if she tries to go the Westernwear way.
Acting: Her theatre background was evident in her scenes with Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Wasseypur. She shone particularly in the ‘permission’ scene in the first film and the Mang meri bharo scene in the sequel. Definitely a girl to look out for.
Enduring image: The girl with the Ray Ban from Gangs of Wasseypur Part I!
Banners and camps: Anurag Kashyap girl. So is a natural inductee in films from Vishal Bhardwaj and Dibakar Banerjee.
Coming up: Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana with Kunal Kapoor and Ek Thi Daayan with Emraan Hashmi.
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Diana Penty
Claim to fame: She was supposed to make her debut in Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar opposite Ranbir Kapoor but that role finally (and sadly!) went to Nargis Fakhri. Imtiaz recommended her to Homi Adajania and Saif Ali Khan and Diana finally made her debut as Meera in Cocktail.
First seen: On the ramp and on calendars. She was one of the top models of the country before she chose to go the reel route.
Looks: Petite beauty with a stunning pair of deep, dark eyes.
Looks best in: All kinds of clothes but it is in Western outfits that she looks more at home.
Acting: She held her own in Cocktail alongside Saif and Deepika Padukone. And despite Deepika’s author-backed role and bravura performance, everyone noticed Diana. Can only get better from here on.
Enduring image: Doing that doe-eye hand movement during the Tumhi ho bandhu song in Cocktail.
Banners and camps: Not yet identified with any particular camp or banner.
Coming up: Not official yet but supposedly Kunal Kohli’s next with Ayushmann Khurana.
