What To See This Year? There are films in 2006 for which one would brave the rains and defy the drivel that generally pours out of the screen. Here are the 10 films in 2006 I’d kill to see.


Kabhi Alvidaa Na Kehna
Karan Johar-Shah Rukh Khan, Rani-Preity plus the two Bachchans, Amitabh and Abhishek. This time the senior Bachchan is cast totally contrary to anything he has played so far. Though Karan will go into a more mature territory, audiences who loved K3G won’t come away disappointed.

Saanvariya
A Sanjay Leela Bhansali creation is a joy forever. Since Sony Pictures is investing, the stakes are automatically higher. Saanvariya will be far more frothy, blithe and music-filled than Black.

Umrao Jaan
The magic that JP Dutta is currently creating in Jaipur is going to be hard to equal. Watching Aishwarya perform a mujra before Abhishek Bachchan amidst a bevy of bustling beauties from Shabana Azmi to Divya Dutta, you feel you’re transported to the world that Meena Kumari once inhabited.

Rang De Basanti
In his second film Rakeysh Mehra will take us into walloping world of youthful aspirations lit up by energetic actors as rangy as Aamir Khan and Madhavan. This one will be a trendsetter like Farhan Akhar’s Dil Chahta Hai.

Mukhbir (the informer)
Mani Shankar returns with a thriller about a government spy (Sammir Dattani) who changes identity to infiltrate terrorism. With a strong cast and script producer Sudhish Rambhotla has the formula right.

Don
Farhan Akhtar’s remake of Chandra Barot’s Bachchan actioner carves out a James Bond-meets-Mission Impossible thriller. Watch out for Kareena Kapoor sizzling to Helen’s Yeh mera dil.

Vivaah
After messing up with Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, Sooraj Barjatya leaves behind Kareena to cast her beau Shahid Kapur with Amrita Rao in a film that explores the sanctity of marriage.

Sholay
He casts Amitabh Bachchan as Gabbar Singh and Abhishek and Mohit Ahlawat as the two mercenaries who vanquish the Ravan of the ravines. Will Ram Gopal Varma’s pair make the same impact as Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra?

Corporate
Madhur Bhandarkar’s follow-up to the resounding success of Page 3. Once again Madhur relies on a largely untapped ensemble cast .
Water
Only God and the distributors know when the last part of Deepa Mehta’s trilogy would get released in India. The film about widows languishing by the ghats of the Ganga is actually shot in Sri Lanka.