Delicious doubles

Deepika on her part romanced Imran Khan in Break Ke Baad,Neil Nitin Mukesh in Lafangey Parindey and Abhishek Bachchan in Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey during 2010. “I am very comfortable working with people my age because I can get all goofy. When I work with seniors,I am always in awe of them,” said Padukone. The year wasn’t just about new pairings; it was about the young actors on the block working with each other and thereby forming newer alliances. Apart from Padukone,Sonam Kapoor too was seen romancing two of the most sought-after stars of Tinseltown — Abhay Deol and Imran Khan. While her pairing with Deol was described as “classy” by many,Khan and her pair was christened as the new “cute pair” of the industry.

As Khan puts it,“My pairing with Deepika or Sonam looked cute because our off screen friendship and rapport worked well on screen as well. When you are friends with your co-stars and you are helping each other out constantly,it just clicks on screen.” Ranbir Kapoor,who didn’t quite have the best year of his life in terms of box office hits,surely stayed in the limelight for his on-screen chemistry with Priyanka Chopra in Anjaana Anjaani while Anushka Sharma’s teaming up with newcomer Ranveer Singh in this year’s sleeper hit Band Baaja Baaraat won many admirers. “You gain something from each co-star. Ranveer has taught me to shed all my inhibitions and just enjoy myself,” said Sharma.

Talking of sizzling chemistry,a new pair that kept the tabloids guessing this year was that of Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Mori in Kites. “He is the most handsome actor I have worked with,” said Mori of her co-star who she was allegedly linked with off screen as well. The film tanked,but people haven’t really forgotten this pair. Another team-up that matched their chemistry was that of Arshad Warshi-Vidya Balan in Ishqiya.

The year also witnessed a few of the tried and tested pairs making a comeback. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol made a comeback after eight years in My Name Is Khan. And so did Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan in Guzaarish. The much hyped pairing of Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif was repeated in Raajneeti and so was that of Akshay Kumar and Katrina in Tees Maar Khan.

But clearly,this year was not quite for the old team-ups. The pairs that wowed the audience with their on screen chemistry and garnered huge moolah at the box office were brand new. Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha in Dabangg,Ajay Devgn and Kangna Ranaut in Once Upon A Time in Mumbaai and Rajinikanth and Aishwarya in Robot drew the audience to cinema halls. These combinations pleased everyone. Rai-Bachchan was all praise for Rajinikanth. She considered herself fortunate to be cast opposite him. Sinha too echoes similar sentiments about Salman. “He made me feel comfortable on the sets and it is that comfort that generated into confidence on screen.” Salman,who this year has worked only with debutantes (Zarine Khan in Veer and Sinha in Dabangg),commented saying,“Sonakshi is the most complete actress I have seen in a long time. She is your typical Bollywood heroine.”

Small wonder that Sinha will be seen opposite him once again in Kick next year,apart from the Dabangg sequel. For those keen to watch the actress romance another action hero,there is Joker with Akshay Kumar.