2013 proved to be a mixed bag for Bollywood films overall. It seems stars, producers and the like were more interested in box office numbers, than script, screenplay and content, which is a real shame, but understandably products have to be commercially viable to keep things rolling, and cover the huge amounts of money pumped into production.

Our list last year, was, more or less spot on – almost all of the films mentioned in that list went on to strike box office gold, so we decided to do the same this year and compile a list of the films, that we think will whet movie goers appetites when they hit the marquee – whether they sizzle or fizzle remains to be seen, but for now they definitely have the moolah, the star cast and the credentials to make some noise even if only initially.

In the third part of this four part series we take a closer look at the films releasing between July and September 2014 and decide which ones will get audiences bums on seats and into theatres this summer. Do you agree with the films listed here?

Bobby Jasoos

Release date: 4 July 2014
Cast: Vidya Balan, Ali Fazal, Vinay Varma, Gangadhar Panday, Anupriya Goenka, Arjan Bajwa, Supriya Pathak, Tanvi Azmi
Director: Samar Shaikh
Producer: Dia Mirza, Sahil Sangha, Reliance Entertainment
Music: Shantanu Moitra

Over the past few years, whenever a film's revolved around Vidya Balan, the end result has usually been ample footfalls at theatres (that is, if you discard the stray film like Ghanchakkar and Shaadi Ke Side Effects, which to their credit, were still perfectly watchable). 

The versatile actress has created a reputation for herself — a film starring her will more than likely be different, and will have a strong part for her and she'll always deliver. Her next release Bobby Jasoos looks no different.

The theatrical trailer of the film has a freshness about it and gives us a glimpse into Vidya's character, Bobby, a wannabe detective/spy who starts up her own gig after she's unable to secure a suitable job for herself in the field.

Initially, her clientele consists of lovers wanting to catch their cheating spouses, but out of the blue, she gets embroiled in the search for a missing girl, which ultimately flips her life upside down.

Besides Vidya, the cast consists of relative unknowns, so the film, it seems, is resting solely on the capable actresses's slender shoulders.

I quite enjoyed the quirkiness of the trailer, along with Vidya's different get ups, and I reckon Bobby Jasoos will be the perfect way to kickstart a summer that's lined up with promising looking films.

Theatrical Trailer: Bobby Jasoos

Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania

Release date: 11 July 2014
Cast: Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Siddharth Shukla
Director: Shashank Khaitan
Producer: Dharma Productions
Music: Sachin - Jigar, Toshi Sabri, Jawad Ahmed

Very rarely can you gauge a successful film from the very onset. Especially one that features relative newcomers. Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, however, is one of those rare films that has success written all over its trailer, and its smart 'selfie' ('#humphie') inspired social marketing is nothing short of genius:

It has loads going for it – a DDLJ–esque setting, a hunky Varun Dhawan, who more than proved his acting chops in a solo outing Main Tera Hero, and Bollywood's newest belle of the ball, Alia Bhatt who wowed critics with a cracking performance in Imtiaz Ali's underrated Highway and Dharma Productions' earlier outing this year, the smash hit, 2 States.

Directed by debutant Shashank Khaitan and produced of course by Karan Johar, Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania is the story of boy next door Humpty (Varun) and his love story with live wire and self confessed Kareena Kapoor fan, Kavya (Alia).

The film has a distinct Karan Johar stamp on it and the plot seems to have an uncanny resemblance to DDLJ, perhaps as a tribute rather than a form of blatant plagiarism (in fact in the trailer the last few seconds, nod at the classic too – Simran's (Kajol) tearful plea in the film's climax).

Here newcomer Sidharth Shukla (from TV's Balika Vadhu), plays a character heavily inspired by Parmeet Sethi's Kuldeep), by putting a spanner in the works for our earnest, lovelorn hero.

"The film is a complete filmy love story," said Alia at the film's trailer launch.

Karan on his part went on to clarify that the film is not a rip-off of the Shah Rukh-Kajol classic.

"I was the assistant director with DDLJ. I have the best memories with this film. HSKD is an epic love story and it's not a copy of that film. It's a different film and I feel every filmmaker wants to have at least one frame in their film from the beautiful film DDLJ."

Like 2 States the trailer looks zany and fun and there's a very distinct, easy chemistry between Varun and Alia, which will probably see the film through when it hits the marquee 11 July.

Theatrical Trailer: Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania

Kick

Release date: 25 July 2014
Cast: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Randeep Hooda, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Mithun Chakraborty
Director: Sajid Nadiadwala
Producer: Sajid Nadiadwala
Music: Himesh Reshammiya, Meet Bros Anjjan, Yo Yo Honey Singh

Right, so this is obviously Salman Khan film. If you listened to the trailer with your eyes shut you’d have guessed that. This is a film where rhyme or reason go out of the window, along with any cinematic sensibilities and subtleties that we might be used to as an audience. 

Kick looks slightly different though. I wasn’t aware that the film had Khan playing a Krrish like masked vigilante (an outlaw/messiah for the wronged I imagine), dodging bullets and leaping tall buildings in a single bound. It’s obvious that critics wont take to this film, but the masses will lap it up in droves.

In the trailer we have Khan doing what he does best. Mouthing ludicrous lines, beating villains to the pulp, romancing a doe eyed heroine (Jacqueline Fernandez in this instance), and generally looking smug and cocksure that he yet again, has a whole film revolving around his persona that ironically requires very little in the form of actual acting.

If I leave my brains aside though, Kick does look like it may actually be a whole lot of fun. I loved Ek Tha Tiger for all its brainlessness and it looks like we have more of the same here – eye popping foreign locations, peppy music, elaborate set pieces and dizzying action sequences. When you have all of that combined with Khan's cool swagger who needs a script?

"I am not giving any details about the character. If I'd tell you about my character in the film, you will make assumptions. So, it's better I keep it under wraps," said Khan at the film's trailer launch.

Khan seems to be supported by a talented cast – Randeep Hooda and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who look like they don’t mind being part of this ridiculous ensemble because it looks like they’re having quite a blast. Whether this will be Jaqueline’s big break though is debatable. Her voice in the trailer it seems, is dubbed and unsurprisingly, she looks like she may have very little to really do here.

The film is produced and directed by Sajid Nadiadwala, with a screenplay by Chetan Bhagat and also stars Mithun Chakraborthy in a supporting role. It has music by Himesh Reshammiya, Meet Bros Anjjan and Yo Yo Honey Singh and hits the marquee this Eid (obviously), 25 July 2014.

Theatrical Trailer: Kick

It's Entertainment

Release date: 8 August 2014
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Tamannaah Bhatia, Prakash Raj, Mithun Chakraborty, Johnny Lever
Director: Sajid Farhad
Producer: Tips Films
Music: Sachin-Jigar

Akshay's Holiday got a decent response at ticket windows, and his next It's Entertainment is expected to fare well too. 

It's Entertainment tells the story of an orphan, who suddenly discovers he's inherited millions from his now deceased parents. To his dismay, however, he discovers that a dog named Entertainment has inherited his share, which subsequently leads to a battle of wits between man and canine to outdo one another for the remaining wealth.

The film is directed by writers Sajid-Farhad who wrote blockbusters like Golmaal (2006), Singham (2011)  and Bol Bachchan (2012), and also stars Tamannaah along with a large ensemble cast, which includes names like Mithun Chakraborty, Sonu Sood, Prakash Raaj, Johnny Lever and Krushna Abhishek.

The trailer looks preposterous, but there's a market for these kind of films, although give me Akshay in a sensible film like Special 26 any day. Here he looks like he's all set to ham his way through the film and give audiences a migraine.

Tamannaah, who's first Hindi release Himmatwala was an epic disaster is hoping to turn the tide around with this film, and from early reports she may just be on to a good thing – guess we'll find out when the film hits the marquee in a month.

A golden retriever named Wonder Dog, has a prominent role in the film, and it's the dog's inclusion in the film, that Akshay is most excited about.

"This film is full of love and laughter. Apart from working with Tamannaah, the best bit is that for the first time in my career, I'll be working with a dog! I've romanced women; I've played with babies; I've done every stunt under the sun. Now, it's time for me to take a cue from a canine. This film promises fun and it has got what everyone loves - dogs, dogs and more dogs," the actor had said in an earlier interview to The Times of India.

Theatrical Trailer: It's Entertainment

Singham Returns

Release date: 15 August 2014
Cast: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan
Director: Rohit Shetty
Producer: Ajay Devgn, Rohit Shetty, Reliance Entertainment
Music: Himesh Reshammiya

The last decent Ajay Devgn film I saw released in 2010 — Once Upon A Time In Mumbai. Since then audiences have been subject to Aakrosh, Golmaal 3, Dil Toh Baccha Hai, Singham, Rascals, Tezz, Bol Bachchan, Son Of Sardaar, Himmatwala and Satyagraha — most of which have been taxing to watch.

Ajay is talented. Why he subjects us to this trash is beyond me, but I guess box office returns and economics have their place too and sometimes money speaks more than passion for craft. 

Anyway, his next big ticket release is the sequel to Singham. The first one smashed box office records, and in fact is one of Ajay's biggest hits ever and with Rohit Shetty at the helm of affairs again, its sequel is expected to go more or less the same way. The film has Kareena Kapoor as an added attraction, and I seriously hope she isn't reduced to a prop and has a role worthy of an actress of her calibre.

Expect more goons to be beaten black and blue, exploding cars (it's a Rohit Shetty film after all), and a larger than life Devgn roaring his way to box office success, yet again.

Mardaani

Release date: 22 August 2014
Cast: Rani Mukerji, Jisshu Sengupta
Director: Pradeep Sarkar
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Music: Shantanu Moitra

Rani Mukerji collaborating with Pradeep Sarkar after the epic dud that was Lagaa Chunari Mein Daag? I would have most likely steered clear of this had it not been for the interesting first look poster that YRF released a few weeks ago and the film's synopsis which sounds like it could pack quite a punch.

In Mardaani, Rani plays a no nonsense, fearless cop working in a Mumbai Crime Branch unit, who's life turns upside down when she takes on a mysterious case in which a teenage girl is kidnapped by the child trafficking mafia and smuggled outside the city. 

Rani lost nearly 13kg for the part and this will most likely be her swan song, with rumours doing the rounds that she wants to focus on her marriage and is planning a family. So rest assured, hubby Aditya Chopra will most likely go out of his way to ensure the film has what it takes and that Rani shines in the film, before she embarks on the next phase of her life and takes a hiatus from donning the greasepaint.

Theatrical Trailer: Mardaani

Daawat-e-Ishq

Release date: 5 September 2014
Cast: Aditya Roy Kapur, Parineeti Chopra, Anupam Kher
Director: Habib Faisal
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Music: Sajid Wajid

This is Aditya Roy Kapur’s first release since last year's blockbuster Aashiqui 2, where he finally got to prove his mettle as a solo leading star. Naturally, the expectations of him are higher this time round but he has able support from Parineeti Chopra, who seems to be on a roll and is notching up one hit after another (Shudh Desi Romance, Hasee Toh Phasee, both charming films in their own right), and has more than proved her salt as an actress.

Daawat E Ishq, is unsurprisingly, a love story set in Lucknow and Hyderabad revolving around Aditya's character, Tariq, who makes inroads into Gulrez's (Parineeti) heart by impressing her with his culinary skills.

The reason I'm a little excited about Daawat E Ishq is that it's directed Habib Faisal and I quite liked his work in both Ishaqzaade and Do Dooni Char, and I've been super impressed with the work all these polished newcomers have been doing of late (Arjun, Varun, Parineeti, Alia, Sidharth and the like).

Produced by Aditya Chopra, and  has music by Sajid-Wajid and lyrics by Kausar Munir.

What Aditya and Parineeti (with able support from veteran Anupam Kher) cook up for us we'll find out come September.

Theatrical Trailer: Daawat-e-Ishq

Finding Fanny

Release date: 12 September 2014
Cast: Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Dimple Kapadia. Ranveer Singh (cameo).
Director: Homi Adajania
Producer: Dinesh Vijan, Saif Ali Khan

Helmed by Homi Adajania and produced by Saif Ali Khan's Illuminati Films, the curiously titled Finding Fanny sees Deepika Padukone heading an eclectic cast comprising of Arjun Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia and Pankaj Kapur. The film is a satire and follows five Goans on a road trip in search of an old postman's childhood love.

Apparently Adajania narrated the film to DP much before Cocktail, and the actress loved her character so much, she opted for the film right then. 

Finding Fanny was shot simultaneously in Hindi and English, and undoubtedly sounds like the most interesting and off beat film on this list. With a talented cast and both Arjun and Deepika's stars shining bright, it could just prove to be an unexpected sleeper hit when it hits the marquee at the fag end of this summer.

Theatrical Trailer: Finding Fanny

So there you have it. The eight films that are likely to make a splash in the third quarter of 2014. Do you agree with our list?

Watch out for the fourth and fine part in this series, coming your way very soon!

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