Okay guys, the year is almost over and with no other promising film at sight (except "Swades"), I'm ready with my award picks for the best of 2004. And to start, I'm going to split up my picks up in two. One set will be the people who I think WILL win. And the others who I WANT to win. I like to hear from you guys as well.


Best film:

Who should win: "Maqbool" - I doubt anything will be better than this film in the years to come.

Who will win: "Veer Zaara" - no question about it. The film can be as contrived and redudant as ever and it would still win. The power of the box-office. On my corner, a below average film throughout with a few bright moments sporadically.


Best actor:

Who should win: Irfan Khan for "Maqbool". Khan can act circles around most of the so-called great actors working today in BW.

Who will win: Shah Rukh Khan - for either "Swades" or "Veer Zaara". I'll pick "Veer Zaara". Pretty much the same reasoning I stated above in the "who will win" category.


Best actress:

Who should win: Tabu for "Maqbool". Best performance in the film. Best performance of the year.

Who will win: A toss-up between Preity Zinta in VZ or Rani Mukherjee in "Hum Tum". I'll go with Preity on this simply because, again, "Veer Zaara" is poised to become the year's biggest hit.


Best director:

Who should win: Rajat Kapur for "Raghu Romeo". Deft writing and direction from Kapur. Year's best in my opinion. Slightly edges out Vishal Bharadwaj.

Who will win: There is no way Yash Chopra will go home empty-handed even if he doesn't deserve it.


Critics' actor:

Who should win: Saif Ali Khan for "Ek Hasina Thi". Saif shines in his defining moment as a thespian.

Who will win: Amitabh Bachchan for "Khakee". I would have no qualms whatsoever if Bachchan had won this. Excellent work from the great veteran.


Critics' actress:

Who should win: Shilpa Shetty for "Phir Milenge". Shilpa's best work in a long and ridiculous career.

Who will win: Ditto


Best Supporting Actor:

Who should win: Pankaj Kapur for "Maqbool". Why isn't this man acting more often?

Who will win: Akshay Kumar for "Khakee". This film has to get some award, doesn't it - and who better than this non-actor who has had great BO success this year?


Best supporting actress:

Who should win: Rani Mukherjee for "Yuva". A class act by one of the best actresses we have today.

Who will win: Rani Mukherjee for "Veer Zaara" (even though she performed ten times better in "Yuva")


Best comic:

Who should win: Vijay Raaz for "Raghu Romeo". I was torn between Raaz and Irfan Khan in "Maqbool" for best actor. That's how great Raaz is.

Who will win: Boman Irani for "Main Hoon Na" - The only reason to watch this film.


Best villain:

Who should win: It'll be a toss-up, and deservedly so, between Abhi in "Yuva" and Saif in "Ek Hasina Thi". Abhi will most likely get it since 2004 is pretty much his year.

Who will win: Ditto.


Best music:

Who should win: Meenaxi - Is there any composer in all of Bollywood who possess 1/10 of the talent that A.R. Rahman has?

Who will win: Veer Zaara - see "Best Film" reasoning above.

I understand AGONY!! here!!

For Best music..QUALITY never wins!! It is QUANTITY, so DEVDAS will always LOOSE to RAAZ..Hall!!

So, for popularity, My vote inches to MHN! followed by KHAKEE!

But for Chopra sakes..go ahead crown VZ Do I care? not

HUM TUM
EK HASINA THI
MAQBOOL
KHAKEE
MAIN HOON NA

i'm hoping swades will be the film of the year, but other than that, here are my picks. sorry i can't comment on most of the categories since i've only watched a few films this year. thanks hal for reminding me to watch 'raghu romeo' (i LOVE vijay raaz), and maqbool.

best music: yuva - was this rahman's best year ever?
best supporting actress: rani mukherji (yuva)
best supporting actor: abhishek bachchan (yuva)
best director: mani ratnam/farhan akhtar

yeah, so basically i've watched one film this year


and i agree, VZ will prob. undeservedly win everything.