Bollywood's hottest stars going back to basics

Some of our superstars are going back to playing characters that made them popular in the first place

You may travel the world but there's nothing like coming back home. It's a saying that suits our Bollywood biggies more than anyone these days.

After drifting away from doing what they are most known for and tasting some successes and some failures along the way, some of our most popular actors are going back to the basics.

Salman Khan as Prem
A painfully obedient mama's boy, who'd shed both blood and tears to ensure a happy ending for his love story that is Prem.

There have been but many who have pulled off this character better than him. Of course, until Salman decided that there was more drama in showing off a chiseled chest through a fight sequence than wooing a girl.

Salman had said, "Now action's working for me, so you guys call me an action hero. Some day comedy will work, so it would be a comic hero. So the formula is set and as long as people are filling up theatres, I'll give them what they want."


Madhuri Dixit and Salman Khan in Hum Aapke Hain Koun

However, prem ki deewanis need not lose hope yet. We now hear that Salman's all set to step back into Prem's iconic shoes, all thanks to his mentor Sooraj Barjatya who gave him blockbusters like Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hein Kaun. The actor, who is busy with Ek Tha Tiger and Dabangg 2, is expected to start work on it sometime next year.

Shah Rukh Khan as the romantic Rahul
He'd throw his arms wide open and girls would go weak in their knees. There was an irresistible charm to his romance that no one could ever match. So much so that this lover boy would often find himself desired by two women.



Be it Anjali and Tina in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai or even Preeti and Simran in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. SRK began his career as the bad guy, but soon reigned as the king of romance. SRK had said, "I am not really a romantic.

It may come as a surprise, but I am generally very shy with people. That's why I act it out so well." Probably why after action films like RA.One and Don 2, Khan is now back to doing what he does best.

He will be seen romancing two lovely ladies Katrina and Anushka in Yash Chopra's next. "It's always a pleasure to work with Yash uncle, " he adds. It's Chopra's comeback to direction after seven years and SRK's first full-fledged romantic role since Om Shanti Om five years back.

Aamir Khan as the daredevil cop
Here is one Khan who managed to beat being type cast. From silly college kid (Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar) to passionate lover (Dil) to roadside Romeo (Ghulam and Rangeela), Aamir challenged himself everytime.



But a role he will perhaps be most remembered for is his no-nonsense cop act in Sarfarosh. Unlike Sarfarosh, his first cop act in Baazi (1995) however had failed to impress.

Now, after 13 years, Aamir is back to wearing the vardi. "Sarfarosh was one of my most challenging roles, " Aamir had said then.

In Reema Kagti's Talaash the actor plays daredevil inspector Surjan Singh Sekhawat, solving one of the most bone-chilling cases in the history of the country.

Akshay Kumar as the action king
Akshay was the guy a producer would call for if the role required the hero jumping off buildings without support or breaking brick walls at one go.

Between 1990-2000, Akshay did over 20 action films, which included superhits like Khiladi, Mohra and Khiladi 420. But the actor whose middle name was action needed a change of scene at that time.



After juggling with comedy in films like Hera Pheri and Welcome and intense romance with Namaste London and Action Replayy, Akshay is now returning to action with Rowdy Rathore, Joker and Once Upon a Time in Mumbai 2.

Not surprising, considering his last five films sank without a trace and action is the genre everyone's tapping into these days. Rowdy Rathore being directed by Prabhu Deva apparently promises to bring Khiladi Kumar back with a bang.