Mani Ratnam's magnum opus 'Ponniyin Selvan I' set to hit IMAX screens

Abhishek’s first collaboration with ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam, ‘Yuva’ offers one of his finest performances. Jr B played Lallan Singh, a goon, in this political thriller released in 2004. The film which has a background score by A R Rahman is a quintessential Bollywood drama that has action, crime, and romance in equal measure. Abhishek’s pairing with Rani Mukherjee was one of the highlights of the film. ‘Yuva’ chronicled the story of six characters with three intertwined storylines. After a slew of unsuccessful films such as ‘Kuch Naa Kaho’, ‘Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost’, and ‘Zameen’, the multi-starrer ‘Yuva’ is considered to be a gamechanger in Jr B’s career.

Mani Ratnam’s ‘Guru’ in 2007 saw Abhishek in one of his most challenging roles. Abhishek, who was 30 then, put on weight to play the character of Gujarati businessman Gurukant Desai in this rags-to-riches drama. Abhishek’s equation with Aishwarya who played his wife Sujata in the film was appreciated by moviegoers. The period film was noted for its top-notch production, music, and cinematography. Abhishek’s nuanced performance won him positive reviews and multiple awards. "I will always respect Mani for having confidence in me - which I didn't have in myself at that time," had Abhishek said in one of his interviews around the release of the film.

Released on February 20, 2009, ‘Delhi 6’ directed by Rakesh Omprakash Mehra went on to win the Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration at 57th National Film Awards. Abhishek played the American-born Indian who embarks on an unusual inward journey while visiting the walled city of Delhi. The film offered a sensory audio-visual experience with A R Rahman’s score and impeccable cinematography by Binod Pradhan. “What a wonderful time I had shooting this film. One of my favourite soundtracks, that I still listen to regularly. A film with a heart and soul of gold and also a very poignant message,” said Jr B in a post celebrating the film’s 10 years.

In his first outing with Anurag Kashyap, Abhishek played the responsible banker in the romantic drama 'Manmarziyaan' in 2018. The movie tells the story of a girl caught between the charm of a reckless affair with a former lover and the quiet life as a housewife of a mature banker. Abhishek's role was praised by his fans and several Bollywood actors. “I went home and told Aishwarya that I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited to do a film,” said Abhishek in an interview when asked about his reaction after being offered the film.

Regarded as one of Abhishek’s best performances in his career, ‘Bluffmaster’ garnered appreciation from across quarters. The movie, directed by Rohan Sippy, was noted for its unique treatment and was lauded by moviegoers who sought ‘unique’ content. Abhishek played the suave conman, Roy, with panache. The movie released in 2005 was also noted for its spectacular soundtrack and Abhishek stole hearts with his supercool rap ‘Come to Me’. While ‘Bluffmaster’ was among the most underrated films in the year, over the years the movie has gained a strong following among Jr B’s fans.

Abhishek’s third outing with Mani Ratnam in the visual spectacle, ‘Raavan’, him playing the modern-day version of Raavan. The luminescent frames of the film released in 2010 are seen as a benchmark in filmmaking. The music and background score by A R Rahman was poignant yet powerful. Despite having a unique storyline, stellar costume designing, superlative production quality, the film failed to make an impression at the box office. However, critics praised Abhishek’s eccentricity on screen and called him ‘immensely watchable’. Aishwarya shined along with Abhishek in the movie where she played a woman torn by her love for her husband and attraction towards a bandit.

In 2012, Abhishek collaborated with Rohit Shetty for the comic caper ‘Bol Bachchan’. Funny one-liners, rib-tickling scenes, and chaos characteristic of the Shetty brand of films made it a blockbuster hit. Abhishek’s comic role attracted several accolades. The family entertainer saw Jr B playing Abbas Ali and Abhishek Bachchan. “The best thing about the film is Abhishek Bachchan, who lets loose without inhibition. He manages to sparkle even in a script that is lazy and determinedly lowbrow, so the alter ego Abbas is an effete dance teacher who wears flowery shirts,” said noted film critic Anupama Chopra in her review.

In 2008, Abhishek Bachchan appeared alongside John Abraham and Priyanka Chopra in filmmaker Tarun Mansukhani’s ‘Dostana’. The romantic comedy that touched upon homosexuality went on to become one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film was hailed for normalising a topic that was virtually unheard of on Indian screens. Abhishek’s performance as the male nurse Sam Acharya in the comic caper was well-received by fans as well as critics. “He was very entertaining and really funny in the film,” said wife Aishwarya Rai Bhachan after watching the film.

‘Ludo’ directed by Anurag Basu was one of the movies that stood out during the peak pandemic. The movie that was released on Netflix in November 2020 featured Abhishek as the dreaded gangster Bittu. ‘Ludo’ was released two years after ‘Manmarziyaan’. “Bittu, the character I play in Ludo is your classic ‘hard exterior with a soft heart’ kind of character. A challenge to portray but equally satisfying. I can’t wait till you all meet him,” Abhishek captioned an Insta post ahead of the film’s release. Both fans and critics heaped laurels on Abhishek for his role in the film.