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Bollywood's next generation, rated!

Bollywood's bachchas are growing up. They've all come past their star launches and debut films, and the smoke around them is beginning to settle.

The following ten-to-watch have, over the last few months, appeared in their second and third major releases, and it's becoming increasingly clearer what their strengths and weaknesses are.

With an eye to the future, here's a look at those who will be tomorrow's superstars -- and those who won't.

Ranbir Kapoor

Pros:
Heir to the biggest Bollywood mantle of them all, Ranbir's rocking that last name tag with unprecedented flair. An effortless star from the word go, he's casually studly, blessed with terrific comic timing and dances very well indeed. The complete package, as they say.

Cons:
It'd be nice to see him in a film with an actual script. So far, it's all been mostly loopy and underwritten parts, and while he has the screen charisma to pull things along anyway, one waits for what'll happen when he finally gets a good film.

Genelia D'Souza

Pros:
It's hard to resist Aditi. Genelia is the fresh-faced girl who found her feet in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, and she's a sprightly thing with a very, very infectious grin. Also, in an era of mostly rehearsed performer, she comes across as very spontaneous indeed.

Cons:
She does, however, only seem to shine in one kind of role. It's all very well to manage the irrepressible enthu-girl persona so well, but she hasn't yet successfully moved beyond that image. At all.

Imran Khan

Pros:

With more radical cinema painting everything in shades of cynical, it's hard to carry off the nice-guy image these days, but Imran is perfect for the job. Like uncle Aamir, he's got the whole chocolate-boy thing going for him. He's also an actor capable of impressive restraint.

Cons:
He seems to be trying way too hard to outgrow young roles. As a result, he's shown up in movies like Kidnap and Luck, trying to act and sound older than he looks -- to hilarious effect. What's the rush, really?

Sonam Kapoor

Pros:
Arguably the most talented actress of her generation, Sonam is a natural performer who really seems to know what she's doing. A stunning girl with definite personality, she relaxes completely in front of the camera and it is this self-awareness and screen-comfort that will get her far.

Cons:
She distracts big-name directors to the point of dementia. You can't blame a young girl for signing her first film with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and her second with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, but the lesser said about those films the better.

Harman Baweja

Pros:
He's a tall boy who can dance pretty good. And, as we saw in What's Your Rashee, there are times when he comes across as quite likeable.

Cons:
There is no acting talent to speak of, really. And he's forever doomed to wear the wannabe-Hrithik tag unless he really, consciously tries to change his image.

Neetu Chandra

Pros:
She might have been one of the floozies in Garam Masala, but Chandra's overall look is halfway between glamorous and girl-next-door, and it's a pretty atypical combination. Her film choices so far have been pretty quirky and eclectic, and, as she showed in Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, she has definite potential to perform.

Cons:
She needs a lot of work on her dialogue delivery. Even when trying hard as an actress, this is what lets her down the most, the girl coming across as especially forced when trying to use casual English in her lines.

Farhan Akhtar

Pros:
He's a smart one, he is. A natural performer in every sense of the word, he might not be an actor per se, but because he's intelligent enough to avoid common acting pitfalls, manages to do well enough. He's also an unconventional on-screen choice, comfortably standing out from the standard lot of actors.

Cons:
He does seem limited, though. Good at the cold, aloof routine, he fumbles visibly during the happy and emotional scenes. And let's not forget the disaster called Oye, It's Friday.

Deepika Padukone

Pros:
This one's an absolute beauty, one who could well injure neck muscles as she walks into a room. The striking looking girl has an astounding pair of legs to top off a great, toned body. The overall effect is jawdropping, really.

Cons:
Ah, this one cannot act. At all. A simpering and giggly piece of pretty plastic, she has the presence but not yet the competence. And, as we learnt in Love Aaj Kal, she needs to be kept very far away from dialogue.

Neil Nitin Mukesh

Pros:
When he broke through with Johnny Gaddaar, women melted seeing him in all his studly glory. A very good-looking fellow ('like Hrithik but better,' the reviews raved), he showed great potential as he started his career as an anti-hero.

Cons:
Yet now he seems to be building a career out of looking scared and puzzled. Every film he's done features him being bewildered by the situation, from fear of terrorists to fear of prison, and he really needs to snap out of that.

Asin

Pros:
There's a lot to be said for exuberance, and Asin looks all caffeinated and high-energy as she bounces chirpily across the screen. She's also an actress who takes on the challenge of immensely dated roles, performing them as if they were fresh.

Cons:
The characters aren't the only thing that seems dated. Belonging to a different school of cinema, Asin is proving herself as a hardcore overactress, a scenery-chewing ham who makes everyone around her look subtle. No wonder all of Bollywood's A-lister heroes want to work with her.