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The upcoming year seems packed with much-awaited feature films, which are sure to grab the attention of audiences and critics alike. The year 2016 was a concoction of mixed emotions with a few surprises and some major disappointments. Some of the biggest stars faced bitter disappointments, while others showed up with their career bests. Now, 2017 beckons us with fresh films and superstars who dare to experiment. Here are some of the most highly awaited films of the year:

Tubelight:
Salman Khan, who had a tremendously successful 2016, will next be seen in Tubelight, helmed by Kabir Khan, who gave him his 2015 acclaimed film, Bajrangi Bhaijaan. The film, set against the backdrop of the Sino-Indian war of 1962, reportedly has the superstar playing a man-child, alongside brother Sohail Khan and Chinese actress, Zhu Zhu. Skipping Id for once, the film will arrive on June 26, 2017.

2.0:
Shankar’s follow-up to his iconic Endhiran/Robo, pits none other than Akshay Kumar against Rajinikanth. The film, which will see Rajinikanth reprise his role as the humanoid superhero, Chitti, is perhaps the superstar’s most ambitious project till date. The immense cult following associated with it, elevates it to a phenomenon waiting to happen.

Raees:
As weird as it might sound, Raees was one of 2016’s most anticipated films, to begin with. But the grating delays that it went through, finally meant that a release will be possible only in early 2017. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan who locks horns with Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Rangoon:
Vishal Bharadwaj’s dream project is a Casablanca-esque love triangle of a thriving actress, a director and a strapping army man, set against the backdrop of the World War II. He’s also managed a stellar casting coup by roping in Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor to play out the lead roles. Rangoon, scheduled for a February 24, 2017 release, is reel genius waiting to happen.

Padmavati:
Touted to be the most expensive Bollywood films to get the green light till date, Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ambitious Padmavati repeats his muses Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, with Shahid Kapoor being the third entrant in the cast. While Deepika plays the eponymous queen, Shahid will be seen playing her husband, Raja Rawal Ratan Singh, who must defend his kingdom and his wife’s honour, against a lasciviously enamoured Alauddin Khilji played by Ranveer Singh. Said to be conceived on a scale grander than even Baahubali, the film is headed for a 17 November, 2017 release.

Jagga Jasoos:
This boy-wonder sleuth flick, seen through the enterprising eyes of Anurag Basu, has seen more delays than Rahul Dholakia’s Raees. The film, that stars erstwhile lovers Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif in the lead roles, impressed with its first look, set in a Wes Anderson-esque universe with generous dollops of Tintin thrown in. It could very well be the surprise of the year providing some major career boost to its deprived, A-list leads.

Imtiaz Ali’s untitled next:
Shah Rukh Khan will be seen romancing Anushka Sharma in an Imtiaz Ali movie. The superstar will be collaborating with the ace director for the very first time. The film, which was tentatively titled The Ring, is said to be about an engaged Gujarati girl, traversing Europe, who loses her engagement ring during her  sojourn. She is then helped by a charming tour guide in her quest to retrieve it. The romantic drama is slated for an August 11, 2017 release.