Year Ender 2023: Be it nepotism, box office, or reviews, how star kids dominated all debates this year

2023 marked the return of Bollywood films at the box office, after a three-year lull. This year, Hindi films set new benchmarks and destroyed several box office records. Not only did older stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Sunny Deol, and Ranbir Kapoor taste success, but even some of the young star kids managed to be talked about all the year. 

From Suhana Khan and Khushi Kapoor to Alizeh Agnihotri, several star kids stepped in front of the camera for the first time this year. While some received praise for their impressive acting chops, others grabbed headlines just for being. And then there were those who did not even make their debut and yet, however, managed to be in the news. 

Those who impressed with their performances 

While the nepotism debate was still on this year netizens, who are often unhappy with the performances of star kids in movies, were proved wrong by two exceptions this year who were not only praised by the critics but also by the audience. Alizeh Agnihotri and Babil Khan were two who shone this year. While Alizeh was called the brightest spot in her debut series and praised for doing justice to the role, Babil Khan has raised expectations and earned the tag of Starkid with a bright future.

Salman Khan's niece and daughter of Atul Agnihotri, Alizeh Agnihotri, made her Bollywood debut in Soumendra Padhi's thriller, Farrey. The actress's performance in the film had netizens calling her the best find of 2023. The actress's realistic performance in the film and impactful monologue won hearts and earned her the tag of a terrific performer. 

Another star of 2023 is Irrfan Khan's son Babil Khan, who took over OTT with performances in the web series, The Railway Men and the film, Friday Night Plan. Not only the audience but even the celebs praised his acting chops. Well not only this, he also became paps favorite due to his humble nature and won the hearts of the audience for the same.

Those who set the box office ablaze

While the young star kids didn't lead any of the big blockbusters, they surely did give impactful performances even in supporting roles. One such starkid is Utkarsh Sharma who was seen playing a pivotal role in his father, Anil Sharma's directorial, Gadar 2. He played Tara Singh's grown-up son Charanjeet in the film for whom Tara Singh (Sunny Deol) crosses the India-Pakistan border once again. The was one of the highest-grossing Indian films this year and with this, Utkarsh climbed up the ladder of commercial success holding Sunny Deol's hand. His performance, however, received mixed reviews. He was good in his actions and even in the light scenes, but when it came to the heavy dialogue, he was found lacking. 

Those who made headlines

The next generation of stars are already making their presence felt in the industry. Whether it was their red carpet appearance, them being the face of brands, or their Bollywood debuts, this year, star kids left no stone unturned to be in the news. 

Shah Rukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan is one of the star kids who was all over the news this year. From being announced as the brand ambassador of Maybelline to her dating rumours, the actress made sure t be the talk of the town. Her confidence during her first public speech as Maybelline’s brand ambassador impressed netizens who called her a copy of her father. Suhana was also rumoured to be dating Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson, Agastya Nanda. They both were often seen sharing flying kisses and partying together which had netizens convinced that they were dating each other. 

Khushi Kapoor on the other hand grabbed headlines for dazzling the fashion world with her glamorous looks. The actress’ look during the Dior show at the Paris Fashion Week earned her appreciation. Well, that’s not it. Khushi Kapoor, Agastya Nanda, and Suhana Kapoor also grabbed some negative attention. Though some of people praised them for their Bollywood debut in Zoya Akhar’s The Archies, others criticised their acting chops and expressed their disappointment. Netizens trolled them for their ‘too basic’ performance in the film. 

Shweta Tiwari’s daughter Palak Tiwari also made her Bollywood debut this year with a small role in Salman Khan’s Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan which failed at the box office. Her performance was also criticised by the audience.

Those who were the paps' favourites

Among all these are some of the star kids who didn't perform on screen but filled the front page of newspapers with their mere appearances and the rumours about them. For instance, Saif Ali Khan's son Ibrahim Ali Khan was supposed to make his Bollywood debut this year, however, he caught attention for his rumoured relationship with Palak Tiwari and his looks. Several netizens fell in love with his looks and called him junior Saif Ali Khan

Another star kid who was all over the news is Sanjay Kapoor's daughter, Shanaya Kapoor. Though she didn't make her debut this year, she didn't miss being in the headlines. From her reportedly getting several offers like Karan Johar's Student of The Year 3, her being a part of Mohanlal's film Vrushabha, to her bold pictures on social media, she made sure to be in the limelight this year. 

Shah Rukh Khan's son AbRam also won hearts when he performed in his school's annual day event. He inacted his father's iconic pose taking the internet by storm. Netizens called him the next superstar of Bollywood. Not only him, but even Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan's daughter Aaradhya Bachchan took everyone by surprise with her performance in her school's annual day event. Netizens couldn't stop praising her acting chops and even called her better than some of the newcomers. 

Well, all this shows one thing this year was the year of star kids. Whether it was for their rumored relationships, their acting skills, or their viral pictures or videos, they made sure to be on everyone's mind and some even made their place in the audiences' hearts. Many star kids are yet to step into the entertainment industry and it will be interesting to if the star kids will be able to make 2024 their year or not.