Most Anticipated Upcoming Indian Movies of 2023

Indian cinema is gearing up for an exciting second half to 2023 as multiple Pan-Indian blockbusters hold audiences rapt in anticipation.

After a strong year full of spectacular cinematic moments, Indian cinema has remained mostly bland in 2023, failing to come through with offerings that genuinely excited audiences. There were some strong contenders, including the much-anticipated comeback of Shah Rukh Khan in the form of Pathaan. However, few other titles managed to make a significant mark as centerpieces of popular discourse, like RRR and Kantara did last year.

This mood looks ready to change as we move through the second half of 2023. Slated to release in the coming months are some truly thrilling movies that have got audiences rapt in anticipation. These upcoming Indian movies of 2023 have seemingly perfected the Pan-Indian blockbuster formula to appear grander and more spectacular than ever before. At the same time, they hold two-fold significance for fans as the latest projects of some of the biggest Indian film stars today.

Legendary Tamil film star Rajinikanth shows no signs of slowing down in his acting career despite closing in on 73 years of age. His work continues to find unceasing demand among avid fans, and he is still as eager to star in action roles as ever. Jailer takes its place in Rajinikanth’s filmography as his 169th movie. He appears in the movie as a man enjoying a peaceful retired life with his family, who is forced to revert to his violent ways when he finds himself at the crosshairs of dangerous criminal conspiracies.

Releasing an entire decade after the original, OMG 2 reiterates on the widely successful plot of the first movie where God himself appears among men to give new lessons on humanity. The original movie saw God enter the life of a sworn atheist who commits a public stunt by suing God for causing a natural disaster. The sequel will star Pankaj Tripathi as a devout believer who finds divine protection in physical form after his family is roped into a public scandal. Akshay Kumar is set to reprise his role as the God among men for the movie.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of Bollywood in 2023 was the announcement of a sequel to the 2001 classic Gadar, a once-in-a-lifetime blockbuster that narrated a love epic while exploring the gruesome reality of the 1947 partition of India. Releasing two decades later, Gadar 2 will be exploring the same themes and is set during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Sunny Deol and Ameesha Patel will be reprising their role as Tara Singh and Sakeena. Their son, Jeetey, is all grown up in the sequel and a soldier in the Indian army. When reports of Jeetey being imprisoned in Pakistan reaches Tara, he decides to take the journey back to the country, just as he once did to rescue his wife.

After earning critical acclaim for his performance in the period romance film Sita Ramam, Dulquer Salmaan will be appearing in an action role in King of Kotha. The movie will be the directorial debut for Abhilash Joshi, and is touted as a commercial entertainer with film noir stylings. The movie is set in the fictional town of Kotha and deals with the massive organized crime network that operates out of the city. Salmaan will appear as the son of a legendary gangster who goes on his own campaign to take over the town’s criminal underworld.

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The massively underrated Kannada actor Raj B. Shetty is appearing in his compelling role yet as the titular lead in Toby, a movie that he also co-wrote. One of three Shettys credited with the ongoing creative advancement of the Kannada film industry, Raj has always shown an affinity for writing and performing as dark, psychotic characters. Toby puts such a character in the front and center as the village imbecile with a penchant for violence. The trailer for the movie showcases some striking visual imagery as well as some creepy folklore underpinnings that is bound to elevate the viewing experience to another level.

Following a hiatus of four years, actor Shah Rukh Khan made his comeback in a big way in 2023 with Pathaan, setting several box office records and single-handedly reviving the Bollywood sector. But he isn’t done just yet; fans are eagerly awaiting his next 2023 release, Jawan. The announcement of this project was met with much excitement and eagerness as it represented a new era in Indian cinema — one marked by frequent collaborations between the country’s various regional-language industries.

Jawan, in effect, will be a Pan-Indian action flick that is marked by collaborations between Bollywood and the Tamil film industry from the ground up. The movie is helmed by renowned Tamil director Atlee, and will feature an ensemble cast featuring actors from both the Hindi and Tamil film industries, such as Deepika Padukone, Vijay Sethupathi, Nayanthara, and Sunil Grover.

The Telugu actor Prabhas became a rare national star in India following the unprecedented success of the Baahubali duology. But what followed immediately afterwards in his career were some high-profile flops, leading some to wonder if his career had crossed its peak. However, the trailer for crime action film Salaar put such thoughts to rest as it promised yet another magnificent blockbuster on the same level. Directed by Prashant Neel of K.G.F fame, it is rumored that this upcoming Prabhas film will be set in the same fictional universe, signaling the birth of yet another mega franchise in Indian cinema.

Leo: Bloody Sweet, meanwhile, will be the third title in a cinematic universe from Tamil cinema that is already underway — the Lokesh Cinematic Universe. Created by filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj, the LCU is one of the most hyped ongoing projects in Indian cinema, and the second film in the franchise, Vikram, was the third-highest grossing Indian film of 2022.

With Leo, Kanagaraj will be introducing a major new character in this crime action franchise played by the Tamil megastar Vijay, affectionately referred to as Thalapathy or Commander by his fans. Continuing the trend of collaborations between the different regional language industries, Leo will also feature Bollywood veteran Sanjay Dutt as its chief protagonist.

Despite a sizable fan following, Telugu star Ravi Teja has stayed away from the Pan-Indian blockbuster phenomenon that has swept over Indian cinema over the past few years. But this is going to change with Tiger Nageswara Rao, in which he will be playing the titular character. The movie is based on the life of a notorious real-life robber who terrorized the state of Andhra Pradesh in the 70s, and was known for his ingenious ways of evading capture from the police.

The Yash Raj Film Spy Universe, of which Pathaan is a part, will continue in the second half of 2023 with actor Salman Khan’s Tiger 3. The very first movie in this trilogy, Ek Tha Tiger, was the very first installment in this spy universe going back all the way to 2012. With the introduction of new heroes to the universe, from Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan to Hritik Roshan’s Kabir, audiences are more excited than ever for the upcoming release. The movie is set to have cameo appearances from both these heroes and feature Emraan Hashmi as the chief antagonist.

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Animal has been a constant subject of discussion among film aficionados for the past two years given the intriguing stories behind its making. The movie is written and directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, the subversive and unapologetic filmmaker behind Kabir Singh, and will star Ranbir Kapoor in what many consider to be his most unique role till date.

As plot details are mostly kept under wraps, there is strong intrigue surrounding the movie as Vanga has promised that it will prove more controversial than Kabir Singh. A crime action film, Animal is believed to explore man’s innate propensity for violence through a story about a Punjabi crime family.

The much-revered Tamil star Dhanush (The Gray Man) will also be appearing in his first Pan-Indian project this year with Captain Miller. Although Dhanush has never shied away from action roles, he has mostly been happy working in well-rounded social dramas or genre films throughout most of his career. Breaking away from the mold, Captain Miller casts him as the lead in a glorious, high-octane action film set in a period era, possibly during the British Raj. The actor has bulked up for the role and appears in a distinctive look, and fans are more than eager to experience this thoroughly intriguing performance in the theaters.

Shah Rukh Khan appears determined to recreate his mark this year with a third movie releasing in December. Dunki will be a social drama exploring a lesser-known phenomenon where Indians immigrate to countries like the USA through illegal, highly dangerous backdoor routes. Despite little promotional material being released, Dunki retains its place in the audience’s minds as it features one of the most exciting collaborations in Bollywood in recent years: its last star, Shah Rukh Khan, starring in a movie by legendary filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani. After a lifetime of making timeless classics like Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. and 3 Idiots, this movie will be the first time Hirani works with Khan, and audiences are excited to see the results.

Telugu cinema veteran Venkatesh Daggubati continues to evolve with the times as he moves into his 60s. Earlier in March, he appeared in the crime drama series Rana Naidu as a morally ambiguous character. With Saindhav he will be starring as the lead character in a Pan-Indian action blockbuster. The movie is also reported to feature the revered Bollywood actor Nawazuddin Siddique in a key role, adding a greater appeal to the Hindi-speaking audiences as well.