Top 10 Bollywood actors of 2014 - Popular & Critic Choice

We have to separate the popular and critic choice in 2014 based on different criteria used for ranking the popular movies from critically acclaimed niche movies.

Popular Heroes

1. Salman Khan (Kick)

The big Bhai of Bollywood has his own swag in the industry which unmatched by any other actor. His style of acting, his persona and his action skills are a huge crowd puller. Very rightly he says in his movie Kick – “Dil Mein Aata Hun, Samajh Mein Nahi”.

2. Shah Rukh Khan (Happy New Year)

You can hate him but you can’t ignore this man. His stardom is enormous and Happy New Year is a proof to it. Though there was nothing new in his performance, he sure managed to entertain his audience big-time!

3. Aamir Khan (PK)

After the terrible Dhoom 3, Aamir was back in his perfection mode in PK. The innocence and the modesty which the character demanded were very aptly matched by the actor. He took the audience for a roller coaster ride of emotions making them laugh, cry and think!

4. Hrithik Roshan (Bang Bang)

2014 has been a very disappointing year for Hrithik Roshan in terms of his acting talent. But with his good looks and abs, sizzling chemistry with Katrina, super-awesome dance moves, he sure emerged as a crowd pleaser in Bang Bang.

5. Akshay Kumar (Holiday)

The year for Akshay Kumar was full of ups and downs (mostly downs) but his fans were there by his side all throughout. Although, the much loved superstar did receive great remarks from his audience for his performance in Holiday, he wasn’t able to make a mark critically. 

Critic Choice

1. Shahid Kapoor (Haider)

Shahid Kapoor did full justice to literature’s most conflicted character of Hamlet in Haider! In a career defining performance, he showed the world of his exceptional talent. The particular scene at the Lal Chowk is one of the finest scenes performed by an actor in Bollywood.

2. Randeep Hooda (Highway)

Randeep Hooda as Mahabir Bhati, a local abductor and thief is outstanding. The depth of his character is what impresses the most. The sincerity which he lends to the character is commendable. 

3. Nawazuddin Siddiqui

After giving extraordinary performances in the past years, Nawazuddin yet again exhibited his talent in "Kick", and then wowed with his performance in indie movie "Liar's Dice", which was India's official Oscar entry for the best foreign language film category. 

4. Rajkummar Rao (Citylights)

After Shahid, Rajkummar was back in Citylights and gave a heartfelt performance. He was so gripping in the film, that you cannot take your eyes of him. If he keeps going like this, he sure is going to be one of the finest actors of Indian Cinema.

5. Riteish Deshmukh (Ek Villain)

One of the best surprises of the year was Riteish Deshmukh with a terrific performance as the psychotic killer. The man who made us laugh so much with his comic timing, really amazed us with the dark shades portrayed by him.

Others

A very special mention to Arjun Kapoor (2 states), Naseeruddin Shah(Finding Fanny, Dedh Ishqiya) and Govinda (Kill Dil, Happy Ending) for their fascinating performances. Though they didn’t make it to top lists, their acts are memorable.