The very first month of 2011 will witness a clash among the likes of Aamir Khan, Madhur Bhandarkar and Prakash Jha – the biggies of Bollywood – at the box-office. This could be mouth watering contest among three to tell the industry who is who.

Kiran Rao will set the celluloid, hopefully on fire with Superstar Hubby Aamir Khan to take us on a ride to DHOBI GHAT which is slated to release on 21st of January. The past record of Aamir’s production isn’t very interesting when it comes to women directors making experimental films. But we hope Kiran will turn the table in favor of Mr. Perfectionist, to live happily ever after.

The month will also see Samir Karnik once again on the center stage – earlier directed Heroes (an average outing) – with Deol family bonanza YAMLA PAGAL DEEWANA releasing on 14th January. The trailers look promising, making it one of the most viewed teasers in its very first week of release. We just hope this sweet family (Dharmendra & Sons) get to taste a success together after debacle of ‘Apne’ and ‘Dillagi’.

NO ONE KILLED JESSICA– Having agreed to the fact that “No one watched Rani” in 2010. She comes up with a strong statement. Rani has teamed up with the talented Vidya Balan and Raj Kumar Gupta, who was highly appreciated for “Aamir’. This one is going to be the Dark Horse of them all. Expectations are high with ‘No One Killed Jessica’ for being a movie based on a true story.

2010 was the year of Ajay Devgn and in 2011 he has teamed up with Madhur Bhandarkar in a light hearted romantic comedy “DIL TO BACHCHA HAI JI “which is slated to release in the last week of January, on 28th.  It seems Bhandarkar is playing safe this time around after witnessing the fate of the Bhansalis and Gowarikars in too serious movies and believed more on bigger canvas. These two have always disagreed with the fact (when even the weather could change, why can’t we), after all “DIL TO BACHCHA HAI JI”.

When we could not digest a 40 year old Pamela romping around, a month back, how could we take Gul Panaag, who is frivolously tweeting about her ‘Turning 30’. Prakash Jha should have turned 18 instead of TURNING 30. To at least get a good opening.

ASHOKA-the hero (an animation film about the life of King Ashoka), it is a suggestion to bollywood that they should stop making animated movies. We have seen ‘Jumbo’ ‘Toonpur ka Super Hero’ and ‘Roadside Romeo’ where Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan couldn’t save these films from becoming a fun in their own. The makers of Ashoka should start taking precautions, I will not suggest an ‘iPill’ that will be too strong recommendation, but they should look into it.

Apart from that, January brings to you ‘Yeh Faasle’, ’Vikalp’, ’Impatient Vivek’, ’Hostel’, and ‘Mumbai mast Kalandar’. That was more than an introduction.

Writer is an assistant director, script writer, photographer and story teller. He is based in Mumbai and can be reached at http://www.facebook.com/yasser.abidin