Bollywood looks forward to a crowded movie calender in 2014

The race to the 100 crore club and beyond will get more exciting in 2014 with Aamir, Shah Rukh and Salman Khan battling it out at the box office even as a crop of upcoming actors and their films are set to challenge the Khan reign in Bollywood.

January's most anticipated film is 'Jai Ho' which will mark Salman's return to the big screen after a gap of one and a half years. Slated for January 24 release, 'Jai Ho' will see him play the role of a common man with lot of muscle power.

The film is directed by his brother Sohail Khan. The trailer features the 'Dabangg' star fist fighting enemies while Tabu plays a proud sister. After a long time 'Jai Ho' will see Danny Denzongpa playing a baddie.

Salman and Eid releases equal to box office success. After the blockbuster success of 'Ek Tha Tiger' in 2012, the actor is releasing his second film 'Kick' on July 27 this year.

Aamir ended 2013 with 'Dhoom 3' and looks set to have another great year in 2014. He has teamed up with his '3 Idiots' director Raj Kumar Hirani for 'PK'.

The story of the film has been kept under tight wraps but it seems that Hirani, who has had a fail-proof directing record so far with 'Munnabhai' films and '3 Idiots', is taking on godmen in his next, which will release on June 6.

King Khan as Shah Rukh is known among his fans is also in the race with two films. After the triumphant journey of 'Chennai Express' at the box office, SRK is back with his friend Farah Khan with the aptly titled 'Happy New Year'.

SRK recently revealed that he will star in Yash Raj Films' 'Fan'. The film where SRK will play the role of an ardent fan, will be directed by 'Band Baaja Baarat' helmer Maneesh Sharma.
The Khan rule for over two decades is facing fierce challenge from newcomers like Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Sushant Singh Rajput.

The other films to look forward to in the crowded 2014 slate are 'Dedh Ishqiya', 'Gunday', 'Bang Bang', 'Bymokesh Baskhi', 'Bombay Velvet', 'Phantom', 'Singham 2', 'Action Jackson', 'Bhootnath Returns', 'Gulab Gang', 'Welcome Back', 'Jagga Jasoos, 'Humshakal', 'Dawat-e-Ishq', 'Hasee To Phasee', 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' and Main Tera Hero among others.

With his interesting choices be it the deaf-mute character in 'Barfi!' or blockbuster 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', Ranbir is climbing the charts as the new heartthrob in Bollywood.

In 2014, he has re-teamed with his 'Barfi!' director Anurag Basu for 'Jagga Jasoos' besides his role in Anurag Kashyap's period saga 'Bombay Velvet', which releases on Christmas.

Ranveer Singh-Arjun Kapoor will be seen romancing Priyanka Chopra in Ali Abbas Zafar's 'Gunday'. Based on the coal mafia in Kolkata of the '70s, the story of two gangsters, is a tribute to Yash Chopra's 1979 Amitabh Bachchan starrer 'Kaala Pathar'. The film releases on February 14.

Another rising Bollywood star Sushant Singh Rajput will play the role of Byomkesh Bakshi in Dibakar Banerjee's period adaptation of Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay's famous character. It is slated to release on December 12.

It should be an interesting year for Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit as she returns to silver screen with 'Dedh Isqiya' and 'Gulab Gang'. Director Abhishek Chaubey's sequel to 'Ishqiya' will see Dixit romancing Naseeruddin Shah. Also starring Arshad Warsi and Huma Qureshi, the film releases on January 10.

2013 was a mix year for Hrithik Roshan. While his outing as a superhero in 'Krrish 3' won at the box office, Roshan had to suffer ill health and separation from wife Suzanne.

Hrithik will enter the box office race in 2014 with Sidharth Anand's 'Bang Bang'. Starring Katrina Kaif, the film, faced delays due to Hrithik's head injury and surgery but is now slated to release on October 2. He is also re-teaming with Kareena Kapoor and his 'Agneepath' director Karan Malhotra for 'Shudhi'.

The year's another big release is not a Bollywood film but has fans from all over India looking forward to it as Rajinikanth's charm is all pervasive. The megastar's 'Kochadaiyaan', directed by daughter Soundarya Rajnikanth Ashwin, is tentatively slated for mid January release.

Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is reviving his act of a friendly ghost in 'Bhootnath Returns'.
Choreographer-turned-director Prabhu Deva had a disappointing year in 2013 with both 'Ramaiya Vastavaiya' and 'R... Rajkumar' failing to live up to the expectation but he is hoping for a better result this year with Ajay Devgn starrer 'Action Jackson'.

After 'Chennai Express', Rohit Shetty is bringing Devgn starrer 'Singham 2'. Akshay Kumar has two releases this year with 'It's Entertainment' and 'Holiday'.

Priyanka Chopra has a lot to live up to in her second release where she plays the role of Olympian Mary Kom. Directed by Omung Kumar and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the biopic will tentatively release in July.

Pareeniti Chopra has two releases in 'Haasee To Phasee' and 'Dawat-e-Ishq'.
Farhan Akhtar and Vidya Balan's 'Shaadi Ke Side Effects' is another film to watch out in 2014.

'Student of The Year' stars -- Alia Bhatt (Highway', 'Two States'), Varun Dhawan 'Main Tera Hero' and Siddharth Malhotra 'Hansee to Phasee' -- will have a busy year.
'Welcome Back' will see Nana Patekar and Anil Kapoor returning with John Abraham and Shruti Haasan as the new additions.

Kangana Ranaut has been charming in the trailers of 'Queen' where she plays a small town girl again after 'Tanu Weds Manu'.

Sajid Khan is looking forward to put the debacle of 'Himmatwala' behind him with another comedy, Saif Ali Khan-Reitesh Deshmukh starrer 'Hamshakals'.

Director Hansal Mehta and Rajkumar Yadav have teamed up again for 'City Lights' after 'Shahid'.