Let’s hear it for the men!

Mumbai: In a year dominated by strong performances by heroines, there were a couple of (unexpected) actors who truly wowed critics and audiences with their finesse.

Rajkummar Rao first played the smarmy fiance who lets Kangana down in Queen to perfection, then topped it in Citylights, Hansal Mehta’s cinematic gem. And after several less-than-stellar outings, Shahid Kapur showed us why he can’t be discounted with a riveting turn in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Haider.

Take a bow, guys. You deserve it!