Bollywood films to watch out for in the second half of 2015

The second half of the year has an exciting list of films lined up for release - from rom-coms and action flicks to thrillers and biopics. Not just the varied genres, many of the anticipated movies will see unique pairing of actors and comebacks.

hitlist draws up a list of films to watch out for over the next six months...

'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'
Big screen date: July 16
Cast: Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Harshaali Malhotra and Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Plot: A six-year old Pakistani girl, who is mute, loses her way at the Indo-Pak border and strays into the Indian side.
Attraction quotient: Salman-Kareena pairing up after four years (they were last seen together in 'Bodyguard'), and the superstar collaborating with director Kabir Khan yet again. Bhaijaan sets out on a mission to reunite the girl with her family.

A still from 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan', which is slated to release next month

'Dilwale'

Big screen date: December 18
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon
Plot: It will be an action-comedy and the storyline has been kept under wraps.
Attraction quotient: A Rohit Shetty film and, of course, SRK and Kajol together on screen after a gap of five years.

'Brothers'

Big screen date: August 14
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Sidharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandez
Plot: Story of a broken family - a battle between two brothers, to be precise - set in the world of mixed martial arts and underground street fighting.
Attraction quotient: Directed by Karan Malhotra, the film is an official remake of the 2011 Oscar-nominated Hollywood sports drama, Warrior starring Tom Hardy.

'Baahubali'

Big screen date: July 10
Cast: Rana Daggubati, Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Ramya Krishnan, Tamannaah Bhatia
Plot: Two brothers locked in a war for their kingdom's control.
Attraction quotient: This SS Rajamouli magnum opus is much anticipated as it is billed as the costliest film in the history of Indian cinema - it has been made on a whopping budget of nearly Rs 150 crore. It has been filmed simultaneously in Telugu and Tamil, and will be presented in Hindi by Karan Johar.

'Jazbaa'

Big screen date: October 9
Cast: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan, Shabana Azmi and Anupam Kher
Plot: This Sanjay Gupta film will see Ash as a single mom, who works as a lawyer and is forced to defend a criminal when her daughter is kidnapped.
Attraction quotient: Ash's comeback film, which is apparently based on the Korean thriller, Seven Days.

'Phantom'

Big screen date: August 28
Cast: Saif Ali Khan and Katrina Kaif
Plot: It chronicles the events post 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and is a take on global terrorism.
Attraction quotient: It is the adaptation of bestselling author Hussain Zaidi's Mumbai Avengers. The lead pair have not used a stunt double for the high-octane action sequences. Directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, parts of the film have been shot in Lebanon and almost 400 locals acted as rebel militia housed in a recreated Syrian refugee camp.

'Shandaar'

Big screen date: September 4
Cast: Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt
Plot: An Indian family lands up in an exotic foreign location for a wedding.
Attraction quotient: Touted as Bollywood's first destination wedding film and has been directed by Vikas Bahl, who helmed the National Award-winning film 'Queen'.

'Katti Batti'

Big screen date: September 18
Cast: Kangana Ranaut and Imran Khan
Plot: This urban rom-com, directed by Nikhil Advani, is featured on two drastically opposite people who live-in for five years and are forced to part ways following an unexpected turn of events.
Attraction quotient: The presence of Kangana, who is on a royal roll these days, and her pairing with Imran Khan, who returns to the big screen after a two-year hiatus.

'Hero'

Big screen date: September 25
Cast: Sooraj Pancholi and Athiya Shetty
Plot: The love story of a couple belonging to conflicting words and the challenges involved.
Attraction quotient: Remake of Subhash Ghai's 1983 film of the same name which starred Jackie Shroff. It marks the debut of two star kids.

'Masaan'

Big screen date: July 24
Cast: Richa Chadda, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi and Sanjay Mishra
Plot: Set in present-day Banares, the burning ghats serve as the background to interlocked stories that go beyond sexual, moral and caste traditions.
Attraction quotient: The directorial debut of Neeraj Ghaywan is an Indo-French co-production which received a standing ovation as well as the prestigious critics' award in the Un Certain Regard at the Cannes film festival last month.

'Wazir'

Big screen date: December (tentative)
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akthar, Aditi Rao Hydari, John Abraham and Neil Nitin Mukesh
Plot: The crime drama, helmed by Bejoy Nambiar, is centered on two men (Big B and Farhan) who are locked in an intense chess battle for answers that go beyond the game.
Attraction quotient: Promising trailer and the star cast.

'M.S.Dhoni: The Untold Story'

Big screen date: October 22
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput
Plot: Based on the struggles and journey (so far) of MS Dhoni, who led the World Cup-winning Indian cricket side in 2011.
Attraction quotient: Biopic on India's most successful cricket captain and directorial venture of Neeraj Pandey. However, as the shoot has not taken off in the right earnest, the release might be delayed.