SRK-Mahira to Salman-Anushka: 2016 is the year of off-beat pairings in Bollywood

SRK-Mahira to Salman-Anushka: 2016 is the year of off-beat pairings in Bollywood

The year 2016 will see Bollywood top stars, from the three Khans-- Shah Rukh, Aamir and Salman to Hrithik Roshan and Ajay Devgn, pair opposite relatively younger and fresh faces on screen.

Shah Rukh Khan, who in the past has given a dream start to the career of actresses like Anushka Sharma and Deepika Padukone, will be seen opposite three newcomers in his upcoming two films "Fan" and "Raees".

Mahira Khan and Shah Rukh Khan

Popular face of Pakistani entertainment industry, Mahira Khan will be making her Bollywood debut opposite the 50-year-old actor in "Raees".

While in Maneesh Sharma's "Fan", Shah Rukh will share screen space with debutantes Waluscha De Sousa and Shriya Pilgaonkar, daughter of Marathi actor Sachin.

Aamir Khan and Sakshi Tanwar

Aamir Khan will be seen opposite popular TV actress Sakshi Tanwar in his sports-drama "Dangal".

Sakshi, best-known for playing the role of Parvati in the hit TV show, "Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii", is playing the "Dhoom 3" actor's wife in the film.

Salman Khan and Anushka Sharma

Salman Khan, too, will be seen for the first time opposite actress Anushka Sharma in Yash Raj Film's "Sultan". Anushka previously worked with Shah Rukh and Aamir in "Jab Tak Hai Jaan" and "PK" respectively.

Superstar Akshay Kumar, who has earlier enjoyed successful on-screen pairing with Sonakshi Sinha, Katrina Kaif and Priyanka Chopra, will be seen with actress Nimrat Kaur in "Airlift".

Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur

The film marks Nimrat's second full-fledged role after her breakthrough movie "The Lunchbox".

In filmmaker Ashutosh Gowariker's next "Mohenjo-Daro", Hrithik Roshan will share screen space with former beauty pageant contestant Pooja Hegde, who makes her Bollywood debut with the period drama.

Hrithik Roshan and Pooja Hegde

This will be the second time the "Bang Bang!" star will be paired with a new face after his own debut "Kaho Na... Pyar Hai!" which also marked the Bollywood innings of actress Ameesha Patel.

Ajay Devgn and Sayesha Saigal

Grand-niece of legendary actor Dilip Kumar and Saira Banu, Sayesha Saigal, will be paired opposite Ajay Devgn in his much-ambitious Diwali-release "Shivaay".

Another Khan to be seen with a new female face will be actor Irrfan Khan. The "Talvar" actor will be playing husband to Iranian-French actress Golshifteh Farahani in Anup Singh's "The Song of Scorpions".

Shahid Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Kangana Ranaut

Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor too, will share an unusual pairing in filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj's next, "Rangoon", where they are paired opposite Kangana Ranaut. The film will mark the trio's first on-screen outing.

Meanwhile, female stars will also ditch their popular on-screen pairing and be seen opposite new actors. In filmmaker Karan Johar's Diwali release, "Ae Dil Hai Mushkil," actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, for the first time, will be seen opposite nine-year younger actor Ranbir Kapoor.

Ranbir Kapoor and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

The "Guzaarish" actress will also share screen space with Randeep Hooda, who plays her brother in the biopic "Sarbjit".

Kareena Kapoor Khan, who has mostly paired up with Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir in her last few films, will feature alongside young actor Arjun Kapoor in "Ki and Ka".

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Arjun Kapoor in 'Ki and Ka'

The film follows a married couple whose relationship challenges the gender roles placed upon women and men in Indian society.

Even Katrina Kaif, who has worked with all the industry big-wigs, from Khans, to Kapoors, will be seen opposite two relatively new actors in her upcoming films. In "Fitoor", the "Bang Bang!" star pairs with six-film old actor Aditya Roy Kapur.

Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif. Pic/Sidharth's Instagram account

She will then be seen in "Baar Baar Dekho" with the "Student of the Year" star Sidharth Malhotra, who has featured in four movies till now.