From Shilpa Shetty to Pooja Bhatt, check out actors who made a comeback in 2021

They were away from the screen for years, but this year a number of stars, who returned to the screen with a bang, treated their fans with their noteworthy performances in films, OTT and television. We take a look at actors who returned to acting after a considerable break.

Shilpa Shetty

After last movie role Apne (2007), though Shetty had special appearances in Dostana (2008) and Dishkiyaoon (2014), she returned to the big screen with a full-fledged acting role this year. After a 14 year hiatus, the actor starred in director Priyadarshan’s comedy Hungama 2 in the role of actor Paresh Rawal’s character’s wife. Moreover, Shetty recreated her iconic song Chura ke Dil Mera from Main Khiladi Tu Anari (1994) which got mixed reactions from the audiences.

Bhagyashree

Actor Bhagyashree, who made her acting comeback with Kangana Ranaut’s Thalaivii, where she played Ranaut’s character’s mother, feels “extremely welcomed”. “The response for my small but pivotal role in the film was not what I had expected. The reactions gave me a morale boost and immense happiness. Now, I feel ready for more interesting work. After playing central characters in films to now essaying character roles is a change but for me, it was important that the role becomes memorable,” says Bhagyashree, who was last seen in the Hindi film Red Alert: The War Within (2009).

Raj Babbar

Busy with politics during his term as MP from 1993 to 2021, actor Raj Babbar couldn’t invest “too much time in acting” as he couldn’t stay away from his constituency for too long. As he still wanted to remain a part of the film fraternity, he resumed acting with the OTT show director Habib Faisal’s Dil Bekarar. Thrilled with the response for the comic role, Babbar says, “This show helped me redefine myself. In films, I was never offered lighter roles. Meri aankhein humesha gusse mein rehti thi. I’m not young anymore and so, I can take more risks now with the age-appropriate roles I’m getting.”

Pooja Bhatt

Actor Pooja Bhatt, who had a cameo in Sadak 2 (2020), made a comeback with the Alankrita Shrivastava directed web series Bombay Begums. In the six-part drama, Bhatt delivered a layered performance playing a damaged character, who doesn’t shy away from showing her strength or vulnerability. Bhatt was last seen in the film Sanam Teri Kasam (2009 film).

Cezanne Khan

He became a household name after playing the lead role Anurag in the show Kasuatii Zindagi Kay in 2001. But after his last TV series Seeta Aur Geeta in 2009 and an episodic in Gumrah Season 5 in 2016, Cezanne Khan returned to acting this year. He played the role of Harman in the TV show Shakti – Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki. “Acting is my passion and being on set after such a long break felt good. My break was longer than I expected and I was more excited than nervous about acting,” says Khan.