Truly, madly, thankfully, newcomers — aka debutants or newbies — are God’s gift to journalism. Their smiles are as vast as the Indian ocean, their courteous manners rival those of your favourite nephew’s. And their handshakes are warmer than a thousand Pashminas.

It’s when stardom is bestowed upon them, that the smiles turn into a dentist’s nightmare, their manners rival those of a rattlesnake’s, and the handshakes are colder than an igloo. Suddenly the attitude is, “Who needs you?”
Most mediawallas are aware that this is as inevitable as Christmas in December. And then wonder for how long the glory will last. Comes a point when fame fades, perhaps a bank balance remains.
Next, it’s over to the Sunset Boulevard of anonymity and sepia-hued tears. Aah but that’s another story altogether. Today on a sweet December Sunday, let’s be cheery. Permit me, then, to ferret out at least three newcomers who are more than likely to be the next big things.
Take Siddharth Malhotra, a model from New Delhi, who acted in a TV serial as a kid. All of 24 years, his father is a doctor and mother, a teacher. He debuts in Karan Johar’s Student of the Year. From what I can sense he has what it takes: the mandatory essentials of striking looks and a cool personality. After a long time, this aspirant’s photos reveal a certain vulnerable quality as well as a don’t-mess-with-me straightforwardness.
Sunny Deol’s 20-year-old son Karan, nicknamed Rocky, has enrolled in Rahul Rawail’s acting school, is believed to be a spunky dancer (unlike dad) and has fetched up at public do’s to look bemused at the paparazzi going bonkers over getting his first photo-flash. News is that he will be introduced in Betaab 2. The hunt is already on, I presume, for a new Amrita Singh on the block.
Uh oh: a thought. Sara, the daughter of Amrita and Saif Ali Khan, seems to be straining at the least to go showbizwards. A dream casting coup perhaps, showcasing the kids of the original Betaab pair.
Krishna aka Tiger, son of Jackie-Ayesha Shroff, may or may not be introduced to the movies by his father’s mentor Subhash Ghai. Pictures of ‘Tiger’, with his gym trainer, plus carefully styled ones, are accessible on social networking sites. Unconventional in looks, the kick-off project will, undoubtedly, be crucial in his ascent (or descent) in herogiri.
It goes without saying that, at this juncture, this trio is civil with the media and the world at large. Just the way Sonakshi Sinha did before she Dabangged. Now, all interviews with her have to be scanned by Mum Poonamji. Anushka Sharma can’t quit blowing her Band Baaja trumpet. Ranveer Singh is unanimously described as ‘obnoxious’. Prateik announces that he will no longer attach Babbar to his screen name, and then fogs the statement. Nowadays, Arjun Kapoor moves almost in purdah, on the instructions of Aditya Chopra who’s set to introduce the son of Boney and Mona Kapoor in a youth-centric flick. Ho ho hum.
Come to think of it, Ranbir Kapoor is the sole exception to the often unprofessional rule of the now generation. Both on and off the screen, Ranbir rocks.
As for the other Johnnies-‘n’-Jennies come lately, that Sunset Boulevard could be nearer than they think.