Shah Rukh Khan, Varun Dhawan, Prabhas, Salman Khan: Top Actors of the 1st half of 2017

It really is hard to believe that we are halfway done with 2k17 already. The first 6 months have surely been a whirlwind at the box-office with many hits and misses. 

But many actors came forward and gave phenomenal performances that made the audience stop and take notice. 

From Prabhas in Baahubali 2 to Varun Dhawan in Badrinath Ki Dulhania, we list down actors who impressed us the in the first half of 2017:

Shah Rukh Khan (Raees)

Shah Rukh Khan is known as the King of Romance, but with Raees, SRK shed that image and impressed us all with kohl-rimmed eyes and the Pathani swagger. From the dialogues to Shah Rukh's honest and raw portrayal, fans got to see a new side to Shah Rukh.

Varun Dhawan (Badrinath Ki Dulhania)

Varun Dhawan has been making all the right choices when it comes to movies and Badrinath Ki Dulhania was no exception. With BKD, Varun was able to show his versatility as an actor and his chemistry with Alia Bhatt was appreciated. 

Prabhas (Baahubali 2)

The expectations for Baahubali 2: The Conclusion were sky-rocketed from the get-go. But the titular character played by Prabhas lived up to the expectations and played Mahendra Baahubali with finesse and strength. It's no wonder that Baahubali 2 shattered box-office records. 

Salman Khan (Tubelight) 

Salman Khan is the latest entrant to the list with Tubelight which released last week on Friday. While the critics have negative things to say about the movie, fans have been loving Salman in Tubelight for his simple yet emotional portrayal as Laxman.

Shahid Kapoor (Rangoon)

With an amazing starcast comprising of Kangana Ranaut, Shahid Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, we already knew the performances in Rangoon would be amazing. With Shahid, Vishal Bhardwaj always manages to bring out a different shade that never fails to leave us stunned and Rangoon was that for Kapoor.

Akshay Kumar (Jolly LLB 2 and Naam Shabana)

Akshay Kumar had big shoes to fill as Arshad Warsi's character in Jolly LLB is beloved. With Jolly LLB 2, Akshay played the role of a hot-shot lawyer to a tee and lived up to people's expectations. The sequel became a hit thanks to Akshay and the supporting cast. 

In Naam Shabana, Akshay took a backseat for Taapsee Pannu but still managed to make his presence felt. They were the perfect Bonnie and Clyde pair who kicked ass and looked good while doing it.

Hrithik Roshan (Kaabil)

In Kaabil, Hrithik plays Rohan, a blind man who sets to seek revenge against those who have done him wrong. Hrithik's brave, raw and humble portrayal is considered as his best work to date and rightfully so. Kaabil was able to bring out the superstar in HR as his eyes did all the talking. 

Irrfan Khan (Hindi Medium)

Hindi Medium had simple yet strong content which was backed by fabulous actors namely Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar. Irrfan plays the father's role to perfection and his chemistry with Saba was appreciated as well. 

Saif Ali Khan (Rangoon)

Saif Ali Khan plays the flamboyant filmmaker Rusi in Rangoon and his charm is enough to make you fall in love with the character. Saif's royalness helps in the character portrayal and his menacing eyes do all the talking. Although his role was a bit brief in comparison to Kangana Ranaut and Shahid Kapoor, Saif manages to shine on his own accord. 

Nawazuddin Siddiqui (Raees)

If Shah Rukh Khan was the star of Raees, Nawazuddin Siddiqui is the heart of the movie. There isn't a movie in which Nawaz does not shine with his excellent acting chops and Raees was no exception. Nawaz's Majmudar is the perfect enemy for SRK's Raees.

Rajkummar Rao (Trapped)

Rajkummar Rao burst into the Bollywood scene with Shahid and now to see his acting evolution in Trapped is remarkable. He plays the character Shaurya who seems like an average joe at first but quickly transforms into a maniacal character due to harsh conditions he has been put through. 

Whose performance impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments below.