Happy Birthday Shahid Kapoor: Versatile roles that prove he is a thinking actor

Shahid Kapoor has carved a niche for himself by bringing life to every character he has taken up. Starting his career young at the age of 22 as a cheeky loverboy with Ken Ghosh's Ishq Vishq to his latest release, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Padmaavat where he was seen as an intense Rajput king- Maharawal Ratan Singh; Shahid Kapoor's maturity can't just be seen in the smart choice of movies but also in the layers of the performances. 

As the actor rings in his 37th birthday today, we take you down the memory lane and ponder a thought over his iconic evolution as an actor! 

Ishq Vishk: Can we ever forget how Shahid Kapoor became an overnight sensation with his chocolatey looks and dimpled-smile in coming-of-age romance film - Ishq Vishk? Not only did he do justice to the loverboy image, his flawless dance moves took the entire generation crushing on him. 

The movie bagged him his first Filmfare Award too for the best male newcomer of the year. 

Vivah: After Ishq Vishk, it was Sooraj Barjatya's Vivah that helped Shahid Kapoor cement his position in the industry. Shahid stepped out of his guy-next-door image and played the part of the eligible groom to perfection. His chemistry with Amrita Arora was very well received by the audience and he earned much applause for his portrayal of a sensitive young groom. 

Kaminey: Playing a double role with complete contrasting shades was no easy game but Shahid Kapoor pulled it off with such perfection. This was also one of those moments where his acting was critically appreciated by many. His bare-body act was another big high in the movie. 

Jab We Met: This movie is regarded as one of the golden movies of Shahid Kapoor. And why not? The movie still manages to capture the heart of every movie buff. Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan, who were dating for nearly five years, parted ways during the filming of the movie; but their on-screen chemistry in the movie remained intact and was loved by one and all. 

R...Rajkumar:  This movie saw Shahid Kapoor portray a character like never before, that of a rowdy goon. Due to the predictable plot, this action-thriller didn't fare too well at the box office but with some gandi baat, chummas and saree ke fall; Shahid Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha ended up garnering decent reviews by the viewers. 

Haider: ‘Aawaz aa Rahi hai aapko?’ Vishal Bhardwaj's Haider is arguably Shahid Kapoor's toughest and the best performance till date. The success of the film catapulted Shahid in the big league of actors.The movie is based on William Shakespeare's Hamlet and Shahid was seen in a titular Kashmiri role.  He ultimately won the Filmfare Award for best actor for this movie. 

Udta Punjab: Udta Punjab is the classic example that explains how Shahid Kapoor has never shied away from taking risks. Shahid essayed the role of a rockstar-Tommy Singh who caught fame through every wrong way. Seen in the skin of a drug-addict, Shahid nailed this character which was exactly opposite to his real-life personality. At the time of release, Udta Punjab was directed to make 89 cuts citing the controversial drug theme of Punjab but Bombay High Court put down the stay, albeit with a single cut in the screenplay. 

Shahid Kapoor got nominated for the best Filmfare actor here as well. And needless to conclude, he won 'em all. 

Padmaavat: Padmaavat has certainly fetched Shahid Kapoor all the accolades he had been looking for. After a tiring affair of controversies, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus was finally out for public viewing and the portrayal of Maharawal Ratan Singh Rajput by Shahid Kapoor rightfully got his due. 

Shahid Kapoor has signed interesting movies with the best directors, and is truly unstoppable! Here's wishing the brilliant actor many more blockbusters, Happy Birthday, Shahid Kapoor! 

Don't forget to tell us about your favorite Shahid Kapoor movie in the comments below.