STAR RISE IN THE SOUTH

Many of the top performers are from the South, but there are surprise entrants too, Sunny Deol, Ravi Kishan, Madhuri Dixit...

- By SUHANI SINGH

Amitabh Bachchan is now that giant monolith that's immovable, the fortress that cannot be breached in INDIA TODAY'S Mood of the Nation poll.

Such is Bachchan's legendary status that not having a single release last year is hardly a deterrent for respondents. At 83, Bachchan's name is synonymous with #1.

Shah Rukh Khan is a distant second while Akshay Kumar shares third-place honours with top five newbie Sunny Deol. Ever since Gadar 2 (2023), the latter has been busier than ever, playing the angry old man prototype with much fervour (see Jaat, Border 2).