Despite the short supply of big-ticket films in the first half of 2015, several actors have left an indelible mark on the audience with their power packed performances...

The first half of 2015, unarguably, belonged to the sheroes of Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut being the queen bee. Her last outing, 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' that saw her in a double role, is the first female-oriented film to have entered the elite Rs 150-crore club worldwide within two weeks of its release.

Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Tanu Weds Manu Returns' became the first female-oriented film to have entered the Rs 150-crore club.

Anushka Sharma shone in 'NH10' while Deepika Padukone and Shraddha Kapoor had much acclaim coming their way too. A few actors also left an indelible mark on the audience. hitlist takes a look at the winners of this year so far...

Anushka Sharma

On a high: She is one actress who not only was got rave reviews for her performance in 'NH10', but also took the bold step of backing the offbeat film that many producers didn't feel fit to finance. Apart from critical acclaim, the film scored big at the box office too.
What's next: Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil'

Akshay Kumar

On a high: He has had a great 2015 so far with two major hits - 'Baby' and 'Gabbar is Back'. While the former had the critics sit up and take notice, the latter had a smashing opening weekend at nearly Rs 40 crore.
What's next: Karan Malhotra's 'Brothers' and Prabhu Dheva's 'Singh Is Bling'.

Varun Dhawan

On a high: With two diverse films this year so far - 'Badlapur' and 'ABCD 2' - he has been reasonably successful in proving his versatility.
Success note: "I do films for the audience and I am trying to reach all sections of film buffs. I did 'ABCD 2' for the family crowd and also because I really believed in the story."
What's next: Rohit Shetty's 'Dilwale'

Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor.

Shraddha Kapoor

On a high: After proving that she can sing ('Galliyan' from 'Ek Villain') last year, she showed us that she can dance too. Her Vinnie act in 'ABCD 2' brought her several accolades.
Success note: "It's heartening to see how the audience has given so much love to 'ABCD 2'. I'm happy that Remo (D'Souza) sir's philosophy of anybody can dance has resonated with all age groups."
What's next: Sabbir Khan's 'Baaghi'

Deepika Padukone

On a high: She played the titular role in 'Piku' which was much appreciated by the critics as well as the audience. What's more, it was even hailed as one of her best performances till date.
Success note: "As far as versatility is concerned, I give credit to my writers and directors for believing that I can pull off different kinds of characters, and the audience, which is willing to go through different experiences with different films. The last few years have been extremely exciting for me with the kind of roles I have been offered and the variety of directors I am getting to work with."
What's next: Imtiaz Ali's 'Tamasha' and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Bajirao Mastani'

Ayushmann Khurrana

On a high: Though he started the year with a dud like 'Hawaizaade', he impressed us with his chaste Hindi and boy-next-door acting in 'Dum Laga Ke Haisha', a sweet love story set in Haridwar.
Success note: "I am glad 'Dum Laga...' is among the hit films of the year. It's real and touches the right note of nostalgia, set in the 90s, yet progressive. Getting my language and the body language right was the toughest challenge. It's heartening that it connected with the audience. I am proud of this film."
What's next: Amit Roy's 'Agra Ka Daabra'

Sushant Singh Rajput

On a high: Though 'Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!' garnered mixed response from the audience, this young gun garnered applause from various quarters for playing the protagonist with conviction.
Success note: "I am glad people said nice things about my performance. We young actors should try and back stories that need to be told irrespective of our understanding of its commercial viability. The films that are personal or have no references help actors to explore beyond the mere fundamentals of acting. I'm encouraged and will keep doing films like these."
What's next: Neeraj Pandey's 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story'

Radhika Apte

On a high: Billed as the latest sensation of Bollywood, this actress won several accolades for her small yet significant roles in 'Badlapur' and 'Hunterrr'.
Success note: "I had never imagined that my role in 'Badlapur' could generate so much appreciation and acknowledgement. 'Hunterrr', too, has brought appreciation and quite a bit of success too. The audience did notice that film as well and fortunately for me, it came immediately after 'Badlapur'."
What's next: Ketan Mehta's 'Manjhi: The Mountain Man'