2005-6 clearly belongs to Abhishek Bachchan. But what about lower down the line? In the last two years fresh faces have come and gone without casting a lasting ripple. Subhash K Jha looks at the ones that seem fated to survive the post-debut lacuna.

Ayesha Takia: Her first two Hindi films Socha Na Tha and Dil Maange More didn't quite live up to expectations. But she did. Ayesha Takia is today eminently saleable in both Bollywood and South India.

Her USP is her bubbly chirpy cherubic vivacious personality. It renders itself well to the glam-girl-next-door roles. Among the most sought-after girls today Takia is working in the biggest banners today.

A word of warning: slow down, girl. You're going to fast.

Rituparna Sengupta: In 1994 in her teens she made her Hindi film debut in the suspense thriller Teesra Kaun. Now she's back as a woman of substance, doing what she likes best, namely to act. Her performance as Rajpal Yadav's sweet and amiable wife in Main Meri Patni Aur Woh is the best re-launch in Hindi cinema after Mallika Sherawat in Murder and Randeep Hooda in D.

The Bengali actress has come back to Bollywood after conquering all of Bengali cinema. Her USPs are her distinctive personality and a graceful beauty which most of the wannabes seem to lack. On the minus side: she lacks the oomph quality.

Neetu Chandra: Spunky and sprightly this tall Bihari beauty makes her debut in Priyadarshan's comedy Garam Masala with Akshay Kumar and John Abraham as her co-stars. Her USPs—tall and athletic Neetu's sprited selfassertion and a determination to be noticed in a crowd make her the true inheritor of Neetu Singh crown for complete spontaneity. She could be what Mallika Sherawat couldn't. On the other hand, there're too many glam-dolls around to compete with.

Vidya Balan: Impressive debut in Vinod Chopra's Parineeta and enormously heartening advance reports on her performance in her post-debut film Eklavya from none other than the mighty Bachchan who thinks Vidya Balan is ethereal. "You can't take your eyes off her when she's in a frame," says AB. The audience is likely to agree. However she cannot play cheesecake babes. That narrows her chances down to playing classic roles.

Sammir Dattani: Two flops in a row haven't dampened directorial spirits. A chunk of Mumbai , including Madhur Bhandarkar, still looks on this sensitive newcomer as the Hope Of Tomorrow. Tamil-Telugu director Narren Aditya, about to remake the Tamil blockbuster Chandramukhi into Hindi, says, "There's a quality of sensitivity to Sammir's face that rnders itself extremely well to the camera. I see him as the star of tomorrow."

Mohit Ahlawat: Ram Gopal Varma's blue-eyed boy made a disastrous debut in James. But ask his mentor if he cares. Ramu remains certain in his contention that Ahlawat is full-on star material. Proof: he's remaking James with Ahlawat! Plus there's Sholay where Mohit adopts the Bachchan role, and two other Varma projects .USP: the chap is focused and loyal to his mentor, driven by the desire to make it big. But will he get branded a Varma loyalist?