With Tahir Raj Bhasin making waves for his villanious portrayal in 'Mardaani', we take a look at some promising faces in the industry who certainly deserve more opportunities

The first half of 2014 has seen many a fresh face get catapulted into the Bollywood stratosphere; some of these names have received rave reviews for their acting chops. So much so that seasoned actors too are vouching for these names' skills before the camera. A recent instance would be Tahir Raj Bhasin, who has shown promise with his villainous portrayal in Mardaani.

Hitlist takes look at some youngsters whose recent outings prove that they have a long way to go in Bollywood...

Tahir Raj Bhasin

Launchpad: Mardaani
Promise quotient: His bad boy act in the Rani Mukerji-starrer has earned him praise not just from the critics but also from established names, including Aamir Khan, who recently confessed to have been blown away by his portrayal as kingpin of the child trafficking racket. Aamir even showered compliments on him on social media.

Upcoming project: None so far

Patralekhaa

Launchpad: Citylights
Promise quotient: A talented actor from the North-East, Patralekhaa was cast opposite beau and critically acclaimed actor, Rajkummar Rao, in her debut film. And in spite of Rajkummar, she managed to make her presence felt on the 70mm screen.

Upcoming project: None

Ali Fazal

Launchpad: 3 Idiots
Promise quotient: His theatre experience helped him bag a role in the Aamir Khan-starrer which went on to become a blockbuster. Though he had a brief role in the film, his charming looks and acting skills made him a talent to look forward to. His performances in Fukrey and Bobby Jasoos are also far from disappointing.

Upcoming projects: Sonali Cable, Khamoshiyan, Fast and Furious 7

Varun Sharma

Launchpad: Fukrey
Promise quotient: It was his unconventional look that worked in his favour. As the lazy and innocent Choocha - touted as the typical Delhi guy - Varun's role endeared him to audiences.

Upcoming Project: Dolly Ki Doli

Nimrat Kaur

Launchpad: Yahaan
Promise quotient: Her girl-next-door appearance suited the role of a homemaker in the widely appreciated film, The Lunchbox, which, in turn, became her ticket to fame. And if you thought awards are any parameter for judging an actor's skills, she got quite a few of them, too.

Upcoming projects: Homeland's fourth season, Airlift, Saurabh Shukla's next with Rajkummar Rao

Lisa Haydon

Launchpad: Aisha
Promise quotient: Her character as the free-spirited Vijaylakshmi - 'a wild child, single mother who drinks hard and swears harder', to put it in her own language - won her adulation from the film fraternity and the critics. Let's face it, getting noticed in a film that stars Kangna Ranaut as the protagonist is a big thing, no?

Upcoming projects: The Shaukeens

Neil Bhooplam

Launchpad: Offshore
Promise quotient: The VJ-turned-actor may be struggling to get a command over the Hindi language, but his acting chops have won him many projects. In the last couple of years, he has played a variety of roles with conviction. His recent act as a politician in the Indian version of TV show, 24, was remarkable.

Upcoming projects: Anushka Sharma's NH 10

Sharib Hashmi

Launchpad: Slumdog Millionaire
Promise quotient: Though he entered the film industry a few years ago, he found fame with Jab Tak Hai Jaan and the National Award-winning film, Filmistaan, earlier this year. He doesn't have the typical 'hero' look about him, but he seems to be a natural on screen.

Upcoming project: Nikhil Advani's political satire