India, Dec. 26 -- The moment we come out of a theatre, with several other strangers, perplexed and somewhat hushed in the shared silence of having witnessed something beautiful, is there any other feeling in the world that can translate that? I don't think so. 2025 gifted us many such experiences, thanks to the wondrous and life-affirming work from these gifted actors. It was an incredible year for Indian cinema, and here are some performances that brought me joy across various platforms and languages.

Basil Joseph is all types of wonderful in Ponman, showing that he can ace in dramatic roles as smoothly as he does in comedy. His gold dealer Ajesh arrives like a bumbling, side character- but as the film progresses, he asserts and takes t...