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Looking At Bollywood's Famous Taporis
If the latest reports are to be believed, Ranbir Kapoor will soon be joining Bollywood's tapori brigade.
The Rockstar actor has apparently been signed on to play the lead in a new Abhinav Kashyap movie to play a ruffian for the first time.
Here's looking at other -- new and old -- lovable taporis of Bollywood.
Akshay Kumar in Rowdy Rathore
With stylish punchlines like Naya Saal Naya Maal, the Prabhu Deva-directed film appears to be all set to pack in the punch like his previous venture, Wanted.
Akshay plays a small-time crook in the film who avenges the death of a police officer who also happened to look like him.
Uday Chopra in the Dhoom series
For all the brickbats Uday Chopra receives for his lack of acting chops, he did deliver as the naive and well meaning tapori Ali in the Dhoom films.
Talked out of living a life of petty crime by Abhishek Bachchan's Jai, Ali assumes the role of Jai's subordinate in cracking cases and outshines his mentor in many scenes.
Sanjay Dutt in the Munnabhai series
Sanjay Dutt plays a local don; only, he's a don with a difference.
He's taken to helping others in distress but can't seem to give up arm-twisting even while pursuing a noble cause.
While his antics brighten up the sullen atmosphere of Professor Asthana's medical college in Munnabhai MBBS, he espouses Gandhiji's ideologies for the gen next in the sequel.
Shah Rukh Khan in Josh
Shah Rukh Khan plays Max, leader of the gang Eagles in a Goa city and is constantly sparring with his rival -- Prakash (Sharad Kapoor), who's the leader of the Bichchoo gang.
The fierce tapori shows his bumbling side when he can't figure out a way to woo the object of his affection. He's also protective of his sister Shirley (played by Aishwarya Rai).
Aamir Khan in Rangeela
Aamir Khan's Munna held his own in front of the star of Ram Gopal Varma's 1995 runway hit Rangeela -- Urmila Matondkar.
His street-smart character plays best friend to Urmila's starry-eyed Mili and wins us over with his antics.
Remember the restaurant scene?
Salman Khan in Judwaa/Tere Naam
Salman Khan made taporis look macho with see-through tee shirts, colourful denims and his ripped body in David Dhawan's Judwaa.
His Radhey in Tere Naam was another entertaining character who undergoes a transformation when he falls in love.
Akshay Kumar in Aflatoon
Akshay Kumar plays good-for-nothing Raja, whose sole mission in life is to find a rich girl and get married so that he can live a luxurious life and makes no bones about his twisted aspirations.
He gets lucky with Pooja but nothing comes easy and Raja too has to toil somewhat to acquire the fortune.
Anil Kapoor in Ram Lakhan
Anil Kapoor plays younger brother Lakhan to Jackie Shroff's virtuous Ram in Subhash Ghai's vengeance drama Ram Lakhan.
While Ram goes on to become a top police official, Lakhan spends his days courting the village belle and troubling her grocery shop owner father.
Irrfan in Haasil
Actor extraordinaire Irrfan played a gun-toting college goon in Tigmanshu Dhulia's acclaimed film Haasil.
Set against the backdrop of an Allahabad college, Irrfan's Rannvijay causes much problems and bloodshed under the guise of helping the film's lead and his love interest.
Govinda in Coolie No 1
Govinda plays Raju -- a coolie who marries Karisma Kapoor under a false pretence and ends up playing his own rowdy twin brother to keep up the act.
His versatality with different accents gives a hilarious twist to the surprise character.
Jackie Shroff in Hero
Jackie Shroff plays a ruffian in one of his early movies Hero and falls in love with the girl he abducts.
Floored by his charms, his ladylove (Meenakshi Sheshadri) decides to stay instead of returning to her family.