2024 has been a year full of entertainment, with love, drama, action, and everything in between. From celebrity marriages and break-ups to controversies, accusations, and hits and misses, it’s been eventful. One standout figure was Diljit Dosanjh, who remained in the spotlight throughout the year. From his appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s *The Tonight Show* to sold-out concerts worldwide during his ‘Dil-Luminati Tour’, the Punjabi star made headlines with record-breaking moments.
The big fat Indian wedding
The spotlight briefly shifted to the Ambani family, who hosted the biggest and longest wedding of the year. Mukesh Ambani’s youngest son, Anant Ambani, married his “best friend” Radhika Merchant. Their pre-wedding celebrations began in March with a lavish three-day event in Jamnagar, which also marked Rihanna’s debut in India. This was followed by another grand pre-wedding celebration in May, where the Ambanis hosted a four-day cruise party for 800 guests in Europe. After a series of events, Anant and Radhika finally tied the knot in a spectacular Mumbai ceremony in July, which also saw Kim and Khloe Kardashian making their India debut.
The unexpected break-ups
During this time, Natasa Stankovic hinted at troubles in her marriage with cricketer Hardik Pandya, eventually announcing their separation. In a joint statement, the couple said, “We tried our best together and gave it our all, and we believe this is in the best interest for both of us.” They also confirmed they would co-parent their son, Agastya. The word “divorce” resurfaced when AR Rahman revealed his separation from wife Saira Banu after 29 years of marriage. The Oscar-winning composer shared, “We had hoped to reach the grand thirty, but all things, it seems, carry an unseen end.”
The Bollywood drama
The year also sparked debates over skyrocketing star fees and entourage costs. Farah Khan, in a conversation with Twin Encounter on YouTube, shared her concerns: “People don’t work without a vanity van. One person needs four vans—one for the gym, one for the staff, one for them, and one for the food truck. An actress comes with nine people, an actor with eight. That’s a waste of resources.” With more flops than hits, this topic of extravagance gained attention, as several artists shared their views.
Amid the debate, crew members accused producers, particularly Vashu Bhagnani, of not paying dues after the release of ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’. This led actors Tiger Shroff and Akshay Kumar to offer financial help to the team. Bhagnani, in turn, accused the film’s director, Ali Abbas Zafar, of misusing the production funds. Reports suggest the film’s budget, initially set at Rs 125 crore (excluding actor fees), allegedly increased by Rs 154 crore without proper justification.
In another incident, attention was drawn to a video of a CISF officer slapping actress Kangana Ranaut at the Chandigarh airport. Ranaut, en route to Delhi after her General Elections win, was reportedly slapped by the officer in the security-check area, and the video went viral.
Controversy also erupted when ‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty criticized Bollywood for portraying India negatively. In an interview with MetroSaga, he said, “Indian films, particularly Bollywood, often portray India in a bad light. These so-called art films get special attention at international events.” He later clarified that his statement had been misunderstood.
Another star who made headlines this year was Vikrant Massey, who suddenly dropped a post announcing his retirement from the film industry. His post read: “Coming 2025, we would meet each other one last time. I realise its time to recalibrate and go back home.” He then told News1, “I’m not retiring… Just burned out. Need a long break. Miss home and health is also acting up… People misread it.”
When reel turned real
The drama extended to television as well, with the popular show ‘Anupamaa’ staying in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. Several original cast members, including Paras Kalnawat, Nidhi Shah, Sudhanshu Pandey, Gaurav Khanna, and Aashish Mehrotra, exited the show, hinting at backstage conflicts. Meanwhile, the show’s lead, Rupali Ganguly, faced allegations from her stepdaughter, who accused her of disrupting her parents’ marriage. The feud escalated into a legal battle, with both parties filing defamation suits against each other.
In another controversy, ‘Yeh Hai Mohabbatein’ actress Krishna Mukherjee accused the production team of ‘Shubh Shagun’ of harassment. She claimed that the producers locked her in the makeup room and denied her payments, leading to a legal dispute.
‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Du’ actress Daljeet Kaur also made headlines when her “happily ever after” with husband Nikhil Patel ended within months of their marriage. She accused him of having an affair with another woman. In his defense, Nikhil revealed that Daljeet married him despite his unresolved divorce with his first wife.
The South shockers
2024 was undoubtedly a year full of shocks and surprises. The internet erupted when Nayanthara released a three-page statement accusing actor Dhanush of holding personal grudges and refusing to issue a No Objection Certificate for the use of songs from their 2014 film ‘Naanum Rowdy Dhaan’ in her Netflix documentary ‘Nayanthara: Beyond the Fairytale’. In response, Dhanush filed a case against the couple, demanding Rs 10 crore for the unauthorized use of footage.
The Malayalam film industry was also rocked by the return of the MeToo movement following the revelations in the Hema Committee report. The nearly 300-page document detailed the widespread sexual harassment faced by women in the industry, suggesting it was dominated by a “mafia of powerful men.” Several survivors came forward with accusations, leading to the filing of 26 FIRs, resignations from AMMA members, including Mohanlal, and the arrest of several big names, while others fled the city.
This year also saw two unexpected celebrity marriages. Sobhita Dhulipala and Naga Chaitanya ended the secrecy surrounding their relationship by announcing their engagement earlier in the year, followed by a traditional Telugu wedding in December. Similarly, Keerthy Suresh, who had kept her personal life private, revealed her 15-year relationship with childhood friend Antony Tatthil in November. The couple tied the knot on December 12 in Goa.
2024 also saw actors Tamannaah Bhatia and Vijay Verma making their relationship public just before the release of their film ‘Lust Stories’.
In another surprise, Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal secretly tied the knot after dating for seven years. The actress’ wedding became a hot topic for both positive and negative reasons. While the wedding videos went viral among fans, the absence of her brothers, Luv and Kussh, raised concerns about possible tensions within the Sinha family.
The girls who can
Despite several big-budget films gracing the screens in 2024, it was the smaller films that stole the spotlight. Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’ earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Director and Best Motion Picture in a Non-English Language, after already winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and several other awards. Kiran Rao’s directorial comeback, ‘Laapataa Ladies’, also received widespread acclaim and was selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars this year. Another film that gained appreciation both locally and internationally was ‘Girls Will Be Girls’, starring Richa Chadha.
The happily ever afters
This year also witnessed two unexpected marriages: Sobhita Dhulipala-Naga Chaitanya, and Keerthy Suresh-Antony Tatthil. Sobhita and Naga Chaitanya ended secrecy around their relationship and announced their engagement earlier this year, followed by a traditional Telugu wedding in December. Similarly, Keerthy Suresh, who always kept her personal life private, suddenly announced her 15-year relationship with her childhood friend Antony Tatthil in November. On December 12, Keerthy tied the knot with Antony in Goa.
This was also the year when actors Tamannaah Bhatia and Vijay Verma made their relationship public just before the release of their film Lust Stories.
New parents in the town
Despite several big-budget films gracing the screens in 2024, it was the smaller films that stole the spotlight. Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’ earned two Golden Globe nominations for Best Director and Best Motion Picture in a Non-English Language, after already winning the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and several other awards. Kiran Rao’s directorial comeback, ‘Laapataa Ladies’, also received widespread acclaim and was selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars this year. Another film that gained appreciation both locally and internationally was ‘Girls Will Be Girls’, starring Richa Chadha.
Sad Demise of Zakir Hussain
Last but not least, the sad news of the renowned tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain’s demise on December 15, 2024, at the age of 73, has left the world in mourning. The legendary musician had been admitted to a hospital in San Francisco after falling critically ill and was later moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).