As 24 goes into 25

2024 movie highlights / Wikipedia

Taking a peak at the months gone by, is often bittersweet, how can bollywood be any different? Bollywood Insider takes a pick from the months gone by, giving you a round up as the year comes to an end.

Unusual pairs

The year started with a BANG! Vijay Sethupathi and Katrina Kaif came together for Sriram Raghavan’s Merry Christmas. The film surprised everyone with its innovative storytelling and of course, the surprise cast. But Katrina was not the only one who was thinking out of the box, this year. Hubby Vicky Kaushal too decided to change his image this year. Pairing up with last year’s ‘Bhabhi 2’-Tripti Dimri, in Bad Newz. Suddenly the Masaan actor was no longer the broody young brilliance we were used to seeing, he turned into a suave dancing dynamo with “Tauba Tauba’.

This couple wasn’t the only one who decided to do things differently in the year. Hrithik paired up with Deepika Padukone for Fighter, and Shahid Kapoor gave us a glimpse of the future with his futuristic love story with Kriti Sanon – Teri Bauton Mein Aisu Uljha Jiya. While the former was a dud, the latter won more hearts than they had anticipated. Hoping to jump onto the mix-match wagon, is Varun Dhawan who’s starring with Kreethy Suresh for the first time in Baby John. 
 

Merry Christmas / Wikipedia

The biggest hits

While Varun’s Baby John figures its footing, there are films which had a wonderful run this year. Beginning with Aamir Khan’s Laapataa Ladies. While Kiran Rao started the year, rubbing last year’s sensation, Sandeep Reddy Vanga the wrong way for his violent, gore fest Animal-her remainder was spent in splendor with the success of her social drama. Be it the horror comedy Munjya or the biopics Srikanth and Chandu Champion, the world press even went gaga over Amar Singh Chamkila.

Films like Sector 36, The Buckingham Murders and the recent release / Want To Talk had a fair share of applause. The top grossers remained Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao’s Stree 2 and Kartik Aaryan and Vidya Balan starrer Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. Leaving behind the gargantuan star cast of Singham Again, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Jigra and likes.
 

Sector 36 / Wikipedia

Surprise debuts

Kunal Khemu gave one of the biggest hits of the year in the form of Madgaon Express, this dark comedy broke records and gave Bollywood some interesting new faces too. All this and Kunal was hardly onscreen in the film. His work here was behind the camera. 

Debuting as a writer director Kunal Khemu won all the hearts this year. This year also saw Khemu's sister-in-law, Kareena Kapoor Khan debuting as a producer-The Buckingham Murders. Coming close at her heels was Kriti Sanon, who debuted as a producer with Do Patti, the film starred her in a double role with Mrs Singham - Kajol donning the khaki uniform for the first time. The film was critically appreciated making these debuts successful.

However, with great success come some ghastly disasters too. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Heeramandi was one of the most anticipated web series of the year, however his niece Sharmin Segal's debut was disturbing to say the least. It is difficult to tell if she was trolled more for her acting or for the interviews she gave.
 

Kriti Sanon's debut as producer in Do Patti. / Wikipedia

Scandals of the year

But not all trolls sit online and comment, some are a lot more aggressive and Kangana Ranaut, for one, will agree. The actress who was high on the success of her electoral victory, had her euphoria come crashing down as a CISF constable assaulted her at the airport. The assault, while condemned, left the whole industry shaken.

Almost as shocked as they were at Divya Khosla verbally opening fire at Alia Bhatt and Karan Johar. The actress claimed that the actor-director duo forged box office numbers for their film Jigra, while they tried to sabotage her film Savi.

Right when all the murmur was dying, Vikrant Massey who had a wonderful year, after a much appreciated 2023, claimed he needed to rewire as an actor. While he will be seen next in Farhan Akhtar’s Don with Ranveer Singh, his announced sabbatical has his fans worried.
 

Jigra poster / wikipedia

Baby shower

Speaking about the new Don, Ranveer Singh – the man had one of the most memorable days this year. Deepika and he had a baby girl on the 8 of September this year. They have rightly named her Dua. Talking about baby girls, Varun Dhawan too was blessed with his daughter – Lara, as were Ali Fazal and Richa Chaddha – who named their daughter Zuneyra Ida Fazal.

While the aforementioned couples were blessed by daughters, Cricketer Virat Kohli and his actress wife, Anushka Sharma welcomed their second child, Akaay on the 15th of February. On the 10 of May, Yami Gautam was blessed with Vedavid, her son with director, Aditya Dhar.
 

Deepika's baby girl and Varun Dhawan's daughter. / Wikipedia

The shehnai shenanigans

Babies almost always make one wistful, so it is hardly a surprise that so many Bollywood couples tied the knot this year. Couples like Rakulpreet and Jacky Bhagnani exchanged vows this Valentine’s day. Aamir Khan’s daughter Ira and her fitness trainer boyfriend, Nupur Shikhare too got married in February, this year. 

Following close were actors like Kriti Kharbanda who married Fukrey actor Pulkit Samrat and the Adu-Siddu wedding, as Aditi Rao Hydari and south actor Siddharth liked to call their union.

The only scandal that ensued was when Sonakshi Sinha tied the knot with her long-time boyfriend, Zaheer Iqbal. With her brother not attending the wedding and all the talk about Shatrughan Sinha disapproving of the union, the tension was almost palpable at the wedding. However, all’s well that ends well. The couple is happy and so is their family.
 

Rakulpreet and Jacky Bhagnani ; and Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth / Instagram

Choosing different ways…

Not every story ends happily ever after, and even the storytellers and stars learn it the hard way at times. The whole film industry shook at the news of A R Rahman and his wife, Saira parting ways after 29 years of marriage. 

Equally surprising was seeing Malaika Arora donning the single status after years of being in a relationship with Arjun Kapoor. Despite the couple breaking apart, when Arora lost her dad, Arjun was amongst the first to reach and support the bereaved family. Esha Deol and husband Bharat Takhtani too might have separated this year, but they co-parenting their daughters amicably.

2024 bids goodbye

The forever goodbyes are the hardest, here are some names we will sorely miss..
Ramoji Rao (Producer) -16 November,1936-8 June, 2024
Nari Hira (Producer Publisher and Entrepreneur) 26 January, 1938-23 August 2024
Asha Sharma (Actor) 26 October, 1936-25 August, 2024
Vikas Sethi (Actor) 12 May, 1976-8 September 2024 
Atul Parchure (Actor) 30 November, 1966-14 October 2024
Rohit Bal (Designer) 8 May, 1961-1 November, 2024
 

Late producer Ramoji Rao . / Wikipedia