If you love drama, controversy and big fat filmy weddings, 2018 must have been a delightful year for you! Be it Bollywood, television or the Sacred, might we assert, platform of Netflix, not to forget the world of fashion; 2018 has been dramatic in every way. If veteran actress Sridevi's sudden demise left the universe in a state of shock, the MeToo movement swept through Bollywood (literally) turning the lives of several sugar daddies upside down. As far as the television industry was concerned, comedian Kapil Sharma made a classic comeback with his comedy show The Kapil Sharma Show with the help of Salman Khan, and also made headlines for his wedding to longtime girlfriend Ginni Chatrath.
The internet appraised Priyanka Chopra for her appearance at the MET Gala but didn't quite applaud Deepika Padukone's sartorial choice! All this and more is included in this piece, as we elaborate on subjects that made 2018 a year to remember!
BOLLYWOOD SHOCKERS
Sridevi's Demise
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Sridevi in a still from Mr. India[/caption]
While scrolling through Sridevi's Instagram and admiring her beautiful pictures from nephew Mohit Marwah's wedding that she attended in Dubai, nobody dreamed that the news of her shocking death was to follow in the next few days. Sridevi, 54, died due to ‘accidental drowning’ in Dubai on February 24, if reports are anything to go by. A bona fide star, Sridevi appeared in iconic films like Chandni, Chaalbaaz, Mr. India and countless others, and is remembered for her delightful dance numbers Hawaa Hawaai, Mere Haathon Mein Nau Nau Chooriyan and Kaate Nahi Katte. Millions paid tribute as she was cremated with state honours in Mumbai.
Shaadi Mubarak
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Weddings of 2018[/caption]
And you were surprised by Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli's wedding in 2017? What about 2018??? Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja married in May while Neha Dhupia suddenly announced her wedding to Angad Bedi in a post on Instagram! Hold on, that's not all. You know it by now, of course. Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone married in a strictly private ceremony in Italy in November; while Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas flaunted their wedding in Jodhpur. Innumerable Bollywood parties and receptions were held soon after the shaadis!
#MeToo – Can of Worms Opened
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Tanushree Dutta[/caption]
After making quite an impact in the West, the MeToo movement swept the Hindi film industry leaving somewhat of a disaster in its wake. It all began in September, with Tanushree Dutta recounting an unpleasant episode with veteran actor Nana Patekar on the sets of Horn ‘OK’ Pleassss in 2008 and there you go! Several Bollywood biggies got roped in thereafter, including Vikas Bahl, Chetan Bhagat, Kailash Kher, Rajat Kapoor, Alok Nath, Anu Malik and Sajid Khan. They were named and shamed by women as alleged offenders!
Dear Khans, What Happened to the Magic?
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Stills from Race 3, Zero and Thugs Of Hindostan[/caption]
If nothing else, 2018 was a devastating year for the Khan trifecta of Bollywood! Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan's respective films failed to perform at the box-office and were widely panned by critics as well. Although Salman's Race 3 didn't end up quite the box-office turkey, it certainly didn't fare as well as expected; fans censured the film profusely. Aamir's Thugs of Hindostan - the most-awaited film of the year – tanked and miserably so. If that wasn't enough, SRK's Zero, which cast him as the vertically challenged Bauua Singh, did little to light up the box-office scenario at the end of the year!
TELEVISION DRAMA
Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover at Loggerheads
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Sunil Grover and Kapil Sharma[/caption]
Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover made headlines all through 2017 for their mid-air fight, as Kapil allegedly physically assaulted his then co-star Sunil. Apologies followed but Sunil wasn't keen to forget... Kapil attempted to resolve things but failed as did his March show Family Time With Kapil Sharma - it went off air after a couple of episodes. The comedian, nevertheless, made his comeback with the second season of The Kapil Sharma Show in December, which is produced by Salman Khan. Sunil Grover, on the other hand, appears in his show Kanpur Wale Khuranas. Chance of a reconciliation? We don't see it happening in the near future!
Kapil Sharma Ki Ho Gayi Shaadi
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Kapil Sharma and Ginni Chatrath photographed during their wedding[/caption]
In the personal space though, Kapil is busy enjoying marital bliss as he tied the knot with his longtime girlfriend Ginni Chatrath in a traditional Punjabi ceremony in Jalandhar on December 12. The wedding was held in the presence of close friends and family while the couple hosted a grand reception for the film fraternity in Mumbai soon after. The event was attended by celebrities including Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Karan Johar.
Web Ki Duniya
The Sacred Rise of Netflix, ALTBalaji and... You Name It
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Saif Ali Khan in a still from Sacred Games[/caption]
Millennials kind of diverted their attention from films and decided to chill at home with Netflix instead. In the most literal sense, we mean. What could be better than that? Sacred Games, directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, was what kept folks hooked in July; while Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui's performances enthralled fans. Radhika Apte thrilled with her stunning act in the web series Ghoul while Ekta Kapoor's web series Home, which premiered on her digital platform ALTBalaji, also received a whole lot of love. The popularity of web shows in India could be explained by the fact that Christian Bale flew down to Mumbai to attend the premiere of Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle, which released on Netflix in December.
WE LOVE ALL THINGS FASHION
Guess who Missed the Point at the Met Gala 2018?
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Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone at MET Gala 2018[/caption]
Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone both attended the Met Gala held at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art in May. While the internet applauded Chopra, Padukone was criticized on social media. Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination was the theme of Met Gala 2018. Priyanka opted for a wine red Ralph Lauren dress with a billowing train; paired with an embellished gold chain headdress reminiscent of a medieval knight. Deepika, meanwhile, wore a red dress with a thigh-high slit; by Prabal Gurung. She accessorized her look with towering red heels. The fashion police were quite critical of Deepika's dress as people were of the opinion that she didn't dress as per the theme. Well, you can decide for yourself because if you ask us, we would say that both looked stunning!
Anonymity is the Keyword for Diet Sabya
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Diet Sabya[/caption]
Nobody knows who Diet Sabya is – we don't either. This anonymous account debuted on Instagram in March with a particular agenda and that should be warning enough for those who intend to plagiarize designs. We'll explain further. Diet Sabya is an anonymous Instagram account that unabashedly calls out celebrities and designers, who imitate or rather ‘copy’ Hollywood fashion styles! The account garnered millions of fans soon after its first post on Instagram. So much so that Sonam Kapoor and Alia Bhatt also couldn't help but hit the follow button!
cheers to 2019 and more gossip and drama...
