Phew…What a year gone by. On one hand campaigns such as #MeToo divided the film fraternity and on the other the industry came together to celebrate weddings and births. Amid the ups and lows the fraternity came out stronger each time when faced with a challenge. Here are a few such moments that made 2018 unique.
Bolly says #MeToo
Months after Hollywood was rocked by sexual assault allegations, the wave hit Bollywood too. Actress Tanushree Dutta first accused Nana Patekar of harassing her on the sets of Horn Ok Pleassss in 2008. The floodgates opened. Soon, director Sajid Khan, actor Alok Nath and actor-director Rajat Kapoor were accused. Rajat’s Kadakh was withdrawn from the 20th edition of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. Sajid stepped down from the director’s chair for Housefull 4. Top actors Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn, Hrithik Roshan and Aamir Khan refused to work with personalities accused of sexual harassment.
Box-office fortunes
The year began with celebrations as Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Padmaavat became the biggest blockbuster of the year. 2018, however, was the year of small-budget films stealing the limelight. Amit Sharma’s Badhaai Ho crossed the Rs 300-crore mark. 102 Not Out, Pari, Padman, Hichki, Sanju, Raid, Raazi, Stree, Sonu Ke Titu Ke Sweety, Sui Dhaaga and others entered the Rs 100-crore club.
Irrfan Khan revealed he had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and shifted to US for treatment (Fotocorp)
Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s daughter Janhvi made her big box-office debut with Dhadak (Fotocorp)
Sridevi died in Dubai on 24 February 2018 (Wikimedia Commons)
Tanushree Dutta accused Nana Patekar of harassing her on the sets of Horn Ok Pleassss. (PTI)
Baby boom
After a hush-hush wedding, Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi became proud parents to baby girl Mehr. Neil Nitin Mukesh and wife Rukmini became parents to Nurvi. Shahid Kapoor and wife Mira welcomed their second child, son Zain. Sakshi Tanwar adopted a baby girl, Dityaa, and actor Shreyas Talpade and wife Deepti had a daughter through surrogacy.
Bidding adieu
Shrivallabh Vyas — known for his roles in Sarfarosh and Lagaan among other films —died on January 7. Few weeks later, Sridevi died in Dubai.
In March, actress Nargis Rabadi, lovably known as Shammi aunty, passed away. Veteran actor Tom Alter also succumbed to skin cancer this year.
Shahid Kapoor and wife Mira welcomed their second child, son Zain Telegraph picture
Cancer scar
A lot of loved stars have been hit by life-threatening diseases. Irrfan Khan revealed he had been diagnosed with neuroendocrine tumour and shifted to US for treatment. Few months later, actress Sonali Bendre revealed her cancer diagnosis and went to the US. More such shocks followed, as few weeks ago, timeless beauty Nafisa Ali Sodhi revealed on social media she was suffering from cancer.
Debuts
Sridevi and Boney Kapoor’s daughter Janhvi made her big box-office debut with Dhadak next to Shahid Kapoor’s younger brother Ishaan Khatter. Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh’s daughter Sara also made her debut with up Kedarnath and followed it up with Simmba. Late actor Vinod Mehra’s son Rohan Mehra entered Bollywood with the Saif-starrer Baazaar.
