The year 2024 is almost on the verge of ending, and it was a completely surprising and shocking year for the entertainment industry. From some big-budget films failing to perform at the box office to Bollywood actors being threatened by goons, it was a year full of controversies. Films like Kalki 2898 AD, Devara: Part 1, Singham Again, and Fighter are on the list of the highest-grossing films in 2024, but they failed to impress the audience.
On the other hand, Stree 2 shocked everyone with its mammoth collection and restored cinephiles' trust in Bollywood. Shraddha Kapoor starrer was hailed by many critics as the best Bollywood movie of 2024 and lauded it as a perfect film in terms of how female and male characters are portrayed in the movie. Laapataa Ladies is another film that received a lot of admiration from critics for its brilliant storyline.
Not only this but there were also some major celebrity weddings and surprising incidents that set the headlines on fire. However, in this piece, we will talk about some of the biggest controversies in television, Bollywood and South Indian cinema in 2024. So, without further ado. Let's get started!
Reports of a possible fallout in Aishwarya Rai and Abhishek Bachchan's marriage started when they arrived separately at Mukesh Ambani's son, Anant Ambani's wedding with Radhika Merchant. Rumours took a wild turn when Abhishek repeatedly liked a post about a 'rise in grey divorces'. In the following weeks, Abhishek's parents, Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan, were absent from Aaradhya's birthday celebrations, providing much-needed fuel to the couple's divorce rumours.
Soon, reports speculated that Abhishek was romantically involved with his Dasvi co-star, Nimrat Kaur, and the latter received a lot of backlash for allegedly being the reason behind the major fallout between the married couple. However, as time passes, things seem to return to normal, and Aishwarya and Abhishek's massive fanbase is constantly praying for a full stop to their divorce rumours.
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Famous internet personality, Poonam Pandey broke the headlines when, in February 2024, it was reported that she passed away due to cervical cancer. Poonam's manager broke the news and confirmed that she had passed away. However, after some days, it was revealed that it was just a marketing gimmick by an advertising agency that wanted people to be aware of cervical cancer. Although their aim was noble, the way it was executed divided the internet. While some people lauded Poonam's courageous step to fake her death, most of the people were against the idea and trolled the agency and Poonam Pandey.
On April 14, 2024, two men on a bike opened fire on the first floor of Bollywood superstar, Salman Khan's Galaxy Apartments. The incident created a stir across the nation after it was reported that the shooters were members of the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang, who allegedly wanted to kill Salman Khan. The actor was sleeping inside his home when he heard the sound of gunshots being fired outside the window of his house and immediately informed the police about the same.
Indian music composer, AR Rahman separated from his wife, Saira Banu, after 29 years of marriage in November 2024, and it came as a big shock for everyone. However, what's even more shocking for AR Rahman's fans was a surge in rumours speculating that the ace music composer was reportedly dating Mohini Dey. Several gossip columns reported that Mohini and AR Rahman were reportedly dating because the former also announced her divorce from Mark Hartsuch around the same time. However, Mohini soon denied the rumours and labelled AR Rahman as a 'father figure'.
Divya Khossla Kumar stunned the entire film industry when she accused Alia Bhatt's film, Jigra, of purchasing tickets for her movie to showcase fake collections. Not only this, Divya also accused the makers of Jigra of plagiarism as she revealed that it is allegedly similar to her film, Savi.
The matter received a lot of attention from the media, and as per some reports, Divya's remarks played a vital part in Jigra's downfall at the box office. The huge numbers showcased during Jigra's initial run at the box office soon came crashing down amidst the controversy.
One of the biggest controversies in South Indian cinema features Nayanthara and Dhanush, who fought a legal battle in court over a 3-second clip. The Lady Superstar slammed the Ranjhanna actor for filing a civil suit against her over using a 3-second clip from the film, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan in her Netflix documentary. For the uninitiated, Naanum Rowdy Dhaan was produced by Dhanush, which was why any material related to the film belongs to him.
Dhanush sued Nayanthara, her husband, Vignesh Shivan, and their production house, Rowdy Pictures Private Limited, and he sought Rs. 10 crore in damages. The dispute created a major rift between the two biggies of South Indian cinema and started a major clash between their respective fanbases.
Kangana Ranaut took her oath in parliament during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha after registering an impressive win for BJP from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi constituency. Since then, she has been breaking headlines in the entertainment and political spaces. However, after becoming an MP, Kangana was slapped at the Chandigarh airport by CISF personnel. The constable named Kulwinder Kaur reportedly slapped the Bollywood actress for her old statement about the 2020 farmers' protest.
For the uninitiated, Kangana Ranaut stated in a social media post that an elderly woman who was sitting at the protest was given Rs. 100 to sit there. The actress received a lot of backlash for her statement. The paramilitary personnel who slapped Kangana also revealed that her mother also participated in the 2020 farmers' protest. As a result, when the actress crossed paths with Kulwinder Kaur, she got triggered and slapped Kangana for her old statement.
South Indian superstar, Allu Arjun broke the box office records with the release of his much-awaited film, Pushpa 2: The Rule. However, the actor's celebration was permanently paused when he paid a visit to Sandhya Theatre on December 4, 2024, during his film's screening. Due to his immense popularity, the crowd got super-excited, which led to a stampede-like situation in the theatre. Several people were injured, but things took an ugly turn when a 35-year-old woman lost her life.
The actor was arrested in the case but was soon released, and Telangana court granted him interim bail. Allu Arjun's residence was also attacked by some men who wanted him to pay a sum of Rs. 10 crore to the family of the deceased as compensation. On the internet, while some people emphasised the actor, most of the people held theatre management responsible for the stampede due to which a person lost her life. The matter continues to break headlines as Telangana Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy reportedly has a link to Reddy Srinivas, who attacked Allu Arjun's residence.
One of the biggest controversies from the television industry was centred around the highest-paid TV actress in India, Rupali Ganguly's personal life. The actress reportedly filed a defamation suit against her husband, Ashwin K Verma's daughter, Esha Verma, from his ex-wife. After Esha publicly stated that Rupali didn't let her father meet her, the actress filed a lawsuit against her for tarnishing her image. Esha Verma deleted all her public posts in which she had accused her stepmother after Rupali Ganguly filed the defamation lawsuit.
Sharmin Segal is the niece of Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who made his OTT debut with the critically acclaimed web series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar in 2024. Everything about the show was perfect, from its storyline to the detailing of its characters. SLB once again impressed everyone with his work. However, the director received a lot of criticism for casting his niece, Sharmin Segal, for the character of 'Alamzeb' in the web series. The actress was trolled for not being expressive and was slammed for allegedly getting the role because of nepotism.
Out of all these major controversies and shocking incidents, which one stands out to you? Let us know.
Also Read: Inside Aishwarya Rai's Marriage With Abhishek: Motherhood, Career, In-Laws And Divorce Rumours
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