10 IMPORTANT Lessons from 2018

Bollywood has taught us a lot this year.
Sukanya Verma picks the most important lessons.

Bollywood's a tireless beast.

Even when it's not making movies, there's so much on its mind.

Here's everything it taught us in 2018.

Be scared. VERY scared if you're on the wrong side of #MeToo

Tanushree Dutta's sexual harassment allegations at Nana Patekar and Vivek Agnihotri marked the beginning of a long due #MeToo movement in Bollywood.

The name and shame mantra stirred up a hornet's nest and led to disturbingly guilty imagery pointing at prominent names like Alok Nath, Vikas Bahl, Subhash Ghai, Rajat Kapoor, Sajid Khan, Anu Malik, Kailash Kher and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

With movie stars like Aamir Khan walking out of projects (Mogul), Hrithik Roshan promising a 'harsh stand' against his director (Super 30) in social media, and Akshay Kumar cancelling the shoot (of Housefull 4) until an immediate replacement was sought, it was clear that things will no longer be brushed under the carpet.

Change won't happen overnight, but it's still a step towards building a safer environment for women in the film industry.

 

Movie Memes > Movie

Anushka Sharma's hysterical face and squatting pose in Sui Dhaaga inspired tons of hilarious memes including an ingenious Mario game, Radhika Apte's recurring factor on Netflix triggered off a witty interplay between detractors and supporters and Thugs of Hindostan's crashing failure sparked off laugh out loud creativity on social media.

Even the Mumbai police could not resist.

 

There's Chandni at the end of the tunnel

Superstar Sridevi's sudden demise left her family, friends and fans completely shocked and heartbroken.

But the graciousness Arjun and Anshula -- Boney Kapoor's older kids from his ex-wife Mona -- demonstrated at this difficult time and the readiness and gratitude with which their half sisters Janhvi and Khushi embraced it proves every cloud does have a silver lining.

 

Bollywood's full of fighter spirits

Irrfan Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tahira Kashyap and Rishi Kapoor, Bollywood's best and beloved may be under the weather, but they are taking the health challenge headlong.

There was a time when most celebrities were unforthcoming about their illness.

Discussing their ailment openly and endeavouring for its cure not only promotes awareness, it also makes them more human and heroic in our eyes.

 

Another one bites the dust

2018 was big on Bollywood celebrity weddings.

Where Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh took off to Italy and exchanged vows, Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja's #EverydayPhenomenal had the stars flocking to Bandra (north west Mumbai), Neha Dhupia and Angad Bedi's low profile ceremony didn't go entirely unnoticed, Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas became man and wife in royal fashion at Jodhpur's most premium venue...

The endless celebrations to follow and repeated sights of the same guests in over-the-top lehengas against a floral photo-op background has put us off wedding albums for a while.

Others to bite the dust include Producer Dinesh Vijan, Actor Shweta Prasad and Comedian Kapil Sharma.

When not getting married, half of Bollywood recorded attendance at the extravagant, multi-venue wedding of India's richest couple Mukesh and Nita Ambani's daughter Isha to Anand Piramal.

Wedding fatigue, what's that?

 

Taimur sells

If Saif Ali Khan joking about paparazzi making money on account of his two-year-old son Taimur isn't worrying enough, toy stores stocking dolls modelled after this extraordinarily famous tot unlocks another level of bizarre.

 

Kh se Khan, correction Khurrana

With Salman Khan's Race 3 crashing at the box office and Aamir Khan's Thugs of Hindostan proving Bollywood's perfectionist can go wrong too, the Khan monopoly found a worthy challenger in Ayushmann Khurrana's back to back successes in Andhadhun and Badhaai Ho.

 

Never take panga with Virushka

One guy learned it the hard way after cricketer Virat Kohli uploaded a video of wife Anushka Sharma admonishing the culprit for littering the road.

Fans of the power duo came down on heavily on the gent who probably hasn't stopped seeing nightmares about Swach Bharat Abhiyan since.

 

Bollywood's Suhana Safar isn't ending any time soon

Nepotism naysayers can protest all they want, Bollywood's habit of laying out red carpet welcomes for famous sons and daughters is not changing any time soon.

If dishing out debuts on a platter wasn't disputed enough, Vogue India's move to splash Shah Rukh Khan's daughter Suhana Khan on their August cover even without any launchpad in the horizon pretty much cuts to the quick.

 

Jail-Bail, Bhai Bhai!

Kaalia's got serious competition in Salman Khan.

No deewar, zanjeer or criminal charge can keep controversy's favourite child behind bars for long.

The Bigg Boss host was granted bail in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case soon after he was given a five-year prison sentence.