Bhubaneswar: From high-profile weddings to celebrity couples calling it quits, from loss of eminent personalities to breakthroughs in Indian Cinema, from death threats to stars embracing parenthood, 2024 saw a whirlwind of emotions sweep across the entertainment industry. 

While the opulent Ambani wedding grabbed headlines and was touted to be India's "Wedding of the Year", the film industry witnessed many celebrity couples tying the nuptial knot and some embracing parenthood. Divorce announcements and dead threats made headlines too apart from cinematic accomplishments on various fronts.
The world also mourned the loss of icons like business tycoon Ratan Tata, media baron Ramoji Rao, table maestro Zakir Hussain, famous television actor Rituraj Singh and renowned ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas. 

Here's a recap of major highlights the year was witness to:

1. Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant tied the knot on July 12 this year in Mumbai. The star-studded event was six-day affair and was called  "India's own royal wedding" and "wedding of the year".
The Shubh Aashirvaad ceremony on July 13 saw the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the grand reception on July 14 attended by prominent figures from the entertainment industry.

2. One of the most talked-about B-town couples, Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal got married in an intimate ceremony. The couple, who secretly dated each other for over seven years, tied the knot on June 23 in a small ceremony in Mumbai. Their inter-faith marriage courted controversy with Sonakshi's brothers Luv and Kush refraining from being part of the celebrations.

3. Naga Chaitanya's second marriage to actress Sobhita Dhulipala was the talk of the town as the love birds exchanged vows in December and captivated fans with glimpses of their intimate wedding in Hyderabad. The duo first met each other in 2022, a year after the Love Story actor's divorce with Samantha Ruth Prabhu. 

4.Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth sealed the union in a traditional South Indian wedding at the 400-year-old Sri Ranganayakaswamy Temple in Telangana's Srirangapur. The Heeramandi actress, originally from the princely state of Hyderabad, had met Siddharth on the sets of the Telugu film Maha Samudram in 2021. As love blossomed, the couple surprised everyone on September 16, 2024, by announcing their wedding with heartwarming pictures on social media. Aditi was previously married to actor Satyadeep Mishra, and Siddharth was earlier married to Meghna Narayan.

5. Actor Taapsee Pannu married longtime boyfriend, Danish badminton player Mathias Boe in a private wedding ceremony on March 23 in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

6.Tamil actor Keerthy Suresh and Antony Thattil got married in Goa on December 12 after dating for 15 years. The marriage rituals were carried out in both Hindu and Christian tradition.

7. Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh welcomed their first child, Dua Padukone Singh, on September 8 after nearly six years of marriage. The couple had announced their pregnancy in February just before heading to Jamnagar to attend Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant's pre-wedding festivities.

8. Indian Fashion Designer Masaba Gupta, who is also the daughter of veteran actor Neena Gupta and West Indies' former cricketer Viv Richards, was blessed with a baby girl in October. Masaba married her actor beau Satyadeep Misra, whom she met on the sets of her eponymous Netflix show Masaba Masaba. 

9. Influential Indian politician and former Maharashtra Minister Baba Ziauddin Siddique was shot dead on the night of 12 October 2024 in front of his son Zeeshan's office. His murder in a bustling area in India's Mumbai city sent shockwaves across the country. The 66-year old NCP leader was known for his glitzy iftar parties held during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan which were attended by top Bollywood stars. It was at his iftar party in 2013 that superstars Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan ended their much-discussed rift with a hug. Later, the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the cold-blooded murder. A Facebook post by a gang member, which has now gone viral, said the murder was due to Siddique's ties with Bollywood actor Salman Khan and underworld figures Dawood Ibrahim and Anuj Thapan.

10. Salman Khan received three death threats from the Bishnoi gang in two weeks demanding Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore ransom, separately. In one of the threats, Khan was asked to either visit a temple and apologise for allegedly killing a black buck or pay ₹5 crore. 
The Bollywood actor has been receiving death threats and is targeted by the infamous Lawrence Bishnoi gang. In April, alleged members of the gang fired had shots outside the actor's home in Bandra, sparking major concerns about his safety. The feud between Khan and Lawrence Bishnoi dates back to 1998, when the actor was accused of hunting and killing two blackbucks, an animal sacred to the Bishnoi community.

11. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan found himself in a similar situation after the actor received a threatening call demanding a Rs 50 lakh ransom. The caller identified himself as “Hindustani” and threatened to kill Khan if his demands were unmet. Later, Police traced the number to Faizan Khan, a lawyer from Raipur, Chhattisgarh, who claimed his phone had been stolen. 

12. In a shock to fans worldwide, Saira Banu, wife of renowned music composer AR Rehman, announced their separation after 29 years of marriage, citing an 'irreparable gap'. While banu cited health reasons for her decision, Rehman found himself embroiled in a controversy with rumours linking him with bassist Mohini Dey. Incidentally, Dey too made a public announcement about parting ways with her husband, Mark at around the same time.

13. Actor Dhanush and filmmaker Aishwarya Rajinikanth were finally granted divorce by a family court. Dhanush, son of film director Kasthuriraja and Aishwarya, daughter of superstar Rajinikanth, got married on November 18, 2004. They announced their separation officially in 2022 after 18 years of togetherness. They have two sons, Linga and Yatra, out of wedlock.

14.Former chairman of the Tata Group Ratan Naval Tata, passed away at the age of 86. A recipient of  the Padma Bhushan in 2000 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2008, Tata had led the Tata group for over two decades from 1991-2002 and for a brief period during 2016. His visionary leadership had put the company on global map with acquisition of iconic brands like Corus, Tetley, and Jaguar Land Rover. 

15. Music maestro Ustad Rashid Khan passed away at the age of 55. The Hindustani classical singer was renowned for his jugalbandis and mastery of Indian classical music genres such as khayal and thumri. He was a recipient of the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. 

16.Renowned businessman and founder of the Ramoji Group Ramoji Rao passed away at the age of 87.  The Padma Bhusan awardee was known for redefining India’s media and entertainment landscape. Rao had established Ramoji Film City and the ETV news channel. 

17. Celebrated fashion designer Rohit Bal succumbed to a heart attack at age 63. He was among India's most loved fashion designers and known for his gender-inclusive designs. One of India's first designers, Bal had popularised fashion designing as a viable, glamorous profession in the 1990s. Bal had created an unrivalled space for himself with his unique style of blending India's rich cultural heritage with a contemporary flair.

18. The world of Indian classical music lost one of its legendary figures with the passing of Tabla maestro and global music icon Zakir Hussain. Hussain, who died at the age of 73, was known forv effortlessly blending traditional tabla rhythms with global genres. A four-time Grammy winner, Hussain's music had transcended boundaries and brought music lovers across the world together with his contributions. 

19. Pioneer of India's Parallel Cinema Shyam Benegal died at the age of 90. The legendary filmmaker was known for countering conventional mainstrem cinema with his unique way of depicting social realism and reflecting the complexities of Indian life.  His contribution to cinema went far beyond his work as a director. He was also a screenwriter, editor, teacher, and mentor, shaping the future of Indian filmmaking.The legendary filmmaker is survived by wife and daughter.

20. In a proud moment for Indian cinema, Girish Malik-directed Band of Maharajas entered the Oscar race after being declared eligible for consideration in two prestigious categories. The film’s soul-stirring song “Ishq Walla Daku” and its captivating Original Score, composed by renowned Maestro Bickram Ghosh, are vying for nominations in the Best Original Song and Best Original Score categories.