As we say goodbye to 2023, a year that generated a lot of talk and controversy in the Bollywood business. We examine a year-end package that explores the most discussed Bollywood scandals of the previous 12 months. Here’s what made the industry buzz last year, from Adipurush’s dialogues that sparked controversies to Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh’s highly discussed Koffee with Karan show.
1. Adipurush’s cryptic dialogues
Om Raut’s lavish film Ramayana, which was hailed as a magnificent reworking of the epic Ramayana, was a box office bomb. Many who were expecting a Prabhas and Kriti Sanon starrer were disappointed with the film’s poor visual effects, poor language, poor graphics, and dull story. Adipurush took a lot of abuse, despite the fact that the makers changed portions of the dialogue after it was released.
2. OMG 2’s CBFC certification
The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanded 35 cuts to OMG 2, including changing Akshay Kumar’s role from Lord Shiva to his messenger. This led to a controversy over the film’s certification. The movie eventually got a “A” rating, limiting spectators to those over 18, despite the directors’ goal to obtain a U/A certification for a wider audience. A discussion about artistic freedom against religious sensitivity resulted from this.
3. Alia Bhatt’s Vogue tutorial
Actress Alia Bhatt alluded to her husband, actor Ranbir Kapoor, remembering their courtship in a lipstick application tutorial. She said, “When we used to go out at night, he (Ranbir Kapoor) is like wipe that off because he loves the natural color of my lips.” Following Alia’s remarks, Ranbir became the target of public criticism, with many calling the actor poisonous and domineering.
4. The Animal misogynistic clash
By the end of 2023, Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s film Animal was the subject of intense debate. Although many were thrilled by actor Ranbir Kapoor’s performance, several viewers thought the movie was offensive. Its representation of toxic masculinity, misogyny, a chauvinistic attitude, needless violence, and terrible treatment of women were among the criticisms that sparked an online uproar. Rashmika Mandanna, who plays the lead role in the movie, caused criticism with her ambiguous phrase delivery in the teaser. However, after Animal was released, people saw that Mandanna’s dialogue fit the setting.
5. Deepika-Ranveer dating controversy
This year’s premiere edition of filmmaker Karan Johar’s Koffee With Karan, often known as the contentious couch, starred Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh, a power couple. But when Deepika acknowledged “seeing other people” when she first started dating Ranveer, the episode caused a stir. The public took issue with her clarification that she was “mentally committed” to her husband, and Deepika was criticized for having Ranveer as a fallback.
6. The Kerala Story’s claims of religious conversion
By showing forced religious conversions and the purported ISIS recruitment of thousands of women—a claim that is refuted by evidence and is perceived as encouraging love jihad conspiracy theories—the movie The Kerala Story provoked controversy. Supporters contended that it brought attention to legitimate concerns, while critics criticized it as Islamophobic and harmful to religious unity.
