As 2023 draws to a close, a rollercoaster year is reaching its end. Before we embark on the next chapter, let’s pause and reflect on the cultural highs and lows, the moments of triumph, disappointment, and everything in between from this year.

The Inaugurial Lollapalooza India

While our attention now moves towards its 2024 lineup, last year Lollapalooza finally made its debut in India, bringing the likes of The Strokes, Imagine Dragons, Greta Van Fleet, Diplo, Zhu, AP Dhillon, Cigarettes After Sex, and more to our shores in one place.

Diljit Conquers Coachella

In April, Diljit Dosanjh made waves in LA as one of the very few Indians to grace the stage at Coachella. During his time in the States, we had the chance to catch up with this now-international sensation, discussing his music, movies, and a lot more.

Taylor’s Billionaire Status

Putting the notion of “celebrities are just like us” to rest, Taylor Swift…swiftly added the billionaire tag to her already impressive resume after the critical and commercial success of her Eras Tour. The 33-year-old now stands with a fortune of $1.1 billion, as per Forbes International.

Barbenheimer 

In July, Indian theatres were filled with hues of grey and pink as two Hollywood blockbusters, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” were released on the same day. The cultural phenomenon, known as ‘Barbenheimer,’ turned out to be a success both critically and commercially, while giving us some unforgettable memes that remain relevant to the day.

India’s World Cup Loss

All eyes were on the boys in blue when India was announced as the host for the 2023 ODI World Cup. Unfortunately, all hopes came crashing down along with India’s batting lineup, as the Indian team was humbled by the Aussies in the final in Ahmedabad.

India’s Moon Landing

Speaking of underdogs, India’s space agency ISRO achieved a remarkable feat this year. On August 23, 2023, the Vikram lander of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft touched down near the moon’s south pole, marking the dawn of a new era in the space race.

Bollywood’s Next Generation

This November, Netflix finally released Zoya Akhtar’s highly-anticipated Archie Comics adaptation titled ‘The Archies,’ starring a lineup of young talent including Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Agsatya Nanda, and others.

SRK’s Hattrick

We got a boatload of SRK this year, starting with “Pathaan” released in the early months, followed by “Jawan” in September, and finally “Dunki,” currently playing in theatres. While the former two went on to cross Rs 1,000 crore at the box office, “Dunki” appears to be taking its time to reach that milestone.

The NMACC Launch

Mumbai secured the top spot as the cultural capital of India this year with the launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. This centre brought acclaimed Broadway plays like Mamma Mia and West Side Story to Indian shores, adding to the city’s cultural richness.

Feature Image – Red Chillies Entertainment