Biggest newsmakers who ruled entertainment headlines in 2025

Aamir Khan:

Aamir Khan had a strong year with Sitaare Zameen Par, a compelling sports drama that sensitively depicted the lives of specially-abled children and introduced 10 debutants. Choosing cinema over convenience, he made headlines by reportedly turning down a ₹120 crore OTT deal, later opting for the initial release of YouTube to support cinemas. He also made a rare cameo in Coolie, released in August 2025. Adding to the excitement, Aamir Khan Productions also announced the spy comedy Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos, directed by Vir Das, among other upcoming projects.

Deepika Padukone:

Deepika Padukone made headlines not through movies releasing in 2025, but by sparking one of the most influential industry-wide conversations of the year. Her strong stance on work-life balance sparked a national debate and encouraged hundreds of voices in the film industry to speak out on the issue. That moment proved his influence beyond cinema and his ability to choose when to speak. Despite having no films this year, Deepika has remained focused as she continues shooting for upcoming big projects, including the much-anticipated collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan and another large-scale film with Allu Arjun.

Yami Gautam:

Beyond her two powerful films Dhoom Dhaam and Haq, Yami Gautam hit the headlines in early December 2025 by taking a bold stand against what she called Bollywood’s culture of “extortion” in marketing. In a candid social media post, he called out paid hype and manufactured threats of negativity regarding the films. Her husband Aditya Dhar’s fearless stance, expressed just before Dhurandhar’s release, resonated widely in the industry and earned him widespread support and respect for speaking openly about a topic that many would rather avoid.

Ranveer Singh:

Ranveer Singh released another blockbuster this year with Dhurandhar, which crossed ₹500 crore at the box office. His electrifying performance, signature style and charisma have become the most talked about topics. The success of the film has made audiences eagerly await the next film, which is scheduled to release next year, further strengthening Ranveer’s star power.

Harshvardhan Rane:

Harshvardhan Rane made headlines this year when Sanam Teri Kasam re-released during Valentine’s week and became the highest-grossing remake of 2025, collecting around 50 crores. He was also noted for balancing acting with academics by earning a master’s degree in Psychology (Hons). Adding to his strong year, his new film Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat also received very positive response in theatres.

Smriti Irani:

Smriti Irani made huge headlines this year with her much-anticipated return to television as Tulsi in the new season of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi. It has maintained a prominent presence on the platforms by balancing both politics and entertainment. Smriti also spoke candidly about the career setbacks she faced due to politics and highlighted the resilience and hard work required to navigate both worlds.

Nikhil Kamath:

Entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath made headlines this year for many reasons; most notably, he hosted some of the world’s leading people on his popular podcast, People by WTF. His podcast gained a lot of attention this year, especially after he hosted global business leader Elon Musk for a wide-ranging conversation. The episode led to discussions on entrepreneurship, future skills gaps and innovation.

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Aditya Dhar:

Aditya Dhar achieved huge success with Dhurandhar, which took the box office by storm, collecting around ₹500 crore and continuing its strong theatrical run. Praised for its sharp writing and confident storytelling, the film showcased Dhar’s evolving direction and command of scale, establishing him as one of the year’s most influential filmmakers.

Aryan Khan:

Aryan Khan took the country by storm with his directorial debut series The Ba**ds of Bollywood* on Netflix. Praised for its gripping story, powerful climax, fluent direction, cast and music, the series broke records and trended for weeks. It also entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 list of non-English language series, cementing Aryan’s status as one of the most talked about celebrities of the year.

Emraan Hashmi:

Emraan Hashmi has had a remarkable year with various projects in films and web series. He played a BSF Deputy Commander in the action-thriller Ground Zero, which was released in April 2025, inspired by a real-life operation. In November, courtroom drama Haq with Yami Gautam was released. Emraan also made a special appearance in Aryan Khan’s The Ba**ds of Bollywood* which went viral and audiences celebrated him as the classic hero they love.