Credit: PTI, Reuters, Instagram/chandrika.dixit, Credit: X/@diljitdosanjh
Hello Upper East Siders- ahem, I mean DH readers…apologies I really had to channel the Gossip Girl in me to write this article because this is no normal roundup, it is a compilation of a year-worth of goss so you’ve got to hold on to your drinks because 2024 honestly served!
Pesto the chonky penguin and Moo Deng Mania
Moo Deng and Pesto.
Credit: Instagram/katyperry, Reuters
A lot of things broke the internet this year but I would like to start with my personal favourite, an overweight penguin who at nine months of age weighed more than his parents’ combined weight. This fluffy, chocolate brown penguin, who looked evidently out of place among its peers turned celebrities like Katy Perry into its fans. Pesto you can't read this, but we love you our little body-positive squish ball!
While we are on the topic of adorable-looking animals that were an internet sensation in 2024, how can we forget the Moo Deng mania that took over social media? Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo soaked up all the spotlight this year with pictures of her toothlessly biting things and escaping baths went viral. Shy, chaotic, messy, and potato-shaped, is it too weird to have a baby hippo as your spirit animal?
Big Fat Indian wedding
Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a photograph with industrialist Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita Ambani and newlyweds Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant during the couple's post-wedding ceremony.
Credit: PTI Photo
2024 seemed like the year when everyone was getting married and while their wedding faded off our social media in a day or two, the one wedding that felt stretched over the entire year was Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s. *Inhale* engagement, pre-wedding, cruise party, haldi, wedding, post-wedding blessing, reception…..*exhale*! We got Rihanna in Jamnagar before we got GTA 6, thank the Ambanis. While we move ahead to the next year, and might slowly forget about the opulent wedding, the one thing that we will take with us is going to be- ‘Wow ekdum Krishna Laage che’! If you could hear this phrase instead of reading it, I see the scope of a ‘will use less Instagram next year’ resolution.
Viral Vada Pao girl
Chandrika Dixit, the viral 'Vada Pav' girl.
Credit: Instagram/chandrika.dixit
Yes, Bombay Vada Pav is the OG, but this year Delhi’s Vada Pav was all Instagram users could talk about. Delhi’s viral Vada Pav girl who served the street food with a pinch of attitude and aggression became a meme, reel, and our favourite pastime. While no one likes a short-tempered vendor, her temper tantrums were what drove people to her stall as what better way to have Vada Pav than with the side of live entertainment? Her sudden claim to fame led her to Bigg Boss as a contestant where, sadly, her performance was not half as spicy as she claims her Vada Pavs are.
Baba stardom
Abhinav Arora, Aniruddhacharya Maharaj
Credit:Instagram/abhinavaroraofficial, Instagram/aniruddhacharyajimaharaj
“Sachchai chupai gai, afwah udai gai; baat kuch aur thi, batayi kuch aur gai!” 2024 channeled drama not just from celebrities and shows but also from Babas all over India and the one that got most viral was child preacher Abhinav Arora. The internet has been having a field day trolling the 10-year-old ‘bal-sant’, so much so that Arora recently filed a lawsuit against seven YouTubers accusing them of defamation and harassment. While harassing 10-year-olds is a big no, one can only hope that this bal baba trend gets left behind in 2024.
Talking about babas, here is a shoutout to pookie baba Aniruddhacharya Maharaj who has become a GenZ icon for his unfiltered views and absurd decoding of words. Example? A biscuit may seem normal to you and me, but for Pookie Baba, a biscuit translates to 'vis-ka-kit' or 'pack of poison'. It will take some but with enough reels, Pookie Baba will grow on you.
PM Modi's beach vacay
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Bangaram, in Lakshadweep.
Credit: PTI Photo
If you are planning a beach getaway to the Maldives, know that 2024 is shaking its head because #BoycottMaldives trended in the first half of the year after PM Modi’s beach shots at Lakshadweep islands. While the PM did not even mention the Maldives in his post, derogatory comments of three Maldivian ministers against the prime minister and India’s beach resorts added fuel to the fire. And then began a PR like never before with every second celebrity ranging from Sachin Tendulkar to Akshay Kumar advocating for the Indian beach destination. Funnily, some celebrities who wanted to be in the good books of their fans and politicians used pictures from Maldives to promote Lakshadween thinking no one would notice. Never underestimate the power of India’s netizens, is a learning they will carry forward in 2025.
'Doglapan' decoded
Ashneer Grover and Salman Khan.
Credit: X/@Ashneer_Grover
Ashneer Grover’s ‘doglapan’ was visible after the seemingly bold (ahem rude ahem) entrepreneur was at a loss of words in front of Salman Khan who schooled Grover over spreading false information about the actor giving incorrect figures. While the BharatPe co-founder did not have much to say on the show, he posted on X soon after, ‘claiming’ he had fun on the show, when it is the netizens who had the real fun roasting the former shark as they asked him to calm down because Salman “cooked him”.
Job for pay or pay for job? Zomato stuns internet
Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal.
Credit: X/@deepigoyal
While one of the main reasons one takes up a job is to pay their bills, would you ever pay to take the job? Sounds absurd? Not to the Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal who left netizens scratching their heads with his hiring post for chief of staff position where the selected candidate would have to pay a Rs 20 lakh fee and work without pay for the first year. While Goyal received over 18,000 applications, the internet thought “Even Narayana Murthy seems like a saint after reading this.”
An era comes to an end, with Taylor Swift's tour concluding
Taylor Swift
Credit: Reuters Photo
The almost two-year long concert tour of Taylor Swift ended on December 8 and Goddess Taylor is not the same woman she used to be when she started the journey. Not only did she rock the world of her fans, she also casually improved economies, caused earthquakes and won a Grammy!
Diljit Dosanjh: The movement
Credit: X/@diljitdosanjh
2024 was the year of Diljit Dosanjh and no amount of political, or legal intervention could cause a dent in his image. In fact, it is safe to say that what used to be a fan following became an army by the end of the Dil-Luminati tour. Borders were blurred, poems were recited, open challenges were posed and ultimatums were given and as the year comes to an end, it is safe to say, musician Diljit became a movement.
King becomes clown
Virat Kohli gestures towards the crowd.
Credit: Joel Carrett/AAP Image via REUTERS
King Kohli is winding up 2024 with a heartbreak, as are his fans after the star batter was booed while walking back to the dressing room after his dismissal in the Boxing Day Test against Australia, prompting him to turn around for a brief stand-off with the fans. Kohli's conduct became a hot topic in the ongoing fourth Test where he shoulder-charged 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas. Soon after, the Australian media broke loose with its name-calling labelling the batter as ‘Clown Kohli’, and “crybaby”.
Gukesh proves age is just a number
D Gukesh during the Closing Ceremony of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2024, in Singapore.
Credit: PTI Photo
India’s celebration after the 18-year-old became the 18th Chess World Champion was marred by questions raised by former chess champions on the “quality” of Gukesh’s victory. With big names like Magnus Carlsen and Vladimir Kramnik seemingly unimpressed with the big win, social media was divided when it came to celebrating the milestone.
What’s patriarchy yaa?
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Credit: PTI Photo
After the finance minister of India negated an entire movement and very kindly reminded us that patriarchy is just a figment of our thoughts (gaslighting much?) and does not exist. While she did accept that women are not facilitated adequately and that more facilitation is needed, Sitharaman also dismissed patriarchy as a “leftist jargon”. What next? Social media went berserk and memes of “What’s patriarchy yaa?” went viral. In case you haven't seen them yet, open Instagram and grab some popcorn something cheaper, because you are in for a treat.
When Bill met Dolly
Bill Gates with Nagpur tea seller Dolly Chaiwala.
Credit: Instagram/@thisisbillgates
In what universe does Bill Gates, Former CEO of Microsoft meet Dolly Chaiwala? In 2024 apparently. For the unversed, first, keep up with the trends, and second, Dolly Chaiwala is not an ordinary tea seller. He has, what some may call a ‘flamboyant personality’ and serves tea in ways that are not advisable to be practiced at home without supervision. With the kind of fame that Dolly has, it is tough to say who had a bigger honour in this meeting.
Microsoft outage brought internet to a crashing halt
Passengers look at screens, one of them showing Blue Screen error, at T3 Terminal of the Indira Gandhi International Airport amid Microsoft outage, in New Delhi.
Credit: PTI Photo
A global tech failure disrupted operations across multiple industries in July, halting flights and upending everything from banking to healthcare systems. The Microsoft outage that had widespread global repercussions, quite literally broke the internet.