From Coldplay to AQI and Dhurandhar — What India talked about in 2025

"There are two days in the year that we can not do anything, about yesterday and tomorrow," Mahatma Gandhi once said. But between those two days lies memory, and 2025 gave India plenty to remember.It was a year of extremes. Of faith and fury, viral moments and violent turns, celebrity controversies and national security flashpoints. A year where timelines moved faster than reality, where policy decisions sparked street debates, and where pop culture often collided head-on with politics.From the banks of the Ganga at Prayagraj to courtrooms in Mumbai, from cricket stadiums to global fashion ramps, 2025 unfolded like a relentless scroll, one headline bleeding into the next.Lets’ see how India lived, argued, celebrated, mourned and searched for meaning, month by month. The year opened with spirituality on a scale rarely witnessed. The Maha Kumbh began on January 13 in Prayagraj and continued till February 26, marking a celestial alignment that occurs once every 144 years.Millions arrived seeking purification at the Triveni Sangam, turning the riverbanks into a sea of humanity!The key bathing dates were January 29 (Mauni Amavasya), February 3 (Basant Panchami), February 12 (Maghi Purnima) and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). The event saw an unprecedented footfall.Yet devotion gave way to disaster when a stampede broke out on January 27, just ahead of the ‘Amrit Snan’.As crowds surged towards the ghats, chaos erupted. At least 30 deaths were officially confirmed, though reports from multiple states suggested the toll could be as high as 48.The administration maintained that several deaths occurred due to " other causes" within the Mela area, but the tragedy exposed the failure in crowd management.Amid the enormity of the event, social media found its own story.A 16-year-old flower seller, Monalisa Bholsle, became the unexpected face of the Kumbh. Her natural charm and unfiltered innocence turned her into the viral girl of Prayagraj, reflecting how digital fame now blooms even in the most traditional spaces.Another personality who drew widespread notice was Abhey Singh, popularly known as ‘IIT Baba’, whose distinctive presence at the gathering captured the interest of both devotees and social media users.The online buzz was further fuelled by viral videos and photographs showing people taking a holy dip at the Sangam along with their dogs. Adding a quirky twist, a cheeky advertisement also went viral, offering a " dip from home" for Rs 500. Aimed at those unable to visit the Kumbh, the ad promises a once-in-a-lifetime experience, asking people to simply send a photograph and the payment, after which the organisers claim they will immerse on their behalf.On January 16, the film industry was jolted when Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times inside his Bandra apartment.An intruder allegedly entered the 11th-floor flat with the intent to rob and attacked both Khan and a staff member using a blade and a wooden object.The incident occurred between 2 am and 2.30 am, with family members present at home. The accused, Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, was arrested shortly after. The attack sparked widespread concern over urban security and shattered the illusion of celebrity invulnerability.The topic of consent entered the spotlight!Singer Udit Narayan found himself at the centre of a heated debate after a video surfaced showing him kissing a female fan during a concert. The controversy escalated when older clips of him kissing fellow singers Shreya Ghoshal and Alka Yagnik resurfaced.Addressing the backlash, Narayan said he was a " decent person" and would never force himself on anyone. He explained that the excitement of live performances often leads to fans hugging or shaking hands, and urged people not to sensationalise such moments. Yet the incident reignited conversations about consent, power dynamics and celebrity boundaries.Music offered respite as Coldplay launched their ‘Music of the Spheres World Tour’ in India. Starting January 18 in Mumbai and culminating in Ahmedabad on January 26, the band’s five-city run became one of the biggest live music events of the year, blending global pop culture with local euphoria.February saw digital content under scrutiny after YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia’s remarks on comedian Samay Raina’s show ‘India’s Got Latent’ sparked a debate.Clips from the show, featuring Allahbadia along with Ashish Chanchlani, Jaspreet Singh and Apoorva Mukhija, went viral, with many viewers calling the jokes, especially those involving explicit references to parents, " vulgar and obscene.”The All Indian Cine Workers Association demanded an immediate ban on those involved, registration of FIRs and stricter regulation of online platforms. Subsequently, FIRs were filed for " promoting obscenity”.Allahbadia later apologised, saying, " My comment wasn’t just inappropriate, it wasn’t even funny. Comedy is not my forte." Facing parallel proceedings across multiple states, Allahabadia moved the Supreme Court seeking to quash or club the cases.Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman delivered a major relief to the middle class by announcing zero income tax for earnings up to Rs 12 lakh under the new regime.For salaried individuals, the effective nil-tax threshold rose to Rs 12.75 lakh after standard deduction.The sweeping slab changes were hailed as one of the most people-friendly tax reforms in recent years, reshaping household financial planning across urban India.