In pics: NASA's five successful satellite missions in 2018

In pics: A busy year for ISRO with several rocket launches

In pics: Guests who made 2018 special

Bollywood and the Indian audience off late have explored a new medium of entertainment that has an instant reach across the globe. The digital platform is the new medium of entertainment that is quick and available at the click of a button for any smartphone user. More and more content is being written and developed to hook the audience on digital platforms. in 2018, several web series and video on demand shows, saw many top-billed actors exploring the medium to reach out the maximum people not just in India but also across the world.

The year 2018 saw several interesting video on demand shows on various OTT platforms that were dominated by many mainstream actors with their superlative performances. Let's have a look into the list of the actors who dominated the digital world with their performances par excellence.

The crime thriller drama ‘<a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/people-need-to-look-beyond-nudity-in-that-lovemaking-scene-in-sacred-games-rajshri-deshpande-153867">Sacred Games</a>’ on Netflix turned out to be the game changer on the digital platform. The series based on the novel by the same name by Vikram Chandra is the first original series on Netflix in India. The series saw a gamut of Bollywood actors playing characters which soon became popular. Following the success of ‘Sacred Games’, many actors, as well as makers, are now slowly venturing into the digital space.&nbsp;

 
As the year comes to a close, here’s a look back the Bollywood actors who created an impact on digital space.&nbsp;

Nawazuddin Siddiqui in ‘Sacred Games’

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/28j8h0RRov4" width="560"></iframe>

There is no doubt that in the coming years, ‘Sacred Games’ will be termed as a game changer for it not only paved a way for other Bollywood actors to explore digital medium but also highlighted the fact that good content is lapped up by the audience irrespective of the medium. While <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/nawazuddin-was-more-shy-about-filming-the-love-making-scenes-says-sacred-games-star-kubbra-sait-150942">almost all characters </a>created an impact, it was Nawaz's character ‘Ganesh Gaitonde’ took away the maximum applause for his performance. Ganesh Gaitonde memes, his dialogues suddenly went viral on the internet and made him instantly famous ruling the digital world to date. Nawazuddin is now all set with the season 2 of Sacred Games, once again geared up taking the digital world in the coming year.

Pankaj Tripathi in ‘Mirzapur’&nbsp;

The second show that rocked the digital world was ‘Mirzapur’. The power packed performances by all the characters created a huge stir with most actors playing their parts to perfection. Actors such as Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyendu Sharma, Vikrant Massey, Rasika Dugal, Shriya Pilgaonkar amongst many others gave their best performances. Pankaj Tripathi as Kaleen Bhaiyya was at his best. As a cool and calm dreaded gangster, Pankaj gave one of his best performances.&nbsp;

Ali Fazal in ‘Mirzapur’&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZNeGF-PvRHY" width="560"></iframe>

The suave actor Ali Fazal was the surprise element of ‘ Mirzapur’. &nbsp;Ali played the dreaded gangster Guddu Pandit, who is mean and loves killing people at the drop of a hat. To play his part Ali gained more than 10 kgs to look like a gigantic beast. Fazal’s character had shades of grey yet, his performance was loved by all. &nbsp;

R Madhavan in ‘Breathe’&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OstwwYcz8nI" width="560"></iframe>

The brilliant actor R Madhavan's first outing in digital space with web-series ‘Breathe’ on Amazon Prime left the audience spellbound and intrigued. The show also stars Amit Sadh as one of the protagonists but its Maddy who walks away with the maximum plaudits. Madhavan plays the role of a father whose son needs an urgent lung transfer or his son will die. The story weaves around Madhavan who in order to get the surgery done on time, goes on a murdering spree. Madhavan’s act as the anguished dad trying to save his child struck a chord with many.

Radhika Apte in ‘Ghoul’, ‘Sacred Games’

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/njXrARC9fxw" width="560"></iframe>

The list would not be complete unless there is a mention of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/watch-netflix-india-posts-hilarious-video-of-radhika-apte-shuts-trolls-down-162059">queen of digital series-</a> &nbsp;Radhika Apte. The year 2018 saw some of the best works of Radhika both on the silver screen and on the digital world. The horror series ‘Ghoul’ on Netflix starring Radhika Apte as the protagonist along with Manav Kaul is one of the best horror series to have happened to the Indian audience in a long time. It ticks all the boxes for a great horror thriller and had &nbsp;Radhika delivering one of her strongest performances. Apte also earned praises for her performance as the no-nonsense cop in ‘Sacred Games’. The story may have been about two men, but Radhika in her limited screen time managed to create an impact.&nbsp;

Mithila Palkar in ‘Little Things Season 2’

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LhpA-_8cWv8" width="560"></iframe>

The sweet charmer Mithila Palkar has been there on the internet for quite a sometime and has a strong fan following on the digital space. All her digital shows have a good number of views making her one of the youngest YouTube sensations in India. Her web shows ‘Little Things season 2’ that released this year and was picked up global giant Netflix garnered a huge number of views. Earlier this show was released by Dice Media on YouTube but gauging the popularity of the show it was acquired by global OTT platform Netflix. ‘Little Things season 2’ took the story forward from its first season where an urban couple struggles to stay together and keep the spark alive as career, profession, and priorities take precedence.

Gulshan Devaiah in ‘Smoke’&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cmMEWd-8OSA" width="560"></iframe>

Thriller, gang war, mysteries were the flavour of the digital world this year. Many web shows explored these categories. One such series ‘Smoke’ was released on video on demand platform Eros Now. It had some of the brilliant actors like Kalki Koechlin, Gulshan Devaiah, Jim Sarbh, Amit Sial, Mandira Bedi and Tom Alter and a plot that got the audience hooked. But it was Gulshan’s character as JJ a hitman from Bihar that stood out of all the characters in the series. As a gruesome killer, he also added a dash of humour to his character, bringing some much-needed happiness to the show.

Saif Ali Khan in ‘Sacred Games’

Would the list be complete without mentioning Sartaj Singh of ‘<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-sacred-games-review-saif-ali-khan-nawazuddin-siddiquis-new-series-is-an-edgy-thriller-thats-worth-your-time-149242">Sacred Games</a>’? Saif Ali Khan is perhaps the only Bollywood actor who has time and again re-invented. In his digital debut, Khan played a dissuaded Mumbai cop who chances upon a big scam that can lead to the destruction of epic proportions. While Nawaz’s character got more noticed due to the character he played, Saif’s restrained performance as the cop who is trying to make peace with his troubled past was also appreciated by the audience.&nbsp;

Bollywood and the Indian audience off late have explored a new medium of entertainment that has an instant reach across the globe. The digital platform is the new medium of entertainment that is quick and available at the click of a button for any smartphone user.

Bollywood and the Indian audience off late have explored a new medium of entertainment that has an instant reach across the globe. The digital platform is the new medium of entertainment that is quick and available at the click of a button for any smartphone user. More and more content is being written and developed to hook the audience on digital platforms. in 2018, several web series and video on demand shows, saw many top-billed actors exploring the medium to reach out the maximum people not just in India but also across the world. The year 2018 saw several interesting video on demand shows on various OTT platforms that were dominated by many mainstream actors with their superlative performances. Let's have a look into the list of the actors who dominated the digital world with their performances par excellence. The crime thriller drama ‘Sacred Games’ on Netflix turned out to be the game changer on the digital platform. The series based on the novel by the same name by Vikram Chandra is the first original series on Netflix in India. The series saw a gamut of Bollywood actors playing characters which soon became popular. Following the success of ‘Sacred Games’, many actors, as well as makers, are now slowly venturing into the digital space. As the year comes to a close, here’s a look back the Bollywood actors who created an impact on digital space. Nawazuddin Siddiqui in ‘Sacred Games’ There is no doubt that in the coming years, ‘Sacred Games’ will be termed as a game changer for it not only paved a way for other Bollywood actors to explore digital medium but also highlighted the fact that good content is lapped up by the audience irrespective of the medium. While almost all characters created an impact, it was Nawaz's character ‘Ganesh Gaitonde’ took away the maximum applause for his performance. Ganesh Gaitonde memes, his dialogues suddenly went viral on the internet and made him instantly famous ruling the digital world to date. Nawazuddin is now all set with the season 2 of Sacred Games, once again geared up taking the digital world in the coming year. Pankaj Tripathi in ‘Mirzapur’ The second show that rocked the digital world was ‘Mirzapur’. The power packed performances by all the characters created a huge stir with most actors playing their parts to perfection. Actors such as Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyendu Sharma, Vikrant Massey, Rasika Dugal, Shriya Pilgaonkar amongst many others gave their best performances. Pankaj Tripathi as Kaleen Bhaiyya was at his best. As a cool and calm dreaded gangster, Pankaj gave one of his best performances. Ali Fazal in ‘Mirzapur’ The suave actor Ali Fazal was the surprise element of ‘ Mirzapur’. Ali played the dreaded gangster Guddu Pandit, who is mean and loves killing people at the drop of a hat. To play his part Ali gained more than 10 kgs to look like a gigantic beast. Fazal’s character had shades of grey yet, his performance was loved by all. R Madhavan in ‘Breathe’ The brilliant actor R Madhavan's first outing in digital space with web-series ‘Breathe’ on Amazon Prime left the audience spellbound and intrigued. The show also stars Amit Sadh as one of the protagonists but its Maddy who walks away with the maximum plaudits. Madhavan plays the role of a father whose son needs an urgent lung transfer or his son will die. The story weaves around Madhavan who in order to get the surgery done on time, goes on a murdering spree. Madhavan’s act as the anguished dad trying to save his child struck a chord with many. Radhika Apte in ‘Ghoul’, ‘Sacred Games’ The list would not be complete unless there is a mention of the queen of digital series- Radhika Apte. The year 2018 saw some of the best works of Radhika both on the silver screen and on the digital world. The horror series ‘Ghoul’ on Netflix starring Radhika Apte as the protagonist along with Manav Kaul is one of the best horror series to have happened to the Indian audience in a long time. It ticks all the boxes for a great horror thriller and had Radhika delivering one of her strongest performances. Apte also earned praises for her performance as the no-nonsense cop in ‘Sacred Games’. The story may have been about two men, but Radhika in her limited screen time managed to create an impact. Mithila Palkar in ‘Little Things Season 2’ The sweet charmer Mithila Palkar has been there on the internet for quite a sometime and has a strong fan following on the digital space. All her digital shows have a good number of views making her one of the youngest YouTube sensations in India. Her web shows ‘Little Things season 2’ that released this year and was picked up global giant Netflix garnered a huge number of views. Earlier this show was released by Dice Media on YouTube but gauging the popularity of the show it was acquired by global OTT platform Netflix. ‘Little Things season 2’ took the story forward from its first season where an urban couple struggles to stay together and keep the spark alive as career, profession, and priorities take precedence. Gulshan Devaiah in ‘Smoke’ Thriller, gang war, mysteries were the flavour of the digital world this year. Many web shows explored these categories. One such series ‘Smoke’ was released on video on demand platform Eros Now. It had some of the brilliant actors like Kalki Koechlin, Gulshan Devaiah, Jim Sarbh, Amit Sial, Mandira Bedi and Tom Alter and a plot that got the audience hooked. But it was Gulshan’s character as JJ a hitman from Bihar that stood out of all the characters in the series. As a gruesome killer, he also added a dash of humour to his character, bringing some much-needed happiness to the show. Saif Ali Khan in ‘Sacred Games’ Would the list be complete without mentioning Sartaj Singh of ‘Sacred Games’? Saif Ali Khan is perhaps the only Bollywood actor who has time and again re-invented. In his digital debut, Khan played a dissuaded Mumbai cop who chances upon a big scam that can lead to the destruction of epic proportions. While Nawaz’s character got more noticed due to the character he played, Saif’s restrained performance as the cop who is trying to make peace with his troubled past was also appreciated by the audience.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Radhika Apte: Bollywood actors who created an impact on the digital space in 2018

Scores of celebrities got married, announced their engagements or had children in 2018, but there was also a share of heartbreak and splits.

By far the biggest wedding of the year involved a coming-together of the worlds of showbiz and royalty as Britain's Prince Harry and former U.S. actress Meghan Markle got married.

The pair wed in May in a dazzling ceremony that blended ancient English ritual with African American culture, infusing the 1,000-year-old British monarchy with a blast of modernity.

One person who didn't want to comment on their much-anticipated nuptials was actress Emma Thompson. In a clip that soon went viral, she told a Reuters journalist who asked her about the wedding to 'just stop it' and said she was 'not going to talk about the royal wedding'.

In October came the much-anticipated announcement that Meghan was pregnant with the couple's first child due in the spring of 2019.

There were more royal nuptials in October too, when Princess Eugenie tied the knot with Jack Brooksbank and took a horse-drawn carriage tour around Windsor after the service.

Eugenie, 28, daughter of the queen's third child, Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, tied the knot with Brooksbank, 32, in a traditional ceremony at Windsor Castle's 15th Century St George's Chapel.

It was the same setting as the lavish wedding in May of Prince Harry and Meghan.

In other royal news, Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate welcomed a son Louis Arthur Charles in April.

The prince, who is fifth in line to the British throne, weighed 8 lbs 7oz at birth.

British actress Keira Knightley, who has a young daughter, made headlines in October after she penned an essay for the book "Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies)" talking about childbirth. Some outlets accused her of criticising Prince William's wife Kate's polished looks coming out of hospital soon after labour.

"The comments that I made are purely about...are completely about our culture that silences women's truths and forces us all to hide. And I absolutely did not shame anybody in any way. In fact quite the opposite," Knightley told Reuters on the red carpet for her new film "Colette".

It was not such happy news for two members of Hollywood royalty, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt -- the pair have sought to move forward with their long and sometimes bitter divorce this year.

Jolie's attorney filed papers in Los Angeles Superior Court saying the actress wanted a judgement "returning the parties to single status during the calendar year 2018."

Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and enjoyed a 10-year romance that had made the pair one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples. They have six children for whom she is seeking primary custody.

Actress Michelle Williams quietly married in July, telling Vanity Fair magazine she never gave up on love after the death of her partner Heath Ledger 10 years ago.

Williams, 38, the fiercely private Oscar-nominated star of 'Brokeback Mountain,'&nbsp;told the magazine that she married American indie musician Phil Elverum at a private ceremony in the rural Adirondacks region of upstate New York.

Pop singer Justin Bieber married model Hailey Baldwin in a hush-hush civil ceremony in September.

The couple dated in 2016 but had broken up. In June, they appeared together publicly, leading to speculation from fans that they had rekindled their romance.

In a social media post in November, Bieber confirmed the pair were married, saying 'my wife is awesome' on his Instagram account.

'Saturday Night Live'&nbsp;star Pete Davidson confirmed in June that he and pop star Ariana Grande were engaged after dating for less than two months.

But by October People Magazine and other U.S. media outlets reported the couple had called off their engagement. In early November Grande released a new surprise single titled 'Thank U, Next'&nbsp;in which she sings about her past relationships.

British actor Hugh Grant, 58, married Swedish television producer Anna Eberstein, 39, with whom he has three children, at a low-key civil ceremony in London in May.

Speaking about the union, after decades of deriding the idea of marriage, he said he tied the knot for a good reason.

"Immigration people would say, alright, all the Grants through here, and I'd go through with my children. And all the others through there. She'd go through with the nannies. It wasn't right," the 'Love Actually'&nbsp;star said.

Celebrity couple Zayn Malik and supermodel Gigi Hadid announced they had split up in March after two years of dating, with both posting statements of mutual love and respect.

Malik, a former member of British boy band One Direction, and Hadid, a model for Victoria's Secret, Fendi and Tommy Hilfiger, gave no reason for the split. They have reportedly since rekindled their romance, sharing happy snaps on social media.

In February, former 'Friends'&nbsp;star Jennifer Aniston and her husband Justin Theroux said that they were separating after less than three years of marriage.

Aniston, 49, and 'The Leftovers'&nbsp;actor Theroux, 47, married in August 2015.

"We have decided to announce our separation," the couple said in a joint statement. "This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year."

Another separation was announced in November with the media reporting that Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro and his wife of more than 20 years had separated.

In celebrity baby news, Kim Kardashian's new daughter with rapper husband Kanye West, named Chicago, was born in January to a surrogate -- the third child for the celebrity couple.

Meanwhile, rapper Cardi B gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, in July.

The parents (the father is rapper husband Offset) named the child Kulture Kiari Cephus, Cardi B said in an Instagram post that featured a nude pregnancy photo of the 25-year-old 'Be Careful'&nbsp;singer surrounded by flowers.

And there was more happy news for actress Gwyneth Paltrow - who married producer Brad Falchuck.

Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra tied the knot on December 1 and 2 in two separate ceremonies in India.

Scores of celebrities got married, announced their engagements or had children in 2018, but there was also a share of heartbreak and splits. By far the biggest wedding of the year involved a coming-together of the worlds of showbiz and royalty as Britain's Prince Harry and former U.

Scores of celebrities got married, announced their engagements or had children in 2018, but there was also a share of heartbreak and splits. By far the biggest wedding of the year involved a coming-together of the worlds of showbiz and royalty as Britain's Prince Harry and former U.S. actress Meghan Markle got married. The pair wed in May in a dazzling ceremony that blended ancient English ritual with African American culture, infusing the 1,000-year-old British monarchy with a blast of modernity. One person who didn't want to comment on their much-anticipated nuptials was actress Emma Thompson. In a clip that soon went viral, she told a Reuters journalist who asked her about the wedding to 'just stop it' and said she was 'not going to talk about the royal wedding'. In October came the much-anticipated announcement that Meghan was pregnant with the couple's first child due in the spring of 2019. There were more royal nuptials in October too, when Princess Eugenie tied the knot with Jack Brooksbank and took a horse-drawn carriage tour around Windsor after the service. Eugenie, 28, daughter of the queen's third child, Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, tied the knot with Brooksbank, 32, in a traditional ceremony at Windsor Castle's 15th Century St George's Chapel. It was the same setting as the lavish wedding in May of Prince Harry and Meghan. In other royal news, Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate welcomed a son Louis Arthur Charles in April. The prince, who is fifth in line to the British throne, weighed 8 lbs 7oz at birth. British actress Keira Knightley, who has a young daughter, made headlines in October after she penned an essay for the book "Feminists Don't Wear Pink (And Other Lies)" talking about childbirth. Some outlets accused her of criticising Prince William's wife Kate's polished looks coming out of hospital soon after labour. "The comments that I made are purely about...are completely about our culture that silences women's truths and forces us all to hide. And I absolutely did not shame anybody in any way. In fact quite the opposite," Knightley told Reuters on the red carpet for her new film "Colette". It was not such happy news for two members of Hollywood royalty, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt -- the pair have sought to move forward with their long and sometimes bitter divorce this year. Jolie's attorney filed papers in Los Angeles Superior Court saying the actress wanted a judgement "returning the parties to single status during the calendar year 2018." Pitt and Jolie were married for two years and enjoyed a 10-year romance that had made the pair one of Hollywood's most glamorous couples. They have six children for whom she is seeking primary custody. Actress Michelle Williams quietly married in July, telling Vanity Fair magazine she never gave up on love after the death of her partner Heath Ledger 10 years ago. Williams, 38, the fiercely private Oscar-nominated star of 'Brokeback Mountain,' told the magazine that she married American indie musician Phil Elverum at a private ceremony in the rural Adirondacks region of upstate New York. Pop singer Justin Bieber married model Hailey Baldwin in a hush-hush civil ceremony in September. The couple dated in 2016 but had broken up. In June, they appeared together publicly, leading to speculation from fans that they had rekindled their romance. In a social media post in November, Bieber confirmed the pair were married, saying 'my wife is awesome' on his Instagram account. 'Saturday Night Live' star Pete Davidson confirmed in June that he and pop star Ariana Grande were engaged after dating for less than two months. But by October People Magazine and other U.S. media outlets reported the couple had called off their engagement. In early November Grande released a new surprise single titled 'Thank U, Next' in which she sings about her past relationships. British actor Hugh Grant, 58, married Swedish television producer Anna Eberstein, 39, with whom he has three children, at a low-key civil ceremony in London in May. Speaking about the union, after decades of deriding the idea of marriage, he said he tied the knot for a good reason. "Immigration people would say, alright, all the Grants through here, and I'd go through with my children. And all the others through there. She'd go through with the nannies. It wasn't right," the 'Love Actually' star said. Celebrity couple Zayn Malik and supermodel Gigi Hadid announced they had split up in March after two years of dating, with both posting statements of mutual love and respect. Malik, a former member of British boy band One Direction, and Hadid, a model for Victoria's Secret, Fendi and Tommy Hilfiger, gave no reason for the split. They have reportedly since rekindled their romance, sharing happy snaps on social media. In February, former 'Friends' star Jennifer Aniston and her husband Justin Theroux said that they were separating after less than three years of marriage. Aniston, 49, and 'The Leftovers' actor Theroux, 47, married in August 2015. "We have decided to announce our separation," the couple said in a joint statement. "This decision was mutual and lovingly made at the end of last year." Another separation was announced in November with the media reporting that Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro and his wife of more than 20 years had separated. In celebrity baby news, Kim Kardashian's new daughter with rapper husband Kanye West, named Chicago, was born in January to a surrogate -- the third child for the celebrity couple. Meanwhile, rapper Cardi B gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, in July. The parents (the father is rapper husband Offset) named the child Kulture Kiari Cephus, Cardi B said in an Instagram post that featured a nude pregnancy photo of the 25-year-old 'Be Careful' singer surrounded by flowers. And there was more happy news for actress Gwyneth Paltrow - who married producer Brad Falchuck. Nick Jonas and Priyanka Chopra tied the knot on December 1 and 2 in two separate ceremonies in India.

Marriage, divorce and pregnancies in a year of celeb weddings and splits

year-ender-2018

Year Ender 2018, News on Year Ender 2018, stories on Year Ender 2018, articles on Year Ender 2018, Year Ender 2018 stories at Wion, Year Ender 2018 news, Year Ender 2018 latest news

year ender-2018

In pics: NASA's five successful satellite missions in 2018

In pics: A busy year for ISRO with several rocket launches

In pics: Guests who made 2018 special

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi, Radhika Apte: Bollywood actors who created an impact on the digital space in 2018

Marriage, divorce and pregnancies in a year of celeb weddings and splits