Anna Hazare beats Katrina Kaif

Bollywood may want better luck in the new year. Social activist Anna Hazaare has trumped the glamour industry to become the biggest newsmaker this year.

In a year-in-review conducted by entertainment portal Yahoo! India, Hazare, who mobilised millions of people in his anti-corruption

drive and subsequent fast at Ramlila Maidan this year, emerged as the top newsmaker, followed by cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Bollywood makes an entry only in the third place, with Katrina Kaif. 
Anna
Industry experts see this as a “welcome change”. Filmmaker Onir Anirban says, “It is a blessing. The fact that Anna Hazare is the biggest newsmaker of 2011 reflects that we Indians are more politically and socially aware. It is great to see that people get politically engaged and less obsessed with Bollywood.”

Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt adds, “If people are more curious about social icon Anna Hazare than a Bollywood icon like Katrina Kaif, it shows that India is moving to another sphere.”

Communication consultant Alyque Padamsee says, “Youngsters connect with what Anna stands for. This shows he is a stronger influence than Bollywood.” Bollywood however, made news for the stars’ personal lives, especially star babies. Actor Aishwarya Bachchan, Konkona Sen and Lara Dutta’s pregnancies were hugely followed by users.
Katrina most downloaded
Katrina Kaif may have lost out to an anti-corruption icon and sportsperson in the online world, but the actor stayed ahead of her contemporaries, as the most downloaded female celeb on mobile phones.

In a report by Airtel mobitude 2011, Kat, who was seen in films like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Mere Brother Ki Dulhan this year, is followed by actors Deepika Padukone, Kareena Kapoor and Jacqueline Fernandez. Among the males, Shah Rukh Khan is the most downloaded. Salman Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Imran Khan are second, third and fourth respectively.

Howzzat?
Some bizzare stories also generated user interest; PETA launching a porn site, a woman giving birth to her grandchild and that kissing can cause cavities. UK’s royal wedding,  Kolaveri, Poschim Bongo (the new name for West Bengal)  and DK Bose emerged as the hottest buzzwords.