On the occasion of the festival, Varma wrote,
“Diwali is only one day in India, but in Gaza, it’s Diwali every day.”
The post quickly drew widespread criticism from social media users, who accused the director of being insensitive and disrespectful. Many called his comparison between the joyous festival of lights and the ongoing conflict in Gaza deeply inappropriate.
Author Ashok Kumar Pandey expressed his disappointment, writing, “Never thought you would turn out like this.”
Other users reacted sharply, commenting that Varma lacked empathy and failed to understand the difference between celebration and destruction. One user wrote, “A Diwali like Gaza may reach your homes too, Modi is slowly taking you there,” while another said, “May your life never become a Gaza-like Diwali.”
Frequent controversies
Ram Gopal Varma often makes headlines more for his social media statements than his films. In the past, he faced legal complaints for making offensive remarks about President Droupadi Murmu, and another for allegedly defaming Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his family on social media in November 2024.
He has also drawn attention for his comments on other public issues. Recently, he criticized celebrities opposing the Supreme Court’s order to remove stray dogs from Delhi-NCR streets within eight weeks, saying that “if they truly love dogs, they should keep them at home.”
Celebrities like Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Malaika Arora had earlier voiced disagreement with that court ruling.
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