Alia Bhatt Trolled for Video Against Manja; Netizens Call Her a Hypocrite

Actress Alia Bhatt recently took to social media to highlight the dangers birds face due to manja used during the Makar Sankranti festival. She shared a message to raise awareness about birds getting injured or killed after becoming entangled in glass-coated kite strings.

Alia reposted an Instagram reel on her story explaining the harmful effects of manja on birds. The video claimed that nearly 1,000 birds die every year due to nylon threads coated with glass during the festive season. Along with the video, Alia wrote, “A little bit of love goes a long way,” and wished her followers a Happy Makar Sankranti.

The post was intended to encourage people to act responsibly and help injured birds if they came across any. However, the message soon triggered backlash on social media. Several users accused Alia of targeting traditions and questioned her right to speak on the issue. Screenshots of her Instagram story were widely circulated on platforms like X.

Many users pointed out that Alia is a global ambassador for luxury brand Gucci, which uses genuine leather products. They argued that this contradicted her message and labelled the actress a hypocrite. Old photographs of Alia wearing leather jackets were also shared, while some users criticised her personal lifestyle and food choices.

Amid the criticism, several supporters came out in her defence, stating that Alia never asked people to stop flying kites and merely shared information on how to help injured birds. Despite this, the actress continued to face online abuse. Some users even dragged her husband Ranbir Kapoor into the controversy, citing an old and unrelated statement.

The episode once again highlights how social media reacts sharply to perceived contradictions. In the digital age, celebrities remain under constant scrutiny, where even well-intentioned messages can quickly snowball into widespread controversy.