Nia Sharma, Ankita Lokhande and other TV actors trolled for turning backs towards Ganpati Idol while making reel

Nia Sharma and Ankita Lokhande and other TV actors trolled

Celebration for Ganesh Chaturthi is in full bloom across the country, as stars and devotees are joining in the festivities.

In a recent video which feautres popular television actors like Nia Sharma, Ankita Lokhande, has sparked a debate online, raising questions about how social media has begun to shape traditional celebrations.

The clip, which quickly went viral, shows Nia Sharma, Ankita Lokhande, newlywed Lauren Gottlieb, Arjun Bijlani’s wife Neha Swami, and several other familiar faces chanting “Ganpati Bappa Morya” enthusiastically while clapping in celebration. However, what drew criticism was that the group had their backs turned towards the idol of Lord Ganesha while doing so.

For many viewers, this came across as disrespectful. One social media user remarked: “Reel banane ka koi mauka mat chooko! Shayad isi viral video ka yahi sandesh hai. Pooja ke dauraan Bhagwan ki taraf peeth nahi karni chahiye. Mauke ka pura fayda uthana zaroori hai, bas yahi dikh raha hai!!”

रील बनाने का कोई मौक़ा मत चूको!!
कुछ यही संदेश सम्भवतः इस वायरल वीडियो से निकलकर आ रहा है। कभी भी पूजा पाठ के दौरान भगवान की तरफ़ पीठ नहीं करते हैं। मौक़ा भुनाने का कोई मौक़ा नहीं चूकना!! pic.twitter.com/Y2e16kfE7o

— SANJAY TRIPATHI (@sanjayjourno) September 1, 2025

Others were even harsher in their judgement. A user wrote: “90% log sirf mauj lene, dikhaave hetu tyohaar manaate hai!! Chaahe jis bhi dharam athva samudaay ke ho!! Mera aise logon se nivedan hai ki paap mat paale! Anyatha jab marne lagenge to bhi Bhagwan ko hie dosh denge!! Saatvik bane!! Sadachari bane! Nirlajjata phailaana band kare!! (“90% of people celebrate festivals just for fun and show-off!! No matter which religion or community they belong to!! My request to such people is, don’t accumulate sin! Otherwise, when the time of death comes, you’ll end up blaming God!! Be pure!! Be virtuous!! Stop spreading shamelessness!!)"

On X (formerly Twitter), another comment read: “Ye Bhagwan ki pooja nahin uska majaak bana rahe hai mobile par reel banaane ki pagal panti ne desh ko barbaad kar diya gaya hai.. Koi bhi jagah ho kahi bhi ho pooja ho ya shok sabha sab jagah reel banaane ki is pagalpan ne logon ko paagal bana diya hai.. (This is not worship of God, but making a mockery of Him. The madness of making reels on mobile has ruined the country. Wherever it is — be it a place of worship or even a condolence meeting — this craze for filming reels has made people go mad).”

Also Read: Salman Khan visits Ashish Shelar's Ganpati Madal in Mumbai, watch here 

Amid the online storm, actor Arjun Bijlani, who is known to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with great devotion, posted a heartfelt video from his own visarjan. Sharing his gratitude, he wrote: “These 3 days with Bappa just flew in a blink… Our home feels extra blessed with everyone who came to seek Bappa’s blessings… Ganpati Bappa Morya pudhchya varshi laukar ya, because we already miss you. With love, Arjun, Neha & Ayaan!”

The incident has highlighted the fine line between celebrating traditions and performing for social media. While the festival remains a symbol of unity, joy, and devotion, many devotees are calling for greater mindfulness and respect during rituals.