What began as a well-intentioned public awareness initiative by the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) Chandigarh division quickly escalated into a social media storm, after Bollywood actor Alia Bhatt was featured in a video urging citizens to reject drug use. Part of the bureau’s larger mission for a “Drugs-Free Bharat,” the campaign was met with an unexpectedly critical reception.
The video was circulated on NCB’s official Twitter handle in order to create awareness and seek e-pledges against drugs. Bhatt, lending her star appeal to the cause, spoke on the dangers drug addiction posed to the society and urged the viewers to support the bureau’s nationwide campaign. However, it seems that the attempt to capitalize on a celebrity voice may have merely worked against them.
Though the video amassed over 1.1 million views and was reshared more than 680 times, the response was overwhelmingly negative. After receiving just six comments—all disapproving—the NCB disabled replies on the post. This decision stood out, especially since other posts on the account remained open for public interaction.
Other detractors in social media questioned using the Bollywood personality as the face of an anti-drug campaign, pointing towards the industry’s tarnished reputation when it comes to drug allegations. The irony of the whole message was a common thread running through many user posts on quote-retweet to mock the campaign and its ambassador. Alia was not spared, with her personal ties, like her wedding to actor Ranbir Kapoor, providing fuel for sharp critique.
Another angle of criticism was leveled at the campaign’s method of asking citizens to take an online pledge. The detractors believed that such symbolic gestures rarely have any say-so in tangible real-world change and, by their logic, all such efforts are merely performative.
Alia Bhatt, among the most prominent names in contemporary Hindi cinema, has yet to respond to the backlash. She recently starred in Jigra and is slated for major upcoming releases including Love and War and Alpha.
The episode highlights the volatile intersection of celebrity culture, public discourse, and state-backed social initiatives—where intentions often get lost in translation amid the scrutiny of a digital audience.
