Filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan faced a wave of online criticism after a video captured her declining a traditional tilak on her forehead during a public appearance. The circulating footage showed a woman attempting to apply the customary greeting mark, prompting the Main Hoon Na director to politely ask for the tilak to be placed on her hand instead, a modification she accepted.
The brief interaction quickly gained traction across social media platforms, dividing opinion among viewers. Several users expressed displeasure over her decision not to follow the conventional forehead application method, with some accounts attempting to frame the interaction along communal lines and questioning her response to the cultural ritual.
Critics on platforms like X raised objections to her choice, comparing personal preferences to religious practices and questioning her stance on traditional customs. At the same time, numerous other users defended the filmmaker, arguing that individuals should be free to decide how they engage with cultural or religious ceremonies and criticizing the escalation of a minor interaction into a wider controversy. Supporters emphasized that personal boundaries and individual choice should be respected without outside coercion.
Separately, Farah Khan recently co-hosted the reality program Lock Upp: Sach ya Sazaa alongside Riteish Deshmukh.