Saiyaara actress Aneet Padda, who became a national crush after her debut in the 2025 film alongside Ahaan Panday, is now at the centre of a massive social media storm — and it has nothing to do with her own actions.
Her sister, Reet Padda — a marketing specialist based in Paris — ignited a full-blown controversy on March 27, 2026 after her Instagram comments calling Dhurandhar 2, The Kashmir Files, and The Kerala Story "propaganda films" went viral across X (formerly Twitter).
What Reet Padda Said
Reet responded to a social media user who had challenged her views on politically charged films. In a lengthy comment, she wrote: "For Dhurandhar, it literally serves as a government-friendly narrative, using political speeches to justify, say, the minor hiccup of demonetisation. Call it propaganda? Yep. Deny it? Not a chance."
She also targeted The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story, alleging the films used inflated statistics and pushed selective narratives. Additionally, she criticised Priyanka Chopra Jonas for not speaking up about ongoing global conflicts during the Oscars 2026, while her co-presenter Javier Bardem had publicly voiced support for Palestine.
Internet Erupts — Aneet Gets the Blame
Despite Reet being the one who made the comments, netizens immediately directed their anger at Aneet, who had not said anything publicly. X was flooded with reactions:
- "Reet Padda mocking Priyanka Chopra and calling Dhurandhar a propaganda movie — she is seriously damaging her sister's career big time."
- "Her sister ruined her career."
- "More people need to talk about Aneet Padda's political views so nationalists don't spend money on her future movies."
Users also pointed out that Aneet had previously followed controversial American podcaster Hasan Piker — who had called India a "terrorist state" — on social media. Aneet reportedly unfollowed him after her PR team noticed the backlash, which only added fuel to the fire.
Reet Padda Deletes Instagram
Following the intense trolling, Reet first made her Instagram account private on Saturday. By March 29, 2026, her account was no longer visible when searched for. India TV News The account has since been fully deleted.
Aneet Padda, who made her big debut as lead actress in the 2025 film Saiyaara alongside debutant Ahaan Panday, became a national crush overnight after her breakthrough performance. Free Press Journal She has not issued any public statement regarding the controversy so far.
Where Things Stand
Aneet Padda has stayed completely silent — no statement, no post, no acknowledgement. Whether this is a deliberate PR strategy or genuine shock at the scale of the backlash is unclear.
Dhurandhar 2 was released in theatres on March 19, with paid premieres held on March 18. The film has already collected over ₹580 crore net in India. IBTimes India The massive box office success of the film has made any criticism of it — or perceived association with such criticism — extremely sensitive among its large fanbase.
Reet's account deletion has done little to stop the spread of the screenshots, which continue to circulate widely on X. Meanwhile, Aneet's Bollywood career, which was just taking off after Saiyaara's success, now faces an uncertain moment — all because of her sister's Instagram comments.