Year Ender 2025: Biggest controversies in Indian films

Here we take a look at the most talked-about controversies from the Indian film industry that captured public attention and generated major headlines.

Kangana Ranaut's Emergency

A poster of Kangana Ranaut starrer Emergency.

Actress and politician Kangana Ranaut's film became a centre point, facing a ban from Bangladeshi authorities and sparking widespread domestic dispute, including protests in several parts of India.

Ban on Pakistani Artists

A collage of Hania Amir and Fawad Khan

The ban on Pakistani artists was reimposed after the deadly Pahalgam attack in April 2025. Severe steps were taken, including an immediate ban on the release of a film starring Fawad Khan. Similarly, Diljit Dosanjh's Punjabi film Sardaar 3 also faced trouble due to the involvement of a Pakistani actress, Hania Amir.

Anurag Kashyap on Brahmin Community

Director Anurag Kashyap.

During an online defence of his film against casteism, Kashyap made a highly abusive and derogatory remark towards the Brahmin community. His comment caused widespread public outrage, leading to legal troubles in Jaipur and Raipur. Kashyap reported receiving serious threats following the incident, including rape and death threats to him and his family.

Babil Khan's Online Outburst

Babil Khan

In May 2025, Babil Khan took to his Instagram story to post a highly emotional and tearful video, where he publicly criticised people in the showbiz. Appearing visibly upset, he accused Bollywood of being 'fake' and 'rude' and specifically referenced several actors and musicians during his video.

Saif Ali Khan Attack

Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence after he was discharged from Lilavati Hospital, in Mumbai, on Tuesday.

On a sudden night, a thief entered Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan’s residence and got into a physical fight. The attack left Saif seriously injured and required hospitalisation for a couple of days.

Deepika Padukone's departure from high-profile films

Deepika Padukone

Deepika's departure from big-budget films such as Spirit and Kalki 2898 AD triggered a massive industry debate. This action was reportedly a consequence of her demand for fixed working hours and additional benefits.

Kamal Haasan Language Controversy

Kamal Haasan

Kamal Haasan landed in trouble during the Thug Life film promotion after making a provocative linguistic claim at the audio launch. He stated, 'Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil,' following a preface where he positioned Tamil as his core identity and other languages as family members.

Ranveer Singh IFFI 2025 Controversy

Ranveer Singh

Ranveer Singh sparked controversy at IFFI 2025 after imitating the Daiva ritualistic act, performed by Rishab Shetty in Kantara, and subsequently referring to the character as a 'female ghost'.

Aryan Khan vs Sameer Wankhede

A collage of Sameer Wankhede and Aryan Khan.

NCB officer Sameer Wankhede filed a defamation suit against the makers of Aryan Khan's directorial debut on Netflix. He filed a complaint alleging that the OTT show deliberately mimicked his likeness, portraying him in a defamatory manner.

Kollywood Drug Burst

Tamil film actor Srikanth

Tamil film actor Srikant was arrested in connection with a drug case in Chennai in June 2025. His arrest came after the investigation of a former AIADMK member, Prasad, in connection with a major drug scandal.

Urvashi Rautela's Unconventional Remark

Urvashi Rautela

Urvashi Rautela stirred a storm on social media with a controversial remark during an interview. When asked about the attack, she conveniently shifted to discussing her expensive jewellery and her film's box office success (Daaku Maharaaj crossing Rs 105 crore), saying that she felt insecure wearing them openly. The comment drew massive public ire and backlash, prompting Urvashi to defend her intentions as misunderstood and eventually post a written apology on social media.