Indian filmmaker and producer Ram Gopal Varma has sparked global outrage after posting on X, “In INDIA only one day is DIWALI and in GAZA, every day is DIWALI,” a remark widely condemned for its cruelty and for mocking the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Prominent journalists, writers, and activists denounced the filmmaker’s statement as an act of moral decay and absolute insensitivity.
In INDIA only one day is DIWALI and in GAZA, every day is DIWALI
— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) October 20, 2025
Award-winning journalist Rana Ayyub reposted the message, writing: “Repeating: What is left for a virus to kill in a morally corrupt nation.”
Journalist and columnist Sara Ather said: “People outside India cannot even begin to comprehend the absolute gutter level of politics that is mainstream in India and is very much advocated by Indian celebrities.”
Academic and activist Rakhi Tripathi condemned the lack of empathy, saying: “Diwali is about hope, light, and renewal. Gaza is about survival. This man doesn’t know the difference between celebration and devastation. Cruel he is.”
Ali Asad described Varma’s statement as reflective of a “truly disgusting society,” adding that “these are the only people in the world who are worse than Israelis because they choose to be Zionist slaves.”
The post comes amid global outrage over the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, where thousands of civilians have been killed by the Israeli occupation.
Varma’s attempt to compare a festival of joy with scenes of massacre and despair was condemned as trivializing human suffering. Social media platforms were flooded with calls for accountability, with many urging X to act against posts that spread hate and mock mass killings.
As of now, Ram Gopal Varma has not issued any apology or clarification.
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