Alia Bhatt in NCB campaign: Bollywood star Alia Bhatt recently stepped into a role far removed from her usual on-screen characters. In a short video released by the Chandigarh division of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), she urged people to reject drugs and support a “#DrugsFreeBharat.” But instead of applause, the clip quickly became the center of online criticism, forcing the agency to switch off comments.
The video, posted on NCB’s official X (formerly Twitter) handle last week, showed Alia addressing the nation in her calm, earnest style.
“Hello friends, I am Alia Bhatt. Today I want to talk about a very serious issue of drug addiction and how it’s becoming a threat to our life, society, and nation,” she said.
She encouraged viewers to take an e-pledge against drugs via a QR code and highlighted the bureau’s efforts in curbing substance abuse.
The caption read: “Alia Bhatt joins hands with NCB to spread the message of a #DrugsFreeBharat #NashaMuktBharat #azadifromdrugs.”
On paper, it was a campaign designed to inspire. But the internet had a very different reaction.
The backlash mainly stems from the perceived disconnect between Bollywood’s past controversies and the anti-drug message. Many netizens recalled videos and reports showing actors like Ranbir Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Malaika Arora, Vicky Kaushal, and Arjun Kapoor allegedly involved with substances.
One viral that surfaced after Sushant Singh Rajput’s death shows several Bollywood celebrities in situations linked to drug use.
You can see that video here:
Helt bent to revive bollywood. Sorry babu it won’t
No matter WHO is promoting WHO #BoycottBollywood will continue https://t.co/PTe8vyQwdj pic.x.com/mIr9FFTipS— Edwin ️ (@EdwinSo12455656) August 16, 2025
When Alia’s NCB video surfaced, netizens did not hold back. People began quote-retweeting and commenting critically, with remarks like “charity begins at home.”
Here are some reactions:
Charity begins at home https://t.co/Nx2Hk1hjvs
— Khalid (@BEINGKKHALID) August 15, 2025
Start from your home only https://t.co/s6VTVHk5cp
— kali singh (@kalisingh116556) August 15, 2025
I mean …… maybe it starts from your own house and all those pArTies – bollywood has every now and then. https://t.co/Bwrt7iDbaq
— kit ⁷ | on break (@greymagicshop) August 14, 2025
Who remembers this https://t.co/ctGY2i2PHd pic.x.com/yL5iFtGIRz
— Ju (@juvinyltrente) August 15, 2025
The NCB disabled comments on their post, likely anticipating growing criticism. But the discussion did not stop. Users continued debating and sharing the video across social media platforms.
While Alia herself has a relatively clean public image, netizens’ frustration with the broader industry clearly spilled over into responses to the video.
Despite criticism, NCB’s e-pledge initiative aims to engage citizens directly, emphasizing personal responsibility and collective action against substance abuse.