Thumbnail War! Janhvi Kapoor vs Dhruv Rathee Sparks Social Media Storm

Actor Janhvi Kapoor and YouTuber Dhruv Rathee landed in a controversy in late December 2025 over the timing and thumbnail of Rathee’s video on cosmetic surgeries in Bollywood.

On December 25, Kapoor shared an Instagram story condemning the lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, calling it “barbaric” and urging people to speak up. About five hours later, Rathee released a 25-minute YouTube video on “fake beauty” in Bollywood, featuring Janhvi’s alleged before-and-after images prominently in the thumbnail.

The proximity of the two posts triggered backlash, with several social media users accusing Rathee of targeting Kapoor in retaliation for her post. The issue gained traction after influencer Orry defended Kapoor, calling Rathee “anti-nationalist”.

As reels and posts went viral, netizens debated whether the thumbnail was a deliberate attempt to mock Kapoor, fuelling speculation across platforms.

Rathee later responded with a follow-up video, denying any link between his content and Kapoor’s Bangladesh post. He said there was no intent to target her and urged viewers not to believe misinformation without reasoning.

The controversy continues to trend across social media.