Controversy Erupts as YouTuber Payal Malik Apologizes Over Goddess Kali Video, Performs Community Service

Popular YouTuber Armaan Malik and his wives Payal and Kritika often attract both admiration and criticism on social media. This time, the family has landed in controversy after Payal Malik released a video in which she dressed as Goddess Kali—a move that sparked significant backlash online.

Payal Malik issued a public apology at the outset, saying, “First of all, I want to sincerely apologize to everyone for my video. My daughter is a devoted follower of Goddess Kali and always chants her name. I thought of creating this look for my daughter, but perhaps I made a big mistake.”

The issue quickly gained traction, with national secretary Deepanshu Sood stating that Payal’s actions had hurt the religious sentiments of many. Following the uproar, Payal Malik travelled to Patiala, where she visited the Kali Mata temple and sought forgiveness publicly. She also explained her intention behind the video, reiterating that her daughter Tooba is an ardent devotee of the goddess and that the video was made with no intention to offend anyone.

Along with her apology, Payal urged other influencers not to repeat such actions. As penance, she was asked to perform an hour of community service at the temple, which included washing dishes and serving food to those attending the temple’s community meal (bhandara).

A video of Payal’s apology and her temple service soon went viral across social media platforms, eliciting diverse reactions from the public. One user commented, “There’s nothing wrong in what she did. This world is simply like that. Don’t worry, Payal di, we are with you.” Another wrote, “It’s normal here; dressing as the goddess is a part of religious events. People are just looking for someone to blame.” Some questioned the outrage, “What’s wrong in this? She just recreated the look of the goddess—there’s nothing offensive about it.”

A few social media users, however, expressed sadness over the situation. “I feel bad. This should not have happened. Payal was not at all wrong,” one comment read.

While Payal Malik has apologized and completed her service, the debate continues online. What do you think—was Payal at fault? Share your opinion in the comments section, and for more updates like this, subscribe to Bollywood Pe Charcha.