Ahead of the release of Ramayana: Part 1, Sai Pallavi has made headlines—but for all the wrong reasons. The actress recently arrived at the promotions of the film in London wearing an outfit from the brand Zara, which doesn’t sit well with a section of the internet who are criticizing the actress’s choice and demanding her stylist’s dismissal. The actress’s look has triggered heated debate over fashion choices and styling decisions.
Stepping onto the promotional stage, Sai Pallavi opted against the traditional or formal glamorous attire typical of international movie junkets. She chose a comfortable and chic look, wearing a top and bottom from Zara. She opted for a silk ivory shirt-like top with full sleeves and a collar, teamed with a black printed loose bottom. Keeping her hair open with barely any makeup, she looked gorgeous. The toe-point heels from Charles & Keith elevated her understated look.
As soon as promotional images and videos surfaced on social media platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), fans and fashion critics expressed absolute disbelief at the lack of formal styling for a global movie launch. The criticism primarily focused on the outfit’s oversized silhouette, the untucked shirt, and the missed opportunity to showcase Indian heritage on an international stage:
A user posted a sarcastic comment saying, “The only appropriate instance of this outfit would be 65 yr-old Buaji going to a family dinner. This stylist needs to be fired.”
Another user expressed frustration over the overly casual nature of the event, stating: “I get that she isn’t presented as a glamorous star in public appearances, but girl wtf. I took my passport photo more seriously than she’s taking GLOBAL movie promotions.”
A third comment pointed out the lack of structure: “Tuck in the shirt at least? How is this real? Was at a medical conference yesterday and people were dressed so smart and sharply. You can do conservative clothing but still make it look smart and crisp. Wtaf is this outfit. Might as well wear some pyjamas.”
One user wrote, “She is just ragebaiting. Pick me, final boss.”
A user compared her look to Deepika Padukone, known for carrying oversized fashion, citing, “The clothes don’t suit cos of her stature. She is no Deepika to be able to carry everything baggy and topwear not even tucked in.”
The other user, in brief, compared her usual choice to the one she wore for Ramayana promotions and wrote, “She is famous for wearing traditional attire not matter the occassion and her aggressive PR always makes videos showing other actresses wearing revealing sarees/dresses whereas Sai only wears a saree, that too without makeup, no matter what the show/occasion is. Now, she is portraying Sita in Ramayana, and they are doing a promotion in London, and they chose to style her like this. Wtf. This was the right time to showcase our ‘tradition’ – and she wears this. Wah bhai wah..”
Ramayana: Part 1 is directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Namit Malhotra (Prime Focus Studios / DNEG) and Yash (Monster Mind Creations), with a worldwide theatrical release scheduled for November 5, 2026.