Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri took to social media to announce that he was deleting his controversial 'sofa caught fire' Diwali post after facing backlash over his remarks. Explaining his decision, Agnihotri said he did not want to hurt anyone's cultural or environmental sentiments or become a reason for further outrage. He subsequently deleted the earlier post and wished everyone a Happy Diwali once again.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Agnihotri wrote, "I am deleting my previous tweet." Explaining his decision, he added, "Neither do I want to be the reason for anyone’s outrage nor do I want to enable or weaken anyone’s cultural or environmental narrative." The filmmaker then extended his Diwali wishes to his followers once again.
Agnihotri's decision came after he was called out for bringing culture into the debate while criticising the use of firecrackers during Diwali. His earlier 'sofa caught fire' remark had sparked a discussion online, with several users questioning his take on the festival and its environmental impact.
Vivek Agnihotri's now-deleted post followed a fire scare at his Mumbai residence on November 8, when an errant firecracker rocket reportedly landed on his balcony and set a sofa ablaze. The filmmaker revealed that his pet dogs alerted the family in time and the sofa's fire-resistant fabric helped prevent a bigger accident. Sharing the incident, he questioned Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde over fire safety, writing, "Last night, our balcony sofa caught fire after being hit by an errant rocket. Thankfully, our dogs alerted us in time, and the fire-resistant fabric helped prevent a potentially serious accident."
Taking a dig at the justification of firecrackers in the name of tradition, Agnihotri wrote, "Who doesn’t love celebrating Diwali? But errant rockets are not a cultural pride, they are a fire hazard. Our great culture doesn’t permit us to put innocent lives, homes and property at risk." He also called for stricter enforcement of safety rules and accountability from authorities, making his post a wider comment on firecracker-related hazards during the festivities.
