Axis Bank has sparked widespread outrage with its new advertisement campaign, Dil Se Open Celebration 2025, for featuring Santa Claus amid Navratri Garba celebrations and Diwali lights. The ad, released on the occasion of Navratri, shows a Garba dance in full swing when Santa Claus suddenly makes an appearance to promote Axis Bank’s credit card and EMI offers, running from Navratri through Diwali and extending to Christmas.
In the advertisement, Santa, typically associated with Christmas, appears in the midst of Hindu festivals, seemingly to convey a message of “festivals belong to everyone” and “celebrations should transcend religious boundaries.” Many viewers, however, saw it as an unwarranted insertion of a Christian symbol into Hindu traditions.
Axis Bank is Celebrating Navratri with Santa Claus
Heights of demeaning a Hindu Festival@AxisBank – Retract this Ad immediately or face Boycott Calls!
RT Max Guys! Axis Bank needs to be taught a lesson pic.twitter.com/IEaFbU4pNW
— The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) September 22, 2025
Critics argue that Axis Bank is following a familiar marketing playbook, using Hindu festivals as platforms to preach “secularism” while leaving other religious festivals untouched. Observers pointed out similar patterns in previous campaigns, such as Tanishq’s controversial 2020 Diwali ad, which drew backlash for highlighting interfaith relationships during Hindu celebrations.
Following the backlash, Axis deleted the video from their X handle.
Netizen Reactions
Netizens expressed their anger and frustration at Axis Bank for making such an advertisement especially during the holy festival of Navratri.
The campaign has triggered an online uproar, with social media users accusing Axis Bank of “Christianising” Hindu festivals and calling for the ad to be withdrawn. On Twitter/X, hashtags demanding a boycott of Axis Bank began trending.
The Christianization of Navratri?@AxisBank is mocking Hinduism by depicting Santa Claus distributing gifts during Navratri and plans to continue this throughout all upcoming Hindu festivals!https://t.co/je5a6dXOpN
— Treeni (@TheTreeni) September 22, 2025
Santa Celebrating Navratri
Who so ever planned this Axis Bank add wants to Propagate Christian Agenda
We have Business Banking with Axis, if they don’t remove this Ad, we are moving to another bank and closing those accounts pic.twitter.com/RjojVEPU2O
— The Jaipur Dialogues (@JaipurDialogues) September 22, 2025
Santa has absolutely nothing to do with Navratri or Hinduism. Keep your cheap marketing stunts away from our festival @AxisBank 🤡 pic.twitter.com/5VMDgxwVeF
— Cosmoshiv 🚩 (@TrinetraWrath) September 22, 2025
Seriously @AxisBank ? Santa Claus is going to distribute gifts during Navratri & Diwali ?
Have you lost it completely? Sack your agency & fire your Marketing Team for dishing out such nonsense pic.twitter.com/bHJ2UIxFa9
— Sameer (@BesuraTaansane) September 22, 2025
Why Santa Claus is required in the Ad based on Navratri theme ?
Axis Bank Christianizes Hindu festival Navratri
Do they have guts to show Krishna in the Ad based on Christmas celebration or Eid ?
Then why Santa Claus in Navratri ads ? 😈😈 pic.twitter.com/VeRLWqDis2
— Sheetal Chopra 🇮🇳 (@SheetalPronamo) September 22, 2025
(With inputs from OpIndia)
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