Why did Nora Fatehi call a private jet ‘Lego Airplane’? The comment that led to Rs 3-crore defamation case

A social media video in which Bollywood actor Nora Fatehi reportedly described a chartered aircraft as a “Lego airplane” has now landed her in a Rs 3-crore civil defamation case.

Aviation company Dunes Aviation has filed the suit against Fatehi before a court in Gandhinagar, alleging that her remarks about one of its chartered aircraft damaged the company's reputation and affected its business.

The case is scheduled to be heard by the court of Senior Civil Judge R Agarwal on September 25.

What is the Nora Fatehi ‘Lego airplane’ controversy?

The controversy dates back to December last year, when Fatehi travelled from Mumbai to Jaipur in a Cessna Citation CJ2 aircraft operated by Dunes Aviation.

During the journey, the actor recorded videos and later shared them on her Instagram account. In the videos, she reportedly referred to the aircraft as a “miniature”, a “toy” and a “Lego airplane”.

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Those comments are now at the centre of the legal dispute.

Dunes Aviation has alleged that the actor's remarks were made irresponsibly and without any technical knowledge or factual verification. The company argued that the videos created a negative perception about the aircraft among potential customers.

Aviation company claims bookings dropped after videos

According to the civil suit, Fatehi's massive social media reach amplified the impact of her comments. The actor has more than 4.6 crore followers on Instagram.

Dunes Aviation claimed the remarks caused serious reputational damage and loss of goodwill, while also affecting its commercial operations.

The company has alleged that bookings fell by around 15 to 20 per cent and cancellations increased following the circulation of the videos.

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The aviation firm has maintained that the aircraft was suitable for the Mumbai-Jaipur journey and was not an unsafe or improperly operated plane.

It stated that the Cessna Citation CJ2 was fully certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), airworthy and legally operated under a valid NSOP.

Dunes Aviation seeks Rs 3 crore and removal of posts

The company filed the suit in April this year, seeking Rs 3 crore in damages from Fatehi over the alleged reputational and commercial losses.

Apart from monetary compensation, Dunes Aviation has also asked the court to direct the immediate removal of social media content containing the statements or references to the aircraft.

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The company has further sought a public clarification from the actor.

The case has drawn attention to how comments made casually on social media, particularly by celebrities with millions of followers, can have consequences beyond the platform.

The Gandhinagar court will hear the matter on September 25.

With PTI inputs