A Policybazaar advertisement, aired during the high-stakes India-Pakistan ICC Champions Trophy match on JioHotstar on Sunday, has drawn sharp criticism for being "insensitive" and "vile". The ad, originally part of a campaign released over a year ago, features a grieving woman frustrated over her late husband's failure to buy term life insurance.
The woman is heard saying, "Main school ki fees kaise bharungi, ghar ka kharcha bhi hai..." (How will I pay the school fees? There are also household expenses...)
She then adds "Tum toh term life insurance liye bina hi chale gaye," (You left without even buying term life insurance) as the camera pans to a framed photograph of her late husband, garlanded, signifying his death.
Watch the ad here:
While the intent was to underline the importance of financial security for families, its execution left many viewers uncomfortable.
An X user wrote, "A man just passed away, and the first thing his wife does is blame him for not buying term insurance? This isn't financial awareness, it's just insensitive storytelling."
Am I the only one who finds this PolicyBazaar ad insanely insensitive?
— Siddharth (@SidKeVichaar) February 23, 2025
A man just passed away, and the first thing his wife does is blame him for not buying term insurance?
This isn't financial awareness, it's just insensitive storytelling.
#PolicyBazaar #INDvsPAK pic.twitter.com/mPEFfY9tNB
Another wrote, "It is not only insensitive, it is disgusting too. Grow up policybazaar. Pull this ad down & launch a sensible one."
It is not only insensitive, it is disgusting too.
— S. P. Singh (@spsingh1956) February 23, 2025
Grow up @policybazaar. Pull this ad down & launch a sensible one.
"The absolute disdain with which she delivers her line, gosh," a comment read.
The absolute disdain with which she delivers her line, gosh!
— NormySports (@Abhi22Rawat) February 23, 2025
Someone wrote, "Even the way the lady delivers her dialogues is full of rage towards her late husband. How insensitive the writers and makers of this ad can be. Absolutely vile."
Thought the same when I saw this ad. Even the way the lady delivers her dialogues is full of rage towards her late husband. How insensitive the writers and makers of this ad can be. Absolutely vile.
— prasanna (@pjtrundles) February 23, 2025
This wasn't the first time an advertisement faced backlash for its insensitive messaging. Last year, IndiGo's "Girl Power" campaign sparked outrage for allegedly misrepresenting feminism. The ad featured a female flight attendant standing inside an aircraft with the caption, "Escaping patriarchy at 800 kmph."
While the campaign aimed to celebrate women in aviation, it faced immediate backlash on social media. Critics argued that forcing women to wear makeup and high heels, and follow rigid appearance norms does not challenge patriarchy but instead reinforces gender stereotypes.
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