Dunes Aviation sues Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi for ₹3 crore over 'toy plane' Instagram videos
Why It MattersThe dispute highlights how charter operators' commercial reputation and bookings can be exposed to viral social-media criticism from high-profile clients.
Indian charter operator Dunes Aviation has filed a civil suit in a Gandhinagar court seeking ₹3 crore in damages from Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi over Instagram videos in which she described the company's aircraft as a "toy plane" and a "Lego plane." The suit states that Fatehi and her team chartered a Cessna Citation CJ2, registration VT-NDA, operated by Dunes Aviation, for a flight from Mumbai to Jaipur on December 14, 2025, and that she posted videos to her verified Instagram account, which has 46.6 million followers, including one saying: "It's a toy; this is what we get when you order an airplane from Amazon."
Dunes Aviation contends the Cessna Citation CJ2 is an industry-standard business jet used for short- to medium-range travel and that it operates in full compliance with regulations and safety directives issued by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The company said Fatehi questioned the aircraft's safety without technical knowledge of aviation safety, and claims its bookings dropped 15-20% within 45-50 days of the videos circulating.
The company is seeking damages for reputational harm, loss of goodwill, and commercial disparagement, and has asked the court to order Fatehi to remove the posts, saying a prior legal notice sent to her went unanswered. The Gandhinagar civil court has issued a notice to Fatehi, and the case is at the rejoinder stage, with a hearing scheduled for September 25.
