A few days ago, Ankita shared pictures from her trip to Abu Dhabi with her businessman husband Vicky Jain.
Hijab Look Sparks Online Debate
In one of the posts, Ankita was seen wearing a hijab — a headscarf commonly worn by Muslim women — while reportedly visiting a religious site in the UAE capital.
While many fans appreciated the actor’s respectful attire, a section of social media users criticised her choice of clothing.
One user named Akansha Sharma commented, “Why is she wearing a hijaab?”
Another wrote, “Did she convert to Muslim???”
Some followers even threatened to unfollow the actor, who is best known for her role in the television show Pavitra Rishta.
Similar Troll Row Faced By Deepika Padukone
Ankita Lokhande is not the first Indian celebrity to face online backlash over attire worn in a religious or cultural setting.
Last year, Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone was similarly trolled after appearing in an abaya in a tourism advertisement for Abu Dhabi.
Deepika featured alongside her actor husband Ranveer Singh in the “Experience Abu Dhabi” campaign, created under the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi.
Remember Deepika Padukone’s “My Choice”? Where individual freedom sparkled in Vogue lights “to wear a bindi or not, my choice.”
— Tathvam-asi (@tathvamasi6) October 7, 2025
Cut to Abu Dhabi: she’s in a hijab, promoting tourism, and “My Choice” is suddenly sponsored by local tradition. Apparently, Brahmanical Patriarchy… https://t.co/oYGaqi8aHI pic.twitter.com/sVTf8inTsC
In one clip, Deepika was seen visiting the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with her body covered except for her face and hands, in keeping with the mosque’s dress code.
While some social media users accused Deepika of “double standards” citing her glamorous film appearances, others referenced her past “My Choice” campaign for Vogue India, where she had spoken about women’s freedom of choice.