Artist clarifies she painted Lord Ganesha on a transparent sheet during flight after backlash

Mitali Salunke, an innovative Indian artist, created a stunning portrayal of Lord Ganesha on a transparent sheet while in mid-flight. The viral video ignited discussions on social media, with many viewers incorrectly assuming she painted directly on the airplane window. Salunke later clarified that her artwork was on a removable sheet, showcasing the creative blend of travel and artistic freedom amidst mixed reactions from the public.

Indian artist Mitali Salunke found herself at the centre of an online debate after a video showing her painting Lord Ganesha during a flight went viral on social media.The clip, originally shared by Salunke on Instagram on September 21, showed her creating a colourful artwork of Lord Ganesha against what appeared to be an aircraft window. The unusual setting quickly caught the attention of social media users, with several assuming that she had painted directly onto the plane’s window.The video later made its way to X, where some users criticised the artist and questioned whether her actions could have damaged the aircraft or violated aviation-related rules.Mitali Salunke’s Ganesha Painting Sparks Online BacklashIn the video, Salunke can be seen first sketching an outline before filling it with vibrant colours to create an image of Bappa while travelling by air. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 1st Indian Luxurious Live Wedding Painter (@liveindianpainter) Sharing the video on Instagram, she wrote, “When you love painting Bappa, And can’t make up to mandap while travelling … Finding new canvas while we travel."While the artwork itself drew attention, much of the discussion centred on the apparent use of an aircraft window as a canvas.“Everywhere they go, [they] damage property," one X user commented.Another user wrote, “That’s disgusting. Hopefully it got fined and arrested for graffiti," while a third suggested, “No fly list for property damage,” assuming that the aircraft had been painted on directly.The video also prompted questions about aircraft safety. One social media user pointed out, “Windows are not supposed to be obstructed especially during takeoff/landing."Another commenter raised concerns about the possible impact of placing material against an aircraft window, writing, “You’re not supposed to do this because the outside air can be -70F. The outside is glass while a thick acrylic pane is on the inside. By putting anything over the windows directly touching the acrylic you cause the reflection of the sun to intensely heat the area between damaging."Artist Clarifies She Did Not Paint On Aircraft WindowAmid the criticism, Salunke stepped in to clarify how the artwork had actually been made.Responding to comments on Instagram, the artist said that she had not painted directly on the airplane window. Instead, the artwork was made on a transparent sheet placed against the window, creating the visual impression that she was painting on the aircraft itself.“It’s on transparent sheet," Salunke clarified in the comments.She also shared a photograph showing herself holding the completed artwork, further demonstrating that the painting was created on a separate transparent sheet rather than on the aircraft window.