Recently, Garena’s Free Fire Esports team faced criticism after releasing a trailer for the Free Fire World Series (FFWS) Global Final 2024. The promotional video, shared across various regional channels, showcased a character running up a marble stairway decorated with cultural graphics intended to celebrate global diversity. However, the stairway featured intricate designs and cultural symbols, including "Ram Darbar" displayed on the risers instead of the treads. This placement led to controversy, with many viewers feeling it disrespected a revered figure in Hinduism.
In Hindu culture, Ram is viewed as more than a deity; he symbolizes righteousness and the ideal way of life. The placement of the Ram Darbar emblem on a stairway concerned many fans, who believed it diminished its significance. Even though the video depicted the character jumping over the emblem instead of stepping on it, viewers in India and Indonesia—where Ram is deeply revered—considered the portrayal insensitive.