Ullu App or Cultural Exploitation? CEO Vibhu Agarwal Profits from Both Erotica and Devotion—Is This Hypocrisy?

Harshita Rai
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 5th May: In a country where culture and spirituality are held sacred, the shocking contrast emerging from the Ullu App controversy has sparked fierce debate. At the centre of it all is Vibhu Agarwal, the man running not just an OTT platform infamous for sleazy adult content, but also a devotional streaming service. As critics point fingers, one question is growing louder: Is this entrepreneurship or ethical bankruptcy?

Two Faces of the Same CEO

While the internet rages over the House Arrest series—especially a viral episode where host Eijaz Khan asks contestants vulgar and sexually explicit questions—the man behind the platform, Vibhu Agarwal, maintains another persona. In 2024, he launched Hari Om, a spiritual content platform showcasing mythological stories, religious chants, and bhakti serials. The juxtaposition is jarring.

How can the same individual claim to serve both sensuality and sanctity? Is this diversification or a calculated play to monetise India’s spiritual sentiments and sexual curiosity—both massive consumer markets?

NCW Summons the CEO: Moral Lines Crossed?

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken serious note of the explicit content aired on Ullu. A notice has been issued to Vibhu Agarwal and actor Eijaz Khan, summoning them on May 9. The Commission accuses the platform of promoting content that is not only morally offensive but borders on digital obscenity.

Political leaders, too, are weighing in. Several have demanded an immediate ban on Ullu App, citing “moral pollution” and “youth corruption.” Is this the breaking point for OTT freedom, or has Ullu finally gone too far?

A Profit-Driven Pattern?

This isn’t Agarwal’s first stint in business. From steel and cement to education and now digital media, he’s tried it all. But nothing has brought him the attention—or criticism—that Ullu has.

Launched in 2018, the app quickly gained notoriety for its adult-focused web series. In 2022, he attempted a cleaner image with Atrangi TV, offering family content. Then came music ventures and finally, Hari Om. But instead of restoring credibility, the spiritual content now appears to many as a thinly veiled strategy to mask moral contradictions.

Is Vibhu Agarwal building a media empire or simply cashing in on India’s deepest emotions—desire and devotion?

Public Outrage or Selective Outcry?

It also raises uncomfortable questions for the audience: Are we complicit? Ullu’s success didn’t happen in a vacuum. Millions downloaded the app, watched its content, and now, when the veil is lifted, outrage surges. Is this genuine concern or social media posturing?

While the NCW’s intervention is a welcome step, what about regulatory authorities? How has such content, often bordering on soft porn, continued without stricter oversight?

The Real Question

As Vibhu Agarwal prepares to appear before the Commission, one question looms: Can a single man be the face of both vulgarity and virtue, or is it time to choose?

Because when bhakti becomes branding and lust becomes livelihood, what’s left of our cultural conscience?