Even Twinkle Khanna is obsessed with 'creepy' Labubu dolls; reveals daughter Nitara told her 'it's not ok for your age'

Hindustan Times

08-06-2025

Labubu dolls have taken the world by storm, and it's no surprise why celebrities like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Kim Kardashian, and BLACKPINK's Lisa are obsessed with them. Actor Ananya Panday was recently seen carrying a Labubu doll at the airport, further fueling the trend. Now, in her June 7 column for The Times of India, Twinkle Khanna shared her own experience with Labubu dolls. Also read | What are Labubu dolls? Where to get the 2025's viral collectibles?
These quirky plush toys, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung in 2015, feature spiky teeth and cheeky smiles, making them a unique fashion statement. Reflecting on Labubu dolls' cult following, Twinkle shared that they have become such a coveted collectible that even she can't get enough of them.
The actor-turned-author wrote in her column, 'My younger one (daughter Nitara) and I are debating who gets to hang the Coke-wielding Labubu on their bag today. This is unprecedented in our household — she usually leans toward Mr Beast sweatshirts, and my sartorial attempts are an ambiguous puddle of mostly Zara, sometimes what the Devil Wears (Prada), and God's favourite (if she hasn't lost everything in the stock market) Hermes. My daughter wins this contest with a simple fact, 'Mom, Labubu is a toy. I'm a child. You're an adult. It's like me wearing your big gold ring to school. It's not OK for your age.' Shamed by my own child, I give in. She hangs it on her backpack and rushes off to school.'
On June 8, Twinkle also shared an Instagram post with a photo of herself posing with no one or two but four Labubu dolls and wrote in her caption, 'The secret of Pop Mart's success-the thrill of surprise. Labubus are sold in blind boxes, so you don't know what you're getting until you open it. Labubus are the new recipients of my platonic love.' I tell the man of the house. 'In Plato's 'Symposium', Socrates says love for a person makes you vulnerable. They may leave or die. But loving a concept: astronomy, justice, literature can't hurt you. It won't leave. That is the origin of the term 'platonic love', by the way. Labubus can't love you back but they can't leave you either. Unless they are stolen. Hey, should we insure our Labubus,' I ask. 'Does this Labubu chap also sell blind boxes for new wives,' he says with a sigh.'
Check out her post:
A post shared by Twinkle Khanna (@twinklerkhanna)
In her column, Twinkle also shared actor-husband Akshay Kumar's reaction to her fixation with Labubu dolls, which she sees as a sought-after accessory and way to add personality and whimsy to her style. She also believes that engaging with Labubu dolls provides a comfortable escape into happier times.
Recalling a conversation with Akshay, Twinkle wrote, 'I hang three Labubus on my bag as we leave for dinner. When my husband asks why I've taken them from our daughter, I say, 'For philosophical, anthropological, and psychological reasons. You know we're wired to find big-eyed things cute, whether they are penguins with or without Marathi names or Labubus. That reminds me, are you having trouble with the casting of Hera Pheri 3... 'Please leave films to me.' he says, 'Focus on your creepy dolls.' I try explaining that a Labubu is simple to chase. Not like ambition or profit margins or self-worth. Real reinvention takes effort — therapy, sabbaticals, new degrees. Fashion is the lazy shortcut to reinvention. The reason we shift from skinny jeans to flares, ballet flats to jelly shoes. Or hang a fuzzy monster on our bags in a quest to update our identities.'
According to a June 3 report on Forbes.com, Labubus, small monster-like toys inspired by Nordic mythology sold by Chinese retailer Pop Mart, typically sell for between $20 and $30 and come in 'blind boxes', so the buyer doesn't know what color or design the doll has until the box is opened. The reported added that the hashtag 'labubu' has been used in 32,000 TikTok posts over the past week in the US alone and in more than 1 million posts overall, according to TikTok analytics.