KOZHIKODE: Labubu – those quirky, sharp-toothed plush dolls – turned the global ‘in’ thing of 2025 in no time. Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and China-based Pop Mart, the dolls have found fans across the world, including India, with celebrities like Lisa from K-Pop group Blackpink and singer Rihanna also flaunting them on social media.
However, a section of Muslim religious scholars from Kerala has raised alarm over the craze for the “spiritually dangerous” dolls, terming them “a modern revival of ancient demonic imagery.”
“This Labubu craze is promoting Satan,” declared Rahumathulla Qasimi Mutthedam, a religious scholar. “It is nothing but a reincarnation of ‘kuttichathan’. We’ve always known an evil spirit masked in cuteness. Turning a blind eye to such symbolism is spiritually careless,” he said. Qasimi said the doll’s eerie features – bulging eyes, sharp teeth and mischievous grin – are not harmless quirks but reflective of ghostly beings long warned about in Islamic and Kerala folk tradition.
The recent viral theory connecting Labubu to Pazuzu, an ancient Mesopotamian demon made infamous by The Exorcist, has intensified the debate.
However, not all legal or cultural minds in Kerala are on board with the religious condemnation. “There is no law against collecting dolls. Associating a cartoon character with Satan is not only irrational, it’s dangerous,” said Advocate Naseer Ali, a Kozhikode-based civil rights lawyer.
‘Fine to caution, but coercion unacceptable’’
“We are treading into the territory of moral panic. What’s next? Banning Halloween? Burning storybooks,” Ali asked, while emphasising that the campaign against Labubu threatens to conflate mythology with legal discourse and risks targeting harmless personal expression under the guise of spiritual purity.
Ali said, “In a plural society, not everyone shares the same spiritual symbols or fears. It’s fine to caution, but coercion or public shaming is not acceptable.” However, scholar Abdul Kareem from Kozhikode said: “These are not merely toys. They carry symbolic power.” “We may not believe the dolls are evil, but belief is not the only issue. Exposure matters,” he warned.
Mariya Faisal, a 19-year-old collector in Kochi, felt differently. Labubu is like a secret handshake, said Mariya. “You’re either in the club, or you’re not. It’s art, not evil. Still, religious scholars urge fans to consider what they are glorifying,” she said.
‘Exorcism’, ban
Influencers across the globe have staged mock “exorcisms” of the dolls, while videos of Labubu dolls being burned have circulated on TikTok and Instagram. In some areas of Russia and Iraq’s Kurdistan region, the dolls have been banned.
$10,000 resale value
Labubu was first introduced in 2015 through Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung’s illustrated book series The Monsters. In his own words, Labubu is a mischievous but kind-hearted forest elf with no ties to any demonic tradition. Rare Labubu figures command resale prices upwards of $10,000.