Rashmika Gives a Strong Reply to Trolls

Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda have reportedly been facing criticism from a section of social media users following their appearance on Karan Johar’s talk show Koffee With Karan. During the show, Rashmika revealed that she had asked Vijay around 100 times to marry her. Her candid confession did not go down well with some women online, who criticised the actress over the way she expressed her desire to marry him. Responding to the backlash, Rashmika shared a lengthy post on Instagram, standing up for her relationship and defending her choice. She said she was deeply in love with Vijay and questioned why being obsessed with one’s partner should be considered a bad thing. Emphasising that love should not be judged by others’ expectations, she added that she would happily ask him to marry her a thousand times, saying that 100 times was nothing compared with how she felt.

Rashmika also expressed disappointment over people believing misleading social media edits, fabricated stories and rumours instead of listening to her perspective on her own life. She said Vijay had stood by her during some of her most difficult moments, while those criticising her had not been there for her. The actress further drew a line between feminism and online harassment, objecting to comments targeting her family. “That’s not feminism. That’s bullying dressed up as feminism,” she wrote, stressing that feminism was never about putting others down or claiming superiority. According to Rashmika, it is about having the freedom to make personal choices and take charge of one’s own life. Her response has brought renewed attention to the debate over personal relationships, online trolling and the meaning of feminism.