Actor Nushrratt Bharuccha has opened up about the emotional toll of online trolling after an Instagram Story she shared during Indian Premier League celebrations spiralled into a viral controversy. The clip, posted on Sunday while Royal Challengers Bengaluru celebrated their long-awaited IPL title win, was deleted within minutes. But by then, screen recordings had already begun circulating across social media platforms.
Soon afterwards, several users started sharing the video with misleading claims that inappropriate sounds could be heard in the background. The speculation spread rapidly online, triggering trolling, criticism and invasive commentary directed at the actor.
Now, Bharuccha has publicly clarified what actually happened. According to the actor, she had been watching the cricket match at a friend’s home where a puppy could be heard crying in the background. She said she was stunned that such an ordinary moment escalated into a full-fledged online controversy within hours. “It was such a normal, happy moment,” she said, adding that she felt “attacked” watching a false narrative gain momentum so quickly online.
Nushrratt Bharuccha Opens Up About Trolling: ‘There’s A Strange Helplessness’
Speaking candidly about the incident, Nushrratt Bharuccha admitted the backlash affected her more deeply than she initially expected. She described the experience as emotionally exhausting, especially seeing strangers dissect and judge her based on misinformation.
“There’s a strange helplessness in watching a lie move faster than you can even process what’s happening,” the actor said, explaining how the narrative spiralled before she fully understood the scale of the controversy. The trolling became intense enough that Bharuccha decided to temporarily distance herself from social media. For several days, she avoided constantly checking her phone, saying the endless cycle of comments and speculation was only worsening her anxiety. Instead, she chose to remain silent before eventually issuing one clear clarification rather than engaging in repeated online arguments.
The actor also spoke about the emotional support she received from close friends and family during the ordeal. According to Bharuccha, her family urged her to disconnect from social media and avoid reading the comments altogether, while her friends, including the owners of the puppy heard in the video, were deeply upset that such an innocent moment had been twisted online. “That circle is what keeps you steady when the outside noise gets loud,” she said.
Celebrity Trolling, Misinformation And The Pressure Of Social Media
The controversy has once again highlighted the growing culture of online misinformation and targeted trolling faced by public figures, particularly women in entertainment. Nushrratt Bharuccha acknowledged that the incident has made her more conscious about what she posts online. However, she also insisted that the answer cannot be for women to “shrink themselves” or stop sharing their lives publicly out of fear. “As a woman and as someone in the public eye, you realise almost anything can be taken out of context and weaponised,” she said.
Over the past few years, several celebrities across the entertainment industry have spoken about the darker side of social media fame, including edited clips, false narratives and online pile-ons that often spread faster than factual corrections.
The actor believes the responsibility should not rest solely on those being targeted. Instead, she urged social media users to verify information before amplifying it online and to remember that public figures are still human beings behind the screen. “Harassment dressed up as opinion is still harassment,” she added. Bharuccha, known for films such as Pyaar Ka Punchnama, Dream Girl and Chhorii, has largely maintained a relatively low-profile personal life despite being active on social media.
But this latest episode has once again demonstrated how quickly celebrity narratives can spiral online, often before facts have a chance to catch up.
ALSO READ: Mukesh Ambani Hails Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar For ‘Creating New Benchmarks’ In Indian Cinema
