Sushant Singh suicide: Sonam Kapoor gets rape and death threats

Actress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja blasted and slammed all those online haters sending her vitriolic tweets on her social media accounts following Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide on June 14.

Disillusioned fans of Rajput believe that privileged actors born to industry insiders have stolen opportunities from outsiders such as the late Bollywood actor.

Kapoor Ahuja, the daughter of Anil Kapoor, shared that she and her family had received threats on social media. While some users have sent rape threats to the actress and her sister Rhea Kapoor, others have wished death upon her family and Kapoor Ahuja’s unborn children.

Kapoor Ahuja — a portrait of privilege and nepotism in Bollywood — has been relentlessly trolled for her posts defending her elite position in life. She responded to the hate by posting a series of posts about karma and how bullying wouldn’t be tolerated on her timeline.

“Yes I’ve switched off my comment section and my parents comment section because I don’t want my 64 year old parents to go through this. They did nothing to deserve this. And I’m not doing it out of fear you morons I’m doing it out of common sense to preserve my mental health and my parents,” she wrote in a series of posts.

The actress also spoke about a clip of ‘Koffee With Karan’ episode featuring her asking who Rajput is. She wasn’t snubbing him, she claims.

“That video you’ve been spouting was 7 years old. When he had one film out didn’t know him, like he didn’t know me and didn’t say anything about me till now… also please go and watch the episodes where my fellow actors have maybe said much worse about me, but I have taken it in the spirit the show was meant to be, in jest,” she posted on Twitter.

Kapoor Ahuja has been criticised for her tweet, posted a day after the Rajput’s death, where she urged everyone not to blame other actors or directors for the tragedy.

“It’s [expletive] mean-spirited,” she tweeted.

Her thoughts didn’t sit well with Rajput’s army of fans who attacked her for her privilege and access given to her by her father.

ONLINE HATE

On Saturday, Sonakshi Sinha — the daughter of actor Shatrughan Sinha — and actor Saqib Saleem de-activated their Twitter accounts unable to handle the negativity flooding their social media timelines since Rajput’s sudden death. Meanwhile, actor Salman Khan, born into an influential acting and writer’s family, urged his fans to understand the emotions and misdirected anger behind the vitriol spewed by Rajput’s fans.

“A request to all my fans to stand with Sushant’s fans and not to go by the language and the curses used but to go with the emotion behind it. Pls support n stand by his family n fans as the loss of a loved one is extremely painful [sic],” tweeted Khan on Saturday.

His seemingly humble request was lauded and lampooned in equal measure. Rajput’s fans believe that Khan and his petty rivalry with the late actor was instrumental in stalling the outsider’s film career.

Elsewhere, hashtags calling for a boycott of star kids, along with Karan Johar and Salman Khan, continued to gain momentum on June 21.

LEGAL CASE

Apart from quitting social media, Rhea Chakraborty — rumoured girlfriend of Rajput — has also been inundated with hate messages. A case was filed in a Bihar court today claims that she abetted the actor’s suicide. According to Indian daily Hindustan Times, the case was filed by Kundan Kumar, a resident of Muzzaffarpur and the hearing has been set for June 24.

News reports also claim that Yash Raj Films has submitted the copies of the contracts signed by Rajput in connection to their productions to explore the angle of professional rivalry. Around 15 people’s statements have already been recorded with the Mumbai Police following Rajput’s suicide. According to reports, the actor died without leaving a suicide note.

The sympathy wave continues to flow towards Rajput, an outsider in Bollywood, and for his family in mourning.

Director Nikhil Anand has also announced plans of directing a biopic based on the actor’s life and he promises that his project will be his tribute to the actor.

The drama shows no signs of receding as thousands of disillusioned fans struggle to find closure.