Mumbai, September 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Actress and politician Smriti Irani has spoken out against the growing culture of online trolling, stressing that freedom of expression on social media should be accompanied by responsibility and should not become a justification for humiliation or abuse.
Irani shared a note on social media along with her Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi co-stars Gauri Pradhan, Ravee Gupta and Ritu Chaudhary Seth, highlighting both the reach of social media and the responsibility that comes with having a public voice.
“Social media has democratised the right to be heard. It has given a voice to millions who may otherwise never have had one. But somewhere along the way, some began to mistake that freedom for a licence to hurt, humiliate and dehumanise,” she wrote.
Addressing the argument that people in public life should simply accept online abuse as part of their profession, Irani questioned whether public visibility should come at the cost of personal dignity.
“Those in public life are often told that this simply comes with the territory — ‘put up or shut up.’ But should it?” she wrote, adding that anonymity, faceless social media accounts or even the use of one’s own identity should not provide justification for cruelty.
Irani urged social media users to distinguish between legitimate criticism and personal humiliation, saying people can “disagree, debate, criticise, question” and hold public figures accountable without losing sight of their humanity.
“Freedom to speak is precious. So is the responsibility that comes with it,” she said, emphasising that there is “a human being on the other side of the screen”.
She concluded the message with an appeal for kindness, noting that words can be written within seconds but their impact can last considerably longer.
The post came shortly after Bollywood actor Salman Khan spoke about online trolling during a recent Weekend Ka Vaar episode, objecting to body-shaming, appearance-shaming and age-shaming directed at him and other celebrities.
Irani and her co-stars are currently associated with the latest phase of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, the long-running television franchise that originally featured her as Tulsi Virani.
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