Actor Vaani Kapoor has called for a much-needed pause on the negativity amid the ‘Abir Gulaal’ row. Speaking at the trailer launch of her debut OTT series ‘Mandala Murders’ on Tuesday, Vaani shared her thoughts on the growing culture of online hate.
“The last couple of months, even years, everything online has become too heavy, too aggressive,” Vaani said, addressing reporters. “I just hope people calm down with the hate and create space for love and kindness. I know it may not sound exciting or glamorous, but it’s important.”
Earlier this year, Vaani faced widespread trolling after she was cast alongside Pakistani actor Fawad Khan in the romantic film ‘Abir Gulaal’.
The movie, which was ready for release on May 9, found itself in the middle of a storm following the Pahalgam terror attack in April.
As political tensions escalated, the film’s release in India blocked.
Vaani didn’t directly mention the controversy during the event, but the context was hard to miss. Her remarks about hate and trolling seemed to reflect her personal experience with online backlash.
“If you troll or hate someone today, it will come back to you someday. And when it does, it will sting worse,” she warned. “So why not just be nice? Why not be kind, not only to others but to ourselves too?”
The actor’s co-star Surveen Chawla echoed similar sentiments, expressing hope that ‘Mandala Murders’ finds success not just for its gripping story but for the hard work the team has put into it.
Vaani Kapoor is no stranger to ups and downs in the entertainment industry. She made her Bollywood debut in 2013 with ‘Shuddh Desi Romance’ under Yash Raj Films, a role that won her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.
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But success didn’t come easy after that.
Her next few projects, ‘Aaha Kalyanam’ (2014) and ‘Befikre’ (2016), received mixed reactions, pushing her to take a step back from the limelight.
After a three-year hiatus, Vaani returned with brief but commercially successful roles in action thriller ‘War’ (2019) and the recent ‘Raid 2’ (2025).
However, one of her most talked-about performances remains her role in ‘Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui’ (2021), where she played a transgender woman. The film won her praise for breaking stereotypes and bringing sensitivity to the portrayal.