The internet is a gift that keeps on giving. Just when you thought you'd seen everything, there's a video of a gruff dog playing with a kitten to make you smile like an idiot for the whole day. But with the good, comes the bad. In the case of the internet, it's the trolls. The heady anonymity the internet gives is very powerful and more often than not, it's used for spewing out negativity, without any fear of retaliation. Being in the public's eye makes it even worse.
Bollywood celebrities have used the power of social media and the Internet to be more accessible to their fans and while that has changed the game entirely, there's also an open doorway for them to face abusive rants and less-than-savory opinions about their lifestyle and more.
Trolls are an occupational hazard for anyone who is remotely Internet-famous and has an opinion, but some Bollywood celebrities have proven that they're not going to take it lying down. Here are some of the Bollywood celebrities who are always ready with a (sometimes) witty retort for any troll who decides to cross their way:
Priyanka Chopra
A little while ago, people with a lot of time on their hands decided to school the Bajirao Mastani actress on the proper dress code while meeting with the Prime Minister of India. Apparently, the actress' choice of a calf-baring dress wasn't in it. Without addressing the regressive comments directly, she posted a picture with her mother, with both of them wearing dresses that bared their legs, accompanied by the caption that simply stated "Legs for days".
This is not the first time Priyanka shut down online trolls. When her armpits (yes, armpits) went viral for supposedly being airbrushed for a magazine cover, Priyanka sportingly posted a picture flaunting her, well, armpits and brought the conversation to a 'pit' stop. No? Well, I tried!
Shah Rukh Khan
While his interviews are a treat, his regular witty shutdowns of trolls are no less entertaining. His #AskSRKs on Twitter are filled with gems like these:
But it's this succinct reply to a persistent troll that probably deserves to be in the Hall of Fame for Troll Shutdowns.
Sonam Kapoor
I assume whichever demon traded her soul in exchange of on point social media skills, taught Sonam absolutely savage way to deal with trolls. That's basically the only explanation I'm willing to believe, so sue me.
Whether it's misogynistic comments telling her to curb from giving her opinions about relevant political issues:
Or slut shaming her for wearing a jumpsuit with cutouts, which Sonam dismissed as 'sexist nonsense', she has proven time and again that she has no time for trolls.
If you had any doubts left for her ability to give it as good as she gets, here's a personal favourite:
Sonakshi Sinha
I'm not a big fan of her movies, I'll admit, but when it comes to celebrities on the Internet, Sonakshi is one of my top favourites.
When the Dabangg actress tried to give an opinion about the 'meat ban' issued in Maharashtra, people decided it was apt for them to fat shame her, in between asking her to leave the country, because apparently that's how the Internet works:
Aside from the body shaming, she also has to deal with people telling her how to do her job:
I'd say she's doing a pretty good job holding her own. More power to you, Sonakshi!
Abhishek Bachchan
Another celebrity who has mastered the art of replying to the trolls without succumbing to their level is Abhishek Bachchan. When one unfortunate Twitter user tried to share an unfunny meme featuring Aaradhya, his daughter, Abhishek minced no words before telling the troll where he should go:
He also takes the rebukes good-naturedly, killing the trolls with sharp kindness. Take this exchange with comedienne Aditi Mittal, for instance:
Karan Johar
Engaging with people who have nothing but negativity to spew is, usually, to be avoided at all cost, but I guess nobody told Karan Johar that. And thank God for that. When Ram Gopal Varma decided to give his two cents about what he thinks of Karan's directorial skills, Karan didn't hold back:
Same with a homophobic Twitter user, who was there to, metaphorically, rain on the parade when same sex marriage was legalized in the USA:
Twinkle Khanna
Lord save the troll who decides to come under Twinkle Khanna's Twitter bashing. The bestselling author had the best analogy for trolls, after she was attacked yet again by the self-appointed Internet police for voicing her opinions:
She, especially, has no time for people who troll her and her work for what her husband Akshay Kumar has been doing:
From giving lessons in grammar and basic human decency, Twinkle's timeline is internet gold. Do yourself a favour and check it out.