Bhagyashree claps back at trolls over Kashi lassi promotion: 'Idle minds have nothing nice to say'
Synopsis
A clipped video of Bhagyashree enjoying a Kulhad lassi in Kashi sparked claims she refused to drink it after the shoot. Her unfiltered, bilingual response — challenging critics to prove their claims and defending local vendor support — has reignited the debate around celebrity food promotions and social media accountability.
Key Takeaways
Bhagyashree responded on 7 July to viral claims that her Kashi lassi promotion was fake.
A clipped version of her video alleged she refused to drink the lassi, citing sugar and fat content — a claim she flatly denied.
She had been awake since 3 am for Mangala Aarti and walked the ghats in 40°C heat before having the drink.
The actress stated that promoting local food earns no money and exists solely to support local vendors and food culture .
She called the edited clip a case of 'aadha video, aadhi knowledge' and challenged critics to produce evidence.
Veteran actress Bhagyashree has fired back at online critics who questioned her promotion of local food and vendors during a recent visit to Kashi (Varanasi), calling out what she described as baseless attacks on a simple act of supporting local culture. The 'Maine Pyar Kiya' star shared a pointed response on social media on 7 July, defending her decision to spotlight a Kulhad lassi vendor on the ghats of the Ganga.
What Sparked the Controversy
A video of Bhagyashree enjoying a Kulhad lassi at a local Varanasi shop went viral, but a clipped version of the footage circulated with claims that she had refused to drink the lassi after the shoot, allegedly citing its sugar and fat content. The edited clip triggered mixed reactions online — some users questioned the authenticity of the promotion, while others defended her, noting that celebrities routinely follow personal dietary restrictions.
What Bhagyashree Said
Responding directly to the trolls in her original post's caption, the actress wrote: 'Kya aap the wahan par? Kya kahin bhi uss fake clip ke dauran kisine, sunna, ya record kiya ki meine yeh kaha ki its is too sweet and that I will not have it?' She challenged critics to produce evidence of her alleged refusal, calling the viral clip a case of 'aadha video, aadhi knowledge' — half a video with half the knowledge.
She also explained the context of her visit: she had been awake since 3 am for the Mangala Aarti, followed by a walk along the Ganga ghats in 40°C heat, making the lassi — enriched with dry fruits, curds, and either sugar or jaggery — a necessary energy boost. 'The sugar/gud gives energy and water hydrates... for me it was the perfect combination in the heat,' she wrote.
On Promoting Local Vendors
Bhagyashree was emphatic that such promotions carry no financial benefit for the person doing them. 'Local food ko promote karne se koi bhi paise nahi kamate. The only good is that local food, local vendors get support,' she wrote. She added: 'It is a shame that idle minds have nothing nice to say even about the simplest of things. Kashi is a place of purity, how insignificant is your rant.'
Notably, this is not an isolated incident — celebrities who champion local food or regional traditions on social media have increasingly found themselves targets of coordinated trolling, with edited clips often used to manufacture controversy around otherwise benign content.
Wider Context
The episode touches on a broader tension in India's influencer and celebrity culture: the fine line between authentic advocacy for local businesses and perceived commercial promotion. While Bhagyashree insisted no money changed hands, critics argue that celebrity reach itself constitutes a form of endorsement that warrants transparency. For now, her response appears to have resonated with a significant section of her followers, who rallied behind her defence of Kashi's food heritage.
Point of View
Walking the ghats at dawn, and drinking a local lassi is not a story — until a cropped video makes it one. What is worth examining is the reflex to assume bad faith in celebrity-driven local promotion: if the intent was commercial, it was remarkably low-yield. The deeper issue is platform accountability — short, decontextualised clips travel faster than corrections, and the damage to both the celebrity and the vendor is real. Kashi's street food culture deserves better than being collateral in a social media skirmish.
NationPress
7 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Bhagyashree respond to trolls about her Kashi lassi video?
A clipped version of Bhagyashree's Kulhad lassi video from Varanasi circulated online with claims that she refused to drink the lassi after the shoot, allegedly because of its sugar and fat content. She denied this, calling the clip fake and challenging critics to produce any evidence of her alleged refusal.
What did Bhagyashree say about promoting local food?
Bhagyashree stated that promoting local food earns the promoter no money and that the only benefit goes to local vendors and the preservation of regional food culture. She said it was 'a shame that idle minds have nothing nice to say even about the simplest of things.'
What was the context of Bhagyashree's Varanasi visit?
Bhagyashree visited Kashi (Varanasi) and was awake from 3 am for the Mangala Aarti, followed by a walk along the Ganga ghats in 40°C heat. She said the Kulhad lassi — made with curds, dry fruits, and sugar or jaggery — was an energy booster she genuinely needed after the exertion.
Did Bhagyashree get paid to promote the lassi vendor?
Bhagyashree explicitly denied any financial arrangement, writing that 'local food ko promote karne se koi bhi paise nahi kamate' — no one earns money from promoting local food. She framed the act as purely supportive of local vendors and Kashi's food heritage.
How did the public react to the controversy?
Reactions were mixed. Some users questioned the authenticity of the promotion, while others defended Bhagyashree, pointing out that celebrities routinely follow personal dietary choices that may differ from what they publicly recommend. Her direct, bilingual response subsequently drew significant support from followers.
