Ranvir Shorey defends viral reel row: 'Why drag PM into this?'
Synopsis
A promotional Gen Z-style reel for Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 spiralled into a full-blown controversy after Ranvir Shorey fired back at a sarcastic X user with a crude remark. Now he's defending himself on Instagram — and asking why the Prime Minister got pulled into a film team's fun reel.
Key Takeaways
Ranvir Shorey posted an Instagram video on Saturday defending his response to a sarcastic X user that triggered a misogyny backlash.
The controversy began when a reel featuring Anupam Kher , Boman Irani , and Parvin Dabas for Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 went viral.
Shorey questioned why the Prime Minister was referenced in the online abuse directed at him.
He argued that the right to respond 'in the language in which it has been spoken to' is a 'moral, ethical, and constitutional right.' He criticised content creators and media outlets for trivialising the original exchange.
Actor Ranvir Shorey has broken his silence over the social media firestorm that erupted after a heated exchange online, questioning why the Prime Minister was pulled into what he described as a lighthearted creative exercise. The controversy surfaced after a reel featuring Shorey alongside actors Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, and Parvin Dabas — recreating a popular Gen Z protest format for their film Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 — went viral on social media.
How the Controversy Unfolded
After the reel gained traction, an X user reshared it with a sarcastic comment directed at Shorey. The actor responded with a crude remark, which quickly drew sharp criticism. Because the account's profile picture showed a woman, Shorey was accused of deploying misogynistic language — a charge that escalated the backlash significantly.
On Saturday, Shorey posted a video on his Instagram account addressing the controversy head-on, arguing that the criticism directed at him was entirely unwarranted.
What Ranvir Shorey Said
'The Prime Minister was also dragged into the abuse. So what did it mean? We are making a fun reel with our team, and you are bringing politics into it,' Shorey said in the clip.
He also pushed back on the argument that men should not retaliate verbally when abused by women. 'There is an argument that if a girl abuses you, you should not abuse her. What is the logic behind this? — That girls are the form of Goddesses. So, even boys have Goddesses in them. If you are a boy, don't have a part of your mother in you? If you are a girl, don't have a part of your father in you? The Goddess resides in every creature, in every living thing,' he said.
On Liberalism and Public Life
Shorey urged people not to weaponise liberal values as cover for online bullying. He also criticised content creators and news outlets for what he called a trivialisation of the original exchange.
'You have no idea how many things you have to hear day and night when in public life. 99.99% of the time, you stay quiet, but 0.1% of the time, when it feels completely unreasonable, the person has the right to respond in the language in which it has been spoken to. And it is my moral, ethical, and constitutional right to do this,' he concluded.
Broader Context
The episode is part of a broader pattern of Bollywood celebrities facing swift and intense social media scrutiny over online exchanges. Notably, the introduction of political figures — including a reference to the Prime Minister — into what began as promotional content for a film reel reflects how quickly entertainment discourse can spill into political territory on Indian social media. The Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 reel was intended as a promotional exercise, but the fallout has overshadowed the film's publicity cycle ahead of its release.
Point of View
Language, and political allegiance — none of which were the original subject. Shorey's constitutional-right framing is a notable escalation: invoking Article 19 to justify a crude online retort sets a precedent that could be selectively applied. The more uncomfortable question — whether the response was proportionate, regardless of the account's gender — has been largely sidestepped in the noise around the PM reference.
NationPress
8 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ranvir Shorey viral reel controversy?
The controversy began when Ranvir Shorey and his Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 co-stars recreated a popular Gen Z protest reel that went viral. After an X user replied with a sarcastic comment, Shorey responded with a crude remark, leading to accusations of misogynistic language and a significant social media backlash.
Why was the Prime Minister mentioned in this controversy?
According to Shorey, the Prime Minister was referenced in the abusive comments directed at him during the online exchange. Shorey questioned why political figures were being dragged into what he described as a fun, promotional reel made with his film team.
How did Ranvir Shorey respond to the misogyny accusations?
Shorey posted a video on Instagram arguing that abusive language should not be tolerated regardless of the gender of the person using it. He framed his right to respond in kind as a 'moral, ethical, and constitutional right.'
What is Khosla Ka Ghosla 2?
Khosla Ka Ghosla 2 is a film featuring Ranvir Shorey alongside Anupam Kher, Boman Irani, and Parvin Dabas. The team had recreated a viral Gen Z protest reel as part of the film's promotional activity, which triggered the controversy.
What did Shorey say about media coverage of the incident?
Shorey criticised content creators and news publications for trivialising the content of the original exchange, arguing that the context and substance of the interaction had been distorted in subsequent coverage.
