Monday, 01 July 2024
Monday, 01 July 2024
Actors Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal have faced a barrage of online hate after their wedding on June 23, with trolls attacking the interfaith marriage. Sinha mentioned, “Love is the universal religion,” in an Instagram comment under a post depicting a caricature of the couple.
She is not the only one. Bollywood Celebrities who have chosen to marry outside their faith have been unable to escape controversy and criticism in an India where ‘love jihad’ – a wild conspiracy theory that Hindu women are lured for conversion – has become an accepted term.
Swara Bhasker and Fahad Ahmad
Swara Bhasker faced significant online trolling following her interfaith marriage to Samajwadi Party activist Fahad Ahmad in February 2023. Bhasker has been vocal about the societal challenges and backlash she faced, comparing it to the recent trolling that Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal are experiencing over their interfaith marriage. In a June 15 interview, she said, “One of the biggest myths of modern India is ‘love jihad’, where a Hindu girl marries a Muslim man. This applies to me as well.” She added, “But we’re talking about two consenting adults here. What they do in their private lives, whether they get married or not, it’s up to them.”
Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan
Actors Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan have faced significant online trolling and criticism since their interfaith marriage in 2012. The couple have been subjected to negative comments, particularly surrounding the names of their children, Taimur and Jehangir. Trolls have accused them of "perpetuating Mughal culture" and have labelled them as "enemies of the nation.” At an event in September 2023, Kareena said: “We spend so much time discussing interfaith [relationships]...The most important thing between Saif and I is that we like each other and enjoy our company. How should it matter what faith he follows or what his age is, that isn’t even a point of discussion.”
Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan
Bollywood icon Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan also faced initial challenges due to their interfaith marriage. Shah Rukh has shared anecdotes about their wedding, such as convincing Gauri's family, who were initially opposed to the marriage due to religious differences. He humorously recounted a prank he played at their wedding reception, where he joked about Gauri wearing a burqa and adopting a Muslim name, which shocked her traditional family members. In her 2019 appearance on ‘Koffee with Karan,’ Gauri Khan stated: “There is a balance, I respect Shah Rukh’s religion but that doesn’t mean that I would convert and become a Muslim. I don’t believe in that. I think everybody is an individual and follow their religion…Like Shah Rukh would not disrespect my religion as well.”
Farhan Akhtar and Shibani Dandekar
Actor Farhan Akhtar and singer-actor Shibani Dandekar's 2022 marriage came under backlash when the couple tied the knot. Despite their efforts to maintain a low-profile wedding, they faced criticism and negative comments on social media. The trolling particularly escalated when the couple celebrated Hindu festivals publicly, with online trolls targeting Farhan Akhtar for not adhering strictly to his Muslim faith.
Soha Ali Khan and Kunal Khemu
Muslim actor Soha Ali Khan has frequently come under fire during her marriage to Hindu actor Kunal Khemu. A minor hate campaign was launched against Khan when she posted pictures wearing a sari at her daughter’s “baby shower party” in 2017, with trolls branding her “un-Islamic,” and criticising her for not wishing her fans during Eid. She was fiercely attacked online in March for celebrating Holi with her husband and children during the month of Ramzan.
