Bollywood actress Mrunal Thakur has spoken out after a social media user shared an edited photo of her on his Instagram, depicting her as part of his Diwali celebration. In the image, Mrunal appears alongside the man, who is shown lighting a firecracker with his arm casually placed around her. The caption read, “Diwali Photo Editing. Bollywood Actress Photoshoot...” which quickly caught attention.
Taking issue with the misleading edit, Mrunal responded in the comments, questioning the user’s intentions. She wrote, "Bhai kyu jhooti tassali de rahe hain aap apne aap ko? Aapko lagta hain ki aap yeh Jo kar rahe hain yeh cool hain? Ji nahi!" (Why are you giving yourself false reassurance? Do you really think that what you’re doing is cool? No, it’s not!). Her candid reaction highlighted the inappropriate nature of the edit and how such manipulated images can blur boundaries of privacy.
This isn’t the first time Mrunal has addressed unethical digital manipulation. She previously criticised the spread of deepfake videos that objectify female celebrities, particularly calling out a deepfake involving actress Rashmika Mandanna. In an Instagram post, Mrunal expressed her concern over these digital creations that often target female actors, showing them in compromising ways. “Shame on people who resort to such things,” she said, adding, “Thank you, @rashmika_mandanna, for speaking up and addressing this issue that many of us have chosen to remain silent about. Every day, morphed, edited videos of female actors zoom into inappropriate body parts. Where are we heading as a community, as a society?”
Mrunal, who was recently seen in the Telugu film The Family Star, has several projects lined up, including Son of Sardar 2. Alongside her acting roles, she continues to raise awareness about the unethical use of digital editing that targets celebrities, calling for more respect and responsibility online.
