Highlights
Every now and then, social media erupts with controversy as celebrities trolled online over their words or actions. Sometimes, they are merely trolled or subjected to online hate for the sake of entertainment. However, Ranveer Allahbadia, popularly known as “Beer Biceps,” finds himself in a far more serious predicament.
The well-known YouTuber and podcaster has sparked outrage following his recent distasteful remarks on comedian Samay Raina’s widely followed YouTube show, India’s Got Latent. As a result, Allahbadia has been at the center of a social media firestorm, losing thousands of followers, facing criticism from influencers, political leaders, and actors, and even becoming the subject of multiple complaints and FIRs. The controversy escalated to such an extent that YouTube India, under directives from the Indian government, removed the episode featuring him.
For those unfamiliar with the incident, India’s Got Latent follows a unique format where judges roast contestants while evaluating their acts. They also ask contestants quirky, offbeat questions to test their wit and sense of humor. However, during his guest appearance, Allahbadia crossed the line with an inappropriate and highly offensive question. Lacking judgment, he asked a contestant, “Would you rather watch your parents have s*x every day for the rest of your life or join in once to make it stop forever?”
What he likely assumed would be taken in jest was instead met with widespread condemnation. Given the sheer vulgarity of his remark, the backlash was inevitable.
This incident brings to mind past instances where several celebrities, like Allahbadia, have faced intense online trolling for things they said or did—whether intentionally or unintentionally. While the backlash against Ranveer is particularly severe and, to many, justified, let’s take a look at other celebrities who have found themselves in similar situations, though under much less extreme circumstances.
Anushka Sharma
Indian actress Anushka Sharma faced intense online backlash after her then-boyfriend, and now husband, world-renowned cricketer Virat Kohli, underperformed during the 2016 World T20 Championship. The public unfairly blamed Anushka and her presence at the stadium for his poor performance on the field. The situation escalated to such an extent that Kohli, who was rumored to be dealing with a breakup with Sharma at the time, felt compelled to take to Twitter to defend her and put an end to the trolling.
“Shame on people for trolling @AnushkaSharma non-stop. Have some compassion. She has always only given me positivity,” wrote Kohli.
Shame on people for trolling @AnushkaSharma non-stop. Have some compassion. She has always only given me positivity pic.twitter.com/OBIMA2EZKu
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) March 28, 2016
Alia Bhatt
Alia Bhatt became a favorite target for trolls ever since her debut appearance on the popular chat show Koffee With Karan, hosted by Bollywood producer Karan Johar. When asked about the President of India, Bhatt excitedly shouted, “Prithviraj Chauhan!” unaware that this slip-up would soon make her the subject of countless jokes and memes. While that trolling was relatively light-hearted—so much so that Bhatt herself laughed along with the memes—the online hate she faced in 2020 was far more severe. In the wake of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic suicide, Bhatt became a target due to her perceived nepotistic status in the industry. She was criticized for being a “star kid,” part of an entertainment ecosystem that many felt was unwelcoming to outsiders. Bhatt also faced backlash for ranking Sushant lowest among her preferred actors during a round of the Koffee With Karan “rapid fire” segment. Along with Bhatt, other star kids like Sonam Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan also bore the brunt of the online community’s ire.
Blake Lively
The Blake Lively–Justin Baldoni case is shaping up to be another Johnny Depp and Amber Heard saga. Lively and Baldoni starred opposite each other in 2024’s hit film It Ends With Us, based on Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel. While the movie was a commercial success, behind-the-scenes tensions between the co-stars made headlines even before its release. Rumors of discord circulated, but the situation escalated in December when Lively filed a legal complaint against Baldoni, accusing him of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign against her. Baldoni has denied the allegations and has countersued in response.
Speculation about a rift between the two began during the film’s press tour. Fans noticed Baldoni’s frequent absence and questioned why the co-stars weren’t promoting the movie together. Additionally, Lively faced criticism for framing the film—centered on domestic abuse—as a lighthearted romance, while Baldoni remained firm in emphasizing its serious themes.
Following the film’s release, social media was flooded with posts branding Lively a “mean girl,” resurfacing past clips of her allegedly rude behavior toward interviewers and co-stars. Four months later, she filed a lawsuit against Baldoni, accusing him of not only sexual harassment but also orchestrating a sophisticated defamation campaign against her. Lively claimed he hired a crisis manager to lead a “coordinated, well-financed retaliation plan,” leveraging a “digital army” to spread damaging content online.
This could explain the sudden wave of Instagram reels portraying Lively as an unkind celebrity, fueling the backlash against her.
Hailey Beiber
Hailey Bieber, an entrepreneur and wife of popular Canadian singer Justin Bieber, has always been an easy target for trolls by frenzied fans of the famous actor-turned-singer Selena Gomez. It’s popular knowledge that Gomez and Bieber were in an on-again-off-again relationship for years till they finally called it quits in 2018 and Bieber married Hailey. While all three parties seemed to have moved on and are leading happy lives, fans of Gomez seem to still be bitter about the fact that Bieber parted ways with Gomez and picked Hailey instead. So it’s no surprise that Gomez’s die-hard fans grab any chance to grill Hailey online, often terming her as a “home-wrecker” and not good enough for Bieber.
The trolling got out of hand in 2023 when Hailey became the victim of savage online trolling by Gomez’s fan clubs. And it all started with eyebrows! Yup, you read that right.
Prior to this trolling, Gomez had taken to TikTok to talk about how she had accidentally over-laminated her eyebrows.
Hours later, Hailey posted a screenshot of her FaceTime chat with the famous reality show star Kylie Jenner, featuring a closeup of their eyebrows, which fans perceived as a dig at Gomez.
Though Jenner denied these allegations and accused fans of “reaching,” TikTokers continued to speculate and fuel this online fire. Gomez however defended Jenner saying that this online hate is unnecessary and that she’s a “fan” of Jenner. But Gomez’s following actions the same day certainly added to the drama. She was seen thanking a fan who praised her handling of her breakup with Justin Bieber and his marriage to Hailey. Gomez also wrote “I love you” in response to a fan who criticized “mean girls and nepo babies” for attacking Gomez. Later, Gomez commented on a resurfaced video that showed Hailey gagging at the mention of her long-time best friend and international pop icon Taylor Swift. She defended Swift in the comments section on Tik Tok, calling her “one of the best in the game.”
The online drama refused to die down. To the point where Hailey began to receive death threats and had to reach out to Gomez and urge her to request her fan clubs from spreading hate against her. Gomez obliged and put up a post stating, “I’ve always advocated for kindness and really want this all to stop.” Hailey in return thanked Gomez for her gesture and all was finally well in the online world!
J.K Rowling
Who would have thought that one of the world’s most beloved authors would one day be “canceled” by her own fans? That’s exactly what happened to J.K. Rowling, the renowned writer behind the Harry Potter series. Rowling faced intense backlash online following a series of controversial tweets about the transgender community.
On June 6, 2020, she retweeted an op-ed discussing “people who menstruate,” seemingly taking issue with the article’s choice of words instead of simply using “women.”
“‘People who menstruate.’ I’m sure there used to be a word for those people. Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?” she wrote.
Despite facing severe criticism over her tweets, Rowing didn’t relent and further tweeted, “If sex isn’t real, there’s no same-sex attraction. If sex isn’t real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn’t hate to speak the truth,” she tweeted. “The idea that women like me, who’ve been empathetic to trans people for decades, feeling kinship because they’re vulnerable in the same way as women—i.e., to male violence—‘hate’ trans people because they think sex is real and has lived consequences—is a nonsense,” she added.
She continued, writing, “I respect every trans person’s right to live any way that feels authentic and comfortable to them. I’d march with you if you were discriminated against on the basis of being trans. At the same time, my life has been shaped by being female. I do not believe it’s hateful to say so.”
Rowling faced intense backlash from trans activists and Harry Potter fans for her controversial remarks. Daniel Radcliffe, who famously portrayed Harry Potter in the film series, also spoke out against her comments, condemning them as transphobic.
“I realize that certain press outlets will probably want to paint this as in-fighting between J.K. Rowling and myself, but that is really not what this is about, nor is it what’s important right now. While Jo is unquestionably responsible for the course my life has taken, as someone who has been honored to work with and continues to contribute to The Trevor Project for the last decade, and just as a human being, I feel compelled to say something at this moment. Transgender women are women. Any statement to the contrary erases the identity and dignity of transgender people and goes against all advice given by professional health care associations who have far more expertise on this subject matter than either Jo or I. According to The Trevor Project, 78% of transgender and nonbinary youth reported being the subject of discrimination due to their gender identity. It’s clear that we need to do more to support transgender and nonbinary people, not invalidate their identities, and not cause further harm,” wrote Radciffe.
The rise of social media has made it easier than ever for public figures to face both admiration and outrage in real time. While some controversies fade away with time, others leave lasting consequences on careers and reputations. Whether it’s a tasteless joke, an ill-phrased comment, or a deeply held belief, the internet rarely forgets. Figures like Ranveer Allahbadia, J.K. Rowling, and Blake Lively have all experienced how quickly public sentiment can turn against them, becoming examples of celebrities trolled online. Yet, these incidents also raise questions about the balance between accountability and cancel culture—should individuals be permanently vilified for their missteps, or is there room for learning, growth, and redemption? In an era where viral outrage spreads faster than ever, one thing remains clear: words and actions carry immense weight, and navigating the digital landscape requires both sensitivity and responsibility.
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