The once-popular playback singer faced massive backlash for his inflammatory tweets targeting women journalists, political figures, and minorities. His account was suspended more than once due to offensive content, and his public image took a hit. Despite his attempts at comebacks, mainstream Bollywood largely distanced itself from him after the controversies.
One of the most controversial figures in Bollywood, Kangana Ranaut has made headlines more for her Twitter spats than her films in recent years. From calling fellow actors names to making politically charged statements, her tweets often triggered massive outrage. Things escalated so much that Twitter permanently suspended her account in 2021 for violating the platform’s hate speech policies. Though she later joined Koo and Instagram, the backlash resulted in film boycotts and distancing by parts of the industry.
While not directly “cancelled” over a tweet, Rhea Chakraborty’s social media posts during the aftermath of Sushant Singh Rajput’s death triggered a national media trial. Her cryptic messages and later interviews were dissected brutally. Online trolls declared her guilty even before any legal outcome, and hashtags demanding her arrest trended for weeks. Although she’s slowly making her way back, the hate she faced online practically exiled her from Bollywood for a while.
Though not due to a single tweet or post, Sajid Khan’s social media presence saw an explosion of anger during his attempted comeback via Bigg Boss after being accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women during the #MeToo movement. The backlash on Twitter was swift and brutal, with many calling out the platform and industry for giving him a second chance.
Vivek stirred a storm in 2019 after sharing a meme about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s past relationships, comparing them to election results. The post was deemed sexist and distasteful by netizens and fellow actors alike. Though he apologized and deleted the tweet, the damage was done. The meme invited widespread criticism, turning a potential PR opportunity during election season into a social media disaster.