Rhiya Ahir speaks out against cyber bullies: ‘This is not my shame to carry’

Following her viral stand stopping a police van in Mumbai during the recent student movement, 27-year-old model-actor Rhiya Ahir has found herself transformed from a celebrated figure into the target of a vicious online harassment campaign involving morphed images, character assassination, and false allegations of selling adult content.

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The Federal spoke to Rhiya about the coordinated cyberattacks, her experience filing a complaint with the cyber police, and her response to Bharatiya Janata Party MP Kangana Ranaut’s disparaging comments targeting Gen Z and women protesters.

Here are excerpts from the interview

How did the situation suddenly shift from receiving great praise to facing such disturbing online harassment?

It is really shocking for me as well to wrap my head around how I went from being an ordinary Mumbai girl—giving auditions and spending time with family—to becoming a national hero in a way, fighting against the system, and then two days later suddenly being called a "national shame". For me as a woman, processing this quantum leap to a beautiful world where everyone supported me, and then suddenly facing people who are harassing me, maligning my character, degrading me as a woman, talking about my profession, and saying I don't even deserve to live, has been very difficult.

Hatred was directed toward my dad, my family, and myself, as well as those women who are uploading my photos, reposting them, and speaking about how a woman stands tall in today's world. I won't say it has deeply affected me to the point of stopping me, because the encouragement I still receive stands far ahead of a few people who have no control over their minds. It is really sad that they wake up and think about who to hate on next.

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I personally haven't said anything hurtful or hurt anyone's sentiments in any interview or in my life altogether. If someone thinks I have, they should show me the proof. People take my pictures, morph them, and pixelate them to the point where whatever lie they attach to it gets believed. Boys are making reels saying my leaked images have been received in their DMs or through Instagram subscription tools.

What exactly are these allegations being made against you regarding your Instagram subscription page?

They are alleging that I opened an Instagram exclusive subscription page to offer adult content for Rs 140 or Rs 149, claiming I did all this for fame so I could charge money for it. These people have no personal or direct contact with me, and I haven't even dignified them with a response because this behaviour is a criminal offence.

My way of responding to this is through the police. When I showed my hand in front of the bus during the protest, I used my hand to stop them; now, the long arm of the law will stop these perpetrators. I registered my cyber complaint on the portal, and the police called me. I spent an entire day at the police station from 10:30 am to 6:30 pm with my father going through all the details because this is a very sensitive crime.

It is sad and unfortunate that I am not the first woman to deal with this. Others before me have dealt with deepfakes, rape threats, and absurd allegations that they belong to particular areas where girls allegedly do this for money, claiming it was all scripted.

To any woman dealing with this: you are not alone, and please do not handle this alone. This is not your shame to carry. Please go to the police station and do what is necessary. The police were very supportive, explained the procedure, and reassured me. People are calculating that I have 10,000 subscribers and made lakhs in earnings; my bank account is not even connected to Instagram!

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The police even asked me why it wasn't connected, saying it is my hard work. I considered deleting the subscription page altogether, but then I realised that would feed into their narrative and make people think I was wrong. I will not be ashamed to monetise my craft, try to be independent, or create content on Instagram. When people cannot defeat your argument, they start questioning your character.

What content is actually posted on your exclusive Instagram feed?

To start with, people claim I started my Instagram subscription right after the protest because it was all a scripted game plan. I don't even plan what I am going to eat for dinner, let alone plan all this!

On my subscription feed, there are two pictures in a carousel and one video from 2024—I haven't even been active on it for two years. One post is from a shoot in Kashmir where I am sitting in a car wearing a turtleneck with a roller in my hair, singing "Tu Saath Hai Din Raat Hai". The other post is from Ranthambore National Park in 2024, where I am on a safari showing tigers that caught a prey. That is the entirety of the content.

I used to look up to her (Kangana Ranaut) when she stood up against the Bollywood mafia. But she previously made derogatory remarks about a female farmer, and now she is generalising an entire generation.

Yesterday, a friend suggested I use the subscription tool to connect one-on-one with people who want to ask for advice or learn about my experiences, and I thought it was a great idea to connect with well-wishers while filtering out the noise.

Where does your resilience come from? Is it your background or family environment?

It comes from the way I was brought up, but also from doing theatre for 13 years. Standing alone on stage and travelling with the crew across India since I was five or six years old gave me my own strength. Having total support from my family makes a huge difference, as does the support from people across the nation.

Where does your legal case stand right now? Have the perpetrators been booked or an FIR copy provided?

The person I complained against uploaded another video calculating my earnings, using incorrect figures like Rs 149, and people are believing it. The case has not reached them yet, and I have not received a copy of the FIR. The police mentioned they are working with Instagram, but I do not have a physical copy yet.

Meanwhile, girls and women who post stories encouraging me are getting targeted, harassed, and sent threats saying I don't deserve to live. These perpetrators are sending voice notes on private channels. I hope the police take swift action.

Do you feel this harassment is part of an inorganic or manufactured campaign against you?

I do feel it is inorganic and manufactured. When I look at comment sections on media channels, I receive screenshots showing that many of these are fake profiles and bots. People following my story are noticing this too.

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It is a coordinated propaganda campaign where you see the exact same words or paragraphs repeated thousands of times across channels. Sadly, it is not just men participating; there are women doing it too.

Do you feel like you are fighting a lonely battle for your dignity now, despite standing up for a larger cause during the protest?

I took a stand for a movement that wasn't selfish—it was for my brothers, my family, and the citizens of India. I didn't know anyone in the police van personally, but we stood up for them. Now, while the people of the nation are with me, politicians and celebrities who used my pictures to show solidarity with the movement are absent while I fight for my own dignity. It feels like some were only there to gain support from the people who supported me. But as I say, they tried to bury me, but they forgot I am the seed.

How do you react to comments made by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut targeting Gen Z and women participating in protests?

I am upset and disappointed. I used to look up to her when she stood up against the Bollywood mafia. But she previously made derogatory remarks about a female farmer, and now she is generalising an entire generation.

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First of all, get your alphabets right, Miss Kangana—it's Gen Z, and 'Z' stands for "ziddi" (stubborn). You cannot generalise an entire generation, call Hindu women names, or create division.

This is the generation that has shown that if you stand up, people in power who do wrong will have to bend their knees. This Gen Z has proved that India is still a vibrant democracy. This generation is winning medals at the Commonwealth Games, fixing potholes on the streets for free when corrupt officers charge crores, and cleaning garbage blocks.

When ministers or political figures make outrageous statements or say derogatory things, we do not generalise entire institutions or groups. To anyone who thinks Gen Z is not intelligent or aware, we are fully aware of what is happening in this country.