Director Rahul Ravindran Deletes X Amid Threats Related to The Girlfriend

Director Rahul Ravindran has announced that he is deleting the social media platform X from his phone after receiving disturbing messages and death threats directed at his children amid the ongoing controversy surrounding his upcoming film, The Girlfriend. The filmmaker said the abusive posts left him deeply shaken and prompted him to step away from the platform, despite relying on it for sports news and updates. His decision comes after online criticism intensified over claims linking the film to a recent murder case, an allegation he has firmly denied.

In a detailed post shared on June 30, Rahul revealed that he had opened X only to check football updates while watching the Brazil versus Japan FIFA World Cup match. However, he accidentally viewed his notifications and came across a hateful post targeting his family. The filmmaker admitted the message triggered overwhelming anger and distress, saying it took him a long time to regain his composure. He wrote that the experience made him realise how negatively the platform was affecting his mental well-being.

Rahul said the threatening post left him battling thoughts that frightened him. He explained that although he usually calms himself quickly during moments of anger, this incident was different because the abuse was aimed at his children. The director said he did not like the emotional state the incident pushed him into and decided that continuing to use the platform was no longer worth the toll it was taking on him. He added that protecting his peace of mind was more important than remaining active on social media.

Also Read: Zeenat Aman Says Industry Focused On Her Appearance And Demanded Revealing Scenes

The controversy surrounding The Girlfriend began after some social media users linked the film to the Pune murder case involving Ketan Agarwal. The case concerns allegations that Ketan was pushed off a cliff at Lohagad Fort by his fiancée, Siya Goyal, and her boyfriend, Chetan Chaudhary. Some users claimed the film promoted narratives favouring women while overlooking crimes committed against men, leading to criticism directed at Rahul and the project.

Responding to the allegations, Rahul clarified that The Girlfriend has no connection with the Ketan Agarwal case and that many online assumptions about the film were inaccurate. He said individual criminal acts should not be confused with broader social issues and explained that his film explores gender inequality and the everyday challenges faced by women. Rahul added that he had chosen to tell that story because he believed it was an important subject to address, while also stating that he had not yet fully studied the details of the Pune case.

The filmmaker also responded to criticism of the film's male lead, played by Dheekshith Shetty, saying the character is neither abusive nor unfaithful and that the story explores a completely different issue than many critics have assumed. As the debate over The Girlfriend continues online, Rahul's decision to leave X has drawn attention to the growing impact of online abuse and threats directed at public figures and their families, highlighting concerns about the emotional consequences of harassment on social media.

Also Read: Edda Elisa Alleges She Was Stopped From Boarding Flight Over Revealing Outfit