Last Updated:February 19, 2025, 04:13 IST

Aishwarya Rai’s sister-in-law Shrima Rai has reacted to online trolling, saying she was unfairly painted as a ‘shady character’ by trolls.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s sister-in-law, Shrima Rai, has opened up about being targeted by online trolls, saying she was unfairly labelled a “shady character.” Without directly mentioning Aishwarya, Shrima addressed the backlash she faced on social media and said that she has built her career independently.

Speaking on Mohsinaa Ahmad’s YouTube channel, Shrima revealed that the controversy began in November when comments about her were taken out of context. “Something was thrown completely out of context, and before I knew it, I was being painted as this new character in a Bollywood saga that they were writing about,” she said.

She described the situation as feeling like a scripted TV drama. “It was almost like when you watch those Indian TV dramas, a new character came in, and that new character was Shrima Rai. That’s how I felt,” she added.

Shrima, who is a content creator, said she was deeply hurt by the trolling, as it ignored her professional achievements. “I didn’t want my connection to the family to be my calling card,” she said, adding, “It’s one thing to have the support of whoever you are related to, but if you are doing it on your own, it’s very unfair for someone to take that away from you.”

She said that she was not okay with the way she was being portrayed. “I was being painted as a ‘shady character,’ and I am not okay with that,” she said. While she issued a clarification at the time, Shrima noted that it did little to stop the trolling.

“Some trolls started comparing unnecessarily. There’s no way you can compare one woman’s journey to another’s journey,” she said. She also addressed the fandom culture, stating, “Just because you are a fan of that person doesn’t mean you have to be a troll of this person.”

The controversy erupted after trolls questioned why Shrima never posted about Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. In response, she shared a cryptic message: “Never jealous. Never intimidated. Never in competition. I got my own blessings.” This post, along with a picture of a bouquet from Shweta Bachchan Nanda, fueled further speculation.

To silence the rumours, Shrima put out a detailed clarification. “My birthday was November 21, and as usual, flowers were sent. I thanked everyone with a shout-out. Before I became a blogger/content creator, I was a banker in Wealth Management for several years. I have also been a Gladrags Mrs. India Globe 2009. Post-2017, I transitioned into blogging. I have NEVER tried to open any business with anyone’s name. I have built an independent career as a content creator for years on my own, and as a woman, I find it in poor taste for anyone to try to tear that fact down,” she wrote.

Shrima also mentioned that her husband, mother-in-law, and parents could vouch for her career journey. “As a mother, it is extremely important to me that facts are clear when my name is involved,” she said.

However, she later deleted these posts, and the controversy gradually faded, though the trolling continues.