By Anil Merani: Apoorva Mukhija’s recent interaction with the paparazzi highlighted the delicate balance celebrities must strike between embracing glamour and navigating media scrutiny. While posing at an event in Mumbai in a striking snakeskin print one-piece, she made a bold yet playful request to the photographers: “Sir, idhar zoom karke mat daalna, poori video daalna” (Don’t zoom in here, upload the whole video). This comment resonated with fans and garnered online praise for her candidness in addressing the media’s tendency to sensationalize. This moment highlights a broader tension: celebrities like Mukhija are expected to project glamorous images to remain relevant, yet they often face criticism or objectification when their appearance—especially elements like revealing outfits—receives disproportionate attention. Sure to maintain an alluring public persona is amplified in the age of social media, where influencers like Mukhija, with 2.6 million Instagram followers, thrive on visibility. Her content, often bold and unfiltered, aligns with her “Rebel Kid” or “Kaleshi Aurat” persona, which has earned her a spot among India’s Top 100 Digital Stars by Forbes.
Yet, this same visibility invites scrutiny, as seen in her earlier controversy on India’s Got Latent, where her provocative comments led to an FIR and online backlash, including death and sexual assault threats. This duality—courting attention while deflecting its invasive or judgmental extremes—reflects the complex dance celebrities must perform. Mukhija’s playful jab at the paparazzi was not just a moment of wit, but a significant move, reclaiming agency over her image while keeping the tone approachable, and it also reveals the constant negotiation between self-expression and public perception in the spotlight.