Instagram - Shweta Tiwari
Mumbai: Popular television actress Shweta Tiwari has strongly condemned the growing culture of online abuse after allegedly receiving degrading messages from a social media user who identified himself as a Marathi maanus and a supporter of Raj Thackeray.
Taking to Instagram, Shweta shared a series of strongly worded notes addressing the casual use of the “R-word” against women online. The actress questioned how educated men, many of whom have wives, daughters, mothers and sisters, could feel comfortable using such language for another woman.
“What shocks me is that these men are not necessarily uneducated or from troubled backgrounds,” Shweta wrote, adding that many appear to come from respectable families.
The Kasautii Zindagii Kay actress revealed that the issue had been troubling her since a recent Instagram Live with contestants from The Traitors. According to Shweta, several people used the “R-word” against the women appearing in the live session.
She further alleged that some users made disturbing remarks involving her daughter and her eight-year-old son.
Shweta said she later visited the profiles of those posting such comments and found photographs of their wives, daughters and other female family members. Questioning their double standards, she asked how they could protect the dignity of the women in their lives while attacking strangers online.
The actress then addressed the alleged troll’s Marathi identity and political affiliation. Shweta said she had lived in Maharashtra throughout her life, was born and raised in Mumbai and had always taken pride in being Marathi.
“I grew up believing that Marathi culture respected women, their strength and their dignity,” she wrote.
Addressing people who proudly call themselves Marathi while allegedly entering women’s DMs to abuse them, Shweta asked, “Is this what being a Marathi maanus has come to mean?”
She also directly questioned Raj Thackeray, asking whether such behaviour from people claiming to support him or his party could be considered acceptable.
Shweta stressed that speaking Marathi or claiming to love Maharashtra was not enough. According to her, respecting women must also remain an important part of that identity.
Concluding her statement, the actress said that a woman does not lose her dignity simply because someone does not know her, dislikes her or disagrees with her views.
“Respect women, not only the women you love, but women. Period,” she added.
This post was last modified on August 21, 2026 12:53 pm