YouTuber and activist Dhruv Rathee has finally addressed the intense backlash surrounding his recent video The FAKE Beauty of Bollywood Celebrities, after social media users accused him of indirectly attacking actor Janhvi Kapoor following her strong condemnation of the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh.
The controversy erupted when viewers linked the timing of Rathee’s video to Janhvi Kapoor’s Instagram Story, claiming the content was politically motivated.
How the Controversy Started
On December 25, Dhruv Rathee released a video examining the rise of plastic surgery, fillers, botox, and cosmetic enhancement in Bollywood. The video mentioned several prominent actors including Janhvi Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Shruti Haasan, Deepika Padukone, Shilpa Shetty, Kajol, and Priyanka Chopra.
Soon after its release, viral posts began circulating online suggesting that the video was a reaction to Janhvi Kapoor’s statement condemning the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh.
Rathee’s Direct Response
Breaking his silence, Rathee posted a clarification video questioning the logic behind the accusations. Reading out viral posts aloud, he responded sharply:
“Bhagwan ne tumhe dimaag diya hai, kyun nahi istemal karte uska?”
(God has given you a brain — why don’t you use it?)
He pointed out the timeline flaw behind the claims:
“Jis din Janhvi Kapoor ne post daali, usi din maine aadhe ghante ka video upload kiya. Kya yeh realistically possible hai?”
(Is it realistically possible to research, shoot, edit and upload a half-hour video in a single day?)
Rathee also clarified his own stance on the Bangladesh issue:
“Maine khud Bangladeshi Hindus par reels banayi hain. Toh main us baat ko lekar kisi ko kyun criticize karunga?”
‘My Video Is About Plastic Surgery, Not Janhvi Kapoor’
Reinforcing the core purpose of his content, Rathee said:
“Pura video plastic surgery pe hai aur uska kya impact padta hai society mein. Iss pure video mein maine Janhvi Kapoor se koi sawal nahi kiya.”
Addressing the thumbnail controversy, he explained that multiple thumbnails are created for each video and that Janhvi’s inclusion was contextual, not personal.
“Main indirectly attack karne walon mein se nahi hoon. Jo bolna hota hai muh pe bolta hoon.”
Janhvi Kapoor’s Stand on Dipu Chandra Das
Earlier that day, Janhvi Kapoor had posted a powerful message on Instagram condemning the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh, calling it “barbaric” and urging people to acknowledge the gravity of the violence.
As of now, Janhvi Kapoor has not responded to Rathee’s video or the controversy.
