Opinion | Time to Move On: Sexist Trolling of Sobhita Dhulipala after Engagement to Naga Chaitanya Must Stop

Sobhita Dhulipala has found herself at the centre of a social media storm following her engagement to Naga Chaitanya in a private ceremony at his home in Hyderabad. The news of their engagement was made public by Naga Chaitanya’s father, superstar Nagarjuna, who took to his X (formerly Twitter) handle to share the first official photos of the couple and announce the happy occasion.

However, the joyous announcement quickly turned sour as Sobhita began receiving an onslaught of negative comments on social media. Many users branded her a “homewrecker,” with some even comparing her unfavourably to Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Naga Chaitanya’s ex-wife. Comments like “Samantha is far better than you” and “Samantha deserves better” flooded her posts, reflecting a wave of unwarranted hate.

This backlash, while disheartening, isn’t entirely surprising. It mirrors the online abuse Samantha Ruth Prabhu endured when she and Naga Chaitanya announced their separation three years ago. Despite their mutual decision to part ways, Samantha faced baseless accusations of affairs, multiple abortions, and even allegations of extorting crores in alimony. The intense trolling was so overwhelming that Samantha had to publicly address the rumours, stating, “They say I had affairs, never wanted children, that I am an opportunist, and now that I have had abortions. A divorce in itself is an extremely painful process. Adding to that, the relentless attacks make it even harder to heal. But I promise you this: I will never allow this or anything else they say to break me.”

The sexist double standards in how these situations are perceived are glaring. While Samantha and Naga Chaitanya mutually agreed to end their marriage, it was Samantha who bore the brunt of public criticism. Now, history seems to be repeating itself with Sobhita, who is being blamed for a marriage that ended three years ago.

Samantha has previously spoken out about the need to move on from her past relationship, particularly when rumours about Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita first surfaced. She addressed the speculation head-on, saying, “Rumours on girl – Must be true!! Rumours on boy – Planted by girl!! Grow up, guys! Parties involved have clearly moved on… you should move on too!! Concentrate on your work… on your families… move on!!”

As both Samantha and Naga Chaitanya have moved on with their lives, it is only fair that the public does the same, rather than casting blame on anyone involved. The focus should be on respecting their personal choices and allowing all parties to live their lives without unnecessary scrutiny or judgment.

Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.