After months of silence following the backlash over her comments on Samay Raina's show India's Got Latent, social media influencer and actor Apoorva Mukhija, also known as The Rebel Kid is officially back. Apoorva has made a striking comeback on Instagram as well as YouTube, sending waves throughout the internet.
On Wednesday, Apoorva took to Instagram to share a new video beginning with her iconic line, “Hello my cute little red flags.” But that wasn’t all, she added fuel to the fire by teasing a major YouTube drop. In her caption, she wrote, “THE story time today 6 PM on YouTube,” leaving her fans eagerly counting down the hours.
The Internet Took No Time To React
Among the first to cheer her on was actor and digital star Kusha Kapila, who commented, “Make the greatest comeback ever (clapping hands emojis).”
Actor and entrepreneur Parul Gulati also joined in, writing, “Welcome back girl.” One of her fans wrote, “Let’s gooo... comeback like never before,” while another admitted, “Missed hearing this so much.” Her fans wasted no time in filling the comment section with excitement and love for her comeback.
In her new video, the 23-year-old shares an account of the personal toll the incident took on her. She revealed she received rape threats, acid attack threats, and death threats. Despite apologising earlier, she reiterated her regret in the video. “I should have been more mindful, and I truly have learned my lesson,” she said.
The controversy began after a joke on the show involving YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia and a comment about parents and sex spiralled into political outrage. Multiple FIRs were filed against host Samay Raina, the show’s organisers, and panellists including Mukhija.
The Digital Violence She Had To Face
In her recent Instagram posts, Apoorva Mukhija also addressed the dark side of online trolling that she had to face in the aftermath of the India’s Got Latent controversy, very bravely. She shared a chilling post highlighting the extent of the abuse she received, including graphic threats. The post carried a stark disclaimer: "Trigger warning: This post contains mentions of acid attacks, rape threats, and death threats.”
To give her followers a look into the toxicity she had to go through, Apoorva uploaded a series of disturbing screenshots filled with hateful messages and violent threats. She captioned the post with the line: “And that’s not even 1%."
The threats she received, ranging from acid attacks to rape and death, crossed every line of basic human decency and safety. Such violent responses to a public figure’s opinion reflect a dangerous culture of cyberbullying and misogyny that silences voices instead of encouraging dialogue.
No disagreement, no matter how strong, justifies the level of hate and abuse she was subjected to, it was wrong on all counts: morally, socially, as well as ethically.
In a follow-up post that resonated with many, she had added a thought-provoking message that seemed to reflect both pain and resilience: “Don’t take away the story from the storyteller,” without any additional caption, reflecting how she is confident enough to own her story.
As technology mediates more of our daily lives, it is also being weaponised to harm women and girls in new and alarming ways. A UN Women (2022) report found that 1 in 3 women in 51 countries had encountered online violence, with younger women (aged 18–24) at the highest risk. The World Bank notes that 58% of cyberstalking victims are women, often leading to real-world harm.
Despite its virtual nature, the impact is deeply personal, perpetuating gender inequality and creating a climate of fear that limits women's participation in digital spaces. Stronger laws, platform accountability, and societal awareness are crucial to combat this growing issue.
No one should have to live in fear just for existing online. The digital world should be a safe space for everyone.
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