MUMBAI: A recent incident made actor Andy Kumar question the need for the audience to be so vocal on social media. He says that recently he praised actress Nimrat Kaur Ahluwalia, and the backlash that he got was enormous.

“It's funny, I grew up in a time when we didn't talk about how we were feeling. We didn't discuss what's right, precisely because societal norms have changed. Nowadays, it's about being vocal about what you feel. And I believe we've gone a little bit overboard with it because what happens is, yes, it's good to be empathetic, to understand other people's feelings, and to care about them. But then, using these emotions to gain popularity or excessively getting involved in a culture where anything said can be misinterpreted, anything done can be misconstrued, is a problem,” he says.

He adds, “For instance, recently, I commented on Nimrat Kaur Alhuwalia's latest song, which I loved. I came across it on YouTube, enjoyed the song, and thought she did a great job. So, I commented, ‘Looking great’. However, underneath that compliment, I received hate mail from some of her fans because I had previously done a parody skit on her from Bigg Boss 16. But it's important to clarify that a parody is just that – a parody. It's a form of humour, and it doesn't mean that I hate anyone. I never did. I found her amusing because of the way she acted on the show, so I created a skit about it. That's all. I believe the culture of being overwhelmed has taken things to another level of intensity. Many of these individuals who represent the overwhelmed may not have their lives together, but they thrive on social media,” he says.