Singer Chinmayi Faces Online Abuse Over Rahul Ravindran’s Mangalsutra Comment; Hyderabad Police Step In

Singer and voice artist Chinmayi Sripaada has once again found herself at the centre of social media outrage — this time over her husband Rahul Ravindran’s comments on women’s freedom to choose whether or not to wear a mangalsutra after marriage.

The controversy began when Rahul, during promotions for his upcoming film The Girlfriend, said:

“After our marriage, I told my wife Chinmayi that it was her choice whether to wear a mangalsutra or not. I even suggested not wearing it because it’s unfair that men have no visible sign of being married while women are expected to have one.”

The statement quickly went viral, sparking backlash from several users on X (formerly Twitter) who accused the couple of “not upholding culture.” The situation soon escalated into targeted online harassment against Chinmayi and her family.

Abuse Turns Personal and Extreme

A section of users gathered on X Spaces, where they made shocking and hateful remarks, even wishing harm upon Chinmayi’s children. Many used vulgar language, personally attacking both her and Rahul Ravindran.

Outraged by the abuse, Chinmayi joined one such X Space herself — confronting the users and condemning the toxic online ecosystem that normalizes harassment.

“Rahul said something in context, but all of you picked it up and called us names. You sit, clap, and enjoy this abuse. Do you think people don’t see it?” she questioned.

‘This Is the Most Beautiful State — But the Abuse Is Unbelievable’

Chinmayi also expressed her deep connection with audiences in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, while simultaneously calling out the same ecosystem for enabling abuse.

“This is the most beautiful state that loves films and creators. As a dubbing artist, I’ve received immense love here for being the voice of Ye Maaya Chesave. But the kind of abuse I’ve faced now makes me enraged,” she said.

The singer criticized X Space hosts for platforming abusers and questioned the silence of listeners who did not intervene while she was being insulted. She urged everyone to maintain decency, even when disagreeing with opinions.

Chinmayi also pointed out that despite facing severe backlash during the #MeToo movement in Tamil Nadu, she had never been subjected to such extreme personal abuse.

Police Take Action

Following the widespread harassment, Chinmayi reached out to Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar on X, sharing details and tagging the Hyderabad Cybercrime team. Commissioner Sajjanar publicly acknowledged the issue, tagging the respective departments to take action.

After the police involvement, several abusive accounts deactivated themselves, though authorities are reportedly continuing investigations as some users attempted to migrate to other platforms.

Background: Chinmayi’s #MeToo Journey

Chinmayi has been a prominent voice in India’s #MeToo movement since 2018, when she accused lyricist Vairamuthu of sexual misconduct during a 2005 concert trip. Her courage inspired nearly 20 other women to come forward with similar allegations.

Even recently, when a user referenced her past trauma to attack her, Chinmayi hit back strongly:

“Getting groped and molested is my fault? Why do men like you bring up my harassment to make a non-point? Just vanish into thin air.”

A Call for Accountability

The latest incident has reignited conversations about online abuse, misogyny, and freedom of expression on social media platforms. Chinmayi continues to urge law enforcement to act against hate speech and hold abusers accountable.