Mandana Karimi Says She Has Faced Years of Cyberbullying and Stalking
Actor Mandana Karimi has spoken out about what she describes as years of cyberbullying, harassment, and stalking, saying the abuse has continued even after she relocated from India to Dubai in May. In a series of Instagram videos and posts, Karimi said an unknown person has sent malicious emails to people in her professional network, including producers and co-stars, often seeking money or making defamatory allegations against her.
Karimi, who is known for her work in Bollywood films such asRoy,Bhaag Johnny,Main Aur Charles, andKyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, as well as reality shows likeBigg Boss 9 andLock Upp, said the harassment began around the time of her separation from businessman Gaurav Gupta. She said she had a cyberbullying case and a stalker for over six years. "I am on a holiday, and it has happened again," she said in one video, as reported by The Times of India and Free Press Journal. "I had a cyberbullying case and a stalker for over 6 years since I got separated. An account messaged my producer and co-stars to make them aware of me and also asked them for money."
Karimi said she previously hired someone to investigate the matter. According to her, she was told that a professional hacker had been paid to monitor her social media activity, and that emails were being sent in the name of "Meenakshi." She said the police in India could not do anything in the case, and that the emails have continued even after her move abroad. "I have left India right now, but my friends still receive an email," she said, as quoted by The Times of India. "Someone is just trying to destroy my name."
In a written caption accompanying screenshots of the emails, Karimi said: "Enough is enough. For years, I have faced ongoing cyberbullying, harassment, and stalking from an unknown person who closely monitors my life and sends malicious emails to people I post or associate with—even after I moved from India to Dubai. I have previously filed multiple cybercrime complaints, and I am now speaking publicly and sharing the evidence." She urged recipients not to engage, send money, or believe the contents, but to save the emails, take screenshots, and forward them to her. "This is harassment, and I will no longer remain silent," she wrote.
Karimi's move from India to Dubai had earlier been reported by The Indian Express, which cited an interview she gave to SCREEN. In that interview, she said the decision was about starting a new phase in her life rather than being about one particular country, mentioning her roots, her work, and what she called the struggle for freedom for her people. She also posted pictures from Dubai with a caption beginning "Between grief and gratitude, I found my reflection again."
Karimi began her career in 2010 and made her Bollywood debut with a cameo inRoy in 2015, the same year she appeared onBigg Boss 9, where she finished as second runner-up. She later appeared inIshqbaaz in 2018. She married Gaurav Gupta in 2017, filed a domestic violence complaint against him and his family soon after, and the couple divorced in 2021. Recently, she has also been vocal about tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
The allegations made by Karimi have not been independently verified, and no one has been publicly identified or apprehended in connection with the case.