Masaba Gupta is known for her outspokenness. She is not the one who fears expressing her views. The ace fashion designer, who is also an actor now, recently opened up on her struggle with acne since she was a teenager.
On Friday, Gupta took to her Instagram handle and dropped a picture of herself when she was 12-years-old. It was at this age she started getting acne on her face. In her post, she also revealed how she didn’t want to look into a mirror for years.
“What would you tell a 12-year-old who didn’t want to look into a mirror for years. Thanks to acne blowing up on her face overnight…But she survived it all anyway,” she wrote.
Gupta further added that it was her mother, actor, Neena Gupta who came to her rescue in perhaps one of the most difficult phases of her life. “I would look to their parents… I don’t know how my mother did it but she raised me to believe I’m a queen anyway,” she wrote.
This is not the first time that Masaba Gupta has spoken about her struggles with acne. She opened up on the same issue in 2017 also when she had shared pictures of herself with acne marks. “I've had terrible acne for 14 years and by terrible, I mean, most days it looked like I had a cigarette stubbed in my face. Dark scars on my face and my head. There were days I would refuse to leave home without putting powder on my face and refuse to put any lights on in the room,” she wrote.
Meanwhile, Masaba Gupta recently released the promotional materials for the upcoming second season of her semi-autobiographical Netflix series Masaba Masaba.
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire
Rahul Bhatt sparks controversy over 'insensitive' remarks about sisters Alia and Pooja Bhatt
Rahul Bhatt, fitness trainer and son of veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, has found himself at the centre of a social media storm following controversial remarks about his half-sister, Alia Bhatt. In a recent interview, Rahul drew comparisons between Alia and their older sister Pooja Bhatt, calling the latter more talented, attractive, and principled.
The comments, which many have labelled inappropriate and insensitive, have sparked widespread criticism online. During the interview, Rahul stated, “In my opinion, she (Alia) is not even half of what my real sister Pooja is. Not in talent, not in looks, not in terms of being sexy. In front of my sister, she is ‘paani kam chai’ (watery tea). Amongst the siblings, the most talented and the most moralistic is Pooja.”
Social media users reacted strongly, questioning why Rahul would compare his sisters in such personal terms. Several users were particularly disturbed by his reference to their appearance and sex appeal, pointing out that such comparisons within a family cross boundaries of propriety. One comment read, “This is disturbing. Why talk about your sisters like that? It’s not just weird, it’s wrong.” Another post said, “There’s nothing respectful about comparing your siblings’ attractiveness in public.”
The backlash also reignited conversation around a decades-old controversy involving Mahesh Bhatt and Pooja Bhatt. Rahul was asked about the infamous 1990s magazine cover where the father-daughter duo shared a kiss, which had stirred public outrage at the time. Dismissing the criticism, Rahul said, “It doesn’t make any difference. It’s like water off a duck’s back. We know the truth, and we’ve seen everything since childhood.”
Rahul’s casual dismissal of that controversy has added fuel to the fire, with critics saying it reflects a broader issue of the Bhatt family being insensitive to public perception and boundaries. Many users questioned the need for bringing up old incidents in a bid to defend new and equally questionable statements.
As of now, neither Alia Bhatt nor Pooja Bhatt has issued any public response to Rahul’s remarks. Both actors, known for their significant contributions to Indian cinema, have typically kept family matters private despite living in the public eye.
This episode has also sparked debate over the role of public figures in maintaining respect when discussing family matters in the media. Observers say such comments, especially when involving women’s appearance and personal qualities, reinforce problematic attitudes and fuel unnecessary controversies.
While Rahul Bhatt is not as prominent in the entertainment industry as his father or sisters, his comments have made headlines and placed the Bhatt family in the spotlight for reasons beyond their creative work. For many, this serves as a reminder that public platforms come with responsibility, and that family ties should not be trivialised or dissected for attention or comparison.
The backlash is unlikely to subside soon, especially as fans and followers of Alia and Pooja continue to express disappointment over the way the situation has unfolded. Whether or not Rahul chooses to clarify or apologise remains to be seen.