Filmmaker and actor Rahul Ravindran has deleted his X account after receiving a wave of online abuse and death threats targeting his family during an online debate linked to the Ketan Agarwal case.
The controversy began after an X user questioned why the director of The Girlfriend, starring Rashmika Mandanna, had not made a film about "atrocities against men" while referring to the Ketan Agarwal case. Rahul responded by defending his views, but the exchange soon snowballed into a larger debate that also drew in discussions around the Siya Goyal case.
What began as a disagreement over his comments eventually turned into personal attacks and threats, prompting Rahul to leave the platform.
What started the controversy
The row began after an X user referred to the Ketan Agarwal case and asked Rahul why he had directed The Girlfriend but not a film highlighting "atrocities against men."
Rahul rejected the premise of the question and argued that society remains inherently patriarchal. His response quickly went viral and attracted thousands of reactions.
Initially, the discussion centred on differing opinions. It had not yet turned into personal abuse.
I don’t claim to know everything bro… so educate me if I am wrong. But I don’t see atrocities of ‘women’ on ‘men’ at all. I see some horrible incidents of sociopathic human beings who happen to be women, committing horrible crimes. On the other hand… I see a self sustaining… https://t.co/dwx5Ig3kIu
— Rahul Ravindran (@23_rahulr) June 25, 2026
How the Siya Goyal and Ketan Agarwal threads merged
As the conversation gained traction, separate discussions around the Siya Goyal case and the Ketan Agarwal case began overlapping on social media.
Many users started referencing The Girlfriend while debating gender violence and societal narratives. The film became part of a much wider conversation, pulling Rahul into a polarised online debate.
When the abuse became personal
As the debate intensified, criticism shifted from Rahul's views to personal attacks.
According to multiple media reports, users began issuing abusive messages and death threats, including threats directed at Rahul's children. His wife, singer Chinmayi Sripaada, also came out in his support, but her posts attracted further backlash.
The situation had moved beyond disagreement into serious safety concerns.
Why Rahul decided to leave X
In a lengthy farewell post, Rahul said he had opened X during the Brazil vs Japan football match to check football updates but instead looked at his notifications.
He said one abusive post left him consumed by anger.
"And I came across this tweet. I wish I hadn't. I kept staring at it for a long time. I kept filling up with a rage. I wanted to track this guy down and do unspeakable things to him."
I was sitting and watching the Brazil v Japan game. I wanted to check a football related Twitter account about something and I opened this app. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of checking my notifications too. And I came across this tweet. I wish I hadn’t.
— Rahul Ravindran (@23_rahulr) June 29, 2026
I kept staring at… pic.twitter.com/abRnWC58Y2
Rahul said he did not like the person he became after reading the comments and did not want any social media platform to have that kind of influence over him.
He also wrote, "Maybe I am overreacting. Maybe it's somehow my fault. Maybe my kids and I deserve this hate."
He then announced that he was deleting X, adding that he was "done" with the platform after the abuse and hostility directed at him and his family.
