In a recent spotlight performance at Lakme Fashion Week, multi-talented artist Saba Azad caught the attention of fans and critics alike. However, amidst the praise, she also faced a barrage of online trolls on Instagram, who couldn’t resist spreading negativity. In a brave move, Saba decided to address these trolls and shed light on the issue of online hate.
One Instagram user criticized Saba’s dance performance on the ramp, stating, “You need therapy.” To this, Saba responded with remarkable composure, saying, “Why yes, Sir/Madam spud. I tend to agree, and I get it on the regular as should everyone else for existing in a world as consumed by hate as ours. You should try it! It helps you fill your own tanks and thus not get so deeply offended by the peaceful existence of others.”
Another user bluntly questioned, “Are you mad?” in response to one of Saba’s Instagram stories. Saba, undeterred, retorted, “Yes, Jaffar! I really must be to keep waking up every day in the wake of the constant hate being sent my way and thinking maybe today will be a better day and smiling and carrying on – I must be mad because maybe the world is just filled with people such as yourself, who sit behind the safety of their screens adding nothing but hate into the world. That’s your legacy – that’s what you’re gonna leave behind. Chew on that, buddy.”
In a recent interview, Saba Azad addressed the wave of hatred she encounters online, stating, “It’s taken me quite some time to come to a place where I treat everything else as white noise because hatred is palpable. I am not made of stone, it hits you. You feel like s***. There are days when you wake up and you wonder what did I do to anyone? What did I do to you? I am living my life, you live yours? Why are you waiting for my blood?”
Saba Azad, known for her versatility as a singer-musician and her appearances in films like “Dil Kabaddi” and “Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge,” along with her involvement in the Netflix anthology “Feels Like Ishq” and various web series, exemplifies resilience in the face of online hate. Her response serves as a reminder that kindness and grace can counteract the negativity that sometimes permeates the digital world.