Cinema VinesIndian actress and television presenter Pearle Maaney has seen a dramatic fall in her social‑media following after she voiced support for students protesting alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate exams. Within two days of posting her comments, the popular influencer lost almost 200,000 followers on Instagram, dropping from roughly 5.7 million to just over 5.5 million.
Maaney’s initial posts, which appeared on her Instagram feed, expressed solidarity with the demonstrators in Delhi and urged them to keep their protests peaceful. She wrote that “life is more important than anything else” and called for non‑violent demonstrations. The message was interpreted by many users as downplaying the seriousness of the alleged examination scandal and the students’ demands, sparking a wave of criticism.
The backlash intensified when screenshots surfaced showing fans announcing they had unfollowed the actress, and a coordinated unfollow campaign spread across social media. Critics also accused Maaney of blocking several users who opposed her stance. As abusive comments and personal attacks flooded her account, she disabled comments on her posts, effectively silencing public responses.
Her controversy extended beyond Instagram: her Facebook page and YouTube channel also reported noticeable drops in followers. After the initial backlash, Maaney posted a separate status declaring saffron her favourite colour, a remark that was seen as a political statement and drew further criticism at a time when the NEET protests were highly charged.
Overall, the incident highlights how quickly public sentiment can shift on social media and the fragile nature of celebrity influence when political and social issues intersect.
