After rape and acid threats, Apoorva Mukhija’s powerful comeback video ‘Not over until I say it is’ reignites social media safety concerns

Apoorva Mukhija, also known as @the.rebel.kid is a well-known content creator, YouTuber, and Actor. Once a beloved voice of relatability and raw humor, this content creator found herself at the center of a social media firestorm soon after her appearance as a panelist on the infamous episode of Samay Raina’s India’s Got Latent.  Being one of the judges on the panel, Apporva appeared on this creator-focused reality show, which soon turned her life upside down in a span of no time.

Little did she know that what seemed like a lighthearted, unscripted moment would quickly turn into a viral outrage. Apoorva’s few remarks on the show received massive backlash which soon triggered a storm of online hate. But the criticism was so massive that it appeared to be more like a witch-hunt.

After being away from the public eye for 2 months, Apoappirorva shares in her comeback video about the mental and financial trauma she has been enduring since August. The aftermath was truly horrifying. She revealed she received graphic rape threats, acid attack messages, and death threats from strangers online. The situation escalated to a terrifying point when one particular message claimed to know her building and threatened to carry out acts of violence. “I couldn’t understand what was happening,” she said in the video. “These were things we only saw in movies. Now, I was living it.”

The 23-year-old creator also recalls that she couldn’t fathom anything around her and that her manager had to sit her down and prepare her for the possibility of facing legal cases and constant online harassment. Her voice trembled as she said, “I felt like I had become my father’s worst nightmare.”

Apoorva broke down multiple times in the video, particularly when discussing how the situation affected her family. The girl who once proudly declared feeling secure in Mumbai now struggled to feel safe in her own home. “I loved Bombay for its security,” she said, fighting back tears. “I never thought I’d be afraid to return to my own house.”

She recalled avoiding her father’s call, fearing he would express disappointment in her. However, he messaged her, saying, “Beta, kuch bhi ho jaye, main khada hun tere saath” (No matter what, I will always have your back). With tears streaming down her cheeks and a tremble in her voice, she said, “I felt like I had become my father’s worst nightmare.” She even talks about how people found her mother’s account online and started abusing her. Despite the horror, Apporva said the only silver lining was that this incident got her closer to her family.

Apoorva Mukija offers a sincere apology for her show comments, which she admits were in poor taste. She provides context, stating that she was trying to be funny and respond to a bad remark that was made towards her best friend, but never intended to cause offense.

Apoorva shared screenshots of how she was flooded with hundreds of DMs filled with rape threats, acid attack threats, and messages of extreme violence captioning them with: “And that’s not even 1%.” In another story, she wrote: “Don’t take the story away from the storyteller.”

And yet, in the darkest corners of the internet, a sliver of hope emerged. Celebrities, influencers, and fellow creators rallied around her. Many condemned the harassment and called out the toxic digital environment. The girl who had once been mocked is now being supported, loved, and embraced for her strength. She ended her video with a line that may stay with her audience forever: “This is not over. It’s not over until I say it is.”

Money generated from Apoorva’s comeback video will be donated to an NGO supporting groups of acid attack and rape attack survivors.

While today Apoorva is again being celebrated, not long ago, the same digital space was the reason she felt unsafe even within the walls of her home. Her story is a reminder of how quickly tides can turn in social media – from applause to abuse and back again. But the real question is – When did the digital space become so insensitive?

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