Inside Bollywood's Paid Trolling Economy

Actor Varun Dhawan didn’t just face online criticism after a song Ghar Kab Aaoge from Border 2 went viral; he was met with scale. Identical memes, repetitive talking points and relentless ridicule flooded X, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, prompting a Reddit post that alleged the backlash bore the hallmarks of a coordinated, paid trolling campaign rather than a spontaneous public reaction.

Film critic and trade analyst Sumit Kadel says the pattern has become increasingly common. “Paying influencers to shape perception isn’t new,” Kadel notes. “What’s changed is the scale. Today, everyone expects money, from influencers to trolls.

When payment doesn’t come, hostility escalates until actors and filmmakers are mentally exhausted.” Industry insiders say the mechanics are straightforward: ridicule travels faster than reason. Content mocking actors is rewarded with views, followers and monetisation, encouraging copycat behaviour.“Once one person targets an actor, others pile on, not for opinion, but for reach,” Kadel adds.

Kartik Aaryan’s case reflects the same cycle, where manufactured controversy keeps an actor trending while work takes a back seat. Kadel also flags internal competition as a key driver. “There are instances where rival camps quietly push negative narratives through agencies. People within the industry are aware this happens,” he says. As battles move from theatres to timelines, paid trolling has become a visible force shaping careers, perception and psychological toll.

Nidhi Dutta calls out ‘paid smear campaign’

Producer Nidhi Dutta has hit out at what she called a paid smear campaign targeting Varun Dhawan, amid a wave of online criticism around his role in Border 2. The issue gained traction after an X user, CineHub, alleged that certain Instagram influencers were running a coordinated agenda, including body-shaming and selectively mocking the actor’s expressions.

Responding strongly, Dutta took to X and wrote, “Congratulations to all the ANTI-NATIONALS who can pay to bring down an actor playing a PVC of this country. This is YOUR film, India! Hope audiences identify and shame these people.”

Actors Speak Out

What was once dismissed as paranoia has increasingly been voiced aloud by actors themselves.

Pooja Hegde has publicly stated that people are paid to target actors online.

Rashmika Mandanna has acknowledged facing sustained negative PR unrelated to her work.

Yami Gautam described the system as an “extortion-like culture,” where money is demanded for positive coverage—or relentless negativity follows.

Targets & Toll

Actors such as Arjun Kapoor and Tiger Shroff have faced years of sustained ridicule across platforms, with comment sections, personal lives and mental health all fair game under the guise of “jokes.” “Unemployed trolls leave no boundary untouched when it comes to breaking an actor mentally,” says Kadel.

Manufactured outrage

Kartik Aaryan has faced repeated online targeting, from unverified claims about a teenage girlfriend to allegations of being unprofessional and intrusive scrutiny of his personal life. Insiders say the speed and uniformity of these narratives suggest organised amplification rather than organic backlash.

Paying influencers to shape perception isn’t new. What has changed is the scale—today, everyone expects payment, from influencers to trolls. When money isn’t forthcoming, hostility escalates. Once an actor is targeted, others jump in, driven less by opinion and more by views, followers and monetisation.”

Sumit Kadel, film critic and trade analyst