Kangana vs Modern Love: Who Defines Indian Culture?

Kangana’s Provocative Take

I have never wanted to be on dating apps. That is the true ‘gutter’ of our society. Everybody has a need, be it financial, physical, or anything else.”

A Young Professional’s Perspective

For 24-year-old writer and commentator Vidushi Manghnani, this outlook feels outdated. “I find it surprising that someone as experienced and well-travelled as Kangana sees dating apps and live-ins as threats,” she says. “Today’s youth aren’t rebelling for the sake of it—we’re exploring, learning, and taking charge of our lives. Dating apps and live-in relationships don’t dismantle culture; they show it can evolve. They give us the freedom to discover who we are and who we want to share our lives with,” says Vidushi.

A Counterpoint with Caution

Not everyone dismisses Kangana’s concerns outright. Ashna Mahendra Misra, and Miss Hyderabad 2016, believes her apprehension reflects a broader unease. “Rapid changes in relationship norms can sometimes blur the idea of long-term commitment,” Ashna notes. “But at the same time, dating platforms allow people to seek compatibility on their own terms. Instead of framing them as a cultural threat, the real conversation should be about how responsibly they’re used.”

The ‘Losers’ Remark

You wouldn’t find people like me on dating apps. You’ll only find losers there, the people who haven’t achieved anything in their life... If you haven’t been able to meet anyone in office, through your parents and relatives, and you've ended up on a dating app, imagine what sort of character you are.”

Where Kangana’s critique stings most is in her sweeping remark that app users are “losers.” Ashna says, “Dating apps have become a practical necessity in fast-paced urban lives. Not everyone meets partners through family, friends, or the office anymore. From doctors and entrepreneurs to engineers and artists—many accomplished professionals use these platforms simply for convenience and wider choice, not out of failure.”

Tradition vs Modernity

Kangana associates arranged marriages and family-led matchmaking with stability, respect, and social acceptance. In contrast, dating apps bypass these filters—something she interprets as a weakening of values. While this explains her discomfort, Ashna argues it doesn’t justify dismissing millions of users who view relationships differently.

Towards Middle Ground

Ultimately, dating apps are just tools. “It’s not the platform but the values individuals bring into relationships that matter,” Ashna sums up.”

Relationships Are Evolving — Our Mindsets Should Too

Questioning a woman’s ‘character’ for using dating app is not only unfair but also dismissive of how relationships are evolving today. People are connecting in new ways, not just through traditional routes, and that should be seen as progress, not stigma. Abortion and relationship choices are deeply personal matters and cannot be reduced to a yardstick of morality. Rather than policing women’s decisions, the focus should shift toward shared responsibility, mutual respect, and building healthier conversations around love, commitment.

— Deborah Doris Fell, model and actor