Sahiba Bali Reacts To Tamannaah Bhatia Controversy, Calls Viral Screenshot 'Fabricated And Fully False'

Actress and content creator Sahiba Bali denied reports suggesting that actress Tamannaah Bhatia publicly objected to her remarks about women, religion and protests. Addressing a viral screenshot circulating on social media, Bali said the alleged exchange was fabricated and that there was no disagreement between the two actors.

The controversy began after a screenshot shared on Reddit and Instagram appeared to show Bhatia commenting on a post attributed to Bali. The purported comment suggested that Bhatia had criticised Bali over remarks linked to a festival. However, Bali has now clarified that the screenshot was either edited or generated using AI.

Taking to her Instagram story on Thursday, Bali called out the misleading claims and expressed frustration over the use of celebrities’ identities to attract attention online.

“Wow, woke up to a fabricated and fully FALSE narrative built around me saying something (which I never have) and a fellow female talent apparently opposing me (which she never did). We both know none of this is true, and it’s either AI or edited. Brother, it’s too crazy how people will spend so much time to use your face as clickbait? Anyway, don’t believe everything you see (sic).”

Take a look at her post here:

She followed it up with another message, saying, “There’s a lot more to life than all this (sic).”

What was the viral screenshot about?

The disputed screenshot allegedly connected a post about Goddess Durga with the treatment of women protesters during demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The post drew a comparison between the celebration of a goddess known for her strength and anger and society’s response to women who speak out against injustice and demand their rights.

The screenshot purportedly showed Bhatia questioning why religious deities were being brought into the discussion. However, Bali rejected the claim that Bhatia had made such a comment, maintaining that the exchange was not genuine.

Sahiba Bali speaks about online abuse and threats

The controversy comes amid Bali’s concerns about the abuse and threats she says she has received online. In an earlier post, she shared screenshots of abusive messages and described the hostility she had faced, including what appeared to be repeated instances of the same abusive comments.

Expressing her exhaustion over the situation, Bali spoke about the personal cost of raising concerns about injustice and the difficulty of navigating political and social debates online.

“I heard a lot this year. For absolutely no reason. I don’t support hatred of any kind. There might be narratives made which are manufactured — I address differences with compassion and not divide. I hope they can too. There’s too much hate in this world. The cost of voicing injustice is danger to livelihood and safety. I honestly am done. They won, I lost. I’m sorry.”

In another post, she described how she felt targeted regardless of whether she chose to speak out or remain silent.

“Before I leave, let me tell you this: If I say something, I get abused. If I stay silent, I get abused. If I dissent against the government, I get abused. If I praise the government, I get abused,” she wrote.

Sahiba Bali clarifies her political views

Bali also used her social media posts to explain her political positions and address assumptions about her beliefs. She said she was not a supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), although she considered former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee her favourite politician.

She described the Congress as a weak Opposition while acknowledging former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s contribution to India’s economy around 1991.

Bali also expressed respect for the Supreme Court and the Chief Justice of India while stating that she did not support the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Although she had supported the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi in the past, she said her voting decision would be her own.

“My vote will decide that, not the abuses or fear from strangers,” she wrote.

Bali speaks about religion and social identity

Addressing questions surrounding religion and identity, Bali said Indian Muslims should not be treated as outsiders and were as Indian as any other citizen.

She also spoke about her personal religious practices, saying she wore a rudraksh for protection and visited a gurdwara to express gratitude.

Bali added that she did not hate anyone except criminals and said rapists deserved capital punishment. She also described the Cockroach Janta Party as a pressure group, before ending her series of comments on a lighter note by saying that Delhi’s food was better than Mumbai’s.

Who is Sahiba Bali?

Sahiba Bali is an actor and content creator who has appeared in films including Laila Majnu, Amar Singh Chamkila and Dear Maya. Alongside her work in entertainment, she has built a social media presence where she discusses a range of subjects, including politics, religion and social issues.