Actor Jasmin Bhasin, who appeared in television shows like Tashan-e-Ishq and Dil Se Dil Tak, became an overnight sensation after participating in Bigg Boss Season 14. While the reality television show made her a household name and paved the path for her career ahead, it put her at the centre of incessant trolling and bullying on social media.
In an exclusive chat with News18, Bhasin reveals that she received innumerable threats after the show. “Leave alone trolling, people hurled such toxic abuses at me when I left the Bigg Boss house. I received death and rape threats. And for what? Just because I did a show and they didn’t like me in it?” she rues.
That went on to take a toll on her mental and emotional health and she learnt to deal with it only after talking to a professional. She recalls, “What I faced was very serious. All of that affected me mentally at some point. But I got over it with medical help and my friends and family who love me.”
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Bhasin shares that she has learnt to turn a deaf ear to trolls and bot accounts that spew hate by choosing to focus on the silver lining of her profession. “Today, I don’t even come to know if anyone is trolling me,” she says and explains, “I’m in a place today where I receive a lot of love and many perks. Trolling is a very small part of it. I choose to ignore it. If people love me, I’ll return that love. If they hate me, that’s their choice. They can express themselves all they want but I’ll ignore them because I don’t need to know about it. I’m anyway very busy in life.”
Does she feel that women, more often than men, are subjects of nasty comments and trolling? “I don’t think it’s gender-specific. I know of men from other seasons of Bigg Boss and various other shows who have faced trolling and received threats. People abuse them so badly. Nobody wants to read such nasty things about themselves. Men also get equally affected,” says the Naagin 4: Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel actor.
Talking about how actors are softer targets of trolls, she states, “We don’t want anyone to hate us. We didn’t choose this career so that people hate and abuse you. But trolls believe they can write whatever they want to because they’re faceless. If they’ve the guts, they should come out and reveal their identities. But they’re jobless cowards and all they want to do is demotivate you and make you unhappy.”
On the career front, following her stint in Bigg Boss 14, Bhasin was approached by a bevy of music labels and in a rare feat, she went on to appear in nine music videos last year. In 2022, she has already belted out four music videos, including Yaaron Sab Dua Karo and Iss Baarish Mein. She will now be seen opposite her beau, actor Aly Goni, in a music video titled Sajaunga Lutkar Bhi, a recreation of the iconic number by legendary composer RD Burman, which releases today.
Sharing her excitement about featuring in so many singles, Bhasin says, “When I came out of the Bigg Boss house, the first thing that happened was that DMM got in touch with me and told me that they want me to do a music video. I’m a 90s kid. There was phase during that decade when music videos were killing it right from Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha or Kaanta Laga. I was that kid who grew up watching all of that. So, when the opportunity came my way, I was thrilled.”
The idea to do music videos also stemmed from the fact that she wanted to break out of the mould of a serious actor. “I was doing television where I did some serious roles back-to-back for years. For me, it was a great break to do something different, unlearn what I’ve learnt and start afresh. It also gave me the chance to meet so many new people. I feel I’ve been lucky that I got to work with some great labels and singers. I thoroughly enjoyed it,” the 32-year-old states.
Not the one to have her feathers ruffled by people’s opinion on her choices, Bhasin also reveals that there were many who dissuaded her from doing music videos. “I remember some people telling me not do to so many of them but I was having a good time doing them. It was also a way to stay connected with my fans, audience and people who love me. I’m an entertainer and my job is to entertain, so I thought why I should stop being a part of them!” remarks the actor, who will soon be seen in a Punjabi film titled Honeymoon opposite actor-singer Gippy Grewal.
