Digital creator and political commentator Dhruv Rathee has broken his silence on the swirling controversy surrounding his latest video, The FAKE Beauty of Bollywood Celebrities. Social media has been abuzz with claims that Rathee intentionally targeted actor Janhvi Kapoor after she became one of the few Bollywood voices to condemn the brutal lynching of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh.
Addressing the rumors on Saturday, December 27, 2025, Rathee urged his followers to “use their brains” and not fall for coordinated misinformation.
The “Timing” Controversy
The controversy erupted when Rathee released his video on December 25, just hours after Janhvi Kapoor shared a powerful Instagram story describing the violence in Bangladesh as “barbaric slaughter.”
- The Rumor: IT cells and social media users claimed Rathee’s video—which featured Janhvi in the thumbnail and cited her as an example of plastic surgery—was a retaliatory strike for her political stance.
- Dhruv’s Response: “God has given you a brain, why don’t you use it? My video was uploaded within 30 minutes of her post. Is it realistically possible to research, shoot, and edit a half-hour video in 30 minutes?” he asked in a response video.
- Prior Support: Rathee pointed out that he himself has posted content supporting Bangladeshi Hindus, making the claim that he would “attack” someone for doing the same nonsensical.
Inside the Video: “Fake Beauty” & Glutathione
The video, which has already crossed 6 million views, takes a deep dive into the growing cosmetic surgery industry in India.
- Names Mentioned: Along with Janhvi, Rathee named Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Kajol, and Shilpa Shetty, alleging they have used treatments like Glutathione injections for skin lightening.
- The Thumbnail Issue: Critics accused him of changing the thumbnail after being “trolled” by Janhvi’s friend, Orry (Orhan Awatramani). Rathee clarified that he uses YouTube A/B testing, which automatically rotates multiple thumbnails to see which performs better.
- The Core Message: Rathee maintained that the video is about the social impact of unrealistic beauty standards, not a personal vendetta. “I didn’t even ask Janhvi a single question in the video. Where is the attack?”
Orry vs. Dhruv: The “Anti-Nationalist” Tag
The drama took a sharp turn when Janhvi’s close friend, Orry, lashed out at Rathee in the comments section of a viral reel.
“She probably doesn’t even know who he is,” Orry wrote, before labeling Rathee an “anti-nationalist” who seeks attention by complaining about not being “papped” at train stations.
Rathee has yet to directly respond to Orry’s specific insults, choosing instead to focus on the “logical fallacies” of the viral rumors.
Flashback: The Janhvi Kapoor Post
On Christmas Day, Janhvi Kapoor had expressed outrage over the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a 27-year-old Hindu garment worker in Mymensingh.
“Extremism in any and every form needs to be called out… our own brothers and sisters are being burnt to death,” she wrote, earning widespread praise for her “spine” in an industry often criticized for its “selective silence.”