Back in 2015, a storm erupted on social media after television actor Kushal Tandon tweeted about an unnamed woman who allegedly refused to stand for the national anthem during a movie screening at PVR Juhu. That woman turned out to be Bollywood actress Ameesha Patel, and what followed was a public spat that grabbed headlines and stirred debate.
Kushal’s post, which did not name Ameesha directly, gained traction quickly. The incident soon snowballed into a controversy, prompting Ameesha to unleash a barrage of furious tweets. “Whoever that so called kushal Tandon is is a a real jack**s n invades privacy of women,” she wrote, expressing outrage over what she saw as an invasion of her personal space.
She then addressed the core of the issue, challenging Kushal’s claims. “Idiot kushal Tandon had the nerve to tweet that I didn’t get up during national anthem. Did the jack**s ask why?” she posted. Ameesha went on to reveal the reason behind her decision not to stand: “Women we all need to slap kushal. I had the monthly girly problem. Getting up wud have caused a blood flow on the theatre ground.”
According to her, she was merely waiting for the film to start so she could use the restroom. “Didn’t know that kushal wud make it a national issue,” she added.
Ameesha Patel accused Kushal Tandon of exploiting the situation for attention, saying, “Men like him who have forced a woman 2 speak about her intimate girly problems are jerks .. He is a shame to society.” She also questioned his understanding of women’s privacy and sensitivity: “Obviously kushal had no mothers n sisters or any steady girlfriend so he doesn’t know when to open his durty mouth n respect girly intimacy.”
Despite the heated exchange, Kushal stood by his version of events. He insisted that he had seen Ameesha standing, eating, and laughing before the film began, implying that her reasons came after the backlash.
Their digital war may have ended soon after, but it remains one of the early examples of how quickly social media outrage can spiral into something deeply personal and divisive.
