Ruhani Sharma has been involved in controversy recently following her participation in Hindi film 'Agra'. Last year, it was screened at the Cannes Film Festival where it received much attention due to its unconventional approach and daring themes leading to critical appraisals as well as winning awards.
However, despite successful festival runs Agra faced major delays in streaming release because of the explicit romantic content. Tragically, the movie was leaked on piracy websites which resulted in unauthorized viewership on a large scale. The leak sparked up controversies, especially about the films' bold scenes bringing Ruhani Sharma into the limelight beyond her control.
She wrote, "Hey Everyone! I've been holding back, but I need to address something that's been weighing heavily on me since my film Agra was leaked. To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. It's heartbreaking to see our months of hard work, dedication, and passion being disregarded in this way. Creating an art film is an intense journey filled with countless challenges, sleepless nights, and unwavering commitment (sic)."
Some people have expressed shock or disapproval of the content after watching a pirated version of this film with others going further to criticize Ruhani Sharma for participating such a project. As a consequence of this, she has become a target for trolls via various social media platforms with many detractors questioning her decision to take up such roles that are totally different from most conservative characters she has previously portrayed.
The note continued, "What's even more disheartening is how quick some are to judge without understanding the blood, sweat, and tears that go into bringing such a project to life. Agra isn't just another film-it's a labor of love that premiered at Cannes Film Festival 2023, a prestigious honor for any artist. The film has been internationally acclaimed, winning several awards and receiving recognition for the very thing we strive for: pushing the boundaries of world cinema (sic)."
In response to the backlash, Ruhani Sharma issued a heartfelt statement expressing her disappointment and frustration over the leak. She mentioned the amount of work that had gone into creating the movie before emphasizing it was a big venture for all those involved. It however played at Cannes 2023 and several other international film festivals under director Kanu Behl Agra.
Some called it bold but some will hold on to the fact that its content is controversial as they blame its disappointing leak or viralization of intimate scenes.
Ruhani Sharma, known for her roles in films like Kadaisi Bench Karthi, Operation Valentine, Sriranga Neethulu, Love Me, and Blackout, ventured into new territory with her performance in Agra. However, despite the uproar surrounding this, Ruhani has come out to say that her role in this movie is completely different from what she is known for hence demonstrating diversity while taking up challenging characters.
