Ekta Kapoor recalls Orkut hate groups and being called a freak for wearing a tika

Producer Ekta Kapoor has opened up about the online hate she faced when social media was new. She said that she and Aishwarya Rai once had the most-followed hate groups on Orkut. She shared the memory on Ranveer Allahbadia's podcast.

An associate had offered to set up an Orkut profile for her, and at the time she did not even know what the platform was. When she finally logged in herself, the two biggest groups she found were "I Hate Aishwarya Rai" and "I Hate Ekta Kapoor". One caricature showed her with a moustache and a large pimple, sitting on a donkey.

She chose to laugh. Being named next to Aishwarya meant she was in "august company", Ekta said, and she posted a reply on the page: "Hate me or love me, you can't ignore me." Members could not believe the message was really from her.

The conversation also turned to faith. In her younger days, someone asked why she was "dressed like a freak" because she wore a tika and a dhaaga. Ranveer pointed out that people had also called her a "tantrik". Ekta replied that openly showing your religion has long been treated as a problem, though she feels times are changing. She also recalled being quizzed for going to a club straight after a temple visit. To her, she said, a temple is "a place to manifest".

Her remarks came while she was talking about The Vvaan: Force of the Forrest, a folklore-inspired film she is backing. Some viewers said it looked like a TV serial, and Ekta took that as praise, calling television "the staple food of India". She said there is Hinduphobia around folklore and mythology: audiences welcome animation but resist these stories, even as acceptance grows.

Balaji Telefilms, her banner, made hit serials such as Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii before moving into films and digital series.