Actor and television host Pearle Maaney has reportedly lost more than 300,000 Instagram followers following her social media post about the ongoing student protests in India, states Hindustan Times.
The Bigg Boss Malayalam Season 1 contestant has also seen a decline in her followers on Facebook and YouTube, according to Indian media reports.
At the time of writing, Pearle has around 2.4 million followers on Instagram, down from approximately 2.7 million before she shared her statement on 24 July.
The actress also disabled comments on the post after facing criticism over her views on the protests and subsequent Instagram Stories.
In her original post, Pearle described the situation as “painful” and “heartbreaking,” urging students to prioritise their safety.
“All I could think was… Please don’t get hurt. Please stay safe. If your life is in danger, go back home. No cause is worth losing a life over,” she wrote.
She also expressed hope that the movement would remain focused on students’ demands for a fair education system.
“Whenever any movement grows this large, emotions run high, different voices emerge, and the conversation can become more complex. My hope is that the focus always remains on the students and the future they are asking us to build,” she added.
Despite disabling comments on the original post, social media users continued expressing their criticism on her other posts, with many accusing the actress of failing to understand the struggles faced by students.
The backlash intensified after Pearle shared Instagram Stories referring to a “failed filmmaker” who had criticised her statement.
“My post should have come with a trigger warning… It has triggered so many people that I want peace, safety and non-violence,” she wrote, adding that a “failed filmmaker” had turned her post into a lengthy criticism.
Although she did not mention anyone by name, the remarks were widely interpreted as referring to veteran filmmaker Sibi Malayil.
The director’s son, Joe Malayil, responded sharply on Instagram, accusing Pearle of making the issue personal.
In his statement, Joe defended his father and criticised the actress for dismissing the filmmaker’s response, saying he would stand by his family.
Pearle has not issued any further public statement regarding the controversy or the decline in her social media following.
The incident has sparked widespread debate online over celebrity responsibility, freedom of expression and the growing influence of social media on public discourse.
