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Teenage Bollywood actor faces vicious social media abuse and no one knows why

Not done!

Sohini Mitter

on January 17, 2017

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

She's 16, talented, newly famous. And unfortunately, facing vile abuse on social media.

Zaira Wasim, the young actor who dazzled audiences with her flawless debut in Dangal — India's highest-grossing film ever — posted an inexplicable "confession/apology" on Facebook last night.

And then, she deleted it in no time.

Not before screenshots had been taken though.

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Her note reeks of fear and coercion. And sadly, submission too. She says she is "sorry for what I did" and wants to "make it very clear that I do not want anyone to follow in my foot steps or even consider me as a role model."

What has she "done"? No one knows. Yet.

But there's enough conjecture.

Going by the comments surfacing on social media, she's either being bullied for meeting Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister (CM) Mehbooba Mufti or being criticized for her supposedly "un-Islamic" act of joining films.

Scores of abusive comments have flooded her Facebook page.

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She's apparently being vilified for this meeting with the state CM.

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However, there's a silver lining. Almost.

The hate comments have been outnumbered by the empathetic ones. All sections of Indian society from politicians and media-persons to film personalities and sportsmen, and of course, the masses have come out in loud support of the Kashmiri actor.

Noted among them is a comment from former Jammu & Kashmir CM and Mufti's political rival, Omar Abdullah.

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Support from the film industry has been noticeable too, with Dangal's lead actor Aamir Khan releasing a Twitter statement this afternoon, appealing "everyone to leave her alone".