Janhvi Kapoor Slams Media Voyeurism; Says Sridevi’s Death Was Turned Into a Meme

Actor Janhvi Kapoor has strongly criticised the increasing voyeurism and sensationalism in media and social media, recalling how public scrutiny worsened the trauma she experienced following the death of her mother, legendary actor Sridevi. She also reflected on how false reports about veteran actor Dharmendra recently exposed the dangerous culture of misinformation.

Speaking at the We The Women 2025 event, Janhvi said that the digital ecosystem thrives on sensational content — and celebrities themselves sometimes contribute to this cycle.
“We saw what happened with Dharamji, and it keeps happening. Every time we give views, likes or comments, we are incentivising this culture,” she said.

“My mother’s death became a meme — it was horrifying”

Janhvi shared that losing Sridevi was deeply traumatic, but the media portrayal made it far worse.
“I don’t know if you can imagine what it’s like to lose someone that close and see it become a meme. It was horrible,” she said in conversation with journalist Barkha Dutt.

She admitted she avoids discussing her mother’s death publicly because she fears people might misinterpret her grief as an attempt to gain attention.

“I’d hate to sound like I’m using such a painful part of my life for a headline. That always holds me back,” she said.

“Social media has derailed human morality”

Janhvi criticised what she called a growing “voyeuristic nature” among audiences, amplified by social media platforms.
“Human morality is in shambles. Earlier, we had a consciousness that stopped us from seeing or saying certain things. That’s gone now — and it’s disgusting.”

She added that tragedies, attacks and deaths are increasingly consumed as entertainment, and this moral erosion is the “modern-day crisis.”

Upcoming Projects

Janhvi Kapoor will next be seen in the Telugu film Peddi, co-starring Ram Charan and directed by Buchi Babu Sana.