Exclusive - Nisha Rawal on trolls attacking her post domestic violence case: Fans believed in Karan Mehra's reel character, the character my ex-husband endorsed

Popular TV face Nisha Rawal is all set to be seen in Kangana Ranaut hosted Lock Upp as a contestant. Before entering the show, the actress joined ETimes TV for an exclusive conversation about taking up the show, her legal battle with estranged husband Karan Mehra. Nisha shared that her troubled married life doesn’t define her career and she’s much more than that. She also opened up about getting trolled for saying that she is ready to work at Mcdonald’s to raise her kid. She stated that she was shamed for throwing a birthday bash and carrying designer bags and outfits after she spoke about being the victim of domestic violence and her financial insecurities. Nisha also stated that she has no regrets that she took a break from her career to build a family, a star, Karan Mehra. (Photo: Instagram)

Karan and the entire domestic abuse episode is probably one moment in my life that maybe because of which I was offered Lock Upp, but I am sure that is not the deciding factor. I can vouch for it. I took my own time to decide if I wanted to do the show. I am at a very comfortable position in my life where I believe I’ve settled with all the fiasco that had happened. There are my businesses that I am looking into, my child has settled as well as I was doing a show and I am doing my campaigns. I’ve never been the kind who has been overly ambitious about achievements in life. In fact, I was skeptical and had questions like give me a reason why I should say yes to the show when I am in a comfortable spot. I had my reasons, I am a professional and have been for more than 21 years in the industry. I don’t know why I should say a no to a show like that. I want to explore myself as an actor and this is a great chance. Also, it requires a lot of courage to say yes to a show of this nature. Because I know whatever has happened in my life might again pop up and I am ready for it. I’ve a purpose for doing this show. I want to inspire people who are lost and don’t know what to do. It will be the sole purpose for doing the show if the topic of the episode that happened in my life pops up. But this is not the defining moment of my career. Nisha Rawal is much more than this than just a controversy and I believe one controversy cannot sustain for 72 days. (Photo: Instagram)

Yes, financial security is one of the reasons behind taking up the show. It will secure a huge amount of an educational trust fund that I am creating for my child. That’s why I call it a challenge and it’s not a cake walk. I could have provided myself a huge amount of financial security by blowing up the entire situation out of proportion when it happened. But you all know I spoke only once through a press conference and one interview. I do not want to speak on a one on one basis because it was not a masala for anyone. I spoke only once because I had to counter what was being said about it and it was because the truth had to come out. The whole truth doesn’t need to come out because nobody has the time to sit and listen to my side. Otherwise a show will have to be made on me. (Photo: Instagram)

I want to mention at that point I had only done two things, a press conference and I’d spoken to the TimesofIndia that’s it. During the press conference I had said that I was even looking for a job at Mcdonald's and I remember out of the many trolls that I got this is one of them. As a mother I have insecurities and everyone who has been a mom will understand the struggles of a mother. The first most was financial security for my child. How am I going to feed him, provide him with medicines, pay his school fees, how am I going to pay for his nanny if I have to go out and work. I only want the best for my child as any other parent. Those were my insecurities and that day there was a mother who was insecure. I was vulnerable and I was taking and showing my vulnerabilities. That day there was a mother who was scared and was in pain, anguish and confused why life had to do this to her. That day I wanted to just lock myself behind a door and stay there forever but I came out and spoke. That requires courage and I am proud of it. (Photo: Instagram)

I mentioned that I am ready to work at Mcdonald's for my child and I was trolled saying, “How the hell can you afford a big birthday party like that, "Why are you carrying a branded bag”, "Why are you driving this car. I want to tell them I am a celebrity and I get paid for it. I can afford it. But that day there was a mother speaking. (Photo: Instagram)

It was very difficult for me to handle all the trolling and hate comments that came my way because I’ve never been a person who has ever courted any controversy. My life has been plain Jane, goody two and all glossy. People looked up to me how my family looked. It was always a very rosy looking picture. When a person who is used to receiving all the love gets trolled it’s difficult to deal with it. I didn’t know until then how it felt when you receive so much hate. (Photo: Instagram)

There were fans who I’ve loved over the years and I can freely name those fans because I was used to seeing their comments first on my posts. They were the first ones to comment. They make all the edits for you and shower all the love. There have been fandoms with whom I’ve connected one on one. There was a fan whose father had COVID and he was struggling and through DMs I used to have conversations with him. There was another fan who had cerebral palsy. I spoke to doctors for her to understand that she was getting the right kind of treatment. I helped her put it on. I knew my fans by their name. And I lost all of them and that broke my heart. (Photo: Instagram)

I was used to seeing all the nice things written about me. It’s very tough when you get massively trolled. I miss my old followers too, they are still full of love. I don't have any complaints against them. They chose somebody because they believed in his reel character, the character my ex-husband endorsed. It was the goody two shoes, the guy who is playing by the book, who is a responsible father, parent blah blah. They were his fans for his screen image. My question is if this was not against the person who was known would they have responded in the same way? No. They would have not. But then I gained new fans, new followers, new people who started vibing with me. I miss my old followers too. (Instagram)

There was a time when I took a backseat because just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village to make a star. A stat is not made alone. My ex-husband was a star and I've made an equal contribution to his stardom, maybe not on the screen but that’s how any star has. You see any star, the biggest ones, they all have their families support, or the support of professionals involved in their life, it is a team work. It’s ok people take credit on their own shoulders that’s alright. Everyone knows it and those who don’t know it let me inform them of the truth. While I was building a home and other things in life. We met when I was the lead of a film and he was an assistant stylist of that movie. It’s not like I walked into royalty. It’s not like I walked into money. (Photo: Instagram)

I took a backseat because I was giving directions through my experiences, I was providing support. I never really thought it was me vs him. It was us and it was one. I don’t regret it because this is me when I love someone. Today, when I want to get to my career, life is kind. I am back. (Photo: Instagram)

Don’t you think I should be. After speaking to me after so long. You should ask him that question. Does he have the ba**s to come and sit in front of me and talk. The answer is no. Let’s do this because that will simplify a lot of things. I’ve been trying that for a very long time so if this platform can provide that opportunity then let’s make this show the catalysts for making my life simple. Because I want to know that if a woman doesn’t want anything except an apology then why the hell is the man not coming on the table. I don’t want anything from that man that I cannot give to myself. All I want is love. Rest everything I can provide to myself. I can take care of my child and in fact I want to. (Photo: Instagram)