Actress Ayesha Khan, who recently grabbed attention for appearing in the song Shararat from Dhurandhar, has opened up about disturbing experiences she has faced both online and in real life. In a recent interview, the actor spoke about being constantly sexualised on social media, receiving rape threats, and surviving an attempted rape in the past.
Ayesha Khan talks about facing harassments
Speaking about the online harassment she faces, Ayesha said she often feels judged and sexualised for her appearance. She explained how even normal clothing choices attract negative comments. “I am almost everyday sexualized for my body on Instagram. I wear a normal top, people have a problem. I wear skirts, people have a problem,” she said. “I have to think before posting something. If I have to think before wearing or wanting to post something just because someone else is going to sexualize me, it is of course a really sad space to be in.”
She also spoke about the fear such comments create because they come from real people. “If you had the power, if you had the strength, if you could do what you wanted… you would have done it. So it really scares me that these are actual human beings around us,” she said.
When asked if she receives rape threats online, the actress gave a blunt response. “Yes. Every day. I can open my phone right now and show it to you. And it is so normal,” she revealed, highlighting how common such threats have become in her social media inbox.
Opens up about facing attempted sexual assault
Ayesha also spoke about a traumatic experience from her past when she faced an attempted sexual assault. Recalling the incident, she said, “I’ve been attempted to rape in my life. I’ve spoken about it in an interview. I wouldn’t want to get there a lot.” She added that the memory still affects her emotionally. “There are days, there are times when it just triggers you… scratches that wound that I don’t want to remember.”
The actress further revealed that harassment once came from someone working on a film set. She recalled receiving disturbing messages on Instagram from a person she initially ignored. “I was shooting for a film and my father was there that day. I randomly opened my Instagram, and there was one DM I had been seeing for a long time. There were voice notes. Then I realized it was one of the spot boys,” she said.
After discovering the identity of the person, Ayesha informed her father and the production team. According to the actor, the matter was addressed and action was taken against the individual.
Through her revelations, Ayesha highlighted the darker realities women often face in the entertainment industry and on social media, calling attention to the constant scrutiny, harassment and threats that many actresses continue to deal with while being in the public eye.
