Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda have been at the centre of intense online discussion since their appearance on Koffee With Karan Season 9. The episode, which streamed on October 21, 2026, on JioHotstar, focused on their marriage and the story of how they decided to wed. What followed was a wave of criticism aimed at the couple, particularly at Vijay, over how the proposal was described on the show. Days later, a content creator’s video offering a different reading of their relationship caught Rashmika’s attention, and her response has become the latest chapter in this ongoing conversation.
What the Content Creator Said About Shiva and Parvati
Content creator and author Natashja Rathore shared a video on Instagram defending the couple. In the reel, she said that “people have completely misunderstood” the Koffee With Karan episode and argued that it showed how “badly the patriarchy has distorted our understanding of masculine and feminine energy.”
Rathore drew a direct comparison between Vijay and Rashmika and the Hindu deities Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. She described Shiva as a “detached yogi” who was “completely absorbed in his own world” with “no desire for marriage, domesticity or worldly attachment.” She then pointed out that it was Parvati who pursued Shiva, and only after her pursuit did Shiva choose to become a householder.
“I saw a beautiful parallel to one of the greatest love stories ever: that of Shiva and Parvati,” Rathore said in the video. She added that Rashmika pursued Vijay for a year, much like Parvati pursued Shiva. Rathore also pushed back against labels like “red flag” and “desperate,” writing in her caption, “Not every man who hesitates is avoidant. Not every woman who pursues is desperate. And not every relationship you don’t understand is toxic. We’ve become so obsessed with identifying red flags that we’ve forgotten how to recognise conscious love.”
Rashmika Mandanna Responds With a Warm Hug
Rashmika shared Rathore’s video on her Instagram Stories and wrote a short, clear response. “Now this feels like a warm hug! (red heart emoji),” she wrote. She also liked the post, which highlighted the idea that hesitation is not always avoidance and that a woman pursuing a man is not automatically desperation.
The actress had already addressed the criticism in a longer statement posted on her Instagram before sharing the video. In that note, she defended her relationship and explained her view of the proposal story that had caused so much discussion. “It’s okay that I knew exactly what I wanted. And it was equally okay that he wanted time to think through the practical things in life and be sure. That didn’t change our love in any way. I am all heart and he is the thinker – and we need that in each other’s lives,” she wrote.
She also made it clear that the number of times she asked him to marry her was not the point. “It was never about the number of times or an entire year. That’s where some of you got stuck. Yes, that conversation happened. But neither of us was looking for a grand proposal,” she said. “We chose each other.”
Rashmika directly addressed the tone of the online criticism as well. “B**** about me all you want. I can take it. But talking about my family without knowing them? That’s not feminism. That’s bullying dressed up as feminism,” she wrote. She added that she would ask Vijay to marry her “a thousand times” and that “100 is nothing.”
The Koffee With Karan Episode That Started the Conversation
The second episode of Koffee With Karan Season 9, hosted by Karan Johar, featured Vijay and Rashmika as a married couple for the first time on the show. The ninth season is also the final season of the talk show. The episode premiered on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 7 PM IST and streamed exclusively on JioHotstar under The Peacock Hub banner in India.
On the show, Rashmika revealed that she was the first to bring up marriage. Vijay asked her to ask him “100 times,” and she did so every day for a year. Vijay explained that he needed that time to test the relationship and be sure. “I was testing myself. I was testing the relationship,” he said on the show, adding that he wanted to know whether marriage would still feel right through difficult days, career pressures, and emotional highs and lows.
He also admitted that fear of getting hurt had made him cautious. “I am a really sensitive guy even though I have this rough exterior. And I know that I hurt immensely, so I think that fear makes me protect myself a lot, which, unfortunately, she had to deal with, but now it’s beautiful,” he said. Vijay also shared that he had planned to propose during a holiday in Italy but eventually proposed during their wedding celebrations in Udaipur.
The couple tied the knot on February 26, 2026, in an intimate ceremony at ITC Mementos in Udaipur. Rashmika’s wedding post on Instagram later became the most-liked photo from an Indian account, crossing 24 million likes.
Vijay Deverakonda Stands by Rashmika
Vijay also responded to the online criticism in his own post. He described Rashmika as his best friend and his wife, and made it clear that the couple was not affected by the backlash. “My best friend, my wife, my woman. One of the most beautiful parts of my life that I got absolutely right. For all those concerned, we are both gloriously happy. I am blessed,” he wrote. He added, “If it’s me and her against the world – so be it. Big love to all those who celebrate love and the simplicity of living happily.”
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Cyber Crime Complaint Filed in Hyderabad
The online discussion around the episode moved beyond opinion and into legal territory. On Monday, October 26, 2026, a representative of Vijay and Rashmika lodged a formal complaint with the Cyber Crime Police in Hyderabad. The complaint sought an investigation into alleged false narratives, fabricated content, manipulated screenshots, impersonation, and targeted online harassment connected to the couple.
According to a statement from the team, the complaint was not an attempt to restrict genuine opinions or criticism. It was a request for accountability in cases involving demonstrably false information. The team submitted relevant links and supporting evidence to the authorities. Police confirmed they were examining the complaint.
The couple’s team, referred to as Virosh, said in a statement that while they respect freedom of speech, there is a difference between expressing an opinion and presenting fabricated or misleading claims as facts. “We hope the matter will be investigated in accordance with the law,” the statement said.
The conversation around Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda’s Koffee With Karan episode continues to draw attention because it touches on how publicly people talk about marriage, pursuit, and the roles men and women are expected to play. Rashmika’s response to the Shiva-Parvati comparison has added a quieter, more personal note to a debate that has largely been loud.
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