Mouni Roy calls out harassment at Haryana event in Karnal

At a public event in Karnal, Haryana, what was meant to be a routine stage appearance turned into something uglier for Mouni Roy. The actress later described the experience as “disgusting” and “humiliating”, calling out the harassment she faced both while approaching the stage and during the performance itself.

In her Instagram story, she mentioned old men in the crowd touched her under the guise of taking photographs, ignored repeated objections, made lewd comments and gestures, and continued filming her from inappropriate angles. And all of this happened in full view, with organisers and authorities doing nothing.

“Disgusting” and “humiliating”: What Mouni Roy said happened in Karnal

This was a sustained, invasive behaviour that crossed every line of consent. Mouni even attempted to leave the stage midway, before returning to complete her commitment which says a lot about her professional obligation.

She didn’t generalise or soften the incident. She specifically mentioned older men who were in the audience with their families. It dismantles the lazy excuse that such behaviour is youthful mischief or harmless enthusiasm. She also raised the most important question of all: how would those men react if the same happened to women in their own families?

Predictably, online reactions split into two camps. One applauded her for speaking up. The other did what it always does — questioned the setting, the crowd, the outfit, the timing. The usual deflection tactics rolled out right on cue. But the details of her account leave little room for doubt.

Stage harassment of female performers in India is neither new nor rare. It’s just usually swallowed quietly, normalised as “part of the job”, or brushed aside to keep the peace. When a mainstream celebrity speaks publicly, it exposes how thin the safety net really is, even for those with visibility, security teams, and influence. If this is the experience of a well-known actor at a high-profile event, the implications for lesser-known performers are grim.

Mouni’s statement was a demand for accountability from organisers who fail to control crowds, from authorities who treat such incidents as inconveniences rather than violations, and from an audience that still struggles to understand the word “no”.

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