There are some viral videos that make the internet laugh. And then there are some viral videos that should make the internet pause, reflect and feel a little ashamed of itself. The recent trolling around Rahul Roy belongs to the second category.

Over the last few days, the Aashiqui actor found himself back in the news after a set of Instagram reels featuring him with content creator Dr. Vanita Ghadage Desai went viral. The videos sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans were concerned. Some were confused. But many chose the easiest and cruelest route. They mocked him. Rahul Roy later responded to the trolling, saying that he works with honesty and modesty, that he has legal matters to pay for, and that these issues existed even before his brain stroke. He also urged those genuinely concerned to help him find decent work instead of ridiculing him. That response changes everything.

Because once a man says he is doing whatever work comes his way to meet obligations, clear dues and stay active after a major health setback, the joke should end. The memes should stop. The sarcasm should die. The laughter should turn into discomfort. Rahul Roy is not a meme. Rahul Roy is not a punchline. Rahul Roy is a man trying to survive with dignity. And that is what makes this episode so heartbreaking.

There was a time when Rahul Roy was not just another actor. He was a phenomenon. In 1990, Aashiqui turned him into the face of romance for an entire generation. His hair, his silence, his innocence, his songs, his image became a part of Hindi cinema’s popular memory. For millions, he was not merely a hero on screen; he was the boy from the love story that defined an era. And today, that same man is being reduced to a viral clip.

That is the brutal irony of fame. At its peak, it worships you. When the spotlight moves away, it forgets you. And when you reappear in a form that people do not expect, it mocks you.

Of course, one can say that the reels looked unusual. One can say that the videos were awkward. One can say that the content did not match the image people had of Rahul Roy in their heads. But since when did awkwardness become a licence for cruelty? Since when did a former star trying to work become entertainment for trolls? Since when did a man’s vulnerability become public property?

This is the ugly side of the social media age. Everyone wants nostalgia, but only in a polished, glamorous, Instagram friendly form. We want stars from the past to remain frozen in their most beautiful frame. We want Rahul Roy to remain the Aashiqui hero forever. Young, mysterious, romantic, untouched by time, untouched by illness, untouched by financial pressure, untouched by reality. But life does not work like that.

People age. Careers change. Health collapses. Money problems happen. Legal issues drain people. Work dries up. The phone stops ringing. The same industry that once celebrates an actor may not always know what to do with him decades later. And then, when that actor tries to remain visible, tries to stay active, tries to earn in whatever respectful way he can, the internet asks: Why is he doing this?

The answer may be uncomfortable, but Rahul Roy has given it himself. He has legal matters to pay for. He is trying to work. He is trying to stand on his own feet. He has already survived a major health crisis, having suffered a brain stroke in 2020, and reports around his latest response have again connected his present situation with the long road of recovery and financial strain that followed. What exactly is shameful in that?

There is no shame in needing work. There is no shame in accepting smaller opportunities after a big career. There is no shame in appearing in reels, videos, events or promotional content if that is what keeps one financially afloat. There is no shame in trying. The shame lies elsewhere.

The shame lies in an internet culture that turns someone’s struggle into a joke. The shame lies in viewers who type mental health matters on one post and then humiliate a vulnerable public figure on another. The shame lies in a society that loves comeback stories only after they become successful, but mocks the difficult, messy, painful process of the comeback itself.

We often speak about dignity. But dignity is not tested when a star is at the top. Dignity is tested when that star is struggling. It is easy to clap for a superstar walking a red carpet. It is harder and more human to respect a former star doing modest work to keep going.

Rahul Roy’s case also exposes a larger question about the film industry. What happens to actors after fame fades? What happens to those who were once household names but are no longer commercially powerful? Is there enough space for them in films, OTT shows, reality formats, nostalgia programming, character roles, interviews, appearances and dignified brand opportunities?

The industry does not need to give Rahul Roy charity. But surely, an industry that thrives on nostalgia can offer dignity to the people who created that nostalgia. Surely, there can be thoughtful casting, respectful cameos, meaningful interviews, music specials, streaming appearances, or roles that allow such actors to work without being turned into objects of pity.

Because when an actor of Rahul Roy’s legacy has to publicly say, in effect, “Help me find work,” it should trouble Bollywood. It should trouble casting directors. It should trouble producers. It should trouble audiences too.

We cannot celebrate Aashiqui songs for 35 years and then look away from the man who carried that image into our collective memory.

The saddest part is that Rahul Roy’s response was not angry in the way trolls deserved. It was dignified. He did not abuse. He did not play victim. He simply reminded people that he works honestly, that he has responsibilities, and that if anyone is truly concerned, they should help him with work instead of mocking him. That is not a publicity stunt. That is a man asking to be seen as human. And maybe that is what made people uncomfortable.

Because trolling is easy when the person stays silent. It is easy to laugh at a clip when you do not think about the person inside it. But the moment Rahul Roy responded, the reel stopped being just a reel. It became a mirror. A mirror to our cruelty, to our hypocrisy and to the way we treat people who are no longer useful to our fantasy of stardom.

So yes, stop trolling Rahul Roy. Behind those reels is not just an actor from the past. Behind those reels is a human being fighting for health, money, work and dignity. And the least the internet can do is not make that fight harder.

Rahul Roy once gave Hindi cinema one of its most enduring love stories. Today, the least we can give him back is a little humanity.

Also Read: Rahul Roy hits back at trolls with powerful note after viral videos spark concern: “You cannot break me”