Director Shashank Khaitan deactivates Twitter account, calls it ‘breeding ground for hate and negativity’

Filmmaker Shashank Khaitan, who has directed films such as Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania, Badrinath Ki Dulhania and Dhadak, has deactivated his Twitter account. Shortly before going off the microblogging site, he called it a ‘breeding ground for hate and negativity’.

“Done with twitter... just a breeding ground for hate and negativity... very sad that a platform so powerful, could not be used to create a better world... praying for peace and love always... deactivating my account now ... @Twitterindia,” he tweeted minutes before he quit Twitter. It is not known what exactly triggered the move.

In an Instagram post, Shashank wrote that he is ‘inconsequential’ as an influencer but that he hoped Twitter could ‘evolve and reform to spread love and happiness’. He wrote, “Finally deleted my twitter account... I am surely inconsequential, in terms of followers and reach for the platform... but I believe every voice is important... hope such a powerful platform can evolve and reform to spread love and happiness ... Praying for a peaceful world always…”

In January, Shashank announced that he was reuniting with Varun Dhawan for a commercial entertainer titled Mr Lele. The two have earlier collaborated on Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhania and its follow-up Badrinath Ki Dulhania. However, shortly after Mr Lele was announced, it was shelved. Recently, the filmmaker alerted everyone about a casting scam related to the film.

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“URGENT- I have received many messages and emails from actors that someone, going by the name Nitesh Sharma Casting, is claiming to be a casting director for Dharma Productions and the film Mr Lele. He is asking for money for auditions and other favours. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS FALSE… No one by this name works for Dharma. Also, we are not casting for Mr Lele, as the film is not happening at present,” he wrote in an Instagram post last week.

Earlier in the day, Kriti Sanon’s sister Nupur Sanon lashed out at those sending her hate messages on social media for not paying tribute to Sushant Singh Rajput, who died on Sunday. “Everybody has suddenly started talking about mental health on social media since yesterday...and then we have people harassing people who are actually in a state of shock,who are hurt,who are grieving ..by sending them disgusting tweets, msgs, comments for not posting on lnstagram !!” she wrote in an Instagram post.

Nupur said that she has been flooded with messages like ‘You are so heartless’, ‘ek post tak nahi daala (you did not even put out a post for him)’ and ‘Tum logo ne ek reaction nahi diya kitne pathar dil ho tum (You did not even react to the news of his death, you are so stony-hearted)’. She angrily wrote, “Aap ki permission ho toh sukoon se ro sakte hain (If we have your permission, can we please cry in peace)?? Please??”

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