Imanvi Ismail Responds to Misplaced Online Hate: “I’m Not Pakistani”

In the aftermath of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, social media saw an unfortunate wave of misinformation and misplaced anger—some of it directed at public figures without any basis. Rising actress Imanvi Ismail, who is set to debut in the much-anticipated Prabhas film Fauji (tentative title) directed by Hanu Raghavapudi, found herself at the center of such a storm.

A section of users on social platforms falsely accused the actress of being Pakistani and demanded her removal from the film. The rumors gained traction quickly, triggering a barrage of hate messages and unwarranted criticism.

Imanvi broke her silence with a heartfelt statement on Instagram. She first offered her condolences to the victims of the Pahalgam tragedy, calling the attack “deeply disturbing and tragic,” and expressed her solidarity with the grieving families.

She then addressed the false claims head-on:

“I want to be clear—I am not Pakistani, nor do I have any family or military ties to Pakistan. These rumors are completely baseless and stem from misinformation.”

Imanvi went on to explain her background:
She is a proud Indian-American, born and raised in Los Angeles to immigrant parents who legally moved to the United States and eventually became American citizens. Fluent in Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati, and English, Imanvi said she has always been connected to her Indian roots and culture.

She shared her journey as an artist—starting in dance and eventually transitioning to acting—stating that it’s been a dream come true to work in Indian cinema, which has been an inspiration to her since childhood.

Her statement emphasized a strong message of unity:

“Art should heal, not divide. My purpose has always been to spread love, not hate. Especially in times like these, we need to support each other, not tear one another down.”

Following her post, a wave of support flooded in from fans, colleagues, and fellow artists, standing by her against the online backlash.

Imanvi’s story is a powerful reminder of the importance of fact-checking and resisting the urge to judge individuals based on names, appearances, or unfounded assumptions—especially in moments of national grief.