Actress-TV presenter Mandira Bedi changed her profile picture on Instagram after the demise of her husband-filmmaker Raj Kaushal. She turned her display picture black as a mark of mourning. For the unversed, Raj Kaushal, known for directing movies like "Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi" and "Shaadi Ka Laddoo", passed away on Wednesday following a heart attack. His last rites were held at Shivaji Park crematorium, Dadar where close friends from the industry including actors Ronit Roy, Sameer Soni, Ashish Chowdhry, and "Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi" actor Dino Morea were present.
He is survived by his wife Mandira Bedi and their two children, son Vir and daughter Tara. A prayer meet was held at Mandira’s residence on Saturday, which was attended by her parents and several colleagues from the entertainment industry, including actress Mouni Roy.
Mandira performed Raj’s last rites and was under attack by trolls for doing so. Bedi found herself at the receiving end of social media trolls, who objected to the clothes that she wore at the funeral. The actress, who broke down multiple times during the funeral, was seen wearing a jeans with a white casual top.
Celebrities Mini Mathur, Shweta Tiwari, Sona Mohapatra and Mukti Mohan have lambasted social media trolls for criticising Mandira. Sona Mohapatra wrote, "That some people are still commenting on Mandira Bedi’s dress code or choice to carry out her husband Raj Kushal’s last rites shouldn’t surprise us. Stupidity is more abundant than any other element in our world after all."
In a Twitter post, actress-host-model Mini Mathur expressed her anger towards people who trolled Bedi and said she should rather be applauded for her strength. Shweta Tiwari, on the other hand, shared a screenshot of a post by a digital creator that questioned the mentality of men having the right to perform rituals and the choice of attire during the funeral.
"@MandiraBedi we are with you and proud of you for expressing your love freely!," Tiwari wrote on her Instagram Stories."
Meanwhile, Mandira Bedi and Raj Kaushal, who got married in 1999, have two children -- son Vir and daughter Tara.