Simran Budharup, known for her role in Kumkum Bhagya, recently shared a troubling experience during her visit to Mumbai’s iconic Lalbaugcha Raja for Ganesh Chaturthi. What was supposed to be a peaceful and spiritual occasion turned sour when Simran and her mother were mishandled by the security staff. The actress revealed that a female bouncer from the pandal’s security team forcibly took her mother’s phone and treated them harshly.
Simran took to her Instagram account to recount the upsetting incident. She explained that while they were in line for the darshan, her mother tried to take a quick picture. Even though it was Simran’s turn and her mother wasn’t delaying the process, a staff member aggressively grabbed her mother’s phone. When her mother attempted to get the phone back, she was pushed. “A man from the organization snatched my mother’s phone while she was clicking the picture… and when she tried to retrieve it, he pushed her,” Simran wrote.
Things escalated further when Simran intervened to defend her mother. The actress revealed that the bouncers manhandled her as well, and when she tried to record their behavior, they attempted to seize her phone. However, once they realized she was an actor, they retreated from the situation. This incident left a deep impact on Simran, who described the behavior as “unacceptable.”
Simran’s ordeal has sparked conversations, and even popular actress Devoleena Bhattacharjee voiced her concerns about the famous pandal. Devoleena retweeted a post from a user who criticized the commercialization of religious places like Lalbaugcha Raja. The user expressed disappointment, stating, “No offense, but when I visited the much-hyped #LalbaghchaRaja, I didn’t feel any strong positive or negative vibe; it was just neutral for me. I believe when religious places become commercialized and people are separated based on money/VIP status, the true spirit of God leaves that place.”
Agreeing with the sentiments, Devoleena shared her personal thoughts, saying that she has a connection with Lalbaugcha Raja but no longer enjoys visiting due to the increasing commercialization. The Saath Nibhaana Saathiya actress pointed out that Lord Ganesha has now been treated more like a celebrity, rather than a spiritual symbol, which detracts from the religious experience.
Both Simran Budharup and Devoleena Bhattacharjee’s statements have shed light on the growing concerns surrounding the management of popular religious events, with many agreeing that commercialization and mistreatment are detracting from the sanctity of such occasions.