New Delhi: Bengali actor Subhashree Ganguly became the target of online vitriol after sharing photos of herself with footballer Lionel Messi during his GOAT India Tour 2025 in Kolkata. In a video shared on Instagram, the Grihapravesh actor said the trolling escalated into death threats against her two young children.
“Trolling me is still okay, because I understand common people could not meet the football star. As a mother, I will absolutely not accept death threats to my children. You have also committed an injustice,” said the actor.
The backlash followed Messi’s early departure from Salt Lake Stadium on Saturday amid chaos at the venue, leaving many fans unable to catch a glimpse of the footballer.
“Subhasree Ganguly, wife of TMC MLA Raj Chakraborty, gets a selfie with Lionel Messi. Meanwhile, fans could not see him even after paying thousands of rupees,” said one post on X.
Subhasree Ganguly, wife of TMC MLA Raj Chakraborty, gets a selfie with Lionel Messi during the GOAT Tour.
Meanwhile, fans could not see him even after paying thousands of rupees. pic.twitter.com/Cnk6CjXTeS
— Sensei Kraken Zero (@YearOfTheKraken) December 13, 2025
In her video, Ganguly clarified that she had been formally invited to the event and was representing the Bengali film fraternity along with director Kaushik Ganguly.
She added that it was Messi’s public relations team that requested her to meet the footballer at the Hyatt Regency Kolkata around 8.30 am. She met Messi and took photos between 10.00 and 10.15 am. As she was preparing to leave, the PR team asked her to accompany them to Salt Lake Stadium, citing security arrangements and logistical convenience. It was then that things started to spiral.
“It feels like I accosted Messi and took selfies with him. Did I block anyone’s view?” the actor said, visibly upset.
Also Read: ‘I met Messi’ was the headline of the GOAT tour. Football and fans were ignored
‘Bengali-baiting’
After Subhashree’s carousel post on Instagram featuring Lionel Messi, a video of a man mocking the actor went viral online.
“I came to see Messi after paying twelve thousand rupees for the ticket, but I got to see Subhashree’s dance instead,” he is heard complaining.
In her rejoinder video, Ganguly pointed out that Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shah Rukh Khan had clicked photos with Messi, and no one objected to them or directed hate at them.
Ganguly is the wife of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA and filmmaker Raj Chakraborty, which also became fuel for the criticism levelled against her. Chakraborty earlier shared a post on Instagram defending his wife and calling out the online hate directed at her.
“This has been given a political angle—politicians are doing press conferences using my pictures from the event. I’m being mocked by being called someone’s ex-girlfriend. It’s almost 2026, and even women are attacking women like this. Is this how you’ve decided to treat me?” she asked.
Some posts on social media, however, have supported her.
“Yet once again, a Bengali woman becomes the easiest target for abuse in India… Misogyny, selective outrage and Bengal-baiting laid bare,” said an X post.
Actress Subhashree Ganguly (@subhashreesotwe) finally breaks her silence. She attended the #GOATIndiaTour event as an invitee from the Bengali film fraternity, invited by the event management company and photography was part of the event.
Yet once again, a Bengali woman becomes… pic.twitter.com/Y3VNiuOgjM
— Sanghamitra Bandyopadhyay (@SanghamitraLIVE) December 15, 2025
(Edited by Asavari Singh)
I can guarantee you that most of these elites probably have never heard who Messi is before they realized that he is super popular so they should pick photos with him.
Seriously this mentality is absolutely annoying. Also the obsession a common man shows towards celebrities in this country is just pathetic.