Telugu Actress Rekha Boj Faces Backlash For Controversial 'Beach Streak Promise If India Wins'

Telugu actress Rekha Boj found herself at the centre of a social media storm after making a bold statement regarding the Indian cricket team and the ODI World Cup. Rekha, a relatively lesser-known name in Tollywood, made headlines with her promise to run naked on Visakhapatnam beach if India emerged victorious in the ODI World Cup.

The actress took to platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to share her unusual promise, instantly gaining attention from netizens. She tweeted, “If India wins the World Cup, I will streak on Visakhapatnam beach. India World Cup.”

However, the Indian team suffered a defeat at the hands of Australia in the final match, leading to a barrage of criticism and trolling directed at Rekha. Social media platforms were flooded with memes and posts mocking the actress, with some users humorously sharing pictures of an empty Visakhapatnam beach, suggesting that Rekha’s assurance had been in vain. Others took a more serious tone and blamed her for the team’s loss and labelled her statement as a mere publicity stunt that backfired. Many drew comparisons to the infamous case of Poonam Pandey.

A user named Raja Padukone commented, “In 2011, Poonam Pandey says also same thing. Because It’s for the publicity.” Another user Kiran Stories wrote, “Poonam Pandey did the same stunt during 2011 Cricket World Cup. Though she became famous, it didn’t bring her any success at the box office. Better to Improve acting skills than pursuing cheap publicity!” A user named Shriram Bonagiri commented, “Another Poonam Pandey…Absolute nonsense.”

Amid the backlash, Rekha Boj defended her statement and explained that her intention was to express her love and admiration for the Indian cricket team. She claimed that her bold proclamation had even garnered support from fans of other teams who prayed for India’s victory. The actress shared a post on Instagram with the caption, “My Statement is nothing in front of India’s Victory…feeling heartbroken.”

This incident brings to mind similar instances involving celebrities from various countries. Pakistani actress Sehar Shinwari, for example, made a grand offer to the Bangladeshi cricket team before their match against India. She pledged to go on a date with any Bangladeshi player in Dhaka if the team managed to beat India. Unfortunately for Shinwari, Bangladesh ended up losing the match, and her offer remained unfulfilled.

In 2011, Poonam Pandey created a stir during the ICC Cricket World Cup by pledging to strip naked if the Indian cricket team emerged victorious. She expressed her commitment to celebrating the win in a unique way.