Former Bigg Boss contestant Mandana Karimi shifted base from India to Dubai in May, but says the harassment she has faced online has followed her even after the move.  On Tuesday, Mandana shared a series of videos on Instagram, talking about facing cyberbullying and stalking that she says began after her separation from businessman Gaurav Gupta and has continued for years.

According to Mandana, people associated with her, including producers and co-stars, have received emails asking for money or containing defamatory claims about her.

Mandana Karimi on cyberbullying

In a series of videos on Instagram, Mandana said, “I am on a holiday, and it has happened again. I had a cyberbullying case and a stalker for over 6 years since I got separated. An account messaged my producer and co-stars to make them aware of me and also asked them for money. It’s still happening. I don’t understand who hates me so much and wants me to have no work, money, or friends. I went to the bottom of this issue four years ago. I hired someone to find out who this person is, and I was told that someone has paid a professional hacker to watch my posts closely, and whoever is famous they get an email in the name of Meenakshi. I have left India right now, but my friends still receive an email. Honestly, people who know me have sent me the email; it’s a fake account. The police in India couldn’t do anything in this case. Someone is just trying to destroy my name.”

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A post shared by Mandana Karimi (@mandanakarimi)

She also shared screenshots of the emails and wrote in the caption, “Enough is enough. For years, I have faced ongoing cyberbullying, harassment, and stalking from an unknown person who closely monitors my life and sends malicious emails to people I post or associate with—even after I moved from India to Dubai. I have previously filed multiple cybercrime complaints, and I am now speaking publicly and sharing the evidence. If you receive any email concerning me, please do not engage, send money, or believe its contents. Save it, take screenshots, and forward it to me. This is harassment, and I will no longer remain silent.”

Mandana Karimi moved to Dubai in May

Mandana left India in May, citing security concerns. In an interview with SCREEN, she said the decision was about starting a new phase in her life rather than being about one particular country.

“India gave me some of the most important years of my life, personally and professionally. I built my career there, my friendships, and a huge part of my identity outside Iran. But over the years, life has changed deeply for me. My priorities, my emotional state, and my purpose have evolved. This decision is not about one moment or one country. It’s about reconnecting with myself and focusing on what truly matters to me at this stage of my life — my roots, my work, and the fight for freedom for my people.”

She added, “Leaving India is emotional for me. India shaped one of the biggest chapters of my life. I grew there not only as an actor, but as a woman, an artist, and a person trying to find her voice away from home. There is gratitude, nostalgia, sadness, and uncertainty — all at the same time. But sometimes life pushes you toward reinvention. And I think I’m entering that phase now.”

 

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A few weeks later, Mandana had posted a series of pictures from her daily life in Dubai and wrote, “Between grief and gratitude, I found my reflection again. The world changed overnight. Learning to live in it takes time. Some days we protest. Some days we rebuild. Both matter. Finding joy again doesn’t make the struggle less real. Behind the smile is a story of loss, resilience, and starting over.”

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About Mandana Karimi

Mandana Karimi is an Iranian actress and model who entered the entertainment industry in 2010 with various modelling projects. In 2015, she made a cameo in Ranbir Kapoor’s Roy. That same year, she participated in Bigg Boss 9 and finished as the second runner-up. She also appeared in films such as Bhaag Johnny, Main Aur Charles, and Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3. Her last Bollywood film was Thar in 2022.

Mandana also ventured into television. After Bigg Boss 9, she appeared in Ishqbaaz in 2018. In 2022, she participated in Lock Upp. In 2017, she married Mumbai-based businessman Gaurav Gupta in a traditional Hindu ceremony. Soon after, Mandana filed a domestic violence case against Gaurav and his family; the couple eventually divorced in 2021.

Recently, Mandana has been vocal about the tensions involving Iran, the US, and Israel.