Archive · 6 Sep 2026
Masaba Gupta’s Bipasha Praise Revives Mrunal Thakur Controversy
Masaba Gupta praised Bipasha Basu after Bipasha appeared on an Elle India digital cover.
She called Bipasha one of Bollywood’s original glamorous stars.
Masaba also said she liked Bipasha’s strong, athletic body.
She added that people who do not see that body type as feminine were missing its value.
Some people online thought this was aimed at Mrunal Thakur.
Years earlier, Mrunal had made comments comparing herself with Bipasha’s muscular appearance.
Many people said those comments were body-shaming.
Mrunal later apologized and said she was 19 and had learned to appreciate different kinds of beauty.
Masaba did not directly name Mrunal in her post.
Masaba Gupta praised Bipasha Basu after Elle India featured her on its September 2026 digital cover.
Gupta called Basu “the last of the OGs” and praised her athletic build and muscular physique.
Gupta also criticized current celebrity beauty standards as “cookie cutter,” “boring” and “dull.”
Some social media users interpreted Gupta’s comment about femininity as an indirect reference to Mrunal Thakur.
Thakur’s old remarks about Basu resurfaced in 2025, prompting an apology and later explanations from Thakur.
- Who
- Masaba Gupta praised Bipasha Basu; social media users linked the comments to Mrunal Thakur’s earlier remarks.
- What
- Gupta celebrated Basu’s Elle India cover and athletic physique, prompting debate over whether she was indirectly criticizing Thakur.
- When
- Elle India posted the cover images on September 5, 2026; Thakur’s old interview resurfaced in 2025, and she discussed it again in early 2026.
- Where
- The praise and debate appeared on Instagram and other social media platforms.
- Why
- Users connected Gupta’s defense of Basu’s muscular physique with Thakur’s earlier comments describing Basu as “manly” and comparing herself favorably.
Indirect-Dig Interpretation
Praise-Only Interpretation
Meaning of Gupta’s remarks
Indirect-Dig Interpretation
Some social media users viewed Gupta’s praise of Basu’s muscles and femininity as an indirect response to Mrunal Thakur’s earlier comments.
Praise-Only Interpretation
Gupta did not name Thakur, so the remarks may have been intended simply as praise for Basu and her magazine appearance.
Connection to the old controversy
Indirect-Dig Interpretation
The wording about whether a muscular body is feminine reminded users of Thakur’s description of Basu as “manly.”
Praise-Only Interpretation
The articles establish that users made this connection, but they do not show Gupta confirming that she intended to reference Thakur.
- Featured actress
- Bipasha Basu
- Magazine
- Elle India
- Issue
- September 2026 digital issue
- Praise by
- Masaba Gupta
- Past controversy
- Mrunal Thakur’s old interview comments about Bipasha Basu’s physique
- Thakur’s response
- She apologized, said she was 19 at the time, and described the exchange as banter that went too far
- Gupta’s wording
- She praised Basu’s athletic build and said it represented a standard of fitness
