Archive · 25 Aug 2026
Malaysia Woman Mistaken for Keerthana Faces Online Abuse
A video of Vinosha Ravi was shared online by someone else.
People mistakenly thought she was Tamil Nadu minister S Keerthana.
They focused on the woman’s short black dress and posted critical messages.
Keerthana said the woman was not her and supported Ravi.
She also said women should not be judged by their clothes.
Ravi said the online abuse made her depressed and afraid to go outside.
She reported threats and vulgar messages to Malaysian police.
Ravi said she would continue dressing in her own way.
Vinosha Ravi, who lives in Malaysia, was wrongly identified online as Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana in a viral video.
The video showed a woman getting out of a car and going about her day in a short black dress.
Keerthana denied appearing in the video, apologised to Ravi, and said women should not be judged by their clothing or appearance.
Ravi said the trolling caused depression, fear of going out, and abusive, vulgar messages, even though she did not post the video herself.
Ravi approached Malaysian police over online threats and said the incident would not change her dressing style.
- Who
- Vinosha Ravi, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana, DMK MP Kanimozhi, and social media users.
- What
- A viral video was mistakenly attributed to Keerthana, leading to online trolling, abuse, and threats against Ravi.
- When
- The reports were published on August 25; the exact date of the video and police complaint is not specified.
- Where
- The video circulated on social media; Ravi lives in Malaysia and approached Malaysian police.
- Why
- Users questioned whether the woman in the video was Keerthana and criticised her clothing; Keerthana and Kanimozhi described the reaction as misogynistic and politically motivated.
Women’s Rights and Online Responsibility
Social Media Critics and Political Accusations
Judging women by clothing
Women’s Rights and Online Responsibility
Keerthana, Kanimozhi, and Ravi said women should not be publicly judged, lectured, or attacked over their clothes, appearance, or personal lives.
Social Media Critics and Political Accusations
Social media users questioned whether the woman was Keerthana after seeing her in a short black dress and circulated posts about the video.
Political motivation
Women’s Rights and Online Responsibility
Keerthana and Kanimozhi described the controversy as misogynistic or dirty politics, with Keerthana saying critics resorted to personal narratives when they could not challenge the TVK on policy or governance.
Social Media Critics and Political Accusations
The reports say several users, allegedly DMK supporters, shared or questioned the video; the users’ stated justification for doing so is not established.
Responsibility for online sharing
Women’s Rights and Online Responsibility
Ravi called for greater online responsibility, saying people seek views without considering how posts affect others; she also pursued police action over threats.
Social Media Critics and Political Accusations
The video was recorded and posted online by someone else, while social media users amplified questions about the woman’s identity.
- Woman in video
- Vinosha Ravi, a Malaysia-based woman
- Minister’s clarification
- S Keerthana said the woman in the video was not her.
- Video circumstances
- Ravi said she did not post the video and was recorded by someone who uploaded it.
- Online reaction
- Users questioned the woman’s identity and directed trolling, abusive comments, and vulgar messages at Ravi.
- Reported impact
- Ravi said the incident pushed her into depression and made her fear going out, including to work.
- Police action
- Ravi approached Malaysian police over online threats and abuse.
- Ravi’s response
- She said she would not change herself or her dressing style because of the attacks.
