Akhil Akkineni's engagement to Zainab Ravdjee faced backlash due to age and religion differences. To avoid online negativity, he disabled Instagram comments on the post.
Akhil Akkineni, the younger son of Tollywood legend Nagarjuna, made headlines on Tuesday after announcing his engagement to girlfriend Zainab Ravdjee. Although the pair was showered with congratulations, their announcement also sparked criticism on the internet. The couple's relationship was criticized by some because of their interfaith background and age difference.
Akhil posted the wonderful news on Instagram, stating, "Found my forever... I'm delighted to declare that Zainab Ravdjee and I are happily engaged. Many fans and followers sent their sincere congratulations, and the announcement was greatly celebrated. However, a section of netizens quickly turned to trolling, focusing on the couple's nine-year age difference. Zainab, who is nine years older than Akhil, became the target of unwanted comments from those criticizing their age gap.
In addition to age-related criticisms, some trolls expressed disapproval over the interfaith nature of the couple’s relationship. One user posted, "You guys are spoiling the overall welfare of the culture and India (sic)," while another made a comparison to the much-discussed couple Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas, calling them "South's Priyanka and Nick."
Rather than engaging with the hateful comments, Akhil opted to deactivate the comment section on his engagement post, likely in an attempt to shield his relationship from further negativity. By doing so, he avoided any confrontation with the online trolls.
The timing of Akhil’s engagement announcement also comes just days before his half-brother Naga Chaitanya is set to marry actress Sobhita Dhulipala. The wedding, scheduled for December 4, has generated considerable buzz within the Tollywood industry and beyond. Despite the online criticism, Akhil and Zainab’s engagement marks a joyful milestone for the young couple.