In the wake of a tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, actor Iman Esmail — known to fans as Imanvi — has found herself at the center of an unexpected storm. The Tollywood newcomer, who stars opposite Prabhas in the upcoming military drama Fauji, took to social media to confront growing speculation about her heritage, as well as damaging accusations linking her family to the Pakistani military.
With grace and determination, Imanvi addressed the controversy, offering both a heartfelt condolence to the victims of the attacks and a strong rebuttal to the falsehoods being circulated about her background. “My heart goes out to all those who lost their lives and their loved ones,” she wrote. “Any loss of innocent life is tragic and weighs heavy on my heart. I strongly condemn the violent acts.”
But the central focus of her message was to tackle the rising tide of online disinformation. In recent days, unverified reports and social media chatter began claiming that Imanvi was of Pakistani descent and had familial ties to Pakistan's military. The narrative, widely shared and picked up by a handful of media outlets, was met with fierce criticism from Imanvi.
“Firstly, nobody in my family has ever been or is currently associated with the Pakistani military in any way,” she clarified. “This and multiple other falsehoods have been fabricated by online trolls for the sole purpose of spreading hate.” She went on to condemn the irresponsible reporting of these claims, adding, “What is especially disappointing is that legitimate news outlets, journalists, and those on social media failed to investigate their source material and instead have simply repeated these slanderous statements.”
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In her post, Imanvi offered a detailed account of her upbringing and identity. “I am a proud Indian American who speaks Hindi, Telugu, Gujarati, and English. I was born in Los Angeles, California, after my parents legally immigrated to the United States as youth. Soon after, they became American citizens.” She added that her connection to Indian culture runs deep, crediting the Indian film industry for being a lifelong inspiration. “I hope to add to the incredible legacy of the trailblazers that came before me,” she wrote.
While her statement received widespread support — particularly from fans of Prabhas, who quickly flooded social media with messages of solidarity — it also stirred up old memories and raised further questions. Some social media users pointed out previous posts and bios where Imanvi had allegedly identified as both Indian and Pakistani, expressing disappointment that she appeared to be walking back aspects of her past identity.
“I followed you for being an incredible dancer,” one fan wrote. “Loved that you were both Indian and Pakistani. To see you deny your heritage just because of a career move feels disingenuous to me.”
Others were more direct, referencing her earlier persona as "Iman Esmail" and recalling events where she taught dance under that name. “I definitely do remember loving your dance content because you always said you were a half Pakistani, half Indian, and Ismaili choreographer,” one commenter noted. “You came and taught in Atlanta as ‘Iman Esmail,’ not Imanvi.”
These criticisms, however, were quickly drowned out by an outpouring of love and support from Prabhas’ devoted fanbase, who rallied behind the actress. Hashtags like #WeStandWithImanvi and #JusticeForImanvi began trending on X (formerly Twitter), with many praising her grace under pressure and calling for an end to the harassment. Several pointed out the pattern of targeted misinformation campaigns against women in the public eye, especially those from diasporic backgrounds.
“Imanvi is being attacked for no reason other than her success and visibility,” one fan posted. “She has clarified her stance and her identity. Let her art speak. Let’s not let hate drown out talent.”
Despite the controversy, Imanvi ended her statement on a hopeful note: “As someone who has Indian identity and culture running deep in my blood, I hope to use this medium as a form of unity and not divisiveness. I will work hard to ensure that this legacy carries on through my work and uplifts the experiences of my Indian heritage.”
With Fauji set to release later this year and anticipation building, all eyes are now on Imanvi — not just for her performance, but for how she continues to navigate fame in a climate where heritage, identity, and misinformation collide.
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