Bollywood star Sara Ali Khan, who faced trolling by a section on social media for her visit to Ujjain's Mahakaleshwar temple, has said her "belief" is her "personal matter" and she will continue to visit shrines of all faiths without worrying about what others say.
Sara, the daughter of actors Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh, was criticised by certain social media users after she posted pictures of her praying at the iconic temple in Madhya Pradesh.
The 27-year-old actor, who is on a nationwide promotional campaign for her upcoming film Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, had previously shared her photos from a Lord Shiva temple in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. She often posts her pictures from different places of worship on her Instagram page.
At the press conference of the movie, Sara was asked to respond to the backlash.
"I have said this before and I'll say it again. I take my work very seriously and I work for the audience and for you (the media). If you all don't like my work, I'll feel bad. But my personal belief is my personal matter. I'll visit Ajmer Sharif with the same dedication as I'll visit Bangla Sahib or Mahakal.
"And, I'll keep visiting. So, whoever wants to say anything about it, they can. I don't have any problem. But what's most important is that no matter where you go, you should like its energy. I believe in energy," the actor told reporters here on Wednesday.
Vicky Kaushal, her co-star of Zara Hatke Zara Bachke, urged the media to not give "legitimacy" to trolls.
"Questions are asked to those people who are trolled, who are going on with their lives. So, if a troll catches your attention as a big media house that's legitimate and when you talk about them you give value to whatever they say. You should ask questions to trolls. The process needs to change," Kaushal added.
The Internet is an open medium but that doesn't mean you can say anything, he added.
Set in Indore, Zara Hatke Zara Bachke is a romantic comedy that follows the life of a married couple Kapil and Somya, played by Vicky and Sara, who are headed for a divorce.
Directed by Laxman Utekar, the movie is slated to hit the screens Friday.
Sandhya Suri poses during a photocall for the film "Santosh" at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 21, 2024. 
Bhumi Pednekar