Swara Bhasker fat-shamed; apologises for using Nestle product during Iftar, backs Israeli brands boycott

Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker is known for her unabashed and unfiltered opinions and often shares her two cents on day-to-day topics, mostly of which are politically driven.

Recently, the new mom found herself at the centre of an online debate after she posted a video on social media. In the clip, she was using a product by Nestle as she prepared food during Iftaar. This prompted criticism from netizens. The reason why a section of netizens is slamming Nestlé, an international food and beverage company, is that it has been included in a boycott list circulated by supporters of the Palestinian cause. The brand is known for selling dairy products, processed coffee, and several other food items, and has been criticised for its business associations in Israel. In recent months, a campaign urging people to boycott Israeli goods or companies associated with Israel has gained significant international momentum.

‘I will try and be careful’: Swara Bhasker reacts to backlash for using Nestle product during Iftar

Responding to the criticism, Swara took to her Instagram and made a follow-up video, wherein she apologised for using Nestlé. “I posted a couple of stories of my Iftaar preparation, which is the only thing I know how to do, which is make food, and of course I looked at some of your responses, and I noticed that a lot of you pointed out that Nestle is on the boycott list because of Palestine and their Zionist connections, and that I was using Nestle Milkmaid, and to be honest, I didn’t remember, and it didn’t strike me,” she said.

She further added, “I am a big advocate of BDS, and I try hard to practice it as much as I can, and especially when looking at the personal products we use. But I do struggle with some of them. I’m still learning. I just wanted to say thank you so much for pointing that out, and I will try and be as careful as I can.”

However, social media users weren’t quite concerned about Swara joining the boycott of Nestlé to avoid companies associated with Israel and support Palestine. They even schooled her for not wearing a hijab, talking about Islam by wearing a tight, sleeveless t-shirt. Many people said that Instagram and other apps support Isreal.

A user wrote, “We all make mistakes — thanks for being an advocate!!!” while another commented, “Appreciate your gesture. God bless you.”

Another wrote, “Hello Swara, but Instagram has a very strong Zionist connection, then you will have to find an alternative to Instagram..”

The third one mentioned, “Hello Swara maam. Thank you for being so kind. Instagram Facebook microsoft and google all has played a huge role in supporting Israel. So I hope you will stop using all these app as well.”

Work front

Swara was recently seen alongside her politician-husband, Fahad Ahmad, on the reality show Pati Patni Aur Panga, which featured real-life celebrity couples competing in light-hearted tasks and challenges. She is also awaiting the release of her upcoming film Mrs Falani.