Ushna Shah says she’s questioning if she’s cut out for this job after social media controversy over her wedding

Actor Ushna Shah is sick and tired of being trolled on social media for her wedding. In a series of stories on Instagram, she said she is “bowing out of this narrative” and taking a few days off social media following the controversy.

“I apologised to AB [Lakhani] only to save him from trolling and I am getting mercilessly bullied,” she said, referring to an apology she posted and later deleted to a blogger whom she slammed on social media for bringing a photographer and drone to her wedding.

“I am disgusted and feel violated. AB Lakhany, of Moovyshoovy was invited out of obligation as I have known him for years and he happened to be at the office where we were designing invitations. His invite said strictly no plus one,” she wrote. “He was then sent a memo along with other guests to not record personal moments, especially the nikah. Not only did he bring a plus one, he brought a photographer without permission [and] lied to my family that I had allowed this. That photographer then sent exclusive unapproved photos to various [media] portals,” she wrote in a Instagram story that has since expired.

On Wednesday, she posted a conversation with the photographer in question, Saad Ansari Photography, in which he apologised and offered to delete the photos.

“[I am getting bullied] for getting married my way. For desperately trying to keep my shaadi my own. For being upset that my nikkah got interrupted by a drone and for feeling violated. Hundreds of thousands of messages. This is beyond cruel,” she wrote.

“Please forgive me for wearing what I wore and for trying to protect what was meant to be only mine. I did not sign up for any of this. I’m bowing out of this narrative.”

In a second, longer, story posted on Instagram, she said she hasn’t reacted to online trolling for years but she is a “human being at a very vulnerable time of my life. A new bride in a new home.”

“From hiring photography teams who signed NDAs to hiring security and strict guest lists at the door, I wanted to protect our union and only share what I was comfortable with, I worked very hard to make this time private,” she wrote.

“Several people invaded that privacy to exploit our happy occasion, including disrupting our nikkah. Like any bride would be, I was mortified, only time a million. I had a human moment and I reacted, I exposed the first person I learnt invaded my privacy, I defended myself, I even retracted because they apologised and I learnt others were also involved, in worse ways, and because the damage done to me couldn’t be undone either way.”

Shah said she has read many of the comments on social media that don’t seem to stop. “Please believe that I did not get married to offend our culture, that was not the intention, and if that is what people feel I have done then I apologise for letting anyone down,” she said.

“I am going to sign off from this platform for a few days, for the sake of my mental health and to spend this precious time and energy on my wonderful husband and my new family, who are a blessing. I am also questioning if I am cut out for this job. Thank you for the love and prayers,” the Habs actor said.