What Happened To The Rebel Kid? The Dark Reality Of Social Media - Blessing or Disguise?

Roses have thorns!
Diamonds cut, too!
Laughter hides cracks!

The context here is that everything that charms the eyes from the outside possesses a darker and rough side that no one can dream of.

Today, social media has become a part of our lives! It’s a whole world we exist in. We use it to laugh, share our opinions, express ourselves, and sometimes even build full-blown careers from scratch.

It’s a space where millions of people can come together, but also where one voice can be drowned out in noise and judgment.

This is what we learned from the story of young influencers like Apporva Mukhija, aka The Rebel Kid!

A recent research done by Electro IQ revealed that:

“60% of social media users say it negatively affects their self-esteem. Teens who spend five or more hours a day on screens are 71% more likely to have suicide risk factors.”

Can you believe that?

Like anything powerful, social media comes with both light and shadow. And nothing proves that more than what recently happened with content creator Apoorva Mukhija, someone many know online as The Rebel Kid.

Being your true, unfiltered self does not guarantee that you are free from any sort of backlash. She’s known for her raw, unfiltered content. She connects with her audience like a friend, calling them her “cute little red flags,” sharing stories that make people laugh, think, and sometimes cry. But even that level of honesty couldn’t protect her from the storm that hit.

The Rebel Kid Comeback – What Happened To Her?

Apoorva found herself caught in the eye of a social media whirlwind after appearing on an episode of “India’s Got Latent”, a YouTube talk show hosted by comedian Samay Raina. The episode also featured big names like Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps), Jaspreet Singh, and Ashish Chanchlani. What was meant to be just another fun discussion quickly turned into something much heavier.

Some of the remarks made during the show were widely criticized. Many felt the jokes crossed a line, especially a question raised by Ranveer that was seen as deeply inappropriate. The backlash was immediate, loud, and unforgiving.

In the middle of all this, Apoorva was not just facing criticism, she was facing hate. Real, terrifying hate.

Ranveer Allahbadia, for instance, asked a contestant a question about parents and se* – a comment that many felt crossed the line.

The reaction was swift and harsh. The National Commission for Women (NCW) stepped in, and all those involved, including Apoorva, were summoned by the police for questioning.

What followed was nothing short of horrifying. Apoorva shared on Instagram that she received hundreds of rape threats, death threats, and abusive messages.

In one of her posts, she warned viewers that the images she shared contained mentions of acid attacks and extreme abuse. Her caption said:

“And that’s not even 1%.”

The hate was relentless and deeply disturbing.

The Bright Side! Will Apoorva Revive Her Content Journey?

But here’s the other side of the coin.

Despite everything, Apoorva made a powerful comeback. On Wednesday, April 9, she posted her first Story Time video on YouTube titled ‘Till I say it is’, addressing the controversy. Her fans, whom she lovingly calls her “cute little red flags,” showed up in support.

With over 3 million followers on Instagram, Apoorva isn’t just an influencer – she’s a voice for many young people online. Her comeback video wasn’t about defending herself, but about telling her side of the story, calmly and clearly.

She cried, laughed, and even joked about her own situation. But more than anything, her story was a reminder, an eye opener.

Things to Be Aware of on a Personal Level

As we scroll, like, share, and comment, it’s important to stay mindful of a few things:

People online are real, with feelings and struggles we may not see.
Words can heal or harm. So be careful before you comment.
Not everything deserves hate. Criticism can be fair, but abuse is never okay.
Mental health matters. And the online world? It can affect it to a great extent, even more than we realize.

Even public figures, the ones with big numbers and blue ticks, they’re still human. They feel everything, just like the rest of us. Being famous doesn’t make you bulletproof. It doesn’t numb the sting of hate or make threats any less terrifying. At the end of the day, they bleed like we do. They break like we do.

Final Takeaway

So… is social media a blessing or a disguise?

Honestly, it’s a little bit of both.

It has the power to build someone up overnight to celebrate their wins, to make their voice heard. But it also has the power to make and break someone overnight.

And here’s the truth: it’s not the platforms. It’s us. The users. We get to decide what kind of internet we’re shaping.

Are we making room for accountability with empathy? Are we having difficult conversations without cruelty? Are we remembering that there’s a real person behind every handle?

Apoorva Mukhija’s story isn’t just about a viral controversy. It’s about what it means to fall publicly, painfully, and still choose to get back up. To return. To speak. To keep creating when the internet tells you not to. That takes a different kind of courage.

And maybe that’s the biggest reminder of all: Behind every post is a person. Behind every screen is a soul. Let’s not forget that.