Hansal Mehta reveals why he chooses to engage with Twitter trolls: 'I enjoy it but those people run away' | Exclusive

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta is someone who dies not shy away from saying his piece, whether in real life or on social media. The director has time and again engaged with trolls and those abusing him on various social media platforms, most notably Twitter. In an exclusive chat with DNA, Mehta spoke about why he continues to engage with Twitter trolls even as most members of the film industry shy away from that.

Hansal says that he does not categorise all those he interacts with as ‘trolls’. He explains, “Most of the times, they are not trolls. They are ordinary people. Whoever is behind that handle is a real person. By engaging with a person, I want to understand that are you genuine or are you trolling me. That’s why sometimes I engage. I actually enjoy it but those people run away.”

When asked why he chooses to engage with people abusing him while others maintain a safe distance, the filmmaker says, “The thing is that we have been taught to let go, this is how it is. I cannot. I am a reactionary person and I will react.” The Scam 1992 director says he is not trying to convince the other party of his viewpoint but just engaging in some conversation to understand them. “If you have a point of view, then let’s talk about it. That is all. That is what I do through my stories, my show,” says Hansal.

Many celebrities have quit Twitter saying they need to stay away from the microblogging site for their mental health. Several others have called the platform toxic. But Hansal disagrees. He says, “Streaming was seen as random videos online. Who thought this would be the home to some of the greatest stories on the planet. Similarly, we should not trivialise social media. Remember Tahrir Square (the epicentre of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution) came out of Twitter. Social change can take place through places where there is genuine engagement. I think we should not be so pessimistic about engagement.”

Hansal Mehta is soon returning to the streaming space with his upcoming web series Scoop. The series is partially based on the murder of journalist J Dey, for which another journalist Jigna Vora was arrested and later acquitted. Scoop, which stars Karishma Tanna, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Harman Baweja, and Tannishtha Chatterjee, will be streaming on Netflix from June 2.