Let's talk about the elephant in the room. If you're even remotely connected to the Indian entertainment or cricket scene, you've likely seen it: the clip of Natasa Stankovic dancing with unabashed joy at a college festival. The energy is infectious, the vibe is pure fun. And yet, the internet's response has been... predictably gross.
The headlines say it all: "Natasa Stankovic faces trolling." A woman dances. The world critiques. It's a tired, worn-out script.
The criticism, from what I've scrolled through (and immediately regretted), isn't about her dance moves. It's the usual sludge—comments about her clothes, her "image" as a mother and wife, and thinly veiled misogyny disguised as concern. It's the digital mob's favorite pastime: policing a woman's freedom, especially one in the public eye.
But here's the beautiful counter-narrative that gives me hope: the fans fighting back. The comments sections aren't a complete loss. Scattered among the bile are powerful, succinct defenses: **"Self-respect."**
That one word is a fortress. It’s fans saying, "We see you. Dancing is not a lack of self-respect. Living joyfully is not a character flaw." They're pushing back against the archaic notion that a woman's worth is tied to a perpetually "appropriate" demeanor. Since when did enjoying music become a scandal?
This isn't just about Natasa. This is a microcosm of the constant, exhausting scrutiny female celebrities endure. Their lives become public property, their every action a statement to be dissected. Go to a party? "Irresponsible mother." Stay home? "Boring." There's no winning in the court of toxic Twitter (or X) opinions.
What the defending fans are highlighting is a crucial distinction: **Self-respect isn't about following a rigid set of rules dictated by strangers. It's about autonomy. It's the respect to own your own body, your own joy, and your own moments without seeking permission from a faceless jury online.**
Natasa, a professional dancer and performer, was in her element. The students around her were loving it. The moment was about celebration, not solicitation. Reducing that to something tawdry says more about the trolls than it does about her.
So, here’s my take: The next time a "viral dance video" pops up, let's try a novel approach.
**Option A:** Watch it. Smile. Maybe feel a twinge of envy for that carefree energy. Move on with your day.
**Option B:** If it's genuinely not your thing, scroll past. The algorithm will forget eventually.
The need to publicly shame, to moralize, to drag someone for a few seconds of fun—it’s a choice. And it’s a pathetic one.
The fans defending her with that simple mantra of "self-respect" are on the right side of this. They're advocating for a world where a woman can be a devoted mother, a partner, *and* a person who dances her heart out at a college fest—without it being a headline-worthy controversy.
Let the woman dance. And more power to those who understand that her self-respect is hers to define.
