Harshad Arora on Preetika Rao's recent remarks

A recent Instagram post stirred controversy after actress Preetika Rao appeared to express displeasure over fans sharing romantic video edits featuring her and co-actor Harshad Arora from their 2014 television show Beintehaa. In a now-viral screenshot, the actress allegedly responded to a fan, saying, “Don’t edit reels on man who sleeps with every woman. In Beintehaa, out of 95 % of no touch and we had 5 % of scenes and you are blasting this all throughout against my wishes.”

The statement surprised many, especially considering that the show concluded nearly 12 years ago. Social media users were quick to question the timing and intent behind such remarks. While Preetika couldn’t be contacted for comment, we reached out to Harshad Arora for his response. He said, “I’m not sure why she would say something like that — whether it’s for publicity or attention. It’s so irrelevant because it’s been so many years and out of nowhere, why would you write such a thing? We haven’t spoken since the show ended. Yes, we didn’t get along during the shoot, but we were always professional.”

He added, “I’ve never spoken about her personally in public, so I’m surprised and disappointed by such a derogatory statement. Though I’ve heard claims that someone else was handling her account, I believe nothing goes out without the account holder’s knowledge. Now, I hear she’s travelling and unavailable to respond — why avoid clarifying it now? I really don’t know the state of mind in which she said this. This was almost 12 years ago. Come on, move on. You just can’t be Aaliya (Preetika’s character in Beintehaa) all the time and be in that zone. Get out of the fantasy.”

He also addressed fans of Preetika, saying, “Those who truly support her should ask why something so irrelevant was said after so many years. And even if she didn’t post it personally, the right thing would have been to correct it immediately. I don’t want to make a fuss about it — I just think it’s unnecessary and uncalled for. However, I’m just beyond all this. I’m in a good space in life, and if someone tries to gain mileage by using my name, that’s on them. I can’t control that.”

We also asked Harshad, who married Muskaan Rajput on December 8, 2024, whether such claims affect him now that he’s a married man and he responded, “Thankfully, my wife is very understanding. She knows the nature of my work and stands by me. I’ve always been transparent about my life and career. I’ve moved on — this was a different phase, and life has moved forward.”