Mansi Srivastava, Dipika Kakar: TV actors who have been severely trolled for playing animals on-screen

Mansi Srivastava, who plays Lavanya in Divya Drishti, is the latest to join the list of actors who turned into shape-shifting animals on television. The actress was shown as a lizard in one of the recent episodes and the promo itself invited unwelcoming reactions on social media. While some felt it was funny, others shared how they wanted to see humans on the small screen for a change.

Harsh Rajput, who is currently seen as Ansh in Nazar, also turned into Daavansh (the hybrid offspring of a daayan and a human). While the actor feels it is the best character he has played on-screen due to its several shades, the viewers did not quite give it a thumbs-up.

The actress, who once played a makkhi (fly) in Sasural Simar Ka, become a victim of online trolling and jokes, once her scenes playing the part aired on television. There were jokes ranging from Simar loving 'Sarso da saag and Makkhi ki roti' to 'Makkhi wearing saree and makeup'. Dipika, however, was unfazed while playing the role and told TOI then, "I wasn’t uncomfortable playing a makkhi, nor found it funny."

Mouni Roy was the first to make her big break as a Naagin on the small screen. This obviously made people not only sit-up and notice but also mock her for playing a shape-shifting serpent in the supernatural thriller. Like Dipika, the actress is happy to have played the part despite all the criticism from the urban audience, and owes her fame to the success of the show.

Adaa Khan, who was Mouni Roy's partner-in-crime on the show in Naagin, was also trolled for playing Naagin. The actress' transformation was also made fun of by the viewers, and they made their displeasure clear on social media.

It's not just the women but also male actors who have experimented with being animals on-screen, case in point Karan Kundra. The actor's character, Rahul, turned into a tiger in the musical love story, Yeh Kahan Aa Gaye Hum. This invited ruthless reaction from the audience, and they couldn't help but find the plot extremely bizarre.

TV actress Priyal Gor played a naagin in 'Iccha Pyaari Naagin', and while she did justice to the part, the concept of the show was made fun of by the viewers. In the daily soap, it was shown that an 'icchadhari naagin' comes to earth to change the perception humans have about snakes. In just a few months, the show was pulled off air as it failed to generate interest.

Rajat Tokas played a 'nevla' (mongoose) in Naagin 3. Considering the popularity of the show, the actor was mocked for playing the shape-shifting animal. It is also known that Rajat went for an intense body transformation to be a part of the supernatural series.