4 min readNew DelhiMay 22, 2026 07:07 PM IST
The recent dowry death cases of Twisha Sharma and Deepika Nagar have reignited conversations around marriage and modern relationships. Joining the debate, actor Ridhi Dogra recently shared a strongly worded note on social media, urging young people to “stop romanticising marriage.”
Taking to her Instagram handle, Ridhi shared a note which read, “It’s a changing world. Over the past few years a lot of heart wrenching incidents have happened to boys and girls after marriage.. And no one is guiding us to understand the change in social and psychological conditions. So it’s upon us to tell each other.”
Urging young girls and boys” to “please stop romanticising marriage”, the actor continued, “The age of your parents and the world they grew up in has expired. Marriage is not the same. Boys should know that girls will Not do what you ask them to blindly. Because laws etc has empowered them.”
“Today, They can get a job/a place to stay/an income and live peacefully in society. So they don’t need to follow you and your orders like lambs. Girls don’t need marriage for survival. For Companionship. Yes. But not for dependency. Even if they wish to — out of love… Their individuality will try and knock their head time and again. They will be frustrated because the world has changed,” she highlighted.
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In her post, Ridhi Dogra also requested girls not to expect their boyfriends to turn into a prince. “And girls – pls don’t expect your boyfriends to become. Mr Prince Charming after marriage. They are human too and are figuring this new world out. It’s more new for them because they have seen men being men.”
She further added, “But if society norms have shifted and what was required of them earlier has changed too. Pls don’t expect any fairy tale. Educate yourself. Live for your self. And please stand up for yourself. Don’t expect anyone. To come and stand up for you. marry each other for love and respect. marry a person you love as a PERSON. And pls keep your parents out of your life. And if you can’t live life without including others. It’s a crowd. A respectful union of marriage is between two. Never more.”
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The 41-year-old concluded her post by emphasising that “true feminism is just equality. That’s it.” She wrote, “Nothing more and nothing less. When I speak for girls I also speak for boys. When I argue for mental Health. It’s for both genders. Feminism was never about putting men down. Yes it’s started all Loud and angry because that’s how every revolution starts. That’s not how it is today. Today, women have opportunities. Times have changed. What every woman fought for exists in practice. Let’s also never forget….. We are from the land of Shiv and Shakti. Both go together.”
Ridhi Dogra was previously married to actor Raqesh Bapat. The actor couple, who tied the knot in 2011, divorced in 2019.
Twisha Sharma and Deepika Nagar cases
Twisha Sharma, 33, was found hanging at her matrimonial home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills area on May 12. Her family accused her in-laws of dowry harassment and abetment to suicide, while the husband’s family claimed she was addicted to drugs.
On the other hand, 24-year-old Deepika Nagar allegedly jumped to death from the terrace of her in-laws’ home in Greater Noida on May 17. Her family alleged she was being harassed by her in-laws for dowry.
