Subhashree Ganguly faces backlash for Messi pics; Raj Chakraborty defends wife: 'Does being an actress disqualify her?'

Lionel Messi’s visit to Kolkata was expected to be a joyful moment for football fans. But the event at Salt Lake Stadium turned messy. Many fans could not see Messi clearly from the stands. Angry spectators started throwing bottles and chairs, creating panic inside the stadium.

Subhashree’s post triggers online anger

Amid the confusion, Bengali actor Subhashree Ganguly shared pictures with Lionel Messi on social media. On Sunday, she posted photos from the G.O.A.T. India Tour, including two pictures with the football legend. She wrote,“Represented the Bengali Film Fraternity at The G.O.A.T. India Tour @leomessi.”Soon after, many people criticized her post, calling it “tasteless” and “insensitive” to fans who missed seeing Messi.

Raj Chakraborty’s strong defense

Subhashree’s husband, filmmaker and TMC MLA Raj Chakraborty, strongly defended her online. He wrote,“Thousands of people who bought tickets at a high price were deprived of seeing their hero. Her ‘crime’ was posting a photograph with Messi. Does being an actress disqualify her from being a Messi fan?”He also spoke about media treatment and public behavior, adding,“There is a vast difference between protest and humiliation.”

Political leaders join the criticism

The backlash did not stay limited to social media users. Some political leaders also reacted, saying that sharing such pictures was unfair to ticket-holding fans who left the stadium disappointed. Many felt the timing of the post added to the anger already present among football lovers.

Action taken after stadium disorder

After the chaos, police arrested the main organizer for poor planning and mismanagement. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered a high-level inquiry and apologized to fans who were upset and disappointed by the event.