When medical aesthetic specialist Nripendra Guha opened his first clinic in Kolkata on January 26, the spotlight quickly shifted from the launch to his face.
A photograph from the event, attended by actress Rukmini Maitra, went viral, triggering a wave of trolling over what many called his “swollen” appearance. Old photos were dug up, memes followed and comments turned cruel.
A Facebook user wrote: “You need a good plastic surgeon as early as possible. Or try for a horror movie, the producer can save money for ghost makeup and aesthetics.” Another commenter wrote: “At first I thought someone had edited the face just to troll. Then I visited the profile.”
Almost four days after the trolling erupted, Guha spoke to My Kolkata, giving a public statement. “I’m actually very thankful for this trolling. People are talking about me,” he said.
'I’m actually very thankful for this trolling. People are talking about me,' Guha said
Guha, who has over 20 years of experience in medical aesthetics and has worked across the UK, UAE and Sri Lanka, explained that the photograph captured him at a bad time.
“Three days before the launch, I had taken a machine-based service. I have an inflammatory condition. There was a procedure done by a novice doctor outside Kolkata, and certain tissues got inflamed. I was doing damage control when this photo was taken,” he said.
He admitted that the decision to undergo the procedure was his.
“I won’t say the blame was not mine. I got greedy. I thought it would make me look more beautiful,” he said, adding that ethical practice means knowing when to stop.
Asked if the trolling affected him mentally, Guha was firm. “I am not bothered at all. I am not a film star. My face can be criticised, but my clients’ faces should never be criticised, as they are done by me,” he said.
Guha with (centre) actress Rukmini Maitra
Guha also spoke about support from close friends and industry colleagues. “One or two people from the entertainment industry reached out,” he said.
Rukmini Maitra, he stressed, was not involved commercially.
“She is like a sister to me. She told me I should post photos of my healed face to explain to people what happened.”
Guha says he will address the episode through awareness, not retaliation. “People have the right to speak. My only aim is to educate people that even if something goes wrong, it is reversible with the right skill and certification.”