Bollywood veteran Soni Razdan has slammed social media trolls for targeting her daughter Alia Bhatt’s appearance at the Cannes Film Festival, saying the online reactions reflect deeper issues within society.

Alia attended the festival as India’s global ambassador for L'Oréal Paris and walked the red carpet for the second consecutive year.

The criticism followed circulation of a video on social media claiming photographers at Cannes did not recognise the 33-year-old actor and lowered their cameras while she posed on the red carpet.

The video triggered mixed reactions online, with some users defending Bhatt while others mocked her, alleging she lacked international recognition.

Responding to a post defending Bhatt’s Cannes appearance, Razdan wrote, “Social media is full of many things — love, information, entertainment — and... a lot of hate. And more than anything else, it reveals something about society. A very interesting sociological discussion could ensue and be discussed and studied for years to come.”

Alia also reacted to a social media comment that read, “What a pity, no one noticed you”. The actress replied, “Why pity love? You noticed me.”

The Cannes Film Festival began on May 12 and is scheduled to conclude on May 23.