Actress Girija Oak, a well-known name in theatre and Marathi cinema, has been in the spotlight recently after going viral online as the “blue saree girl.” Her brief appearance in Jawan and a widely circulated interview suddenly pushed her into the limelight, earning her the title of India’s new “national crush.” However, the actress revealed that this unexpected fame has brought mixed reactions.
Speaking to Lallantop, Girija shared that the surge in attention was completely unforeseen. “I never imagined something like this could happen. It’s surprising, but I’m enjoying the affection,” she said. Yet along with praise, she also received some inappropriate direct messages. “One person wrote, ‘Will you be my babes?’ If you look at my Instagram, you’ll see I’m married, I have a son, and have been doing theatre for years. So, I’m used to a certain level of respect. But this ‘national crush’ label makes some people oscillate between respecting me and sexualising me.”
The actress also opened up about how her family has reacted to the sudden fame. Coming from an artistic background, they have taken the situation with maturity and humour. “We’ve been amused by the messages. This has never happened to me before, so it’s new but funny. My son was away on a school trip when everything went viral. When I picked him up, other parents were talking about it and he couldn’t understand what was happening. He doesn’t grasp virality yet,” Girija shared.
She added that her son even asked if she would change because of the newfound popularity. “I joked that this was my Girija 2.0 phase and he should treat me more respectfully. Then I assured him I’m not going to change.”
Despite the hype, Girija says her daily life remains just the same — including her everyday struggles. “People keep asking me what changed after being called the national crush. Honestly, nothing. Rickshaw mujhe abhi bhi nahi mil rahi hai — I still can’t get an auto-rickshaw easily!” she laughed. “And no, I haven’t suddenly started receiving more work offers either.”