KATHMANDU: Actress Surakshya Panta found herself at the center of controversy a few days ago. She faced a barrage of criticism on social media following a remark she made about a former member of the royal family. The backlash escalated to the point where her film Khel, in which she stars, was subjected to a boycott.

In the midst of bitter criticism from all quarters, Surakshya embraced silence, responding only with the posting of a poem. But she has now slowly started to return to social media. As part of coming back to the open, she posted a photo on Facebook on Friday that has received significant attention.

In the photo, she is seated in the middle of a lotus flower, appearing almost goddess-like. The background appears to contain symbols or letters resembling those from an unfamiliar script. She is wearing black sunglasses perched on her head, colorful bangles on her tattooed arm, and exudes a striking, divine aura. Initially, a lot of viewers compared her to a goddess—others even mentioned that she looked like Goddess Durga, while others likened her to Saraswati.

Nonetheless, the background song she used for the post was Daryam, which a lot of people felt did not complement the strong and religious tone of the photo. Despite her divine and commanding appearance in the photo, several users commented that the song selection did not suit the imagery.

The post has prompted a variety of interpretations. Some believe that the photo subtly conveys that unnecessary criticism and public backlash no longer affect her. Others have questioned the intent behind such an unusual post, especially during a time of controversy.