In an era where the digital and the domestic collide, women’s flourish on social media becomes a battleground. India Today spotlights how the 21st-century phenomenon of Instagram Reels, with their dopamine-driven reach, is clashing with the lingering sensibilities of a 19th-century mindset. The technology that empowers also endangers while men opt for daring stunts online, women often face criticism for ‘risqué’ content that simply asserts female agency.

This cultural tension is illuminated by the Nikki Bhati dowry tragedy, her desire to create content or reopen a beauty parlour cited as triggers for escalating abuse. The article captures how her defiance of norms became fatal, emblematic of a societal fault line where virtual expression collides with entrenched patriarchy. The digital revolution remains incomplete when traditional guardians resist women’s autonomy even within the safe confines of their homes.