New Delhi: Instagram influencer and actress Riva Arora, known for her role as a child actor in Uri: The Surgical Strike in 2019 and Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl in 2020, was recently seen in Rakul Preet’s ‘Chhatriwali’. The actress has been facing a lot of criticism since last year after she was featured in a reel where Karan Kundrra was seen romancing her. At the time, it was widely speculated that the actress was 12 years old then.
In a conversation with Indianexpress.com, Riva said that she chooses not to focus on criticism but rather carries on with her work. “Well, I never focus on such criticism,” Riva told indianexpress.com. I always believe that if there’s negativity, there’s also a positive side. I choose to look at the brighter side. The love that I get today has overpowered everything,” she was quoted as saying by Indianexpress.com.
When asked about her age, she replied, “That will be revealed soon. But all I can say is that I am not 12.”
She also said that she and her family joke about the age issue. “They teased me that tu baarah saal ki hai kya? It’s a little funny to see and read these things. And yes, when things do become too heavy, they cheer me up and make me realise that it’s bogus reports, so I shouldn’t worry about it,” she told Indianexpress.com.
Riva also said she doesn’t want to be boxed as a child actor. “I have started doing all kinds of roles and everything has changed completely. I want to be seen as an actor, who is versatile and not boxed as a child or young actor,” she told Indianexpress.com..
Last year in October, Riva and her parents came under fire by netizens for appearing in 'age-inappropriate' videos with Karan Kundrra and Mika Singh. Her age at the time was reported as 12.
Riva's mother then clarified that her daughter is in Class X and has been working in the industry for the last 13 years.