Expressions of love in the 21st century have shifted dramatically. In earlier times, couples enjoyed each other's company in private, often keeping their love hidden, as public displays of affection weren’t widely accepted. However, as the meaning of love has evolved, so has the way people express it. Today, sharing personal, romantic moments — whether through intimate photos or affectionate messages — has become a trend. Still, many couples feel that posting their happy moments on social media can attract the ‘evil eye’ or bring negativity into their relationships.
Recently, actress Sonakshi Sinha opened up about keeping her relationship private with her now husband Zaheer Iqbal saying she believed in "Nazar" (evil eye). She also hinted that it was also because she wanted to ward off the negative energy in her relationship. "I feel it’s always better to keep private things private," You’re already so much in the limelight; everybody knows everything about you. Something that is so dear to you should be kept for yourself," she said.
In one of her interviews, actress Janhvi Kapoor also shared that she avoids posting updates about her life until the moments have passed. “If I tell people that I’m traveling or that I have a crush, I attract the ‘evil eye’. I often fall sick before trips,” she explained. Priyanka Chopra Jonas expressed a similar sentiment on Koffee With Karan, saying she prefers to keep things private until they’re complete, adding, “You know, ‘Nazar lag jati hai’ (you attract the evil eye).”
This belief has led many to build their online presence more carefully, or even avoid posting altogether, to protect their private happiness over public validation. Numerous celebrities, along with everyday couples, share the belief in a “social media evil eye.” For example, Nikita Maheshwari, married for three years, has stopped posting happy moments of her life — including photos with her husband — after noticing that they would often argue on the same day she shared a happy picture. She explained, “Every time we would post, we would end up fighting over small things. It started to feel like we were inviting negativity, so I’ve stopped posting entirely.”
The age-old superstition that envy or ill-wishing from others can cause misfortune is finding a new relevance as personal lives become more public online. “By keeping our relationship private, we want to protect our relationship from external negativity,” says Kunal, who once shared poems he wrote for his wife.
Back to the roots
Most of us have been raised with the caution 'not to share too much' about our successes and joys as it might attract jealousy or negativity. There are many online talks suggesting not to share your plans as "people can't ruin what they don't know". Counselling Psychologist Vidisha Jain says, “This concept has existed for centuries. It goes with the traditional caution and modern awareness about the potential drawbacks of overexposure on social media.”
Not everyone, however, agrees with the concept of the 'evil eye'. Digital marketing professional Smruti Patwa believes it’s more about individual mindset than any ‘evil eye.’ “There are countless social media accounts that showcase couple goals with a huge following. Can we say they have some special power against the evil eye?” she asks.
Tarot card reader and astrologer Ankita Goswami suggests that influencers may be shielded from negativity because their audiences lack personal connections with them. “How many followers really know them? Their content can sometimes be a facade, created to earn money rather than share genuine emotion,” she explains. For authentic content creators, Goswami adds, "the positive energy they bring can offer some protection from negativity."
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