'Will you be safe in Delhi?': Aanchal Munjal’s flight conversation on women's safety sparks debate

Aanchal Munjal pic via Instagram

A conversation on a flight has sparked an online debate about women's safety, education and how society responds to uncomfortable questions. Actor Aanchal Munjal recently shared an exchange with a foreign co-passenger who questioned whether she would be safe travelling to Delhi. Her account has since attracted trolling on social media, shifting attention from the conversation itself to the reaction it received.

What did the passenger tell Aanchal Munjal?

In an Instagram reel, Aanchal Munjal recounted travelling to Delhi for work when the man sitting beside her asked, "Will you be safe?" According to her Instagram account, he also brought up protests over education and crimes against women. Recalling how a friend had once introduced Delhi to him as "Dil walon ki Dilli", he reportedly questioned whether the city still lived up to that expectation.

The passenger also connected education with women's safety, suggesting that educating boys could help prevent harm to girls. Munjal said in her caption that this link between education and women's safety was the part of the conversation that stayed with her.

Why has the reel sparked a debate?

The video drew online trolling, with some users defending Delhi and criticising Aanchal for her remarks. One user wrote, "I seriously don't understand why people think Delhi isn't safe. I have travelled around at 2-3 am and there is nothing to be scared about. It's not as if people are just standing on the road to harass you. I have also seen people wearing whatever they want here. Pata nahi kaunsi Delhi ki baat karte hain log. If you have experienced such incidents, then yes, you can speak about them. But when nothing of that sort has happened to you, why do people from outside Delhi just come and talk shit about Delhi? I have been to many cities, and I honestly feel Delhi is the best."

However, another user urged people not to focus on defending the city but to address women's safety more broadly. One user wrote, "I feel bad after reading the comments. People point out that rape happens in other countries as well. But why are we comparing? We need to focus on making our country better."

Well, Aanchal Munjal's reel has opened up a difficult conversation that goes beyond one flight or one city. In the video, the Pushpa 2 actress revealed what her co-passenger told her: "Rape and education go hand in hand. If the boys are educated, the girls will not be raped. If girls are taught, they will not have to come on the streets to protest for them to roam freely." While social media trolling has become part of the response, the larger questions remain: How can boys be taught to respect women, and what more needs to be done to make women feel safe in public spaces?