Though war is a serious issue and world over media coverage is sombre, shorn of theatrics, Republic Bharat’s reports of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has not only raised eyebrows, but also few laughs and sarcastic comments on SM.

While it has to be admitted that India’s Republic Media Network was one of the first news networks from here to send reporters to Ukraine and neighbouring countries to report on the war, globally now termed as a serious humanitarian crisis, one of its anchors made a spectacle of herself recently with her style, backed by studio-based graphics, which made the whole proceeding funny.

Media website Newslaundry said Republic Bharat’s Shazia Nisar, a news anchor dispatched to Ukraine, added her own twist – literally – to reporting.

The twist here refers to the twisting and going back and forth by Nisar, while the camera makes a desparate attempt to follow her awkward movements, even as graphics of jets flew across the TV screens.

Scoopwhoop.com described the news anchor as a “lethal dose of energy no one needed”. The writer of the report said: “What is the secret behind her (Nisar’s) monstrous enthusiasm and deafening squeaking that I definitely didn’t need to hear at eight in the morning?”

“There’s no denying her enthusiasm, but that isn’t precisely what people were pointing out. When you are born a rapper, but life makes you a war reporter.pic.twitter.com/sDBEC7zr4l,” tweeted one Vikrant from the handle @vikrantkumar.

Another social media user, Rahul Pandita (@rahulpandita), observed: “For a moment I thought she was enacting Raj Kapoor in Mera naam Joker since it was so popular in these parts. pic.twitter.com/1urRntBPt0.”

Many others, including senior journalists, were not so charitable and panned the coverage and antics of Republic Bharat and Nisar, pointing out that such coverage of a war did not paint a good picture of Indian journalism and its standards.