Tamil actor Gouri Kishan slammed a journalist for body-shaming during her film promotion, sparking widespread support online. She defended her professionalism, highlighted sexism in media, and was backed by celebrities.
Chennai: Tamil actor Gouri Kishan has garnered widespread support online following her powerful response to a journalist who questioned her about her weight during a promotional event for her new film Others on November 7. The 26-year-old actor’s refusal to tolerate body-shaming has ignited important conversations about sexism and professionalism in media coverage. During the press conference, attended by her castmates, a male reporter posed an inappropriate question regarding Kishan’s weight, allegedly in reference to a scene where her co-star Aditya Madhavan lifts her character. When some journalists attempted to dismiss the question as harmless humor, Kishan firmly disagreed and said, “I did not find it funny. Stop normalising body-shaming. It was a question about me; I have the right to have an opinion.”
Speaking in Tamil, she challenged him directly: “Why should my weight be any concern of yours? What relevance does it have to the film? My body is my own business and has no bearing on my abilities as an actor. My work speaks for itself, and I’m dedicated to portraying strong, professionally-driven characters.” When others present attempted to move the conversation along, she stood her ground, stating, “I need to say this, and people keep trying to silence me.”
The situation escalated when the reporter raised his voice in response to her objections. Kishan pointed out the disparity in the types of questions directed at her, “I haven’t been asked a single question about my character or preparation for the role. But everyone wants to know about my weight.” While Aditya Madhavan didn’t intervene during the moment, he subsequently issued a public apology. “My silence wasn’t approval of body-shaming. I was caught off-guard as this is my first film. I should have spoken up immediately. She deserved better. Everyone deserves dignity and respect. I sincerely apologize,” he said.
Gouri Kishan concluded her remarks by calling out the underlying issue, “You are objectifying a female actor. This is not journalism, you are a disgrace to your profession.”
‘Not The First Time’
Gouri Kishan later told media houses that this was not an isolated incident and the same journalist had previously asked her similar questions, which she had chosen not to address at the time but later regretted. “The first time it happened was last week. When you go on survival mode, you freeze, and by the time I processed, it was over. But I had a lot of regret that I didn’t speak out. Not for myself, but so that it doesn’t happen to another actress. Because it’s not an easy industry to be in, and instead of attacking, they should actually be supporting and making this a very healthy environment,” she told NDTV. The actor also expressed happiness that she was getting solidarity across the country, and stated that everybody should stick to their truth and call out such instances whenever they can. She also highlighted how weight is affected by scientific factors such as hormones and questioned whether the YouTuber was trying to showcase his masculine pride.
Gouri Kishan’s assertive stance has resonated strongly on social media, with numerous industry professionals and supporters praising her courage. Kishan entered the film industry at age 18, portraying the younger version of Trisha’s character in the 2018 film ’96. She hails from Kerala but was brought up in Tamil Nadu, and has been a vocal advocate for body positivity through her Instagram stories.
Support Pours in
Acclaimed director Pa Ranjith was quick to voice his backing, writing on social media, “@Gourayy more power to you. I strongly condemn the reporter’s actions; they are unacceptable and shameful. That female actors have to still face these indecent questions goes to show the distance Thamizh cinema has yet to go.” Singer Chinmayi Sripaada wrote, “Gowri did an amazing job. The moment you call out a disrespectful and an unnecessary question – a whole lot of shouting down happens. So proud that someone so young stood her ground and pushed back. No male actor gets asked what his weight is. No idea why they asked a female actor.”
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Veteran actor and politician Khushbu Sundar also weighed in, criticizing the deteriorating standards of media conduct. “Journalism has lost its ground. The so called journos take journalism to the gutters. How much a woman weighs is none of their business. And asking the hero about it?? What a shame!” she wrote. The BJP leader also stated respect should never be a one way traffic. “Learn to give respect if you expect to be respected,” she added.
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Actor Kavin, who has previously worked with Gouri Kishan, also showed his support, posting “Inside and out, you’re beautiful and inspiring, Gouri :)” along with encouragement for her to remain authentic. Journalist Siddharth KM wrote, “Gouri Kishan’s statement yesterday, ‘What you are doing is not journalism,’ is a message many male Tamil film journalists need to hear. The Bayilvaan Ranganathan way of journalism has to be called out and walked to its grave for the betterment of human interactions and society.”
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