Actress Takes Stand Against Body Shaming at Film Promotion
During a recent film promotion event, Tamil-Malayalam actor Gouri G Kishan found herself at the center of an inappropriate question that sparked an important conversation about body shaming in the entertainment industry. A YouTube vlogger directed a question to her co-star, asking whether he had difficulty lifting her in romantic scenes "because of her weight."
Gouri immediately interrupted the conversation with a poised but firm response that quickly went viral across social media platforms. "How does my weight concern you? How is that relevant to the film? My weight is my choice — it does not define my talent," she asserted, even as the vlogger began shouting in response.
The Aftermath: Reflections on Support and Silence
In an exclusive interview with Alka Dhupkar, Gouri revealed her disappointment that neither her colleagues on the dais nor the journalists present came to her defense during the 10-12 minute encounter. While she didn't expect rescue, she acknowledged that the prolonged nature of the incident made her question why nobody spoke in support.
"In the eighth or ninth minute, the victim mindset did kick in: why is nobody speaking in my support? Am I saying something wrong?" Gouri shared. "If the director and actor had taken a firm stand, it wouldn't have escalated the way it did."
She confirmed that she later spoke with her colleagues about the incident, and they expressed regret for not intervening. "I'm not someone who carries a grudge," she stated, "But I think it's a lesson. Sometimes, it's better not to expect anything from anybody."
A Lifetime of Casual Misogyny and Body Shaming
Gouri explained that her powerful response wasn't just about one incident but represented years of accumulated frustration with normalized body shaming and casual misogyny. "We've grown up hearing such comments and it has become normalized in society," she noted, emphasizing how such remarks affect mental health, self-esteem, and self-identity.
The actress revealed that body shaming has followed her since school days, where teachers would casually comment that her ponytail was meant to "seduce the boys." This pattern continued when she entered the film industry, where directors and producers frequently made inappropriate comments about her appearance.
"If a director says you need to look a certain way for a role, that's fair, and as actors we work hard," Gouri clarified. "But something like your face shape can't be changed. I have a round face. Asking me to lose the roundness is impossible."
Industry Consequences for Speaking Out
When asked about potential professional consequences for being vocal, Gouri acknowledged that women in the industry often face blacklisting for speaking up. She pointed to examples like singer Chinmayi Sripada, who she said was blacklisted from the industry after speaking up about MeToo, and other actresses who have been labeled "problematic" for addressing issues openly.
However, Gouri remains undeterred by potential backlash. "If you come in with the attitude of, 'Oh, she's too problematic,' or 'She's a drama queen,' or 'She's too feminist', then I feel like I've done myself a favor," she asserted. "These are people I wouldn't want to work with anyway."
Gender Disparity in Appearance Standards
The actress highlighted the double standards that exist between male and female actors when it comes to appearance. "Whether in South or the rest of India, there isn't a conventional standard set for men," she observed, noting that while male actors face some expectations, they generally have more flexibility in their appearance.
Gouri emphasized that while her colleague Pradeep Ranganathan was also questioned about not looking "conventionally like a hero," women face body shaming and appearance-based criticism far more frequently. "This, however, is not about man-woman," she clarified. "People should stop judging others for their appearances. We are public personalities, but we are not public property."
Gaslighting and Patronizing Responses
Gouri also addressed the common dismissal of such incidents as "just for fun" or "light-hearted." In her case, critics even suggested she might not have understood the question because she's from Kerala, despite being brought up in Chennai and speaking fluent Tamil.
"This is gaslighting," she stated firmly. "At one point, the vlogger even said, 'The question was not to you, why are you reacting? Just calm down.' It was so patronizing."
The actress pointed out the underlying assumptions about women's intelligence and capabilities when the vlogger suggested they could only ask her about superficial topics rather than substantive issues like politics or current affairs. "They assume women don't read current affairs, that we're just arm candy meant to look pretty," she concluded.
