Amid the ongoing debate over Gouri Kishan’s recent remarks calling out a reporter for body shaming her publicly, the actor has released a statement reiterating her stance. She emphasised once again that any comments or questions targeting a person’s body or appearance are highly inappropriate.
In a recent press interaction while promoting her film Others, the '96 actor shut down queries about her weight, calling it "highly disrespectful", "unnecessary" and "stupid". Despite repeated arguments from the reporter, Gouri stood her ground, sparking arguments during the event. As clips of the video went viral on social media, several celebrities including Chinmayi, Kavin, Khushbu, Jwala Gutta, Santosh Narayanan and Pa Ranjith, among others, along with senior journalists as well as social media users came in support of the actor.
A day after the issue snowballed into a major controversy, stirring discussions around sexism and misogyny in the film industry, Gouri released a note, saying, "As a public figure, I understand that scrutiny is part of my profession. However, comments or questions - direct or indirect - that target a person's body or appearance are inappropriate in any context. I wish I had been asked questions about the film-the work I was there for. I cannot help but wonder if they would ask a male actor the same, in the same aggressive tone."
She noted that it was a difficult situation and yet she stood her ground as it was important for herself as well as others who have faced the same scenario. "This is not new but still prevalent-normalising body shaming in jest, while perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards. I hope this will be a reminder to anyone who has felt this way that we are allowed to speak up. We are allowed to express our discomfort, question when wronged, and work towards stopping this cycle," she added.
Gouri concluded her note by saying that her statement "is not an invitation to target or harass the individual involved" and requested everyone to proceed with "greater empathy, sensitivity, and respect on all sides."
The actor also expressed her gratitude to all those who supported her, calling it "unexpected, overwhelming and humbling."
Apart from individuals, the Chennai Press club issued a press note condemning his question. Expressing their solidarity with the actor on the issue, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists wrote, "AMMA understands your pain, Gouri. And we strongly believe that it is wrong to engage in body-shaming - irrespective of who does it, when and where."
Gouri's latest film Others hit theatres on November 7. The film, helmed by Abin Hariharan, also stars debutant Aditya Madhavan, Anju Kurian, Muniskanth, Harish Perady, Mala Parvathy, Jagan, and R Sundarrajan. While Gouri plays a doctor in the film, Aditya stars as a cop.