Not long after calling out a reporter for his body-shaming remarks against her and triggering a widespread debate on sexism and patriarchy in the film industry, actor Gouri Kishan made some candid remarks about beauty standards in cinema. Speaking to her Others co-star Anju Kurian on anchor Maathevan's podcast, Gouri said that she feels a lack of confidence with her physical appearance onscreen. "I do not think I fit into conventional beauty standards, such as those with a lean face, lean features and jawline. I do not have all of that. I have always had a round face," Gouri said. The actor revealed that she used to go behind the monitor and check how she looked onscreen. "Earlier, I used to feel like, 'From this angle, I come across a little fat'. So then, I knew I was getting more vain. Now, I do not do that because I started feeling like it would affect my acting."

Gouri shared that participating in acting workshops in Bengaluru and Kochi helped her "loosen up a bit". Speaking about her experience taking part in these workshops, she said, "They do not care if you have done 10 movies before. There, everyone is treated equally."

The actor also made a critical point about the film industry's long-held notions of what true beauty for heroins means. "Our skill should matter at the end. You can look however you want, you can do it. But unfortunately, our industry expects a certain kind of beauty standard," Gouri Kishan said, citing Samantha Ruth Prabhu as an example.

She also mentioned that this expectation from the industry contributes to actors undergoing aesthetic improvement procedures, such as plastic surgery. "There is nothing wrong with it (plastic surgery), and most actresses are very open about it. If I feel like it, I will do it," Gouri disclosed before revealing that she fixed her teeth. "I used to get emails, saying, 'Your crooked tooth is the most beautiful. Please do not change it,'" she said referring to her days post '96, director C Premkumar's film starring Vijay Sethupathi and Trisha.

"It is still an ongoing thing. I would not say, I am 100 per cent confident," Gouri admitted about how she appears onscreen. "I am of a certain height, I am only 5 feet," she continued. The actor added that she gets limited opportunities because of her height. "I am of the opinion that the beauty standards are changing a little bit," Gouri said about the industry's expectation, mentioning flourishing actors such as Nimisha Sajayan and Darshana Rajendran as examples. "I really think Nimisha Sajayan is the most beautiful actor right now. Look at her performances!" Gouri said. "People are able to look beyond the looks," she concluded.