With Krishna and Milana Nagaraj gearing up for the release of Love Mocktail 3 on March 19, a remark from an actor who appeared in the first instalment has unexpectedly stirred a conversation around the film’s earlier content. Actor Geetha Bharathi Bhat, who had a brief appearance in the first Love Mocktail, recently spoke about a dialogue from the film that left her uncomfortable. The actress, known for her work in the television serial Brahmagantu, recalled a line that compared a woman to a flower that later “turned into cauliflower”. Reflecting on it in an interview, she admitted that she sometimes wonders why she agreed to do the scene in the first place.
Her comments soon caught the attention of the film’s team. Producer-actor Milana Nagaraj and director Krishna responded strongly in an interview, saying the scene was never meant to insult anyone.
Krishna clarified that the line was written simply as a rhyming, humorous dialogue and not a case of body shaming. According to him, the intention was never to hurt anyone’s sentiments. “It was just a rhyme written for the scene,” he explained, adding that the film’s making video is available online and clearly shows the context in which the dialogue was performed.
Milana Nagaraj, however, gave a sharper response. She pointed out that actors are always aware of the scenes they perform and nothing is filmed without their knowledge. “She knew the character and the scene when she acted in it. We don’t hide anything from actors. The role was cast through auditions. If someone is uncomfortable, they always have the option to walk away,” Milana said.
Krishna also noted that Geetha had earlier acted in a television serial that dealt with similar themes around body image and the challenges faced by a woman judged for her weight.
Meanwhile, responding to the reactions, Geetha Bharathi Bhat clarified her position in another interaction. She said there is a clear difference between portraying the struggles of a plus-sized woman and using body shaming as humour. According to her, the dialogue from Love Mocktail became popular not just because it was funny, but also because people began using it casually to mock others.
The exchange has now triggered a fresh discussion about humour, sensitivity, and the responsibility that comes with storytelling, even as the Love Mocktail franchise prepares for its next chapter.
