Senior actor Sivaji recently landed in controversy for making derogatory comments about the outfits worn by actresses in the Telugu film industry. During the pre-release event of Dhandoraa on Monday night, Sivaji spoke about actresses’ clothing choices and used unparliamentary language, even going to the extent of advising them on how and what to wear. His remarks drew strong criticism from several industry members.
As condemnation mounted from all quarters, Sivaji released a video message offering a sincere apology for his comments and the language he used. Explaining his intent, he said, “In recent times, some actresses have been facing harassment, and in that context, I wanted to say a few good words. However, I ended up using two unparliamentary words, which could hurt sentiments. Whatever I said was not meant for all women.”
He further added that his intention was to speak about safety concerns and not to shame anyone. “I never wanted to degrade or insult anyone. Unfortunately, I used inappropriate words, and for that, I sincerely apologise,” Sivaji said.
The actor emphasised that he holds women in high regard, comparing them to Mahashakti. “In today’s society, women are often treated poorly. I wanted to stress that such behaviour should not be encouraged. However, I used village language, which was completely wrong. I accept my mistake and apologise wholeheartedly,” he stated.
Reiterating his stance, Sivaji said that his intention was never to hurt or defame any woman. “If those two words had not been spoken, the situation would have been different today. I only wanted to convey something positive. To all the women who felt hurt by my comments, I once again offer my sincere apologies,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, several prominent personalities, including Ram Gopal Varma, Chinmayi Sripaada, Anasuya, Manchu Manoj, and Navdeep, strongly condemned Sivaji’s remarks.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Women Commission issued summons to the actor over his comments, asking him to appear before the committee by December 17, 11am.