A few days after a video of Tamil actress Gouri Kishan went viral — in which she firmly called out a vlogger for a body-shaming question during a press conference — the actress has now broken her silence. On Saturday, Gouri shared a detailed statement on Instagram, urging introspection about the kind of conversations artists and the media should engage in.
‘It’s about the kind of relationship we want between artists and the media’
Gouri began her note by addressing the incident, writing, “During a press conference earlier this week, an exchange took place between myself and a YouTube vlogger that became unexpectedly tense. I believe it is important to acknowledge the broader issue behind it so that we can collectively reflect on the kind of relationship we want to encourage between artists and the media.”She admitted that scrutiny is an inevitable part of being in the public eye but drew the line at questions that target someone’s appearance or body.“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.”
‘It was important to stand my ground’
The 96 actress further reflected on how she handled the moment.“I am grateful for being able to stand my ground in a difficult situation. It was important not only for myself but for anyone who has faced the same. This is not new but still prevalent — normalising body shaming in jest, while perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards.”She continued, “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.”
‘Not an invitation to target or harass anyone’
Clarifying her intent, Gouri urged people to focus on empathy rather than blame.“I want to be clear that this is not an invitation to target or harass any individual. Let’s use this moment instead to move forward with greater empathy, sensitivity, and respect on all sides.”She also expressed gratitude to the Chennai Press Club, AMMA Association (Malayalam Film Industry), and South India Nadigar Sangam for issuing statements of support.“Thank you to the press and media, and to the public for your unwavering support. Thank you to everyone in the industry who has reached out and stood in solidarity — to my contemporaries, colleagues, and friends. Only love, Gouri.”
Celebs rally behind Gouri
Several Kollywood celebrities have come forward in support of Gouri Kishan, slamming the vlogger’s unprofessional question.According to reports, during the press conference of the film Others, the vlogger had asked actor Aditya Mahadevan whether it was difficult for him to carry Gouri in a scene because of her weight — a remark that sparked widespread outrage.
