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Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Aishwarya Raghupathi tears into reporter's ‘sexist' remark about her outfit; holds her ground as mediapersons try to school her: ‘Do men like you think…'
Although we live in 2025, misogyny and sexism remain deeply ingrained in the minds of many, almost inseparably. While women in general are unfortunately forced to navigate these issues on a daily or even hourly basis, the situation is often worse for female actors, who must do so under constant public scrutiny. Actor-anchor Aishwarya Raghupathi recently found herself at the receiving end of such mistreatment when a mediaperson asked a tasteless question about her attire during a press meet. Although he attempted to cover it up by claiming he was merely pointing out that cotton sarees are summer-friendly, it was more than evident to many, including Aishwarya, that he was referring to her sleeveless blouse. The incident in question reportedly happened a fortnight ago while Aishwarya was hosting a promotional event. Speaking on the occasion, she advised the audience to stay cool and hydrated to beat the intense summer heat. Seizing the moment, a male reporter crudely asked whether her attire — she was wearing a green saree and sleeveless blouse — was part of her strategy to cope with the weather. Shocked by the inappropriate question posed in front of a crowd, it took Aishwarya a moment to collect herself. When she asked why her clothes were even a topic of discussion at a film-related event, the reporter defended his comment, insisting he was simply highlighting the practicality of cotton sarees in summer seasons and demanded a 'simple yes or no' answer from her. Aishwarya, however, ended the discussion by replying that she didn't know how to respond to such a question. Also Read | Shah Rukh Khan left quietly after I told him 'nas kaat lungi', recalls Wamiqa Gabbi: 'There was pin-drop silence on the sets of Baby John' At a more recent event, she addressed the matter directly and at length. She also criticised the other media personnel present at the earlier event for their silence. 'It took me five seconds to realise you asked if I wore sleeveless to feel the breeze. I didn't know whether to respond in anger or stay calm. I may not have reacted then, but the people did.' She went on to call the reporter's subsequent Facebook post a 'crooked justification' and asked, 'Do men like you think you can overpower me because I stayed patient?' However, rather than reflect on the criticism, some members of the media at the event appeared offended and threatened by seeing a woman raising questions against a man's alleged misbehaviour. In a video that has since gone viral, a few reporters, particularly the senior ones, can be seen aggressively approaching the podium to defend their colleague. Undeterred, Aishwarya continued, 'What was the link between drinking water and my saree? Why didn't any of you question him then?' As tensions escalated, the event organisers intervened and ushered her off the stage to proceed with the event. Last week, Aishwarya, also known for her role in director Arun Matheswaran's Dhanush-starrer Captain Miller (2024), released a statement addressing the issue: 'It's disheartening that even today, many men in our society still carry a sense of male ego and chauvinism. What's even more disappointing is when such behaviour comes from someone like a reporter, who should know better.'
India Today
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Tamil actor blasts reporter for ‘sleeveless' comment, questions media silence
Aishwarya Raghupathi, Tamil actor and anchor, hit back at the media fraternity for staying silent when she was questioned about her attire. She put out a statement in connection with an incident that occurred two weeks ago when a reporter publicly questioned her outfit at a film release a promotional event for a movie, Aishwarya, who was hosting the show, urged the media to take precautions against the peak summer heat. In response, a reporter from the crowd asked her if the sleeveless blouse she was wearing was also part of her plan to beat the heat. Taken aback, Aishwarya hesitated and questioned why her attire had become a point of discussion at a movie reporter, defending his question, said he meant to highlight that cotton sarees were suitable for summer and insisted she could simply reply with a 'yes' or 'no.' Aishwarya later said she didn't know how to respond at the moment and pointed out that there's a time and place for such Monday, when she took the stage once again at another event, Aishwarya directly addressed the controversy. 'It took me five seconds to realise you asked if I wore sleeveless to feel the breeze. I didn't know whether to respond in anger or stay calm. I may not have reacted then, but the people did,' she said, referring to the online backlash the reporter also slammed the reporter's Facebook post defending his question, calling it a 'crooked justification,' and questioned the kind of values such behaviour reflects. 'Do men like you think you can overpower me because I stayed patient?' she she spoke, some reporters in the audience attempted to interrupt and defend their colleague. But Aishwarya stood her ground, calling out the silence of the media during the original incident. 'What was the link between drinking water and my saree? Why didn't any of you question him then?' she remarks were cut short when the event organisers asked her to move on to the next week, she also put out a statement on Instagram addressing the issue. "It's disheartening that even today, many men in our society still carry a sense of male ego and chauvinism. What's even more disappointing is when such behavior comes from someone like a reporter, who should know better," she wrote. This wasn't the first time she had faced uncomfortable moments on stage. At an earlier event, Aishwarya said an actor had crossed personal boundaries while trying to garland her, an incident that she said affected her mental was seen in Dhanush-starrer 2024 release, Captain Miller. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
