Actor Aditya Madhavan, who remained silent when his co-star Gouri Kishan was bodyshamed by a YouTuber during the press meet for their upcoming film Others, has apologised for not speaking up at the time.
"I'd like to apologise to Gouri. I could have spoken," he told NDTV. Also present on the dais during the incident was the film's director, Abin Hariharan.
Aditya, who recently graduated from college and is making his debut with Others, said he was unsure how to react at a public press event.
"Interrupting someone while speaking doesn't help the cause. She was giving her perspective and I didn't want to interrupt - she owned that space. I don't think she needed that. Our silence is the whole point," he explained.
Reflecting on his own experiences, Aditya revealed that he too had been bodyshamed growing up.
"I was a fat kid, I went through that struggle. I was bullied. We don't condone bodyshaming," he said, adding that it's never too late to speak about such issues - for both men and women."
Gouri Kishan, meanwhile, said she never expected anyone to defend her during the confrontation.
"I don't think anyone needs anybody to speak for them - I proved that," she said, while adding that it would have helped if Aditya and her director had spoken up.
"It's the first project for them, so no grudges," she remarked, acknowledging their inexperience in handling such a situation.
Background
The controversy erupted during a press meet in Chennai when a YouTuber asked Gouri about her body weight, referring to a scene where the male lead lifts her. Gouri called the question "stupid" and the justification for it "a disgrace" to journalism.
"Don't normalise bodyshaming," she asserted, asking whether such a question would ever be put to a male actor.
Even as some journalists sided with the YouTuber, Gouri stood firm, challenging the sexist tone of the exchange. Her response won widespread praise, with singer Chinmayi Sripada posting on X, "Gouri did an amazing job... So proud that someone so young stood her ground and pushed back."
The Chennai Press Club and several journalists have called this unacceptable. Many have also criticised the growing influence of unregulated YouTubers at press events, accusing them of prioritising sensationalism and clicks over ethics and accountability.
