Actress Gouri Kishan slams reporter for body shaming; bold reply sparks widespread support

Chennai: Actress Gouri G Kishan strongly rebuked a YouTuber who made a body-shaming remark about her weight during a press conference for the Tamil film "Others' on November 6. Her composed yet firm response has since gone viral, drawing applause from across the film fraternity and the public.

In the viral clip, Gouri can be seen confronting the question head-on, asking, "How does my weight concern you in any way? How is it relevant to the film? My weight is my choice and it does not concern my talent. This is nothing but body shaming, a stupid question on body weight.''

The Chennai Press Club swiftly condemned the YouTuber’s conduct, calling it inappropriate and unprofessional. The South Indian Artists Association also expressed concern over what it described as "crooked individuals in the guise of journalism'' attempting to humiliate female actors at public events.

When the YouTuber tried to argue, Gouri responded firmly: "Every woman has a different body type. I will let my talent speak. I have done character- driven films so far. I don’t need your validation.'' Questioning the double standards, she added, "Would you ask such a question to a male actor? You are objectifying a female actor. This is not journalism, you are a disgrace to your profession.'' Her co-star, Aditya Madhavan, later apologised on X, saying, "I froze because it caught me off guard, it’s my debut. I wish I’d stepped in sooner. She didn’t deserve that. No one does. Everyone deserves respect.''

As the video circulated widely, veteran actress Khushbu Sundar voiced her support for Gouri, criticising the degradation of journalistic ethics. "How much a woman weighs is none of their business. And asking the hero about it? What a shame'' she posted on X.

In Kerala, the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) also came out in solidarity with Gouri. ""AMMA understands your pain, Gouri. We strongly believe it is wrong to engage in body-shaming, irrespective of who does it, when, or where,'' the organisation wrote on Instagram.

Several prominent figures, including singer Chinmayi Sripada, journalist Dhanya Rajendran, and actors Reba John, Anumol, Nyla Usha, Saniya Iyyappan, and Ahaana Krishna, publicly lauded Gouri’s stand. Many called her reply ""befitting and brave'', while others criticised the silence of those who witnessed the incident without intervening.