Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has renewed his criticism of actor Sivaji following the latter’s controversial comments on women’s clothing, which sparked backlash online earlier this week. Sivaji had come under fire after making misogynistic remarks at the pre-release event of Dhandoraa, drawing sharp reactions from several quarters.
A few days after publicly calling Sivaji “uncouth,” Varma doubled down on his stance with a fresh social media post. This time, he referenced the recently held pre-release event of Prabhas-starrer The Raja Saab. According to Varma, the film’s female leads - Niddhi Agerwal, Malavika Mohanan and Riddhi Kumar - paid no heed to the comments made by Sivaji and others like him.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday, Varma shared a photo of Prabhas posing for a selfie with the three actors. Along with the image, he wrote, “All 3 heroines of #Prabhas @AgerwaLNidhhi @MalavikaM_ @riddhiculousart didn’t care about moral barkings of Shivaji and his vitriolic batch at #RajaSaab event and wore exactly what they want to wear. Hats off to you 3 HEROES for giving tight face slap to those VILLAINS.”
At the The Raja Saab event, Malavika Mohanan was seen wearing a shimmery black lehenga, while Riddhi Kumar opted for a white saree. Niddhi Agerwal, meanwhile, chose a grey sari for the occasion.
On December 4, Nidhhi reacted strongly after actor Sivaji appeared to suggest that her attire may have “provoked” the mobbing incident she faced during a recent promotional event in Hyderabad.
Taking to Instagram, Nidhhi shared a photo from the event and wrote a pointed caption, “Blaming the victim is a form of manipulation.” Though she did not name Sivaji directly, the timing of the post made her stance clear.
Two days after his initial remarks on women’s clothing, Sivaji addressed the media and cited the mobbing incidents involving actresses, including Nidhhi, as the reason behind his comments. While stating that he apologised only for the language he used, he defended the core of his argument.
When asked why he was advising women to dress modestly instead of calling out men’s behaviour, Sivaji responded, “Who will listen? He says he will still talk to her or click pictures.”
Despite claiming that he was not blaming Nidhhi for what she experienced, Sivaji went on to make comparisons that many found problematic.
He questioned whether actresses like Sai Pallavi, Anushka Shetty, Soundarya, Bhumika Chawla, Laya or Meera Jasmine had faced similar incidents, suggesting that modest dressing prevents harassment. “Do not provoke; men will feel like they can touch you when you do so. Why give them that opportunity?” he said, adding that he was merely “pointing out facts.”
Sivaji’s remarks have continued to draw sharp criticism from social media users and members of the film industry, with many accusing him of victim-blaming and reinforcing regressive ideas about women’s safety and personal freedom.
