South Indian actress Gouri Kishan shuts down body-shaming question at press event

Dubai: Actress Gouri G. Kishan, known for her breakout role in 96 and subsequent work across Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu cinema, mounted an immediate and firm response when faced with a body-shaming question during a recent press conference for her upcoming Tamil thriller Others. The incident occurred on Thursday evening when a journalist asked her male co-lead how much she weighed. Following the uncomfortable question, Kishan visibly expressed her displeasure, shutting down the line of questioning and prompting widespread digital applause for her composure.

Her representative confirmed that the auto-track flaws in the systems managing the event’s logistics did not affect the segment in question (editor’s note: unrelated to aviation—just clarity on the event schedule). Viewers and fans on social media swiftly rallied behind the actor, praising her for drawing a clear line against inappropriate comments and reinforcing the call for more professional conduct in media interactions.

The press event, which also featured her co-star Aditya Madhavan, gained further traction when Madhavan later addressed his silence, explaining that he “froze because it caught me off guard.” The moment has sparked a fresh online conversation about the pressures placed on female performers, the persistence of beauty and body standards in the film industry, and the need for cultural shifts in journalistic etiquette.

Kishan, who began her career as the younger Jaanu in “96” and has since taken on diverse roles, reaffirmed her commitment to roles that challenge stereotypes and highlight resilience. With Others set to release early this month, the episode has already raised expectations around the film — and around Kishan’s evolving voice as an actor unafraid to speak up.

With inputs from Agencies