Divya Bharathi Takes Offense, Slams Director Naresh Kuppili over 'Chilaka'

Tamil actress Divya Bharathi has strongly criticised director Naresh Kuppili (also known as Narresh K Lee), accusing him of repeatedly using demeaning and sexist language towards her during the making of her Telugu debut film GOAT.

The controversy escalated after Divya shared a screenshot of a tweet in which Kuppili referred to her as “chilaka” and claimed she was suited only for a second-lead role. Divya called the remark “deeply insulting to women” and said it reflects a pattern of misogyny.

In an Instagram post, Divya stated that this was not an isolated incident. She alleged that Kuppili’s behaviour on the sets of ‘GOAT’ was similar to what she had seen during his previous film, ‘Paagal,’ describing a consistent pattern of disrespect towards women.

What disappointed her most, she said, was the silence of her co-star Sudigali Sudheer, who did not intervene despite being aware of the situation. “Seeing the hero stay silent allowed this culture to survive one more day,” she wrote.

Divya added that she spoke out publicly only because she had been drawn into the director’s recent comments on social media. “Calling women ‘chilaka’ or any other term isn’t harmless. It reflects deep-rooted misogyny. I choose workspaces where women aren’t targets for mockery and where respect is non-negotiable,” she wrote.

The actress also addressed claims that she “always has issues” with teams. She clarified that she had worked with multiple crews in Tamil cinema without any conflicts and stated that the only problem she faced was with this director.

“Only this one director crossed lines and made disrespectful comments. He chose to make it public, and I have every right to respond. If anyone wants to defend that behaviour, that’s on them — I’m not losing sleep,” she added.

Divya concluded by stating that she wishes well even to those who speak poorly about her but will continue to stand up for safe and respectful work environments.