Actor Sivaji’s Comments On Dressing Instead Of Accountability Draw Criticism

Interestingly, all the actresses present on stage were dressed in traditional attire, and Sivaji began by complimenting the anchor for her presentation, but soon shifted to giving his views on how heroines should dress. Without naming anyone, he used gestures to describe what he considered as “decent” clothing. “I request all heroines not to wear revealing outfits. Please wear sarees or dresses that cover the body fully. Beauty lies in complete attire or a saree, not in displaying physical assets,” he spoke, and also used offensive language describing what people would think if they were seen in such clothes. What was even more appalling was the audience's cheering when he made such misogynistic remarks.

From his gestures, it appeared he was indirectly referring to the recent mobbing incident involving actress Nidhhi Agerwal during the song release of her upcoming film, The Raja Saab, at Lulu Mall in Hyderabad. Nidhhi was seen leaving the venue in a disheveled state, holding on to her clothes while being pushed by the crowd, and being quickly bundled into a vehicle. The incident highlighted serious lapses in crowd management and the troubling behavior of frenzied fans who crossed boundaries of decency in the name of admiration.

Instead of addressing accountability or crowd behavior, Sivaji's comments cite “concern” about clothes, suggesting women face issues if they wear revealing outfits. His words shifted responsibility away from those who harassed them and placed it on women’s clothing choices.

Nidhhi Aggarwal was not the only actress to face such an ordeal. Days later, Samantha Ruth Prabhu encountered a similar situation while inaugurating a saree store in Jubilee Hills. Despite being dressed in a "saree", she was also mobbed by fans eager for selfies. With the help of her private security team, Samantha managed to reach her vehicle safely and quickly, unlike Nidhhi, who went through a longer ordeal.

Both incidents sparked debates on crowd management, security for women celebrities during events, and obsessive fan behaviour.

Against this backdrop, Sivaji’s comments on what actresses should or should not wear were seen as being in poor taste. Though he admitted his remarks might stir controversy, he insisted he did not care-yet the damage was already done.