Hyderabad, January 14: Telugu director and producer Tammareddy Bharadwaj has condemned the recent controversial remarks made by director Trinadha Rao Nakkina during the teaser launch event for his film 'Mazaka'.
Speaking to ANI, Bharadwaj called out the director's comments on actress Anshu's physical appearance, expressing that such remarks were in poor taste and should not be tolerated in the film industry.
At the teaser launch event for 'Mazaka', which stars Sundeep Kishan, Ritu Varma, and Anshu, director Trinadha Rao made comments about Anshu's appearance, suggesting that she needed to gain weight for her role in the film.
Rao said, "When she came as a heroine in a movie, I could not believe it. Is she still like that? She is thin now, I only asked her to eat some food and increase weight because it is not enough for Telugu (audience). Everything should be in big sizes. It's okay. She has improved a bit, she will improve more by next time."
These remarks sparked a backlash from netizens, many of whom criticized Rao for body-shaming the actress.
In response to the criticism, the director released a self-recorded video apologizing for his comments, stating that his intention was not to hurt anyone but to add humour to the event.
"The comments made by me in the Mazaka teaser release event were not intentional, and only did it to make everyone laugh. But because several women are hurt, I unconditionally apologize for those comments," Rao explained in the video.
However, Tammareddy Bharadwaj expressed his disapproval of the comments, saying, "Such statements should be condemned. It's one thing to make a mistake unintentionally, but using women's appearances for film promotions is in very bad taste. This needs to be stopped, and we should not allow such comments. These kinds of statements for attention or promoting films are not acceptable."
Bharadwaj went on to suggest that while apologies were made, they were not enough to address the issue properly.
"Just issuing a statement or apology doesn't solve the problem. I don't think we organisations can do something, women commission should step in for these kind of things. Once one or two persons are penalised for that, then only it will stop unless because just giving a statement, I can just condemn that or somebody else also condemn it," he said.
He also stressed that it wasn't an isolated incident but part of a broader cultural issue in the Indian film industry.
"This is a culture we see in many other industries as well, not just in Telugu cinema. Women are often subjected to inappropriate comments, even at award shows. This has to stop," he added.
Anshu, who is making her comeback to the film industry after a two-decade break with 'Mazaka', reacted to the controversy as well.
She clarified that Trinadha Rao's comments were taken out of context and emphasized that the director treated her with respect and kindness throughout their work together.
"I really want to assure you that he is the loveliest man on the planet. He really is. I believe his words may have been taken out of context. He has treated me as a member of his family," Anshu said in a self-recorded video message.
She further expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to work with Rao, calling him an exceptional director. "Trinadha sir has been an absolute pleasure to work with. I could not have asked for a better director to bring me back to the Telugu film industry," Anshu shared, urging fans to focus on the excitement surrounding the film's release rather than the controversy.
The actress, who previously starred in the 2002 film Manmadhudu alongside Nagarjuna, expressed her enthusiasm for her return to cinema with Mazaka, which is set for release on February 21, 2025.
