Director Body Shames Actress And Then Apologizes

 India-West News Desk

HYDERABAD – Tollywood director Trinadha Rao Nakkina has apologized for making disparaging remarks about actress Anshu’s physical appearance.

During the teaser launch event for his upcoming film Mazaka in Hyderabad on January 12, the director commented about Anshu’s physique, which was deemed derogatory and sparked a wave of criticism on social media.

He 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, intended to be humorous by the director, caused discomfort among attendees and viewers, prompting backlash online. Social media users expressed their displeasure at such comments being made at a public event, calling them out for body-shaming.

In response to the criticism, Trinadha Rao released a self-recorded video to apologize. In the video, the director clarified that his comments were not made with ill intentions. He said, “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.”

Anshu, who is making her return to the screen after two decades with Mazaka, also starring Sundeep Kishan and Rao Ramesh, had a notable appearance in the 2002 hit film Manmadhudu where she starred alongside Nagarjuna and Sonali Bendre