Actress Divyabharathi, who is working on the upcoming Telugu film GOAT, has made serious claims against the film’s director, Naresh Kuppili, accusing him of disrespectful and sexist behaviour. Her statements have sparked a wide discussion about how women are treated in the film industry.
In a social media post, Divyabharathi said the director used belittling words to address her and treated her role as less important, calling her the “second-lead actress” in a dismissive way. She also said he often behaved in a way that made women on set feel uncomfortable and disrespected. According to her, this kind of environment is unacceptable, especially in a professional workspace.
She expressed disappointment not only in the director but also in her co-stars, saying that no one spoke up when such behaviour took place. She mentioned that silence in such situations encourages poor treatment of women and strengthens harmful beliefs in the industry.
The actress wrote that she believes every actor, whether male or female, deserves dignity and respect. She said she chooses to work only in places where women are not targets of mockery, and where every person is treated fairly. She firmly said that respect should never be negotiable.
Some people accused her of having issues with team members, but she responded by saying she has worked on many projects in Tamil cinema without any problems. She explained that the only issue she faced was in this particular situation, and she felt it was important to speak up.
Reports suggest that after her statements, changes were made in the film’s production team, and the director is no longer involved. The matter has opened up conversations about sexism, safety, and dignity for women in the South Indian film industry.
Many people have praised Divyabharathi for speaking courageously and bringing attention to a long-standing issue in cinema.
