Tamil actress Aishwarya Ragupathi recently attended the trailer launch of Yogi Da alongside Vishal Krishna Reddy, aka Vishal and Sai Dhanshika, where a reporter questioned her choice of outfit, asking if she wore a sleeveless blouse to beat the heat — a remark that did not sit well with the actress. "Are you wearing this dress because its summer season now?," asked the reported. In response, she took a pause for a bit and said, "I am not sure how this is connected to the film or the event."
Later, on Monday, on another event, Aishwarya directly addressed the controversy, adding, "It took me five seconds to realise you asked if I wore sleeveless to feel the breeze. I didn’t know whether to respond in anger or stay calm. I may not have reacted then, but the people did."
Aishwarya also took issue with the reporter's Facebook post defending his question, calling it a 'crooked justification' and questioning the kind of values such behaviour reflects. "'Do men like you think you can overpower me just because I chose to stay patient?' she asked."
Later, the actress issued a statement expressing her disappointment, stating that she was disheartened to see that men in society still carry a sense of male ego and chauvinism.
She added, "What's even more disappointing is when such behavior comes from someone like a reporter, who should know better. Over the years, I've received a lot of unwanted attention from senseless people. In moments like those, I've had to choose between reacting with anger or staying composed to maintain the dignity of the stage. That day, I chose to stay calm, but afterward, I felt really heavy. I cried a little, gathered myself, and got back to finishing the rest of my work."
She added, "Honestly, I never imagined myself as a public figure. The media and cinema world happened to me by accident I stepped into this field in 2018 as a news reader with no background in films, media, or understanding of people's egos. But my journey, my experiences, and my hard work have shaped who I am today.
On the work front, Aishwarya was seen in Dhanush starrer, Captain Miller.
