In a recent Telugu film event, veteran actor Sarath Kumar won praise for his dignified response to a body-shaming question directed at Tamil actor-director Pradeep Ranganathan. The incident, which took place during the pre-release event of Pradeep’s upcoming film Dude, quickly became a trending topic across social media.
During the interaction, a journalist asked Pradeep, “Even though you are not hero material, is it luck or hard work that brought you success in two films?” The question was widely criticized for being disrespectful and body-shaming in nature. According to The Times of India, before the actor could respond, Sarath Kumar calmly addressed the situation and said, “Everyone here is a hero. A person who does anything that benefits society is a hero.”
His composed yet firm reply received immediate applause from the audience and appreciation from netizens, who praised him for handling the situation with grace.
Kiran Abbavaram calls out unfair questions
A few days later, the same journalist repeated the question at the trailer launch of K-Ramp, where actor Kiran Abbavaram took a strong stand in defense of Pradeep Ranganathan.
“It is not right to target an actor from another industry. Constantly asking such questions is unfair,” Kiran said. “Saying that Pradeep Ranganathan is not hero material is hurtful, both to him and to others who hear it. Let’s not entertain such questions anymore.”
Kiran’s clear and composed response struck a chord online. Fans lauded him for speaking up for his colleague and promoting respectful interactions within the film fraternity.
Here’s how Radhika reacted to the controversy
Veteran actress Radhika Sarath Kumar also voiced her support for Pradeep and Sarath on social media. In her post, she wrote, “Can you even call this a question? Both Sarath and Pradeep handled it with grace.” Her post gained wide traction, adding to the conversation about maintaining decorum during media events.
This incident follows another uncomfortable moment in Telugu cinema when actress Manchu Lakshmi was asked an inappropriate question about her outfit and replied sharply, “How dare you ask this question?”
Together, these recent events have sparked an ongoing discussion about the importance of respectful communication between media professionals and artists.
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