Kannada actor Sapthami Gowda has criticised photographers and content creators for shooting and circulating objectionable visuals of female artists at public events. Raising the issue on social media, she called for basic dignity and respect for women in the film industry.
Best known for Kantara and recently seen in The Rise of Ashoka, the actor questioned the practice of filming women from inappropriate angles and zooming in on their bodies instead of focusing on their work. In a detailed Instagram story, she said, “as women in the film industry, we stand together in addressing a recurring issue. Repeatedly, videos and photographs of female actors at public events are shot and circulated from inappropriate angles, with unnecessary zooms that focus on our bodies rather than our work.”
She called the behaviour “disrespectful.” Using the hashtag #ActorsNotObjects, she said the practices were “clear violations of dignity” and would not be normalised or tolerated.
“We expect those covering events to maintain professionalism, basic respect, and decency. We stand united in setting this boundary. We stand in solidarity with every woman who has experienced this - and we will continue to support one another in demanding respect,” she also said in the statement.
Actors from the south Indian film industry have also been speaking up against the deeply disrespectful trend where cameras focus on their bodies rather than their work. Rukmini Vasanth and Divya Spandana extended their support by sharing the statement on their Instagram Stories. Ashika Ranganath also shared the message.